Don’t Kill Over Stolen Milk

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz

This is an old poem from long before I got serious about it.  It aimed more humor than any type of form.  A true story from college too.  Though the last line doesn’t really hold true.

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Stuck in class

Breakfast now long dead

I feel my stomach twist

Forcing me to stumble

As I traverse the snowy quads

I know I have to make it

Back to my simple room

Where salvation waits

Inside a holy carton

The last ration of my week

Until I make it to the store

I can almost taste it

The chocolate frothy drink

Giving me the strength

To live until the lunch bell

Imagine my despair

When the holy carton is no more

I find it drained

And crushed inside the trash

With the criminal still near

Licking his lips

As he reads a gamer mag

The faint smell of chocolate

Hovering on his breath

That I smell across the room

My rage tries to rise

To overcome my stomach

That saps me with every gurgle

A mild debate ensues

And the war begins

Continuing to this very day

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How about some free reading

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz

coldhandboyack's avatarEntertaining Stories

My friend, D. S. Nelson, is the author of the Blake Hetherington Mystery series. I’ve read one of these, and finished it in one session. She gets bonus points for that at my house. I really enjoyed it, and must return to the series soon.

She also has a great blog, and has recently been writing about making her own hat. Lisa the robot even visited her this year to talk about her hats. This is because Blake Hetherington is a milliner by trade.

Today she’s here to offer you a great jumping on point for her books, and it’s absolutely free.

***

First of all I’d like to say a big thank you to Craig for having me over to tell you all about the new Blake Hetherington Mystery. It’s great to be here!

I’ve been writing murder mysteries for four years and the Blake Hetherington Mysteries began…

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Christmas Grotto – Null City books by Barb Taub

Posted on December 4, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz
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Questions 3: Let’s Go Sci-Fi!

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz

I’ve been watching ‘Eureka’ in my downtime, which is whenever the kid isn’t home.  It’s a fun show and had me thinking about Science Fiction.  For some reason, this is the genre that fantasy gets put either alongside or under when you see a listing.  Curious how Sci-Fi is seen as a more viable title than Fantasy.  The two are opposite sides of the same coin with one being science and the other being magic.  Before you say anything, coins have a place where the two sides meet and merge.  That’s probably where you’ll find Star Wars and most comic books.

Anyway, I was going to ask which Sci-Fi world you would want to live and go on from there.  Then I remember I did that for fantasy and most people stuck with Hogwarts, Middle Earth, Narnia, etc.  Ever notice that we go for the defaults if we don’t give ourselves time to think?  I do it too.  I would answer Middle Earth right away, but thinking longer would put me in Araluen from Ranger’s Apprentice.  Not as much magic, but less chance of the entire world falling into an epic war over some ancient bauble.

So here are the questions:

  1. What Science Fiction gadget would you want to exist and why?
  2. If you lived in a Science Fiction town like Eureka, what kind of scientist would you be and why?  (A note for those who have never watched an episode: They have specialists on just about everything.  The sky is the . . . actually, there is no limit.)
  3. Working off question 2, what would you invent or what theory would you pursue?
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Musiville Release

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz

Yes, that’s right. Musiville, the second book in the award-winning Niditales series, has now officially been released into the wild. Cue glorious music, angels singing, trumpets blaring, and …

Source: Musiville Release

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Christmas Grotto – Children’s Books – The Slapstyx by Annabelle Franklin

Posted on December 3, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz
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Post Revisited: Success is in the Eye of the Beholder

Posted on December 2, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz

This post originally went live on June 12th, 2013. More of a ‘keep going!’ battle cry than an actual point, but I wonder what people think of some of the old standards that got brought up.

success

So, I’ve gotten into a few ‘debates’ with people on this side of the computer.  This ‘debate’ is about what constitutes success for a self-published author.  Back in the day, you were successful when you got a contract and got your first royalty check.  That doesn’t seem to be the case any more.

I remember reading that 500 eBooks being sold is the sign of a moderate success.  I still don’t know if this is true.  This is only the sales level. It doesn’t mention anything about royalties.  Supposedly, there is a difference between 500 eBooks at .99 cents and 500 eBooks at $2.99.  The later is a sign of more success than the former.

What am I getting at here?  Every person is going to look at an indie author’s progress differently.  Some will look at amount of sales, others at amount of reviews, others at royalties, and any number of things.  I’ve been called successful solely because I’m working on my 5th book instead of sitting on my haunches.

So, don’t let anyone tell you if you’re a success or a failure.  That’s not their call to make.

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Teaser Tuesday: Running Through Visindor

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz

While I don’t know when The Mercenary Prince will debut, I can pull a few small excerpts.  This is part of the intro and shouldn’t reveal more than Delvin’s mindset.  He has a ‘Nyx’ moment.

Final Fantasy Tactics Knight

Final Fantasy Tactics Knight

Continue reading →

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A wonderful new Christmas novella

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz

coldhandboyack's avatarEntertaining Stories

I recently bought, and read, a Christmas romance novella. Yes me. I firmly believe writers can learn something from all genres, but we have to be willing to leave our comfort zones to do it. Here’s how I came to choose this one:

  • I’ve read the author before, and thoroughly enjoyed her book.
  • I’m really getting into short form stuff, and this is a novella.
  • This story has a paranormal element, which is in my comfort zone.
  • I write a lot of animals into my stories, and I wanted to see how this author handles an animal character.

There you have it. A thread or two of common ground, and a desire to learn something. This was more than a dissection of a fellow author’s work. I wound up really enjoying the story, and I think you will too.

I’m going to let the author, Mae Clair, tell you all…

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Christmas Grotto – Children’s Books – Clyde and I by Russ Towne

Posted on December 1, 2015 by Charles Yallowitz
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