A Poem I Just Wrote and Felt Obligated to Share

Trolls

In their minds,
they are all kings
and queens, holding
their heads up high,
the internet
the front for
their bravery.
Wielding
electronic sabers,
using words as
private armies
to dispatch with
their enemies—
people whose views
are inconsistent
with their own—
they don’t hold back,
they slash, slash, slash,
spewing hate and bigotry,
posting comments
on articles, in forums—
anywhere they can
ejaculate their ideologies
and impregnate others
with their disease.

But these mongrels
are cowards
hiding behind ones
and zeros, unable
to articulate intelligence,
to agree to disagree,
barking just to hear
themselves
make a sound.
They are incapable
of an interchange.

Freedom of speech
isn’t intended for
ignorance—
ignorance is an
unfortunate
side effect.

Out in the Garage Promotional Offer on Smashwords

Do you have an e-reader?  If so, you might want to pay attention: I am running an ongoing promotion with Smashwords.  For a limited time, you will be able to get the e-book version of Out in the Garage for FREE!  That's a $3.99 value at no cost.  If you are interested, go to my Smashwords page, click on the yellow buy button on the right, and in "coupon code" box enter EK75C.

This is to celebrate the long-coming release of this, my first novel.  In case you are not up to date, Out in the Garage was a nine year effort, and I chose to self-publish so I could maintain creative freedom and artistic control.  Technology has made it possible for anyone to strive to be the next Virginia Woolf, who, with her husband, started a publishing company for the same reasons.  While I have no intention of publishing anything but my own fiction, I am hoping that I can continue keeping the art of writing literature alive, in my own way.  Many other writers have self-published, and now it is easy and cost-effective.

Please support me as an artist and take advantage of this opportunity to get the e-book version of Out in the Garage for free.  Again, follow one of the links to my Smashwords page, click on the yellow buy button on the right, and in the "coupon code" box enter EK75C.

The only thing I ask of you is that if you do get the book, when you do read it, please leave me a review on Smashwords, so others can know about your experience with my work.  Also, if you enjoy my writing, and know others who would, please help me spread the word.  Every little bit helps!  Thank you!

Catching the White Whale

Yesterday my wife and I bought tattoos for each other for our birthdays.  Mine was a few months ago, but we had to move and all that at the time so we didn't have any money.  The tattoo artist, Cynnamon at Kustom Culture in Talmadge, drew her rendition of Moby Dick for me, and, I must say, she did an amazing job!  I will definitely go back to her for future projects.  :-)

Moby Dick has significance for me on a few levels: first, I am a hug fan of Melville and have read and studied most of his books; I am also writing about Israel Potter: His Fifty Years of Solitude for my thesis.  Second, and probably more significantly, I have finally harpooned my white whale: I have finished this first novel, Out in the Garage, and I promised myself that if I finished it I would get a tattoo as a memento of the occasion.  I released the book for sale last week.

Anyways, my arm is still a little achy, and it's red still from the trauma of the tattooing process, but I am glad that I did it.  While I am only a DIY operation, it does mean a lot to me, and I hope that this tattoo helps me mentally switch gears and continue plowing ahead.  Before I know it, this will all be over, and I don't want to have any regrets.  As the Flea sings in the Red Hot Chili Peppers song, "Deep Kick", "But the Butthole Surfers said, 'it's better to regret something you did do, than something you didn't do.'"  I agree with both him and Gibby Haynes.  It is far better.

Amazon's Got It

The paperback version of Out in the Garage is now also on Amazon.  There will be more soon.  I will, of course, continue to keep everyone posted.

I don't know what to do with myself---actually, that's not really true, but I feel...  Lost.  It has been such a part of my everyday life for almost a decade that I feel like a part of me is missing.  Sure, it isn't perfect.  I guess that is unattainable, and I have to accept that.  I could be a better editor, and I will get better as I continue.  I think I probably, in a way, over-edited it (because I over-think it and go back and make changes, and make changes, and really all the versions have their strengths and weaknesses, but the more changes I make, the more excited I get, and then I make a mistake).

I have no plans on going back to it, though.  I am going to promote it as is, and see what happens.  Perhaps I will need to eventually go back and work out those bugs, but I don't think they detract from the good qualities that is has.  I don't know.  Part of my finding problems with it, I think, is that is has been such a part of my life that it is difficult to let it go.  I don't want to move on (maybe, subconsciously, I sabotaged it just so I would have an excuse to go back?  Psychologists, anybody?), but I know moving forward is the right thing to do.  It's just time.  It's time for me to push ahead so I can write more fiction and self-publish it (and hopefully continue growing as a writer)---although, my main goal right now is to finish school (and especially my thesis) and then after that it will be to find a full-time job.

I will at least wait until after my thesis to start any new projects---although, I have a feeling after the Malamud/O'Connor class that I am taking that I will want to do another short story collection.  We'll see what happens.  It's funny, but in a weird way it is like starting over.  I guess I am just at that point in my life, where so much is changing, or about to change.  Hopefully they are good changes.  Only time will tell...

Ebook and Print versions of Out in the Garage are for sale!

Okay people, the paperback version is now out on Createspace.  It will be 5-7 days before it goes on Amazon, and all the other sites where Createspace distributes my books.

I will let you all know when I hear about Smashwords and the Premium catalog.  This time around I am going to let them distribute my ebook to all of the sites, instead of self-distributing it to the Kindle store and the Nook store.

That being said, I highly recommend purchasing from these sites.  They are safe and secure, and by doing so you will be supporting me and all the other indie authors who use these services to publish their books.

Thank you all for your support---especially all of my friends and family who have supported me in writing this and listened to me babble about it, time and time again.  I really appreciate your support.  I especially appreciate the support of my wife, who has been so supportive and understanding and has really been the one to keep pushing me to keep working on it and to think about things like the design from a different perspective.  I know I can be difficult to work with!  I love you!

This is a day I have been working towards for nine years---it is actually very surreal.  It is going to take me a while to get used to the idea that this book is actually finished, and that I can begin to move on---that I can focus on my thesis and grad school and teaching and getting this shit done!  I will also be spending time finding new, creative ways to promote this book and try to extend my reach.

Anyways, I am rambling---when is that any different, right---and I need to get to work.  Thank you all again, and please, if you do purchase it and like it, please write me a review on whatever site where you bought it or Goodreads.

UPDATE:

The e-book version of Out in the Garage is out for $3.99 on Smashwords in a variety of formats.  It's status for the Premium Catalog is still pending, but I hope and believe that I have formatted it properly and am meeting their standards---but we'll see.

The print edition will be out soon---I am just waiting to hear from Create Space.  As soon as they okay it for print, I will release it for sale.  It will be $7.99.

That is all for now, but I will keep you posted as things change.