Friday, June 28, 2013

HBS Author’s Spotlight – Class of June 2013

This month we have a group of interesting writers with worlds of knowledge and expertise.

Be sure to check out what they have coming next for their readers. I try to pick authors who are interesting studies and ask them unique questions for our Q/A section.

Check out our new feature to the HBS Author's Spotlight, The Showcase. I have included those authors in this class. Thanks to the following outstanding authors for a great month.

Here is a summary of our June 2013 crew.


Gayle Carline


Author Genre: Humor Columnist, Mystery Author

Author's Blog: On the edge of the chair of literature
Website: Gayle Carline - Humor Columnist
Twitter: @GayleCarline
E-Mail: gaylecarline@sbcglobal.net
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Congratulations on From the Horse's Mouth. NEXT is a mystery in the world of AQHA horse shows

Social media: I've met so many people on social media that have turned out to be readers! I confess, I do most of my work on Facebook. Everything goes by so quickly on Twitter…

Covers: I pick one from three samples and we mold it and hone it and perfect it from there. Sometimes, I ask readers for their opinion, although usually I can tell right away when the cover is right.

Trailers: I don't know what kind of success I have with anything… I'm of the opinion that book videos in general (did you know that the term 'book trailer' is trademarked?) are not being utilized or pushed forward enough.

Support groups: …pretty much from the Southern California Writer's Conference.

Free Books: I've had good and bad experiences with the free thing...The keys to any giveaway are: 1) don't do it more than 3 days in a row; 2) you may have to do it more than once to keep your title in the public's eye.

My primary goal with my blog is for people to get to know me. A lot of it is about my journey as a writer and the kinds of things I learn and want to share.

Author's Book List
From the Horse's Mouth: One Lucky Memoir
The Hot Mess
Are You There Erma? It's Me Gayle
Hit or Missus
What Would Erma Do?: Confessions of a First Time Humor Columnist
Freezer Burn


For the rest of the story...View Gayle Carline - HBS Author's Spotlight

Anne Carter


Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Young Adult

Website: Beacon Street
Twitter: @PamRipling
E-Mail: annecarter@beaconstreetbooks.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Congratulations on Unmasking Paulie Bingham. NEXT: Following in September is Part 2 of this 2-book series, titled, For the Love of Katrina Bingham.

Social media: t’s really all about where the readers are; if more of today’s readers are leaving the bricks-and-mortal stores and hanging out in cyber cafes and book blogs, then authors need to follow.

Covers: Several years ago I worked for a small online ebook publisher as their Art Director. Since then, I’ve created all my own covers. So hands-on, yes

Over the years, I’ve been a member of Romance Writers of America, Gold Coast Fiction Writers, Sisters-in-Crime/Los Angeles—even the United States Lighthouse Society! Each has provided very valuable information and I’m so thankful to have had exposure to these outstanding groups. Murder, We Wrote has been lots of fun.

Self-publishing: The only thing I outsource is editing. Nothing will kill an indie author faster than bad editing, which I’m sure you know!

Author's Book List
Unmasking Paulie Bingham (Paulie & Kate)
A Hero's Promise
StarCrossed Hearts
Cape Seduction
Point Surrender


For the rest of the story...View Anne Carter - HBS Author's Spotlight

Leti Del Mar


Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers, Young Adult

Author's Blog: Words With Leti Del Mar
Twitter: @leti_delmar
E-Mail: wordswithletidelmar(at)gmail(dot) com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Coming NEXT: Secret of the Unaltered, a sequel to Land of the Unaltered.

As an Indie, social media is vital. I try to spend equal time on Facebook and Twitter to make connections, but nothing beats actual emails and blog post comments to further relationships and builds up a solid network of connections. Those connections have been invaluable when it came to getting the word out about my work.

Great covers: My cover for The Inadvertent Thief was 100% all me. I started with a great picture I found on Flikr and the photographer was nice enough to let me use it.

Support groups: I like to use the forums and groups on Goodreads and World Literary Cafe.

Free Books: I tried it out when I did a blog tour for The Inadvertent Thief in December of 2012. I gave away lots of copies, but I didn't see any real increase in sales afterwards. Also I think the market is over-saturated with free books.

My blog has evolved over time. I have discovered that Indies really and truly support each other. We are not each other's competition as much as each other’s support group.

Self-publisher: use and find beta readers and editors on Goodreads and World Literary Cafe forums…

Author's Book List
Land of the Unaltered
The Inadvertent Thief


For the rest of the story...View Leti Del Mar - HBS Author's Spotlight

Jennifer Donohoe


Author Genre: Science Fiction & Fantasy, Horror, Young Adult

Author's Blog: Jennifer Donohoe, Author
Website: Jennifer Donohoe, Author
Twitter: @donohoejennifer
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


What's NEXT: Dragon King is the sequel to Willow's Journey.

Fly Away will be the first book I'll actually try to do book signings with and work more with the public.

I have actually created the covers for Fly Away and Dragon King. I use a 3D software called Poser Pro. It's great to work with, but does take a lot of time to learn. Once I create the picture in Poser, I then use Photoshop to do the rest.

Support groups: I currently work with Internet Writer's Workshop to help me with the basics of writing.

Free Books: I gave away Willow's Journey faithfully to mainly get my name and book out to the public. As far as Amazon, I've not had much success with them. However, on Goodreads, I had a better following.

Great blog: As an Indie Author, I feel it is very important to help fellow authors. We all need to have a boost and look out for one another.

Author's Book List
Fly Away
Willow's Journey


For the rest of the story...View Jennifer Donohoe - HBS Author's Spotlight

Tricia Drammeh


Author Genre: Young Adult, Fantasy, Literature & Fiction

Author's Blog: Tricia Drammeh - Author of Young Adult Fiction and Paranormal Romance
Website: Tricia Drammeh Author
Twitter: @triciadrammeh
E-Mail: tricia_drammeh@yahoo.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


What's NEXT: The Séance is complete and in the editing stage.

My social media relationships have been essential to my writing. I’ve met incredible, generous, talented people through Twitter, Facebook, and Wordpress.

Time: I used to be able to write a book in two months, but that was before I discovered Facebook and Twitter.

Free books: I used to be able to write a book in two months, but that was before I discovered Facebook and Twitter. I stumbled upon a five-star on Goodreads that was a direct result of a giveaway, so I would say the free promo was successful.

Blogging: I’m passionate about helping other writers and starting a dialogue where writers in various stages of publication can share information with each other. There are so many writers who’ve helped me, I can only try to pay it forward.

Author's Book List
The Fifth Circle
The Claiming Words


For the rest of the story...View Tricia Drammeh - HBS Author's Spotlight

Caroline Leavitt


Author Genre: Literary Novelist

Author's Blog: CAROLINELEAVITTVILLE
Website: Caroline Leavitt
Twitter: @Leavittnovelist
E-Mail: carleavitt@hotmail.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Just out: Is This Tomorrow.. Next in line: CRUEL BEAUTIFUL WORLD

I love social media! When I had to research IS THIS TOMORROW, one of my best sources was FaceBook.

Book signings: I've been touring since early April, so I'm just starting to wind down! Everything is posted on my website www.carolineleavitt.com under appearances…

Book trailers: I really don't know if trailers work as far as getting people to read. I just love movies and wanted to have one.

eBooks: I see a lot of kids reading e-books, and that makes me happy. My personal feeling is anything that gets people reading is great.

Free books: Giveaways are like a gift that keeps on giving--you give a book away and the person who receives that book tells his or her friends, and that's how you build word of mouth

Author's Book List
Is This Tomorrow: A Novel
Pictures of You
The Kids' Family Tree Book
Girls in Trouble: A Novel
Coming Back to Me: A Novel


For the rest of the story...View Caroline Leavitt - HBS Author's Spotlight

Barry Parham


Author Genre: Humor, Short Stories

Author's Blog: the diaTribe
Website: Mooncalf Communion
Twitter: @barryparham
E-Mail: barry@pmwebs.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Next: sixth collection of weekly humor columns, essays, and short stories in the fall.

Social Media: It is changing everything. In my case, the digital world has presented an entirely new publishing opportunity -- weekly humor columns, available via very affordable online subscriptions. (a new concept which, by the way, is catching on nicely!)

Advertising: Personally, I've had better luck buying ads that promote appearances and readings..

Covers: 've been inordinately fortunate to work with some exceptional photographers, creative artists, and cartoonists.

Great Trailers: the combination of a talented, delightful interviewer, a talented, gracious musician, and a totally oblivious Starbucks franchise, who had no clue that we were filming.

Support Group: IAN, Linkedin, Facebook and Writers of Mass Distraction.

Time schedule: As a weekly columnist, I consider my writing schedule to be almost laughably easy, compared to, say, novelists

Free Books: when I donate copies of my books - to libraries, to charities, for live give-aways, etc. - I can absolutely see a measurable (though short-lived) spike in sales.

Author's Book List
Full Frontal Stupidity
The Middle-Age of Aquarius
Blush: Politics and other unnatural acts
Sorry, We Can't Use Funny
Why I Hate Straws: An offbeat worldview of an offbeat world


For the rest of the story...View Barry Parham - HBS Author's Spotlight

Robert Yehling


Author Genre: Fiction, Non-fiction, Poetry

Author's Blog: Word Journeys
Website: wordjourneys.com
Twitter: @WordJourneys
E-Mail: ryehling@wordjourneys.com
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


Newest collection of poetry and essays, "Backroad Melodies," came out this week. (June 2013)

Next: I’m compiling 60 of my more than 200 Word Journeys and 366Writing blogs, some about the craft of writing, others vignettes and stories.

Social media has transformed my book launch process. I turn into a social networking buzzsaw when launch time nears, posting on the sites, writing blogs and linking them to other sites, and posting excerpts on some of the more than 120 Facebook groups and 30 Linked In groups to which I belong.

Online paid advertising: I promote very selectively … – just to get the buzz going. As for on-line advertising sites skewing retailer rankings, I don’t like that at all.

Covers: a Random House editor told me, “The cover is 50% of the reader’s buying decision. At least.”

Support groups: The key is to find writers at your ability or slightly above, and to engage in positive, constructive feedback. If someone starts ripping on your work, leave. You don’t need that toxic energy in your psyche…

Time Management: Can we expand the daily clock to 30 hours? That would work!

eBooks: It’s definitely changed what is possible for publishing. I can now publish works in a few weeks that would have taken a year or more

Free books: I give a lot of books away, to people who are in a position to “pay it forward” – book reviewers, other authors, related causes, conference directors, school teachers, and friends who are part of book clubs.

Author's Book List
Backroad Melodies: New Poetry & Essays
Stroking The Media!
The Champion's Way
The Write Time
The River-Fed Stone
Coyotes in Broad Daylight
Shades of Green
Writes of Life One


For the rest of the story...View Robert Yehling - HBS Author's Spotlight

HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase



Ellen Mansoor Collier


Author Genre: Mystery, Historical Fiction, New Adult

Website: A jazz age Mystery Series - Ellen Mansoor Collier
E-Mail: decodame@flash.net
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Next: Few more ideas for the “Jazz Age” series.

Covers: That’s one benefit of being an indie—I get to pick and choose my cover artwork and typefaces. I thought this Deco illustration fit the story in a whimsical and colorful way, yet the two bathing beauties looked mysterious, like they were keeping a secret.

Writer support groups: I’ve found writer’s groups can be helpful for support, but there are often too many conflicting opinions.

eBooks: I love the feedback and interaction with readers and bloggers. Also I like the immediacy of publishing online, especially if you want to change or correct something later.

Book tours: Many tours tend to be more general and may not focus on your genre. I think specialized book tours (like this cozy mystery tour) are better at attracting your target market. Hard to say if they help much, but they do spread the word.

Self-publisher: I’m lucky to have a group of creative friends and family who are a big help.

Author's Book List
BATHING BEAUTIES, BOOZE AND BULLETS
Flappers, Flasks and Foul Play


For the rest of the story...View Ellen Mansoor Collier - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

John W. Huffman


Author Genre: Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers

Website: John W. Huffman
Twitter: @johnwhuffman
E-Mail: jhuffman46@aol.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

New Book: Eyes of the Blind is in the final stages of completion, and hopefully will be out in April or May of this year. It is a sequel to America's Diplomats, The Road To Attleboro, and continues the story of Jay Sharpe…

Social media: It is very important to all of my books. I have found it to be a fast, accurate, and cost effective way to promote and communicate with readers.

Book signing: I constantly attend book signings, give interviews, speak and make personal appearances.

Book covers: Designing my covers is a fun project that I look forward to with each publication. I use a graphic designer, Whitney Brock, out of California, and basically give her a theme I would like to see on the cover.

Ebooks: In my opinion, is the best thing that has happened to book publishing in the last hundred years.

Book giveaways: I have participated in very few book giveaways, with the exception of charities, and can't say that I've had a lot of success with them. Mostly, I just grind out the promotion process in conventional channels.

Author's Book List
Eyes of the Blind
Searching For Leah
America's Diplomats, The Road to Attleboro
Cold Hearts Burning
Above All
The Baron of Clayhill
Tiger Woman
A Wayward Wind


For the rest of the story...View John W. Huffman - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

Katherine Logan


Author Genre: Romance, Mystery & Thrillers - Time Travel

Author's Blog: Katherine Lowry Logan's Notes from Tabor Lane
Website: Katherine Lowry Logan
Twitter: @KathyLLogan
E-Mail: Kathy.Logan@insightbb.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook


New Book: THE LAST MACKLENNA in the spring.


I got Great Reviews with THE LAST MACKLENNA but I will still self-publish.

Social Media: I’ve discovered that sales are directly related to the number of followers. As one goes up, so does the other.

Support Groups: I’m a member of RWA, Kentucky Romance Writers, and Kentucky Independent Writers.

Author's Book List
The Ruby Brooch
THE LAST MACKLENNA
THE EMERALD BROOCH
THE SAPPHIRE BROOCH


For the rest of the story...View Katherine Logan - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

Jake Needham


Author Genre: Mystery & Thrillers Author

Author's Blog: Jake Needham blog
Website: Jake Needham
Twitter: @jakeneedham
E-Mail: JakeNeedham@jakeneedham.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Advent of eBooks: E-books have been an absolute game changer for me. My titles have been available as e-books for less than a year, but they are already selling at a rate of 20 times that of my print editions.

Marketing from the Far East with over 25,000 followers on Twitter - Daily communications with readers who tell me they are happy to have just discovered my books through something that somebody said on Twitter is important. Facebook is a completely different story.

Author's Book List
THE UMBRELLA MAN
A WORLD OF TROUBLE
KILLING PLATO
LAUNDRY MAN
THE BIG MANGO
The Ambassadors Wife


For the rest of the story...View Jake Needham - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase

Christine Warner


Author Genre: Contemporary Romance

Website: Christine's Words
Twitter: @ChristinesWords
E-Mail: Christine.warner@yahoo.com
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook

Next up: Bachelor’s Special… This is a contemporary romance that will release with the Indulgence line at Entangled Publishing in June of this year.

Social media: ... everyone is supportive of one another—authors and readers alike—and I know without their encouragement and retweets and shares I wouldn’t have been able to get word of my books out there to everyone.

Writer support groups: several groups on Facebook…wonderful one on one critique partner, a small critique group. , and some wonderful yahoo groups who support each other with advice and more. Writers are a very supportive and giving group.

Giveaways: I’ve given away an ebook copy of each of my books on some blogs that I’ve appeared on and I’ve received a couple of reviews in return and that’s been wonderful.

Buy the Book Tours is an awesome partner in helping an author promote their works. You just can’t go wrong if you are being exposed to blogs and other websites who have readers you might not otherwise connect with.

Author's Book List
Bachelor's Special
Two-Timing the Boss
Some Like It in Handcuffs


For the rest of the story...View Christine Warner - HBS Author's Spotlight Showcase



Authors Recommended by: HBSystems Publications
They also sponsor: eBook Author’s Corner and HBS Mystery Reader’s Circle

Disclaimer
This blog is for information only. It is not an endorsement of the product or services discussed in the post. This blog features author’s information gained from the author or the Internet and is by invitation only.
Permission from the author is required via email to publish this post. It is not a group, subscription or forum. Some links maybe affiliate links.
HBSystems Publications Copyright 2013

Tuesday, June 25, 2013

Barry Parham - HBS Author's Spotlight

Today our blog puts the Spotlight on Author Barry Parham. He is award winning humorist and short story writer.

Author Genre: Humor, Short Stories

Website: Mooncalf Communion
Author's Blog: the diaTribe
Blog: Google +
Twitter: @barryparham
E-Mail: barry@pmwebs.com
Goodreads: Check Out Goodreads
LinkedIn: Check Out LinkedIn
Facebook: Check Out Facebook
Pinterest: Check Out Pinterest


Author Description:
Barry Parham is the award-winning author of humor columns, essays and short stories. He is a recovering software freelancer and a music fanatic.

Parham is the author of the 2009 sleeper, "Why I Hate Straws," his debut collection of humor and satire including the award-winning stories, 'Going Green, Seeing Red' & 'Driving Miss Conception.'

In October 2010, Parham published "Sorry, We Can't Use Funny," another award-winning collection of general-topic satire and humor, and the more targeted "Blush: Politics and other unnatural acts." He followed up in 2011 with "The Middle-Age of Aquarius," a growing-old-but-not-so-gracefully vehicle for the award-winners 'Comfortably Dumb,' 'Snowblind' and 'The Zodiac Buzz-Killer.'

"Full Frontal Stupidity" (2012) is Parham's 5th collection of humor, satire and observations, and features more award-winning stories, including 'Skirts vs. Skins' and 'Scenes From a Maul.'

Most recently, his work appeared in three national humor anthologies:
"My Funny Valentine" (2011)
"Open Doors: Fractured Fairy Tales" (2012)
"My Funny Major Medical" (2012)



SPOTLIGHT Questions and Answers with the Author

First things first. Let’s start with what’s next. Can you tell us the timeline for your next book release and give us a little tease?

James, thanks to you and the crew at HBS for having me here! Speaking as an indie author with a promotions budget smaller than Kim Kardashian's pre-nup, I appreciate your support.

Currently, I'm working on what will be my sixth collection of weekly humor columns, essays, and short stories, available in paperback and eBook format this fall. I don't have any other formalized details at this time, other than this: in an industry that likes to point out that, in all of literature, there are really only six or seven plots, here's a book that doesn't even have ONE.

You have a good following on twitter. Since you started before the social media buzz, what impact has social media relationships had on your current success? How much has it changed your book launch process?

Social media is changing everything. In my case, the digital world has presented an entirely new publishing opportunity -- weekly humor columns, available via very affordable online subscriptions. (a new concept which, by the way, is catching on nicely!)

See, as it turns out, I was clever enough to start writing humor columns at a time when newspapers were going out of business faster than heterosexual gigolos. So being able to marketimy weekly columns online has literally saved my bacon, if we can still say 'bacon' without offending anybody.

You do a lot of book signing, interviews, speaking and personal appearances? When and where is the next place where your readers can see you? Where can they keep up with your personal contacts online?

Unless there are any unforeseen indictments (see 'bacon' reference), I'll have appearances and interviews posted online, in season with my next book's release, at all the websites you guys kindly listed in this spotlight piece.

Today there is a buzz in the industry about high rankings on retailer’s lists because of the use of on-line advertising sites. Have you ever promoted your books with paid advertising? What has been your experience?

Personally, I've had better luck buying ads that promote appearances and readings, than I've had purely promoting books for sale in stores or online.

You have great covers. How does your book cover creation process work? Do you hand over the basic theme or do you have more of a hands-on approach? Do you get your readers involved in its development?

Thank you! I've been inordinately fortunate to work with some exceptional photographers, creative artists, and cartoonists. And although I've depended solely on their talents for my book's cover design, I've definitely included my readers in decisions about book titles.

You have a great book trailer for Why I Hate Straws. (See link below.) Do you know how much impact they have had on your book’s success? Tell us about the process that you used to create your trailers? They look very professional.

And thanks again! That trailer, for my very first book, was pure good fortune -- the combination of a talented, delightful interviewer, a talented, gracious musician, and a totally oblivious Starbucks franchise, who had no clue that we were filming. As someone once said, "Life is more fun when life is more fun."

I noticed you belong to IAN. What other kinds of writer support groups do you belong too? Do they help with the writing, marketing and the publishing process?

I would give particular thanks to the gang at CPWA (LinkedIn) and, on Facebook, the very supportive Writers of Mass Distraction. Their support, sense of humor, seasoned advice, and patience have been amazing.

Between your book writing, blogging, marketing, family and all the other things that can get in your way, how do you manage your time? Do you have a set schedule or do your sort of play it by ear?

As a weekly columnist, I consider my writing schedule to be almost laughably easy, compared to, say, novelists, and whoever it is that keeps coming up with all these amendments to ObamaCare. My self-inflicted discipline has been to write a minimum of 625 words a week, which isn't much, but every 40th word has to be funny. (also true, as it turns out, for ObamaCare)

Has the advent of ebooks changed anything in your writing, your marketing and the relationship with your readers and fans?

I sell a lot of eBooks. But I'm not convinced the buyers are actually reading them. I get a lot more reader feedback from paperback sales, both at amazon and from bookstores. And that's not the way it ought to be - technically, it would be VERY easy to allow, say, Kindle readers to provide feedback...right there, in the device...right there, while they're reading.

I also use my online subscription service to push weekly humor columns directly to a subscriber's Kindle - and that delivery method is VERY popular.

What has been your experience in giving your books away free? Have you been involved in any other type of giveaways and how did that work out? What was your main goal in doing this? Did you run into any obstacles?

When I've given away books to readers (facebook contests, Kindle Direct, Smashwords, Goodreads), I've seen very little positive effect. However, when I donate copies of my books - to libraries, to charities, for live give-aways, etc. - I can absolutely see a measurable (though short-lived) spike in sales. Absolutely.

When someone on television borrows some of your material, is that the ultimate compliment?

Stay tuned.
When someone on TV borrows my material, believe me, I'll let you know. I'll let EVERYBODY know.



Author's Book List
Full Frontal Stupidity
Praise for Full Frontal Stupidity
"Parham is at the very top echelon of American humorists, equal to Dave Barry or David Sedaris on their best day."
Linton Robinson (Editor, My Funny Valentine)

Humor columnist Barry Parham is back, launching his latest salvo of hilarious, thought-provoking, take-no-prisoners observations.

on being single...
"Single guys buy milk in small, manageable doses, as if they were bringing home work, or morals. It would never cross a single guy's mind to buy an entire gallon of anything, much less some expiring liquid that can mutate into something that smells like Detroit looks."

on auto racing...
"I'm the first to admit that racing takes talent ... not to mention bravery. But, there's bravery involved in putting your hand on a hot stove, too. Sadly, though, after you're done with the stove, there's nothing much left but discipline, and learning to write with your other hand."

on politics...
"Contestant #3 was unable to make it, but he did swing by and vote 'Present' so we would validate his parking, and he would like to remind our studio audience that was for showing up before he was against it."

Includes these award-winning stories!
Skirts vs. Skins
Scenes From a Maul



Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
The Middle-Age of Aquarius
If you're not already familiar with the work of online humor columnist Barry Parham, here's your chance to get to know him...

...to get to know the man the Chicago Tribute has called "the next Mark Twain" (no, they didn't)

...the guy David Ladderman, Jay Limo & others depend on for new material (no, they don't)

...the acclaimed wit known to the staff at the Miami Harold as "the funniest man since Mark Twain" (actually, they never met)

...a man the New Yorker Times considers to be "just a bit taller than Mark Twain" (this is true, because Mark Twain died)

So hop aboard for Barry's fourth collection of looks at play, work, art, TV, cultural norms (a very short chapter, that one), ads, fads, politics, the internet, anti-social networking, and why the end of the world might be late.

And yes, Straw-Heads, the ferrets are back.

Includes these award-winning stories!
Comfortably Dumb
Snowblind
The Zodiac Buzz-Killer



Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
Blush: Politics and other unnatural acts
Includes the award-winning story "Razing Arizona!"

Excerpts from Blush

"At the Inauguration, a better tone was set when the incoming First Couple met the outgoing First Couple on the steps of the White House. There were hugs all round, and the incoming First Female Significant Other presented a gift to the outgoing First Female Significant Other. This kindness spurred the hovering photo-hounds into a frenzy of photo-hounding, until the Clintons leapt out of the First Shrubbery, stole the gift, and spirited it off to their First Legacy Museum. Bill Clinton then pardoned the shrubbery."

"I'm building a politician, in case you're looking to buy one. For a while there, I was thinking of running for office myself. But I'm not going to lie to you. And there it is. If I can't lie to you, I'm not politically viable."

"During a bone-chilling outbreak of global warming, Barack Obama was inaugurated President of the United States, and got three votes for the Papacy, and won the Rose Bowl. He immediately set the tone for his administration by having world-class musicians fake a music performance, while not paying their taxes. The new President then introduced us to his "twin-teleprompter" speaking style, making him look like he's constantly talking to 2 very tall voters on opposite sides of the room. Later in the month, Congress presented a Health Care Bill that everybody agreed was probably well-written."

Online humorist Barry Parham is back with another acute collection of satire, targeting politics and other, less evil things.

And when Barry's in the beltway, no party or platform is safe.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
Sorry, We Can't Use Funny
Following the success of his first book, the 2009 sleeper, "Why I Hate Straws," online humor columnist Barry Parham delivers again. Satire at its best!

Includes the award-winning stories "Actuarial Family Theater" and "Perfect!"

on Fads & Fashion…
In the interest of full disclosure, I admit there's an extant 1970's photo of me and a date, posing for the obligatory parental pre-prom photo. My date was gorgeous, and sane. I, on the other hand, showed up with the hair of a medieval barber. I looked like an electrocuted yak.

on St. Valentine's Day…
Somehow, February got this reputation as a month of romance, maybe because it's cold. Plus, football's gone and we're stuck with the wildly popular sport of bowling, where you almost never get to see any serious violence. St. Valentine's Day contains vestiges of both early Christian and ancient Roman traditions, alongside other time-honored traditions, like hot-dish picnics and mass public executions. Holiday Factoid: "vestiges" is the classical Greek plural of "vest."

on Typos…
A local TV station was updating the community on snowstorm-based church closings. According to the typists at the station, there was a church somewhere called St. Martyer. Imagine - an entire religious sect dedicated to turning people into Ernest Borgnine.


Order the Book From: Amazon - Barnes and Noble - Smashwords
Why I Hate Straws: An offbeat worldview of an offbeat world
Includes the award-winning stories "Going Green, Seeing Red" and "Driving Miss Conception!"

Excerpts from Why I Hate Straws

"I finally decided to try one of the new, non-threatening light bulbs - you know, one of those curly things that looks like soft-serve ice cream, costs more than a tanning bed, and is guaranteed to save me up to 12 cents between now and the formation of any new continents."

"You may be thinking, though probably not, 'how does a mere mortal build a web site?' Well, it's really quite simple. I type normal human words, wrap them in weird code words, and suddenly you're able to download air-brushed pictures of moody Nordic women."

"After thanking himself, and then introducing himself, and then thanking himself for inviting himself, the President actually said, out loud, 'next page.'"

Online author Barry Parham unleashes this set of satire, humor, and indignations. His perorations poke at family, dating, politics, culture, nature, good and bad decisions, and ferrets.


Book Trailer: Why I Hate Straws: An offbeat worldview of an offbeat world

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Author Recommended by: John W. Huffman
John W. Huffman is an Award winning Indie Author. He writes Historical Fiction, Mystery & Thrillers. John is a three time Purple Heart winner. He is a member of the IAN.
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