Monday, November 28, 2011

Yes, I'm at yet another place

I keep learning about possible exposure, and have a new place at authorsden.com.

It's  at this page - authorsden.com/raybarrington

Friday, November 25, 2011

A Black Friday item from the book

Promised you a sample from the book, and here it is, appropriate for Black Friday.

Suffering from Shopper Syndrome
January 17, 2003


Welcome to the last column of November, and you all know what that means: Christmas shopping.
I have been in a near-fatal car accident; I have had five root canals; I even got married. In my wife's home state. With only my sister and her family on my side of the aisle against all her family and friends if trouble broke out (it didn't).
But there is one event each year that traumatizes me more than all of the above, and that is shopping between Thanksgiving and Dec. 25. I do admit to the occasional road rage, to the venting of frustration now and then.
But put me in a store in December, and I become a maniac.
It starts slowly, my anger building as I circle the parking lot like a runner in a 10-kilometer race, seeing the same scenery dozens of times, before finally finding a spot at the farthest possible point from any door.
That gets me in a wonderful mood.
So after hiking across the asphalt - it's December, remember, so the odds of snow and cold are at least 90 percent - I enter the next circle of hell.
It is not claustrophobic in a mall in December. That's reserved for submarines and small airplanes, and the occasional mine shaft. It is vicious.
Children, on a sugar buzz and excited to see Santa, dart about at knee level between people carring more packages than a herd of bellboys.
Adults, most in no better of a mood than I, grumble as they watch their charges and charge watches.
And that's in the main traffic area. Enter a store, with narrow aisles, and it gets worse.
Want to avoid that by going to a big-box retailer? It's no different.
I have found myself wanting to slam my shopping cart into someone idly standing in an aisle, blocking all traffic, but then I stop myself and remember the poor person is probably in shock, with that thousand-yard stare one sees on a battle fatigue victim.
I try to keep my energy going by humming a little ditty to myself, sung to the tune of the fast part of the Olympics theme:
"I hate this, I hate this, I really, really hate this..."
Eventually, and often to my surprise, it ends. Presents are bought, and now all I have to do is wrap, tape, tear, cut, curse, stack and deliver.
And, I hope, see the smiles when the presents are opened.
Darn it, they'd BETTER smile.

Thursday, November 24, 2011

A Thanksgiving (non-sales) note

First off, I want to thank those of you on my social media who have put up with me flogging my book the past few months. I'm very excited to have done it and appreciate you putting up with that. This is the first time I have tried something like this and I am very pleased with the way it turned out, and I'd like to share it with as many people as possible.

Tomorrow, I plan to have a special Black Friday post with an excerpt from the book. I hope you enjoy it. Happy Thanksgiving, everybody.

Wednesday, November 23, 2011

Holiday Special - 25 percent off through Dec. 14.

Thanks to Lulu.com, my book will be on sale through December 14 for 25 percent off. Note: This is only good at lulu.com and not at Amazon or any of the other places. If you've been on the fence, now is a great time to check it out (or if you liked it, give some to friends).

To get the discount, use the coupon code BUYMYBOOK305 when you order. Note there is a maximum $50 discount on your order!

Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Have a great weekend!

Just want to wish the Loyal Readership a Happy Thanksgiving. Won't even plug the book this time!

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

2-for-1.5 sale at Lulu.com thru Friday

Latest sale at Lulu.com - perfect if you want to buy more than one copy of my book!

Buy 1 book get the second 50% off when you use coupon code SECRET305 at checkout. Maximum savings with this promotion is $50. Print and tax amounts are excluded. You can only use the code once per account, and you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offer ends on November 18, 2011 at 11:59 PM so try not to procrastinate! You must have at least two books in your cart for this promotion to work

Monday, November 14, 2011

Want a sample?

If you'd like to see a few sample pages from Chronicles, check at barnesandnoble.com (go to the book which is a Nook book, you have to be signed in to see the sample), or amazon.com (sample there if you click on the book cover where it says "look inside!"

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

20 percent off thru Friday

Another lulu.com special, this time for 20 percent off my book (and many others):

Enter coupon code VETERANS305 at checkout and receive 20% off your order. The maximum savings for this offer is $100. Sorry, but this offer is only valid in US Dollars and cannot be applied to previous orders. You can only use this code once per account, and unfortunately you can't use this coupon in combination with other coupon codes. This great offers expires on November 11, 2011 at 11:59 PM, so don't miss out!

Sunday, November 6, 2011

And now for something completely different

Not that I still wouldn't love to have you buy a copy of Chronicles...

But I am starting a new project, either as an article or book.

How did your cat get its name? Something odd? Named after someone? Born in an odd place (my sister's cat, born in a shoebox, was named Reebok)? Please send me the name and story - I think this will be very enjoyable for all cat lovers!

(The cats above are ours - Bikini is the little black one, Tikit the larger striped one.)

PS - Thanks to Ian for the mention at ilind.net!

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

Official: Buy at Reader's Loft, Nook

The Reader's Loft in Bellevue (it's in the complex across from Copps/Target) has the book on display in its regional section (sorry I didn't get a picture). Feel free to go over there and buy it!

And the E-edition is now available at the Nook bookstore at barnesandnoble.com