I read the end of Hired/Fired at my writers group yesterday. I got a good amount of feedback as I usually do, and some thought my portrayal of the FBI agents was unrealistic. I have rewritten the beginning and will look at the ending to see if I can incorporate some of the suggestions into the story.

Next week I will start reading Snowcrypt, which is a little away from my norm. I look forward to the groups comments.

A senior member of the group, who has two published novels, has consented to teach a two day class on novel writing. I signed up immediately and hope to learn some good things.

Happy New Year to all!
and...Write!
JH

Ok, I'll provide links to make it easy for you.

Southern Cal is free today, Monday, and Tuesday:  http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Cal-Jack-Haller-ebook/dp/B00B2E2268

A Scary Vacation is always free:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303660

If you like those, the other stories are available at $.99 each.
 Reviews are always welcome.

Merry Christmas and
Write!
JH

Shameless promotion. Ebooks make wonderful stocking stuffers and you don't have to fight the crowds or burn your precious gasoline. For $.99 you can't go wrong!

I have 3 short estories on Amazon and 3 on Smashwords.com. Click on the story and then click "gift". Enter the email of the giftee.

A Scary Vacation is free on Smashwords. You could gift it by cutting and pasting the www address in an email to the giftee.
Also, Southern Cal will be free on Amazon on Sun, Mon, Tues Dec. 22-24

Be sure to make time during this busy season to write.
JH

Got my Sony dvd player with wifi. Now I can sell my Wii which I was using as a Netflix interface. I haven't used it since I bowled a 300 game.

Got another rejection this week, twelve for the year.

Saturday was the writers Christmas Party. I tried to write humor and I did get one laugh and some nice applause. The food was great and since I was in Arizona last Christmas I wore my Sedona tshirt, the closest thing to festive that I own.

Am rewriting Lt. Pedro Leon using the advice I got from Saw Palm Magazine. Originally it had to be less than 1,500 words for the library contest. With those restrictions gone the story is at 1,900 and growing.

I feel I'm getting close to beginning work on a novel, at least on the synopsis which I intend to write first.

Write today!
JH

Continued reading Hired and Fired and got some positive feedback from the group. They liked the fact that the protagonist discovered gibberish inside the stories he was publishing.

Next Saturday is our Christmas party. I sat down to write a short humorous piece, but it didn't come out that way. I may not be the humorous type of writer.

Got a rejection the other day, and it also contained some advice:  "Thank you for submitting to Saw Palm and giving us the opportunity to read “Lieutenant Pedro Leon.” Regrettably, we have decided it is not the right fit for the journal at this time.
Many of the editors suggested focusing on the story in the diary, as that seems to be where the action is, as opposed to the discovery of the diary. We wish you the best of luck placing the story elsewhere.
Kind regards,"
That was the same story I had submitted to a local library contest who didn't consider it. Magazines have professional people looking at your work, not some locals who think they can judge good writing.
I was happy to have some advice along with the rejection and read the email to my writers group who thought that was a good thing.

I read something about writing a synopsis before starting the story. That way you know where you are going with it and can just start in writing. Perhaps I will do that in January with the goal of having it pertain to a novel instead of a short story.

Waiting for my dvd player to come today. Will watch Christmas With The Kranks which is taken from a John Grisham story titled Skipping Christmas. They are both worthy of your time.

Write today.
JH  

Changed the name of Swap Meet to Hired and Fired and read some at PINAWOR Saturday. Got a lot of feedback as usual. I didn't get into the action quick enough. I realized it was slow coming and tried to throw some anticipation in there with the words: "before I met that scoundrel Donald Banks." It wasn't enough to keep the story from dragging. I will rework the beginning to get to the action sooner.

One of the students for my epublishing class has published a story. Made me glad I gave the class.

I got a rejection from Lamplight Magazine. It took 3 months instead of the week to ten days I'd been getting. Perhaps they took a longer look at my story.

Cyber Monday today and Christmas is upon us with the Rockefeller Center Christmas tree lighting coming on Wednesday.

Don't stop writing!
JH 

Have 3 stories on Smashwords and 3 on Amazon.

Going to read Swap Meet at PINAWOR on Saturday.
Snow Crypt is finished and in the queue for reading.
Got to start on something new or finish something else.

Write. Write.
JH

Back in the queue for Small Help. It failed to get in the Smashwords Premium Catalog, the one that gets distributed to various ebook retailers, because my short description was too short. You need 55 characters minimum. I added a sentence and now I wait my turn for review.

Wrote a story last week called Swap Meet, probably won't keep that name. Rewriting this week so I can read it to the writers group I belong to. I am cutting a lot of background info and getting right into the action. Maybe I'm learning something afterall.

Nice sunny morning, about 80. Will break out the Harley and take a ride up to Palm Harbor for breakfast, nice putt along the Gulf of Mexico.

Write daily.
JH 

Had six paid authors attend my class on Saturday on e-publishing. I did publish Small Help live in class on both Amazon and Smashwords. Everyone was generous with their complements saying it was the best class and they really got something out of it. Before we left the classroom, the person in charge of getting new classes asked me to repeat it in the Spring.
I never taught before and it was a little nerve wracking, but people helped those next to them and we got through everything I wanted to accomplish.
Someone said they got a rejection from Saw Palm, but I'm still in it. Who knows? Is this the time I get in print?

Reading King's Doctor Sleep. It's the sequel to The Shining, all 528 pages.

Also I've started another story called Swap Meet.

Write every day.
JH

Friday and Saturday Nov 8 & 9 I am offering Southern Cal free on Amazon. Just click:  http://www.amazon.com/Southern-Cal-Jack-Haller-ebook/dp/B00B2E2268/

You can also get my A Scary Vacation free at anytime on Smashwords. Click:  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303660

Hope you enjoy them.
JH 

Preparing for class this week. I am about a third of the way done. Got to get busy and finish up because I'd like to rehearse it to myself before Saturday. I plan to publish a story of mine live in class.

Published a 2nd estory on Smashwords. Will also publish it on Amazon when I get the chance.

Shuffleboard league games begin on the 12th. I am team captain.
And I need to start bingo soon. Maybe the 15th. I'll have to switch the play tickets I have for opening night.

Everything seems to happen at the same time.

I am still writing and hope you are, too.
JH

I moderated the writers meeting for the 1st time on Saturday. There were only eight of us, two of us signed up to read. They convinced me to read the 2nd part of my story The Phone Call, and said I could read the revision next week. I don't read revisions because I would be giving too much control to the group. Let them write their own story and I will write mine. I do appreciate critiques, but only once, such as a point of view problem or too much background or a confusing passage. After that the only time the group will see it is if they read it in print or e-book.
Oh the others were all at a book fair promoting their work.

Next week I need to give a short talk at the end of the meeting about creating a cover for an e-book and what else to bring to class.

Keep writing.
JH

Read the 2nd half of Small Help Saturday and got some good critique. Will implement some changes tomorrow and set it aside for a week or so before rewriting the final which I will epublish in class. Ten people signed up for my class. I really need to get busy and put something together. I am sure they expect professionalism and I aim to deliver.

Reading some short stories from a Raymond Carver collection. He mixes dialogue and description with a result of moving the story forward without bogging it down with narration. I'm jealous of his talent, but I believe I have some of my own which is starting to show through my work.

International shuffleboard competition begins tomorrow in St. Petersburg. Will take a ride down to watch some of the best.

Keep writing.
JH

I read at PINAWOR Saturday morning for the first time in 6 or 8 weeks. It was a new story I wrote trying to use more description than I usually do. A dozen people critiqued me and a few even said they liked it. I have incorporated some of the suggestions into the story and will finish reading it next week.
I believe I will use it as an example in my class and e-publish it.

The playwright said he had to rewrite some because I wouldn't be in the play. He jokingly said he wanted to make me feel guilty, but I don't.

Got a couple of rejections this week.
JH

Spent 4 days in New Jersey for my nephew's wedding. Weather was surprisingly in the 70s. I took a Monica Wood's book on description with me but had no time to study. I did write about 350 words one morning and finished a short story this morning which I hope to have rewritten by Saturday so I can read it to my group for feedback.

A waterpipe burst under my place this morning while I was enjoying my coffee. Luckily I was home and shut off the main immediately. I walked over to Home Depot and bought a pvc cap. Instead of resealing the pipe to an outside spigot that I have never used, I'm going to cap it off. Can I end a sentence with off? I hope so because I just did it twice.

It was a great wedding and I got to see my two daughters who came from Kansas City and Nashville and got to dance with them both at the same time. People commented on how nice that was, but to be honest the girls (I had one on each arm), told me "you've got to twirl us now, Pop."

Good to be home and perhaps I'll read some of Monica's book after I cement the waterpipe.
Write, write, write.
JH

Have to redouble my efforts to study in the afternoons. It has been sketchy unlike the writing. But then the writing gets prime time, first thing in the morning. An hour in the morning seems easy enough and has become habitual now for almost six months.

I realize that once I begin work on the novel the morning hour will turn into two or three hours. From what I am learning, once the outline and the research are completed the writing goes pretty fast. And for me, rewrites have always gone quickly.

Three people who read their work at PINAWOR Saturday morning were not writing as well as I have been. That makes me feel good, like maybe I am not at the beginning of my study and have made some progress.

In the afternoons I will concentrate on DESCRIPTION and begin to introduce much more of that into my stories, not so much as to overload the sense but enough so the reader won't have to wonder what the strongbox in the story looks like.
JH

Went back to my writers group Saturday after a two week hiatus. Several people said I was missed, two asked why I wasn't reading, and one continued to solicit me for a part in his upcoming play. I almost went to rehearsal on Sunday until I thought it through and realized that I had no desire to be in the play and my upcoming obligations will weigh heavy enough on my time without committing to rehearsals. That plus the fact I have no desire to act, and that would only take away from time I could spend writing or learning about writing. The only reason for accepting the role would be to please the playwright and I am certainly not going to the writers group to please people. I go because it has motivated me to write daily. If the playwright snubs me because I don't want to act, well that's his problem.
Keep writing.
JH

Today I made the decision to make a daily habit of studying the art of writing in the afternoon. The morning writing habit has worked well for me, however, I am painfully aware that I am lacking the necessary skills and knowledge to complete a novel at this time. There are 100 days left in the year and perhaps my daily studies will teach me the skills I need.

I am hoping to make the same resolution in 2014 that I made with unwarranted optimism in 2013.
JH

Damn terrorists!

I submitted Lieutenant Pedro Leon to Saw Palm, a literary magazine looking for stories about Florida and Group Lottery to Tin House and One Story.

Meanwhile I read, write, and try to dissect stories in hopes that once I glimpse their inner workings I will be able to emulate them and write a complete novel.
JH

Going to see The Butler this afternoon on my AZ brother's recommendation. Four bucks. How do they stay open?

My dentist (quite a guitar player) is in a group putting on a tribute to Frank Sinatra tonight. It's a free show in the park. If the weather holds I'll probably go.

Skipping PINAWOR tomorrow. People keep asking me why I'm not reading. I don't have anything ready, and I won't read what I've rewritten and I won't read a 1st draft. I am working on a story called Exchange. Maybe I'll have something to read in a week or two.
JH

September already. Like most I don't dislike the winter, here in Florida it's great.

I've submitted Group Lottery to Glimmer Train and One Story this month. Will also send to Tin Hut.

I realize it's only the 4th and just after 9am, but the library writing contest said they would notify the winners by email in early September. I expected to hear from them yesterday.

I don't think I'm cut out for this waiting.
JH

I sent Barcelona Anniversary out to Lamplight Magazine which is a quarterly ezine. Once a year they compile a printed version which includes all of the stories that were published online. Hey some famous writers have collected a lot of rejections for the same story before finding a home for it. I only have two for this story.

A couple of mags will be accepting submissions in September. I have finished rewriting Group Lottery and will submit next week.

I feel as long as I have a few stories out there, I have a chance at publication. If they are only in my computer, there is no chance.
JH

Wow. Ellery Queen is super fast to reject a story, got mine in 8 days. Maybe I spelled my name wrong.
I sent it right back out to Spry Literary Journal.

One more week till the results of SH library contest. I kind of like my odds there. How many people enter a library writing contest?

I continue to remove belongings I no longer use. Sold 2 fish tanks on Craigslist this week. Got a couple of bikes I need to get ready to sell and an inkjet printer. Also brought 4 books to PINAWOR today. I saw one guy walk out with the Elmore Leonard, good choice.

I should finish rewriting Group Lottery this week. Then I'm going to start something new.
JH

I've read 3 books this month so far. One Way Bridge is Cathie Pelletier's new one after a six year hiatus. Actually she was researching and writing this book. She always makes me laugh. So, I'm following Stephen King's advice, "read a lot, write a lot."
Might get one more novel in this month, but for the next few days I will read only about writing.
JH

Got a US Air credit card last year because they gave me
40,000 miles for applying. Going to a wedding in October,
so I figure use the miles, right? Well they don't have a non-
stop flight. What a rip.

Spent a couple of days touching up my Barcelona Anniversary
story and submitted to EQ magazine this morning.

It's time to rework Group Lottery for submission somewhere.
There are a lot of flashbacks and I want it to read straight through, so it's probably going to take 2 or 3 weeks. By that time I will have heard about the Florida fiction contest and I'll be ready to write something brand new.
JH

I am getting tired of Auction Surprise. I've been working on it for two months and I think I'm going to put it aside for awhile and rewrite one of my finished stories or start a new piece. I need to spend much more time studying the structure of novel writing.

Short stories are like the minor leagues. You have to start there because you don't have the skills to write a novel. You don't have the skills to write a short story either, but it is something to do while learning the craft of novel writing.
JH

My Spirit of America article is out in the monthly PINAWOR newsletter. No feedback except for family. You can always count on them. I called the newsroom of the local paper and a man sounded interested but referred me to the op-editor as a guest column. Left him a message, no callback.
Glimmer Train neither rejected or accepted my story. On the last day of notification, my web submission status changed from "in process" to "complete." I don't believe I will enter such a contest again.
I've got another 3-4 weeks wait to see about the library contest.
Still working on Auction Surprise. Need to fill in details and work out some logistics of the robbery. Many comments from PINAWOR. Evidently, I am not describing what I see very well. Description may be my weak point.
Write, write, write.
JH

Saturday was the final day to get notified by Glimmer Train for a May win. I was not called, but I was also not rejected like the other story I submitted. That means one of two things: either I finished in the top 25 or I got an honorable mention in the top 5%. However, it is possible my story got rejected Saturday morning and I didn't receive an email because it wasn't a standard submission like the other story. Perhaps they don't email contestants. I'll have to wait until Thursday August 1st when the bulletin comes out with all those names.

Also I may have to wait until Wednesday for the PINAWOR newsletter with my article.

A writer not only writes, he must also wait.
JH

I saw the newsletter editor Saturday and he said he will definitely print my article in the August edition. I'm glad because August is the 50th anniversary and therefore appropriate.

The Glimmer Train guidelines state that the winners will be printed in the August bulletin and will be notified a week before. I'm on edge...3 more days.

Never even heard from the newspaper, not even a form email notification of receipt or rejection.

Probably be another 3 to 4 weeks before I hear about the Florida short story contest.

Meanwhile I keep plugging away at Auction Surprise. What would surprise me if there is enough there for a novel.
JH

The editor of the PINAWOR newsletter has given me some very good pointers and says since a 50th anniversary is such a momentous occasion, he will consider printing it in the August edition.

Also, I jumped the gun and submitted it to the local newspaper, after which I saw many possible improvements. I must learn patience if I am to submit my best work anywhere.

Rewrite. Put it aside. Then rewrite again. Do this more than once.

I'm still hanging in on my Glimmer Train story. I should know in a week and a half or so. What if they print it? WOW!
 JH

The editor of the PINAWOR newsletter asked if I would write an article. I was flattered and have written a short piece about the 50th anniversary of Craig Breedlove breaking the 400 mph barrier with his jet-car Spirit of America. I was hoping it would make the August newsletter to commemorate the record setting date, but Steve says he has a piece for August.

I'm going to contact a freelance friend to see if he thinks the newspaper might buy it.

Meanwhile, I plug away at Auction Surprise.

Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine emailed me a rejection on Group Lottery. I may have too many flashbacks. Will rewrite in present time with one flashback, maybe two, and submit to ?.

Meanwhile, I started Chapter 1 of Auction Surprise.

.

Am concentrating on making Auction Surprise into a novel, gathering information on characters and making sure the plot follows the story logically. Will probably need to write 4 or 5 chapters to be sure it is going to work at novel length.

This is how I will be spending my time except to submit for publication, now and then, an already written short story.

.

I read the 1st five minutes of Auction Surprise to my Saturday writers group. I had some positive feedback and just this morning decided to outline the story to see if I have enough material for a novel. It's at 7k words now and by adding appropriate subplots and fleshing out the characters, I believe it can be a full length book.
If I keep writing short stories, I will never get to the novel.
I hope you are writing, too.
JH

Finished Auction Surprise. It came out to be longish, 6,900 words. I started to revise it and have enough to read tomorrow at my writers group.
Finally finished Group Lottery. I had sent it out in 2004 when it was 3,800 words. It's a much stronger story now weighing in at 4,900 words. Will probably submit to Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine as early as this afternoon.
JH

Seems I'm starting to get wordy. Auction Surprise is already over 2k words and I've hardly begun. I was hoping to have it ready to read at my Saturday writers group. Looks like it will be several weeks before I can do that. Maybe that wordiness is preparing me for all the words I'll need to complete a novel.
Somebody at the group brought up a conference in August called Killer Nashville. I looked it over. I could stay with Janet in Spring Hill. I'll keep it in mind.

I did finish and edit the 1st part of Shadows on the Camino. I call it Barcelona Anniversary. It wound up being 2.2k words and I submitted to Glimmer Train under the New Author category. I like it a lot. Just have to wait and see if they think it is print worthy. Should hear by the end of July. Until then, it stays off the Internet.
Working on a new story, Auction Surprise. After that's done, I'll let it gel for awhile and probably rewrite Group Lottery. I did get positive critiques on that one at my writers group. Upon completion, it will get epublished on Amazon and Smashwords.
Meanwhile, I continue to study the craft of Novel writing. The dailywords and the rest of it is just to keep my pencil sharp, so that when I feel capable of writing that novel, my writing won't be stale.

A Scary Vacation is now available for free on Smashwords.com and soon on Barnesandnoble.com and ibooks.

The Camino story I spent 5 weeks on and had high hopes it was as good as I thought it was, has been put on the back burner. I didn't like the critiques from my writing group. Not one person said they liked it. In fairness to myself, I started reading the second part and didn't give the background of the first part.
At any rate, I decided to change the first part and make an ending that could possibly lead to a sequel. This is what I will submit to Glimmer Train by the end of the week.

Susan Adger from my writing group is having a book launching on Saturday at the Dunedin library. 2 o'clock if you're in the area. Instead of our usual lunch haunt, we will eat in Dunedin and then support Susan at the library.

I plan to intensify my self study writing program and concentrate on that rather than my digital and audio publishing activities. They will most certainly be a part of my future promotional efforts. For now, I need to write.
JH

Wow!
I've been neglecting my blog. Thank goodness, I haven't been neglecting my writing. That's probably why I haven't blogged in more than 2 weeks. I'm wrapped up in the story I had mentioned. The 1st draft was 6k words. It now looks to be over 10k. I've really worked a lot on this. I got index cards and put my characters on them, their age, job, residence, and other details that, in all likelyhood, will never make it into the story. Then I've researched the locale, the food, the attractions. And I've worked on my scenes, trying to instill the right amount of conflict. And, of course, I've been tweaking the plot. I am still hopeful to have it finished by the end of May so I can submit it to Glimmer Train Magazine. I did submit SOUTHERN CAL for their consideration, and I may email one other, if time permits. It will most likely be the lottery story I finished reading in 5 weeks at our Saturday meetings. Or, it could be the BACKPACKERS story whose name has changed to A SCARY VACATION. I also changed the cover photo. Both now seem a better fit for the story.

Maybe I'm finally feeling what it's like to be an author. The work draws you to it, makes you want to write it. It gets obsessive.

In the midst of all this activity, PINAWOR had its annual picnic at Taylor Park with a nice turn out. I brought the Harley and played 6 or 7 songs. Two other guitarists played much more.

Sorry for the long post.
Now, WRITE!
JH

Still writing 1st thing in the morning. I have one complete story. I'm sitting it out before editing. I hope to do a rather quick edit so I can enter it online in the Glimmer Train no fee contest by the end of the month. You can enter up to three stories, so I'll be looking at some old ones to see if they are worthy of submission.
Would like to get another story or two epublished before I begin writing the novel. It's still in the planning stages.
PINAWOR Picnic this Sunday. Just got an email from the newsletter editor asking if I sing or play. So, I may wind up doing a set of 3 or 4 songs. Weather forecast looks great. Harley time. I rode to the meeting last week and one of the female authors said it was pretty. Now maybe I can call it pretty, but I like others to refer to my hog as bad or wicked.
What are you reading this for? Write, write, write, then write some more.
JH

Two mornings in a row I had two hour sessions. That's over 3k words. The trick is to line them up in an order that makes sense to the reader.
PINAWOR picnic coming up May 5th. I may play a song or two or three. Would like to bring the Harley. Maybe the weather will co-operate.
A week from tomorrow is May already. That's a free submission month at Glimmer Train. I'd like to upload a story. I just don't know which one.
Shutting down for the day. Movie time.

My free weekend promo at Smashwords netted me nowhere near the traffic I experienced at Amazon. However, I didn't have to give them an exclusive and the royalties are 62% higher. Also, Smashwords has distributed my work to major and minor ebook-tailers. I'm anxiously awaiting good results from that action.
I earned royalties on Backpackers. So, I now officially have two books with sales.
I've started writing first thing in the morning. Years ago, that worked well for me. It's a good thing to not have that nagging feeling throughout the day of still having to write. And if I feel like writing more, that's always an option.

Next, I need to concentrate on refining the audio version of Southern Cal. Once I'm satisfied with the end result, I will install PayPal on my website, so I can start selling it.

On a personal note, I just made a noon appointment for a haircut. I'll take the Harley for a late breakfast and on the barbershop. Listening to a library CD..Louie Louie...we gotta go now.

Okay, I'm offering Backpackers free until Monday. Get it here: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303660

Enjoy!

Backpackers is now an e-book available at Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/BACKPACKERS-ebook/dp/B00C845FU6

and also at Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/303660
who will distribute it through Apple, Barnes & Noble, Sony, and others.

I'm pretty excited about this story and will produce an audiobook version.


I would offer the e-book on my site, but the PayPal fees would negate any profits. So, I need to improve the quality of my audiobooks to Audible.com standards if I ever intend to sell them.

Got 87 downloads on my e-story during the 2 day free promo. At least someone besides my family is reading my stuff.

Wahoo! Taxes are done.

Published another e-story with Amazon, BACKPACKERS. Didn't give it to them exclusively, I'll be posting it on my site where I'll be able to collect all the royalties. (As soon as I figure out how to do that). Will also have to learn how to add PayPal to collect the money. Meanwhile it's available on Amazon for $.99 : http://www.amazon.com/BACKPACKERS-ebook/dp/B00C845FU6

Once again, SOUTHERN CAL is free on Amazon Thursday and Friday April 4th & 5th.
Get it here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2E2268

BACKPACKERS  will soon be a digital book. But first I must do my income tax. The 15th is coming fast.

Wahoo!

I published my own audiobook.
You can't get it free at: http://jackhallerauthor.com

jackhallerauthor.com

That's my new website. It's up and running, but much work is needed to make it professional.

I think I'm finally acclimated to Daylight Savings Time. Wish they'd do away with it.

Ordered a headset Saturday to record SOUTHERN CAL as an audiobook. It arrived from Amazon Monday morning. Gotta love those guys.
So, I'm messing with the recording, trying to get the sound right.
Now, I decided I need a place to market my works. Got a domain name and website from Network Solutions. I imagine I'll be tweaking the site for some time.

It's: jackhallerauthor.com

Big shuffleboard game Wednesday. It's called USA/CAN, Americans versus Canadians. This will be the 7th meeting since I moved here. We haven't won, but we tied last year. I've been the captain for four years now. Perhaps this will be the year we win. It's a social thing. Park residents who don't even shuffle come to watch and we feed everybody afterwards.

Read one scary story at the library StoryCircles Wednesday and the other at Pinawor Saturday. Afterwards, 14 of us went to the diner where we sang Happy Birthday to a very good author named Jack Romig. He turned 84 and is working on a new novel. Don't give up!

Bought a book from a fellow author. The story is good, but I'm finding fault with the writing. Does this mean I'm improving?

Changed my ebook cover. The larger white lettering is easier to read. Also, added commas to my tag words making them searchable. Maybe I'll fool with the table of contents, making the story titles links to the story.

Finished both my scary stories. Will tell the titles to class and let them choose which I should read. I hope it's the one I want to read.
Posted an Ibanez Jet King on Craigslist. My old Peavey is next. Just trimming back. I'll still have two. Next goes the amps. I'll keep one or two.

It could take a month, but all who downloaded my ebook will get an email from Amazon informing them of the major changes and offering them the opportunity to download the new version FREE.

My ebook SOUTHERN CAL is about adapting to California life after a move from the Illinois countryside near Chicago at the age of 13.  It contains 3 short stories from 1961 when  I attended Malaga Cove, a middle school on a cliff above Haggertys Beach.
1) WANNA DANCE has a surprise ending.
2) TIJUANA TOURIST shows determination.
3) SOUTHERN CAL ties it all together.

And the link is:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2E2268

Jack Haller

Ahh. A day of rest. It's been a busy week. Monday & Tuesday was the year end shuffle tournament for the Seminole League. The tournament director awarded me, team captain, with the season's trophy. On a personal level I took 3rd place out of 60. Rushed home for a block party with live band. The gal sang to me and wore my Harley hat for one song.
Wednesday I had the shuffle president of our park present the trophy to me. Then I invited all the team members up on stage and passed the trophy down the line so everyone got a chance to hold it. After all, they're the ones who earned it. Following that we had our year-end shuffle meeting which I had to leave early for a chiropractic adjustment and massage.
Friday night is bingo and Sunday is corned beef dinner.
Monday is the annual in-park tournament which I hope to win this year. I missed my final shot last year to come in 2nd.
After that we play the USACAN. It's a park thing with Americans squaring off against the Canadians. After which we go inside the clubhouse and eat. Always eat. Lots of eating.
Gonna have to make time to figure my income tax soon.

Got to jump in the shower and head out for breakfast.
Sold an acoustic guitar that was just lying around. Part of my clutterbusting efforts inspired by Brooks Palmer's book Clutterbusting.
Working on a scary story, homework for Storycircles Safety Harbor. Two ideas. May write them both and choose one to read.
Need to buy ice cream at ALDIS for bingo tonight.
It's 64 degrees at 9:16. I'm leaning toward taking the Harley to breakfast.

Tuesday we faced our arch rivals in the final shuffleboard match of the season. We had the home court advantage, but we needed to win 17 of the 32 games in order to bring home the trophy which they had taken from us last year.
We won 20 games to clinch the season! And my 1st year as captain.
Another team may join our league. That would certainly be a welcome addition.

Seminole league captains meeting at 1pm. Last one of the season.
Big game tomorrow. Play our arch rivals on our courts. Winner takes the whole season.

Shuffleboard tournament in the morning at Clearwater, FL. Playing with the guy who has the most masters points this season. If I can play halfway decent, we have a good chance of going all the way.  That will mean returning Friday morning.

There is a conflict with that as our bi-annual Turkey Shoot is Friday. I guess they'll just have to get by without me.

Somehow my business page is tied into my personal Facebook page. All this self promotion for my book is interesting, but the learning takes away time from writing, which I far prefer. 

Facebook business page.

I'm thinking about it. I would like to epublish some of my stories and post their descriptions and links (to my website).

Don't have a website either.

Maybe I'm getting a little ahead of myself.

Meanwhile I have an ebook on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2E2268

JH

My ebook SOUTHERN CAL is about adapting to California life after a move from the Illinois countryside near Chicago at the age of 13.  It contains 3 short stories from 1961 when  I attended Malaga Cove, a middle school on a cliff above Haggertys Beach.
1) WANNA DANCE has a surprise ending.
2) TIJUANA TOURIST shows determination.
3) SOUTHERN CAL ties it all together.

And the link is:  http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B2E2268

Jack Haller


















t

SOUTHERN CAL

Hello,
   Because some folks said it left them wanting more, I've added 2 stories from the same time period to my Kindle book WANNA DANCE? 
   It has been renamed SOUTHERN CAL (pen name Jack Haller) and will be available for download on Amazon.com FREE on Sunday February 17 & Monday February 18.
   PCs & smartphones can also download it with the Kindle app.
   If you enjoy it, please return to the Amazon page and click "like" or better yet, write me a nice review.
   Thanks, Jack

ramblings

Cleaning house.
Motivated by old friends up from Fort Meyers who may stop by.
Listening to Every Picture Tells a Story on cassette. Mellow...

Did I sell BBY? It's up over 5% today and my option expires next month.

Got to get ice cream for tonight's Bingo. I give them quarter ice cream and free coffee at break.

SOUTHERN CAL

Getting up for the free Sun & Mon of my Amazon digital book called SOUTHERN CAL.

My 1st ebook was called WANNA DANCE? I had positive feedback and some said it left them wanting more. So, I wrote two more stories from that same time period, joined them with the 1st one, and published it as one book.

FREE 2-17 & 2-18-2013.

If you enjoy it, please go back to the book site on Amazon and click "like"(kind of lame) or even write a review (not so lame).
Thank you,
Jack H.  

Happy with my digital story on Amazon. 2 free days netted 61 downloads. Got 3 sales for the rest of the week. Plus 3 five star reviews and 1 "like".
Thinking about adding 2 or 3 stories to it and making it a series or collection.

Left PINAWOR (www.pinawor.org) early yesterday, after receiving 8 or 10 critiques on a story I read, to attend a folk festival at Heritage Village celebrating 20 years. Watched a 14 year girl, Carmen Brandy, perform her own songs on guitar while she sang with a strong, husky, mature voice. Got her to autograph the CD she was selling. Her mother ran the sales while Dad was roadie and did the background vocals. Then I went to see the native American flute show. They played many different flutes, one had a rubber tip at the end and was so long it rested it on the floor. I got so into it that I visited the nearby flute maker, Craig Noss, and bought a wooden flute for $40. The weather was sunny and 70's. Delightful.
Then I took my soon to be 95 lady friend to bingo. I won the last game..$250.
Yes..that was a good day.

After The Army

Getting ready to post e-short story on Amazon.

Library says Waging heavy peace : a hippie dream is waiting for me. It's Neil Young's memoirs.
Listening to his Live at Massey Hall as I write.

New latex mattress arriving by FedEx today. Looking forward to many deep sleep nights.

Off to the chiropractor, then breakfast at the diner.

My 1st shuffleboard meeting as the new captain at 1pm.
We are in first place!
Bo

And so I say to you...tomorrow.

You can call me Ray or you can call me Johnny, but you doesn't have to call me Sir because I am not a Knight.