Happy Holidays!

Hello My Friends, just wanted to wish all of you a very happy holiday season!  Wow!  Isn't pressure from commercialism amazing.  They started with Christmas shopping commercials before Thanksgiving this year.  I've always believed that gift giving and receiving was a fun part of the Christmas holidays -- but it seems like in modern times the media puts too much emphasis on this part of holiday season.
We had a lovely Thanksgiving...  My friend Bob and his wife brought the Turkey -- a tradition we've had for over 12 years now.  We also invited my friend Daisuke and his wife Yuki Who are now living here from Japan.  And my son Christopher and his lovely girlfriend also joined us.  It was a nice small gathering with lots of great food!
I hope that you and your family and have a happy and healthy holidays!!
My New Year's resolution is to write at least one post to this blog at least once a week!  I hope you don't get bored with my post -- please send me comments and let me know how I'm doing.  I'm also wondering about Facebook?  Anybody out there use Facebook?
Here's our picture from Thanksgiving gathering 2012:

Proud author!

Here's a great picture taken during Thanksgiving weekend of me and Daisuke.  Daisuke is my friend from Japan who has designed covers for two of my books so far.  He's very very talented!

Sealand 1001 now available!

Hello friends, I'm sorry I haven't added to this blog in a very long time.  I've been spending every free moment trying to Finish Sealand 1001.  Finally, I can say it is completed, formatted and published on Amazon.com. Two versions are available; a Kindle version and also a paperback version.

Sealand 1001 on Amazon.com

I'm really proud of this effort.  I appreciate everybody's encouragement and support along the way.  I hope some of you will check it out and give it a good read.  Let me know what you think!  Please help me publicize by sending this information off to your friends and family.

Happy holidays to everyone!

PublishAmerica finally lowers price!

Great news!  After months of arguing with PublishAmerica they have finally seen the light and agreed to lower the price of my book "Dolphin's Dance"-- new price for the softcover version is $9.95 and the new price for the e-book is $7.95.  Currently these prices are listed on the PublishAmerica website but should be reflected On Amazon.com.

I'm really happy about this!  I always thought the extremely high price Kept many people from purchasing the book.  Hey, now we shall see!

Thank you for your reviews!

Several wonderful friends have taken the time to actually read my two books and then write Thoughtful reviews for Amazon.com.  Thank you so much!  It really encourages me to continue with my writing...
Check out the reviews at the Amazon links below:

Remarkable life -- reviews

Dolphin --review

I sent the following to my Senators and Representatives today

I've had enough!  I'm really angry.

I cannot express how deeply disappointed and angry I am at how you have conducted our country’s business over the last couple of months!  I know you will say it is not the Democrats fault or your fault – blame the tea party or blame the Republicans!  But that’s just the problem…  You do nothing but blame each other in a negative and unproductive way.  You need to put aside your petty differences and actually get around to solving some of our serious problems.  You need to compromise!  You need to stand up for the middle class and help us bring this country back to prosperity and sensibility.  Enough politics.  I for one and voting all of you out of office!  Not one of you will get my vote next year, not even the president.  I want new blood, new ideas and new sense of urgency for our government.  You old boys and girls are just not getting it done – shame on you!  You really should be ashamed of your performance.  No excuses!

Sincerely,

Richard Raker – registered voter in Honolulu Hawaii

It's August already!

Hello everyone, it's been quite a while since I have posted.  I guess that means not a lot has been going on in my life lately.  It also means that I have been very busy writing.  I am working on a final draft of Sealand 1001 and hope to have it published on Amazon by early September.  I've also been working on a very retrospective/spiritual journey called the Artist and the Dreamer.  That Will not be finished for quite a while-- the important thing is that I am still writing, still enjoying the process and it gives me something to do almost every day.

I have a new bed -- a hospital bed.  It took quite a while to get adjusted to it, everything changed when we got A different bed.  All of our daily routines were suddenly different.  It's taken a while but now everything is Going fine and I am much more comfortable.  I can even turn the And to look out the window during the day -- which is great.

I wish you all well.