Category Archives: Announcement

e-Publishing, MAKE COOKIES PLAY BAGPIPES, Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies, Progress, Update

Is Writing Hell?

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The Four Before MeA Stray, astrayEarlier today I responded to a Twitter post by E.H. Night — author of “The Four Before Me” and “A Stray, Astray“.  She spoke about the weird prioritization that some of us get into.  With her endeavours she was considering making her 3rd-priority book her 1-st priority project or leave it where it’s at.  I understand this — I DO THIS!!!  Then came the question common to creatives of “Is this hell?”

I replied talking about my familiarity with this dilemma — I didn’t have a solution for her, only that I understand.  It came to me though to use this to update everyone on my book projects and where they’re at …. otherwise put, it’s my excuse to blog this week. hell

Before finishing “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” (book 1) I started on a bagpipe sheet music book comprised of my own compositions (book 2).  This got put on hold to start on my second recipe book (book 3).  Summer 2018 this second recipe book (book 3) got put on hold to write (book 4) my military & patriotic Highland bagpipe tunes & tune history book.  From my sheet music and tune history book (book 4) I got inspired to write a history book about one of the men who landed on Normandy as part of the D-day invasion (book 5).  When I started it (book 5) I knew that I was going to have to gather my notes and set it aside for later.  I’ve accomplished this and now I’m trying to complete my sheet music and tune history book (book 4) so I can have it published no later than June 2020.  The only problem with that is the audience I developed from Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies (book 1) are ready and looking for another installment of recipes (book 2). hell

Clear as mud — RIGHT?!?

So is being a creative-type, having so many projects we want to bring to life a form of Hell? I don’t know — I’m only saying that I understand — that E.H. Night and all the other creative folks out there reading this is that you’re not alone.

For a mostly full list of my projects (Hell?), please see Upcoming and Completed Publishing Projects.

E.H. Night LINKS hell

Announcement, Progress, Update

Bill Millin and D-day

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As you’ve seen from following my blog, checking in with my upcoming publishing projects page, or from my comments on Facebook or Twitter, I am busily working away on my next one … no Two, no THREE books!  While one of these is a recipe book I’m excited about, the one at the forefront is rather unique indeed.

SCUBA
Not actually me but you get the idea

Since July 2018 I have been actively working on a fundraiser project for a veterans organization I am a member of.  The goal has been to produce a book of (get ready for this…) Military & Patriotic Highland Bagpipe Tunes & Their Histories.   The original intention was to  have this book published in time for spring/summer of 2019.  Then I got some contract work as a professional SCUBA diver (no, really) and I had to adjust … well … a LOT of my time and endeavours.

William Millin Normandy Invasion 1944
Bill Millin visiting France 6 June 1944

This Highland bagpipe sheet music book has sets of tunes representing the US Military, US Civil War, WWI, WWII, along with a Scottish and American patriotic set, and two other sets of historic military themed tunes.  To give better relevance to the WWII set I realized I needed to open the section with explaining who Bill Millin was and what he did on D-day, 6 June 1944.  This launched me into a rabbit-hole of research!  This essay is nearly complete — which is GREAT because it is the largest of the remaining steps to accomplish to completing this book.  Word has gotten around as to what I’m doing with this Bill Millin essay, and something came back to me.

You might be amused to know…

JAVA JAVA JAVAOn Tuesday I met with a retired USMC military historian.  We spent 3 amazing hours talking about Bill Millin history at a local coffee bistro.  He is interested in assisting me with information gathering and being a sounding board for my understanding of it all.  This gentleman has offered to draw from his resources.  He also had some interesting points on what it takes to effectively present history to a general let alone specific audience.

Pegasus Bridge June 1944 Horsa gliders
Pegasus Bridge, 9 June 1944; Horsa gliders visible in the background.

Right now I need some enlightenment to finish my essay about Millin for the bagpipe sheet music book.  The outfit he was in was involved with the famous Pegasus (bridge) objective which was taken just after midnight by men of the 6th Airborne on 6 June 1944.  What I need to know more about is what happened after they left the bridge.  With this essay complete, the rest of my book project is downhill on roller skates while eating cake!

IN THE MEAN TIME …

Please check out my recipe book “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies“.  I published it just over a year ago — not only am I quite pleased with it, I’ve been receiving rave reviews from others!  It is available on Amazon and Smashwords — I also have some free recipes available here on my site.  If you have read it and enjoyed it — please take a few minutes and write a review — on Amazon, Smashwords, and now I’m on Goodreads.  This not only helps me get noticed as an author, it helps other readers to know what to expect.

Thank you & ENJOY! ~ Don

Announcement, Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies

Modern Publishing Blues, Vol. 02

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If you read my most recent blog post, “Modern Publishing Blues, Vol. 01“, you will know that I had about 24 unnecessary hours of frustrations following an upload to correct errors in my book — “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies“.

I am here to tell you that the headaches are OVER.

MY BOOK HAS BEEN RE-APPROVED AND IS AVAILABLE ON AMAZON WITH THE UPDATES.

And for what it’s worth, it is currently 12-cents off of the price I offered it for before … BUT … I would prefer that you do not buy it at this very minute.  WHY?!?

I Plan To Hold A FLASH SALE SOON

What’s a Flash Sale??? …

If you would like to get my book for a reduced price, this is a great opportunity!  Message me and let me know that you want in on my Flash Sale.  I will message you back and let you know when I plan to hold this secret-sale — yes, you will get the inside skinny!  In return, I ask that you read my book and write a review — hopefully a favorable one — on the site where you buy my book.

Best, Don

PS — Here’s some sneak-information …  It looks like I will be able to discount my book around 50%.  I’d like to go further, but that’s all I’m allowed.  I may also discount the e-book on Amazon and on Smashwords.  ALSO NOTE, so far as I know if you buy my book on Amazon you can get a free copy of the e-book.

Announcement, e-Publishing, Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies, Update

Modern Publishing Blues, Vol. 01

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UGG!!!
/pounds head on desk 3Xs …

TRY IT! … it feels great when you stop.

Yesterday — late in the afternoon — I jammed to the library as closing time quickly approached ….
MY MISSION:  Upload the updated manuscript for my book in preparation for the Flash Sale I plan to hold late this month.

My debut recipe book, “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies“, published on 26Oct2018.  For the past year I’ve stayed staunchly attentive for any and all errors to be found in my tome of tasty treats.  Yesterday was the big day!  Yesterday was when I fixed my inexact “exactally”.  Yesterday was when I fixed all the metric mistakes caused by my careless copy-&-pasting.  Yesterday was when I deleted the asterisk that lead*.  Yesterday was when I atoned for the flour mis-measurement in my Peanut Butter Biscotti recipe.  It was also when I changed the cover from gloss to matte, which is supposed to have better market appeal, but in the big picture that really isn’t a big deal.
*to nowhere.

What … you don’t dress like this when you go to the library?!?

The clock was ticking close to 5PM.  The lethargic upload status on my computer screen predicted completion on a Tuesday following infinity.

AND THEN IT HAPPENED!!!

I successfully uploaded my mitigated manuscript to (click here to read about The Amazon River) and skated out the doors right as the learned establishment was closing.  Oh yes, I avoided the wrath of the Library Aids who had to work on a Sunday.  Indiana Jones himself couldn’t have done better!

Returning home, I couldn’t have been more calm … cool … and collect.  I donned my Keds and cardigan sweater, and settled in for some dinner accompanied by the next DVD in my TBW stack.  As the screen flickered in front of my face I found myself content … serene … one with myself and at peace in the universe …  Fred Rogers himself couldn’t have done better!

AND THEN IT HAPPENED!!!

No good deed goes unpunished.  My phone gave a ding indicating a new email.  It was from (click here to read about The Amazon River).  Surely not a big deal, they’re just messaging me to say that my corrected manuscript had gone through and the new version of my book had launched …

NOPE!

Okay, I’m tired of this blog post — it’s been fun, but I suspect it’s dragging on for you, too — so I’ll cut to the chase…

My local tribe of Library Aids ….. what, you don’t believe me?!?

It seems (click here to read about The Amazon River) has one problem or another with my book.  I’m not clear what it is, and from their emails I’m not entirely sure that they are either.  I’m doing what I can to get my book relaunched before they said they might take it down all together.  I’ve emailed them, I’ve chatted with online help, and I’ve called them.  I’m about to go outside to launch a carrier pigeon followed by starting a smoke-signal fire while Library Aids play their tribal drums (recent photo above).  I’m doing everything I can to cooperate with (click here to read about The Amazon River) and get things back on track.  I am frustrated but optimistic that they are working to this end, too.

ALL THAT SAID …

IT IS MY SINCERE HOPE that all of this tomfoolery is worked out before the Flash Sale I’ve planned to hold — which is coming up SOON!  If you want to get in on my Flash Sale — GREAT — Please Email Me ASAP 🙂  If you’re not familiar with what a Flash Sale is, it’s like this ….. I’ll message you and let you know  when the secret sale time will be.  During that limited time the price of my book will be greatly reduced.  In return, I ask that you read my book and post a review on the site you bought it from — hopefully a positive review.  It’s that simple!

… Don …

PS — What a waste of time … I really don’t need extra headaches.  It was not my intention to start an international incident and offend The Gods Of (The Amazon River).  When this is all done I might be impeached.

PPS — According to Wikipedia “The Amazon River in South America is the largest river by discharge volume of water in the world, and by some definitions it is the longest.”

Announcement, WOWI

October 2019 Podcast Topics

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Want to know a secret? … PODCAST

Okay, we’ve been keeping this kind of quiet, but here it is … PODCAST

Tom Trimbath and I have started a PODCAST!

It’s TRUE — Tom and I have started a PODCAST.  Take 1-part portable recording gear and add 2 guys energetic about writing,  and mix with a look at all-things-writing as it pertains to Whidbey … and you get “Writing On Whidbey Island“* — or WOWI!
(*Present web location, subject to change)

Our show is new — presently we have about half-a-dozen recordings, each around 40 minutes long.  Three of these have been interviews with Whidbey Island authors.  Our show is not a hard Q&A, it’s a conversation about the topic we pick — a guest talking about their book, a bookstore owner discussing their approach to the book business, online marketing, you name it!  This month Tom and I have 2 recordings tentatively scheduled — here’s what’s coming up! PODCAST

October 12th — Maribeth Crandell’s Latest Book

Maribeth CrandellThe 14Sep2019 copy of the Whidbey News-Times presented an article on Maribeth Crandell and her second book “Hiking Close to Home“.  In her latest book, Maribeth presents all the hikes here on Whidbey Island.  Her approach has included not only features of the hikes, which ones are wheelchair accessible, and also which ones you get reach using the local bus service — which is free by the way!  That Saturday she was presenting her book at the Coupeville library — she and her book sounded interesting so I attended!  Maribeth was passionate about her topic and full of character — and at the end of the presentation I invited her on WOWI.  She will be holding another release party a few weeks following in Anacortes — if you’re local, don’t miss it! PODCAST

October 28th — 1st Year Publishing Lessons Learned

Make Your Own Darn Good CookiesOur guest for our October 28th recording will be ….. ME!  A week ago Tom pointed out that my first book “Make Your Own Darn Good Cookies” was published one year ago on Amazon. Since then I’ve presented my book, published the Amazon and Smashwords e-book versions, started my next book projects, and learned more than a few things I didn’t know before.  Tom suggested that we discuss the experiences, lessons, and tips of a writer (me) the first year into being a self-published author.  *Stammer*Stammer* … uh … now that I think about it, YEAH, there are things that I can share.  I’m looking forward to talking with Tom about it and sharing with our listeners! PODCAST

Now, a few more things about WOWI

Tom and I live on opposite ends of Whidbey Island.  For our WOWI podcast this is a blessing and a curse.  The ‘curse‘ is that it is inconvenient to get together, so our recordings don’t take place on a regular schedule. The ‘blessing‘ is that we have to coordinate our schedules when we are going to be at the same end of the island.  This helps us to meet with myriad authors, writers groups, bookstore owners, ETC here on Whidbey Island.  We’ve worked this into the character of the show — recording in different places, featuring some of the audioscape of our beloved island in the background.  So far we have recorded outdoors, and the weather is beginning to turn on us.  We will soon be looking for indoor locations that will host us.  If you are a business this may work to your favour because we always say where we are recording from — for the use of a warm room, a little bit of electricity, and perhaps a few other comforts, we will GLADLY plug your Whidbey Island business! PODCAST