It's been almost five months since I last posted. It shouldn't come as a coincidence that it has been nearly that long since I have written anything. I could give you a big song and dance about a life changing event, an upcoming milestone, and the loss of a buddy of mine, but I really don't want to come across as all that whiny. Weellll okay, I’m good with a little whine.

As near as I can tell, I started this blog back in May of 2008. Since that time, it has suffered from vapid oratory, benign neglect, unfocused silliness, a major overhaul and many, many tweaks. Now, yon blog is a repository of broke links, wildly inaccurate widgets, and abandoned focus. So, it's with mixed emotions that I bid this little spot on the web farewell. It's time.

30 days, 50,000 words, umpteen cups of coffee! NaNoWriMo time has arrived again. This seasonal event has become a tradition of mine, if 3 times can be called a tradition. If nothing else, it helps to establish, reinforce, or (in my case) reestablish the habit of writing something every day. Editing, proof reading, grammar … faugh! This is about producing content!

This year is going to be something really special for me. I’ve been telling you in previous posts about Scott Roche’s The Way of The Gun over at Kickstarter.com. As of this writing, Scott has less than a day left. Go, contribute, enjoy!

Anyhow, Scott has given me permission to set my NaNo book in his universe. I’m extremely excited about this! Of course, now I have to produce a novel. Let me tell you a little about it.

I'm more than a little excited about this Kickstarter campaign from Scott Roche. It takes me back to those rainy, Saturday afternoons when my brothers and I would watch one Gene Autry or John Wayne western after another until Mom and Dad got tired of us being underfoot and shooed us off to clean our rooms. When they’d leave to get groceries, we’d sneak back into the den and catch dubbed Japanese martial arts films. We’d have to go to the den because back then we only had the one television. Apparently the buzzing sound the tube made attracted the dinosaurs.

This anthology is all about that rainy afternoon when you could be both the stoic gunslinger and the fiery Kung Fu master. It is the swirled cone of chocolate and peanut butter that is the genre mash-up of Western and Wuxia. It’s adventure to the W² power!

A ghost writer is a person who writes any form of text, including books or even music, that is accredited to the person he is writing for. They are often used by famous people such as celebrities, politicians, business executives and other high profile people in the public limelight to write memoirs, autobiographies, music or anything else they desire. Written work such as books can be either fiction or nonfiction.

Ghost writers do not have to write all the work; they may do the research and create a rough draft, and then leave the writing to the client. Or they may do a draft of the work, or just edit and fill in some more information after being given a draft.

To give you all of you some idea of my summer, I started the process of this interview with Pip & Tee back in May. MAY! They got back to me in June and then my summer-itis hit and its been parked ever since. Hopefully, our two agents from the Ministry will not hold the delay against me.

For those of you not acquainted with Pip & Tee, there are a slew of links at the bottom of the interview. Please feel free to check our authors out.

A review of The Janus Affair will have to wait. Among other things, reading also got put on the back shelf this summer. It’s on top of my TBR pile (Is it a pile if it in your Kindle?) and I hope to get at it soon.

On to the interview, without further adieu.

Did you miss me? I’m back! It has been a long summer. I’ve traveled a lot and I’ve learned a great deal. For one thing, beach trips with boogie boarding, sand castles, and family are more fun when you just go with it. Recovering from the pounding the surf inflicts on my body is taking longer each year, but the fun is well worth it.

I’ve learned that traveling 15 and a half hours, across the Mississippi (twice), and into the mid-west is a beast. While I could probably do it in one day, I broke it into two. My family thanked me. Something about the grouch factor being significantly less.

And, I’ve learned that I’m not nearly the tough guy I thought I was. I’m not stoic, I’m not strong, and I’m not indefatigable. In point of fact, the only thing machismo and I have in common is … well … I like cheese.

Today's post is from my very first Guest Blogger, Brooke Ryter.

Welcome to another in a series of posts on “Reblog Sunday.” Here is were I recycle content I have posted elsewhere. Reasons vary. It could be that I believe it is important, touching or funny. Or, it could be that I’m lazy. I’m leaving that decision as a exercise for you, gentle reader.

Today’s offering was originally a Guest Blog at Letters To People Who Won’t Read Them on May 17th of this year. You’ve been there when the left lane bandit selfishly keeps you from your destination, when the cell phone talker brakes your forward progress to a crawl, when the NASCAR wanabees try trading paint with you. This post is for them; the inattentive drivers.

This could not have happened at a more inconvenient time. I’m going to be (even more so) out of the loop for the next week or so. It seems I have done myself some damage while getting ready for Thing1’s graduation. I’ve managed to to over-stress and inflame (because just doing one of them wasn’t enough – classic over-achiever) my right trapezius and sternocleidomastoideus (yeah, I had to look it up too) muscles. I'm knotted up like an over-wound rubber band.

First off, and before I forget, many, many thanks to Melanie Marttila over at Writely Goodness for manominating It was a Dark & Stormy Night ... for The Versatile Blogger Award.

Thank you Melanie! I mention her name so you will know who to blame in the future. I must say, I feel like I imagine blue ribbon cattle feel; outstanding in their field.

Seriously (if I can be taken at face value), it is quite an honor, especially since it is bestowed by a peer. I wasn't sure who was reading my ramblings, outside of friends and family, so it’s encouraging. Yes, I have been encouraged and will continue (the last spoken to embarrassed spawn).

Welcome to the inaugural post of “Reblog Sunday.” Here is were I recycle content I have posted elsewhere. Reasons vary. It could be that I believe it is important, touching or funny. Or, it could be that I’m lazy. I’m leaving that decision as a exercise for you, gentle reader.

Today’s offering was originally a Guest Blog at Mel’s Madness on May 9th of this year. As the only male in a house full of women, sometimes my life reads a lot like stand up. This is one of those times. I hope you enjoy it.

I am off Guest Blogging today at Letters To People Who Won’t Read Them; thank you Amber James for hosting! So, pop on over and read “Dear Inattentive Driver,” then comment profusely. See, I trying to engage you interactively.

Last week I put out a “Help Wanted: Looking for Guest Bloggers” sign. Nary a peep. *Sigh*

This week, I’m trying a more direct approach … the dragon. I mean, hey; the sign didn’t work. Dragons are cool, right? I see it as a reverse psychology approach, “Meddle not in the affairs of dragons, for thou art crunchy and good with ketchup!”

Last week, I asked for Guest Bloggers and I got nada. This week I’m telling them to stay away and I’m bracing myself for the impending rush as we speak. Why dragons, you may ask?

Today I'm Guest Blogger over at Mel’s Madness. Go and visit, comment and let Mel know how much you appreciate her. You’re reading, she’s a teacher, do the math. Mel is gracious enough to host a local writer’s workshop that I have been known to frequent (if you abuse the term ‘frequent’). I told her I’d ask all 18 of you to go and visit. Consider yourself asked.

Next week, I’m guesting at Letters To People Who Won’t Read Them. With a title like that, you know that snark is around the corner. It just begs to be read! I’ll have more info on that later.

Tomorrow I will be the Guest Blogger at Mel’s Madness. That’s the first bit of spring cleaning that needed doing. I’m not sure how I feel about it. Mel’s place is non-fiction and, as I’m sure my family will tell you, I like to make stuff up. Tomorrow’s offering is a (mostly) auto-biographical piece, in keeping with Mel’s blog. It is, quite frankly, a stretch for me. Anyhoo, head over tomorrow and give it a gander.

Yes, I know the image looks more like holding on than letting go, but it has two things going for it. When you start the cleaning process, things do get tossed and decisions have to be made, otherwise you are just shuffling stuff. And second, it’s a free image.

First off, many thanks to Mel and Sopphey for nominating me for the Liebster Blog Award. I’m glad they could see something in that whole, soul bearing rant. Other people can express their feelings very well. When I try, it tends to sound like a mosquito with a bullhorn; whiny, loud and out for blood. Overall, I've tried to adhere to a "Never Complain, Never Explain" lifestyle. It didn’t work all that well when I was younger and when I had daughters, that effort went completely out the window.

If you've been involved with social media for any length of time, or with forums or UseNet groups, you've probably heard the phrase "Don't Feed the Troll." In it’s most general sense, it can mean “don’t engage with an obnoxious individual.” Seems simple enough on the surface and it’s a rule that I haven’t had an issue with, until recently.

A posting of mine, on a popular social media site, got a comment that caused me to have a visceral reaction and I came within keystrokes of violating Wheaton’s Law. I don’t feel great about. As a matter of fact, I felt a little sick. First, that I allowed this individual to have such control and second, because I know better; I really do. You probably need a little more context.

I did it! I finally made it to the end! The focus of the April Platform Challenge is to create Social Sphere in order to promote … what? I believe the big drawback of this challenge is the creation of a network without a stated purpose. Make no mistake, this is a fantastic way to create a social platform, I highly recommend it. But, I also think that you need to have a purpose for the building, whether it’s a blog, a book, a podcast, or what have you; otherwise, it’s just an academic exercise.

The penultimate task of the April Platform Challenge is to create a task list for the month of May. Since I’m already well beyond that now, I’ve created the list for the month of June.

Today’s April Platform Challenge is to reach  out and comment on someone else’s blog. Since my goal is to get the April Challenge done by the end of May, hop over to Mel’s Madness and check out Boldly Going …

Pick me! Pick me! I don’t want to be last … again. Pick Me! Sheesh! Today’s April Platform Challenge is to join a Social Media site. Ah, come on, Robert! Another, Social Media site … really?

Well, I not going to join just any site. No sir. I’m going to join someplace exclusive. So, I did. I applied for membership at RedRoom.com. My membership is now being vetted. Which leads me to one question.

What if I don’t qualify for membership?