The Writer's Life 1/24 - Go to the Mattresses

An article by Linda Massarella in today's NY Post touts a unique writers residency program run by Amtrak. I visited the website and found the following: "...designed to allow creative professionals who are passionate about train travel and writing to work on their craft in an inspiring environment. Round-trip train travel will be provided on an Amtrak long-distance route. Each resident will have use of a private sleeping roomette, equipped with a desk, a bed and a window to watch the American countryside. Onboard meals will also be offered to all residents in the dining car aboard the train." More than 600 applied for this year's program. 24 were selected. The Post article focused on Tamara Lush, whose passion is erotica. She has been publishing since 2015. Of her eleven books, only Into the Heat is currently in print. All may be downloaded to Kindle. Her sales are solid. None of her works is rated less than four+ stars. I'm one of these nuts who don't like travel, so the program doesn't appeal to me, but I'm sure it would to many. I'm perfectly happy to crank out stuff from my large studio.

As the mainstream media continues to go to the mattresses against him, President Trump made two interesting moves yesterday. He has frozen all federal hiring and pay raises. I'm sure all but those affected and leftists would approve of this attack on the behemoth that is government. He also killed the Trans-Pacific Partnership, as he had pledged during the campaign. Although it is commendable that he fulfilled a promise, I'm not sure it's good. Critics of the deal argue that it would disproportionately help other countries at the expense of America, the same point made against NAFTA, which I believe lifted millions around the world out of poverty. That deal coincided with the '90's boom, so opposition was muted. Now that many Americans are hurting economically, trade deals are viewed as part of the problem... I've also read but haven't heard any follow up on the rescinding of the ACA mandate that everyone must buy health insurance or be fined. I never understood how that passed constitutional muster. I hope it's gone forever... According to radio host Mark Simone, the White House website is now entirely in English. All Spanish has been scrubbed. Expect cries of racism.

From the NY Post website, in my own words: Jokes about money stuffed in a mattress are common. One crook stashed millions in his. Authorities conducted a search in the Massachusetts apartment of a Brazilian, who was charged with one count of conspiring to commit money laundering in connection to an alleged pyramid scheme. Here's a pic:

More insanity from major college football: The University of Michigan will conduct three of its 20 spring practices in Rome, Italy. Why would it do this? I suppose it's a recruiting lure.

The floating book shop was rained out today, the Nor'easter blowing through. Had it been snow - brother!

Vic's Short Works: http://tinyurl.com/jy55pzc

Vic's 5th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/okxkwh5Vic's 4th novel: tinyurl.com/bszwlxh

Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3

Vic's Short Story on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/k95k3nx
Vic's Short Story Collection: http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tiny.cc/0iHLb Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/kx3d3uf
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tinyurl.com/l84h63j

Website: http://vicfortezzaauthor.my-free.website/

FB: https://www.facebook.com/Vic-Fortezza-Author-118397641564801/?fref=ts

Read Vic's Stories, free: http://fictionaut.com/users/vic-fortezza