It's a simple thing...I woke up early this morning to find Geoffrey and Steve of the Meteorite Men program following me on Twitter. These two guys have forgotten more about meteorite hunting than I will ever know!
I am most impressed with their ability to suffer extremes of cold and heat while looking for the elusive meteorites. Trust me when I say, Arizona can be tough enough to knock the wind right out of your sails. The program about the Tucson area was real, believable and right on the button. It's hot and nasty, with enough deadly critters to make another Jurassic Park movie.
I would love to write a murder mystery about two meteorite hunters who find a dead body in the scorching desert, only to be hunted after they are spotted by the killer who is leaving the area. A bullet kicks up debris close to Steve's foot as the report from the large caliber rifle reaches the Meteorite Men's ears.
Question?
Would you stop to pick up a five pound meteorite if a crazed killer was stalking you? Knowing these guys...YES!
Rabu, 31 Maret 2010
Selasa, 30 Maret 2010
Meteorites In Your Back Yard?
My identical evil twin brother and I use to prospect for gold in Colorado. We became disillusioned after many years of digging, diving in spring melt, freezing our booties off, and finding zilch.
I started visiting Quartzsite, Arizona about ten years ago and one of the first things I did was buy an expensive metal detector called a nugget shooter. Just the name fueled fantasy's of golden riches! No diving in cold water, just find the nuggets underground, dig them up and cash them in...easy, right? Wrong! The ground in Quartzsite closely resembles concrete. Digging just a little bit takes the effort of a younger man. Worse yet is the abundance of rock called, Rare Earth Rocks. Did I tell you they set off the metal detector, along with bullet casings, beer tops, tin foil and multitudes of other debris?
A couple months ago, I started watching Meteorite Men on the Science Channel. Man, these guys find big time riches every freaking time they go out! Even though my evil twin lived too far away to be helpful, I called him and explained how I was going to light the meteorite world on fire. He got all excited and wished he didn’t live so far away. No problemo, now I don’t have to share the wealth.
I followed all the instructions of the Meteorite Men…Rare Earth Magnets on the end of my walking stick and digging tool. A loop to look closely at the meteorite, tote bag, high top boots to ward off snakes, large water holder, sun glasses, sun screen and metal detector.
Now to try all this stuff out before going to the rugged Quartzsite area. I donned all my equipment and headed for my back yard in Camp Verde, Arizona. I wasn’t out five minutes before the metal detector just about jumped out of my hands. "What the hell is this all about?" I reached down with the walking stick magnet and whammy, the palm size, crusty, dark, funny looking rock slammed into the magnet with gusto.
My heart skipped a few beats and my vision got a little blurry, and all the while I was thinking; "Can this be real? Please, Lord, don’t let me have a heart attack if it is." Well, to make a long story shorter…it is real and I found my first meteorite. Since that first encounter I have not been able to repeat the success, but looking is half the fun, right? NO, finding is what it’s all about and I want more, more…more!
I started visiting Quartzsite, Arizona about ten years ago and one of the first things I did was buy an expensive metal detector called a nugget shooter. Just the name fueled fantasy's of golden riches! No diving in cold water, just find the nuggets underground, dig them up and cash them in...easy, right? Wrong! The ground in Quartzsite closely resembles concrete. Digging just a little bit takes the effort of a younger man. Worse yet is the abundance of rock called, Rare Earth Rocks. Did I tell you they set off the metal detector, along with bullet casings, beer tops, tin foil and multitudes of other debris?
A couple months ago, I started watching Meteorite Men on the Science Channel. Man, these guys find big time riches every freaking time they go out! Even though my evil twin lived too far away to be helpful, I called him and explained how I was going to light the meteorite world on fire. He got all excited and wished he didn’t live so far away. No problemo, now I don’t have to share the wealth.
I followed all the instructions of the Meteorite Men…Rare Earth Magnets on the end of my walking stick and digging tool. A loop to look closely at the meteorite, tote bag, high top boots to ward off snakes, large water holder, sun glasses, sun screen and metal detector.
Now to try all this stuff out before going to the rugged Quartzsite area. I donned all my equipment and headed for my back yard in Camp Verde, Arizona. I wasn’t out five minutes before the metal detector just about jumped out of my hands. "What the hell is this all about?" I reached down with the walking stick magnet and whammy, the palm size, crusty, dark, funny looking rock slammed into the magnet with gusto.
My heart skipped a few beats and my vision got a little blurry, and all the while I was thinking; "Can this be real? Please, Lord, don’t let me have a heart attack if it is." Well, to make a long story shorter…it is real and I found my first meteorite. Since that first encounter I have not been able to repeat the success, but looking is half the fun, right? NO, finding is what it’s all about and I want more, more…more!
Senin, 29 Maret 2010
Spammers Suck!!
We all have forwarded e-mails thinking we are helping our family and friends. The truth is that sometimes we are only helping the spammers. As an author dependent on the Internet, it becomes a major chore to stay a step ahead of the ass wipe spammers. Click on the subject above and learn more about how to protect yourself and your circle of family, friends and business associates.
I depend on e-mail for communication with my publisher, sending notice cards and staying in touch with book buyers, just to mention just a few. I must admit to falling into the spam quicksand and thinking I might not ever escape the cesspool they create. Perhaps they should meet Sheriff Joe and spend some time in a Phoenix jail specially designed for spammer type people?
Personally, I say, "Get a rope!"
Mittster
I depend on e-mail for communication with my publisher, sending notice cards and staying in touch with book buyers, just to mention just a few. I must admit to falling into the spam quicksand and thinking I might not ever escape the cesspool they create. Perhaps they should meet Sheriff Joe and spend some time in a Phoenix jail specially designed for spammer type people?
Personally, I say, "Get a rope!"
Mittster
Minggu, 28 Maret 2010
Day Stalker
Here it is...an excerpt from my new novel. (This excerpt has not been edited.)
The ambulance made it to house before Nancy’s husband. The paramedics knew the woman lying naked of the bedroom floor was close to terminal. They stabilized Nancy and got her on the gurney just as Phil reached the front door. As he opened the screen door to let them out, he started asking many questions, which the paramedics politely ignored, while struggling to get their patient into the ambulance for the ride to the hospital.
Phil sat beside his wife during the trip to the hospital, while the paramedic ran an IV and injected some kind of fluid into the tube. Phil politely asked the man attending his wife if she would survive. The paramedic smiled and said, “I think so, sir. She is stable and the ER is ready with a doctor and team to take over as soon as we get there. We were very concerned when we first got to your house, but she has responded nicely to treatment. Loss of blood and shock were the culprits, but we got there in time and were able to deal with the situation.
The District Attorney had the good sense to make arrangements for a police unit to guard the house while he was at the hospital. The kids were due home soon, and he did not want them to see the bedroom. He knew they would be headed for the hospital as soon as they talked to the patrolman. A forensics team was also dispatched to the scene. This crime scene would be Jon and Manny’s first exposure to the Pock Faced Rapist.
Jon rode as fast as he could and still be safe to the foothills crime scene. As be approached the driveway, a patrolman put up his left hand for Jon to stop, while putting his right hand on his revolver grip and wondering why a biker would want to pull into this driveway. Jon stopped, put down the kickstand, took off his helmet and gloves, and dismounted while pulling his shield out of his hip pocket.
“Sorry, Sir, I didn't recognize you.”
“That’s OK, officer; I was at a rally when the call came in. I did not have time to go home and change clothes for this one.
“I understand, Sir. Your partner is in the house with forensics.”
“Thanks, can you watch the bike for me?”
“My pleasure, detective!”
The detective walked up to the house, lifted the warning tape, and entered through the open front door with his hands in his pockets. Since he didn’t have gloves on, this would ensure he did not touch anything by accident. Jon had been in the house before and knew his way around. He headed for the master bedroom and found the forensics team hard at work dusting for prints and taking pictures. Manny walked out of the master bath just as Jon walked in.
“Hey, partner, glad you could take time off from your partying to do some work.”
“I needed to get to the scene pronto to keep you from screwing up,” Jon replied with a grin.
Sally from forensics looked up at the detective decked out in his biker duds and snorted, “Looks like anyone can come to crime scenes now-a-days.”
Her partner, Ralph, also looked at Jon with mock disgust and replied,
“All we see in Tucson are biker and hippie trash. We can’t even do our job without rubbing shoulders with dirt bags!”
“If you two are finished with your bullshit, let’s get to work!” Jon replied as he was treated to mock salutes, as usual, by the team.
Manny started laughing as Jon started pulling on gloves he had deftly lifted from Sally’s equipment bag.
“Look, Ralph, he’s also a thief.”
The ambulance made it to house before Nancy’s husband. The paramedics knew the woman lying naked of the bedroom floor was close to terminal. They stabilized Nancy and got her on the gurney just as Phil reached the front door. As he opened the screen door to let them out, he started asking many questions, which the paramedics politely ignored, while struggling to get their patient into the ambulance for the ride to the hospital.
Phil sat beside his wife during the trip to the hospital, while the paramedic ran an IV and injected some kind of fluid into the tube. Phil politely asked the man attending his wife if she would survive. The paramedic smiled and said, “I think so, sir. She is stable and the ER is ready with a doctor and team to take over as soon as we get there. We were very concerned when we first got to your house, but she has responded nicely to treatment. Loss of blood and shock were the culprits, but we got there in time and were able to deal with the situation.
The District Attorney had the good sense to make arrangements for a police unit to guard the house while he was at the hospital. The kids were due home soon, and he did not want them to see the bedroom. He knew they would be headed for the hospital as soon as they talked to the patrolman. A forensics team was also dispatched to the scene. This crime scene would be Jon and Manny’s first exposure to the Pock Faced Rapist.
Jon rode as fast as he could and still be safe to the foothills crime scene. As be approached the driveway, a patrolman put up his left hand for Jon to stop, while putting his right hand on his revolver grip and wondering why a biker would want to pull into this driveway. Jon stopped, put down the kickstand, took off his helmet and gloves, and dismounted while pulling his shield out of his hip pocket.
“Sorry, Sir, I didn't recognize you.”
“That’s OK, officer; I was at a rally when the call came in. I did not have time to go home and change clothes for this one.
“I understand, Sir. Your partner is in the house with forensics.”
“Thanks, can you watch the bike for me?”
“My pleasure, detective!”
The detective walked up to the house, lifted the warning tape, and entered through the open front door with his hands in his pockets. Since he didn’t have gloves on, this would ensure he did not touch anything by accident. Jon had been in the house before and knew his way around. He headed for the master bedroom and found the forensics team hard at work dusting for prints and taking pictures. Manny walked out of the master bath just as Jon walked in.
“Hey, partner, glad you could take time off from your partying to do some work.”
“I needed to get to the scene pronto to keep you from screwing up,” Jon replied with a grin.
Sally from forensics looked up at the detective decked out in his biker duds and snorted, “Looks like anyone can come to crime scenes now-a-days.”
Her partner, Ralph, also looked at Jon with mock disgust and replied,
“All we see in Tucson are biker and hippie trash. We can’t even do our job without rubbing shoulders with dirt bags!”
“If you two are finished with your bullshit, let’s get to work!” Jon replied as he was treated to mock salutes, as usual, by the team.
Manny started laughing as Jon started pulling on gloves he had deftly lifted from Sally’s equipment bag.
“Look, Ralph, he’s also a thief.”
Sabtu, 27 Maret 2010
Got The Winter Blues?
Here I am back in Quartzsite, Arizona to write, relax and do yard work at the motor home. God, I love this place. Other than no green, trees, ocean, bikinis, surfing, great places to eat, and young, beautiful people...this is the greatest place!
Mittster: The Insane
Mittster: The Insane
Jumat, 26 Maret 2010
The Service Sucks
For the second time this month, my Internet was down and this time it was for three days. As an author, I am totally dependent on e-mail and Web browsing for research.
Don't you just love calling service departments? I was put on the indefinite hold until the next technician would become available, only to wait a life time to have a recorded message come on informing me that my area was DOA. Why couldn't they just let me hear that recording when I punched in the code that tells them exactly what area I am in? Obviously, my time is not as valuable as theirs.
I did a study of my telephone service (which is Quest) and my television service (with is Direct TV), vs. my Internet service (which is Commspeed), and guess what folks? No comparison! I can't remember the last time my TV or phone went out.
You might say, "So change your Internet service." Now that's a thought...except everyone and their mother has my e-mail address, including all my Web sites. Spending days making the change doesn't appeal to me much, but I guess I may have to bite the bullet.
How about I pro-rate the days lost and deduct it from the service fee? Yeah, right...and watch my credit rating go in the toilet along with their service!
I know, no one likes a cry baby, but what the hell, this is my blog and I can cry if I want to.
Mittster
Don't you just love calling service departments? I was put on the indefinite hold until the next technician would become available, only to wait a life time to have a recorded message come on informing me that my area was DOA. Why couldn't they just let me hear that recording when I punched in the code that tells them exactly what area I am in? Obviously, my time is not as valuable as theirs.
I did a study of my telephone service (which is Quest) and my television service (with is Direct TV), vs. my Internet service (which is Commspeed), and guess what folks? No comparison! I can't remember the last time my TV or phone went out.
You might say, "So change your Internet service." Now that's a thought...except everyone and their mother has my e-mail address, including all my Web sites. Spending days making the change doesn't appeal to me much, but I guess I may have to bite the bullet.
How about I pro-rate the days lost and deduct it from the service fee? Yeah, right...and watch my credit rating go in the toilet along with their service!
I know, no one likes a cry baby, but what the hell, this is my blog and I can cry if I want to.
Mittster
Selasa, 23 Maret 2010
Book Marketing
I found the Website above while researching venues in which to sell my murder mystery, Evil in the Mirror. The book will be available at Amazon in June. My publisher, www.wheatmark.com/blog, prefers selling on the Web with less dependency on brick and mortar sales, but also encourage their authors to explore other opportunities to sell books.
My personal Mission Statement: "When it comes to promotion, I will leave no stone unturned and there is no mountain to high to climb. My book will be a best seller, because I have delivered the best possible product to the reader."
I take ownership of promotional duties. The more venues in which I present the book, the better chance it has to sell. Exposure is the key and the world is the lock. That is not to say that having book signing parties at every major book through out the country is smart advertising, because it isn't smart or cost effective. But, having book signing parties at locations where I am known is smart and cost effective.
Every time I find a new Website that has a different slant to selling books, it is like finding a meteorite while prospecting in the desert...exciting to say the least!
Of course, I like to pass these nuggets on to new writers like myself. I have an abundant mentality, unlike some scarcity mentalities I bump into from time to time.
Enjoy, and keep on writing!
Mittster
My personal Mission Statement: "When it comes to promotion, I will leave no stone unturned and there is no mountain to high to climb. My book will be a best seller, because I have delivered the best possible product to the reader."
I take ownership of promotional duties. The more venues in which I present the book, the better chance it has to sell. Exposure is the key and the world is the lock. That is not to say that having book signing parties at every major book through out the country is smart advertising, because it isn't smart or cost effective. But, having book signing parties at locations where I am known is smart and cost effective.
Every time I find a new Website that has a different slant to selling books, it is like finding a meteorite while prospecting in the desert...exciting to say the least!
Of course, I like to pass these nuggets on to new writers like myself. I have an abundant mentality, unlike some scarcity mentalities I bump into from time to time.
Enjoy, and keep on writing!
Mittster
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