Going Wherever Time and Writing Takes Me

Today on the masspoetry.org site, I have an essay up  where I discuss writing in different disciplines, why I do/did so, and what it does for my writing, in genereal. This is a happy, one-puppy post.

We interrupt our regularly scheduled post about my novel to announce . "You Buy Too Much Kale" selected by Flash Frontier

I'm in Flash Frontier (second story from top after you hit the link) with a  these folks  Louise

Miller, Kyle Hemmings, Howie Good, Jane Swan, Matthew Robinson, James Claffey, Eileen Merriman, Sonja Moor, Nod Ghosh, Peter Adams, Hobie Anthony, Patrick Pink, Jodie van der Wetering, Steve Charters, Doug Dautel, Elizabeth Morton, Lulu A. Tika, Annette Edwards, Elysia Rose Jenson, Mark Crimmins, Martin Porter, Emma Shi, Stephen V Ramey, Heather  McQuillen, and Chella Courington.

The theme was falling and the guest editor was Christopher Allen. The choices were  selected blind, but Christopher used to edit Metazen, and they published me no less than five times. This is a telling fact for Mr. Allen, as it shows an editor knows what he likes, is consistent and is not just picking names he knows.  Seeing the names of some of the other contributors it tells me that Mr. Allen and Michelle Elvy even when reading blind submissions, still managed to pick a well versed group. Well done!

As for the story itself, what I was getting at in  You Buy Too Much Kale was that good people often will leave good people that have problems. I hear about it all the time. I've also found that it's never too late, there is hope. Always remember that every person's journey is different and if you are willing, your life can be changed forever. 

I'ts 24-7

D R Jones, The Descent of a Decent Man

An Interview, Scott Fynboe on Saftacast and I talk about TV, Music, and of course, publishing and writing

Sundress Academy for the Arts - Sundress Publications does some really cool stuff. They are involved in film, publishing and artist retreats to name a few. They also produce a show that interviews writers:  Saftacast, hosted by Scott Fynboe According to Scott, "we discuss a myriad of topics in seemingly short time. The Carpenters, child stars, old TV, classic rock, The Who, self-publishing, self-promotion, the dawn of e-books – just a slew of interesting stuff.".  
                                                                        HERE.

 

 Today I was on their podcast. In order to participate, I had to borrow someone's phone that could download Skype, and suspiciously walk around a Somerville, Ma., neighborhood so I could intercept someone's WIFI.  After a few days of phone calls arranging that, it was on!

  The interview itself speaks of Dentistry, Old Classic TV, Child Stars, The Carpenters, Music, Places I've lived, First Celebrity Crush, Publishing and all sorts of things. For a preview, read the captions that go with the pictures below.  Please give it a listen, HERE it's kind of cool. 

 

"I prefer doing to the dentist vs. doctor because I have good teeth"

"Keith Moon was staged, just like Townsend"

 

"The jury is still out on Selena Gomez"

From the movie, Superstar with Barbie and Ken dolls

"My first celebrity crush was Kristy McNicol" find out why.

 

"Rainy Days and Mondays was kind of like, FML"

"She was out of my league"

"All of the Muppets have severe psychological problems except for Kermit"

"My first book was only an e-book"

Cambridge, Ma, 9/2/14": Tour Blog-- Book Launch, Porter Square Books,

9/2/2014
Porter Square Books
25 White Street
Cambridge, Ma

The bookstore was packed with people from all aspects of my life. There were friends, writers, co-workers, people that help me in my recovery and also my parents. They had to slide a shelf of books to add a few more rows of seats, which reminded me of The Bat Cave. (see video, which raises questions of why no one randomly noticed the statue with a hinge on it and do the poles really need the names DICK and BRUCE on them, as if it matters which poles they go down.)

                             

Grateful to those who came out

Back to the reading: A lot of books were sold and overall it's what a launch should be.I even made food, eggplant parmigiana and a very sloppy lasagna.

Pre-cooking, pre-sloppy

There was even some props from the book, some bags of turkey sandwiches, juice boxes and pulpy apples (Bill Sloan's daily lunch) and some cheese cubes.

IN THE CORNER near the cheese cubes...

Helping me celebrate were Robin Stratton (publisher and writer) and Christopher Reilley (cover designer and poet) who did a wonderful job reading from their works. My reading went well, but half-way through I noticed that the sections I read from were a bit dark/less funny. I also messed up by not having Chris, Robin and Rene Schweisow, who with Rusty Barnes and Teisha Twomey did some selfless work to improve the novel.

The evening ended with a quick Q and A where I answered a lot of serious questions about Psychology and football. You know you are making waves in the writing world when another writer's book (Steve Almond, Against Football: One Fan's Reluctant Manisfesto) is asked about during your Q and A.

Then there's that really cool and semi-awkward moment when your artist/writer mom asks a question.



Once again, the evening was a smash and I am extremely grateful. I really would like to thank each and everyone in attendance, so I hope you're all reading this. Next stop in a month in sunny San Diego, where the reality check will be in, as out of town readings generally can be attended sparsely--still, I'm thrilled at the prospect of traveling.

Some of the large crowd, 9/2/14

Randy and Daniel.

Mike (who people thought was on the book's cover)  and Holly