The original purpose for building this website was to create an internet platform to advertise the fact I'd become an author, and to promote my books. The idea was that my writing would eventually provide me some level of income, but there's only one small problem -- I haven't written enough material in any particular genre to draw and sustain a large audience, and there's a lot of competition in this new age of digital publishing. Long ago the decision was made to sacrifice quantity for quality, so I haven't tried to produce a steady stream of content on one particular subject. I have tried to focus on writing well, rather than publishing more frequently. Naturally, it was a very rewarding feeling in 2013 when not one or two, but three of my books won awards, but the problem is that awards don't automatically produce income. The market has been flooded with competition, and not enough people know who I am. I'm no genius when it comes to marketing myself as a writer, but I know that I don't have enough readers, book reviews, and my work hasn't gotten much publicity. This is somewhat difficult to write without sounding like I'm pleading for money, but in order for my work to earn income, I need to sell books and short stories. I have resisted the idea of buttons soliciting donations to support the website, and Patreon accounts. But on the other hand, I don't have an agent, or a book deal. I don't get paid six or seven-figure advances on work that hasn't even been written yet. The two small, independent publishers who have published my work paid fair royalties, but … [Read more...]
Home Improvement(s)
When we bought our new house earlier this year, we realized several significant projects would need to be completed before we could relax and truly call this "home." Of course we needed a fence so our dogs wouldn't roam all over the neighborhood, and the Chamblee Fence Company recently completed an outstanding installation -- this is the first fence I have ever owned that the gates can only be left open if they are held or blocked, perfectly positioned so that they will automatically swing shut and close, a feat previously only managed post-installation, with a special hinge from Home Depot. There is nothing that will put fear into the heart of a pet owner quite like discovering an open gate when their dogs have been outside, enjoying the yard. Chamblee Fence has been in business longer than I've been alive for a very good reason. The fence came after the rotted old timber retaining wall was ripped out and replaced the incredible crew at Bentley's Nursery and Stone Yard. When professional engineers have highly recommended their professional work, it was an added bonus that Bentley's quote was considerably less than other estimates, and the quality was obviously exceptional. Check out the before... and after pictures! My final project was one that we decided to tackle ourselves, even though I need my fingers for typing, and hammers tend to place them at risk. Therefore my solution for the construction … [Read more...]
Speciesism and Animal Liberation
Speciesism is a term used by so-called animal rights activists to belittle the belief a hierarchy exists within the animal kingdom, and that human beings are a superior form of life lording over the food chain. The extremists have decreed speciesism to be just as bad as racism or sexism. By their definition, I am a speciesist. To the average animal rights activist, a human being is just another animal -- nothing special. As People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) founder Ingrid Newkirk famously said, "When it comes to having a central nervous system and the ability to feel pain, hunger and thirst, a rat is a pig is a dog is a boy." Therein lies my problem with PETA -- members of that organization obviously fail to recognize that the lives of some creatures are clearly more valuable than others. And on that critical point, I strongly beg to differ. Of course, Newkirk is right about one thing -- animals can feel pain. So what? Animals can get hungry, and thirsty, just like a human being. Yet when a human suffers a mortal or life-threatening wound, they often go into shock, which ultimately causes them to experience less pain. By the same token, why can't we assume the same thing happens with other animals, that they might also go into shock when death becomes imminent? The animal liberation movement began with noble intentions -- opposing the barbaric practice of using of kittens and puppies for laboratory testing or medical experiments. But a rat is vermin. A pig might be served for dinner. And a dog is man's best friend, as this story … [Read more...]
The Pearl: 19 March 2015
Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend. Inside of a dog it's too dark to read. -- Groucho Marx I remember what I've said in the past about actors...but Groucho was a lot more than just a movie star. He was a comedic genius who wrote most of his own material, and he was even funnier and more brilliant when he ad-libbed without a script. Besides, he said something nice about both books and dogs, and in the same sentence. It's a very funny line. And if you've read my book Always a Next One, you know how much I love dogs. … [Read more...]
