Tag Archives: Literature

The Art of Being Alone- a novella (4th installment)

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2028238Inspired by the writing of Richard Brautigan and Kurt Vonnegut, The Art of Being Alone is a novella about a lost soul living on the Moon and what he found there. You can read the earlier installments here. Our narrator is a member of the 5%s, wealthy individuals that own a majority of all of the resources and economy on the Earth. The rest of the planet is in turmoil, with the environment and the poor (everyone else) struggling to live or fight back. It is under these conditions that our broken narrator moves as far away as a human possibly can…

14- Moon Arrival

Everything was done so well. I am a little surprised, honestly. If someone hated me this would have been a great opportunity to get rid of me with little complication or comeuppance. For example, a simple miscalculation in my landing and I would have died, but I didn’t. Or in the design of my suit or my habitat. I could go on and on. So many ways to kill me and yet, here I am.

I landed perfectly by my already created habitat. My robots were standing outside and off since their jobs were done. Everything was waiting for me, as I ordered.

The first steps on the moon were difficult.

I was light and I was not used to it. They tried to get me to take some tests in the suit and in different environments that recreate the experience but I always said no.

And you could not argue with my no. Continue reading →

The Art of Being Alone- a novella (2nd installment)

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2028238Inspired by the writing of Richard Brautigan, The Art of Being Alone is a novella that strangely fits very well with this time in the world. I began it over a year ago and through this website and installments, I hope to force my hand in finishing it. I will be sharing 5 or so pages of it, each week. The first installment can be found here. I hope you enjoy it.–

6- The Quiet

When you read and/or watch stories about people living alone, they… do things.

They maybe sing little songs. They talk to themselves about important matters. They might even have friends (maybe just in their corrupted minds) or memories that give us glimpses into their psyche.

I wonder if that is a sign of human weakness. The fact that we need “something.”

We just can’t be alone as people, even in a story. I wonder if we feel too much and that is why the isolation and the silence becomes overbearing. It makes us look inside and we don’t want that! Heaven forbid! We want bangs, flashes, shouting, sex! A person can’t simply “be” in a tale.

For me, I am simply being. I am this and nothing else. I will prove it.

I get up when I get up. I have no sense of time here, but I can say that when the sun begins to spread across the ground and I feel it coming through the plastic glass of my dome and reach my feet, I rise. I stretch one part of my body and then the next. Somewhere I can hear the electronic buzzing of the mechanics that make my home a reality. I couldn’t tell you how the things work, I have no need to know. I simply asked for it and people completed the needed task. Transaction complete.

I then walk in my weighted slippers to the dispenser which takes the food that is grown in the greenhouses and makes it into designated dishes. I eat whatever I want and then I sit, write in this journal and look at the regolith.

There is no noise, no talking, no music, no wind. Just silence.

It is glorious and that is all I need in my story. Continue reading →

Available now! New novel for eBook and print! Grab your copy of My Problem With Doors…

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This is a plea for help.

If you have found this manuscript and think it to be only a novel or an ancient piece of fiction, it is not. This is the story of my life and I hope in your reading you will be able to help me…

My Problem With Doors MASTER TAKE 3

Yes, the world is in crisis but there is also the argument to be made that this is the perfect time to discover a new book. Okay, okay… I get that it is a bad and possibly insenitive joke, but we live in bad and possibly insensitive times.

My novel, My Problem With Doors, is now available on Amazon for eBook and print! Published by KGHH Publishing, this unpredictable time travel book might be just what you need to help pass the time and get your mind onto something other than the mad news. Here is the back cover description:

Jacob is lost in time.

He has been lost ever since he walked through a door as a toddler and ended up in the office of a British officer in 1870. My Problem With Doors is the exciting story of Jacob’s life as a time traveler.

Adventure, humor, romance, and surprises, Jacob never knows where he is going to end up or who he will meet next in his 30-year search for a home and purpose. From pirates to poets to even Jack the Ripper, Jacob will experience all of the best and worst of humanity in his journeys. My Problem With Doors is a book like no other, filled with both literary and adventurous twists and turns.

It is available in print for only $10.99 and ebook (perfect for those screens right now) for only $3.99, which is barely the price of three songs on iTunes. You can find it on Amazon here- https://www.amazon.com/dp/1912638746/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_3cYIEbQ00MWKY

I hope you enjoy it and if you do, please tell a friend or consider giving it a review on Amazon or Good Reads or share on social media. It is really the only way that books like this are found in the world today; you need that word of mouth.

I hope you enjoy My Problem With Doors!

“This is a most compelling book. It pulls you in to a fascinating concept from the beginning…. I give this book 5 stars.” –The Voracious Reader

My Problem With Doors to be released in April! Book cover reveal!

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Hello everyone… so a little bit of big news… 

I am pleased to announce that my novel My Problem With Doors is set to be released this April from KGHH Publishing!

My Problem With Doors is so many things and I can’t wait for you to discover it. It is unpredictable and in many ways the kind of book I love to discover when I go to the library. Here is the draft of the back cover description for the work. (I’ll share the cover after this bit, I promise).

This is a plea for help.

If you have found this manuscript and think it to be only a novel or an ancient piece of fiction, it is not. This is the story of my life and I hope in your reading you will be able to help me…

Jacob is lost in time.

He has been lost ever since he walked through a door as a toddler and ended up in the office of a British officer in 1870. My Problem With Doors is the exciting story of Jacob’s life as a time traveler.

Adventure, humor, romance, and surprises, Jacob never knows where he is going to end up or who he will meet next in his 30-year search for a home and purpose. From pirates to poets to even Jack the Ripper, Jacob will experience all of the best and worst of humanity in his journeys. My Problem With Doors is a book like no other, filled with both literary and adventurous twists and turns.

This is a most compelling book. It pulls you in to a fascinating concept from the beginning…. I give this book 5 stars. –The Voracious Reader

I will keep you updated as the publication date moves up. Until then, let me just add a “Yahoo!”

For a limited time. My latest novel In Jerry’s Corner is only 99 cents for ebook!

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Cover Art_SouthardIn a house on a dusty street, there was a quiet stranger.

Young Jerry Sleight never knew the stranger was there, nor did his parents. Of course, being only a few months old, little Jerry had no good reason to notice anything besides lights and the smile of his mother. For his parents though, the reason was basically that the stranger was invisible, hovering, and silent. And who looks for something unseen and unheard?

The stranger’s job was to observe and observe he did. He watched the parents feed, change, and fawn over the infant. He was there for each cry and each laugh. His time was passed floating in the northwest corner of the rooms, taking note of everything around Jerry (height, weight, reactions, etc.), watching as each day passed into another and another and another. Until a day came when the stranger decided to introduce himself…

Hey readers! Interested in reading something very new? Unpredictable? My latest novel In Jerry’s Corner is available as an ebook for only 99 cents for a limited time!

Published by KGGH Press, In Jerry’s Corner is the story of a life, but this is unlike anything else out there. I am really proud of this novel and the paths it takes. My aim in the book was to do something very different…and… well… you will have to check it out and see. And really for 99 cents, how can you say no? This is cheaper than most songs on iTunes, people!

On Amazon’s US Site– https://amzn.to/2OIxYbu

On Amazon UK Site– https://amzn.to/2U7zcCO

I can’t guarantee when this kind of sale will happen with the book again, but this is for a limited time. Grab a copy, buy it for a friend or a loved one. If you have read the book and liked it, please tell someone. I would love for more people to discover Jerry and Bill.

BillHere is the back cover description:

Ever since Jerry Sleight was a baby, Bill was there. Bill is tall, quiet, unblinking and green. He is in the northwest corner of every room Jerry visits and only Jerry can see him.

It might sound strange, but Bill is an alien from a planet without a name and his task is to watch a human life from beginning to end. But why he is observing Jerry, and what does he hope to see? Only Bill knows the true answers to the mystery.

Filled with laughter and surprises, Jerry’s days with Bill will represent all of humanity and the impact a life can have, not just on others but on an entire world and universe.

In Jerry’s Corner is about the importance of a single life… and the amazing green individual watching it all take place.

Thanks for reading and please snag a copy of my latest book! Cheers!

 

Only a few days left! Grab a copy of my new novel, In Jerry’s Corner, for only 99 cents on Amazon!

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in-jerrys-corner-bus-stop-master-2.jpgThere are only a few days left to snag a copy of my book, In Jerry’s Corner, for just 99 cents. What are you waiting for? Get on it people! (Oh, let me say that nicer, it would be really smashing if you do grab a copy of it. Thank you!)

You can grab your copy here: https://amzn.to/2OIxYbu

Published by KGHH Press, In Jerry’s Corner is the story of a very special friendship and the power of an individual to impact not only the people around them, but the universe. I am really proud of this work and I am asking for you to give it a shot. I promise you will not be disappointed. It is unpredictable and very unique, not something often promised in today’s book world.

Here is the back cover description:

Ever since Jerry Sleight was a baby, Bill was there. Bill is tall, quiet, unblinking and green. He is in the northwest corner of every room Jerry visits and only Jerry can see him.

It might sound strange, but Bill is an alien from a planet without a name and his task is to watch a human life from beginning to end. But why he is observing Jerry, and what does he hope to see? Only Bill knows the true answers to the mystery.

Filled with laughter and surprises, Jerry’s days with Bill will represent all of humanity and the impact a life can have, not just on others but on an entire world and universe.

In Jerry’s Corner is about the importance of a single life… and the amazing green individual watching it all take place.

You can check out an excerpt on my website here, but why do that when you can just start reading now. Grab your copy on Amazon today!

Read about In Jerry’s Corner in latest Black Books ezine!

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Black Books Cover SUMMER SPECIAL (1)Hello everyone. My latest novel In Jerry’s Corner has been out for a month. Have you checked it out? What did you think? Uh huh? Really? You don’t say…

Anyway, it is discussed in the latest issue of Black Books ezine! You can snag a copy on Amazon (free for those with Kindle unlimited- those lucky, lucky people).

AMAZON UK:

https://amzn.to/2WPTXEo

AMAZON USA:

https://amzn.to/2FhqEjm

Okay, now for those that have not grabbed my latest novel, read it, or reviewed it… Well… I am looking at you and my eyes are doing that beady eye thing that scares my kids. You can grab a copy on Amazon here-

On Amazon’s US Site– https://amzn.to/2OIxYbu

On Amazon UK Site– https://amzn.to/2U7zcCO

In Jerrys Corner BUS STOP MASTER 2

Remember, it is free for Kindle Unlimited. For the rest of us it is incredibly well-priced (some would call it a steal… I will call it a steal) at $2.99 for ebook and $10.99 for the beautiful paperback copy.

I hope you will check it out… and check out the ezine… and tell a friend… and maybe throw me a review on Goodreads or Amazon… and buy it as a present for friends, family members, and enemies (it could help release tension).

 

Free for Kindle Unlimited! Grab a copy of my new book In Jerry’s Corner!

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My new novel is available via amazon.com right now! But for those with Kindle Unlimited they can snag a copy free right now!

On Amazon’s US Site– https://amzn.to/2OIxYbu

On Amazon UK Site– https://amzn.to/2U7zcCO

For the rest of us, the price is really great. $2.99 for the ebook and just $10.99 for the paperback (I’m a print guy, myself. It looks super great!)

Published by KGHH Press, In Jerry’s Corner is the story of a very unique friendship and the power of an individual to impact not only the people around them, but the universe. Here is the back cover description:

Ever since Jerry Sleight was a baby, Bill was there. Bill is tall, quiet, unblinking and green. He is in the northwest corner of every room Jerry visits and only Jerry can see him.

It might sound strange, but Bill is an alien from a planet without a name and his task is to watch a human life from beginning to end. But why he is observing Jerry, and what does he hope to see? Only Bill knows the true answers to the mystery.

Filled with laughter and surprises, Jerry’s days with Bill will represent all of humanity and the impact a life can have, not just on others but on an entire world and universe.

In Jerry’s Corner is about the importance of a single life… and the amazing green individual watching it all take place.

You can check out an excerpt on my website here.

OUT TODAY! My new book In Jerry’s Corner is available now! LINKS! NEWS!

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“In a house on a dusty street, there was a quiet stranger.”

Today, I am proud to announce that my new book, In Jerry’s Corner is out! My latest work has been released to the world and I can’t wait for you to read it.

You can grab the ebook for your Kindle and print copy of the work on Amazon today. If you have Kindle Unlimited, it is free. You just need to select it. Here are the links-

On Amazon’s US Site– https://amzn.to/2OIxYbu

On Amazon UK Site– https://amzn.to/2U7zcCO

Published by KGHH Press, In Jerry’s Corner is the story of a very unique friendship and the power of an individual to impact not only the people around them, but the universe. Here is the back cover description:

Ever since Jerry Sleight was a baby, Bill was there. Bill is tall, quiet, unblinking and green. He is in the northwest corner of every room Jerry visits and only Jerry can see him.

It might sound strange, but Bill is an alien from a planet without a name and his task is to watch a human life from beginning to end. But why he is observing Jerry, and what does he hope to see? Only Bill knows the true answers to the mystery.

Filled with laughter and surprises, Jerry’s days with Bill will represent all of humanity and the impact a life can have, not just on others but on an entire world and universe.

In Jerry’s Corner is about the importance of a single life… and the amazing green individual watching it all take place.

You can check out an excerpt on my website here.

This was a work of love, I have fought for for the last four years. I really hope you will grab a copy and meet Bill and Jerry. Thank you for reading!

PRESALE BEGINS! Snag your copy of my latest book, In Jerry’s Corner, now!

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Cover Art_Southard

The presale begins today for my latest novel, In Jerry’s Corner. I am really proud of the book and I can’t wait for you to discover it. (Yes, I am talking to you.) It is currently available from Amazon in both paperback and eBook.

On Amazon’s US Site– https://amzn.to/2OIxYbu

On Amazon UK Site– https://amzn.to/2U7zcCO

Grab your copy! Maybe grab two!

Here is the back cover description for the work:

Ever since Jerry Sleight was a baby, Bill was there. Bill is tall, quiet, unblinking and green. He is in the northwest corner of every room Jerry visits and only Jerry can see him.

It might sound strange, but Bill is an alien from a planet without a name and his task is to watch a human life from beginning to end. But why he is observing Jerry, and what does he hope to see? Only Bill knows the true answers to the mystery.

Filled with laughter and surprises, Jerry’s days with Bill will represent all of humanity and the impact a life can have, not just on others but on an entire world and universe.

In Jerry’s Corner is about the importance of a single life… and the amazing green individual watching it all take place.

You can learn more about the book (and me) on the publisher’s website here. I can’t wait to share this latest work with you.