I misunderstood the most recent proposal from All Things That Matter Press. I didn’t read the email carefully enough. I assumed there was going to be a short story collection of many of its authors. Instead it is publishing each of the stories individually on Kindle at one dollar each, as a means of publicity. There is no cost to publish electronically. I don’t object, and I will be thrilled if there is ever a print collection of the submissions. If there isn’t, it is still worth a shot. My story is The Bat, which I describe as an at risk eleven-year-old’s love of baseball. It’s about 6000 words, approximately a 20-minute read. I don’t consider it a children’s story. It would appeal to anyone who has a fondness for baseball, especially NYC kids who spent a lot of time playing in schoolyards. Check it out here: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DGBWAJY/ref=cm_sw_r_fa_dp_DaeWrb1A22J22 My thanks to Phil and Deb Harris of ATTMP, who I suspect have been disappointed by the paltry web sales of A Hitch in Twilight. I wouldn’t be surprised if it was dropped when its contract runs out, although it draws the most enthusiastic responses of all my books.
It was an interesting day at the floating book shop. Mountain Man is a retired postal worker who allows politicians to infuriate him 24/7. He is even more cynical about them than I. "Assassinate them all," he said. I'd prefer to see at least 75% of them in jail, although some are guilty only of bad policy, which is not a felony. Herbie Milquetoast is on disability, having suffered a heart attack. His slight build does not conjure a stereotypical image of someone at risk of a coronary. He signed up for a credit card in order to obtain the gift of an electric razor. Two months later, it hadn't arrived. He threatened to cancel the card, recounting language I doubt he used while speaking to the customer service agent. He finally received the device. He admitted to me that he has no plans to use the card. A Russian woman complained about movers, who left some of her furniture outside her new home, claiming the door or window had to be removed in order to get the stuff inside. She assumes the boss, a fellow Russian immigrant, pocketed her money and went on a drinking binge. Bob Rubenstein, author of Ghost Runners and The White Bridge, called out from his car as he awaited the change of the traffic light. When I inquired about his girlfriend, a Hungarian immigrant 34 years younger than him, he gave a thumbs down. After 89 days of living together, he gave her the boot, believing she was using him to secure a place in America. I was not surprised, having suspected it from the moment he told me about her. Ol' Smokey is now squatting in the apartment from which he has been evicted. I suggested he stay until someone showed and asked him to leave. He will be homeless otherwise. 63, he is collecting Social Security but has lost his extras, his free meds. He can't get at the money his late dad left behind, although he is the lone survivor. I suggested he get a lawyer. "Ain't there a statue of limitations?" he said. How would I know? Ask a lawyer. He hit me up for a couple of bucks and returned a while later with about 50 books, mostly non-fiction. My thanks, and also to Mrs. Eclectic and the other kind souls who made purchases today.
Vic's 4th Novel: http://tinyurl.com/bszwlxh
Vic's 3rd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/7e9jty3
Vic's Website: http://members.tripod.com/vic_fortezza/Literature/
Vic's Short Story Collection (Print or Kindle): http://www.tiny.cc/Oycgb
Vic's 2nd Novel: http://tinyurl.com/6b86st6
Vic's 1st Novel: http://tiny.cc/94t5h
Vic's Screenplay on Kindle: http://tinyurl.com/cyckn3
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