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Independent Authors on the Kindle

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I have been really, really impressed with 3 works of fiction so far this year.

All independent authors. All on the Kindle.

Here are the three. And all are 5 stars on Goodreads (other 2 5 star books on GoodReads read in 2012 both poetry: “Chicago Poems” by Carl Sandburg; “Coney Island of the Mind” by Lawrence Ferlinghetti). http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/3177908?shelf=read

“Post-Human” by David Simpson which I finished yesterday. Excellent science fiction of a world with an emdedded AI. Fascinating and dystopian.

“Wool” by Hugh Howey. Wonderful novella (approximately 60 pages) .. Another dystopian fiction set in a destroyed world, where everyone lives in a silo. If you disobey the rules, you have to go outside and clean the windows. Excellent characters, heartbreaking. There is now a Wool 1-5 in the Wool Omnibus. I like this book enough that I want to buy a signed paper copy.

“Slammed” by Colleen Hoover. An excellent YA book about a 18 year old that just lost her father and moves from Texas to Michigan, and loves the guy across the street but there are complications. Excellent characters, and great use of slam poetry. This may be my favorite of the three. Have also become good Twitter friends with Colleen.

I know the Kindle has many detractors, but it provides an amazing start for authors to become discovered, and to get their words out there. These 3 books are just the start of how good Kindle books can be.

One of my favorites of last year was Simon Wood’s “The Fall Guy,” crime fiction about rearending the wrong guy (drug dealer) and then seeing how far down the rabbit hole you go.

So if you see something with a good review on Kindle, it sounds interesting, get a sample and try it out.

All of these books are incredibly cheap on Kindle.
Wool 1 is 99 cents (free right now) http://www.amazon.com/Wool-ebook/dp/B005FC52L0/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2

The Wool Omnibus $4.99; http://www.amazon.com/Wool-Omnibus-ebook/dp/B0071XO8RA/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329307431&sr=1-1

Post Human 99 cents; http://www.amazon.com/Post-Human-Trans-Human-ebook/dp/B006CVI6O8/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329307395&sr=1-1

Slammed $1.99; http://www.amazon.com/Slammed-ebook/dp/B006RUJST6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329307350&sr=1-1

Fall Guy $0.99. http://www.amazon.com/The-Fall-Guy-ebook/dp/B00427YO2W/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1329307170&sr=1-1
Try them out and tell me some of your favorites.

A Grandview

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High school cross country, 17, doing Indians up Grandview Hill, Skillman, NJ, September, 1991, brilliantly clear day.

In the front of the line jogging, in the back of the line sprinting to the front, interval work.

The top of the grandest hill in Montgomery. Under us, Johnson and Johnson, Skillman, maker of Depends and Baby Shampoo. In the distance the 2 Turnpike Towers of East Brunswick, NJ, Exit 9. Far out in the distance only visable on a very clear day, the 2 black towers over 1,000 feet high the World Trade Center, over 50 miles away in New York City.

Weekends, drives with parents, up to New York. Around the oil refinieries of Elizabeth and Newark, two towers in the distance through the Bayonne Bridge, shimmering in the light. Reminded that this will be a day for New York, of museums, often the American Museum of Natural History, of learning of fun. Of my mom and dad beaming with enjoyment, of IMAX, maybe to go to Uno’s on Columbus.

September, 2001, Claremont, CA … Brilliantly cool late summer morning, couch surfing after a weird summer. Awoken at 8am, the two towers fallen into dust. Thousands dead, millions/billions wounded in the heart, spirit, trust, fright. The southern gateposts of the great city of America gone.

A city shattered, a nation shattered, a world shattered. Willing to help, to take the grandview and rebuild the city, the heart, the spirit, the will, the trust.

Lost in yells of a “Patriot” act, wars if Afghanistan and even Iraq.

I wish we took the grandview.

Madman of fiction

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This is dedicated to Harlan Ellison

——————

Madman of fiction
Typing
Typewriter

Has to write
loves to write

Even in the army,
has a board,
a typewriter, sits in the far stall.

Writes,
creates,
loves words.

Finds people
crazy, absurd, bizarre.

Bullied, Cleveland, small, fights.

Writes, always writes
Short fiction, stories
A penny a word in New York in the 50s.

Crazy, visionary,
counter-culture, radical sex symbol.

Writing screenplays, novels, stories.

Pay the writer.

Always on a typewriter,
seeing the words form,
seeing the stories come.

Madman of fiction,
you will be remembered.

Keep Looking Up

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Keep Looking Up!

Was think of Jack Horkheimer yesterday walking around while I had my head looking up into the winter trees.

He did a short PBS show about naked eye astronomy originally called “Star Hustler” and then “Star Gazer.” Little videos about astronomy, and to “keep looking up.”

He died in August, 2010.

I always look up, sometimes with the peril of needing to look down for snow and ice. It’s even more powerful when you are in the woods and in nature and there is no concern about cars. It’s powerful to lay down and see the clouds, the stars, the moon, or just the trees of the flag swaying in the distance.

So keep looking up!

————————-

While on the topic of astronomy, I also want to talk about one of my favorite podcasts, which is easily one of the most beautiful. The Hubblecast: http://www.spacetelescope.org/videos/archive/category/hubblecast

These are beautiful images deep into space, with a conversational style. Beautiful and highly recommended.

So let yourself wonder, let yourself wander. Look up, see the stars, the clouds, the trees. Remember now matter how much we pretend to be adults, there is always a child inside wanting to play.

Play, enjoy, create, feel the wonder of our infinite universe or even universes.

Whitney Houston 1963-2012

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This is tough news.

So much talent, so, so much talent.

A voice that commanded attention, a style and presence that commanded attention.

She had such an amazing start, in 1985 with the amazing debut album “Whitney Houston.” I was only 11 years old.

I grew up on jazz, and enjoyed soul, enjoyed the blues, and remember hearing the “Greatest Love of All” and feeling touched. I even sang it in HS homeroom chorus at Montgomery HS.

"Greatest Love of All"

I loved her presence, her gospel roots, her old soul at only 22. So much talent, so much promise so much potential.

The fun pop album “Whitney”, the huge success of “The Bodyguard,” unlimited potential.

Drugs, a tough marriage to Bobby Brown, a woman who looked like a shadow of herself.

I expected a comeback, an epic comeback, a resurgence with depth from a tough life lived.

My heart hurts today .. and here is the amazing Johnny Cash song “Hurt”
Johnny Cash "Hurt"

I wanted to see “One Moment in Time” where Whitney Houston again lived up to her outrageous potential.
"One Moment in TIme"

Most of all I wish she had a “Satisfied Mind” and was able to live a longer and richer life.
Satisfied Mind

Rest in peace, Whitney Houston, I hope your afterlife gives you the peace your life on this planet did not.

We love you.