The Ides of January slipped past last week with notice or fanfare.  Everyone is familiar with the Ides of March – the fatal day for Julius Caesar when the Roman Senate voted with knives and ended Caesar’s rule and his life.  Since that event the Ides of a month has gotten a bad rap.

Had it not been for Caesar’s demise the Ides wouldn’t hold any particular meaning.  In the old Roman calendar the “Ides” is simply the middle of the month.  That means that the actual date of the “Ides” varies with the number of days in the month.  This year the Ides of February is the 14th – Valentine’s Day so it is a double whammy day.

This all has nothing to do with writing or the writing life.  It is just a little detour down another path for my reader’s amusement.
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Until next week . . . the 30th!  

It’s official; with the entrance of 2019 I am writing my fourth novel.  The first three novels are a series, The Irish Troubles Series, and follow the journey of Ian Murphy to cleanse his soul from his role in the Irish Republican Army.
My fourth novel will be radically different.  My first step in writing a novel is the “idea”.  As usual the initial inspiration is external.  I was driving and listening to a story about Pack Horse Librarians on NPR when I realized it was the perfect subject for a novel.

I wasn’t sure about the topic so I queried two of my writing teachers and received rave responses from both.  Based on their reaction I began initial research into the Pack Horse Library Project to make sure I found it interesting.
I found the topic very interesting and could imagine a fiction work about a woman desperate for work after her husband dies in a coal mining accident.  Not a bad inciting incident.

I worried that the setting needed to be eastern Kentucky that I’ve driven through but am not familiar with the culture and the detail landscape.  To solve that our summer vacation will be to visit eastern Kentucky, stay at a state park and roam the Daniel Boone National forest.

My writing has three regular parts.  First, I know the first scene in the book and I know the ending before writing word one.  Second, I “see” each scene before I commit to paper.  This is the reason my writing is called “cinematic”.  Finally, I research and write at the same time.
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I’ll be taking a special writing class in April from Dr. Laurel Yourke and I need to turn in 4 pages by February 15th.  I need goals to work and establish a pace for myself.  I plan on having a draft scene one by February 15th.
   

My property is a certified National Wildlife  -  Wildlife Habitat, which means we supply food, shelter and water to our bird population all year round.  In the spring we put out grape jelly for the Baltimore Oriels which attracts every ant in the county.

In the winter we provide both bird seed and bird suet.  My wife has a recipe for the suet that includes:  lard, peanut butter, bird seed and oatmeal that the birds are crazy about.  The birds can eat a block of suet in three days during the frigid Wisconsin winter.

The problem is that squirrels also have a love of the suet and compete with the birds, especially the woodpeckers.  Squirrels have voracious appetites and can consume an entire block of suet in a day.

My suet feeder hangs from the very top of a green, metal pole about a foot from the pole.  Below the feeder is a clear, dome shaped plastic baffle designed to block squirrels climbing up the pole to the feeder.  I also have a black, metal pyramid shaped baffle that claims to stop squirrels in their tracks.  Neither work.
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 As I begin 2019 I’ve learned two lessons.  First, squirrels are clever and tenacious.  In my writing life I need to be as tenacious as a squirrel.  Second, I will feed both the birds and the squirrels.            

The first days of a new year are always days of reflection for me.  I’ve written about resolutions in the past and don’t want to repeat my harping about that custom.

In the past year I have learned to live by the numbers.  There are three important numbers in my life:  blood sugar (A1C); blood pressure; cholesterol.  You notice I didn’t list age as an important number.  I’ve learned that age is mostly a state of mind the actual chronological number is not significant.

Of the three important numbers the one that almost ruined my life in 2018 is blood sugar.  I was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes about 5 years ago.  During that time I’ve “managed” my diabetes through lifestyle and diet.  There is no cure (yet) for type 2 diabetes but it can be managed and life is normal.

Life turned inside about June and stayed that way until October.  In June my average blood sugar soared to 241 and my AIC to 8.8.  Preferred readings for both are <130 blood sugar and 7.0 AIC.  In the spring at my annual check-up my doctor had a heart to heart talk with me and explained that diabetes is a progressive disease and that I could expect to be prescribed insulin.

I viewed this as defeat.  I had worked to avoid taking insulin for almost six years.  Stress tipped the balance in my life.  With stress the body produces cortisol and epinephrine which tells the liver to release sugar to either “fight or flight”.
 
On October 24th I met a diabetic nurse, learned how to inject insulin and was convinced to adopt the Paleo lifestyle.  By November 21st in a follow-up visit to the diabetic nurse I had cut my blood sugar number in half and lowered my A1C to 7.7.  My blood sugars now are consistently <130. 
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I test my blood sugars twice a day to know how my body is tracking.  It has made a miraculous difference in my life.  Living by the numbers has given me renewed life.   

It is sad that I must end 2018 with a blog sharing disappointing, frustrating, maddening experience.

In my research for social media book promotion I found Books Go Social (BGS).  It’s an upstart from Dublin, Ireland that uses email and tweet blasts and facebook to promote author books.  This June they offered three membership packages and I purchased the “middle package” for $123.  BGS guaranteed selling 200 books and offered a full refund if they didn’t meet that goal.

I wanted to promote Dead Reckoning.  BGS has requirements on ebook pricing, book description and book cover.  I received permission from my publisher to lower the price to $2.99.  I submitted my book cover and description and was given a 4 out of 5 rating.  The promotion began and in two months not a single book sold.

I asked for advice.  Their view was that it was difficult to sell book 3 in a series – I should start with book 1 – Murphy’s Troubles.  I still don’t understand why they didn’t offer that advice in the beginning – but they offered to extend my membership at no additional cost to promote Murphy’s Troubles.

I ran into a quagmire with Amazon because I had the original Create Space version and the Henschel Haus version both on their platform.  It took until October to work through that maze. I also purchased a special 1 day promotion in November for $29.

My promotion for Murphy’s Troubles ended on the Winter Solstice.  In that time I sold exactly 2 books.  Can you believe it?
I emailed BGS owner Laurence O’Bryan asking for my refund.  His response was to deny my request because I was beyond the 60 day refund period.  He did offer to extend my promotion and promote the book at the 2019 Dublin Book Conference a $299 value – for FREE.  I took a pass on his offer and asked him to reconsider and refund the full amount.

He did refund the $29 for the one day November promotion but was reluctant to refund my original package price of $123.  He claimed there was a $20 administrative fee and would refund $103.  I took the money.
What can I say about my BGS experience?  It didn’t work.  No one can tell me why. 
​ So, I end 2018 pondering how to promote the Irish Trouble Series in 2019.

The image in this week’s blog is the face of the ancient, pre-Christian, Celtic symbol for the Winter Solstice.  Jack’s face is made up of all the plants that remain green throughout the winter.

On December 21st there will be about 8 hours 23 minutes of sunlight.  The hours of sunlight vary by your location.  The next day you can expect about 2 minutes 8 seconds more sunlight every day through the summer solstice in June.

I don’t understand why the emphasis in our culture is on the darkness of the winter solstice.  The ancients celebrated with the knowledge that the next day is the rebirth of the sun and Jack the Green brings the promise of warmth and the gift of life sustaining light.

It is sad that for most of us today the solstice is just a date on a calendar with no celebration of its meaning.  It was important in an agrarian culture but it has been many years since the solstice was meaningful and relevant it our individual lives.
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We should return to honor ancient customs and celebrate Jack the Green.  I for one will raise a glass of whiskey to honor his arrival on December 21st.

I am a Midwesterner.  I lived in Pennsylvania for graduate school.  My first real grown-up job was in the State of Washington.  I’ve driven in Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Chicago, Seattle and other large cities.

None of these compare to Dallas-Fort Worth – lovingly called the “Metroplex” by natives.  I visited family in a suburb called Keller but to get ANYPLACE requires traveling on interstate highway and state roads that in any other city would be considered an interstate.

Their urban arterials – those roads used to get people and cars around a city easily are at least 6 lanes.  In Wisconsin we have Interstate that is only four lanes.  A typical Interstate that loops Dallas is eight lanes – three lanes in each direction and a two lane express.

The express is a challenge.  On the road sign it is listed as an “exit” but it isn’t really.  It’s an exit to an express highway.  Above the express highway that tells you if it is free or if there is a fee.  If there is a fee the sign tells you that the fee can be mailed in.  Doesn’t tell you where to mail it.  How do they know you’ve used the express lane?

The posted speed in the express lane is 75 mph – in the heart of the city.  In Wisconsin the posted speed is only 70 mph out where the cows roam.  I accidently wandered into an express lane and was passed like I was standing still.

With the grandkids in the back seat I had to ask them to stay quiet so that I could hear the GPS instructions on the phone.  When you are traveling 70 mph the instructions come to late to make any lane adjustments and I missed many exits on our journey to the Botanical Gardens.

A trip that was supposed to take 20 minutes took me 60 minutes as I roamed the city from exit to exit.  Tension made my shoulders and neck ache, the only relief a fist full of ibuprofen.   
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My warning is: if you go to Dallas-Fort Worth – don’t drive.         

A few weeks ago a Henschel Haus Publishing author friend posted her picture on facebook in the local Barnes & Noble selling books.  I had heard rumors that the local B & N occasionally hosted local authors but never actually knew an author with the opportunity.

I emailed my friend to ask how she got her books into a brick and mortar store (also known as the Holy Grail).  She gave me the name of the B & N contact – every 3-4 months the store hosts local authors.

Here’s the deal.  B & N buys books from their distributor and displays them 1 month before the event.  B & N hosts a 2 hour signing event with up to 3 authors.  If the books sell, B & N will keep them in the store for another month.
So, I wondered – what does the author get out of the deal?  Nothing.  The author doesn’t receive a fee for the signing event.   B & N gets the money for selling the books. 

When asked how many of her books were on display she said – 8.  When asked how many books B & N purchased – she didn’t know.
I was puzzled.  I asked her what benefit she received.  Her first response was a chance to meet a reader and sign her book.  She said she also had “exposure” as a local author.
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I’m sorry, but I don’t get it.  Everybody makes money but the author.  My view is that Barnes & Noble is taking advantage of local authors desperate for recognition and the glory of capturing the author’s Holy Grail.
Personally, I’m not going to let Barnes & Noble use me.
 

I was lucky growing up my maternal grandparents lived only three miles from my home.  As soon as I could ride my 20” two wheel bike I spent a lot of time at their house, especially summers.

My granddad was the janitor at my elementary school and he took exceptional pride in his job, his presence made me someone special.

Granddad taught me to play checkers at a young age, not sure how old but it was our game.  When I was 12 granddad got sick and was hospitalized.  In those days kids weren’t allowed in hospitals, I don’t know why.  My parents told me that granddad asked if I could visit him in the hospital because he wanted me to bring him a strawberry shake.  My Dad made sure the rules were bent enough to allow me a short visit early one evening.

I took granddad a strawberry shake and one for me too.  When I arrived in his room he looked fine to me and had a checkerboard set up for us.  My parents and grandmother left the room and let granddad and me concentrate on our game.

Of course, I don’t remember who won – it doesn’t matter.  I do remember not understanding that granddad was sick, he looked fine to me.

That evening at home the hospital called and Mom & Dad had to
return to the hospital.  I stayed with my best friend Ron in their spare bedroom.  I recall getting up in the middle of the night and telling my friend’s Mom, Selma that granddad had died.

This Thanksgiving my 7 and 4 year old grandsons stayed overnight so we could have some time together.  The 7 year old asked to play checkers and as we played the 4 year old watched and wanted a turn.

The 4 year old wanted to make up the rules as we played; I wouldn’t let him do that but did coach him with moves so that after a long battle he won the game.  My 7 year old grandson is very crafty and is learning the game well.  I honestly didn’t see two times being venerable and he dispatched me with a huge smile on his face.
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I love checkers and now enjoy the full circle of life.
  

In the United States we celebrate Thanksgiving tomorrow.  It has become common, routine and expected to write about those things we are thankful for in our lives.  I agree that to live a full life having thanks for what we have is essential.  That isn’t enough.

Merriam-Webster defines GRATITUDE as ‘the state of being grateful’ and THANKFUL as ‘appreciation for benefits received.’
I believe and personally aspire to live a life of GRATITUDE.  I challenge you to move beyond appreciation for what you have received from life to change your state of being. 
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GRATITUDE is a way of live not an act of appreciation.  Change how you live this holiday season.