Point Made

Thanks to my friend, editor, and fellow curious-as-cat member, Pam Frautschi, I was able to see Mike Goushi's interview with Alex MacGillis . MacGillis wrote a book, Fulfillment; Winning and Losing in one-click America. In the book, MacGillis frames his view of the current state of our country. He formed this opinion after a couple decades of traveling the country as a reporter. Listening to this interview, I realized that I am one of the people who has contributed to the rise of Amazon. They have become one of the 'Tech Giants." They have, in a sense, out 'Walmarted' Walmart. They didn't have to build brick-and-mortar stores down the street from the big box stores. Instead, Amazon modernized its operations. They can deliver your order in a day or two with no shipping charges. Anytime there is a disruption in a market, the winners and losers show up. It usually expresses itself in jobs destroyed and created. Automation is a disrupter as it often eliminates j...

 Book Publishing Saga Is Almost Over. I can breathe a little bit easier now. We finally got the book uploaded to the publisher. My next step is to order some hardcopy books and get the book reviewed by some readers.  The process, not without some kicking and screaming, was accomplished late on the evening of April15th. As of the morning of the 16th, the digital format was downloadable. What I need are what are called ARC's (Advance Reader Copies). I will order them as soon as the publisher lets me know the files have been set up for the POD (Print On Demand) service. They only print a book when they get an order for it and they will and do print one book. So it's possible some changes will be made depending on my ARC feedback. However, the mountain has been climbed and I can see the green valleys below. Writers write. I'm currently writing a screenplay. I haven't had a compulsion to write something like this since I finished the novel I'm publishing. 26 Women poured...

... Published A Novel Idea I've uploaded my Files to IngramSpark. And soon, I will announce the availability of my Novel, 26 Women. Because Ingram has the ability to distribute books through many outlets, You will be able to acquire my book from your preferred source. I'm publishing two forms. One is digital for those that read on their phones, laptops, or desk computers. The other is a print on demand (POD) trade paperback for those that want a book in hand. After ordering, it will take a couple of days to get your book.  If you're going to Boswells or another bookstore, they will order it for you. As soon as I get the word that it's available, I will publish the ISBN ID number to speed up that process. COVID 19 As advertised, I am, according to the experts, fully immunized from COVID. Two shots and a two-week period following the last one, and I'm good. I have lunched and brunched with fellow fully immunized friends, and I've got to say it feels good to shake ...

 It's with great relief and hopeful feelings that I announce that it has been two weeks since my second COIVD shot. I can no longer get the disease, and if I'm careful, I probably won't spread it. Who Ray! I'm hoping to download my edited and formatted files to Ingram Spark this week . This means my novel 26 Women will soon be available in digital form. (Nook, Apple, and Kindle) It will also be available in a Trade Paperback version that will soon be available through your favorite bookstore or online vendor. The journey down this trail of self-publication is both an education and a trial by fire. Anyone that tells you it's easy has already done it more than once. There are demands made, particularly in formatting the files that are not for amateurs.   John Gresham does not concern himself about allowing for the bleed in his book size configuration entries.  Nor does he have to be aware that the first paragraph in a Chapter has no indentation.  The Font in the ...

 If this is the case, then we best tame the anger of Mother Nature; for she has shown her displeasure across the states of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Disclaimer: It may be God punishing the black people of these very same states who voted. I'm encouraged and impressed quite frankly by the current president's concern about the climate crisis. You can always tell when someone comes up with a good idea in Washington. Republicans reject it on the ground that the minority of people in the country don't like it. You will see two reactions from Fox Snooze. They will bombard their listeners with all of the things they would-be victim to if the idea were to be implemented. Example: If you have to register your gun. you will have to wear a mask to the government office where you register, despite this invasion of your right to free choice, you'll have a higher possibility of getting COVID. If you get the vaccine before you register your gun, you may succumb to ...

 Some people didn't think I'd make it. Since I'm still not looking at Twitter and finding crazy shit to post. I will continue to shamelessly pander for clicks with my parade of cute kid pictures. Top-down Brixton and Micka Left Ledger. Right, Jonny Bird. Photo credit: AJ Sieve, aka Dad I'm not going to get all teary-eyed and backward-looking. This last year of self-indulgent navel-gazing has produced hours of woulda, coulda crap that I may have hinted at but for a good reason dismissed as flashback hangover grief. No, what's fascinating me now is the quality and quantity of my writing. I'm poking at my keyboard for hours every day. I know that some may say that an improvement in my writing is a pretty low bar to reach for and that while my writing may be better, it's still barely worth reading, but... and this is the big but, I like it.  It's true. The older you get, the less you care about what others think of you.  However, I not dismissing people crit...

Shameless self-promotion In my attempt to build a following, I submit a cute picture of my Great Grandchild, Boden Hatampa, taken by his mother, Amy. Image by Amy(His Mom) Horse Pertoot I recently was gifted a book by a friend, Anne Wilde. Not the first book she gave me for sure, but this one is unique in many aspects. It is a pamphlet, 42 pages in length, Self-published in 1963. Note image; Probably a caricature of a coach or the author. Why? This whole thing is a wink and a nod. This autograph shows that the author has picked a pen name and reveals his real name. Say Horace-Pertoot very fast several times, and you realize it's slang for horses' ass. Sample content Personalized Bookmark New Day, New Way I accomplished two things this week. In August 2019, I left Appleton and moved to Milwaukee. My wife and I would be divorced in December, but co-habitation was not comfortable or mentally healthy for either of us. I left with what I needed to restart my life and a sizable debt ...