First Signing

Ever since my first stroke on 20^th July, 2004, just shy of three months prior to my marriage to Linda, and in fact, the occasion of her 47^th birthday – I try to do something different for her birthday – I’ve always had this sort of idea that if I can get through the 20^th of the month, I’m set for the remaining eight, ten or eleven days depending on the month.  This was of course validified on 20^th April, 2008 when I had my second stroke, on 20^th July 2009 (Linda’s 52nd birthday) when I had my gall bladder removed, and on 20^th January, 2011 when my left arm went suddenly numb and I spent two days and a night in hospital with a stuffed nose (my nose, not the hospital’s), tons of tests, and no answers.  Today is Sunday, 20^th February, 2011.  It’s 14:30.  So far, so good.

Sermon at church this morning was a little off the wall.  Our pastor, who is a really great guy, was off on a tangent about how healing and personal material blessing are missing in our lives because we don’t have enough faith for them.  And while there are a few instances where ‘your faith has made thee whole’ is recorded in Scripture, there are also those where the faith of the healed one is not an issue.  Lazarus, for example was dead.  Hard to work up faith when you’re dead.  Even those around him had no faith.  Jesus simply spoke the word and Lazarus got up.  No faith involved.  Simply Holy God performing a miracle.  There’s no other way to explain it.

But, I ramble.

Friday night, 18^th February, 2011 at 18:30 at the Progress Energy Art Gallery in New Port Richey, Florida, I was invited to do my first ever book reading and signing.  I made the appetizers (I don’t know how to spell hors d’ouvres) and provided the beverages, and read to an attentive, if intimate crowd, who responded with an enthusiastic time of Q&A, and I even sold five books.  It’s not much, but it’s a start.  I was also able to announce the upcoming Kindle version being published by Edin Road Press, and make a few contacts for future speaking engagements – and this is the really cool part – at schools!  Talking to kids about writing!  Now as much as I want to sell books, getting kids geeked about reading and writing is the best.  That kind of opportunity simply rocks.

Now I need go get off my butt and finish the rough edit of Legends of Greenbrook Park, and start working on answering the first question I was asked Friday night:  Will there be more adventures for the Magnificent Seven.

Yup.  I have two ideas in mind already, but one thing at a time.  I’ll let you know, ok?

Happy Trails.