Saturday, December 24, 2011

Simple Fruits

Simple Fruits is a colorful children's picture book for ages 0 to 5. It has twelve original drawings of a variety of familiar fruits including an apple, banana, and pear, along with some fun facts. The pictures are simple, colorful, and perfect for young children to enjoy with a grown-up. Simple Fruits is available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.


Monday, December 19, 2011

Simple Monsters

Simple Monsters is a colorful children's picture book for ages 0 to 5. It has twelve original illustrations of silly monsters and each is accompanied by a funny verse similar to the literary nonsense of Lewis Carroll. It is available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

All About the Sun

My daughter Hazel has written and illustrated a new children's science book called All About the Sun. It is for ages 6 to 12 and features over twenty full color illustrations surrounded by neat facts about our nearest and dearest star - the sun.

You can buy it on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Saturday, November 19, 2011

New Covers for Children's Books

It was time to update the book covers for my Simple series of children's books. My originals were pretty plain and uninspired, so I tried to jazz them up a bit. So, here they are. I like them much better than before, although I might still tweak them again.

Saturday, October 29, 2011

Baby's First Sports Released


I'm excited to announce another young children's picture book to help parents teach their babies all the important concepts of life. Sports can help children learn critical skills including problem solving, social interaction, and exercise.

The book is called Baby's First Sports. It is a colorful children's picture book for ages 0 to 3 and has twelve original drawings of the most important equipment of many sports - the ball.

It is available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Saturday, October 22, 2011

Simple Numbers Released

Simple Numbers is a colorful children's picture book for ages 0 to 3. It has eleven original pictures for the numbers zero through ten. It is a simple counting book to enjoy with young readers and available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Sunday, October 9, 2011

Halloween Books FTW (For The Win)

Halloween is such a great holiday. Besides the costumes, decorations, and treats, I love the abundance of good scary stories. My favorite books to read around this time are short stories. Here are some of the short story books I have on my to-read list for this month. I've already finished some of them, but I have a feeling I'll end up recommending them all. If you are looking for some good short stories, check these out - just make sure they are age appropriate for the intended reader.

Never Kick a Ghost by Judy Sierra
Scary Stories for Halloween Nights by C.B. Colby et al
Scary Stories illustrated by Barry Moser, authors et al
Attack of the Vampire Weenies by David Lubar
All Hallows' Eve by Vivian Vande Velde
The August House Book of Scary Stories edited by Liz Parkhurst
More Bones retold by Arielle Olson and Howard Schwartz
Bloody Horowitz by Anthony Horowitz

Obviously, this is just a small list of the thousands of great Halloween-related books out there. No matter what you pick, I hope you enjoy this wonderful holiday!

Saturday, September 10, 2011

Trio of Baby Books Released

This week has been a whirlwind. I was fortunate enough to publish three new picture books for young children and their parents.

Simple Animals, Simple Shapes, and You're My Baby all have original illustrations and simple language to make the books enjoyable for everyone.

You're My Baby just received a 5-star review on Smashwords. Maranda Russell writes, "Great little picture book for only 99 cents! Nice flowing verse, cute little illustrations and adorable photos of babies. I really liked how the author included pictures of babies and their parents from all different ethnic backgrounds."

All three baby books are available on Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Granny Gruesome - Nursery Rhymes to Terrify Children

Remember those fun and simple Mother Goose nursery rhymes from your childhood? They were usually accompanied by cute pictures of dogs and cats making cookies and dancing.

Well, no more! It's time to get gruesome!

There are over thirty illustrations full of dark humor and craziness - just perfect for teens and older who appreciate something wicked.

My new book Granny Gruesome - Nursery Rhymes to Terrify Children is now available in Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords formats.

Friday, September 2, 2011

Star Trek - The Original Series is still awesome!

I remember watching a few episodes of Star Trek, (now suffixed with "The Original Series") here and there as I was growing up. Being so young, I doubt I understood what the story lines were about or the deep, rich history and die-hard fans that it created, but boy do I remember being entertained. The graphics and special effects seem a little crude today, but they were amazing to me back then. So, with an opportunity this past week to introduce Captain Kirk, Mr. Spock, and the rest of the Enterprise crew to my children, we dove into the first few episodes of Season One and loved it. My kids, as well as myself, enjoyed the diverse stories, interesting characters, and familiarity of well-known catch-phrases. "I'm a doctor, Jim, not a (insert whatever)!" and "I'm giving you all the power she has, Captain." and all their variations are great fun in the moment. We are about half way through the first season, and knowing full well there are only three, we will take our time and cherish them.

Of course, then there are the movies and other TV series...oh, and books...lots and lots of books...

Saturday, August 20, 2011

Masters of Doom

I just finished Masters of Doom: How Two Guys Created an Empire and Transformed Pop Culture The author David Kushner does a great job of combining his many years of research and interviews into a great book. Besides being extremely entertaining and full of insightful and interesting tidbits about two famous game makers, this book made me smile and remember back to my early video game days. When John Carmack and John Romero were brainstorming, creating, and delivering their massive hits like Wolfenstein 3-D and Doom, I was busy playing and modifying them. I don't think I ever grew into a fanatic and played them nonstop for hours every day like some fans, but looking back I can absolutely remember the great time I had with all their games.

These guys were pioneers. I was born in early 1980, so I was the perfect age to witness the advancement in PC graphics and game genres and game design that id Software created and perfected. They were the main reason for a renaissance and rebirth in the PC gaming industry. They made fun, inventive games and showcased outstanding graphics that no one else had figured out how to do at the time. This book is an easy-going read that was hard to put down. Absolutely a must read story for anyone interested in PC games, programming, and game companies.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Fun Book for Adults - Five Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth

I found a book at my local library that I had never heard of before, but the title sounded neat and the cover art was funny...so I checked it out. Once at my house, I started to read this book called 5 Very Good Reasons to Punch a Dolphin in the Mouth (And Other Useful Guides) and couldn't put it down until I was finished. It is hilarious, edgy, and intelligent - but only for adults. Kids shouldn't read this book as it is definitely intended for mature audiences. The funny drawings and dialogue combined with interesting historical and scientific facts makes this book hard to put down. It is tough to describe the book. Essentially, the book is like Seinfeld - it is about "nothing" and "everything" at the same time. The comic titled "Why it's better to pretend you don't know anything about computers" is especially dear to my heart and hauntingly true to life. This is one of those books where you wish you had written it. The author doesn't know it, but he and I are kindred spirits.

Thursday, July 28, 2011

Did you like the movie Rango?

My family and I watched the movie Rango today. We all enjoyed the film, and I thought it was unique and hilarious. Of course, if you enjoyed Rango you will also enjoy Bloated Goat Both stories are full of wacky characters and off-the-wall humor, sometimes pushing the envelope as a children's black comedy. Seeing Rango's beautiful animation made me pine for a day when Bloated Goat will get the same treatment. It would be amazing to see Cocky Doodle, Granny Hammy, Crazy Ned, Maxine, and all the others up on the big screen in all their dysfunctional glory. Any producers out there interested?

Tuesday, July 19, 2011

Jack Reacher - Super Hero Extraordinaire

I finished another great Jack Reacher book the other day. Lee Child, the author, really knows how to put together an interesting, believable plot for his (super) hero Jack Reacher to get tangled up in. Nothing to Lose is the 12th book in the series and doesn't fail to entertain. This time Reacher gets involved in a small Colorado town that goes to great lengths to hide their mysterious business and church dealings. Of course, they make the mistake of kicking Reacher out of town which is probably the worst thing they could have done.

I can't wait to read the next book, and luckily, there are a few more before I get caught up.  Child is releasing book 16 later this year.

Jack Reacher is an everyman's hero. He is like a human Superman, if that makes sense. If you haven't heard about Reacher yet, then you need to start. They are perfect for anyone who loves action, adventure, and mystery with several strategic punches thrown in. Definitely start with the first book, Killing Floor ...you'll be hooked on Reacher for life.

You can learn much more at Lee Child's website.

Friday, July 8, 2011

Videogame Book Review

I recently finished a book called All Your Base Are Belong to Us written by Harold Goldberg. It is an interesting look at how the videogame industry has gone through various growing pains and technological changes to become the monster money maker it is today. I thoroughly enjoyed the inside stories from people and companies who were directly involved with the iconic games and systems we all know and love. The writing was easy to follow and the stories and quotes were entertaining. The author does a good job of pulling material from reliable sources and first person accounts. I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who enjoys videogames and wants to know more about the history of their favorite companies, games, and systems.

Sunday, June 26, 2011

4-Star Review on Amazon

Bloated Goat just received its 17th review on Amazon.com.

Reviewer Malay<3sia had these nice things to say, "If you enjoy juvenile humor, you will undoubtedly enjoy this book. With its laugh-out-loud moments, corny humor, and zany cast of characters, this story is like reading a cartoon that comes to life in your head. Some of these characters will stay with me for a very long time."

This review brought a knowing smile to my face. While writing the rough draft and creating the initial characters for Bloated Goat, I was amazed at how easy it was for me to visualize the crazy scenes unfolding. It was just like watching a great cartoon in my head, so it's wonderful to find someone else who feels the same way.

Monday, June 13, 2011

5-Star Review on Amazon

Bloated Goat received a new 5-star review on Amazon recently.


Grannyreader writes, "I read this with my Granddaughter and thoroughly enjoyed it. It was a bit mischevious and absurd, but funny and it was lovely to hear my Granddaughter laugh so much. Fun stuff. I recommend it to everyone for a cheeky giggle."


Hmm...I wonder if Grannyreader is related to Granny Hammy?

Sunday, June 5, 2011

Isaac Asimov Autobiography

I.Asimov: A Memoir is a touching, intimate look into one of the greatest scientific and creative minds ever to grace this fair planet. Written shortly before Isaac passed away (and edited by his faithful wife Janet), the various stories took me through a roller coaster of emotions. Never at a loss for words, the book totals more than 500 pages (and none of it is boring). He just has a way with words that makes it so easy to follow his thoughts, dialogue, and feelings on far too many topics to mention here. The memoir is technically his third autobiography with the the first two coming two decades earlier. It is only fitting for the most prolific and relevant author of the 20th century to have three autobiographies. This book is absolutely a must read for any science fiction or Asimov fan. It is full of wonderfully funny, thoughtful, and poignant observations over the 72 years of his interesting life. My only regret is not having read it earlier, and of course, not being able to meet him in person. Alas, he passed away when I was only 12 years old. Rest well, Isaac Asimov...you deserve it.

Monday, May 23, 2011

New Cover Art for Bloated Goat

I'm very excited about these new changes to Bloated Goat.

1. Brand new cover art.

2. Newly updated text now totaling over 20,000 words.

3. Even funnier than before.

Wednesday, May 4, 2011

More Bloated Goat Reviews

Bloated Goat received two great reviews recently. The first one is from Amazon, and the second is from Barnes and Noble Book Clubs.

1. "I've been reading The Bloated Goat on the subway to and from work for the past few days. It got to be really embarrassing because I would be sitting there cackling like a crazy train lady amid the silent, serious strap-hangers. I am going to read it again, just to relish some of my favorite ridiculous moments. Mr. Peterson's silly turn of phrase is effortless, and seems to emit from a genuinely funny person, not just someone trying to be funny for posterity. I was impressed with the diverse cast of characters; sometimes a lot of characters can be hard to follow, but they were all so distinct and original, linked together with a common thread of madness and hilarity. I loved every one of them. After a stressful night at work, I always looked forward to reading a few more pages of this story about friends, feathers and flatulence."

2. "Just finished this book. Not so sure it is suitable for kids per se -- maybe pre-teens and up -- because of the hilarious, convoluted story line. This was a fun book to read. I especially enjoyed the heroic, yet loopy, Maxine. Maybe her friends can invest in a pair of eyeglasses. Crazy Ned was a riot, too. Thanks for the laughs, Manley. Well done."

Saturday, April 30, 2011

Bloated Goat Sales - 7 Months

Well, here are my current sales numbers for Bloated Goat after roughly 7 months. This includes Kindle, Nook, and Smashwords. I'm very happy to have passed 350 sales, but as you can see, my sales have really dropped off from the holiday rush of December/January. I think I have a few negatives going for me:

1. Until a week ago, I only had one book for sale. The second being a short story collaboration called Twelve Worlds. This limits my exposure, and makes it easy for Bloated Goat to fall off the rankings.
2. Bloated Goat is a children's book, which I have found doesn't sell as well as other fiction in the e-book world.
3. My book cover isn't professionally done. It was created by my wonderful daughter and I love it. It justs seems raw and cute and perfect for the story. But, I'm sure some readers would look at that and pass it over.


Sunday, April 24, 2011

The Father of Robots

I've been on a big Isaac Asimov kick lately. I had read all of Asimov's Foundation (Foundation Novels) series about ten years ago and remember thoroughly enjoying them. As I was looking at my bookshelf a few days ago, I happened upon my stash of Asimov Robot books which I hadn't read yet. So, flash forward a few days and I've already finished Caves of SteelThe Naked Sun, and I'm halfway through The Complete Robot. It is so amazing to see how well these science fiction stories (that he created over 50 years ago) still hold up.

So, to carry on the tradition of entertaining stories, you can enjoy new science fiction and fantasy in Twelve Worlds. With all author proceeds going to charity, I'm sure Asimov would have approved.

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Saturday, April 16, 2011

Twelve Worlds Anthology Available Now

I have a fantasy short story called Incubators appearing in an e-book called Twelve Worlds (science fiction and fantasy anthology). It is available on Kindle for $2.99 and coming soon to other formats. Author royalties will be donated to the Reading is Fundamental charity. There are more than a dozen stories totaling over 80,000 words.

Twelve Worlds (science fiction and fantasy anthology)

Sunday, April 10, 2011

Non-Fiction YA Book - Scams!

My daughter brought home a non-fiction young adult book from the library a few days ago called Scams! (True Stories from the Edge). It had an interesting War of the Worlds cover image, so I thought I'd give it a little look-see. Well, within a few minutes I was enthralled, and a  few hours later, I was done reading it. The book is full of exciting and unique true stories about the world's greatest scam artists - deceivers who pull off the most fantastic plots and the mass of people that fall for it. I really like stories of this nature, and the author, Andres Schroeder, has produced a well-written and entertaining book. There are several more books in the series, and I can't wait to check them out.

Monday, April 4, 2011

Blog Redesign and Info

Well, I'm celebrating my 31st birthday with a new blog design. I hope you like the new banner graphic and color scheme. I think it is much better than the stark white and baby blue of yesteryear.

I'm in the middle of writing a few different stories right now, so I hope to have something published by this summer. Both are middle grade books and feature crazy characters - which is starting to become my M.O.

Also, I have a fantasy short story called Incubators coming out in the Twelve Worlds Anthology e-book sometime this month.  All proceeds going to charity. I'll have more details closer to launch.

Saturday, March 26, 2011

Two Recent Reviews for Bloated Goat

I always feel so lucky when Bloated Goat receives reviews. I know I'm just one author out of millions in the world, but I do feel special when people take the time to write gracious words about my stories. Here are two recent reviews of Bloated Goat that made me smile:


1. By Nicole MacDonald: "I LOVED this story! The best laugh I've had for .99c period. I don't know if this book could be fully appreciated by a child without an adult helping them. I do however think this would be a truly awesome book for English teachers to use in aiding them for teaching kids a variety of writing techniques. I absolutely HAVE to insist you read the sample chapter!! I've been driving my husband nuts for the last few nights I read this due to all my shrieking and cackling at it. It's a fantastically ridiculous adventure and the author has great fun mocking the heck out of those writing 'rules' we love to hate. This book doesn't pretend to be anymore than what it is and utterly succeeds in its goal. Or rather, by the end of this book (and through out it) I was ROTFLMAO ; p 

It hit every note for me and I give it 5 stars. Trust me, read the sample chapter you'll be hitting the one click button by the time you finish it ' This is a short, sweet and down right hilarious story. Bravo to the author!"


2. By Jaidis Shaw: "Who knew a book with the title Bloated Goat could be so hilarious! Written for grades 8 and up, Bloated Goat by Manley Peterson is a giggle inducing ride from start to finish. When Cocky Doodle's friend, Bloated Goat, is found in a ditch with Xs for eyes, Cocky is heart-broken. In an attempt to make things right, Cocky asks Granny Hammy to help him take Bloated Goat back to his homeland for a proper burial. To thicken the plot, Mr. Peterson has thrown in some very unique characters, who happen to want Bloated Goat for various reasons. A nearly blind skunk steals Bloated Goat and marries him because of his aroma. A rat pack wants Bloated Goat as their prized possession. Not to mention some partying elephants bring to light the questions of why did the chicken cross the road. With each page I found myself laughing more and more. I don't know if it was my lack of sleep, or maybe just my warped sense of humor (which is the direction I'm leaning in) but this book is one that I will enjoy reading to my daughter. If you are anything like me and love hearing your child squeal in delight, then reading them Bloated Goat is definitely the way to go! Like all great children's books, Bloated Goat ends on a happy note. I am only left with two questions. My first is if there are plans to make this into a print version? I would love to see a print edition with pictures added to make reading it even more enjoyable. My second is, where does one go to find an abominable snow kitten? :)"


So, thanks again to everyone who leaves reviews. I appreciate your time and thoughts.

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Twelve Worlds Anthology for Charity

Great Short Stories? Check!

Great Authors? Check!

Money for Charity? Check!

Twelve Worlds is an e-book anthology of science fiction and fantasy short stories by more than a dozen authors, including yours truly. Twelve Worlds will be available in early April 2011 for $2.99 in all e-book formats. All the money will be going to charity. Stay tuned for more information.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Roald Dahl Super Happy Fun Time

I recently finished a really good book written by the legendary Roald Dahl. It is called The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar Plus Six More. It is a short story collection with some real gems. Besides four exciting fictional stories, Roald Dahl includes three interesting non-fiction stories: one about real buried treasure, one about his airplane being shot down in war time, and one about how he became a writer. This story, which he titled "Lucky Break" is a humorous and endearing look at how and why Roald Dahl started writing stories. Did you know that Walt Disney bought rights to his first children's story called The Gremlins? There are lots of great facts and insights into the early beginnings of one of the greatest writers of all time. Honestly, I had never even heard about this book until my daughter showed it to me a few weeks ago. Apparently, there are quite a few Dahl books I haven't read yet. So, onto the next one!

Saturday, March 5, 2011

Bloated Goat - Free on Smashwords

Smashwords is having a huge e-book sale and promotional event during March 6 to March 12, 2011.

If you would like to get a free copy of Bloated Goat on Smashwords, just click on this link Bloated Goat and enter coupon code: RAE50.

Enjoy!

Saturday, February 19, 2011

300 Sales Milestone


Bloated Goat recently passed 300 total sales and 10 reviews. I would like to thank everyone who has purchased, read, or sampled my story. I hope you have enjoyed it.

Wednesday, February 16, 2011

Indie Books Blog

It is always nice when fellow authors offer to promote indie books on their website. Scott Nicholson's Indie Books Blog is featuring Bloated Goat today. I am very grateful, so please head on over there and check out Scott's wonderful books, too.

Saturday, February 12, 2011

Thursday, February 10, 2011

Batman Graphic Novels

I'll be 31-years-old in a few months, but I still feel like a kid at Christmas whenever a new Batman graphic novel comes out. The stories and artwork keep getting better and better. I love Superman, Justice League, X-men, Hulk, and various other DC and Marvel series, but for me, it always comes back to Batman.

The latest one I finished was Batman: Dead to Rights. It was excellent and a wonderful new take on Batman and the Joker's initial meeting. If you are fan of Batman, you should check it out.

Thursday, February 3, 2011

Current Bloated Goat Sale Figures

I thought it would be fun to tally me bananas...ah, I mean, show the current sales figures for Bloated Goat.

(Click for Larger Image)

So, as you can see, Bloated Goat seems to be losing ground on the Kindle and gaining ground on the NOOK.

I'm not sure what to make of this. I am self-promoting weekly on various forums that target Kindle and NOOK.

My only guess is that as my Kindle sales have fallen off, my rank has plummeted, and now Bloated Goat is tougher to find on Amazon. Similarly, as my NOOK sales have taken off, my rank has risen, and now Bloated Goat is easier to find on Barnes and Noble.

For February, the recent trend is holding...4 sales all on NOOK.

What will the future bring?

Sunday, January 30, 2011

Bloated Goat Review on Booklopedia Blog

Cleo from Booklopedia was gracious enough to review Bloated Goat and give it 4 stars. She found it hilarious and original. You can read the whole wonderful review RIGHT HERE.

Indie eBook Hall of Fame

Bloated Goat is listed on the Indie eBook Hall of Fame blog, under the young adult category. Here is the link: Bloated Goat on Hall of Fame

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Multiple Stories

I'm working on multiple stories and plots right now, varying from novel to short story size. I have the big ones listed on the right side of the site under Works in Progress.

Working on so many at one time is a double-edged sword. I feel great having several stories to tell, but it takes enormous patience and brain power to keep them all separate and organized in my head.

What's that? You think I should write stuff down so I don't have to remember it all?

Hey, why didn't I think of that?  Thanks!

Sunday, January 23, 2011

Gratuitous Non-Book Post

This will be a rare segue from my normal book posts, but I just gotta say how exciting it is to see the Green Bay Packers going to the Superbowl.

What a season!

I've had about fifteen almost-aneurisms during the season and none more stressful than the latest Packers-Bears NFC Championship game.


Thanks guys for such a wonderful season...one more game to go!

Saturday, January 22, 2011

The Hunger Games - Finished

Well, I finished The Hunger Games last night. What a ride. I really liked it a lot. While reading the story I felt parts of it were familiar, and after awhile, I think it was because it reminded me of Stephen King's The Long Walk...which I loved, too.

The book left me wanting more, obviously, since it ends one story arc but fails to resolve the main one. Which, I guess, is why there is a book two and three. I've already ordered book two, so we'll see how that goes.

I'm definitely glad I read it. I'm not sure what age range it is marketed to, but I wouldn't let anybody under thirteen read it due to the violence and adult subject matter.

Thursday, January 20, 2011

The Hunger Games

Yes, I know...I've come late to the party. Everyone has heard about or read The Hunger Games before me. What can I say? I live in my own bubble.

I just picked it up at the library yesterday and I'm about 30 pages into it. So far, I like it. The story is interesting, the characters are compelling, and the writing is real. Even better, I'm excited to finally have another book to read. I had been in a book drought for over a week.

Monday, January 17, 2011

Awesome 5-star Review for Bloated Goat

This review had me smiling so hard it hurt my face. I really appreciate it when someone takes the time to leave such wonderful thoughts. Here is the review from Amazon:

"If you enjoy wild, zany humor, unfettered creativity and hysterical literary asides, this book is for you! The writing style is very unique, and the whole concept for the story is completely original. This book will really appeal to kids who enjoy Lemony Snickett ("A Series of Unfortunate Events") and adults who want a ridiculous, family-friendly story to read to younger kids. My 11 and 13 year old children laughed out loud many times while reading this, as did I.

To give you an idea of the writing style, here's the opening paragraph, "The forest is full of many wonderful and zany creatures, each with amazing personalities, entertaining stories to share, and timeless memories to relive. Unfortunately, dear reader, those animals command very high salaries and unreasonable dressing room requests, so instead, you get stuck with the animals in this story..."

Go ahead and spend $.99 to find out what happens to these crazy "underpaid" characters! What have you got to lose? This book is pure fun."

Friday, January 14, 2011

Doug TenNapel

Have you read any of Doug TenNapel's graphic novels? Do you like humor? Do you like action? Do you like tight plots? Do you like strange, unexplainable characters and situations that make you think to yourself, "Now, why the heck didn't I think of that?"

If so, then you need to check out his works. I've read Creature Tech GNEarthboy Jacobus Graphic NovelTommysaurus Rex, and Iron West recently.

They are all fantastic. Check them out at his website here:  www.tennapel.com

Wednesday, January 12, 2011

4-Star Review from The Book Blog

I'm happy to announce Bloated Goat has received another good review. Shaynie from The Book Blog wrote some very kind words and did a great job summarizing parts of the story that even I have trouble doing. Isn't that crazy? And I wrote it.

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

Derek J Canyon's Adventures in ePublishing

There is an interesting blog I follow called Adventures in ePublishing written by Derek J Canyon. I found it sometime over the last three months when I was researching and planning to release Bloated Goat on Kindle. I feel very fortunate that I did, because Derek's posts about his own self-publishing journey have been refreshing, insightful, and entertaining. He makes the data easy to understand using various charts and he leaves no stone unturned when trying to squeeze every bit of insight out of what is working and what is not. If you haven't found his blog yet - do yourself a favor and check it out.

Sunday, January 9, 2011

Spalding's Racket

Bloated Goat is featured over on Spalding's Racket blog today. Nick Spalding runs a pretty neat blog over there, and I'm glad I found it a few weeks ago. It features all kinds of great indie books. I'm happy to have Bloated Goat front and center over there...even if it's only for a few hours.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

3-Star Review for Bloated Goat

Just yesterday I received my first 3-star review for Bloated Goat from The IEMommy Blog. That initially saddened me, until I started thinking more about the words and intent in the review. I won't post the whole thing here as you can read it on the Bloated Goat product page, but here is a partial:

"Hmmmm? Yep, that's pretty much how I am going to sum up this book....because I am not really sure where to go with this review. I have to remind myself that this is a book for tweens and therefore I might be missing some of the humor because I am too well, old! Simply put and matter of fact. While I have read many tween, kids and YA titles this one was quite a bit different. If you enjoy comedy such as Police Academy, Monty Python and the Simpsons...you just may enjoy this book."

So, a day later, I am feeling better. And I realized that the quote "If you enjoy comedy such as Police Academy, Monty Python and the Simpsons...you just may enjoy this book." is a very positive endorsement. Apparently, the reviewer doesn't think those three shows are funny, but obviously millions of other people do.

So, I learned or reaffirmed these thoughts: This reviewer didn't get my humor. That's okay. This reviewer didn't give me a stellar rating. That's okay. This reviewer is entitled to her opinion. That's okay (duh).

My skin just got a little thicker. I'm going to continue to write what I want to read.

Friday, January 7, 2011

Another Nice Review for Bloated Goat

Yvonne from Socrates' Book Review Blog has reviewed Bloated Goat. She liked the story and gave it 4 cats (that's a good thing). You can read her review HERE.

Bloated Goat for $.99

I would like to introduce you to my new middle grade children's book called Bloated Goat.

It is a unique fantasy story suitable for ages 8 and up and full of humorous, light-hearted adventure that you and your children will love. Crazy characters like Cocky Doodle and Granny Hammy are thrown into wacky situations like skunk weddings and giant mushroom feasts. If you loved the laugh out loud humor, strange characters, and fantasy atmosphere of Shrek and Alice's Adventures in Wonderland, you will love Bloated Goat.

Check out these links for reviews and more:

Thursday, January 6, 2011

Welcome

Hello Everyone,

This is my first post on my first real website. And no, I don't count that ridiculously silly one I made in college that was full of Street Fighter and Megaman GIFs and sappy love poems.

This will be my little corner of the Internet where I can shovel my wares (that's merchant talk for "please buy my books") and talk about whatever else I want to.

Thanks and happy reading!