September!

Yes, it's that time of year. School is back in session, the days are getting shorter, leaves are starting to change colors and of course, that means it's time for football. Of all the sports, this one is my favorite. Sunday afternoons in the fall are made for football.

Are you ready? Here's my latest bits on writing, events and music.

WRITING

It's my good fortune to connect with fellow authors and people interested in writing. From September to May, the Portage District Library has recruited me to facilitate a writer's workshop called Plots and Pages. We meet one evening a month for a couple of hours. This month marks the start of the program's fourth year.

We began with a dozen participants. Sometimes we have as many as twenty people join the party. Some are focused on memoirs, poetry, science fiction, crime, historical fiction, children's stories and more.

To start I'll ask if anyone has any questions on a writing related topic. This could be about editing, promoting, how to find an agent or publisher. We've also discussed the benefits of self-publishing versus traditional publishers. Then we get to my favorite part. Each writer has the opportunity to share a segment of their work and get feedback from the group. This is read aloud. There is a seven minute time limit and the piece does have to be something that's written. It could be printed out or read from your phone or computer. This isn't the time or place for stream of consciousness discussion.

Writing for most of us is a solitary effort. Getting that feedback from others who share the passion for writing, for creating a memorable story, is priceless. Often the comments from one person can trigger reactions from the others. I'm always impressed by the talent displayed each month, and the words of encouragement. Occasionally we'll have someone stop in and observe, to get a sense as to how this all works. There is no pressure to participate. Their feedback is also welcome.

Check out your local library to see if they have a similar program. Being part of a group of creative people can be priceless! EVENTS

The outdoor festival season is winding down. I have one show left on the calendar, The Muddy Maumee Book & Art Festival in Toledo, Ohio at the end of the month. It's my intention to find a few indoor events to wrap up the year.

It's been a great year for the outdoor shows. For the most part, the weather has been good. There were a couple of scorchers in August and one downpour in July, but that goes with the territory.

A vendor at the booth beside me once asked about inventory. "How do you know which titles will sell the most?"

I shrugged. "You never can tell." I keep track of which titles sell during the events, but there is no rhyme or reason to it. I can't predict what the readers will be interested in. Sometimes, the Jamie Richmond series jump off the tables. Others, it's the Jefferson Chene mysteries. With ten different books available, it's important to keep score.

During the Art in the Park show, in beautiful Holland, MI, Rules of Desperation was in demand. I had a dozen copies in hand and they were all gone by two o'clock.

Normally, I'd be grinning like a fool and just run to my car for the backup bin. That's always been my practice, because sales can be so unpredictable.

When loading the car for this event, I neglected to grab the extra books I had two dozen copies sitting on the table in the basement. Oops!!!

That's a lesson I learned again. Always having extra stock close at hand is essential. Because you may never get another chance with a potential customer who was at that show.

Another pleasant surprise happened a week later at the Blueberry Festival in South Haven. One of the people I spoke with that weekend was Kayla, who worked at the local library. We discussed the possibility of doing either a presentation or an autograph session in the near future.

About a week later, Kayla contacted me and the arrangements were set. She even had the poster below created in record time!

So if you're in the South Haven, MI area, mark the calendar. I meet even read a scene or two from one of the Jamie Richmond novels.

Music

I've always like a lot of variety when it comes to music. About ten years ago, I discovered Jesse Cook. This Canadian composer guitarist combines flamenco with world music and jazz to keep you moving. Cook has won multiple awards and frequently tours the globe. For more than a dozen years, Cook also direct, films and edits his own music videos.

Here are my top five favorites from Jesse Cook.

Hembra: https://youtu.be/i9srZFMhCZU?si=C3iiacX4eET-gZAh Mario Takes a Walk: https://youtu.be/c_X0KET2gh0?si=WYRIrck_JEZ7Buxl Double Dutch: https://youtu.be/hOjctd1mNME?si=1fIvq7FLoviSXDa1

Hey! https://youtu.be/bR9ukpP3X3Q?si=BHYg0FUeqiHXR0jv

Havana: https://youtu.be/F2SJf1J-LHA?si=IGkfIb5bQbJmHTOS