First of all, the books are still for sale across all e-book platforms for 99 cents each until September 30. and there’s a handy-dandy list of links under the “Buy Now” tab up topside (nautical term from when my dad had a houseboat).

I have been remiss in my duties as a blogger and author of a blog by missing he last two positing dates (self- imposed. I intend to keep to Monday and Thursday). Laziness interfered, to be honest. I didn’t have much to say beyond, “Hey, buy my books!” and to my mind, that message gets old pretty fast. I deeply dislike high pressure salesmen (women) who, even if you politely decline help, insist on following you around in the store. Hey, buy my books

Just 99 Cents during September

The opening of Dunkin Donuts in Santa Monica is proof that not only is there a God, He/She hears and answers prayers. That first sip of iced coffee (cream and one Sweet N Low) was as deeply satisfying and wonderful as I remembered. (With respect to the Red Sox, I didn’t make any requests this year and it shows. My guys won the World Series last year. I’m not greedy. But, Father/Mother, can you do something with the Patriots, Celtics, and Bruins?) As I was kicking back with my iced coffee, Old Fashioned Doughnut, the Sunday New York Times crossword, and the aforementioned Pats pounding on the Vikings, I was content. I was checking Facebook and one of my friends had a thread going about children’s TV from way back when. The thread had led off with this picture:

Captain Kangaroo

And asked if the reader could identify him (Captain Kangaroo, of course). I was reminded of the weekend TV show out of Boston called “Boomtown.” It was Western-themed starring Rex Trailer.

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The discussion made me remember my great ambition as a little kid. It wasn’t to be a lawyer, customer service representative, or mortgage underwriter (all of which I’ve been been doing for the past thirty years). I wanted to be an entertainer when I grew up (in my 5 year old mind’s eye, I saw myself tap dancing on stage. I love dance, took tap for 2 years. I sucked) When I was 8, I wrote a “finish the story” for Jack & Jill magazine that earned an honorable mention. Of course, I thought was the bee’s knees as a child author (and I remember a couple of stories I turned in in grade school that have, mercifully, been lost in time. They were pretentious. Yes, a fourth grader can be pretentious). I’ve started and stopped a bunch of stories and ideas. To me, it’s a lot of fun to think up the idea and I’ll scribble notes, snatches of dialogue, flashes of inspiration and then….eh. I have notes for stories ranging for a political satire to vampire satire to dystopian short stories and all the way to erotica (Yup. I can write smut. Embarrasses the hell out of certain family members, but I can make you jump your significant other). Why haven’t you seen these things? Life interferes; I work at jobs that leave me exhausted at the end of the day (focus, focus, focus) and in the case of customer service, emotionally drained. If I sit down to write, I hear a chorus of voices in my head (some people around now, some dead) telling me, “What are you doing? You’re supposed to be looking for a job and you’re going to need a place to live. You don’t have time for anything else. Your job is to find a job and a home. When you have a new job and you’re not on the street, THEN you can write.” (yeah, my default setting is beating myself up) even if this is what I want to do for a living? “Well, how many books have you sold? Enough to live on? No? Get back on Craigslist (which doesn’t really have what I’m qualified to do).” I have an author page on Facebook that doesn’t see a lot of traffic. It’s mostly “buy my books” and promotional pictures for you to buy my books and links back to this website. On my personal page, I’ve been posting general good wishes of the the things I’d like to see come into my life. They don’t always get a bunch of “likes,” but I get feedback that people appreciate them. However… I run a third page called “Medieval Merriment.” (The name alone has me spelling medieval correctly on a consistent basis. An achievement). I post silly, medieval-themed stuff like this:

https://www.facebook.com/Medievalmerriment That one, I started up about 3 weeks ago, mid-August, and it has taken off. Over 300 followers already and according to the statistics, the pictures are getting shared and circulated at a staggering (to me) rate. One I posted yesterday has already been viewed over 1,500 times. So what’s the difference? Medieval Merriment is just entertainment. “Here’s a funny thing. Look and laugh.” It is, in a way, the thing I wanted to do as a kid: entertain people. I’ve never really been comfortable in a sales role unless I can engage someone one on one and make sure that what I’m selling is truly what he/she wants. I tried posting a couple of cartoons about writing, but that didn’t result in increased traffic. I want that traffic. I’ve tried engaging people by asking questions: crickets. I helped an author friend with a book launch and reviewing her book. Her books are going gangbusters (partly because she’s in the local romance author clique. Listen up and remember this: you only graduate from high school. The social dynamic remains throughout life). She has not reciprocated with boosting. So, it’s up to me. I’ve begun tweeting some of my favorite inspirational quotes, such as the following: (Thank God for memes, because that 140 character limit is a bear at times) I’m also trying to “cross pollinate” on the Medieval Merriment page to see if I can interest some of those folks in my writing. As yes, I have an idea for a medieval story. Very vague (like mysteries? Read the Brother Cadfael books), but the seed is there. If you’re reading this page and you’re on Facebook, let me give you the link to go like my author page: https://www.facebook.com/spthatcherauthor Y’all have a good day. I’m going to follow Thoreau’s advice and advance co differently in the direction of my dreams.   Oh yeah: please share the hell out of this page.