Life update

This blog is not meant to be a blog to teach the craft of writing. I have always wanted to set an informal tone here. There are a plethora of "professional bloggers" out there as if it was a job. Perhaps they make money. Maybe it is a job for some. I'm not out to be one of those bloggers. I want a blog to highlight the books I have and will write in the future. I want to give a glimpse at my journey as a writer which includes events happening in my personal life. To my blog readers, I want to give you something to read while enjoying a cup of coffee or beverage of your choice. Perhaps this blog is your go to bathroom reader.

Over the past year, I've been a substitute teacher. Sometimes it's a full-time job. I'm also a parent of a young man in middle school and another in high school. The latter has high-functioning autism. The other one in middle school is busy on the swim team, Boy Scouts, youth group, and I know there are other things. So, after a day of working and shuttling kids around, it leaves little time for writing, unless I sacrifice sleep. I'm at an age where I can't just stay up late anymore and function the next morning.

My wife, who is a special education teacher, has been battling esophageal cancer. I take the time to keep my own health up. Life has placed frustrating constraints on my time. It has sucked my energy. Anyway, I keep coming up with different directions to take Jimmy Miller. Totally revamp it or just finish book 3. I'm doing both. Book 3 is coming along, but the closer I get to the end, the more difficult it is to finish it.

I feel like I'm ranting. Well, I am a bit of a ranter, if "ranter" is a real word. Anyway, this is a brief update. I hope to do more blog writing later. Now, I'm doing two of them.

Be good to yourselves!

No More Ads--at least on this blog

Since I started a new health and fitness blog, I'll leave any Amazon advertising there. The only advertising on this blog will be for my own works. So, if you're looking to build a new, healthier you using a common sense approach, check it out.

Yesterday, I finally went out to sell at Reit's Flea Market outside of Paw Paw, Michigan. I was hoping to be there earlier in the season. Besides selling my own books, I was offering some other titles I acquired at a liquidator wholesaler. Most of the books are in fair to good condition. I made a whole 20 bucks. It's exciting getting out and meeting different folks. The weather was nice, but a bit on the blustery side. Humidity stayed low.

Hope your summer has been a good one! (If you're in the southern hemisphere, then enjoy your winter.)

New Works in Progress

Besides working on Book 3 of the Jimmy Miller series, I have two new stories I'm developing. One is a children's novel similar to age-level and word length as Magic Brain Shoes. In fact, it is set in the same town, same school, and same classroom as Magic Brain Shoes. So, it's happening in that world. It is not a sequel to Magic Brain Shoes. The main character is not all that connected to Alex Tyndall, the MC in Magic Brain Shoes. Alex does appear in this story, but only has a small role. He has very little impact on the plot. In this new novel, the main character is a girl. I have already finished the first draft of chapter 1. It should be around ten chapters and a 100 pages, give or take ten.

My other work is a more ambitious project. If you checked out my piece of flash fiction, The Comedian, on Wattpad, I'm taking that and expanding it into a novel. I will not be adding new chapters on Wattpad, since they will be rough drafts to the extreme. I don't quite know the direction of this new novel. I'm excited by some of the new characters I'm developing for it. The flash fiction piece is more an adult story. I'm not sure yet if this novel will be for young adults or an adult audience. It depends on how the story unravels.

I hope to have the new children's book ready by Christmas. I don't know how long the other will take me.

Have a great week!

Raising Summer Cash

This summer I had hoped to come up with some money making opportunity, such as a job, while I wait for the next school year to start when I can be a substitute teacher once more. Being an up-and-coming writer who is still up and coming, my writing won't really support me financially. I have sold some books this summer at flea markets when I can get there. I have on occasion played both the Mega Millions and Powerball. I never came close. My biggest desire is to have enough funds to just stay home, write books, and drink coffee.

Let me say something about politics. I avoid bringing political ramblings on my blog for a few reasons. Since I am American, I don't keep up with politics from other places around the world. Well, that's not entirely true. I do stay up on current news and once in a while politics outside the U.S. pops up. However, if it doesn't have a direct impact on my life, I tend to consider it as unimportant. For instance, the decision for the UK to leave the EU. Let's just say, my one big issue is the term Brexit. It should be banned. When anyone mentions or writes using that term, I imagine myself being like that kid from the Twilight Zone episode who has the power to wish people away into a corn field, turning them into grotesque objects or something like that. 

News organizations, including John Oliver, have insisted I should care about the UK leaving the EU. Oh, they list spurious notions that it will impact the U.S. Presidential Election in some way. Or somehow it'll drag down the U.S. economy. Really, I have no ability to change what has happened. So they got a new Prime Minister out of it. It's the UK's problem. Maybe it'll be good for them or maybe they'll have to resort to eating store brand dog food because regular food becomes too expensive. I don't know what will happen. I don't follow cricket either. Is it wrong to say I don't really care?

Another example is that Australia has a new Prime Minister. So what? I guess if you're Australian, it's important. But as an American I don't even remember who he or she is. I don't know if the PM is a man or woman. Am I supposed to know who it is? Even if I kept up with Australian politics, I still would detest Vegemite. It's hard to believe it's owned by Kraft.

So, I avoid bringing up American politics because international readers may not care. This may come as a shock to Americans, but the rest of the world just simply may not care. I might bring up American sports, but politics? 

With that said, I do have a prediction for the outcome of the U.S. Presidential Election. I think Donald Trump will win by a large margin. Maybe not a landslide, but a substantial margin. Why? Donald Trump is unforgettable. Who's running against him? Oh, yeah. Hillary Clinton. She's that Benghazi lady, right? I don't even know what Benghazi is, but it sounds bad. Does she have her name on buildings? I can't even remember anything else about her. Has she always been in politics? I can't remember. Donald Trump will win in the same way McDonald's and Wal-Mart win in their respective consumer markets--brand recognition. With all the complaining and negativity Trump, McDonald's, and Wal-Mart get, they come out on top. Sorry, Wal-Mart still outsells Amazon.

If you are a Donald Trump supporter, this should come as good news. If you are not, just begin accepting the reality of it. Keep practicing saying President Donald Trump, so you can say it without vomiting or becoming catatonic.

Enough about politics! There are about seven days left for the autographed copies of Crazy Adventures and Magic Brain Shoes listed on eBay. However, even if it ends, you can still get autographed copies of both those books and Jimmy Miller Books 1 & 2. Just visit this page here. 

Wattpad stories

I've updated a short story on Wattpad. I'm posting short stories not for children at Wattpad. The story is called Fruit.
Check it out! Also check out a new flash fiction called The Comedian.

Off to Ebay

Autographed versions of these books are now offered on eBay. Crazy Adventures is $7.00. Go here to find it. Magic Brain Shoes is $5.00. Go here for Magic Brain Shoes. They go on sale tomorrow, June 29. Free shipping!

Flea Market Scene

Selling autographed copies of my books has been rather slow. I must say that both Crazy Adventures and Magic Brain Shoes are selling the best. The only flea market I've sold at this summer is Reits Flea Market in Paw Paw. However, starting in July, I'll be at the flea market in Shipshewana, Indiana in addition to the one in Michigan.

Of course, I haven't sold enough to make book writing and selling a career (yet)! All my sales have been cash. I've been eager to use PayPal Here because I can use my phone for it. It's like a toy. So far, no one this summer is willing to take on debt to purchase my books. Slowly, Jimmy Miller book 3 is churning. Anyway, I'm hoping to secure some other kind of employment besides substitute teaching. Although, substitute teaching isn't a bad job. I actually enjoy it. So, who knows, I may just stick to it and write on the side.

The Summer Solstice is almost here for us Northern Hemisphere folks. It's bittersweet because I like seeing the sun and having daylight early and later. I hate the dark days of winter. Anyway, have a good one. Whatever that means to you.