Travel to St. Charles

        Several local Not Your Mother's Book writers--Linda O'Connell, Sheree Nielsen, Gregory Lamping and me--along with the co-creator Terri Elders--will be at Main Street Books on June 2 from 1-3.

photo by gserafini


Please stop by. Terri is coming from Washington (the state, not as in D.C. nor the township around Union, Missouri) for this book signing, and it would be great if we could show her a warm Midwest welcome.

The book being signed? None other than Not Your Mother's Book...On Travel. Only brave souls should consider buying this book. My story, entitled "Half Right" is about moi going topless on the beaches in France...along with a Speedo that almost caused permanent scarring to my son's psyche.

So, stop by. Buy a book (or two) to support an independent, local bookstore and local writers. This anthology would make a wonderful gift...

Dogs and Swans and Chicken Fat, Oh My!

        Yesterday St. Louis All Dogs hosted a book signing for some St. Louis writers. Four local authors--Linda O'Connell, Renee Hughes, Gregory Lamping and myself--spoke about our writing, our dogs, and sold (and signed) a surprising number of Not Your Mother's Book on Women, On Dogs and On Being a Stupid Kid books.
 
       Publishing Syndicate has a book in development for everyone. Have you caught an acquaintance picking their nose, and you can tell the story in a funny way? There's an anthology they're working on called On Nose Picking. Did you ever have a bunion that looked just like Tom Cruise? There's a collection called On Skintag and Bunion Celebrity Lookalikes, and they're desperate for submissions. Seriously.

         Well, now I actually am serious. There are Publishing Syndicate books about RV adventures, military life, firefighters, nurses, being actively retired, weddings, treasure hunting (for the nose picker, I guess), special occasions, sharing secrets, politics, pets, holidays, girls' night out, food, dieting, dating, cowboys, fishing, working, and more. Now that I've listed hundreds of themes, what is your excuse not to write and submit several stories? They're looking for edgy and funny. You can do hilarious, right?

           After our book signing was over, several of us commented on Linda's youthful skin. She flaunted her fountain-of-youth face, stretching her neck like a vain swan (see the picture above--I had to snap it quickly). No saggy neck. No wrinkles on her face. We all demanded to know her secret.

          Apparently when you have gotten published in over a dozen Chicken Soup books, CS will send monthly vats of fresh chicken fat (known for its wrinkle prevention abilities) in order to keep their favorite writers handsome and happy. Linda's husband will methodically and lovingly apply the strips of fat onto Linda's face every evening as part of her beauty regimen. I must say, it works.

       Check out Publishing Syndicate's website, dig into the recesses of your mind (and not your nasal cavity) and get writing.