Are You an Author on Amazon? Tell us about your book:

I am an author on Amazon with a three books on history. Anytime I try to suggest them for a gift idea, or mention these books in passing, then I am accused of "Shameless, Self-promotion." Yes. Guilty as charged! If you are an author, and you are like me: you worked on your book for years doing research before you wrote down a single word. You worked day and night to write it. You edited it, or had it edited, (you might have illustrated it, like me) and then you spent many hours doing promotions traveling to the corners of the earth so people would discover your book(s). Then you spend every nickle you make to advertise to 'beat the drum" to let everyone know about your project of many years. Also tell us a few things about yourself and what motivates you to write about your premise.
Here is you chance to "shamelessly" promote yourself, and your book's premise on the greatest bookseller's website. This is your blog to talk about your "baby."

My books are nonfiction and they refer to Texan and American history:

The Texas Republic (1836-1845.) The Texas Republic tells the true stories of Sam Houston as he led the struggle for Texas' Independence from Mexico's rule. See the story from the viewpoint of Andrew, a freed slave that fought for land of his own.

The newest book: After the Republic (1836-1845)
As Texas becomes the twenty-eighth state issues still remain with Mexico. Santa Anna returns to power after his exile in Cuba. He raises an army to take control of the province of California, and his threat to retake Texas by force. His demand was that Texas was to remain a republic, but since she joined with the Federal States, the threat was renewed for all-out war! The Comanche and Kiowa nations found themselves in the middle of this battle, so they made an uneasy truce with some settlers that they knew would represent their interests. Andrew was a freed slave that was adopted by the Cherokee. Along with his Cherokee brother-in-law, Ben Bird, he farmed and traded wild horses to the army. The Comanche and Kiowa allowed Andrew, and his family to hunt buffalo, and capture wild horses on their land. Since Andrew lived on the edge of their property, and the Dove settlement, they trusted him to help keep the rift-raft out of their lands. Their trust was well placed as Andrew helped supply horses for the army that was sorely spread thin. A bad illness swept over the Texan army, so Andrew and his family help out at Fort Worth since he was a veteran of the San Jacinto battle. They travel to Northern Mexico with the Tejanos to deliver horses to the Federal army under General Zachary Taylor, the future president of the Federal States. They find themselves in the thick of battle trying to recapture Santa Anna. Read the true story about the battle for peace in Texas, with the real characters, and true events that make our history great.

Gone to Texas- Two Plays of Early Texas (ISBN-13: 978-1-4363-7474-3) A freed slave is forced from his home in Louisiana by smugglers involved in the Sabine trade. Andrew and Delephine come to Texas to get a land grant from Sam Houston. Robbers on the trail think that they are gun runners trading to the Texans. Delephine is killed and Andrew is left for dead. Some Cherokee on a hunting party find Andrew and save him. They take him in as a member of their tribe. Santa Anna makes raids on Texas for the Mexican army. Andrew finds himself fighting alongside Sam Houston for Texas independence. This book's premise is written out as two three-act plays about early Texas based on Joe's earlier book "The Texas Republic." The plays are called: "The Escape from Eden," and "The Road to San Jacinto." A book changes as it translates into a stage play, or script. It makes for an interesting and fun read for those that love a good Nonfiction story.

Joe's family took pride in their heritage. They passed down stories of the early days of Texas when they came here to farm as Peters' Colonists in the 1840's. Their family came from Hopkins, Kentucky to the newly opened Red River Settlements. The first real organized settlement, and organized church was the Lonesome Dove Church close to Dove Branch in late 1845. This was called the Cross Timbers of the Trinity River, some of the best land for farming. My close family prized these stories. I was very fortunate to hear these stories and pass them down to others who love Texas, and True Stories of early Texas.
Website: http://www.aftertherepublic.net
Joe received the approval of Lonesome Dove Church, and its pastor, Dr. Coy Quesenbury and his congregation to write this book. The encouragement of the Boy Scouts of America president: Mr. Milton H. Ward. Dr. Ken Steigman, curator of the Heard Natural Science Museum and Wildlife Sanctuary, Incorporated, of McKinney, Texas. Also Dr. Donald Dewitt, curator of the University of Oklahoma's Historical Archives. (The Sam Houston Letter.)

Hi:
Good for you in trying to promote your own history books! You want others to see your work, because it was hard work to produce it, therefore if it is good, you want it promoted and disseminated as far as possible.

Good luck. Good for you to try to promote your history books!
'
We have had other authors do the same in this history forum , and I was grateful to them because they gave me more information for what I teach in Latin America.

So, continue to be shameless. It is self promotion, no doubt, but in the best meaning of the word.

Rachel

The history and development of the United States -- including the perennial conflict between liberals and conservatives, Democrats and Republicans -- can be understood in terms of the interplay of two fundamental human energies. Seen through the lens of Asian teachings, the last 200 years of American history come into focus as the gradual balancing of independence, ambition and self-interest (represented by Wood energies) versus compassion, sharing and community (represented by Earth energies.)

The rise of women in particular -- including the near-nomination of a woman presidential candidate -- is a striking example of the new prominence of Earth energies in society and the prospect that, one day, society's major competing forces may be integrated. When that happens, the U.S. might finally find the health and wholeness it has been searching for for over two centuries.

The book is "A Promise of Eden: Life Energy and Personal Growth in an Age of Transformation" by Alan Silverman. Published by Tiferet Press, Boston, Oct. 2006 and available on Amazon, in bookstores and at apromiseofeden.com, where you can read chapter excerpts.

Thank you Rachel! I am in good company here. I hope that other authors/teachers, and the like-minded people will join in here as education, and understanding history, and related subjects that need more interest and efforts by people such as yourself.
I appreciate you and I look forward to meeting other people who share these same interests, and concerns.
Thank you, Joe Blevins. author of After the Republic, and a few others.

Thank you Alan for your interesting post here in this forum. I wish you well with your book and I look forward to reading it in the near future.
If you know of other authors please tell them of this forum.
Thank you, Joe L. Blevins

Joe,

Thanks for the arena to promote my books! I never pass up a moment to do so because my books
are a reflection of my educational mission to provide readable, dramatic historical narratives that
show ordinary citizens the principles our nation is founded upon.

My first book is "Hurricane of Independence: The Untold Story of the Deadly Storm at the Deciding Moment of the American Revolution." It is the history of a hurricane that slammed into the Outer Banks and Virginia and then rolled up the coast, striking the important colonial capitals. It tells the
great stories of the early Revolution and the epic struggle for liberty in each of the capitals in 1775.
There was another hurricane out in the Atlantic (that I discovered) that roared ashore in Newfoundland and killed 4,000 cod fishermen. Almost everyone I have spoken with has found it very readable and educational in knowledge of the American Revolution.

It is available in hardcover or Kindle (and e-book).

You can find a review of it, my appearance on C-SPAN's BookTV, and some reviews I've written on other books at the Internet Review of Books at www.internetreviewofbooks.com. I'll be speaking about the book at the upcoming Virginia Festival of the Books and would love to meet you if you'll be attending everyone!

I am currently writing my second book, which will be published by the same publisher (Sourcebooks)
in October. It is the dramatic history of a smallpox epidemic that ravaged Boston in 1721, killing almost 1,000 people out of a population of 11,000. The Puritan ministers introduced inoculation into the colonies for the first time (as they were men of science) with the help of one daring doctor. The opponents of the procedure included the rest of the doctors, a young Ben Franklin and his brother, and many of the townspeople. The controversy splintered the city during the disaster and helped to destroy the social covenant of the Puritans.

I have other ideas that I plan to work on with Sourcebooks, but I'll save those for a later date when I am contracted to write them.

Again, thanks for the forum and author exchange.
Tony Williams
Williamsburg, VA

We write books to educate, and I see no reason why authors can't promote their work. We write books to get our point(s) across, not to let the ideas rot. I recently wrote "Islam vs. West: Fact or Fiction?" and I am proud to say that I am here to promote it!

synopsis:

Islam's 1,400-year history has made an important contribution to world civilization. In its nascent state, it miraculously brought the mighty Christian Byzantine and Zoroastrian Persian empires to their knees. In the span of a generation, the Islamic world became one of the largest empires in history. Despite the stereotype of Islam being spread with the sword, it was mainly adopted and practiced peacefully. Islam recognizes the fundamental importance of the individual's right to religious self-determination. Islam's aversion to compulsion and its affirmation of the individual's right to choose are clearly stated in the Quran.

Nevertheless, a transformation has occurred in the Muslim world that has led to a decline in Islamic civilization. This book summarizes the major historical factors that have contributed to this decline, leading to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and proposes a three-step process of conflict resolution between Islam and the West. Internal problems, especially doctrinal struggles, were primarily responsible for Islam's downfall. In addition, disorder and intolerance followed from the devastating conquests by Christian Crusaders and Mongol hordes, and more recently from the imperialism and colonization of the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries.

A. Asadulla

I am the author of two slavery-era history books, both published by Atria Books, a division of Simon& Schuster. The first was Forbidden Fruit: Love Stories from the Underground Railroad. It's a collection of true stories about couples, most of them black but some interracial, who fought mobs, bloodhounds, bounty hunters and bullets to avoid separation or find each other. Though written with lots of verve and style, the stories contain no fictionalized characters or situations. Forbidden Fruit's very real characters include a fugitive slave who spent 17 years earching for his wife; and a free man who became a temporary slave to stay with his spouse. Published in 2005, the book appeared on Essence Magazine's best-seller list nine times.
My second book has just been published. It's called Freedom by Any Means: Con Games, Voodoo Schemes, True Love and Lawsuits on the Underground Railroad. A sequel to Forbidden Fruit, it stresses the startling, little-known ways in which people escaped bondage--including lawsuits, bluffs and other elaborate tricks and traps. Some also serve as military spies and counter-spies or use voodoo tactics.
A former columnist for the Detroit News and the Detroit Free Press, I was a finalist for a Pulitzer Prize in commentary in 1993. My work also has appeared in Essence and Time-Life Books and on BBC radio. I received an award of excellence from the National Association of Black Journalists for my coverage of Nelson Mandela's release from prison. Betty DeRamus

Thanks Tony for some interesting insight into your history books. A storm many times has played the difference between 'victory or defeat' as men and arms were held back at the time they could have altered the events of a battle. I have seen that in my own works on Texas history where the Mexican army had been grounded on a sandbar, (or the ship then sunk) and kept them from aiding Santa Anna, and Genral Cos in another event. Your next book about the Puritans and the small pox epidemic is very interesting too. So We are in good company these days with some fine authors here.
I look forward to reading your books on American history as that is a big interest of mine, also. If you know other authors, please tell them about this blog.
Thank you, Joe Blevins

Thank you, A. Asadulla for your post. Your book will be most helpful to promote better understanding about Islam and its role in history, and today's world.
Misunderstanding persists because of ignorance of each others cultures. More information such as your book helps us better understand our different cultures, and our different religions.
Thank you for your post. Joe Blevins

Thank you Betty: You are a most interesting person in your own right. I appreciate your stories and books on the Underground Railroad. I am a Choctaw, a Native American: much of our history is linked to helping hide freemen, and "run-away" slaves. We had a community in north Texas called "Free City" that was Native American, slaves, (and some whites) that also supported this society. Also local churches supported this effort, such as the Lonesome Dove church, which my family belonged to.They were part of an abolitionist's society called the Knights and Daughters of TABOR that helped maintain a group of about 300+ people that farmed, captured wild horses, and cattle for the army. So I have a great appreciation of what your stories mean, and my own history is linked to many of these stories in some manner.
I can't wait to read these wonderful stories that are posted here, today!
Best regards, Joe L. Blevins After the Republic.

Yes Joe, I too, am an author on Amazon Books, like the rest of us authors, greatly chastised for 'self promotion' by elements of envy, shall we say. We must do more to encourage our contemporaries to exercise their freedom of speech, to be creative, curious and above all, investigating the hell out of this crooked government.

"Lyme Disease and the SS Elbrus: Collaboration Between the Nazis and Communist in Chemical and Biological Warfare" was first published in 2002, updated 2006. It was the end result of a long investigation into the origin of this tick born disease of the nervous system. It began as a query into the deaths of eleven next door neighbors in my home town of Glastonbury, Connecticut and my own deteriorating health.

Lyme is centered at four major US lend-lease port sites going as far back as WWII. As Freedom of Information Requests released new insight on the intrigues of the Soviet Union's tick-borne plagues spilling over its borders, a sordid history emerged of Russia's fur shipping industry and the communists' long standing collaboration with Nazi pesticide/poison gas experts. The hunt for the truth became an obsession.

It seemed prudent to shape some sort of chronological record with the overwhelming documentation, one report led to the next in a mad chase to get to the bottom of a cover-up. Documents vanished as I FOIAed intelligence agencies right under their noses. There appeared to be a mole stalking my most diligent efforts. In the end, it was necessary to find a witness to the Soviet Union's biological warfare plants, zeroing in on Dr. Henry Tolkmith of I.G. Farben at the secret Dyhernfurth poison gas factory set to deliver V-2 rockets of Tabun and Sarin against the West. After the Capitulation, other US Army intelligence reports cited Tolkmith deep inside the USSR with his old partner, Dr. Bernhard von Bock serving the Russians at Beketovka, eight miles south of Stalingrad, unscathed during Operation Barbarossa. This was one of the Soviets largest chemical and biological warfare sites that received the dismantled Dyhernfurth factory, reconstructing the plant brick by brick while retaining its captured Nazi personnel. Tolkmith became a dragon-returnee, rat-lined out to the West as a Paperclip scientist with impeccable references, hired by DOW Chemical. By this time, the newly created state of Israel had agreed to stop hunting America's secret Nazi agents hired to fight the Cold War. Truman's 100 Person Act made them legally untouchable.

Yet when confronted in an interview at his Florida retirement home in 1994, Tolkmith denied his US Army dossier photos on his ID Card were of himself, insisting he was unable to presently furnish photos from his youth for comparison. And then he died, December 13th, 1995. Then who was the man on the ID Card? Was it Tolkmith, or had his identity been switched to allow entrance of another suspect Nazi?

Take a look these Tolkmith ID Card photos on the cover of "Lyme Disease and the SS Elbrus" and compare them to newly released photos of Dr. Josef Mengele, Death Angle of Auschwitz.

Eight new Mengele photos were donated to the US Holocaust Memorial Museum by an anonymous US Army CIC agent who retrieved an old piece of war booty from his attic, a photo album compiled by Karl Hoecker, SS Adjutant to Auschwitz Commandant Richard Baer. Go to the Museum's website www.ushmm.org and look up the subtitle "Auschwitz Through the Lens of the SS" and view photos # 39, 40, 42, 56, 57, 58, 61, 64. The shots of Dr. Josef Mengele chatting with his SS comrades are nestled between hundreds of shots on the arrival of the Hungarian Jews. Dr. Mengele specialized in inducing Multiple Sclerosis in his twin guinea pigs by administering combinations of diphtheria vaccines and spirochete bacteria.

These new Holocaust Museum photos of Dr. Josef Mengele are similar, but not exactly alike the others circulating in public domain of the infamous Angle of Death. The Hoecker photo album tapered ears do not match the rounded chimp ears on Mengele's SS cameo. The Hoecker photos depict a rounded sloping forehead, unlike his more vertical, flattened profile in his SS cameo; neither do the noses match up; the SS ID is pug, the Hoecker collection pointed. Indeed, there is a greater resemblance in the Museum's collection to Henry Tolkmith's ID Card than the US Justice Department collection. Josef's younger brother, Karl, Jr. (frequently used as a decoy for his older brother) was reported to be a near-twin look-alike prior his all too convenient death in 1949.

Now we have three Josef Mengeles? Could the readers on this forum take a good look and give an honest assessment of this puzzling identity crisis, switched at birth, switched at death? I have asked the Department of Justice to re-open its investigation "In the Matter of Josef Mengele."
Rachel Verdon

The author's second book, "Murder By Madness 9/11: the Government and the Goon Squad" was released in 2007. It focuses on the financiers of terrorism, the Nazis' ODESSA drug cartel (of which one of the Mengele brothers was a member) and its ties to the Muslim Brotherhood and al Qaeda. This network of white Arabs has been deployed under the CIA ever since the Cold War for over half a century holding allegiance to no one but the highest bidder. A failed intelligence operation from the get-go, 9/11 was long in the making. The drug money laundering through the housing market and its subsequent collapse after Robert Gates successfully shut down al Qaeda's poppy-field profits is credit to the former Bush Administration. Will our new administration do the right thing by keeping the Golden Triangle and ODESSA under wraps? Can the world economy be weaned off its nasty little habit? Drug addicts make good slaves. Freedom and responsible democracies demand consciousness.
Rachel Verdon

I wanted to show my great appreciation to all these fine authors who have written in the authors' blog today. I am humbled by all of you and it inspires me to do more. That is what a blog should be about. As an author you are often your own worst critic, and sometimes hearing from someone who has experienced the same trials makes for some thought provoking premises portrayed here. I thank you so very much for all your replies...
I also wonder how you feel about E-books, and formats for Palm Pilots and the Kindle formats such as Amazon's new media device?
Thanks to you all and keep on the right path that you have chosen as a writer.
Best regards, Joe Blevins.

For Joe Blevins and all Amazon authors:
Seeing how Amazon is in the book business, seeing how they provided these forums for debate, it stands to reason that these opportunities exist for the promotion and profit of selling BOOKS.

Who are the naysayers and why are they on this web? Did you know that just a couple days ago the Associated Press announced My Space had flushed its website of 90,000 registered sex offenders? (See "MySpace: 90,000 sex offenders removed in two years" by Edith Honan - New York Reuters Tuesday 02/03/2009)

Where are they now? Would they try to bully honest authors off Amazon forums in a chat-room takeover scheme? Have you considered the intent of some of our critics? I cannot help but wonder. The time has come for decent people to take back our country from these decadent porn and pot-heads. Enough is enough! What is your perspective on this?

Let the rebellion begin!

Thank you Rachel for your posts and interest here. It seems that on some of these blogs, that a few people turn their vented anger towards authors who are trying to promote their books.
Here is an example that I have cut and pasted from another thread. It was my "inspiration" to start this blog that supposts authors like ourselves who love to write, and as a way to encourage each other as we are often most critical of ourselves as we push hard to make each page to ring in someone's memory, and shake up their conscience to think, consider, ponder, and break out of their "comfort zones."

This is the real example that got me to thinking about starting this particular blog:
" Mr. Blevins, I realize that the economy is bad, but is this what authors have been reduced to?
Nothing personal against your work (I obviously have NOT read it), but I am at a loss regarding how you think YOUR BOOK (based on your "completely unbiased/reliable" opinion about it) would be a viable choice for a SPECIAL and/or UNIQUE gift for mother to give her son for his 50th birthday. If my mother purchased this book for me and billed it as a 'special and/or unique' gift (for my 50th birthday no less), I would be forced to reexamine my birth certificate."

In case you have not guessed, I dislike it when, under the guise of helpfulness, people post with the ultimate goal of self promotion. If 200 others followed your lead, this post would very quickly turn into a huge waste of time for the OP and (by extention) her son. If your book is a good one, there is no doubt that it will do well. I am sure it was NOT your intention but (IMO) your post on THIS particular thread screams desperation! "

[Reply to this post]
So this is my motivation to get the Amazon authors to make a place for us. SO thank you (unknown) person who vented like Mount Saint Helen's: and pushed me off the cliff.... So please come here and "become a huge waste of time..." We need you to blog your premise out to the world who desperately needs something decent to read!
Your replies have pulled me out of the sadness I felt over several days and let me know that I was still in good company on Amazon.

This was my reply, which " screams of desperation": (laughs)
" Ms. Jane: It has nothing to do with the economy, dear. If you have ever written anything beside a "smart reply" to a blog, then you might know that an author works for years to write a book: after first doing many more years of research, editing, then more years of promoting spending every nickle you make, and can beg and borrow so you can advertise, travel across Texas (and a few other states) that it might be enjoyed for someone's birthday, Christmas, or their private "quiet time." And YES I am on Amazon to "promote." And YES my book is worth it. No one has put a gun to your head making you buy anything, here. If your dislike anything you see, then just look in the mirror and find that you have other problems hiding in disguise that have nothing to do with me, my books, or anything else. At least I use my real name, and I don't hide in the dark waiting to shoot darts at strangers that you don't even know. If you have ever tried writing something of "substance" then you would know that your whole life is consumed by it, and it beats some of the garbage that passes for 'literature' these days. (Maybe you should write your own book about being a critic.)

My books are based on true stories that were handed down to me as I am a Native American: a member of the Choctaw nation. We have a strong Oral Tradition where stories are carefully handed down to the youngest of each generation. Traditions were to be passed on to the next generation to be remembered. It has been that way for untold generations, and I am the last member of my generation as my son died. It is my duty and distinction NOT to let my family's/ tribe's history be lost forever.
So in answer to your kind query: "Yes, my book would make a good gift, and Yes you have not read it, and What do you know about me, my books, or anything else bout writing, promoting a literary work, or about manners, girlie?!"
I just had a birthday in January, and I am in my 50's, so I know a few things about what a man my age might enjoy since "the son was a hunter, a rancher, and an outdoorsman," as I am the same: as I hunt, fish, have a ranch, and spend most days outdoors herding my cows on horseback from pasture to pasture.
So forgive me for being so bold and imposing upon you by suggesting my work as a gift for someone that you love. You don't "hide you light under a bushel basket," as the Bible says. You are to be proud of what you do as you worked hard to accomplish that effort.

So in answer to your kind query: "Yes, my book would make a good gift, and Yes you have not read it, and What do you know about me, my books, or anything else bout writing, promoting a literary work, or about manners, girlie?!"

This was my reply to the "nay-sayer" that you find on many blogs where you try to suggest your work as a gift for someone's special event. They never vote for your comments, and most days they are just a bunch of "Negative Nellies". But WE don't represent that here, as we are authors who love our work. We have been careful to make sure that our work is just what the reader with the "hungry mind" wants to read. So I hope that none of you have had this experience, as your work deserves better, but critics are out there like alligators in a swamp. We will move past this and promote, promote, and promote some more...
Thank you for letting me "rant" a bit and get you stirred up to promote even more as this is just the place to do just that. Thank you!
Joe Blevins, author of The Texas Republic, After the Republic, Gone to Texas, and a few others are in the works... A shameless promoter of books! Join me and sell some books: by telling someone about your book's premise.

Yes, Joe,
Thanks for the pep talk. Boy, do I need it. The alligators are indeed sliding down the bank. Courage, courage, courage. And, you are such a gentleman, too. God Bless.

To Rachel, and any other authors here: They are days that you wonder if you are reaching your "market" and trying to get those search words on Google and Amazon. You take out an ad in the Library Journal and nothing happens as far as sales. Then you get the new copy to find that they forgot to post it in this issue. So you might doubt yourself at times wondering if you are 'hitting the right chords to play the tune that they want to hear' when you are promoting something that you have worked tirelessly on. So just take a deep breath and make some time for yourself. Take a break from it and watch a comedy DVD, or read someone else's book that is presently popular to see what they did to make it work. I just know that sometimes publishers want you to bend the story to their vision, and you need to stay true to your own artistic vision. Editiors too can play a great deal to change your work to their taste. My work is written in a 19th century perspective and the editor did not like the "voice" of my work, but he was thinking about the work in a 21st century perspective. Word usage has changed so much in recent years, and much of our language means something different than it did 150 years ago. I remember how my grandparents, and great-grants spoke, and how their language was often how I spoke until I got into school and was corrected over and over by my teachers. My books have glossaries that explain the words that I highlight in bold print so that they know what it meant in the context of the times in my stories: like the Spanish word "tinja" (Teen-Ya) which is a cistern, or a covered water well. We don't use wells these days but in the days I represent in my stories a person had to haul water, or ride for miles to get a good drink of water. So our times are different than the pioneer days that I write about. I remember that in the 1960's that "Tom Sawyer" by Mark Twain was "rewritten" for some of its word usage and it lost much of its value, and "atmosphere." (Some words were changed for they are now considered "hate" language, and I understand and respect the merits of that change.) The thing that I am trying to get to is that we need to write in the perspective of the times that things happened, weather it is World War 1, the Civil War, or even the Civil Rights times. Some authors, and some text books that I use as a teacher often become "revisionists" of history, and events and I find that most terrible. Some recent movies I have seen do this same thing, but I guess that I am just a 'stickler' for the little details that make the story ring true, the way that a person of those times might write in a diary, or military journal as was the habit of the day to make sure that their memory was sharp when they had to write reports to their superiors, or pay taxes on the crops, and cattle that they raised.

So I am rambling on, so that is all for right now. Just believe in yourself, and drive by the lake on bad days, or go out and ride a horse for an afternoon, and gain some time for yourself to clear your head. Also buy some of those amazing yellow legal pads that you keep by the bed (with a decent pen that writes well) for you to write down ideas as they come to you in the middle of the night when you are trying to sleep. (And by the way: alligators are good to eat according to some of my wife's family from Louisiana.) So they had better tread carefully, or they might end up on the menu for next week! :)
Thanks for being a part of this blog, and don't be discouraged when the critics come a pecking at your work. One time I sent my work out to a publisher for consideration and they sent it back with a muddy size 11 shoe print ground into it. I laughed knowing that you can't please everybody and that my weeks and time to print it at Kinko's was still worth it. (Now I send digital files as they are harder to stomp on...) Just stay true to yourself and your premise. Be flexible, but don't break if someone gives you a bad review like that silly woman I quoted early on. Please forgive all my ranting. You are free to speak your mind as you are among friends. We are strangers, but we share a common goal and interests even though our books' premise are much varied. It is exciting to meet some really wonderful people and I hope that you will continue to join in to write us and share your insight into your subject, and what your motivation as an author would be...
Best regards, Joe Blevins

Joe,
When I am in the swamp up to my armpits in alligators, I'll remember your post:

(And by the way: alligators are good to eat according to some of my wife's family from Louisiana.) So they had better tread carefully, or they might end up on the menu for next week! :)

Great line.

Joe Blevins,
PS, I noted your invitation but was unable to properly respond through amazon's system. My address is rachelverdon@sbcglobal.net. Try that, see if it works.

Hi Joe...Thanks for getting this site under way. I am not an author, but I am always on the lookout for new ideas about history, and this site is an ideal place to delve into new avenues of thought. Thanks Joe...Les

[Deleted by the author on Feb 6, 2009 11:32 PM PST]

Hi Rachel...Its good to read your posts again! I believe the last site we exchanged ideas was something about Hitler having Jewish ancestory. Its good to see you are contributing. I look forward to more of your posts. Cheers, Les

[Deleted by the author on Feb 7, 2009 4:10 AM PST]

Well done to all!

I am also a historian, and a very devoted author. My specialty is China, and I have two books on Amazon - one published and one forthcoming.

Like any author, I write because have something that I want to tell the world - or at least as much of it as wants to listen. The problem is that professional academics like myself also have to write for their profession, which is a pretty closed circle of people. Of course, I do love to share my work with my peers, but most of us also dream of reaching a wider audience, as well. If an ordinary reader - an intelligent person with an interest in China - reads, enjoys and learns from my writing, it means worlds to me.

Sign me up for the self-promotion, Joe!