New Blog Title...Same Old Stuff

Hi, all.

I gotta share two  recent pieces of awesome news. Well, awesome for me. First, just in case you didn't know, I've been gravely ill for nearly three months, but am finally getting released from the hospital this week.

Second...I'm proud to announce I have sold my second novel, Shaken, to Quake/Echelon Press, who did just an awesome job with my first one, Killer Cows. Like Cows, Shaken is also a YA novel. More details coming.

But for now, the reason for the blog's name change. Quite simple really. The blog isn't really about cows, and now that I have more to promote, it made sense to generalize the title. So, it's the same old stuff I always do.

Randy Meyer is a Fictional Hero; Jeremiah is a Real One

Jeremiah Boland is a junior at Parkrose High School. In August of 2006, he was diagnosed with a disease called Juvenile Nasal AngiofibromaI. These are tumors that have invaded his sinus and nasal cavities. Most of his seventh grade year was spent in the hospital and at home. On May 13, 2010 he had a setback. After a nosebleed that lasted five and a half hours, doctors discovered the tumor had doubled in size and was now life threatening. The tumor had intertwined itself with the carotid artery. His team of doctors decided that surgery was too risky. The only option for treatment is Gamma Knife Radiation. The long-term effects from the radiation, compared to immediate fatality, were the deciding factor for treatment. Jeremiah has a long road ahead of him but refuses to let it hold him back. His goal is to play football his senior year.


As a teacher in the Parkrose School District, I have had the privilege of getting to know the Boland family through their wonderful children, some in my class, some by acquaintance. In either case, they are a wonderful, loving family stricken by these unexpected circumstances Jeremiah now faces. My school has rallied to show their love and support for Jeremiah through the Sparrow Club, an organization which raises money for a family facing medical expenses due to a child‘s illness. My school has been involved in this for four years now, but for the first time, the child is one from our own community, a young man many of us know and admire.

When I think of what Jeremiah and his family are going through during this trying time, and the strength they’ve shown, I see true heroism, and want to do anything within my power to help them. Which is why I decided that I will give 100% of the ebook royalties of my first novel, Killer Cows, to Jeremiah and the Bolands in order to help with the long and expensive road which lays ahead for them. When I signed my first book contract with Echelon Press, I fulfilled a lifelong dream. And, the way I see it, what better way to make the most of one’s dream than to help someone else achieve theirs? And really, it is a small gesture on my part, but one I hope can help make a difference.

And it is actually so easy. The ebook is $3.00, and half of that would go to help Jeremiah. My goal is to raise at least $1,000 for him. That's 2,000 ebooks. A huge goal, but one that's possible. So please, if you are reading this, spread the word. Everyone who buys a copy of Killer Cows will not only get a fun read, they'll be helping a great kid.

Killer Cows is available at:
Fictionwise:  http://www.fictionwise.com/ebooks/b107106/?si=0
Omnilit: http://www.omnilit.com/product-killercows-416757-251.html
Amazon: http://bit.ly/ci33oe

Interview with Author Jenny Hilborne

Jenny Hilborne is a mystery writer, and fellow Echelon author, whose first novel, Madness and Murder, has recently been released. She was nice enough to take the time to talk with me about the book, as well future projects.


First, I have to ask…what first brought you to the U.S.?

A Boeing 747 first brought me to the US. He he, sorry, couldn't help it. A long distance romance is the reason I came to be here. They do actually work out sometimes, or at least, for a while :)

As a writer, who were some of your earliest inspirations, particular in the mystery genre?

I learned to read early, thanks to English author Enid Blyton and her magical children's books. My earliest inspirations in the mystery genre were Sidney Sheldon and Lawrence Sanders. Right after reading a Sidney Sheldon novel, full of twists and unexpected turns, I started on my own manuscript for Madness and Murder.

Madness and Murder is now available from Echelon Press. Care to tell us a little about it?

Madness and Murder, released first as an e-book, and now in paperback by Echelon Press, is an international mystery and follows the life of two main characters, both trying to escape dark pasts. Of course, nothing goes quite as planned and they soon find themselves in the middle of madness and murder.

What has the feedback been so far, both from readers and/or reviewers?

Feedback so far has been extremely positive, although people who know me expressed surprise over some of the darker elements. Hey, I can't help what pops into my head when I write. Quite a number of readers have asked for another Mac Jackson novel. I hadn't planned on a sequel, however, due to the number of requests, I will bring him back to solve another crime. Inspector Mac Jackson will be back. He's the homicide cop on the case in Hide and Seek. Older and wiser, and a little less patient.

From the first word to the final draft, how long did it take you to complete it, and when did you know you were done?

Madness and Murder took me eleven months to write from first draft to finish. Then came months of editing. I knew I was done when Echelon Press offered me the contract.

Is mystery a genre you plan to stick with, or do you see yourself branching out into other ones?

For now, I plan to stick with the mystery genre because it's what I love and what I do best. I have, however, been asked to write a real life story, set in the 1940's, and am going to do it while I work on my next mysteries. This story is about the tragedy of being away at war while suffering loss at home.

How has your experience working with Echelon been so far?

I owe my sincere thanks to Echelon Press for opening their publishing doors to me and taking my very first novel. They did not try to change my book in any way, and the editor(s) they've assigned me are wonderful.

Most of us have that unpublished first novel we ever wrote ducked away in a drawer. Do you have one, and if so, are you thankful it wasn’t your first sale?

I do not have an unpublished novel tucked away. I know I am incredibly fortunate to have both my first and second novels written under contract, both with Echelon Press. Currently, I am working on my third mystery, Hide and Seek, another chilling murder in San Francisco.

Thank you, Jenny, for taking the time to share your thoughts. Best of luck in your writing career.


Madness and Murder is now available:

http://www.omnilit.com/product-madnessandmurder-441904-243.html

http://astore.amazon.com/echelonpressp-20/detail/B003TLMX5C


Visit Jenny at: www.JFHilborne.com

My Own Spinal Tap Moment: Another Learning Experience

I had what many in the music industry call a Spinal Tap moment this past weekend.


For those of you who have never seen This is Spinal Tap, it is a fake documentary about an aging, has-been heavy metal band. Essentially a satire of musicians and the music business in general, it’s an extremely funny look at a fictional band, Spinal Tap, but with scenes depicted with such dead-on accuracy that many real-life bands have amusingly reflected on their own real-life “Spinal Tap” moments over the years. One such scene takes place in a record store, where the band is there to sign their latest album. Only nobody shows up.

That happened to me this past weekend.

I had arranged a book signing event for Killer Cows at a small-town independent bookstore, which has the distinction of being the oldest bookstore in Oregon. It’s a neat little place, located in one of the town’s older buildings, and stuffed with books by both local and bestselling authors. It’s the kind of place many people romantically think would be a great business to own…a bookstore run by people who love books.

The staff was wonderful, and the manager was a pretty young lady who had read the book and was very enthusiastic; she’d made flyers, put ads on the store web page, and even contacted local schools to let them know a local author of young adult fiction was coming. She also ordered a dozen copies of Killer Cows, which were on display at the front of the store when I walked in after my 80 mile drive from Portland. Nearby was coffee and cookies, and the staff seemed truly happy to meet me. With a few minutes left before the two-hour signing was to begin, I helped myself to some coffes (which was great, BTW), and sat down to do some signing. This was gonna be fun.

The problem was, during that entire two hours, almost nobody showed up. Maybe five or so customers, a few of whom did buy the book. But for the most part, I wandered the store, chatted books and music with the staff, got wired on caffeine and fat on cookies. The manager, bless her heart, was very gracious and offered that the weather probably played a factor (in Oregon, you take advantage of those rare sunny days when they arrive). And on a nice day, during a weekend, most of downtown was as devoid of people walking the sidewalks as an apocalyptic sci-fi movie.

All told, I spent more money on gas to get to the signing than I did selling books.

Still, I met some nice people, and signed a couple more books for the manager and some of her employees. And I have to admit, I do love signing. I wasn’t expecting a mob of people clamoring for my autograph, but during those lengthy times in which no one came into the store, I thought about that scene in This is Spinal Tap and had a good chuckle at my own expense.

Another lesson was learned this past weekend: Just because you write a book doesn’t automatically mean people are clamoring for your autograph, and will set time aside on a rare sunny day just to get one. Hell, I even remember attending a book signing at Barnes & Noble for Charlaine Harris (one of the biggest authors in the world), and being amazed that only about 200 people showed up. A nobody like me? Forget about it. 200 people would be like finding the Holy Grail.

Still, I’ll plug along, doing what I can to get word out about my own book, even if it takes a lot of gas for me to get there.

More Demotivational Posters by D.M. Anderson