seeds of civilization  •  TSUBUTE    •  by R.J. Archer
 

2007
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Notes From The Author

12/30/2007: 1st qtr release of Triangle!
• The completed manuscript is in first draft edition!
• No longer sold out: Tractrix and Tsubute for signings and gifts.
• And I have new 2008 bookmarks to include in sets.

12/26/2007: Triangle is nearly ready to send out to a few selected readers. I’m shooting for a Mar 08 release date after editing. Plus, my second trilogy, involving yet another unsolved mystery about early civilizations, is set to begin around mid-year. I’m not ready to divulge the story-line yet. But I’m very excited about the new concept—which will involve lots of research.

12/12/2007: 1st qtr release! 24 of 26 chapters complete!
thanks to Mike for his order of a Holiday gift set!
And I have new 2008 bookmarks to include in sets.


11/02/2007: Progress report on TriangleMar 08?
Novel three is picking up steam as I near publication.
Last weekend I completed chapter 18 plus an outline of the happenings from that point ’til the end of the book. And, while
researching the background material for the closing chapters, an idea began to form—the germ of an idea for my second trilogy involving yet another unsolved mystery about early civilizations. But that has to wait—while Frank saves his team.

11/02/2007 UPDATE: Wordstock, Nov. 10, 2007, Oregon Convention Center—This event highlights high-profile authors and booksellers, such as Borders and Powells. See you there. I’ll be browsing, too.

9/16/2007 UPDATE: Twenty-five authors came to the beach on Saturday, Sept. 15 to Bob’s Beach Books final summer Author Fair—the best venue ever! And even though the prediction was rain, once again we got sunburned.
     The store’s 2007 summer events in Lincoln City were extremely successful and they’ll be back next year with four more events. New tables graced this set-up and each time they add something new. Plus the authors that attend change up a bit, so plan to attend more than one event next year. I think I’ll be a permanent fixture at the June and August events. But then, perhaps September, too. We learned one of our favorite visitors, Ellen from Salt Lake City, visits each September. She said she loved both Tractrix and Tsubute and wants to be notified the minute Triangle is available. She and Ella are avid readers and usually return to Salt Lake City with two bag-loads of reading material for the year! Ella was sick and didn’t make it out this time. Get well soon, Ella. Enjoy your vacation—then have a safe trip back.

9/03/2007 UPDATE: Wondering about NWIDI’s third adventure?
Triangle is progressing nicely and is approximately 2/3 complete.
The mystery in the Gulf of Mexico and the Bahamas is heating up, and I can’t wait, myself, to see how they’ll get out of this one!
Readers are already at work and I’m really trying to finish the story by end of year. But this novel is also the end of the series. That means extra care must be given to its closing. So be patient. For those who come to the final signing of the summer on Sept. 15,
I may just give you a glimpse.

8/25/2007 UPDATE: AUTHOR FAIR
Bob’s Beach Books on the Oregon Coast at Lincoln City decided a year ago to hold an author fair outside on the plaza, and quickly set the standard for independent booksellers in Oregon. At the first Sept event in 2006, there were just 13 authors. At their fourth event this August, a record 42 authors showed up! They’ve added a fourth event in 2007 because of the resounding success they’ve enjoyed.
(2006 event: Sept 16)
2007 events: Jun 23, July 28, Aug 25 and Sept 15
And by the way, they are fantastic hosts!

8/21/2007: Should your teenager read my novels?
ABSOLUTELY! In fact, the novels are excellent reading material for young adults because they encourage them to explore our world, whether through fiction or actual travels. There’s no heavy language and the stories are upbeat and intriguing. If I’ve done my job well, they’ll also learn they can question prevailing “facts” that science offers about anthropology and archaeology. There’s a whole new body of evidence available due to the emerging fields of satellite photography and underwater archaeology. Maybe they’ll choose those fields of study.

8/21/2007: Frank will be at the beach Aug. 25 noon to 3pm.
Book signing: Lincoln City’s 2007 Summer Author Fair. It’s easy to find: 1747 Hwy 101, Oregon Coast, Bob’s Beach Books, outside plaza. The summer series continues throughout the summer. Twenty authors were there in June! Co-sponsor: The Book End.

8/16/2007: This Web layout is NEW! ...plus
The MEGAblog site is back online!
(the science behind the fiction)

Now we can get back to planning what we’ll be doing over the Labor Day weekend. Taking Frank along on vacation, for sure! But hopefully getting out, enjoying the last days of summer, and perhaps visiting a few independent bookstores somewhere else in Oregon. Winning the Lottery would be nice (like Frank did). Oh, and getting the artwork done for your » QTR 4 desk calendar.

8/16/2007: UPDATE: Back online since early this week!
8/9/2007: What happened to the old MEGAblog site?
A few days ago I was doing a little clean-up on my hosting account and I accidentally deleted a database that was essential to my blog. I’ve temporarily redirected my domain name to a new site, but my hosting service hopes to have the original blog back online soon. If that happens, I’ll switch the domain back and you’ll see the old site again.
     Please make sure your links and bookmarks point to: www.theMegaBlog.com to avoid additional downtime.

8/5/2007: AUGUST 25 Author Fair confirmed
Book signing: Lincoln City’s 2007 Book Fair / Third summer event
• 1747 Hwy 101, Oregon Coast • NOON-3PMBob’s Beach Books
Come down, enjoy a day at the beach, and stop by for a chat.
While you’re at it, get a signed copy of Tractrix or Tsubute or both!

7/28/2007: UPDATE
One of the nice things about great summer weather is the opportunity to get out and visit favorite places. Yesterday was no exception. We took the day off and went to the Oregon Coast, to parts we visit less often. Starting at Tillamook, we headed north, stopped in Garibaldi for lunch at Pirate's Cove (overlooking the scenic bay), and drove along the coastline to Manzanita. There we parked by the shops, strolled several blocks to the beach and just enjoyed the weather and the view of the coastal hills. Manzanita has a very nice beach! And a great local book stop, Cloud & Leaf Bookstore. It’s a BookSense bookseller, so I added a link to it at the BookSense button in the left margin. If you have the opportunity, stop by for a visit. Manzanita looks like a great place to hide away and write. I know we’ll be back for a longer stay.
     Viewpoints north of Manzanita are breathtaking because the highway climbs quickly. Proceding north, we stopped in Cannon Beach and took some video and stunning stills of Haystack Rock. The tide was out and folks were wading through the surf to the rock itself. The drive back to Portland was great because we were heading in the opposite direction of weekend traffic. But most enjoyable was the highway to Tillamook on the way over. Our coastal range is gorgeous providing a highway lined by streams and accompanied by a State park and lush mountain greenery.

7/13/2007: Who’s reading Tractrix these days?
Book stores:
COLUMBIA, S.C. – Deb, bookstore owner at Aliens & Alibis books requested a set and will publicize them in the store’s upcoming newsletter. (Stay tuned for possible inclusion at the Columbia Public Library.)
SAN FRANCISCO, LOS ANGELES, SAN DIEGO, SEATTLE – ARCs went out last month to Borderlands Books, The Mystery Bookstore, Mysterious Galaxy, and Seattle Mystery Bookshop. Please let me know if any copies make it to your shelves. When they do, we’ll thank you by placing your link at left.
Individuals:
• Fantasy Author Rob Marston Fannéy, an early MySpace friend.
• Portland artist Andi Starr, singer, song writer, MySpace friend.
• The window clerk at the post office in our area—she finally caved after sending many packages out over the last few months!
• A half-dozen fans bought both Tsubute and Tractrix on Amazon over the last month.
• A handful of readers from the June signing in Lincoln City, OR.
• February’s UPDATE lists several MySpace friends and authors, too. Thanks to all!

6/24/2007: UPDATE
The book signing yesterday was a small success. That is, sales
were okay (half as many as last year) but the author turnout was fantastic. There were 20 authors instead of 13. I sat next to Ron Lovell and we compared notes on publishing and marketing.
     Bob’s Beach Books went out of their way to be great hosts with coffee and cookies for all.
     What may have kept readers away? Perhaps the preliminary weather report! A system was due to come in. In reality we saw only a few sprinkles as we drove over the pass, and in Lincoln City, we could see dark clouds over the Lake, but not over the city.
A slight overcast at noon turned into sun by 2pm, and guess what: we got burned! One should always have sun block at hand while
at the beach. duh.
     Good friends Russ and Lynn came down to walk the beach and chat about the upcoming third novel. We went to McMinnamins afterwards.
     And both Bob’s Beach Books and The Book End purchased their own signed copies of Tractrix and Tsubute. So next time you go to the Oregon Coast, be sure to stop into their stores and buy from them. All-in-all, it was a fun day. To see the photo, just click here.
My next Lincoln City signing will be August 25. Stop by to chat about Triangle.

6/15/2007: JUNE 23 Author Fair confirmed
Book signing: Lincoln City’s 2007 Book Fair • 1747 Hwy 101, Oregon Coast • NOON-3PMBob’s Beach Books
Come down, enjoy a day at the beach, and stop by for a chat.
While you’re at it, get a signed copy of Tractrix or Tsubute or both!

5/26/2007: Quarter 3 Desk Calendars are ready!
Calendar give-aways:
For quality, these are large downloads so they will take a bit to open. Sorry! Use photo-quality gloss paper for best results.

Bookmark/calendar 2007Makes four bookmarks when printed both sides.
DesktopCal/3rd Qtr 2007Good for bulletin boards, spindle post-it holders, back-folded jewelcases. Measures 4-5/8 x 5-1/2. Makes two when trimmed.
Displays photos from my Caribbean trips
(next release, Triangle: Caribbean adventure novel).

5/14/2007: Stay tuned for Author Fairs!
Book signings:
June 23, July 28, August 25, 2007. Stay tuned for date changes.
Lincoln City’s 2007 Book Fair • 1747 Hwy 101, Oregon Coast
NOON-3PMBob’s Beach Books.

4/29/2007: Cinco de Mayo
Mothers Day and Fathers Day Specials
Enjoy special pricing on the Gift Set from now through Fathers Day.

Happy birthday little Mariana!
While you’re all celebrating Cinco de Mayo, I’ll be down in central Mexico on the Pacific shores celebrating my little graddaughter’s FIRST birthday and her Baptism. I always start learning Spanish a few days before or even while on the plane! I make up my own Spanish-sounding words and my wife laughs. Many Mexican businesses take the day off if it falls on either side of a weekend. But lots of people have to ask what they're really celebrating...the day the Mexican forces overcame the French in Hidalgo.
     We’ll spend a few days with my two stepsons who work in advertising and music production south of the Border. Then I'll head over to the Peninsula for three days with the oldest who owns and manages a hotel marketing business in Cabo San Lucas. My wife won’t lose a minute with our granddaughter, so she’ll stay behind and we’ll meet up in Phoenix in a few days.
     Maybe I’ll send you a note from Todos Santos, Mexico, after visiting Tecolote Libros, or their "famous" Hotel California. I’m taking my goggles and fins just in case there's time for snorkeling, but I probably won’t dive this trip.
     It’ll be a week packed with travel and sun and water and friends. I’ll rest up when I get back to Portland and the serious business of writing my tech articles and my third novel.

4/18/2007: Senseless
After two days of listening to the news on every channel of TV and reading the Internet reports about the Virginia Tech shootings,
I still can find no answers for the senseless murders of so many talented and promising individuals. You’d think a writer could find some soothing words or a profound statement to share. All I can say, from my wife and myself, is that our hearts go out to the families and friends of those killed, to the University, and to all who feel the pain of this week’s events.

4/14/2007: Special pricing for bookclubs!
Enjoy 36% discount on signed copies when you purchase six at a time from the wholesale pricing page. Pay no shipping charge for regular U.S. postage media mail.

4/10/2007: AWARD NOMINATIONS for Tractrix and Tsubute!
Yellow30SciFi.com has announced its first annual small publisher awards nominations and has considered Tractrix for a Charon Award (Best Book 1999-2005) and Tsubute for a 2007 Pluto Award (Best New Voice in Science Fiction).
2007 Charon Award.
2007 Pluto Award.
Winners will be announced Oct. 1, 2007.
I am homored to have both my novels considered!

4/04/2007: Coming up
I’ve been a little silent lately, but not because I’ve let things slip.
It seemed to be a long winter and I’ve been busy. No plans for signings yet this Spring, though that could change, if invited.
I’d love to visit bookstores in Seattle if time permits.
     I’ve been busy writing novel #3, Triangle, taking on freelance tech writing assignments, putting together an edited script for an audio excerpt for Tractrix, and planning my upcoming trip to central Mexico and Baja California. In early May I plan to be at my granddaughter’s first birthday celebration and Baptism, and then take a side trip over to the peninsula to plan a new venture with my stepson. While there, I will certainly call on the owner of Tecolote Libros in Todos Santos. In this nearby surfer community, a retired bookstore owner from Portland owns and operates a bilingual bookshop and has stocked Tractrix. I plan to take her a signed copy and introduce myself. (It was my wife who first made contact last year.)
     Divers, I’m not sure if I’ll have time to hit the waters! But I’ll report back if I do. You see, I’ll just be in Cabo San Lucas a few days and my calendar is already filled to the brim. Do calendars have a brim?
     Have a Happy Easter everyone!

4/1/2007: EVENING UPDATE: It seems to be back in order!
Apparently this WAS an April Fools joke...on ME! LOL
4/1/2007: What’s up with Ingram?
This is NOT an April Fools joke: I seem to have been dropped from the regular Ingram catalog as of yesterday and I have email in to Lightning Source to find out why.
     On the bright side, the books seem to be available still through “Ingram Extended”, whatever that means. Plus, March was again
a RECORD for sales...better even than January.
     Bookstores, in the mean time, you can still purchase signed copies through our wholesale PayPal link.
Six signed copies at a time, mix-n-match or six of either title.

3/12/2007: Currently reading Tractrix:
Dr. Phil in Colorado (of Multiverse Reviews) and Danielle in Okinawa, Japan, now have their copies of both Tractrix and Tsubute. Danielle is an avid diver and photographer. And thanks to MySpace friend Andi Starr, a Portland singer/songwriter. I’m anxious to be at one of her performances and finally meet her, since she’s a fellow Portlander.

3/05/2007: Thanks to BookSense bookstores!
A few of you stocked copies of Tractrix over the weekend and I appreciate it! If you’d like to be added to our store list, just send email. I’d love to hear from you.

2/25/2007: SEAspace Adventure Sports and Travel Expo
March 31 - April 1, 2007 Hall E of the superb Reliant Exposition Center in Houston, Texas (next to the Reliant Astrodome ). Exhibit Hall admission is just $6 per adult, with kids 17 and under admitted free of charge. SEASPACE is a 501(c)3 non-profit corporation with event proceeds funding a marine-related scholarship program. Prizes! Loads of fabulous corporate prizes... Among them, win your free signed copy of Tsubute.

2/24/2007: More than 11,050 listens...but who’s counting?
And there’s a new corrected desktop calendar for those who want to download it and print it. Just visit the “GIFTS” link above and select the second quarter version. Since there’s two on a sheet,
I invite you to give one away.
2007 RECENT READERS.   To Danielle: Thanks for your interest in the novels. Both are headed your way to Japan! They left the Portland post office yesterday. Hope you enjoy them.
Also to MaryAnn and to John...thanks for purchasing copies of BOTH novels. You’ve joined Benny and Larry on the MySpace Friends fan list. Locally, Tom bought signed editions.

2/13/2007: We’ve passed the 10,000 mark!
Thanks to all of you who have listened to the MP3 excerpt to Chapter 4 of Tsubute.

1/31/2007: What a great start to 2007!
To show my appreciation for January milestones, I’ve lowered
the price on signed gift sets through the month of February to match Amazon’s 22% discount! See the links at left.
And, for your convenience... I’ve updated the links to GIFTS and BLOGS above.

For the month of January there were record hits on the Seeds Of Civilization website, including good page-visits and good PDF downloads. Plus, more than 9,000 listeners of the MP3 excerpt to Chapter 4 of Tsubute. Winter is a great time to sit back and get cozy with a novel. I invite you to spread the word about Tractrix and Tsubute with my calendar freebies at the links below or at GIFTS above. Please give extras away.
Calendar give-aways:
For quality, these are large downloads so they will take a bit to open. Sorry! Use photo-quality gloss paper for best results.

Bookmark/calendar 2007Makes four bookmarks when printed both sides.
DesktopCal/1st Qtr 2007Good for bulletin boards, spindle post-it holders, back-folded jewelcases. Measures 4-5/8 x 5-1/2. Makes two when trimmed.
Displays photos from my Mexico trip (Tractrix: Las Vegas/Yucatan adventure novel).

1/6/2007:
spoiler alert...Here’s a prologue to novel #3, TRIANGLE (pdf)
The first two novels in the Seeds Of Civilization series are titled TRACTRIX and TSUBUTE. The tentative title for novel #3 is TRIANGLE, but a new release of the same name by another author is garnering all the publicity. If you have a suggestion, submit it to Comments. Thank you for your input.
Results of Poll #2: Although canceled, two submissions suggest I stick with a single-word title beginning with “T”, and I’m also still considering Triangle. Thanks for your input!
Results of Poll #1: Only 5 readers took part but the consensus was 80% in favor of bringing back Jill in novel #3. Maybe, maybe not. LOL. But your input is very valuable to me so thank you to those who took part!

1/25/2007: UPDATE More than 6,000 listeners!
12/30/2006: Happy New Year!
Wishing all of you a 2007 full of success and happiness.
2006 has brought alot of change for Seeds Of Civilization, primarily our new publishing arm NWIDI Press and the matching releases of TSUBUTE and TRACTRIX Second Edition. But also a fantastic signing experience at Bob’s Beach Books in Lincoln City, a trip to Las Vegas to introduce the novels to bookstores there, a trip to Baja California SUR where Tractrix got into a Todos Santos bookstore, and not to forget the new podcast by Mike which brings chapter four of Tsubute to life. Our listener count is adding up! So if you like it, recommend the books to friends and colleagues. Let's make the 2007 statistics for the novels jump off the page.
My best to all of you and thanks for your friendship and support.
--R.J.

Copyright 2007–2009 © R.J. Archer, Portland, Oregon     All rights reserved


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