The Party's Over

 

Turn out the lights, the party's over. Historic Oakleigh House Museum Literary Lawn Party was a great success! It was a pleasure meeting everyone who came out and catching up with some old friends. Thank you to the staff and volunteers who made it happen. The good / bad news is that I was so busy meeting and greeting that I didn't have time to take any pics. These are courtesy of the Oakleigh House Museum. I do have to mention the Mobile Belles who were in attendance. This group of young ladies are ambassadors to the museum who greet visitors. I was so impressed with their knowledge of Mobile history and their goals in life to become historians, political science majors in college, and more. Hats off to you!

And by the way, I have added an extra freebie to my website's giveaway page. Click here to to visit the Giveaway Page or click the individual links below for your freebies:

* The Pig War & Pelican Girls Preview Chapters

* Dead Air Cozy Mystery Preview

* My Favorite Shorts (as in short stories )

* JUST ADDED: Space Oddities Audio Book Sampler read by Tim H. Dixon

Join Us, Won't You?

 

What are you doing tomorrow? I know where I'll be - the Oakleigh Literary Lawn Party from 11am to 4pm with over 30 amazing authors from around the region. Come on out and join us! I'll have copies of my books Everyone's Gone to the Moon, Hidden History of Mobile, and a History Lover's Guide to Mobile and the Alabama Gulf Coast. Visit the Historic Oakleigh House Museum Facebook page for more details.

A New Week

 

Good morning, everyone. Well, it’s a fresh new week and I’m ready to tackle all of my writing goals I set for myself for the week. 

First and foremost, we are just days away from the big Oakleigh Literary Lawn Party this Saturday (10/12) from 11am to 4pm. There will be discussions on writing, a chance to meet some of your favorite local and regional authors who will have copies of their books available, and maybe find your next favorite read. I will be there and I hope to see you there! It all takes place at Historic Oakleigh Mansion in Mobile. Visit their Facebook page for more information and a list of authors who will join us.

   

Besides the big Literary Lawn Party this Saturday, it’s time for me to start thinking about finding a publisher or agent for my new cozy mystery, “Dead Air.” Putting the proposal together might be a little challenging for me this time. It's just a wee bit different from my other 19 outdoor recreation and non-fiction history books. I love the way the manuscript came out and so far I’m getting good feedback from authors and general readers who have read it. Now to bring that excitement and enthusiasm to publishers.

The reason I finished writing “Dead Air” in the first place since I began writing it 20 years ago (then stopped and started ever since) was because of the feedback I received at last year’s Mobile Literary Festival in Mobile, AL. The short pitch I sent in was well received by the audience and the guest agent / judge. So, that told me I had something. If any of my author friends out there know of any publishers looking for the best cozy mystery ever written. Okay, those are my words.

I’m also producing the first book trailer for the new book, “The Pig War & Pelican Girls.” I love combining my old radio career with my writing to produce these as well as the companion podcasts. The book will not be available until April, but planning and PR work starts now.

We’ll see how the week goes. Right now, I’m on top of the world and excited about the future for my little writing career. The week is young. I’ll let you know how that goes by Friday.

Have a great Monday, everyone!

 

Odds 'n Ends

Good morning, friends. I have a busy, busy week ahead. Tomorrow will be an exciting but scary day for me. I hate asking fellow authors to critique my writing. First of all, it scares me to hear their reaction (I think that's a writer's natural response), but seriously, I hate to impose. They have enough to do without me asking a favor.

I did ask a few to read and critique my first ever cozy mystery, "Dead Air," and so far the feedback has been positive. They've provided invaluable insight that I have incorporated into the manuscript. Tomorrow, I'm meeting with two of my favorite authors and friends, Joe Formichella and Suzanne Hudson, to discuss the book and where it falls short. Joe and Suzanne are award winning authors who have really offered some great advice over the years in my publishing journey. This is one meeting I'm looking forward to.

I guess my latest Prometheus Book, "Everyone's Gone to the Moon: July 1969, Life on Earth, and the Epic Voyage of Apollo 11" is getting recognition. Three times this week I've had people stop me and say, "You're the moon book fellow, aren't you?" :) That's easier than trying to pronounce my last name. I'll take it.

And finally, six months out from the release of my new book, "The Pig War and Pelican Girls:Extraordinary Stories from American History," and it's time to get serious about promotion. I used to love doing PR work for my books, but with all of the social media that has to be dealt with, it's rather daunting. Or is it my age telling me that? "I remember when I was a young whipper snapper, we'd hang up posters on telephone poles to get the word out." LOL! Ok, I'm not THAT old, but still... So, it will be a fun day of putting together contact lists, book signing options, etc. Oh, and my favorite - I'm starting production on the 10 part companion podcast. Now THAT is fun.

Anyway, that's what's new here. More to come.

You Never Know What You'll Find

 

Late last night I was snooping around YouTube and found a few book reviews for a couple of my books and was surprised to find this video created by Charles Harvell. He and his wife used my "Hiking Waterfalls Alabama" guide to visit one of my favorites in north Alabama, Bethel Springs. Nice video and so glad Charles and Gabby enjoyed the hike and found the guide useful. Copies are available at your favorite local book store or online.

Another Piece of Forgotten History

 

I recently completed my cozy mystery set in a 1943 radio station, “Dead Air.” In the book, the station’s main actress, a seductive temptress named Samantha Starr, is murdered. I relied heavily of research dealing with life on the home front during World War II and the fashion of the day but there was a fact that I did not know that friend, author, poet, songwriter Mike Turner sent to me – how red lipstick became a symbol of patriotism during the war.

Red lipstick was considered blasphemy when the United States was born. Preachers of the 1700s called the makeup frivolous and it made American women look Oriental.

The first use of red lipstick to make a protest statement came in the early 1900s when cosmetic manufacturer Elizabeth Arden, who was a staunch supporter of the suffragette movement, handed out tubes of her red lipstick to marchers and protestors who were demanding the right to vote. The lipstick would show solidarity between the marchers.

In the mid-1930s, the Axis powers came into power in Europe. Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini each proclaimed that they hated women using red lipstick and virtually banned its use. At the same time, Arden and her competitor, Helena Rubenstein, were brought in by the U.S. Army and Marines to create makeup for the Marine Corps Women’s Reserve and the Women’s Army Auxiliary Corps. The main makeup item in the kit was bright red lipstick that was designed not only as a compliment to the women’s uniforms, but also as a slap in the face to the Axis leaders. The designers said the lipstick was to “fight fascism in style.”

Suddenly, World War II propaganda posters began springing up across the country featuring women like Rosie the Riveter wearing red lipstick. Red shades with patriotic names such as Victory Red, Tussy’s Fighting Red, and Regimental Red appeared in stores and the women of America loved it. In fact, the government would not allow rationing of the ingredients to make the cosmetic because women needed to “maintain their femininity while working in factories and on the front lines of the war effort.”

An interesting and forgotten fact from American history. Thanks for sharing, Mike Turner!

The Story of the Pupniks

 

One of the toughest chapters to write, and read, in my book, “Space Oddities”, tells the story of using animals to study spaceflight technologies. There was a few happy stories as well including the story of Pushinka, the Russian space dog. Adding to the story is this clipping from the New York Times from this date in 1963.

As the story goes, in early 1963, President Kennedy and Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev were having a heated discussion on some issue. To ease the tension, First Lady Jacqueline walks into the room and starts talking to the Premier. She asks how the Russian space dog Strelka was doing after her flight. Khruschev told her she’s doing fine and recently had a liter of puppies. Jackie got excited and asked that he send the Kennedy’s one of the puppies. A few weeks later, a fluffy white dog named Pushinka (literally translated means “fluffy”) arrives at the White House.

The Kennedy kids loved the dog, even teaching it how to climb up the ladder of a slide and slide down.

Well, Pushinka had a one-night-stand with the Kennedy’s other dog, Charley, and had a liter of puppies herself. The press called them “Pupniks” and on this day 61 years ago, the White House mail room and switchboard was inundated with phone calls. People wanted to adopt one of the space pups.