Apologies, Welcomes, Celebrations, and Goodbyes

The title pretty much says it all, though it likely seems a bit confusing at the moment.  It’s simple, really.  First of all, I owe you all an apology. I typically post on the weekend, and here I am at the close of the day on Tuesday, just getting my post out there.  I’ve been sick, and let myself get a little run down.  No big deal, but after work, I have all the energy of a wet washrag.

However, I noticed something today.  I checked the hits on my blog here and found that the number of visitors here just took a big jump.  I can only assume it’s related to a message I got from Lynn McNamee (formerly Lynn O’Dell – more on that below).  Her message was a bit cryptic:

“I just added a new post to http://RedAdeptSelect.com/ that you might wanna check out.”

That was it.  So of course, I followed the link, and read the below:

 Half Past Midnight, by Jeff Brackett, has been reviewed on I’m a Voracious Reader.

Quote from Review:

Well-written, smooth-flowing, excellent plot and compelling. I kept thinking throughout the story: Would I, could I be able to do that? What would I do here? What if…?

To read the full review, visit I’m a Voracious Reader.

Of course, I followed the link and read the review…  All I’ll say is… Woohoo!  Just follow the link and go read it for yourself.  Whether or not one event had anything to do with the other, the number of visitors to my little blog here spiked at almost triple my normal average.  So to all you new folks, if you’re still checking in here… welcome!  I hope you keep dropping by.

Now, on to the celebrations.  This last weekend, I got the chance to meet some of the Red Adept family when Lynn O’Dell celebrated her marriage to Chuck McNamee, and we were invited to share in the celebration.  While there, I also had the chance to finally meet some others of the Red Adept family in person.  I met Jim Chambers, who saved my bacon in the proofreading stage of HPM.  He is now a publicist for the newly opened Red Adept Publishing.  I also got to meet with Ed Lorn, fellow Red Adept Select author, and vangard author for Red Adept Publishing.  We had the chance to discuss story ideas, and it looks like we will be working on a project together in the very near future.  I’m really looking forward to it.

And of course, Sunday was Memorial Day.  I hope you all had a fine time, but still spared a moment to remember the real reason behind the holiday – our brave men and women who have sacrificed so much in the name of our freedom.  We all owe them so much!

And now for the goodbyes portion.  A friend of mine from work has been battling esophageal cancer for the last few years.  Each year the doctors told him that he needed to get his affairs in order, that he wouldn’t make it to see another Christmas.  And for the last two years he proved them wrong.  This year, they were right.  He went into the hospital last Friday for an upper GI obstruction.  He didn’t make it out this time.

So long, Jim.  I’ll miss you, my friend.  May every day be Beer Friday for you now.