Last Chance to Enter

My book giveaway drawing will be held October 1st. What time? Well, when I wake up and have my first cup of coffee.

Post a comment to enter or email your addy to me. Anyone in the draw at (say) noon or so will have a shot at winning a copy of "Tales of a Texas Boy" or "First Duty."

Now, if you have no idea what these books are and just happened to stumble on this blog, you can still enter. My curiosity is piqued. How many people pay attention to the places I list this great give-away opportunity? Damned few, it seems.

Here's your last shot to get a freebie from me until I become a "famous" author. This is a reward for people who wander by or know me. Are you one?

Spotlight on Books - Horror, Mystery, Suspense

Again, Dianne Salerni provides a great list of books to read. Past monthly spotlight pages are available via links at the bottom of the page.

October's focus is (what else?) Horror, Mystery, and Suspense. This month, the spotlight features books by Laurie Pooler-Pelayo, ChristyTillery-French, Rhiannon Frater, Steven Payette, Mary Clay, Marilyn Meredith, and Lesli Richardson, as well as two anthologies -- onewhich features Marva Dasef as an author, and one which was publishedby Michael Katz.

http://www.highspiritsbook.com/Spotlight.htm

PODCast of a little Eddie story

One of the stories from Tales of a Texas Boy is on YA Lit Review in living sound! The reader did a great job, and the music is cool, too.

Take a few minutes to listen at YA Lit Review - Out of the Chicken Coop

Free Book

Everybody is giving away free books. Hey, methinks, why not? I'm going to try one of the giveaway lotteries. So, just post a message here begging for a book. I'll throw everybody's name into a virtual hat and pick a winner. I'll contact you for your mailing address, and send off a free copy of "Tales of a Texas Boy" OR "First Duty." Your choice. So leave your book pick in the comment and let's see what happens.The drawing is open to any country. Shudder. I hope postage isn't too much, but I'll foot the bill. I promise. And I won't cheat on the drawing to get a US winner.

I'm going to post this same note on LiveJournal, MySpace, and my blog as well. However, only one entry per person please. I might decide to give away more than one. Maybe two, or three, or four, or ?

Article by Bryan Catherman

My friend, Bryan Catherman, is a writer. He's found his niche in non-fiction. This article appears in the current (Summer) issue of the November 3rd Club on-line magazine. It presents political articles and stories from all points of view.

When a Republican Goes to War - by Bryan Catherman

Bryan Catherman was a moderate-Republican who went to war. Now, after looking into the eyes of the Republican agenda, he’s found himself moving left. He’s previously published nonfiction articles with The Salt Lake Realtor, Burnside Writer's Collective and Rocky Mountain Sports Magazine. His fiction has appeared online, in print, and even as a professionally recorded audio short-story. He contributed a chapter to the book Letters From the Front Lines: Iraq and Afghanistan, and has recently contributed to a book forthcoming from Tyndale House Publishers. In addition, KUER, a National Public Radio affiliate, recently recorded and aired an editorial he wrote about the Veteran's Affairs Mental Health
shortfall.

Fleeting Fame

It was cool to notice that one of my "Tales of a Texas Boy" editions got #1 on the Amazon list of Books/Large Print/Short Stories and Poetry. As I write this, it's still up at #5. At the same time, my other Large Print edition (yes, there are two) was ranked at #6 on Books/Large Print/Lit and Fiction.

Having two of my editions high on the ranking search lists at the same time makes me feel like J.K. Rowling or Stephenie Meyer. Hey, I got my rankings not from being a "you must read this or you will die" popularity, but from the good old public finding my book and thinking it would be okay to buy a copy or two.

Not having any big publicity and advance buzz, I'm satisfied with this. People will find Tales and they'll enjoy reading it. I know this like I know the sun will rise tomorrow. Heck, I'm so sure of this, I'll refund your purchase price if you buy Tales and don't like it. Just leave me a comment or email me at mdasef@clearwire.net. You want to read it and get your money back even if you liked it? I'm cool with that. After all, I don't have to live in your head, just my own.

A Happy Reader Speaks

First Duty - available at The Genre Mall.

Al Past, author of the Distant Cousin Series, read my little scifi book, "First Duty" and sent me a mini review. It's nice when somebody likes a book enough to tell the author. Thanks, Al!

Nyra Hutchings, ambitious daughter of low-level working-class parents on a dead end mining planet, manages to join the Space Service, the military arm of IncPlan, the all-controlling governing entity of the 23-planet federation. It doesn't take her long to realize the authoritarian nature of the regime, and to learn of active bodies of resisters determined to overthrow it. As she awakens to her people's bleak plight, her sympathy for the rebels grows until she finally joins them. The conclusion of this slightly young adult novel leaves plenty room for sequels, as the struggle is only beginning.

Those young people who enjoy science fiction, especially the sort with implications for today's society, should enjoy this story, and perhaps be eager for further developments.

Al Past
Author of the Distant Cousin series