Migraines, Mania, and a New Book...

Well, here are again...some of the above is more immediate than recent, and all the same, while I would like to say my headline has told you what you need to know, it barely scratches the surface.

Where do I begin? How about here?

Something, innit? You're damn right it is...here you have the cover of "Call it Love," the long-awaited sequel to "Searching for Roy Buchanan!" The Sweet Dreams Series rolls on and into a new chapter of Aki's life and times.

Mitch Bentley, once again has turned out amazing work, much in line with the previous background of time and space, and the Amida, from which emanates Aki's power of time travel.

Incidentally, when I began writing this whole thing in 2007, I pulled that word out of thin air, thinking I'd made it up...the Amida, then as now, involved certain enlightenment, but not one that could be fully perceived, if at all.

I didn't know until later that Amida, means, Buddha of Limitless Light. How about that?

The mindset behind Aki's time travel (still a base knowledge passed down from her mother, with insights from her and Hiro's mentor, Kazu) is one that allows you to live and witness history, but you cannot change it. You see what you see, you experience it, and this is for your own education and development.

Armed with this, Aki has traveled but knows that the Amida cannot help solve her problems in the real world. She cannot go back in time and make things right, or different.

Without giving it all away...Aki has to deal with a significant problem and now has to go through the human emotions that any young person does at a critical time.

Two new characters, both of whom arrived in my mind during the completion of "Searching..." stuck around for the sequel, which I honestly didn't think I was going to write, but did. The books have written themselves, and "Call it Love" is a good step forward in the storyline and in the character's development.

Things will change; people change, attitudes change, our friends will grow, and we'll see how they do. The music will also change and evolve, as Aki, Hiro and the rest are opened to new sounds, and things they could never have imagined.

I certainly hope you will agree with me on that.

As I write this, pre-orders can be taken at Sunbury Press' website, and in a matter of days we should be able to get orders from Amazon, Ingram, Kindle and other online platforms. It's important now, because the season is upon us, and I'm headed out to meet the public for the first time in about two years.

Like here! The pandemic put a stop to events as I'd said, and the Chocolate Town Book Festival was one of them--October 2nd (Saturday), from 2-5 pm I'll join my fellows at the Hershey Public Library, outdoors to read, flog our wares, and make a few new friends.

I'm happy to see my old friend Sheri Maret again, a wonderful children's author, magician and really nice person. Alyson and the gang at Hershey have put up with all our stuff, questions and diva moments the past several months, so we must deliver, I'd say.

And then...a bigger one...

It's back! I'll be headed to the Blair County Convention Center, October 8-10, for three days of books, comics, clothes, costumes, creatures, collectibles, cosplaying, and mad geekdom! I'll be on the first floor, Table C-9 (I think), and I'll be so excited to do this again, and be amongst some very cool folks.

So that's the beginning of everything...what follows is a look back at a year that hasn't really ended for me yet.

I've been saying 2020 never ended, considered all the damage done to my house, and the continued issues here. The roof is repaired, my new studio is very nice, and really, the house is pretty much normal. Some outside issues need to be fixed and paid for, but it's the cost of owning a home. I'm fine with it.

Busy...writing, working, and working, and working...along with the constant paper chase (money, not the lawyerly stuff from the movie and TV show), there is the need to try and keep one's self together, and I confess I'm not good at it.

Long stretches of work, substituting for people, make Jack a sharp-tongued, and not always friendly boy. I hope I have not brought any harm at this point, I don't think so, or I'd have known about it. But I guess the real damage is self-inflicted.

I have come off a three-day migraine; anyone who has had those knows how painful they are. Tuesday was the day of pain, followed by meds, sleeping a lot, and two days of light-headedness.

My chiropractor did an incredibly involved crack and crunch job on my neck, shoulder and spine today...Doctor Greg knows what he is doing, and I do feel better, but oh, the mind does not always want to play.

I've had some issues getting "Call it Love" ready, and the length of time taken to have this book in the hands of the producers has been difficult. Not because it isn't good, but just all the other things that go into putting one out.

This is not just something you slam together, upload to Amazon and say, "NOW BUY IT!" No, way more there.

I will say the team over there has put up with me, and I'm thankful. I especially thank Jen, my new editor who has asked the right questions, and made sure issues were brought to light.

My fellow writer friend Kat has provided her own insights, experiences in our chosen field of journalism and literature, and a shit-ton of other things.

Mania...I am not manic by nature. I have depression, had it all my life, coupled with anxiety. They are opposing forces that work well together, but not always for my own good.

I like to give free rein to my neuroses, for that makes better writing. In recent years, my leaving of medication behind has shown me I can work without a pill that acted as a compressor. The warning signs...overwork, stress, exhaustion, lead to either "sundowning," which I call a gradual shutdown where the mind doesn't quite understand everything, and I make decisions that might not be the right ones. Do I need to call that number back right now? Can it wait? Do I have to talk to anyone about that inconsequential thing right now?

Oh, but I have to call this person because I put it off too long. Schedule this, or you never will! Get this done, NOW, or you never will. Little and big things. Something works now and again, or it doesn't.

I could tell you a bunch of things I did this afternoon that should make no sense to you, because they're so mundane. But I had 'em on my mind, and I did some of the things.

Okay...well, here we are. I am a little bit worried about the delivery of hard copies of "Call it Love" before the big days, but I think we can get this done. For now, if you want to reserve a copy, go here:

https://www.sunburypress.com/products/call-it-love?_pos=2&_sid=db0e8a12f&_ss=r&variant=39404844122205

That shall get you a look at the page, and you can look at my other works, too. In a few days, I'll know for certain where it is on sale, and so forth.

HINT: if you come see me at Hershey, Altoona, or see me elsewhere...mention the 2-for-1 deal. If you have not read "Searching..." I suggest you do and I'll sell you both for a special price...yes, I will...heehee.

And I'll have more books to put my name in!

I'm excited, exhausted, somewhat manic, and more than a bit out of my mind. Too many projects, despite my best efforts to control them and get rid of some.

Right now, I feel all right, and this moment, as Ram Dass would say, is all right.

Peace, Out...see you when I do.