I started this blog on August 21, 2012, with the release of my first book, Titan Encounter. Most of those posts are now in what I call the “Early Blog.” I’m gradually updating their format and bringing them into this new journal. Back then the sole purpose of the blog was to promote my books, but gradually that changed.
That’s how it started but, over the years, I’ve mused about other things that are important to me, such as my family, my farm, rural life, and occasionally about politics and country. However, I try to limit the politics in this journal. If you want to know more about my political leaning go to The Conservative Alternative.
I received a surprising email recently.
Since I started, I’ve felt that the best way to promote and sell my books was online. While I’m thrilled when it occurs, I put little effort into getting them into stores and libraries. Still, over time, they have appeared in several brick and mortar establishments like the Strand in New York City, Powell’s in Portland, and my local store, Book N Brush.
Read MoreThe honey harvest this year was very good.
We have only two hives on our small farm, but even so, the harvest takes nearly all day. After breakfast, we set up the equipment, including our honey extractor (basically an antique hand-crank centrifuge), stainless steel buckets, a couple of food-grade plastic pails, strainers, and assorted tools.
Read MoreOne thing I enjoy about the Matrix is the different types of writers.
After a brief hiatus for an anniversary celebration, music and other summer events, the Lewis County Writers Guild is back meeting at the Matrix Coffeehouse.
Read MoreMeteors and the Milky Way over Mount Rainier.
I know much more about this month’s cover picture than I did about the previous cover. Photographer Matthew Dieterich captured this image just a few weeks ago near Mt. Rainier in my home state of Washington.
Read MoreOregon Christian Writers Summer Conference, Day Three
The third day of the 2015 Conference required endurance.
I know I’m late with my summary of the third day of the conference, but I have two things I must tell all of you.
Read MoreOregon Christian Writers Summer Conference, Day Two
The second day of the 2015 Conference ended with a critique session.
I started the day with the first session of a coaching class taught by authors Susan May Warren, James Rubart and Jeff Gerke.
Read MoreOregon Christian Writers Summer Conference, Day One
The first day of the 2015 Conference started with Boot Camp.
The morning started even before the regular conference with a marketing “boot camp” taught by bestselling author Susan May Warren and Nicole Miller of Buffer.com.
Read MoreToday I spent a couple hours at the Grays Harbor Fairgrounds
It’s fair time once again and I was asked to help judge the writing competition for the Grays Harbor fair. Earlier this year I helped judge the Cascade awards for the Oregon Christian Writers conference. That was fun so, when fellow author Janice Clark asked me to help with fair judging I thought that would be fun also. I was right.
Read MoreI recently sent out my July email newsletter.
Despite my forgetfulness, there were several things in the email newsletter that I wanted all my readers to know. So, if you receive my free monthly newsletter, you’ve already heard the news below.
Read MoreAll I can do is smile when Amazon tries to sell me one my own books.
This happens more often than you might think. Every few days I go and check each of my books to see if there are new reviews and to ensure everything on the page is correct and working.
Read MoreOn Thursdays, I meet with my group.
I’ve attended this particular group meeting every week I’ve been in town for over a decade. While I think that is notable, the group has met for nearly twice that time.
Read MoreThe editor of Backdoor Survival compares A Time to Endure to the bestseller Patriots.
It amazes me how often events in life come in pairs. A few days ago I discovered that New York Times best-selling author, and the editor of SurvivalBlog, James Wesley Rawles recommended my novel, Through Many Fires.
Read MoreJames Wesley Rawles recommends my book!
I regularly visit SurvivalBlog, but somehow I missed it. For many years SurvivalBlog was the top site among preppers. While the blog has fallen to fourth place in the rankings recently, the editor, James Wesley Rawles, remains the best-known writer in the prepping field. He is also the New York Times best-selling author of the Patriots Novels.
Read MoreLike most writers, I’m an introvert.
I spend most of the day alone, in a small office, writing. The room is in my home so, my wife is near, but she leaves me to do my work. Hours can go by and the only people I talk to are the characters in my stories.
Read MoreI called Eek home for seven years.
The Yup’ik Eskimo village of Eek is 415 miles west of Anchorage, Alaska, on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta. The delta is about the size of the state of Louisiana, but within that delta roads are rare and people are few.
Read MoreSchool is out now in Eek, Alaska, and the staff has departed.
Dirk, a longtime co-worker and friend from Eek, took the slow route home. Along with his dog Katja, he visited Anchorage and Kenai and then traveled north to Delta Junction and across into the Yukon, and south to British Columbia. Then he crossed the border into the United States and Washington State.
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