Gifts to Go

For the  readers, here is a chance to get a weekly newsletter from Gifts to Go:

 A local gift shop owner is looking to expand her virtual connections to grow her business and attract a larger audience at book signings. She's been supportive of local authors and has asked that I invite my friends to register for her weekly newsletter.

She alternates the focus of each newsletter between books and authors and  general gift ideas and services. Each addition includes discounts, promotions, new products, related recipes, and upcoming events. Most importantly it is easy to read through to get the news most relevant to you.

 It is sent through an industry standard Constant Contact, and includes an unsubscribe if you try now and decide later you no longer wish to receive a copy.

You can preview the shop, Gift To Go, at www.onlinegiftstogo.com or on Facebook as Gifts To Go. Her physical store is located on Bell Road in Surprise, AZ, but she ships gifts anywhere.

Get the next edition by either:
    1. Sending an email request to onlinegiftstogo@yahoo.com or,
    2. Texting your email address to her at 602 403 0646,
    3, Sending a Facebook message to Gifts To Go.

Did she say she ships anywhere, ANYWHERE? Now is your chance to pick up some of those unique gifts, including books by Arizona authors on many subjects. And thanks very much. I'm sure you will enjoy the newsletter.

Finally, it's on the way

The Bloody Gulch is on the way and will be available on Amazon.com in the next few days. Here are the opening lines:

    This is the story of early Roosevelt, Utah. Back then, it was known as "The Gulch," and being the Sheriff was a pretty easy job in comparison to some of them other places like Tombstone, Dodge City, Laramie, and others, but I had difficulties. It started when I had been out of town for a few days and returned to find myself in sort of a pickle.
     "All right, Clarence, put your gun back in the holster, and you, too, stranger, if you know what's good for you," I said, holding my .44 long-leg aimed at the stranger's chest. I knew Clarence wasn't going to shoot anybody. He wasn't a troublemaker. But the stranger was another matter. For all I knew, he could be one of the Wild Bunch come to town to raise Hell.
     I kept my eyes on the stranger, noting a scar on the left cheek too jagged for a knife cut. The empty holster hung low and was tied to the thigh, not typical for anyone around here who only carries a weapon for snakes and an occasional bear or mountain lion.
     "I get paid to prevent bloodshed, Stranger, but I'm not above shootin' you if that's what it's goin' to take to keep the peace," I said. "I don't know if you're a bad hoss or a black-leg preacher and it don't make no difference to me. Just put that hog-leg back in the holster."

I don't particulary like this cover, but it's representative of the country in which Roosevelt is located.

Anon-9 plus David Cranmer

I just finished reading the short interview of Anon-9 at www.blastedheath.com and laughed my nether end off, well almost. It reveals a quick and witty writer with a great sense of humor. I wouldn't be surprised if it wasn't a prelude to the release of her book Hard Bite published by Blasted Heath and which is now available at Amazon Kindle for $2.99. Get your copy now!

And another new release by David Cranmer of the site, davidcranmer.blogspot.com  (The Education of a Pulp Writer). The new short story edition of Beat to a Pulp II is now out and available for purchase. Get it at Amazon for some great stories by great writers and take a look at David's blog for all the details. Look at that cover illustration, would you!

More Reading

Ran across a couple of books in a used book store that I thought I would like:

1. Author Matt Braun, a double novel, Manhunter and Deadwood.

2. Author A. B. Guthrie, Jr., hardback, Arfive, a conflict of midwestern and, by extension, eastern Victorianism with the looser attitudes of a yet uncurried West, it says on the inside flap.

(The header photo is another one of those magnificent rock monuments of Northern Arizona.)

Oh, yes, welcome aboard to Helen Baggot as a follower and check out her site at www.read-reviewed.com !

Rain Clouds disappeared

Maricopa County doesn't get much rain in April, but this morning a low front came through and dumped a smattering of the wet stuff. It hardly covered the bottom of my rain guage, but got the wash job all messed up on the car since we were coming back from breakfast. It's two in the afternoon and here's what's left of the clouds. With the wind blowing steady, the cloud formations are ever-changing and pretty soon it will be blue skies again and the temp rising into the 90's, a prelude to the hot summer..

Upcoming events

On Wednesday, May 2, Cindy Pieczonka with be signing her book, Call Upon Your Angels, from 11:30 to 1:00 PM at the Barnaby Street Shops in the Bell Mar Plaza, 114th Ave and Bell Road, Surprise, AZ. At the same time,  the Peoria Chamber of Commerce will be having a Lunchtime Ribbon Cutting and Mixer. There will be snacks, prizes, raffle and more. Stop by, have some fun and pick up a copy of Cindy's book.

Arizona Authors Association Upcoming Events:

     Apr 24 - Desert Rose Romance Writers Regular Meeting at Monti's Casa Vieja in Tempe, AZ, 5:30 to                  8:30 PM

      Apr 25 - Scottsdale Society of Women Writers,   Chaparral Suites, Scottsdale, 5:30 to 8:30 PM

      Apr 25 - Professional Writers of Prescott Regular Meeting, Prescott Public Libary, Prescott, AZ, 6:00 PM

     Apr 27 - Desert Dreams Writers Conference, Chaparral Suites, Scottsdale, Friday PM, Saturday AM-PM, Sunday, AM

    Apr 28 - Christian Writers of the West, Manuel's Restaurant, Mesa, AZ, 1 PM

     Apr 28 - Desert Sleuths Mystery Writing Conference, Scottsdale Civic Center Library, 10 AM TO 5 PM

   
As you can see, this is a vibrant community of writers with events every month.  Contact the Arizona Authors Association (azauthors.com) for full details on becoming a member.

West of the Wolverine

No, it isn't about some feller named West, but a novel of violence and mayhem against one of their own. An outlaw family run by the boss, Hell Bender, attempts a bank holdup, but it failed and one of the outlaws, Jerry Bender, the youngest son, gets away with the help of a pretty young gal. Wal, this turns the old man and Jerry's older brother against him and they even threaten him with hanging for "going over to the other side." They heard Jerry had joined up with Hell's arch rival, Dennison, and had begun to make an honest living, having fallen head over heels for the gal who helped him escape, Sally Dennison. But, then the Dennison folks thinks he's been squealing to Bender about them, since he went to the town of Prosperity and supposedly told Bender something that ruined Dennisons' plans for his cattle and ranching. Poor Jerry can't do nothing right for either side and he's caught between the barbed wire and a fence post, except pretty gal Sally still believes in him. Anyway, it takes 156 pages of small print for everything to get worked out and untangled, the bad guys taken care of, the good guys winning, and true love finds a place (woops!, maybe not!).

I found this one by Paul Evan Lehman a rip-roaring, swashbuckling so to speak, tale of shooting-do's and shooting-don'ts interesting and it kept my attention to the very end, which I haven't quite reached yet.

Mr. Lehman is the author of several Westerns, including Pistols on the Pecos, Montana Man, Gun-Whipped,  and on and on, one of which, The Idaho Kid, was made into a movie. it said (fandango.com). I was unable to find a bio of Mr. Lehman, but I will read more of his books when I run across them.

(For the next month or so, posts will be irregular due to other bounden duties, and I will apologize in advance.)  

Wha' Happened?

I'm back----for now. This past week was a forgotten blur!

The nasty flu bug descended on my bod and left me practically comatose for a couple days, but this morning I'm beginning to feel my fettles again. Expect to be back in action shortly and will  play catchup here and there.

Another book signing

I had to cancel out on a signing April l, but there is another one on April 7, 2012, at the usual spot, the Barnaby Shops at Bell Mar Plaza, 114th Ave and Bell Road, Surprise, AZ.  Y'all come on out this Saturday and pick up a gift or two.

The Northern Arizona Book Festival in Flagstaff will be May 19th at the Coconino Center for the Arts. All spots are spoken for and a great crowd is expected. I dilly-dallied too long and missed out on a space, but maybe next year.

Harry Crews Dies at 76/Earl Scruggs at 88

Born June 7, 1935, died March 28, 2012. Harry Crews wrote several novels after his service in the Marine Corps and graduating from the University of Florida in 1960. I would like to refer you to the AP article that tells about his death, life and his writing, Please see:  http://movies.yahoo.com/news/author-harry-crews-dies-florida-76-195945783.html

I've never read his novels, but they are going on my TBR list right now.

And one of the all-time banjo players, Earl Scruggs, has also died. Born Jan 26, 1924, died March 28, 2012. See this article at: http://news.yahoo.com/bluegrass-legend-earl-scruggs-dies-age-88-235658884.html

The header picture is one of Monument Valley with a light snow falling.