Nice ride!
Mood:  a-ok
Well I took a great trip from Florida to Nevada on my motorcycle last week. The journey totaled 2375 miles and covered Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Texas, Arizona, New Mexico and Nevada. I crossd the Nevada state line at the new Boulder Dam bridge peeling with sunburn, feet swollen and lips bleeding with windburn. It was great! Typically I covered between 500 and 600 miles each day taking breaks about every hour as is my custom. Getting soaked in the Florda Panhandle on the first day did not bode well, but I soon was air dried as I cranked up the throttle in Alabama. By the time I reached Mississippi I was warm and dry. The following day I crossed from Louisiana into Texas under threatening skies, but experianced only a few drops of rain eventually passing San Antonio under a hot afternoon sun. From that point on it was hot and dry. Great ride!

Traveling!
Mood:  a-ok

Wow! I didn't realize how long it had been since my last blog entry! Sorry... A lot has happened over the last several weeks. "Bikers Got Culture!" is now available all over the world in online book stores throughout Europe, Asia, Australia, and South America. I've had some pretty good reviews from folks a really respect and comments from readers that are most gratifying.

 Sometimes with the writing and working and life in general, I get lost in it all. This next week I'll be making an attempt to get back on course by taking a good long trip on the bike... I'll be riding from Florida to Nevada over a period of about a week, 2400 miles. This should be a soul cleaning experiance and I trust will lead to... you guessed it, more writing!

In researching my rout I looked up helmet laws in the states I will be traversing and discovered a great map of the U.S with the states color coded and linked to further information on each in turn as to their requirements for head gear. Fast Fred's Keyak and Motorcycle E-Zine is a biker friendly website and has made the information readily available... all you have to do is click.

Promotion!
Mood:  a-ok

I continue to promote "Bikers Got Culture!" through press releases, emails and "cyber door knocking." I've sent messages either through online forms or emails to nearly 100 bloggers and magazines in an effort to gain more exposure. A couple of very popular blogs have picked up the story I'm happy to say!

 

It’s amazing how many news sources are out there now. In the early days there were but a few motorcycle sites online and just about anyone with a dial up connection could have a relatively major online presence. Today the “little guys” can still have a big impact but there is a lot more competition out there. One must network within the network with Google+, Twitter, Facebook and other social networking sites if you’re going to optimize your online presence.

 

Meanwhile I’ll just plug away with my little book. I received my first consumer comment on the book last night and I’m pleased to report it was wonderful. When I put “Bikers Got Culture!” together it was with the intent to publish a book of poetry that would appeal to everyone, the non-rider, the rider, the poetry enthusiast and the person who simply has no interest in either. Looks like I did that. Humor tends to have a following no matter what your background or interest and while this book my not be a “side splitter” from Dave Berry, it is certainly well worth the read.  

 

Well, it’s time to leave the keyboard for a while and get to work on other issues… the yard for starters!

Exposure is a good thing!
Mood:  a-ok

Slowly but surely the new book “Bikers Got Culture!” receives more and more exposure. It is now available online at Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble. B&N is offering the book at 19% off putting the price at a few cents over $20.00. Make $25.00 worth of purchases and get free shipping!

 

I’m attempting to line up interviews and reviews about the book and expect some success in that effort. It’s not easy to get the word out about such things but I do know a few folks who are willing to help. If you like the book or would like to see a degree of success, you can always link to it though Facebook, GooglePlus LinkedIn or other social network you may be active with.

 

One of the joys in writing poetry is the sharing and I was fortunate to see Thunder Roads in Florida recently post my poem Ride of the Fall on their website. It’s a nice piece and I’ve heard some good things about it. Check them out if you have the chance. Thunder Roads is a good local publication for the Florida motorcycle scene.

It's Alive!
Mood:  celebratory

Well, “Bikers Got Culture!” is now available. PublishAmerica has placed the book with their new releases in their online catalog. The official release date for the book is March 19, 2012. At that time it will be available online at Amazon, Barns & Noble and Books-a-Million. The final book contains 127 numbered pages of some truly unique biker poetry.  Interestingly, it has been placed in the Humor section rather than the poetry section. I’m actually quite happy with that. For one thing books of poetry don’t sell as well as books of humor; secondly, slipping a book of poetry into the humor section is akin to “stealth poetry.”  Yeah… I like that. My fondest wish for this book is that it will break that barrier of popularity between poetry and other forms of literature.  If you like a good chuckle I think you’ll like this book. I hope much of the material will appeal to even those folks who know little of the biker lifestyle.

Bikers Got Culture!
Mood:  celebratory

The cover for the new book is in, and looks great... other than my ugly mug pretty much covering it. It's a great cover though and the publisher did a wonderful job. They also sent me the PDF of the book for my review and editing. It had a few errors but was pretty good. I sent the changes to them and should see the finished product very soon. The book will have 130 pages, is roughly 5.5” X 8.5” in size and looks pretty good. Once published it will be available through Amazon, Barns & Noble and electronically for the Kindle and Nook. Shoppers will also be able to order it through there local book store and the publisher. As this develops I’ll post more information on it. Needless to say I’m very excited about the upcoming release!

Merry Christmas!
Mood:  a-ok
It's already Christmas on the east coast, but here we still have three and a half hours. So, on this chilly Christmas Eve, I wish everyone a wonderful Christmas and New Year! May the future bring each of you all the very best!

The Hazard of Dukes County
Mood:  a-ok

I took a nice 65 mile ride yesterday. The weather was a little crisp at speed as my legs remained chilled for a while after my return. The thaw inside the house as I watched football was sweet. I’ve been pretty busy as of late with the book and though I tried I was unable to sit down and get anything written. The little ride helped a lot. There is a small town a few miles from here called “Dukes” and it brought to mind a title for a poem that passed through my mind last year; “The Hazard of Dukes County. After I returned to the house I sat down and put something to paper.

 

The Hazard of Dukes County

By Wild Bill © 2011

 

As the lawman in this town

I’ve seen my share of grief

from drunks drivin’ reckless

too the infrequent thief.

 

And when you pass the County sign

that reads’ “Dukes” on it’s face

you’re now upon my turf,

so every crisis is my case.

 

In all the years I’ve worked this beat

one highlight comes to mind;

a guy that every one in town,

would dearly love to find!

 

The first time I met him,

he missed a turn by mistake;

riding down the boat ramp

into the local lake.

 

He made it to the surface,

dogpaddled back to shore

but left the boat he sunk

more than a little sore!

 

I later find the fellow

in the Food Mart Express;

on his bike with a basket

with ten items, maybe less.

 

Seems his brakes had failed

as he pulled into the lot.

He couldn’t bring the bike to halt

within the parking spot!

 

Next he splashed the mayor’s wife

with rain water from the gutter,

frightened old Miss Evens

with his pipes until she stuttered,

 

Knocked  a “Port-A-Potti” over

with his bike at the park,

took out a power line

turnin’ half the county dark!

 

Scared some chickens at the poultry farm

until they couldn’t lay

and his bike sparked a fire

that lit up a bale of hay!

 

On Christmas of that very year

in the middle of town square

while garland hung from Rudolph,

who was swingin’ in the air,

 

I spot his bike get tangled

with a single Christmas light

then take off with the town tree

and poor Rudolph… out of sight!

 

But what finally turned this quiet town

into rabble from unruffled

wasn’t burning motor oil

or pipes that were un-muffled.

 

While topping off his motorcycle

at the filling station

he spilled enough high test gas

to cause a conflagration!

 

So now you know the story

‘bout the guy that has a bounty;

the fella’ we all call

“The Hazard of Dukes County!”

Worry, worry, worry.
Mood:  quizzical

Yesterday I sent off the final manuscript, photos, questionnaire and photo release to the publisher. I hope the next thing I see from them is a cover. It’s been a busy time getting this book wrapped up. The final push has been rather consuming. I worry if it will be good enough, worry if the publisher will see something in the text of the project that makes them give pause. What if the material is similar to someone else’s?  What if a manufacturers name draws fire from the company that owns the trademark? Often when you write you include real places and people. Walmart, Harley Davidson and a number of other companies are mentioned in my work. Will that be an issue for the publisher?  I don’t think so but one is bound to have such issues pass through their mind.

 

I suppose I really shouldn’t worry about it. At this point it is what it is. What I should concentrate on is doing some touch up painting around the house… yeah, and some riding…. Oh and perhaps catch a football game. It’s Sunday!

New book
Mood:  a-ok

Well I was forced to make a few changes to the website today, removing about 15 poems that are to be included into my new book “Bikers Got Culture!”  The book, a work of humor consisting of poetry and some limericks, has tentatively been accepted by a publisher but in reviewing the contract and discussion with the Acquisitions Manager I find that I must remove previously published works from the internet. Bummer. I am told that I may again re-post some or all after the book comes out and with the advice and permission of the publisher. You see, when you sign a publishing contract, you abrogate your rights to some extent. There is what is referred to as a “Non competition clause” that simply means you wont compete with the publisher. It makes since, but was unexpected.

 

I have signed the contract and now await further instructions from the publisher on submission of the final manuscript. I must turn it in within 15 days of signing… that gives me another 12 days to edit and more or less tweak the thing. I’ve been working on it for a while now editing it as I find little errors… they hide everywhere! I’ve already made numerous changes to older work, improving the grammar, meter and artistic value of earlier pieces. It’s difficult when I know what it is supposed to say… I read right over the mistakes without noticing them. That is why one really needs an editor. The problem with poetry though is that one really needs another poet to do the editing and alas, there is no one I would trouble with such a daunting task.

 

I am of course excited at the prospect of being published and at this point it appears there will be no major problems but I will not really be sure until I see the first one in print. I’ve placed a number of pins and needles on my desk chair so that I may remain alert to conditions as they develop. I continue to re-visit the work in my ongoing search for mistakes like “and” where I meant to have “an.” Yes, tedious is a good word for it.