That’s right, I want you to buy somebody else’s book.

I have often commented on how important it is to surround yourself with creative superheroes. They are my inspiration and constantly motivate me to keep on creating. So now I’m asking you to support them.

My first novel, “Murder by Design“, was just offered for sale on Amazon.com in paperback and Kindle versions. While I would absolutely love for all of you to go out and buy it, what I would like even more is for you to go out and support some of my friends that have already been published.

So here’s the deal:

Buy somebody else’s book and I’ll send you a PDF of
“Murder by Design” for FREE!

Here’s what you need to do:

1. Buy one of these books:
   • Interview for a Wizard and The Secret Society of Seven Sorcerers by J.A. Areces
   • Personal Effects: Dark Art by J.C. Hutchins
   • Crescent by Phill Rossi
   • Infected and Contagious by Scott Sigler
   • Nina Kimberly the Merciless by Christiana Ellis
   • Jack Wakes Up by Seth Harwood
   • Playing for Keeps by Mur Lafferty
   • The Case of the Pitcher’s Pendant by Tee Morris
   • Chasing the Bard by Philippa Ballantine
   • Brave Men Run by Matthew Wayne Selznick
2. Send me an e-mail to murderbydesignnovel@gmail.com with some sort of “proof of purchase” and be sure to cc: the author.
3. That’s it! I’ll reply to your e-mail with a PDF of “Murder by Design” for FREE!

My debut novel, “Murder by Design”, is now available on Amazon.com! The novel is available in paperback as well as a Kindle version.

Click on th image below to be taken to Amazon.com.

If you listened to the free podcast version of “Murder by Design”, please go to the Amazon page and leave a review. If you’ve got some spare change, I would appreciate it if you could buy a copy!

Image by ~jjjohn~ via Flickr

Yep! You read that correctly! Make it a Monday! Monday’s tend to get a bad rap. But really, Monday’s are weekly resets that we get for free. On Monday mornings we tend to get up and plan out the week. We are energized to conquer the world. I really love Monday’s!

So what happens by Wednesday or Thursday that gets us unmotivated and dejected? Let’s make every morning like Monday morning. Plan out the week. Conquer the world! Are you with me?

Governmentium is the latest element Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered.

Lawrence Livermore Laboratories has discovered the heaviest element yet known to science.

The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons.

Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A tiny amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second, to take from 4 days to 4 years to complete.

Governmentium has a normal half-life of 2- 6 years. It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places.

In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

This characteristic of morons promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass.

When catalysed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

* I did not write this. It has been circulating around the web for some time but seems more fitting than ever right now.

I do not choose to be a common man.

It is my right to be uncommon—if I can.

I seek opportunity—not security. I do not wish to be a kept citizen, humbled and dulled by having the state look after me.

I want to take the calculated risk; to dream and to build, to fail and to succeed.

I refuse to barter incentive for a dole. I prefer the challenges of life to the guaranteed existence; the thrill of fulfillment to the stale calm of utopia.

I will not trade freedom for beneficence nor my dignity for a handout. I will never cower before any master nor bend to any threat.

It is my heritage to stand erect, proud and unafraid; to think and act for myself, enjoy the benefit of my creations and to face the world boldly and say, “This I have done.”

By Dean Alfange

______________

*Originally published in This Week Magazine.
Later printed in The Reader’s Digest, October 1952 and January 1954.

The Honorable Dean Alfange was an American statesman born December 2, 1899, in Constantinople (now Istanbul). He was raised in upstate New York. He served in the U.S. Army during World War I and attended Hamilton College, graduating in the class of 1922.

Image by manfred-hartmann via Flickr

If you are reading this post you are most probably checking to see if I’ve come out of my cave to post anything new. Alas, no… but I will populate this post with some random thoughts and happennings from the past few months.

• The family is good… and as always, they take priority in my life.
• I was fortunate enough to find a good full-time job. The commute is tough, but the work is creative and intellectually challenging.
• Unfortunately, my personal creative projects (”Conclave”, “Chronicles of the Wizard King”, etc…) have had to take a back burner. One of the projects I wanted to focus on was a re-design of this site’s wordpress template. I’ve come to realize that some of these things will just have to wait.
• My wife and I have decided to attack our debt with ferocity. We have a goal to be debt free (except for the house) within the next 2 – 2.5 years. An interesting side effect of working towards this goal has been that we are finding that, as we get rid of debt, commitments, and “stuff”, we are actually craving an even simpler life – When you are not buried under debt and “stuff”, you really do enjoy the things you do have much more.

Well, that’s all for now… I’ll try to post more often. In the meantime… go create something!

Image via Wikipedia

Watch out how you write your claims! The Bible can be, and has been, used as a Prior Art resrtiction by U.S. Patent examiners to reject claims. Think about it!

Image by Getty Images via Daylife

Who are you pushing around?

No, it’s not what you think. Sure, we can push people around. We can push people aside. We can even push people down. But, what I am asking is, “who is it that you are pushing up?”  Are you believing in someone? Are you encouraging someone?

“Flatter me, and I may not believe you. Criticize me, and I may not like you. Ignore me, and I may not forgive you. Encourage me, and I will not forget you.” - William Arthur Ward

I have been blessed in that I have had so many instances in my life where someone else has encouraged me and pushed me up. An encouraging word works wonders. Good thoughts are great, but they don’t go anywhere. Give someone the simple gift of good words of encouragement and there is no limit to where they can go.

So encourage someone today. Be a push-upper.

Episode #14 (Chapters 23, 24, and Epilogue) Nick steels himself for the final confrontation. This is the final episode folks! It all comes to a head here. Thanks for listening!!!

Episode intro by J. A. Areces, the awesome author of Interview for a Wizard and the upcoming Secret Society of Seven Sorcerers.

Featuring the music of

Matthew Ebel

and

[munk]

Stay subscribed to this feed for upcoming short stories, new novels, and more adventures with Nick Casagran!  Also, keep an eye out for Murder by Design coming soon to PodioBooks.com!

 

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Image via Wikipedia

I firmly believe that it is in our basic nature to be helpful.

When we see someone in our homes, families, or communities that need help, it is our natural instinct to want to reach out and lend a hand. When we help each other rise up individually we help the entire community rise up. So what is it about our societal influences that shunt our helpful natures? At what point did we get burned?

One of the the childhood jokes I remember goes like this: A kid dials 411. the operator answers and says, “Information, what listing please?” The kids says, “Hi, what time is it?” To which the operator snorts, “This is information, directory assistance, we don’t give the time. That’s a different number!” The kid shrugs and answers innocently, “Well, don’t you have a watch?”

It’s not the funniest joke in the world, but it teaches some lessons about being helpful. Are we so focused on “the task at hand” that we lose sight of what it is that our brother, neighbor, or customers really need? I urge you to take a moment to reflect on your relationships at work, school, and in your families, and try to find ways to truly be helpful.

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