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.
It usually surprises me when my local paper, The Chronicle, has a story that mentions me. I’m not complaining, they have written some really nice things about me. It’s just I rarely know when these articles will appear. I’ve sent them story ideas and even press releases and seen nothing in the paper and then suddenly something large and really nice like this full-page spread in the Life section will appear.
Read MoreWhat is it about an eclipse that brings out the child in us?
I know it was a rare event, the last one like it occurred in 1918, but several of my friends traveled hundreds of miles and camped out in farm fields just to experience the eclipse totality.
Read MoreI put on a new chain on the saw, filled the gas and oil tanks, and went to tackle a large pile of logs and limbs in the backyard. My tendency to procrastinate had allowed the pile to grow all summer, but my son James had offered to help and this needed to be done.
Read MoreI’m reading Stephen King’s book, On Writing, and came across a passage that I shared with my wife.
“If she (King’s wife Tabitha) had suggested that the time I spent writing stories … was wasted time, I think a lot of the heart would have gone out of me. Tabby never voiced a single doubt, however.
Read MoreWhen a friend and fellow writer, Pat, came to a recent critique meeting wearing a white shirt with “Writer” emblazoned in black letters on the chest, I admired it and was a bit envious.
Read MoreSince the March release of Seekers of Earth, events have moved rapidly
The Guardian Knights of Terra series has seen great interest and this means there will be a third book in the series.
Read MoreI decided to build a patio on a shady knoll beside my home. However, due to my writing schedule and other commitments, it took a couple of months to gather all the materials and find the time to construct it. Finally, on the evening of July 2nd, I had everything I needed.
Read MoreThere is a saying that people in the northwest don’t tan—they rust.
The coastal region of Washington is well known for ample precipitation. However, most of the rain falls in late autumn and winter. By the time the crops, garden, and orchard are really growing in the late spring and summer the rains have faded to a trickle. That means we irrigate and water.
Read MoreEvents are moving rapidly with the Guardian Knights of Terra series so, I decided to make three announcements in one blogpost.
1. The ebook edition of Seekers of Earth, the first book in the Guardian Knights of Terra series is on sale for 99 cents.
Read MoreAnd a third one is coming!
This last month has been very busy with the March 17th release of Seekers of Earth, the first book in the Guardian Knights of Terra series. This was followed on April 7th by the release of book two, Recall the Earth. At this time both books are available exclusively on Amazon.com.
Read MoreSpring is bee time on the farm.
We prefer driving to the delivery site in the farm truck. We can put the bee boxes on the truck bed and drive home, but because today was so inclement we took the car for the forty-minute drive. Have you ever driven with ten thousand bees in your car? Our bees were inside two boxes, but it was still an experience. Some always find a way out.
Read MoreHurry and enter my FREE book giveaway contests!
In celebration of the release of my next two novels, Seekers of Earth on March 17th and Recall the Earth on April 7th, I’m running three book giveaway contests.
Read MoreIn most ways yesterday didn’t stand out from the normal. Dreary and wet are what you get in the northwest this time of year. But living on a farm with forest all around means that you’re going to interact with animals and they often make the day interesting.
Read MoreThe Inklings have been meeting for nearly twenty years.
Recently our local paper, The Chronicle, ran a front-page story about a critique group that has been in existence for nearly two decades and that I’ve attended for about twelve years. As my friend Julie McDonald Zander questioned me about the group for the upcoming story, I dug through old pictures and information to find answers.
Read MoreWe had a week of cold and snow on the farm.
The weather made for some beautiful pictures, which you can see on the Facebook page, but it got very cold. On a mild day this week, my wife came in from outside and said, “There’s no activity in the apiary.”
I first met Houston two years ago when I spoke about writing as a career at Centralia High School. I read some of his work and noticed a definite writing talent. Then a few weeks ago my friend Julie Zander asked if I’d like to help her mentor a writer as part of the local Rotary/TRiO program.
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