Fire Guts Pole Barn

What I did on my summer vacation? Well, I took some not-very-exciting photographs of a pole barn fire, because when things were really exciting I was a bit busy:

Metal doesn't burn; but it collapses onto burning material and causes problems in reaching the fire.

Culture and Cuisine

My friend Lois Lewandowski over at LinkedIn put up a blurb about Storm Chaser up on her website, Cultureandcuisineclub:

http://cultureandcuisineclub.com/

You can see it in the "Entertainment" and "Posts" sections, as well as a banner on the home page that links to my website. She's got a great looking site, check it out. Thanks, Lois!

On another book related note, I don't know what's more stressful: Preparing for my first book signing or trying to figure out how Amazon.com's ranking works. Probably the latter -- just ignore it. (I do have two 5-star reviews there now, though!)

First Time Novelist Takes Q's, Kicks A's

Storm Chaser has had its first official review:

http://shamelessreviewsandpromotions.blogspot.com/2011/06/storm-chasera-romantic-comedy-by-mark-r.html

Who knows? Maybe I'll even report on the first bad review. But probably not. Meanwhile, I'm not above making fun of myself:

SLIGHTLY OFF THE MARK

            Some people will be surprised to learn that my first novel, Storm Chaser, is already out and available, and has been for two weeks. It turns out that the Think Method of using mental energy to get things done doesn’t work with publicity.         

   I envisioned a big coming-out in which I hold a press conference, followed by a semi dropping off forklifts of book copies with that fresh novel smell, followed by a signing, followed by a dinner with Stephen King (what does Stephen King eat, anyway?), followed by an announcement that I’ve hit number one on both Amazon.com and the New York Times Bestseller List, followed by a seven figure, three book deal offer from a Big Publisher.

            All in one day.

            The problem is, there was no big day, and I think my subconscious is still holding out for one. The book went up for sale a few days late on the Whiskey Creek Press website. (That’s the name of the publisher, not a place I wanted to look for after my run of publication stresses. Okay, that too.)

            But it still isn’t up on bookseller sites like Amazon.com. You can see why I was considering drinking deeply from the nearest Whiskey Creek.

            So the whole thing still doesn’t quite seem real, and I’m trying to muddle through until some jump-in-the-air, screaming out loud, kissing perfect strangers moment when I suddenly realize Today I Am An Author. In advance of (and to keep my mind off) that moment, I asked people to contact me with any questions they might have about the book or the writing business in general, and I thought I’d share those questions with you:

            What the heck is the book about, anyway?

            Oops. Sorry:

            Disaster photographer Allie Craine rescues Indiana State Trooper Chance Hamlin from an approaching tornado – and he promptly arrests her, in the mistaken belief that she’s a runaway. Chance doesn’t like photographers, especially when Allie decides to stay around his home town of Hurricane for awhile. He decides to drive her away out of sheer boredom, but that proves impossible when someone begins causing various catastrophes around the area. That someone might be Allie, who has plans of her own ...

            So it’s a romantic comedy?

            Unless you don’t like romantic comedies. In that case, there are fires, car crashes, and of course a tornado or two. Also a couple of rather racy scenes, for you guys who are secretly into that.

            Where can I find Storm Chaser?

            It’s for sale as a print version, or as an e-book in PDF and HTML formats, at http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com. You’ll be able to buy a copy at the Albion New Era, and I hope to get them shelved at some other local bookstores and businesses. They won’t be at any chain stores that don’t have a ‘local authors’ section, but just come and knock on my door – I might be in fuzzy slippers and pajama pants, but I’ll get you a copy and sign it too, if I’m awake enough for my hand to function. Consider yourself lucky I put the pants on.

I’ll get a supply of print copies soon, and when I do people will start hiding in terror whenever they see me approach with a stack in my hands.

            But when will it be available for the Kindle or Nook?

            It already is. Just download the PDF file from Whiskey Creek Press and either use Kindle-for-PC, or transfer it to your e-reader; both Nook and Kindle accept PDF format, and the book will look the same. It will hopefully be in the Kindle and Nook online stores soon, but if you can’t wait to read it, it takes five minutes to sync your device or transfer with a USB cable.

            Who owns actual rights to the book? You or the publisher?

            I own the rights to the book, and the publisher owns the right to print the book. In my case, they own the right to print it for three years, unless it flops and they tell me I can just have it back. I also own the individual characters, and have written an anthology of short stories featuring them … which I’ve already sold to Whiskey Creek Press. It’s the circle of publishing life.

            Was it hard to get your works published?

            It took me thirty years. That pretty much says it all.

            Do you have an agent who helps with that?

            Do you know one? Um, I mean, no. Probably would have saved time.

            How was your awareness of climate and weather heightened by your research? And did that awareness last?

            Oh, excellent question: Research is all important when you’re writing, even if the story’s fictional. For instance, even though I work with police officers, I researched their job before writing Chance’s character. Then I took a certain dramatic license with how State Troopers actually work, in the interest of story. Once word gets around, I’ll have blue and white police cars lying in wait for me at every intersection, loaded with angry men and women armed with big guns …

            Maybe I should have thought that through.

            Anyway, while I did heavy research into meteorology while writing Allie, I’ve always been fascinated by the weather, and will continue to be. The Weather Channel’s probably one of the top five places I go to on television. I’m that boring.

            Do you still have hair? Did you take up nail biting?

            Hey, what kind of – oh, you mean the waiting? No, and yes.

            Did you get advance reviews for the book? If so, did you publisher arrange those?

            My fiancée LOVED it.

The publisher sends out review copies, but since about 400,000 books are published – every year – just in the US and UK – a not-surprisingly large number slip by reviewers. By the way, 93% of those books sell less than a thousand copies, so no; I’m not giving you a loan against royalties.

            Okay, final question. Anyone?

            When will Storm Chaser come out on Amazon?

            GAH!

            Editor’s note: On June 16, Mark opened the door to discover his shipment of Storm Chaser print copies had arrived. Minutes later he was arrested for running into the street and kissing perfect strangers.

            Another Editor’s Note: A few hours after Mark submitted this column on June 19, Storm Chaser was made available on Amazon.com. Protestors are requested to move their picket line to Barnes and Noble.

Close Call at House Fire (them, not me)

If you happen to see me around town and I seem to be in pain, it's because I fell backward onto my air pack while trying to pull a meter at a house fire early Wednesday morning. Just a ground level fall, but when you're falling onto that air tank and its harness, in a kind of twisty sideways/backward motion, it tends to jar and/or twist about every part of your body. On the brighter side, I felt fine until later in the day. Maybe not "fine".

I was using something called a TNT Tool to pull the lock off the electric meter, so we could shut power off to the house; you're be surprised how unpleasant it is to contact a live power line, with all the insulation burned off, while pulling a ceiling with a metal tipped pole or spraying water around. When the lock broke free it threw me off balance, and those TNT tools are heavy. Thus, the embarrassing falling. I have no idea if anyone witnessed it. I'm also not sure if anyone saw me try to force the side door, but I kind of hope not, as it turned out there was heavy furniture behind it and I couldn't get the thing open. The window smashed out very nicely though, and the guys told me later that helped the ventilation process nicely.

At no time did a roof fall on my head. (A little Storm Chaser inside joke, there.)


     An Albion area couple barely escaped a fire that swept through their Upper Long Lake home early Wednesday, June 23.

     Susan and Gary Tackett were both sleeping when flames began to spread through their residence at 0371 N Oakwood Drive, according to the Albion Fire Department. Susan Tackett awakened to discover heavy smoke filling the building and woke her husband; after they got out she reportedly went back in to try and retrieve a family dog, but was trapped in a bedroom by the spreading flames and blinding smoke. Gary Tackett assisted her through a window before emergency units arrived.

     Susan was treated for a minor leg injury, but otherwise the two escaped unharmed.

     A neighbor reported the fire at 1:10 a.m. Albion and Noble Township firefighters arrived to find the living area of the one story wood frame home engulfed in flames, with fire already coming through a burned-out roof. It took about half an hour to bring the blaze under control, while Cromwell and Ligonier fire units provided standby coverage at the Albion Fire Station.

     Although firefighters were able to keep the flames from spreading into the home's bedrooms, an estimated $100,000 damage was done to the building and its contents. Red Cross personnel were brought in to assist the Tackett's with their loss, and a company that helps secure fire damaged buildings was also on the scene.

     The cause of the fire is undetermined and remains under investigation, but is believed to be accidental.

     No injuries were reported among the firefighters, who remained on the scene until about 4 a.m. A Noble County EMS crew stood by as a precaution, and Noble County Sheriff's Department personnel also responded to the call. Noble REMC crews cut power to the residence, and Noble Township Auxiliary Members also helped at the scene.

     A total of 11 Albion and Noble Township fire units responded to the fire; 19 Albion firefighters manned their trucks.

My first book signing coming up!

I promise I'll try to talk about something other than Storm Chaser in the future ... but ever since I started my vacation this weekend, I've been working 10 hours a day -- on the book. Hopefully things will calm down and we'll be able to take some R&R soon. Meanwhile, my first book signing has been set for July 1st, in an unusual setting:

https://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=170844409644941

Don't forget, Storm Chaser is available for Kindle on Amazon.com and can be ordered as e-book or print copy on the Whiskey Creek Press website, and print copies are available on my website, www.markrhunter.com.

Storm Chaser in the United Kingdom

Check this out -- the Kindle version of Storm Chaser is available on the UK edition of Amazon:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Storm-Chaser-ebook/dp/B0056U41F4/ref=sr_1_7?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1308633804&sr=1-7

Storm Chaser out on Amazon.com, plus print version is in

Wow -- what a Father's Day weekend it's been for me. My print copies of Storm Chaser arrived, making me very happy after I regained consciousness. I put off making an official announcement because there were a few people I wanted to surprise with it, then I got busy on Saturday with the Twins' birthday party (they're three!) and some other work. In between, I wrote a column (which you'll see later in the week) in which I bemoaned the fact that the book still hadn't appeared on Amazon.com

A few hours after I sent my column into the newspaper, Storm Chaser appeared on Amazon.com:
http://www.amazon.com/Storm-Chaser-ebook/dp/B0056U41F4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=books&qid=1308531437&sr=1-1

Happy editing time! If this means my novel will only show up at a time that inconveniences me, then let me point out it's still not at Barnes and Noble or on the New York Times bestseller list.

If you want a signed print copy (I will NEVER get used to saying that), and live in Northeast Indiana, I'll set up some books signings and announce them as far in advance as possible; if you can't get to a signing, e-mail or otherwise message me and we'll make arrangements so that you don't have to pay shipping and I don't have to pay packaging costs.

If you live outside the area, you can order a copy through the Whiskey Creek Press website or get a signed one (not that I won't sign anything that's put in front of me) through my website, www.markrhunter.com . There's a Paypal button there, and you can pay via Paypal or by using a credit card. Or, we can make other arrangements. I'm an easy writer. Look at me, going all big time! Emily did all the work, of course: All I did was write the book.

Here I am, all happy:



If you want an e-book copy, order it from Amazon.com and leave a review! I'd like to see my ranking rise from ... well, from nothing, so I have nowhere to go but up.

Weinergate Leaves Rep's Career Dangling

I'll be on vacation for a few weeks, so my internet presence will be spotty -- I have lots of chores and, hopefully, a bit of R&R along the way. We also need to spend some time planning our publicity and selling ideas for Storm Chaser, since I should be getting my print copies in a couple of weeks. Don't even talk to me about Amazon.com and other bookseller sites; with this temporary tooth crown torn up, I'm already stressed. But the tooth will be fixed tomorrow, the Kindle/Nook version will be up soon (fingers crossed!) and as usual I'm just an e-mail away. Say, I should write a column about dentists ... at least then I'd get something besides a new crown out of this.

SLIGHTLY OFF THE MARK

            I was heating up some hot dogs the other day, and got to thinking about U.S. Rep. Anthony Weiner.           

Oh, I tried not to. Just as I tried not to write this column, which can’t possibly contain jokes that weren’t already covered on late-night TV. But I couldn’t help myself, and as a result my new, low-cholesterol diet has successfully divested itself of hot dogs, bratwurst, and, by association, meatballs.

            For those of you hiding in a cave, hoping to emerge in some year that doesn’t include an election, Anthony Weiner – I’m going to call him Tony Weiner, ‘cause that just sounds funnier – sent a tweet to someone other than his wife, which contained photos of, shall we say, somewhat private and less than fully dressed portions of his body. I can say that, because he’s now admitted to sending the poke. (Poke. It’s an internet term, honest.)

            As a result, he now has the single most ironic last name in the history of politics.

            Now, I’ll try to write this column in a way that doesn’t get me censored by my editor – whose job is to edit, after all – but I doubt it.

            I’d determined not to write about Weiner’s wiener because, as I said, it’s been done. I mean, the writing’s been done. Two things took me over the edge:

            One was legislation brought before Congress in 2007, called the Keeping the Internet Devoid of Sexual Predators Act. The title’s self-explanatory, although like everything that goes through a committee of lawyers, the text wasn’t as clear. “Sadly, the Internet is the predator’s venue of choice today. We need to … stop those offenders who are a mere click away from our children,” explained the bill’s sponsor, Anthony Weiner.

            But it’s Washington, after all, and where else does hypocrisy run more rampant? Where else brings me to the second thing. On a TV show called “The View”, which involves several women screaming at each other (as near as I can tell), Barbara Walters went to bat (ahem) for Weiner. She suggested that possibly Weiner intended to send the photo to his wife and, possibly having gotten clumsy because of his state of, er, excitement, punched in the wrong phone number.

            It happens.

            What caught my attention was Walters’ suggestion that Weiner showing off his impressive – photographic ability – was no worse than former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin taking her cross country bus tour.

            Huh?

            No way did Walters say something so patently stupid. Except she did: “If Sarah Palin can still ride around on her bus and be considered as a possible President, this man can override this, stay in Congress, and just hope there is another scandal that will take him –“

            Where that was to take him we’ll never know, because she was interrupted by co-host Joy Behar. Behar is a solid liberal, and Weiner a Democrat, so what she said next was fair-minded and deserving of great respect: “The woman has no sex scandal in her dossier, in her arsenal. This is a completely different thing from Sarah Palin, and I want to defend her here.”

            I don’t have a clue why Palin’s name would even come up in this. If she’d been on the receiving end Palin would have cut Weiner off, and I’m not talking about his Twitter account. However, since “comedian” Chris Titus recently hinted at assassinating Palin if she ever got elected President, my assumption is the white-hot hatred some people have of her could still cook those hot dogs I’m not eating anymore.

            As if the previously mentioned part had been introduced to cold water, Weiner initially shrunk from the accusation. First he claimed to have been the victim of a computer hacker – but hacking a federal official is a pretty darn serious crime, and he didn’t want the authorities to investigate. Instead, he claimed an internet security firm was going to take a – wait for it – “hard look” at the incident.

            Weiner also refused to say that was not his pride and joy in the photo. In the end, Weiner had to make an appearance (as if he hadn’t already) to admit it was indeed him demonstrating how tight his whities were. (Okay, they were actually gray – the whities, I mean – it’s an expression.)

            Wait, it gets better. Okay, worse.

            Another photo surfaced, this one of the Congressman’s bare torso, which was frankly nothing to write home about. (Yeah, I’ve seen the photos. No more hot dogs for me, and I’m thinking of giving up beef altogether.)

            In the background of that photo are several framed photographs, including one that appears to show Weiner with President Bill Clinton, who, for the record, did not appear to be holding a cigar.

            Weiner’s wife is an aide to the current Secretary of State, who happens to be Hillary Clinton, who happens to be married to Bill Clinton, who also can’t seem to keep it in his pants. (They also have a Weiner dog. Okay, I made that up.) The one and only good thing I can see in all this is that at least Mrs. Weiner’s boss will understand what she’s going through.
            Even Bill never sent a direct message to a porn star, as Ginger Lee claims Weiner did. I can only imagine her comment: “You think that will impress me?”

            I don’t know what the result of this Weiner roast will be. Should he leave office? If he didn’t actually do anything illegal, it should be up to his constituents. Maybe they should vote him out just for being an idiot (but that would empty the Capital!), and he can go hang out somewhere else. Or maybe this will prove to be a short story.

            On the other hand, considering I just found out he won his first major election (New York City Council) by distributing an anonymous, race-baiting leaflet, maybe it’s Karma that’s really showing skin.

Storm Chaser quiz solution: the location (and history) of Hurricane, Indiana

Oh, no, I didn’t forget – I just got busy. But I’m going on vacation in a few days and look to be even busier, so let’s finish this up with, courtesy Google Maps, an actual aerial view of the town of Hurricane, Indiana:

http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=41.438576,-85.394905&spn=0.00814,0.013669&t=h&z=16&lci=com.panoramio.all

            Most of you Noble County residents will recognize this place – or at least, you’ll know about where it is. I don’t honestly recall how I chose it as the location of Hurricane; maybe it’s because I pass by often, or maybe it’s because there aren’t a lot of buildings in the area (you can make out a home in the woods, along the roadway). Hurricane Books and Bait would be at the northeast corner of the intersection, with a convenience store (which I haven’t named – suggestions?) at the southwest corner. The Hamlin home is about a block to the south and three blocks to the west of the intersection, near the end of a street that, of course, doesn’t really exist.

            But now that you know where Hurricane is, how did it come to play a role in Storm Chaser?

            According to legend, Hurricane was established in the 1920’s just after a hurricane roared ashore from the Atlantic with such force that its effects were felt in the Midwest. One of its founders confidently predicted the town would someday grow into a major Indiana city, but by then the pattern of highways and railroads through the area was pretty much set – and the coast to coast highway Route 6 missed Hurricane by just one mile.
            In fact, the arrival of the Hamlin clan in 1938 made an appreciable spike in the town’s population (which was set at 714 in the 2010 Census). “Woots” Hamlin, a Kentucky coal miner, came to Indiana in the hopes that the cooler climate would improve his health (he died later of black lung disease). With him came his wife and nine children: He named his boys Jefferson and Abraham in a symbolic attempt to pacify still strong feelings dating back to when Kentucky was a Civil War border state.
            Abraham Hamlin eventually was sworn in as an Indiana State Police officer and built a home in Hurricane, where he met his wife-to-be, Elsa. Their son, Chance, followed in his father’s footsteps as a Trooper … and with him our story begins.
     Today Hurricane consists mostly of single family homes, with no industries. Businesses consist of a convenience store, an antique store, a bed and breakfast, a coffee shop, and an unoccupied storefront that was once the famous Hurricane Restaurant, but most recently held a bookstore and a bait and tackle shop.
            Residents say Hurricane’s best export is its small town atmosphere.

TwisterPalooza banners

I was able to access them when not signed into my LJ, so there's at least a chance that everyone will be able to see the great job Emily did on the winner and participation banners!

http://ozma914.livejournal.com/459110.html#cutid1

In other news, I sent an e-mail to my publisher at Whiskey Creek Press this morning, and hopefully should have some word soon on when Storm Chaser might be up on bookseller sites like Amazon.com. Meanwhile, I feel like I'm getting a little burned out from hovering over the internet, and I have to prepare for my upcoming vacation (which I hope will involve some book signings and other writing related events), so I apologize if I'm unusually quiet online for awhile.