An Author and His Work

99 cents offer

James “Jay” J. Cudney is a young author that a fellow blogger recently introduced me to. His first book Watching Glass Shatter was released last year and appears to be doing extraordinarily well. Jay also seems to be making all the right moves in marketing his book and has been very willing to share his ideas with me.

Although Watching Glass Shatter isn’t in a genre I typically read, I saw it described often enough around the internet that I became curious about the story and decided to buy and experience it. I’d planned to tell you what I thought about the book after reading it, but I just heard it is going on sale for 99 cents for two days, February 1st and 2nd, so thought I’d mention today both the sale and what I think about the book so far.

Please keep in mind that I’m only a little ways into the book, but so far I’ve found it to be a surprising and sometimes shocking story that illuminates various aspects of complex family relationships, the human condition, sexual identity, and the impact of secrets, choices, and addictions. I look forward to seeing what comes next in the book and what secrets will be revealed.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in book, Book Deals, books, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

To The Music Creators and Dreamers

 

 

NaturesSymphonyPhoto

Cover Art for “Natuer’s Symphony”

Photo Credit: Peter Johnson

This post is dedicated to all who make music or dream of doing so some day. CD Baby just informed me that they’ve cut another royalty check and put it into the mail to me. While the amount of the check is modest, it’s been several years since I last co-wrote a song and yet they’re still being played and I’m sill receiving checks. CD Baby’s report indicated that my songs are being played on Spotify, Apple Music, iTunes, Amazon MP3, YouTube Music, Google Music Store, Rhapsody, Mix Radio, Deezer, Yandex, and KKBox. That’s a pleasant surprise.

Another fun surprise is that in addition to the U.S., my songs are being played in, and I’m earning royalties from, Hong Kong, Switzerland, Japan, Sweden, Canada, Australia, Thailand, the UK, Norway, Singapore, Mexico and other unspecified countries in Europe. I love that they’re being experienced by people in so many places and cultures. May the  music foster feelings of greater global connectedness

If you make music or dream of doing so, I hope this post encourages you to keep on keeping on, or to simply begin. If this tone-deaf, musically illiterate songwriter who can’t sing or play a musical instrument can keep getting royalty checks for songs written many years ago, who knows what those with musical talent and skills can accomplish?

With Love,

Russ

 

Posted in Music, My Songs, Songs I've Written or Co-Written, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 10 Comments

Winter Bloom

IMG_2843

I looked up from keyboard on our dining room table (yet another temporary work area as the construction continues) to see this exquisite winter bloom. It put a smile on my face as I experienced its delicate multi-faceted beauty against the rough weathered monotone boards, old storage shed with its rusty corrugated roof, and construction equipment in the background.

With Love,

Russ

 

 

Posted in Beauty, flowers, images, Nature, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Don’t Mess With Ninjabread Cookies

IMG_2825IMG_2834IMG_2836IMG_2840

Grandson Thomas and my Beloved made some mean-looking but good-tasting Gingerbread cookies today. Thomas’ father, our son Ben, and cattle dog Penny photobombed the second image.

With  Love,

Russ

Posted in Family "Fun", Fun, Grandparenting & Grandkids, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

My Adventure Into Action

My evolution as a writer for an adult audience, especially my fiction writing, often begins with a story idea or hook that I develop into a very short story. At times the creations are so short they qualify as flash or micro fiction.

Some of my stories later call to me with ways to enhance or broaden them with details and flourishes, additional scenes and vignettes, and fleshed out characters. I enjoy going back to previous short pieces and expanding them, much like the way Hollywood often used to take short stories and turn them into full-length movies. Some of my favorite classic movies began as short stories, including High Noon and It’s a Wonderful Life.

Four of my earlier short action adventure stories have recently ganged up on me and are flooding my head with ideas that are flowing faster than my ability to capture and use them in the yarns:

“No Choice at All”

The “Misunderstanding”

“Blood Oaths”

“Nightmare”

Thus begins another journey writing action adventure stories. I’m excited to see where each tributary on the Writing River takes me.

I may eventually package some of the stories in this genre as an anthology, or if enough ideas flow I may develop one or more of the stories into standalone books. Time will tell, but at the moment I’m just enjoying the ride.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Fiction, Fiction I've Written, Story Writing Adventures, Uncategorized, Writing, Writing Project Updates | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Sunny’s Bouncing Path of Destruction

 

That little rascal Sunny is at it again. The poor Grumpadinkles don’t stand a chance with the energetic puppy around. The illustrations by Jack Wiens above and the excerpts below are from my latest children’s picture book project, Sunny Saves the Day.

Grumbly tried to grab him,

but missed him instead.

He slipped on some milk

and fell on his head.

While he lay

dazed on the floor

with a lump on his head

that was really sore,

the pup dumped white flour

on the clothes Grumbly wore!

 

Sunny found pots and pans on a door.

He banged and clanged them, then banged them some more.

Sunny tugged on an apron so hard that it tore.

The pup never tired and found more to explore.

 

With Love,

Russ

Posted in children's books, Children's Picture Books, Project Updates for Children's Stories/Poems I Wrote, Uncategorized, Writing Project Updates | Tagged , , , , | 9 Comments

Great Medical News!

Cancer Catching Blood Test

The article linked above is one of the greatest pieces of medical news I’ve seen in a long time. It’s not approved yet, but should be in the next few years, and it could dramatically improve the odds of identifying eight different types of cancer at very early stages.

Source: The Conversation, and Leo @ Not All News is Bad!

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Health and Medical News, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 7 Comments

How to extend the attention span of your children.

One of my favorite things to do is read to young children. This post is a good reminder about the benefits of investing time in this way.
With Love,
Russ

Dayne Sislen, Children's Book Illustrator's avatarDayne Sislen Children's Book Illustration

Kids today are bombarded with video games as well as fast action cartoons and movies. Picture book publishers are requesting shorter and shorter picture books for young children. No wonder our children have problems keeping their minds focused on one thing for very long.

What can you do to help your kids have a longer attention span? My advice is not some new technical invention or app for your phone or tablet, but something easy and inexpensive that you can do in your own home.

SCBWI_Postcard_sm_sq_WP

You can extend your children’s attention span by reading to them.

What better way to show them you love them and help them at the same time. Kids love getting attention from their parents and grandparents. This one-on-one time without any distractions from phones or TV is important. Children can later illustrate the stories you read together so you have a visual reminder of the time you have…

View original post 140 more words

Posted in Uncategorized | 2 Comments

Must’ve Been Having a No-Hair Day

IMG_2818

Our 4-year-old grandtwins Zachary and Alexander drew, wrote, and mailed “Thank-you” cards to my Beloved and me that arrived today. When I opened them, I was treated to delightful notes and drawings, including the one above. I must’ve been having a no-hair-and-too-much-caffeine day.

With Love,

Russ

Posted in Family, Grandparenting & Grandkids, Humor, images, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 9 Comments

Truly Helpful

A lady noticed her husband standing on the bathroom scale, sucking in his stomach.
Thinking he was trying to weigh less with this maneuver, she commented, “I don’t think that’s going to help.”
“Sure it does,” he said. “It’s the only way I can see the numbers.”
today’sThot============================
Have you noticed? All those instruments that are seeking intelligent life in the universe — telescopes, radio antennas, cameras, detectors — they’re all pointed away from Earth.
=======================================
With Love,
Russ
Posted in Humor, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment