Big writing day from the Post Office
I got two shipments in the mail today: A box of Storm Chaser copies and a box of My Funny Valentine copies. Pretty much the most important items for the January 30 book signing.
My Funny Valentine is selling for $9.95 plus tax, while Storm Chaser is $14.95 – or $12.95 if you buy them both together. Come to the book signing or contact me for an order (www.markrhunter.com), or get the e-book version of My Funny Valentine at:
10,000 sequel updates
Hit the 10,000 words on the sequel! Of course, this is just the rough draft: There’s nothing to say I won’t decide half those words are junk and throw them out later. On the other hand, some areas are a little sparse on detail: I wrote half a page of just dialogue during … well, I won’t say during what. I’ll go back to fill more in later, and also to cut out some, so it’s likely to be a wash.
The horse stays. I’m second guessing the title, though …
C. Hope Clark: Three Traits of an Author's Platform
C. Hope Clark: Three Traits of an Author's Platform: Developing a platform is a vague concept to most folks. There are no 1-2-3 steps to a successful platform. That's good and that's bad. Bad i...
Counseling Future Councils
SLIGHTLY OFF THE MARK
I retired from my position on the Albion Town Council at the end of the year, giving me a chance to move to a warmer climate and live a relaxed life of peaceful …
Oh, who am I kidding? I got fired by six votes, and I’m not going anywhere.
Perhaps some of my fourteen regular readers are thinking, “Mark, what accomplishments do you have to show for your eight years in office?” good question, all fourteen of you.
The answer: Nothin’.
No one person accomplishes anything on a Council. Certainly no one person gets full credit for any kind of major project in a small town. Leave the bragging about what “I” did to Presidential politics.
Unlike many state and federal offices, a small town council doesn’t compensate enough to make it something you do for money or power. A few candidates might come in with an ax to grind, but most do it because of their vision for the town, whether that vision is a thriving community looking toward the future, or turning the clock back to a sleepy little town of the 50’s.
I’m happy to say that none of the Council members of the last several years were stuck in the 50’s. They understand the challenges of growth and change; not one was ever complacent, and not one ever played favorites at the expense of the town. They were open to communication and fresh ideas, business friendly, and financially responsible. If they stay that way, Albion will be ready for success when and if the economy improves.
Also, none of them ever put any tacks on my Council chair, which I appreciate.
Oh, there’s a lot I’m proud of; there’s just nothing I can point to that I did alone, and that’s as it should be. So instead of extolling the wonderfulness that is me, I’d like to pass on some of the things I’ve learned from the job, and give some advice to community representatives of the future.
First, the wheels grind slowly. Usually there’s not a darn thing you can do about it, and usually it works out for the best. No matter how certain you are as to the best direction, take the time to sit back and study all the factors and alternatives.
The state and federal governments control a great deal of what you do, and there’s not much you can do about that, either. They’ll assume they know what should happen in your little town better than you do – especially the feds. Every attempt they make to gather strings of control and money should be resisted with all your energy, but the strings they already have are pretty firmly in their grasp.
Luckily a cadre of people gathers at coffee shops, restaurants and other points across town to happily solve all the world’s problems, including yours, while informing each other of why you’re doing it wrong. They seldom tell you that to your face, of course. They’re called armchair quarterbacks, although most never take the snap and carry the ball a few yards themselves.
Nor will many bother to come to meetings, talk to Council members or the Town Manager, or otherwise educate themselves on how things work. They’ll just complain. Complaining is the natural disposition of the human race, and is usually pretty harmless until someone’s complaint turns into a rumor that, by the time it reaches the other side of town, becomes the gospel truth. You can’t do anything about it. Well, you could spread rumors about them, but this isn’t fifth grade.
If one person comes in who does have a legitimate complain, chances are there are dozens more who have the same complaint. Don’t blow it off because no one seems interested.
On the other hand, be cautious of judging the opinion of everyone in down based on what one or two individuals say. Just as with national politics, the people who make the most noise at the local level are often – not always – on one extreme or another. They may be the “not in my back yard” types who are concerned only with themselves (not that they’re always wrong), or skilled crap stirrers who delight in causing hate and discontent, regardless of what excuse they come up with to do it.
The crap stirrers are also sometimes right – in fact, nothing makes them happier than to stumble upon an area in which they’re technically correct, then drive it like a stake into the spirits of everyone around them. They don’t really care about being right – they just love knowing that they can’t be ignored.
Remember, your job is to do what’s correct for the town, as long as it doesn’t stamp on individual rights any more than absolutely necessary. Don’t screw up the entire community for the sake of one complainer, but don’t use the common good as an excuse to bury someone you don’t like. Nobody said it would be easy.
Your job is to be a steward of town’s resources: That means not only knowing when not to spend money, but knowing when to spend it wisely. Don’t be short-term cheap, only to have something cost more down the road. Don’t throw money at something just because it looks good; that’s what the federal government is for.
Trust your department heads, and if you don’t trust them you’d better figure out why. Albion’s utility workers can take three wire clothes hangers and make a spaceship. Our Park people are the hardest working folks in the business. Our cops and firefighters are on the line at all hours. Our administrative people face a blizzard of unfunded mandates and regulations every day. Don’t skimp on educating yourselves: Understand what they do, and why they do it.
Above all, remember that you work for the town, not the other way around. Any community that doesn’t grow, adapt and prepare is doomed to shrink and die – you make the difference between being stuck in the 20th Century and leading into the 21st.
As for me, well, I’ve got books to write – but I’ll be around.
The press release for my January 30 book signing:
A book signing featuring local author Mark R. Hunter will be held at the Noble County Public Library main branch Monday, January 30th, from 3:30 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Hunter’s romantic comedy, Storm Chaser, was released last year by Whiskey Creek Press. In addition, he’ll have available copies of the humor compilation My Funny Valentine, just in time for Valentine’s Day gift buying. My Funny Valentine includes a holiday related column by Hunter that originally appeared in the Albion New Era, Churubusco News, and Northwest News, as well as humor pieces and cartoons by thirty-nine other humorists from all over.
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Anyone who hasn't bought Storm Chaser (or has, but wants another copy!) can get both books for a bargain: buy My Funny Valentine at $9.95, and get Storm Chaser for two dollars off, at $12.95. Hunter, a longtime local humor columnist who has a collection of short stories coming out in May, will answer any questions in addition to signing books at the library, located at 813 E. Main Street in Albion. He’s also a member of the Albion Volunteer Fire Department, and is working on a history of that organization.
More details about Storm Chaser are here:
While details about My Funny Valentine can be found here:
The Facebook events page for the library book signing is here:
More on Storm Chaser, by Mark R. Hunter:
The black funnel of an approaching tornado makes all other troubles seem small. But when Indiana State Trooper Chance Hamlin “rescues” Allie Craine from a twister, his troubles are just beginning—Allie, a disaster photographer, rescues him when he drives into the storm’s path.
Chance doesn’t like being rescued, he doesn’t like photographers, and he definitely doesn’t like being stuck with Allie when she wants to stay in calm, peaceful Indiana. Too bad his family, friends, and even the other members of Chance’s volunteer fire department think she’s great. Suspicious of Allie’s motives, he decides to drive her away out of sheer boredom—but that’s not so easy when someone begins causing fires and other catastrophes around the area. That someone might be Allie, who has plans of her own...
More on My Funny Valentine:
The pieces in My Funny Valentine might be warm fuzzies, or cynical snaps, historical enlightenment, or satiric spinouts, or behavioral field notes of Love in our times, but they have one thing in common: they’ll make you laugh. This is one anthology that goes beyond “bathroom reading”: it doesn’t shy from being wrapped in lace, flowers and murmurs to give to loved ones. It’s not a box of chocolates: but it’ll last longer.
Funny Books’ contributors are syndicated columnists, TV and comedy writers, and winners of the top humor awards. Coming together in special collections that poke a funny bone in the ribs of topics, issues and cultural icons you might not have thought of as humorous before reading these assortments of chortle mongers and guffaw greats.
5,000 word mark
I hit 5,000 words on Storm Damage ... among other things a horse has appeared and a fight broke out, neither of them planned. The horse was a last minute idea, but the fight just -- happened. No one was more surprised than me. However, it's exactly what the characters would do under the circumstances, now that I've realized what a nasty piece of work one of them is.
Don't worry -- the horse escaped uninjured.
Don't worry -- the horse escaped uninjured.
Storm Damage ... begun.
I’m 2,011 words into the rough draft of “Storm Damage” – wait, let me type in one – yay, 2,012 for 2012! The plan is to shoot for 5,000 words a week, in the hopes of having the rough draft done by the end of March. We’ll see … things happen.
Much as I try to plan ahead, I’m sometimes slowed at the beginning by little unanticipated research jobs: So far in Chapter One I’ve looked up how a horse rider helps a second person on (on the horse, I mean), what kind of vehicle a Congressman might drive, how many half-brothers Allie Craine has (you’d think I’d remember that), and the drive time between California and Indiana. But researching is part of the fun (although it’s perfectly okay to put it off until later, if you’re on a roll).
I’ll keep everyone updated on my status and post a line from time to time … meanwhile, if you want to see the sequel make sure to tell all your friends the original is still available! Oh, and if I seem like I’m in another world for the next few months … it’s because I am.
Much as I try to plan ahead, I’m sometimes slowed at the beginning by little unanticipated research jobs: So far in Chapter One I’ve looked up how a horse rider helps a second person on (on the horse, I mean), what kind of vehicle a Congressman might drive, how many half-brothers Allie Craine has (you’d think I’d remember that), and the drive time between California and Indiana. But researching is part of the fun (although it’s perfectly okay to put it off until later, if you’re on a roll).
I’ll keep everyone updated on my status and post a line from time to time … meanwhile, if you want to see the sequel make sure to tell all your friends the original is still available! Oh, and if I seem like I’m in another world for the next few months … it’s because I am.
Storm Chaser reviews
More reviews of Storm Chaser:
http://www.traceycramerkelly.com/storm-chaser-more-romance-less-storm/
http://www.lisaolsen.net/review-of-storm-chaser-by-mark-r-hunter/
The book now has eleven 5-star and one 4-star reviews on Amazon, three 5-star reviews on Barnes & Noble, and on Fictionwise.com it has one Great rating and one OK rating. But the OK guy was just jealous. That's my story.
My Funny Valentine now has six five-star reviews on Amazon -- and needless to say, you can get signed copies of either book through me!
www.markrhunter.com
http://www.traceycramerkelly.com/storm-chaser-more-romance-less-storm/
http://www.lisaolsen.net/review-of-storm-chaser-by-mark-r-hunter/
The book now has eleven 5-star and one 4-star reviews on Amazon, three 5-star reviews on Barnes & Noble, and on Fictionwise.com it has one Great rating and one OK rating. But the OK guy was just jealous. That's my story.
My Funny Valentine now has six five-star reviews on Amazon -- and needless to say, you can get signed copies of either book through me!
www.markrhunter.com
2011: On an Off Year
SLIGHTLY OFF THE MARK
Whew. Was 2011 an exhausting year, or what? It felt like the whole world spent the last twelve months running a marathon at internet speed. No wonder my feet hurt.
It may turn out to be something of a watershed year for me, as I accomplished one of my life’s biggest goals. No, I didn’t get into Bill Gates’ will. No, I didn’t get the word “snow” banished from the dictionary. No, I didn’t win a lifetime supply of chocolate: I got that first novel published.
Just about everything else went wrong for me, which I suppose was karma balancing the scales. I don’t appreciate that, karma. But considering the rest of the world, it’s hard to complain.
Let’s take a look at some of the events of 2011. Why? Well, everyone else is doing it.
Lots of bad things happened, of course. Osama bin Laden and that guy in Libya who couldn’t figure out how to spell his name were killed. Bad things happened, too.
I prefer not to focus on the bad things, or at least not the bad things I can’t make fun of. Iran trying to get nukes? Just not funny. An overspending Federal government heading over a cliff? Not funny. The entire world coming to a standstill so a Prince can get married in England? I could make fun of that all day.
But then, William and Kate made a happy couple – he clearly got his looks from his mother – so it’s all good. I hear the celebration was so huge that they donated the leftover reception food to the hungry in Africa. All the hungry.
President Obama released his birth certificate, a mere three years after the controversy over where he was born began. Some wonder whether the White House purchase of printer’s ink, special green paper and the employment of “Guido, artist from Chicago” three days previous might not be a coincidence. Still, most are now satisfied that Obama was merely ashamed, since the certificate revealed his given name to be “Newt Mitt Bachmann Obama”.
The Libyan protests that downed a dictatorship upped gas prices by 20%. When Canada offered to fill up America’s tank, President Obama said “No thanks – I think we can make it to the next exit.”
Rupert Murdoch shut down his News of the World publication after allegations of phone hacking by the newspaper. Most of the paper’s employees had already found other jobs, having heard Murdoch’s plans over his phone.
The U.S. credit rating was downgraded for the first time ever, after Congress voted to raise the debt ceiling. In response to the possibility that borrowing costs will rise and the economy might be damaged by government overspending, Congress voted to study the problem by funding a Super Committee. Stocks rose for a company in Virginia that manufactures money printing presses.
(Okay, so I can make fun of that.)
Occupy Wall Street attempted to occupy Wall Street – thus the name – to protest … something. Many were dissatisfied that they were dissatisfied, and vowed to struggle on until everyone else was dissatisfied, too.
Overall the stock market bounced up and down quite a bit, depressed by the economy but buoyed upward when Wall Street traders stopped using the dollar and began trading Monopoly money.
Plans for Washington lobbyists to stop paying politicians in cash, and start trading services instead, stalled when they realized cash was the only service lobbyists offered.
The World population reached 7 billion, prompting fears of immediate worldwide calamity by people who said the same thing when it reached 6 billion. American politicians laughed at the paltry number, while the 7 billionth baby received over 76 million birthday cards and a special coupon for half off at Toys R’ Us.
An American probe became the first spacecraft to leave the solar system, and told its handlers it wouldn’t come back until after the 2012 election.
Oprah and Regis left their long running TV shows, prompting some network executives to jump from high rise windows. Meanwhile, Larry King left his own long running CNN program after revelations that through the entire previous three seasons he’d been dead.
For the first time, the number of Republicans running for their party’s Presidential nomination reached the triple digits; at one point the U.S. Congress had to shut down for the day because so many members were on the campaign trail that they couldn’t reach a quorum. This resulted in an embarrassing moment during early Iowa polling, when so many candidates were running that each received exactly one vote.
As a result of 2012 election campaigning, which began in 2010, the 2011 off-year elections went unnoticed. Voter turnout in some precincts hit the minuses, a statistical impossibility that pollsters blamed on extreme electorate indigestion.
Yeah, so that’s about it. That popping sound you’ve been hearing all autumn were Republican presidential candidates imploding, so now you know what the noise will be once primary season starts. I predict 2012 will be a very interesting year for politics, which is another way of saying a very bad year for the rest of us.
But at least it’ll give me something to write about.
Believe in Yourself: Book Review Storm Chaser
Believe in Yourself: Book Review Storm Chaser: 'Storm Chaser' was written by Mark R Hunter. It is a romantic story about a Midwestern State Trooper and a photographer who chases storms,...
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