Thursday, September 27, 2012

Guest Post: Justin Bog's Sandcastle and Other Stories Is Gratis

Thank you Ben for allowing me the space on your blog to blather on about my first book, Sandcastle and Other Stories. Best to you in your curious Ohio fall . . . watch out for the ghost of Tecumseh.
"When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself." -- Chief Tecumseh

Since I grew up in Ohio, Tecumseh was a huge school hero of mine. I even went to the touristy outdoor theater performance of his Shawnee life with my family. His words stay with me and I listen to his wisdom. We had to leave the recreation of his life and death halfway through because my sister got something in her eye -- it wasn't one of the prop arrows.

I published Sandcastle and Other Stories last May, 2012, and it received a very good welcome. By the book's third day of publication, it was on two paid best seller lists at Amazon for short stories. This result blew my expectations out of the water -- as the Great White was blown to bits at the end of Jaws (sorry for that spoiler).

Now, months later, I want more readers to experience the tales. So, the book is going to be free at Amazon all weekend long, from September 29, 12 AM Saturday through Midnight on Monday October 1st. Please tell all your friends with kindles to check out the Amazon page and download the book and then to please read the book. That's a lot to ask of friends and readers, and I appreciate every single one.


I promised Ben I would create a special haiku for the occasion of my first Amazon Select Event, but I couldn't stop with just one. Here are my two haikus:

Procrastination
dreams haunt and laugh at needs and
wants - thy kingdom come . . .

Thy will be done - in
global pockets, Sandcastle
builders unite now.

I began writing fiction too long ago now to remember what became of the short stories written after school homework, chores, and nighttime television -- All In The Family, Charlie's Angels, Fantasy Island, and the inspiring monster show The Night Stalker. Each story began in short form and, as years passed, these tales expanded, became more complex, richer in themes and intricate characterization. These are literary, psychological, and suspenseful short stories. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed writing them. Please let me know how they hit you too. You can find me here:

on my A Writer's Life blog link: http://justinbog.com/
on Twitter: @JustinBog link: https://twitter.com/JustinBog
my Facebook Page link: https://www.facebook.com/JustinBog1

"Show respect to all people, but grovel to none." -- Tecumseh






My creative writing blog is here.
Follow me on Twitter @JustinBog

Buy my eBook at Amazon by clicking here.

9 comments:

  1. I'll be there tomorrow to get a copy:-)

    You grew up in the 70s I grew up in the 80s and ben in the 90s...I see a pattern here...they set this up didn't they?
    They thought I wouldn't notice, but I did! It's too late to mask my knoledge with ignorance...bring on your hounds, and your trackers

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    1. I think it's a sign we must conquer the world together.

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    2. Haha, I was hoping that didn't creep out your guest Justin...

      ;-)

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  2. Great job Justin, I loved your haiku:-D Good luck with your first event on amazon. I joined your blog Ben:-D be seeing you around. Ha!

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  3. ~shame and chagrin~ I just joined the wildness of Nice Old Spice too, Kim. I had to get over my gnomophobia and become a real participant and not just the usual introvert. I promise not to be the annoying sycophant hehe. Thank you Wander for your cool correlation about the decades in our past . . . you are youngsters. I'll welcome you to my current decade much later.

    Ben, thank you for giving me the chance to shine out from your lovely blog. I feel at home here ~OCD makes me rearrange the furniture~ Justin

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  4. tecumseh is such a badass! interested in any story that he has influenced the writer!

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  5. Chief Tecumseh is always going to be a shadow on my wall.

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You've found your way inside my head and now there's no way out!