Dear Smokers

Below is a rather long, but well worth reading, excerpt from The Stop Smoking Guardian Angel book. While working for a plumber friend last week, I was subjected to second hand smoke all day long by all but one worker. Trust me; it ruined my day at work. If you are trying to quit and can't, go to the book's Website and I will send you a copy of the book for free, including postage.

I'm just saying,

Mittster

One day after 20 years of smoking, I realized that spending a fortune to feel like crap had to stop. I was so tired of waking up with a nicotine hangover! I simply put them down, walked away and smoked no more forever. It was the toughest thing I ever did in my life and even though my marriage failed, my life did not! My ex has continued smoking to this day and her health is now failing even though she is not yet 50 years old.

All the literature say's that nicotine is just as addictive as opiates. No wonder it's so hard to quit! The tobacco companies hooked us and then left us alone to figure out how to quit. I had tried all the patches and pills, but to no avail. Please do not be too hard on yourself if you fail. Failure is just the precursor to success!!!! Pick yourself up, dust yourself off and get on with YOUR life. This is YOUR life, but it is not a dress rehearsal.

You only go around once. What you do today will dictate what your life will be like later. I can't stand the thought of anyone having to lug a heavy air tank around in a wheel chair because they can't breathe, or having to deal with cancer or both!! I have lost loved ones to cancer and it is just horrible.

You are an intelligent and beautiful human being. You do not have to give up even one of these attributes later in life if you will just stand up and be what you are! We do not need nicotine, alcohol or drugs to demonstrate our true nature. You are a Spiritual Being having a human experience. You have all the tools to quit smoking or anything else that is hurting you.

Take a close look at my profile. What do you see? I am the example. I say this with modesty and humility. What you see is what you get when you tune into your true nature and tune out all the crap that makes you hurt inside until you break down and cry!

Life is so wonderful. Am I sitting in a rocker waiting to die? No! I am going out kicking and screaming just like when I arrived. It comes down to choices you make now. Please write if you need support.

You’re Smoking Guardian Angel, ():>)

Naked Paul

I’m feeling sorry for the women who read my blogs and have been continually bombarded with images of almost naked Paul Winer, the owner of Reader’s Oasis Book Store in Quartzsite, Arizona. It was rude of me, to say the least.

I have attached a photo that might be more pleasing to the eye, albeit not as revealing as the Winer photographs. For this, I apologize, but it seems that Paul has a constitutional right to appear in public revealing more than the rest of the citizenry in America. He fought the federal government for years to obtain the right, as a naturalist, to reveal what most men or women really did not want to see in the first place.

I personally don’t know what all the fuss is about. I see more ugly flesh at WallyWorld than I have ever seen in Quartzsite! I hope this blog will ease concerns that I favor Paul over other men. The truth is that I don’t even like men. I prefer women; after all, I am a lesbian in a male body! OH, by the way, I have a constitutional right to say that….

I’m just saying,

Mittster

Quartzsite Again?

Yup, folks, it's Quartzsite, Arizona, time again, but this time it will be different. There will traffic up the kazoo, and more people per square inch than in China. You will be able to see more small, white heads looking over steering wheels than in Florida. The scary part is that these small, white heads will also be driving 40' motor homes. It gives new meaning to the sport of demolition derby!

Why would I leave the quiet of Camp Verde for the madness of Quartzsite? It’s simple; to sell books to 1.5 million old farts like myself, that’s why! Oh, and you can throw in the world’s best pizza at Silly Al’s Restaurant…. Actually the pizza is reason enough to fight off the hordes of old-timers in Quartzsite.

We also found another reason to visit Quartzsite. There is a veterinarian there who charges way less that the vets in the Camp Verde area. How about one third the cost? It’s absolutely true! No, I will not give you his name. If everyone and their mother start going there, he will raise his rates. Moreover, someone his age might not be able to take the stress of so many new animals to take care of. Did I mention that everyone here is old?

Reader’s Oasis Bookstore at 690 East Main Street will be the location of my book signing, and yes, naked Paul will be there in all his glory. Bring a camera; it’s the only way that looking at him is legitimate. Otherwise you could be judged through association. Personally, I could care less about his nudity; looking at prunes is not one of my pastimes.

If you want an interesting day trip from Phoenix, get on Interstate 10 and drive west to Quartzsite, Arizona, which is twenty miles east of Blyth, California. If you plan to spend the night, good luck. You might find a place in Blyth, but I doubt it, and no, there is no extra room in our motor home!

I’m just saying,

Mittster

Passion Is The Key!

Not everyone is going to like what you write. If your goal is to please the whole world, you are writing for the wrong reason. When newbie authors start writing a novel with the dream of becoming a bestselling author, it is only natural that they would want to appeal to the masses. Some new authors started writing in a genera that fit tested and lucrative markets, but their work lacked conviction and they failed. My early research indicated that fiction was not the best choice. It seemed historical and romantic novels were the big sellers.

My research also indicated that writing was about passion, and if that passion was absent you might as well stick to your day job. This news created a dilemma. If non-fiction was where the money was at, but I didn’t have passion about writing in that genera, where would that leave me? Well, it left me exactly where I should be. The hell with the rules; I was going to write fiction and murder mysteries to boot!

I followed my passion and intuition. That combination produced Evil in the Mirror and Day Stalker, with The Phoenix Code waiting in the wings. Let’s face it, we only go around once in this world, but most of us never get to live our passion. How many times have you heard prominent people say, “Live your dreams no matter what,” and we carry on with our mundane lives afraid to boldly go where no one dare tread? Fear of failure and financial pressures keep us tied to the grind with Mondays being dreaded and weekends our only goal. Not much of a goal when you really think about it. Pretty soon we run out of weekends, with nothing really to show for our life. Perhaps your free time should be devoted to writing so that someday you can write full time?

I have had a few people refuse to finish Evil in the Mirror because it gave them nightmares or some scenes were too graphic. From my perspective, these comments only illustrated a job well done by the author. Even though I refuse to put the F word in my books, one reader said the sexual content was smut. OK, that person has the right to their opinion, albeit prudish. I am proud of the fact that when you read my books you will not be inundated with curse words like in some books and movies. If that is what you have to do to sell your work, I would rather dig ditches!

No, you can’t please everyone, but you can start by pleasing yourself. Sit down and write something you are deeply passionate about. Don’t stop until it is finished. Sit back and take a look at what you have written. If it gives you goose bumps, you are on the right track.

Write on,

Mittster

My Home Town

There is no doubt that enough words have been written and pictures taken of the tragedy that occurred in Tucson, Arizona, a short while ago. My prayers are with all involved and maybe they can take some solace in the fact that, "This too shall pass."

I guess one of the things that bothers me is that it happened in my home town. Even though I live in northern Arizona now, I still have fond memories of my birthplace. Tucson is a dynamic place and the people in general are warm and friendly. Of course, all big cities have crime and it’s just something the general public tries to deal with on a daily basis.

There is something else that is bothering me. Both of my murder mysteries, Evil in the Mirror and Day Stalker, are set in Tucson. In fact, the third unfinished book of the trilogy, The Phoenix Code, is also set in the same location. Even though all three books happen in the late ‘60s and there could not be any connection to the horrible shootings in the Safeway parking lot, I can’t help but contemplate the serious responsibilities a fiction writer might face when inventing murder scenarios.

Evil in the Mirror depicts two identical twins killing off hippies in a most unusual and gory way. How would I feel if someone read the book and decided to do a copycat killing? I know there have been books written and movies made dealing with the same scenario; I have read and seen a few, but this time it’s up close and personal. It never occurred to me while writing the books, that nut jobs might find the modus operandi intriguing enough to actually try it out!

I suppose it is the risk you take if you are passionate about writing murder mysteries, which I am, and I really don’t think there is any way to minimize that risk. Perhaps I could add a disclaimer stating: Read at your own risk; murder mysteries can be addicting!

I’m just saying,

Mittster

Self-Cannibalism

Can you believe it? The Internet parasites that preyed upon any unsuspecting newbie who happened along are now huddled in small groups wondering what happened to their pocket books. They are all screaming, “Where did all the suckers go?” “It must be the economy!” “Let’s kill other spammers so there will be more money to go around!”

Yes, part of it is the economy, but more importantly it is that the old scams and promises of fortunes to be made while sitting on the couch watching television are no longer relevant. When the economy took a dump, everyone got on the e-mail spam wagon hoping to earn money by spending even more money, until the money ran out. Now the spammers are feeding on themselves. Soon there will be none left. At least that is the hope of honest Web surfers.

As an author doing book research on line, the Internet could be a death trap. My computer died many times from weird viruses and sites that were impossible to escape from. The maze was terrifying and for a time it seemed the only solution was a dictionary and thesauruses. The old- fashion way of research was looking good again.

Then, along came the Super Recession and slowly things started to improve online. Internet searches have become less dangerous and the mazes less frequent. Spam is starting to lessen and some of the Internet squawk is an insight to infighting between the hucksters. You have to love it…wait a minute, I hear something. Let me turn the volume up. What the hell, my screen is starting to flicker. Oh, my God, it’s the spammers. Somehow they found me and are attacking my computer! Help, someone help me….

Write on,

Mittster R.I.P.

Super Recession?

How does a newbie author sell books in a super recession? First of all you take your clothes off in the middle of Main Street; no, I’m just kidding. In my case, I would get arrested after I scared everyone away. Even though the idea is absurd, frustration is the mother of invention sometimes.

Every business owner is trying to figure out how to get people into their stores to increase sales. I have found book sales in obvious and not so obvious places. Take your specialty coffee houses like Starbucks or your local cyber café; these are perfect places to set up a small table to sell books. There is nothing better than a hot cup of cappuccino and a good book to start your day. This is especially true in the winter. Most owners welcome the opportunity to have you bring in more customers.

I have done well in bars, especially if you have friends there. This venue is good in the summer when folks go in to have a cold one. There are a few things to remember when you are selling books to folks who are drinking alcohol. First and foremost, don’t get drunk! Secondly, the genre needs to be suited to a bunch of beer drinking, redneck types. If your book has sex and violence in it, head for the pub. Drink and sell responsibly….

How about beauty salons? Leave a few books at the checkout counter. These women all read and most read anything that has a good storyline. This venue is not the place to leave books about how to hunt elk in Colorado or the greatest fishing spots in America. Murder mysteries and love stories will do very well indeed.

How about your local auto repair shop? Leave some books in the display case. The great thing about this venue is that all age groups are represented. I imagine most genres could do well here. It is important that you get your oil changed and repairs done at the auto repair shop you pick.

These are just a few places to think about when selling your work. Make sure to tell store owners, where you leave books, that you will be available to sign the work after the sale. A signed book justifies paying retail. After all, the buyer could just as easily go on line.

I also recommend that you do some research on door-to-door selling. You know, just like the preverbal vacuum cleaner salesmen who used to go door to door selling overpriced products. No, I’m not suggesting selling books door to door. Or am I? I need to go now so I can research encyclopedia sales techniques of the ‘60s. Don’t be surprised if I knock on your door soon!

Write on,

Mittster