BEATRYSEL's power to summon

There is a recurring magickal moment when I sell books in person. I have seen it many times in many places. Someone approaches my table and points to BEATRYSEL and says, "What's that?" in that one certain way. I'd not mentioned the book, I'd not pitched the demon lover, I only have BEATRYSEL out, the cover on display. It's as if they're drawn to it— summoned to it. It draws them from across a room, past other vendors, other authors, other books, past best-sellers, and famous titles, to my table, past the books with award stickers, past ELEANOR and BRAND, to the dark love tale in the winter rain to the teal circle and mournful eye.

I warn them what it is. I tell them of its origin, its accuracy, its fabric. I'd not have someone hate me for my writing, so I warn them about BEATRYSEL. And they always buy a copy and clutch it like a tome and I smile.

I know then I have a fan, I know I've met one of "those" people, one like me. It is a thrill that goes beyond the author moment and informs my view of the universe.

"Do what thou wilt shall be the whole of the Law. Love is the law, love under will."

—Aleister Crowley, THE BOOK OF THE LAW (LIBER AL VEL LEGIS)

THE FINGER TRAP Launch Party Announcement

Announcing the official launch party event for 

THE FINGER TRAP

Saturday, November 28, 2015 5-9 p.m.

Sugarhouse Barnes & Noble 

A modern noir, social satire, coming of age mid-life crisis detective story, 

with quiche.

Be there or be a schmuck.

2015 St. George Book Festival - On My Way!

Next week I’m heading south for my second consecutive visit with the St. George Book Festival. 

The festival runs from Monday October 19th though Saturday October 24th. There are events happening all week. I'm involved Thursday through Saturday.

Now a sister festival to the big Utah Humanities Book Festival, the St. George Book Festival is a gem in the desert. 

There’s something for everyone.

For writers it’s an opportunity to talk to people who’ve been there, who have struggled the struggles you are having. It’s a time to talk to veterans and learn moves. It’s a time to put some theoretical on your practical and some practical on your theoretical. It’s about the craft, the art, the words. It’s about fellowship.

For readers, it’s about the hows and the whys. It’s about finding art that speaks to you, that excites your soul and challenges your mind. It’s about the community of artists around you and love you more than you'll know. A celebration of verse and narrative. It’s a a chance to connect with authors and their stories and find that gem of a tale that will change your perspective forever.

For all it’s a celebration of the humanities, that most wise of all disciplines - for it is the discipline where Wisdom is taught, if it can be. It is the discipline that teaches how to think. it’s the one that challenges you to find meaning in chaos and depth in the shallows. It is the human condition. Come see how your fellow humans are dealing with it in words.

I have a book signing on Thursday at The Red Cliffs Mall Barnes & Noble (1720 East Red Cliffs Drive, St. George, UT 84790) with ELEANOR and CELESTE. Maybe a bit of BRAND DEMAND and a good hint or two of THE FINGER TRAP. Come by. Chill. Keep an old hippy company.

On Friday, I’m teaching a break out class as part of The Writer's Journey: One-day Writing Workshop at Dixie Applied Technology (E.R. Training Center). Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.  My class is called “There are no rules - here are 10,” an examination of Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing. It's a great class about style and choices, excellent information and tips for writers of all levels. Click here to sign up. It's a cheap date, a totally token fee - $5 advance, $10 at the door. This doesn't even cover the cost of the air. Considering how much great information and how many great people will be there, it's a complete steal. Steal it.

I’ll also be at the Book Expo on Saturday all day. This will be at the Spooky Town Fair - Opens to general public at 10:00 a.m. I'll be there selling books of all delicious flavors.

The whole festival is a great experience. I would not be going again if it sucked. I'll be there talking and learning and hanging out with like-minded wisdom loving bibliophiles and humans partaking of the human experience like myself. 

You should come down. Look for me. I’ll be in tie-dye.

October + Chuggie = Chugtober!

Longtime friend and writing buddy Brent Michael Kelley is doing stuff. With Chuggie. Chuggie!

During the 31 days of Chugtober Omnium Gatherum and Brent Michael Kelley are sponsoring six contests. Each contest has an exciting prize. We’re giving away witch fingers, tchotchkes, ebooks and other stuff.  There are lots of ways to earn entries.

At the end of Chugtober the person who has accrued the most entries to all the contests will win the grand prize, a 7 inch wifi Kindle Fire loaded with all the Mischief Mayhem Want and Woe books and a few extra surprises.

Contest 1: Chuggie and the Fish Eating Contest is underway. Folks can totally enlist at: 

http://www.catbat.com/bmk/chuggie-on-a-stick-the-fish-eating-contest/