Goin' to the Dogs

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Hope you and yours have a wonderful holiday.

For me, it will be a busy weekend at the old keyboard. I’ll be hammering out a couple of chapters for the book, Everyone’s Gone to the Moon, prepping publicity for the release of Best Dog Hikes Alabama, and finishing up three videos that will be posted next week that I think you’ll enjoy.

On the subject of my latest Falcon guide, Best Dog Hikes Alabama, you may (or may not) remember not too long ago that I asked for a little help planning some fund raisers to coincide with the release of the book in March. Still needing a little help.

I would like to host at least 5 pet adoptions in conjunction with local animal rescues across Alabama – Mobile, Montgomery, Birmingham, Huntsville, and Talladega. The events will give the rescues another chance to bring their animals out and have them adopted, have a few presentations about you and your dog including vet and training tips, and allow you to take a rescue for a short hike (and hopefully fall in love with them). I will be selling copies of the books and t-shirts with proceeds going to help the rescues.

I need a little help in locating a good venue to hold such an event and contacts for reputable animal shelters in those areas to get the ball rolling. SO, if you know of a good location and who I should contact, or have contact information for some rescues, I would LOVE to hear from you!

You can either Message me through Messenger or go to my contact page on my website, www.joe-cuhaj.com/contact.html and drop me a line.

Thanks in advance for your help – and helping rescues!

Say Hey! The Willie Mays Song and Mobile (Alabama) History

As I mentioned a couple of weeks ago, two out of my three new book proposals have been approved. There is a “slight” hiccup on the Everyone’s Gone to the Moon contract, but that’s being ironed out.

As for the second title, the research is already beginning. Now, I know that my friends and followers from outside of Alabama and the Mobile area will probably say “ho-hum” with this title, but believe me, it’s a fascinating look at the 300+ year history of the Port City – Mobile – and it’s little known, hidden history. Hence the title, Hidden History of Mobile.

There is so much to the city’s history that has rarely, if ever, been told but I'll be combing the dusty city archives and the bowels of the Mobile Library to pull them out and bring them back to life. I think it will be a title you will all enjoy.

One aspect of the city’s history I will focus on is its musical side. Yes, we’ve had some notable musicians and singers from the Alabama Gulf Coast, everyone from Metropolitan Opera star Linda Zoghby to big band trumpeter Cootie Williams to Jimmy Buffet. There is one group from Mobile, however, that doesn’t get much recognition – the Treniers, or as they were originally billed, the “Rockin’ Rollin’ Treniers”.

The group was started by twins Clifton and Claude Trenier. After stints with Jimmy Lunceford's big band in the 40s, the twins struck out on their own and made a mark in the early history of Rock ‘n Roll influencing others like Bill Haley, England’s The Shadows, and more. They appeared in several early rock movies like Alan Freed’s Don’t Knock the Rock and The Girl Can’t Help It.

The Treniers in Don’t Knock the Rock

One recording by the Treniers brought my understanding of Mobile’s musical history and its baseball legacy (as seen in my book Baseball in Mobile) full circle. It was in 1955 when they recorded a classic song celebrating Alabama’s own Willie Mays – the song was Say Hey (the Willie Mays Song). What’s interesting is that the 45-rpm single that was released credits the tune to Willie Mays with the Treniers, although Willie only says 10 words in the song.

The Treniers: Say Hey (the Willie Mays Song)

Just some of the fun, sometimes tragic, but always remarkable history I’ll be uncovering and bringing back to life within the pages of Hidden History of Mobile.

The adventure is just beginning.

Planning for Best Dog Hike Events Begins

Perseverance (and a bit of whining) does pay off. Three of my new book proposals are now in the laps and hands of publishers – one is approved (I’ll talk about that in an upcoming blog), the other two are just inches away. Keep fingers crossed!

But that’s not why I’m adding an entry to the blog today. IF you read my blog entry from September 20^th (and if not – why not? J) I mentioned that my new book, “Best Dog Hikes Alabama” is on the fast track to completion with the final copy coming my way for approval shortly.

With the completion of the book, I’m ready to move ahead with plans I had early on to help some of the many no-kill animal shelters in the state raise awareness about rescue dogs, raise a little money to help them and their mission, and to maybe help some of their rescues find Forever Homes.

BUT, I need a little help – from YOU! – to make this happen.

Here’s what I would like to do. Remember, this will all begin around March 2019:

• Hold rescue events on the Gulf Coast (Mobile/Baldwin County), Montgomery, Birmingham, and Huntsville to start. After that, we’ll see how it goes to move it to other cities
• Each event will be a single day event with:Tents where local shelters can set up and accept donations and (hopefully) adopt a few rescues.
• I would like the event to be in an area where potential new puppy parents can “test walk” the dog they plan to adopt – a short hiking trail at the site is perfect
• Presentations to help you with your new friend on training and bringing them home by local trainers, info on medical care by local vets
• A shop where you can buy t-shirts and copies of the new book with proceeds going to the shelters
• Booths by local pet shops with a portion of the proceeds to benefit the shelters
• Food Trucks

 Whew! That should do it (what can I say? I think big.)

Here’s what I need help with. If you live in any of the areas mentioned, I am in need of contacts for any of the above – local animal shelters that need help, a couple of local vets and trainers who may be able to do a presentation or two, and a good venue in the area where this can be held and (since I’m out of area) a suggestion on who to contact to set up the venue.

I would really appreciate any suggestions! Please send me an email at joecuhajauthor @ gmail.com (take out the spaces), drop me a line on Messenger, or use my online Contact Form at www.joe-cuhaj.com/contact.html.

Of course, I will keep you posted as events are set up.

I can’t thank you enough for helping make these events happen! Until next time….

Best Dog Hikes Alabama - The End is Near

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to writing something else, here comes second round of edits for Best Dog Hikes Alabama.

I just received it yesterday and all I can say is, wow! The layout department at Falcon Guides did an amazing job on it! I think you’re going to like the colors and format of this one. The editors took my suggestions to heart, corrected me on some issues, and it reads well. Like my old high school Creative Writing teacher, Mr. George Sterling, used to say, “It made me feel like I was really there.”

So, I’m doing my last proof read to make sure we haven’t glossed over any glaring errors, like leading you and your dog off a cliff (just kidding!!!) and will have it back to the publisher in a week. Then the final read comes soon after WITH the new cover (my favorite part - to see which of my photos they have selected).

The bottom line is that we are on target for a March 2019 release! Can’t wait.

Now, as I announced a few months ago, after finishing researching and writing Best Dog Hikes Alabama, I decided that I really wanted to help some of the rescue organizations that do a wonderful job finding forever homes for these pets. What I am trying to do is set up a events on the Gulf Coast (Mobile / Baldwin County), Montgomery, Birmingham, and Huntsville. There will be possibly be others but right now I’m shooting for the big four cities.

My “dream” is to have these events in a location where we can have several dog rescue groups from those cities gather with some of their pups, where you can “test drive” one on a short hike, then adopt them. We would have copies of the book and other merchandise for sale and food with a good portion of the proceeds going to these non-profits. I’d like to have trainers, vets, and outfitters do a few presentations…what can I say? I think big!

If you live in or near one of these cities, I’m looking for suggestions on a good venue to hold the event that fit the bill (for example, Remy’s Dog Park at Red Mountain..hint, hint) and a few names of the rescue organizations in those cities I can contact to get the ball rolling.

If you have any suggestions, I’d love to hear from you. You can send me a message on Facebook or drop me a line at Joe Cuhaj Author @ gmail.com (take out the spaces). I look forward to hearing from you.

‘Til next time…

Short Stories and the Story Pod

As you may – or may not – know, I do two different types of podcasts, one audio and one video. If you’ve ever had a chance to view or listen to one, I’d like to hear from you and get your opinions on them. Just add a comment below, drop me a message of Facebook, or visit my online contact page.

As I said, there are two types of podcasts I produce. First, there are my videos that run the gambit, from sharing some of my favorite hikes and outdoor adventures, to short historical documentaries, to music videos by my old band. I usually post these once a month but have two planned for September, a new one from my book, Hiking through History Alabama, and the first one for my new book, Best Dog Hikes Alabama.

The audio podcasts are my absolute favorite to produce, probably because of my old radio career that to me was my dream job. I call these podcasts my “Story Pods”. They are simply short stories about growing up that hopefully we can all relate to, that bring back happy memories for you, or just get you thinking. I always post at least one a month to SoundCloud for your listening pleasure.

Several of the stories have been culled from my book, Living in a Banana Dream, but there have been new stories produced with more on the way, all of which are “loosely based on faulty memories”.

I love producing these for several reasons. The first, as I mentioned, was that I get to put my radio chops to work. I love to work in a studio. The other reason, and most obvious, it that they take me – and hopefully you, too – back to our childhoods when life was simpler.

I love producing these for several reasons. The first, as I mentioned, was that I get to put my radio chops to work. I love to work in a studio. The other reason, and most obvious, is that they take me, and hopefully you, too, back to our childhoods when life was simpler.

So, the stories from Banana Dream, including a ton of new ones, are being refurbished and will be winging their way to a publisher hopefully by the end of the year. We’ll see how that goes. In the meantime, there are more stories to tell so be on the lookout for them. The September 2018 edition is called, “Love is a Many Splintered Thing”, the story of the very first time you go out on a date with the opposite sex. Uh-huh. You’re already reliving your experience, aren’t you?

Don’t forget, you can listen to all of the Story Pods on my website, JoeCuhaj.Com.

Till next time….

The Edits are In! The Edits are In!

My wait is over. I’ve received the first of two go-arounds of edits for the “Best Dog Hikes Alabama” book. All I can say is, at least the Table of Contents is correct. Just kidding! It actually looks great.

From what I see the corrections are the typical lot - a lot of basic “should hyphenate this” and “shouldn’t have abbreviated that”. The rules always slightly change with each book, but that’s ok. I’ll take it!

It really does look good and I think you will enjoy this guide book. I didn’t realize how much detail went into this one until I glossed over it last night.

This first edit is my “corrective” go-around where I get a chance to correct any mistakes that I missed when I proofed it the first time, add any missing tidbits, and make the changes the editors requested. I also get a chance to change any mistakes on the maps.

My hat’s off to the cartographers who did an amazing job transferring my GPS maps and handwritten and diagramed topographic maps into really great looking images.

So, I have 10-days to turn this around and get it back to the editors. The next time I see it there will be no more changes, only minor corrections in grammar and punctuation. It will have all of the full-color photos placed within and I’ll finally get to see the actual cover, which, of course, I will share with all of you just as soon as I see it.

Well, best get to it!

Dear Sir or Madam, Will You Read My Book?

I’m in that Twilight Zone period that all writers face. It’s that void, that black hole where you seem lost, disoriented. You’re not sure what you should do. If you do have an idea about what you should do, you’re not sure where to begin.

That’s right, I’m between projects.

If you are a writer, you’ll know what I’m talking about. I currently have proposals for a few new books sitting on the desks of acquisition editors around the country. You put in long, hard hours on the proposals, putting down on paper (or Word Doc) in great detail the concept behind the book, who the book will appeal to, the marketing plan for the book with solid examples of what you will do to help make it a New York Times bestseller, write a long and lengthy annotated table of contents (which basically outlines the entire book), and then produce at least three sample chapters.

And then you wait.

A response could take anywhere from 2-weeks to 6-months. But here’s the rub: you may NEVER receive a response. Either because they don't like it or they just never read it. So you would think, well, I’ll send the manuscript to multiple publishers. Oh, no. You can’t do that. The publishers you send them to have a strict rule – “no simultaneous submissions”.  What that means is, “You sent the proposal to us, now don’t send it to anyone else until we reply”.

But what if they never reply?

And that’s where I get thrown off the rails. I know the books are rock solid and will do well. Trust me, that’s not conceit. You have to feel that way or why are you writing the book and submitting a proposal in the first place? You want to keep pushing the manuscript to exhaustion before moving on to something else but you know that there is, more often than not, that chance of never hearing from the publisher again for whatever reason. So you feel like you've wasted your time sending the proposal to only one publisher and not hearing anything in 6-months...but you couldn't send it anywhere else. Ugh.

And that’s where I am. I have three proposals out there, manuscripts that I have always wanted to write, that I finally did write, and now they are out there helplessly waiting for the go ahead, or the snub. When you put that much work into something it can be hard to pry yourself out of the hole where all you want to do is just keep pushing the manuscripts out there and do more to give them a fighting chance. But you know that there isn’t much you can do for them except wait, change gears, and get yourself motivated to start on other projects that you have always wanted to do.

But those other proposals…..