Tag Archives: books

Happy Veteran’s Day!!

November 11, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Well, on Veteran’s Day, I usually post old photos of all the men in my family who served in the various wars, but for some reason, I could not find the folder that has all those photos.

Here’s one of my birth dad in 1973, on Midway Island during the Vietnam War, though. (I’ve posted it here on the blog a bazillion times!!)

However, while trying to find those other photos, I found a bunch of other stuff!! And then I had to sort of remind myself of the time– I still gotta leave for work here soon!

But here’s this!!

The legendary CBGBs, back how it still looked when I was hanging out there with my other musician friends in NYC!! (It’s gone now.)

And here’s this!!

My first husband, Chong, on his birthday back in 2020! He’s 64 here, and in Seattle–

Here’s this again!

West End Avenue in NYC! That lower building, in the middle there on the left, is where Wayne and I lived when we were married. He still lives there:

And here’s Rudolph Valentino and his infamous wife, Natacha Rambova, as Rudy is putting her on the train in Los Angeles. They are merely “posing” for the press, though, because in reality, they never saw each other again. She was leaving him and they divorced.

And YES!!! You can still download the eBook edition of my novel about Rudolph Valentino, Twilight of the Immortal, for free on Amazon, today & tomorrow!!

Download it HERE! Suitable for mature readers!!

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And that’s it for Memory Lane right now….

I have to say, gang, I had that Lymphatic Drainage Therapy after work last night (by our in-house therapist), and WOW!!! It was incredible.

I was doing it in order to be able to tell customers what it’s like, what to expect from their sessions. I am so glad I did it.

I have never experienced anything like it before. It was beyond relaxing. It involves very little “massage”, it is mostly energy work. With targeted hands-on, gentle pressure in key areas — for me, it was mostly around the head and neck.

When it was over, I had never felt so sharply focused and so emotionally grounded in my life. Honestly, it was incredible.

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Okay!

Here’s this!

From Phyllis Stein!

Johnny Thunders in Paris in 1983!! Smoking!!!

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And here’s Sir Rod Stewart!! Getting fit for his final tour next year — he is retiring from touring for health reasons.

And here’s this because I love him!! Rod Stewart singing “You Wear it Well” in 1972 on England’s Top of the Pop’s TV show!! (And Ronnie Wood’s in there, too!!)

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Next year will be the 100th heavenly birthday of poet W.S. Merwin!

Please check HERE for all the many celebratory events they have in store:

“…These include the publication of The Poet’s Garden: W.S. Merwin’s Palm Forest, forthcoming with Timber Press; the launch of The Merwin Conservancy Books, an imprint of Copper Canyon Press; public programming presented with organizations across Hawaiʻi and the continent; a podcast with Hawaiʻi Public Radio; and more. “

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And let’s close with this!!

This first one is actually from Instagram, finally!!

Nick Cave!! Beautiful in black & white!!

And from Facebook!!

This made me really smile–

And this did, too, for different reasons!!

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And now I seriously gotta scoot!

I spent way too much time here this morning, looking at old photos, and now I’m gonna be late getting to town.

Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world!!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

Another really great one from the “new” CD, honoring 50 years of Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, No Sleep ’til L.A. (2026)

I just love this song. It is from over 50 years ago, but has just now been released.

“Unheard of Kind of Hero”. Enjoy, gang!!

“Unheard Of Kind Of Hero”

It’s just a matter of time
For she opens up her eyes
And finds me here
Standin’ here with a sweat on my head
Dirt on my hands and a 3 day beard
A travelin’ drummer down in Mexico
Say they ran into a woman with a baby too
On her back in a shack 3 days from here
There’s a picture on the wall
That looks a lot like you

So if half are gone and payroll
An unheard of kind of hero
Go back across the rio

Doctor said when he met me at the door
It’s good to see you boy
I’m glad you made it through
I must’ve admit you surprised us all
Except the man with a badge was expecting you

He called me unheard of kind of hero
Said it almost liked to let me go
But there’s a lawman dead in Waco

Then he said that my wife was asleep
He thought I ought to know I had a boy here too
He’s been alive for about an hour now
And from the poster they sent me
It looks a lot like you
And you’re wife said he told you so
And all the money that you stole won’t help your soul
Boy you never should’ve left Mexico

It’s just a matter of time
For she opens up her eyes
And finds me here
Standin’ here with a sweat on my head
Cuffs on my wrists and a 3 day beard

c – 2026 Tom Petty Estate

Ready or not, it’s Saturday!

November 7, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

My Internet was down for many hours, but now it’s back and that right there makes everything splendid.

If you saw my quick post from yesterday — wow, gang. What great timing that was!

I discovered that I had $150 in rewards from my Medicare Supplemental Insurance. (And it was great timing because I had just paid the car payment, the car insurance, and the mortgage — so this was like “found money”.)

I had no clue how to use it, but soon discovered that one of the Dollar Stores about 7 minutes away, would honor those rewards. So I stopped in there before work, loaded up on about 3 weeks’ worth of cat food and cat litter, and it was totally FREE!!! (Yes, enough for 14 cats!!)

Yay!

(And I still have $100 left over!! Enough to go back and buy some new Christmas coffee mugs!! We shall see! God knows I need plenty more, I only have about 15 Christmas coffee mugs already!!)

And luckily for the cats, that particular Dollar Store sells all the types of cat food my cats love. (Yay!) (The Dollar Store here in the village only carries 2 brands….)

And then after work, I stopped in at Aldi’s and got about a month’s worth of non-perishables for me, along with my usual groceries — that was not free. But at least I’m prepared in case anything gets seriously wonky down there in DC… I guess we will find out.

DC right now, if there were, like, trees and grass everywhere…

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Before I forget!!!!

The eBook edition of my 2011 novel, Twilight of the Immortal, will be FREE to download, starting tomorrow and running through Thursday, Nov. 12th!!

This book has generally gotten 5-star reviews (a couple of readers did not like the fact that I portray Rudolph Valentino as bisexual, but I’m telling you, gang, I researched that novel for 10 years before writing it, and I include a complete bibliography. I did not make that stuff up.)

Anyway– here’s one of the reviews from way back when my novel first came out:

“Unlike her previous books, this is NOT erotica! This is a serious novel that should be enjoyed by the general public. The story is captivating. The characters are very strong and the book is hard to put down.”

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Okay, gang.

I gotta plug another great all-natural product!!

This is another product from Keys — a really great company for all-natural health & beauty products. I use a lot of their products, but I only started using this Wednesday night and I am stunned by how great it is!

I was having some non-stop itching around my ankles, from back when the cats had gotten fleas. The cats were no longer scratching at all, the fleas were gone, but I couldn’t get the flea bites to stop itching.

This stuff took care of it instantly, and by last night, the bites and the scars were already gone. It healed everything that quickly.

You cannot buy this on Amazon. You can buy it at health & wellness stores, or directly from Keys.

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Okay.

By mid-afternoon yesterday, Nick Cave finally made his announcement and I was totally heartbroken, gang.

He’s doing another “In Conversation” Tour, here in the US, in Spring 2027, but he’s not coming anywhere near Ohio.

I cannot believe that I will miss the tour, gang. It was so incredible the last time he did one like this. (That time I saw him, twice, in NYC. But without some sort of weird windfall, I can’t afford to travel like that anymore — planes, hotels, meals, tickets to the show, etc.)

Visit HERE to see which cities he’ll be in that are nowhere near Ohio, and to register for pre-sale tickets.

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But here’s this!

I used to have this photo taped to my wall in my bedroom on E.12th Street in NYC. I loved it! (And still do.)

Keith! 1988, NYC. (Photo by Albert Watson)

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I thought this was just beautiful.

From former Bad Seed/Boys Next Door/The Birthday Party, Mick Harvey, yesterday.

Mick Harvey, Nick Cave, Tracy Pew, Rowland S. Howard, 1983

And here’s this, while we’re at it. “Wildworld” by The Birthday Party.

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And as time marches inexorably onward–

Here’s Bad Seed Warren Ellis with his other band, The Dirty Three, in Berlin the other night!

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And a new book is coming from Esther (and Jerry) Hicks! It’s been a long time since they had a new book out.

The Art of Allowing: You Get What You Think About Whether You Want it Or Not (Book Trailer– 8 mins):

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And this was interesting. Good history lesson, if this is new to you.

I listened to it while doing yoga the other day.

From Bart Ehrman’s “Misquoting Jesus” podcast — Early Christians Were Jews. Then 70 CE Changed Everything (46 mins):

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And that is it for today.

Today starts my new 3-days off-in-a-row schedule at work. (I will have Saturdays, Sundays, and Mondays off, three times a month.)

I’m hoping to get the flash fiction piece edited and turned in to Alex S. Johnson today, hopefully for inclusion in the Bill Burroughs tribute anthology.

And then I will begin a new short piece for another anthology that Alex S. Johnson sent out a Call for Submissions for this morning: RIOT PINK: An Alphabet Rights Anthology. (That one will be a more personal, nonfiction piece.)

Meanwhile–

Enjoy your Saturday, wherever you are in the world, gang. Stay safe.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this.

For some reason, this broke my heart a little bit.

I had gone back to bed with my cup o’ joe this morning, waiting for the Internet to be restored. And then I switched on the Oldies FM radio station on the retro boombox next to my bed–

And this song from yesteryear came on! Wow, did it take me back to my wee bonny girlhood. (If God came to me on my deathbed and asked if I’d like to live my life all over again, I would definitely, without hesitating, say, “No, not even for a minute, but the music was really good.”)

Elton John, “Goodbye Yellow Brick Road.” 1973. Enjoy, gang.

Okay! Power Has Been Restored!

November 5, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

At least I got a nice walk out of it. It’s a really pretty day — cool and really sunny.

And by the time I got back home, the power was back on.

So here I am!

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I guess I’ll just get right to it, since I have a bunch of stuff I need to do this afternoon — try to complete the flash fiction piece for the Burroughs anthology (all 400 more words of it). Go to the bank and put in enough cash to cover the mortgage (due in about 5 minutes). Stop in at the post office and ship a complimentary copy of The Mammoth Book of Erotic Photography (2001) to investigative journalist Zak Winters! (The book includes photos by RC Horsch — the last time I worked with him, in fact, before he started to become a really scary individual. I co-edited that book for a British publisher, with Maxim Jakubowski.)

Then I gotta do yoga, wash hair, etc. — all the exciting things I do on my day off!!

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Okay!

The Rolling Stones now have Winter merch available!!

Visit HERE to peruse and then order!!

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Alex S. Johnson interviewed author Francesca Lia Block! (1 hr 20 mins):

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I don’t know how he manages to electrocute himself while taking a selfie, but however he does it, he’s really good at it!!

Warren Ellis, hours before the show in Berlin yesterday!!

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! Johnny Thunders & The Heartbreakers, “Born To Lose” — sort of “live” in 1977 :

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Here’s this!

From Phyllis Stein.

And I have to say here, gang, that I love Joan Jett.

And not because of her image, her attitude, her music, but because my dearly departed, late-great friend Holly Lane, used to manage Joan Jett’s record label, Blackheart Records, and back then, Holly had some on again, off again issues with heroin. She was struggling.

Joan stood by Holly 100%, kept her employed, helped her stick with rehab and get her life clean and back on track.

Thank you, Joan Jett. It meant so much to Holly and I never forgot that.

And here’s this!! Classic Joan Jett & the Blackhearts!! “Bad Reputation”!! (1980) Such a fantastic song!!

“Bad Reputation”

I don’t give a damn ’bout my reputation
You’re living in the past, it’s a new generation
A girl can do what she wants to do and that’s what I’m gonna do

An’ I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation
Oh no, not me

An’ I don’t give a damn ’bout my reputation
Never said I wanted to improve my station
An’ I’m only doin’ good when I’m havin’ fun
An’ I don’t have to please no one

An’ I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation
Oh no, not me, oh no, not me

I don’t give a damn ’bout my reputation
I’ve never been afraid of any deviation
An’ I don’t really care if you think I’m strange
I ain’t gonna change

An’ I’m never gonna care ’bout my bad reputation
Oh no, not me, oh no, not me
Pedal, boys!

An’ I don’t give a damn ’bout my reputation
The world’s in trouble, there’s no communication
An’ everyone can say what they wanna to say
It never gets better, anyway

So why should I care about a bad reputation anyway?
Oh no, not me, oh no, not me

I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation
You’re living in the past, it’s a new generation
An’ I only feel good when I got no pain
An’ that’s how I’m gonna stay

An’ I don’t give a damn ’bout my bad reputation
Oh no, not me, oh no, not me
Not me, not me

c – 1980 – Joan Jett / Martin Kupersmith / Ritchie Cordell / Kenneth Benjamin Laguna

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Okay!

For the second time in his illustrious life–

Bob Dylan had an audience with a Pope!!

This one happened yesterday, at the Vatican!!

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And more from Phyllis Stein!!

A bunch of Richard Hell!

Here’s Richard, far left, with his “seminal” (sometimes meaning “groundbreaking” sometimes meaning “semen-filled”!) Punk band, Television, at CBGBs in 1975!!

And here’s Richard Hell maybe smoking in NYC in 1977. Not sure! (Photo by Julia Gorton)

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And we’ll round off this day with a couple of great ones from Facebook!!

Nick Cave –a little too closely cropped but looking fantastic!!

And here’s a nice picture!!

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And tomorrow, Friday November 6th, we will undoubtedly discover what Nick Cave’s exciting announcement will be!!

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All right.

That is it for now.

I’m gonna get started around here!

(And I’m hoping to chat with my best friend Valerie in Brooklyn today. She gets her cataract surgery tomorrow…)

Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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And how about closing with this today?!

From the Oldies FM radio station on the retro boombox next to my bed!

Making-the-bed music from this morning!! Yay!!

Tears For Fears’ colossal hit from 1984!! “Shout,” from their hit album, Songs From the Big Chair!! Enjoy, gang!! We sure did!!

Rainy fall day today!!

November 4, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 3 Comments

Go figure!

It is only November 4th — and finally really feeling like fall. (Cold, cloudy & rainy.)

And just FYI, I still have all of my summer flowers blooming on my kitchen porch. Usually, they are dead and gone by early October. But it probably won’t be much longer now.

(And, NO!!! I’m not going to post this legendary song again!! It would be too obvious!! Thank you for your attention to this matter.)

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This made my wee bonny heart soar this morning, gang.

Apparently, my novel Twilight of the Immortal (2011) was the subject of a recent podcast on Spotify and now book sales for it are cranking again on Amazon !!

Thank you so very much to everyone. I really appreciate it!!

And just a head’s up — there is a really talented young woman in England currently narrating/producing the audiobook version of it. I will be publishing it sometime in early 2027. She is doing a terrific job.

And just for your reading pleasure, here’s a section of the first review the book ever got on Amazon, back in 2011:

“As soon as I read this quote, attributed to Valentino: ‘Observe, Rosemary, how in Hollywood there is no difference between a knife and a smile,’ I knew for sure that I had found a gem! Twilight of the Immortal is both beautifully written and an engaging romp, an insider’s view (fictional though it may be) of life behind the scenes in the 1920’s movie industry, with Rudolph Valentino, Natacha Rambova, and Alla Nazimova, all figuring prominently in the story line. I enjoyed it immensely, from beginning to end.”

Yay!! (I worked on this novel for ten years, gang.)

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Okay.

Since I didn’t post yesterday, I have sort of a bunch of “here’s this’s” to catch up on, so let’s go!!

Here’s this!!

A blatant attempt to make me feel really old!! Yay!!

Nick Cave Official announced yesterday that the Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds EP Your Funeral… My Trial was released 40 years ago!!

Thank you very much!! (Yes, I can remember lying on my bed in my E.12th Street apartment in NYC and listening to this record as if it were only 40 years ago…)

You can listen to it HERE!

And you can also shop for special merch HERE!

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And here’s this!!

And if you’ve never read Keith’s autobiography, Life — it was fantastic. (2011 – 576 pages!)

Here’s Keith, signing & smoking when the glorious book first came out!

And also just smiling!

And here’s Keith again! Not exactly saying, “Fuck you, I’ll smoke if I want to!” But it’s almost as if he’s saying “Fuck you, I’ll smoke if I want to!!”

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And on the topic of the Rolling Stones…

Here’s a wonderful photo of Charlie Watts from long ago, with his wife, Shirley, and their daughter, Seraphina!!

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And here’s this!

A couple of photos of Warren Ellis. (The first one is from Copenhagen.)

And here’s Vicious Warren Elvis!!!

Okay, here’s this again….Lou Reed’s “Vicious” from his legendary album, Transformer (1972)!!

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Okay.

This is AI, but I really liked it.

Nick Cave and a beautiful dog:

This is not AI, and I really liked it!

Nick Cave and a beautiful cigarette:

And from Facebook!

Nick Cave:

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And I guess that is it for today!!

I gotta get moving here and head to town.

Have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

I’ve posted it here before, but I really love this song and it came up in my driving-back-from-town playlist last night! It made me so happy. I sang along, really loud!!

Hong Kong’s fabulous Grace Chang singing her huge hit, “Wo Ai Qia Qia” (I love cha-cha) from 1957!! Sing along if you’re able!! And enjoy, gang!!

电影 曼波女郎 插曲
作词：易文
作曲：姚敏

我们欢欢喜喜一起上学校，
我们高高兴兴一起做体操。
鼓声砰砰蓬蓬响，就摇摇摆摆跳，
有谁不会我就来教。

怪模样，不要笑，不要笑，
伊啊恰恰，恰恰恰。
大家跳，别害臊，别害臊，
伊啊恰恰，恰恰恰。

你学伦巴，不时髦，
你学森巴，没情调。
只要你试一遭，就知道恰恰妙，
跳恰恰，多轻巧。

你有清清楚楚伶俐的头脑，
你有结结实实灵活的身腰，
请把拍子听得准，把步子记得牢，
你别害怕谁都能跳，

快狐步，太单调，太单调，
伊啊恰恰，恰恰恰。
圆舞步，太古老，太古老，
伊啊恰恰，恰恰恰。

你学伦巴，不时髦，
你学森巴，没情调。
还不如曼波好，还不如恰恰妙，
跳恰恰多轻巧。

恰恰恰，恰恰恰，恰恰恰，
伊啊恰恰，恰恰恰。
恰恰恰，恰恰恰，恰恰恰，
伊啊恰恰，恰恰恰。

不怕你身体摇，只怕你不肯跳，
跳恰恰多轻巧。

It’s Monday!!

November 2, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

And my new schedule begins today, wherein I now have Mondays off.

And to launch it — Kara and Wendy and I are meeting for an early lunch in town today to celebrate Wendy’s upcoming birthday!!

Yay!!

As usual, I am really looking forward to hanging out with both of them. We have all been friends for about 10 years now, but the 3 of us haven’t been able to get together and do lunch since Christmastime.

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And speaking of birthdays (sort of)–

Joe Satriani’s EP, Dreaming #11, turns 38 today!!

I vividly remember seeing the album for sale in Tower Records in downtown NYC. It was clear across the store from where I was standing, but it was up on a rack and the cover art was so blue that it stood out by a mile.

I was a huge Joe Satriani fan, so I was really excited! Ran right over and clutched it and bought it and zipped back to my apartment on E.12th Street and I can’t fucking believe that was 38 years ago…!!!

Anyway.

Here’s “The Crush of Love”, 1988, from Dreaming #11:

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One cool thing (IMHO) about turning the clocks back, is waking up at my “usual time” only to discover I have another hour to just hang out in bed in the dark.

I did some incredibly effective meditating, which I really needed. And while I was doing it, I was thinking how cool it would be if Nick Cave’s announcement on Friday will be for us to do a live group meditation with him on YouTube!!

Wouldn’t that be awesome?? So many people would tune in for that and meditate together — all over the world. And he could come up with some specific mantra for it — I think it would be amazing. Even just for 15 minutes.

I have done group meditations online before, but I have only meditated with another person — you know, in the same room together — one time in my life and it was so astoundingly connecting that it freaked me out.

This was when I was briefly staying with Jack Red Eagle, out in his cabin in the woods of East Texas. He was that Lakota Sioux Medicine Man who was hoping I would take over his practice so that he could retire. He was in his 60s by then.

It turned out I was incredibly gifted with using my mind in that way — healing people and connecting with people — but I was too young (23) and it was still brand new to me and it totally freaked me out. The whole thing, not just the meditating part (where I actually felt his mind and my mind connect, energetically, at the same time that he was feeling it, too, it really was amazing).

Oh, and if you are among the 3 people in the world who have actually read my new novel, The Curse of Our Profound Disorder, you will recognize a lot of this because it shows up in the novel in a fictionalized way — with the character of (the much younger) Jack Kicking Eagle, in his cabin in East Texas…

But it all stems from my real-life (non-sexual) experiences with Jack Red Eagle.

Jack Red Eagle, as he looked back then, in 1983, when I first met him. RIP, Jack:

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The interview yesterday regarding RC Horsch went very well. The reporter (Zak Winters) is very easy to talk to and he kept it moving and I felt very comfortable, even though it was obviously a difficult topic to discuss.

I will let you know when Part 2 of the investigation is posted to YouTube.

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Okay!

Johnny Depp’s been busy!

You’ve probably already seen a ton of videos about his performance with Aerosmith the other night, but it wasn’t until yesterday that I actually found photos of it, rather than videos, so here’s this!

From October 29th!

And then last night, in NYC, he was at a special screening of “Ebenezer”! (Which I think opens in theaters on November 13th?)

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And here’s this!

From Phyllis Stein!!

David Jo with David Bowie (and Earl Slick) drinking and almost smoking at Max’s in NYC in 1977!! At least Bowie is holding a pack of Gitanes… (Photo is by Joe Stevens)

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And here’s Joe Strummer and Mick Jones, reunited in the studio in 1986!!

And here’s this, while we’re at it! Big Audio Dynamite’s “C’mon Every Beatbox,” from no.10 Upping Street, 1986!

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And here’s this!

From Facebook!!

Nick Cave, proving yet again that it’s a great day to be alive!!

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And that is it for today.

I’m hoping that after I return from lunch this afternoon, I can get some more work done on the flash fiction piece for the Bill Burroughs anthology. The deadline is rapidly approaching, and even though the piece is a little over half-done, it is coming out so slowly; word by word by word, instead of in whole sentences.

I don’t know that Bill Burroughs is actually dictating it to me, but it feels like he is. To the point where I actually say out loud to him, “What exactly are you trying to say?” And then one or two more words come.

It’s so weird…

However.

I am hoping my piece will be accepted for the collection because it will be another new publisher for me and it’s been really great getting to know the publisher/editor/writer, Alex S. Johnson. So I’m hoping it will lead to more work. He works with such a wide variety of writers & musicians, from all over the world. Some of whom I know but most of them, I don’t.

It would be great to have some new horizons on the horizon, right, gang??!!

Okay!

I think that is it for now.

Have a great Monday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this today.

The video is only a few days old (made with the help of AI), but the song is from 1988, and I used to totally love this song!! But I hadn’t thought of it in ages….

It turned up in my YouTube feed this morning.

Leonard Cohen, “Everybody Knows,” from his great album I’m Your Man, 1988. Enjoy, gang.

How things are feeling around here!!

October 25, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Well, sort of.

I am glad I finished the editing of the M. Christian tribute anthology, but I am still feeling those little stragglers of depression and loss.

For instance, Bill Brent, who had been a very close colleague and friend of both M. Christian and myself (and countless others), came to live with me here in Ohio for awhile, after he’d broken up with a long-time significant other in Hawaii.

Bill was not easy to live with at that point in his life — his topics of conversation included his detailed thoughts about how to jump off the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco without getting rescued…

After he left Ohio, leaving all his possessions “temporarily” stored in my basement, he moved back to San Francisco…

And jumped off the Golden Gate Bridge.

Without getting rescued.

That was back in 2012.

Of course, for me, Bill’s spirit is all over M. Christian’s tribute anthology…along with the loss of so many others from my world.

But I am trying to shift my focus. And shift my focus. And shift my focus.

I’m hoping that once I send the manuscript over to my publisher and have her focus on it for awhile, it will sort of get my mind off of all the loss, and I can truly move forward toward focusing on new stuff.

We’re gonna find out, because I’m gonna hit “SEND” as soon as I’m done posting to the blog today.

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Well, here’s some stuff!

Keith’s birthday wishes to Bill Wyman yesterday:

And here’s some birthday wishes from the gallery in London where Bill’s photos are currently on display:

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And I thought this was quite interesting!!

It was taken only THREE DAYS AGO, and Keith is clearly smoking… (so much for quitting!) (But my guess is that he’s still gonna live longer than any of us!!)

And here’s Keith again!!

Smoking!! And playing a guitar!! In mostly black, a little white…

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Speaking of guitar heroes…

Here’s something that has me sort of spellbound, gang.

The producer/narrator who is working on the audiobook edition of my novel, The Guitar Hero Goes Home, sent me over an update, an audio file, yesterday and he is doing such a fantastic job.

If you are unfamiliar with that novel — it is told from the POV of a famous (fictional) guitar hero at the very end of his life. (In fact, in my opinion, he is already dead while he’s telling the story of his life, but I leave it up to the reader to decide.)

He has no name in the book, and the entire book is being told by him to the new love in his life — and she is never named. Never speaks. Nothing. It’s only him, throughout.

When this novel “came to me” in 2019, it was literally as if it were being dictated to me by a guy in my head. A voice. I typed out what he “told me”. His whole life story. (You can read a sample here on the blog.)

I loved this novel. And every publisher I sent it to declined it. I finally published it myself, and I still love this book, gang.

Well, yesterday, listening to the new audio file — wow. It was like I was finally really hearing the guy who had spoken to me in my head all those years ago. It felt incredible, listening to it. I even got chills a couple times. “This is the guy!”, you know?

I won’t be publishing the audiobook until early 2027, but I can’t wait.

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From James Tabor — he sent out this video to us this morning. It’s from a couple years ago, but it is really good.

Paul within His Hellenistic World: Understanding Cosmic Salvation (1hr 30 mins):

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And later this afternoon, Ross K. Nichols is having a private Zoom discussion with the Yachad. I can’t post details about it yet, but it should be really interesting!!

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And in other very interesting developments — I’ve been invited to contribute a flash fiction piece honoring William S. Burroughs, for an anthology edited by Alex S. Johnson. (Tight deadline.)

Ideas are already flowing into my brain, so here’s hoping it will hit the page quickly and in a good way. We shall soon see!!

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Meanwhile….

From Facebook.

I do not think this day sucks in ANY way, however, I loved this photo!!

So here it is!!

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And that is it for now.

I’m gonna get the manuscript off to my publisher, and then maybe take a little walk and clear my brain.

It is another stunning fall day out there today.

Enjoy your Sunday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

That TV show from Japan that I really loved is back on Netlfix!! With episodes I haven’t seen yet!!

I watched it last night. I’m so glad it’s back. (Between that, and new episodes of “Ludwig” on Britbox, and reruns of “Mrs. Brown’s Boys”– again!!!! I’m doing all right, TV-wise.)

“Midnight Diner”. Recap. Enjoy, gang.

Still dark out there!

October 21, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

It’s at that point now where it is really feeling like fall.

It’s stays dark out in the mornings until 7:30 AM, and by 7:30 PM, I’m lighting the little tea candles in my room and watching TV (or listening to music) by candlelight.

Fall is definitely my favorite time of year, gang — followed extremely closely by Christmas!!

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Okay– the sun is coming up now and it is such a gorgeous morning out there!! Something about autumn leaves against a clear blue sky just makes my heart soar, gang.

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All righty.

Today marks 57 years since Jack Kerouac’s passing. RIP, Jack.

And on a related note — I am currently reading 3 books now. I recently added this one to the stack next to my bed and I am really loving it:

The Beat Hotel: Ginsberg, Burroughs and Corso in Paris, 1957-1963 by Barry Miles (2001)

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This was from yesterday.

Adria’s heavenly birthday post for her dad, Tom Petty:

And here’s this, while we’re at it! “You and I Will Meet Again” by Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers, 1991.

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I want to thank Martha for the kind review on Amazon for A Man in her Arms & Other Stories.

If you guys downloaded it last week — when you have a chance to read it, please review it if possible! It helps those algorithms. Thank you!!

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Here’s some great news!!

The B-52s have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!!

From Fred Schneider yesterday–

And here’s this, while we’re at it!! “Love Shack,” by the B-52s, 1989!!

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From Phyllis Stein!

Iggy & the Stooges at Max’s in NYC, 1973!! (Photo by Danny Fields)

And on the subject of Danny Fields, the photographer (above) — I actually met him once, he was good friends with one of my girlfriends, a playwright.

He and I were riding around the East Village one afternoon, in the back of a rented limousine. We were talking about my songwriting career. I was frustrated because everyone was telling me to move to Nashville — that my songs were too Country for NYC. But I just didn’t want to go to Nashville. I loved NYC… Anyway. He was very nice.

And on another related note — I eventually got a song publishing deal in Nashville. But I got it through my uncle, who was a popular Country singer back then and he was very well-connected in Nashville.

He basically got me the deal –I still have the actual contract– but nothing ever happened with it. I was that determined to never go to Nashville…

Me, in my room back then, never going to Nashville!!

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Here’s Rowland S. Howard not smoking in Cologne in 1992!!

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And from Facebook!

Nick Cave, smoking but, IMHO, not laughing… ?? (Such a great photo.)

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Okay, that is it for today.

Well, darn it — now there’s a heavy fog all over the village.

That’s one thing about living in a valley in the foothills: “Sometimes there’s fog, so quickly!!” (To sort of paraphrase Tennessee Williams and “A Streetcar Named Desire”…)

Anyway.

Hopefully it will lift as quickly as it came, and I won’t have to drive to town in the fog. We shall soon see.

Meanwhile, have a wonder-filled Wednesday, wherever you are in the world, gang.

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Let’s close with this!!

In honor of Jack Kerouac’s passing… His legendary TV appearance on the Steve Allen Show.

Kerouac – (1959) Steve Allen show (5 mins):

Another late start here in the Hinterlands!

October 15, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis 2 Comments

Okay, yes, I did take my cup of coffee back to bed for a little while this morning —

But mostly I’m getting a late start here on the blog today because I had some emails to take care of first thing. A couple more writers are contributing to the M. Christian tribute anthology and I am really excited about that!! Yay!

I’m still going to focus on editing that one longer short story today, as planned. And really, that should take most of the day. And then these 2 new contributions — I should still be done editing the anthology by the weekend!

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Okay!

THIS arrived yesterday and I am so excited– the latest book we need to read for James Tabor’s Private Research Group:

A Man Attested by God: The Human Jesus of the Synoptic Gospels by JR Daniel Kirk

And the really good news is that it is only 632 pages long!!! Yay!!!

But, honestly, I am very eager to read it. I started it last night.

And, YES! I will be reading it alongside a book that arrived on Tuesday that I am also excited about —

Resident Punk: How I Smoked, Drank, and Stumbled My Way Through the ’70s Punk Scene (and Beyond) by Legs McNeil !!

Just keepin’ it real all the way around, here in the Hinterlands!!

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Okay.

On October 21st, from 10pm – 11pm, the Internet Archive is having a FREE virtual event:

Democracy’s Library: Tools for Participation

“Democracy invites participation; democracies require it. At the Internet Archive, we believe libraries can help make that participation possible by preserving knowledge and providing the tools to explore and build upon it.

This year’s annual celebration, “Democracy’s Library: Tools for Participation,” will showcase the many ways people can participate through the Internet Archive: from saving and contributing materials to exploring government records, researching history, and building new tools with our collections and APIs.”

SIGN UP HERE to attend — FREE!

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Also, on October 21st — and this one sort of stuns me, gang — Bill Wyman, the Rolling Stones’ original and legendary bass player who also owns a camera– turns 90!!

To honor that, in London–

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And on the topic of the Rolling Stones —

Keith! Smoking in a spotlight while sitting on a stool!! Yay!!

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And not at all related–

From Phyllis Stein!

Iggy in Miami!!

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And here’s The Clash!!

Apparently celebrating champagne!!

And here’s Patti Smith, apparently doing the same thing!!

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Personally, I don’t drink champagne too often (anymore!!), but when I do, this is my favorite!! (Just in case, you know, you were planning to visit the Hinterlands anytime soon and wanted to celebrate!!)

(Bring these, too and it’ll be just like yesteryear!! Yay!!)

And, well, okay — here’s THIS again, while we’re celebrating!!

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All righty!

Too much celebrating of a different kind was perhaps the culprit behind this event, but I’m not 100% certain–

Warren Ellis had a Hoovering incident!! (That’s “vacuuming” in American English, btw) (Please note, he is still wearing the Sid Vicious t-shirt here, and that’s part of his beard, I think!):

And here, Warren Ellis is looking quite stylish in “Warren’s House” in 2022!!

And that goes along with this (see above)! “Rock & Roll” by Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground!! (From Loaded, 1970)

And in case you were curious — YES! That song is actually the story of my life!!

“Rock And Roll”

Jenny said when she was just five years old
You know there’s nothing happening at all
Every time she puts on the radio
There was nothing goin’ down at all
Then one fine mornin’ she puts on a New York station
She couldn’t believe what she heard at all
She started dancin’ to that fine fine music
You know her life was saved by Rock ‘n’ Roll

Despite all the amputations
You could just dance to a rock ‘n’ roll station

Jenny said when she was just five years old
My parents are gonna be the death of us all
Two TV sets and two Cadillac cars–
Ain’t gonna help us at all

Then one fine mornin’ she puts on a New York station
She don’t believe what she heard at all
She started dancin’ to that fine fine music
You know her life was saved by Rock ‘n’ Roll

Despite all the computations
You could just dance to a rock ‘n’ roll station
And it was alright.

c – 1970 Lou Reed

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Let’s jump around a little–

Nick Cave, Rowland S. Howard, and someone else (maybe Mick Harvey?) in 1982!!

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And Nick Cave & Warren Ellis both announce—

“The Death of Bunny Munro” – Vinyl Pre-order (in pink!!)

“A special edition ‘Baby Pink’ vinyl of ‘The Death of Bunny Munro’ original series soundtrack by Nick Cave & Warren Ellis is available to pre-order now HERE.”

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And I guess that is it for today!!

In all honesty, yes, I will be vacuuming today!! But I will try not to sustain any “hoovering incidents” of my own.

Then I also have to do yoga, wash hair, etc.

But the rest of the day will be spent editing the longer short story, mentioned above, here at my desk.

And so I will get started.

Enjoy your Thursday, wherever you are in the world, gang!

Thanks for visiting.

I love you guys. See ya!

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Yes, the morning-listening-music around here is still Bruce Springsteen–

But I’ve moved on to his Greatest Hits!

HOWEVER!

This song is also from The River, 1980.

And I remember so perfectly, gang, shopping in a clothing store that was downstairs in the Empire State Building, while on my lunch hour, and hearing this song come on the radio there.

It had only been a handful of weeks since I’d been listening to that same song on my record player in my side-by-side rental house back in Ohio…

I rented the side nearest to the camera. My bedroom was in the 2 windows at the top

…and now I was living in NYC and working in the legendary Empire State Building!!

My life changed, literally, overnight back then. So many fucking incredible memories, gang. Most of them unbelievably stressful…. but I wouldn’t trade them for anything.

Okay!

“Hungry Heart” by Bruce Springsteen, from The River. 1980! Enjoy, gang.

“Hungry Heart”

Got a wife and kids in Baltimore, Jack
I went out for a ride and I never went back
Like a river that don’t know where it’s flowing
I took a wrong turn and I just kept going

Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Lay down your money and you play your part
Everybody’s got a hungry heart

I met her in a Kingstown bar
We fell in love I knew it had to end
We took what we had and we ripped it apart
Now here I am down in Kingstown again

Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Lay down your money and you play your part
Everybody’s got a hungry heart

Everybody needs a place to rest
Everybody wants to have a home
Don’t make no difference what nobody says
Ain’t nobody like to be alone

Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Everybody’s got a hungry heart
Lay down your money and you play your part
Everybody’s got a hungry heart

c -1980 Bruce Springsteen

A wonderful Wednesday underway in the Hinterlands!

October 14, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Wow, did I get a lot done yesterday, gang.

I only have one long story left to edit tomorrow for the M. Christian tribute anthology, and then I am basically done. I will still need to arrange the stories in the best order, write a Foreword, but it will definitely be turned in before the end of the month!

I still don’t know when I’ll have to do some work on the script for Sandra’s one-woman Birthday Cabaret, but I might actually be able to spend some of my upcoming days’ off focusing on my own writing again.

And most importantly, now that I have the part-time job again, my mind is in a much better place to tackle my own writing.

Me, with my mind in a much better place! Yay!

Okay, good news and bad news!

Season 2 of “Ludwig” did indeed start on Britbox yesterday — and it was so great to have that show back on my TV!!

Not so good news — I’d forgotten that with Standard Britbox, you only get to see one new episode a week. Aaarrggghhhh….

But it’s still great to have that show back. I just love it!!

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Here’s some great news, gang.

This made me so happy last night!

People are indeed downloading the free eBook edition of “A Man in Her Arms & Other Stories” over on Amazon and so it is FINALLY listed in the sales rankings. Not only that, but I thought the categories it popped up in were very interesting;

Thank you to everyone who is downloading it!

Also — I discovered that a number of people in Kindle Unlimited are also downloading my novel from 2011, Freak Parade. Yay!!!

I will actually be getting some royalties this month. So thank you!!

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I thought this was just wonderful, gang.

On Literary Hub yesterday — a wonderful article that I really related to, since I discovered Frank O’Hara’s poems when I was 14 and in Jr. High School:

Why Frank O’Hara is Perfect For Introducing Poetry to Tweens

Catherine Sawoski on Bringing the New York School to Middle School:

“…O’Hara is most famous for his collection Lunch Poems, written on his lunch break as a receptionist from the Museum of Modern Art—proving even future curators/art critics must begin at the front desk. He’s often been called a painter’s poet, and, rejected by the conventional literary scene, found himself faster friends with the Abstract Expressionists than the literary world. Lunch Poems—reviewed by Ted Berrigan, as, emphatically “a great book!” and one of the “most important documents in contemporary poetry”—includes some of his most famous works, including “The Day Lady Died,” “Ave Maria,” and “A Step Away From Them.” This last one was my usual classroom pick. Selecting an eager student to read it aloud, a school’s worth of seventh graders would follow along on their printouts…”

Read it in full HERE

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Okay!

The Rolling Stones announced a Pop-Up in NYC for 2 days only!

THE UMUSIC SHOP AT PENN PLAZA IN THE HEART OF NEW YORK CITY IS GETTING A ROLLING STONES TAKEOVER THIS WEEK!

JOIN US ON OCTOBER 16 & 17 FOR TWO DAYS OF A SPECIAL ROLLING STONES POP-UP, FEATURING BRAND NEW MERCHANDISE, MUSIC, LIMITED DAILY DROPS AND PLENTY FOR STONES FANS TO EXPLORE.

UMUSIC SHOP, 2 PENNSYLVANIA PLAZA, NEW YORK, NY 10121

OCTOBER 16–17, 2026

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Starting yesterday, WordPress launched “Wide Margins”, a monthly podcast, featuring interviews and a Q&A with authors. Hosted by Zander Rose.

Neal Stephenson Live: Spies, Science & the Race for the Atomic Bomb (1 hr):

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Johnny Depp posted this today. It’s in London — another exhibit of his art (he’s got a few going on all over the world right now):

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Okay, here’s this! From Facebook!!

And THIS happened last night!!

Warren Ellis actually replied to one of my comments!! (I am not even going to attempt to explain what the comment is referring to, you’d have to watch the reel, but basically, his dogs were stepping on his “fucking vinyl” record albums):

And also from Warren Ellis:

And this is from the other day — Warren with his pups!!

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Late start on this rainy Sunday morning in the Hinterlands!

October 11, 2026 marilyn jaye lewis Leave a comment

Even though I slept great last night, for some reason I felt like going back to bed after breakfast today.

Took the cup of coffee upstairs, hung out in bed with about 4 or 5 (?) cats. Slept a little more. Finally got back out of bed but I feel sort of at loose ends right now.

I know I should probably force myself to take a day off and just relax, but I am getting really close to finishing the editing on the M. Christian tribute anthology.

If I can get 2 short pieces edited today, that leaves me with only one long story to do sometime this coming week — and, in essence, the book will be done.

Anyway. We shall see if I can force myself to relax today or not!!

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Okay!

Before I forget.

Starting tomorrow the Kindle edition of my short story collection “A Man in her Arms & Other Stories” will be free to download for the week.

I don’t think you have to belong to Kindle Unlimited to get it for free. (Not all the stories are explicit erotica, but it is still Absolutely for Adults Only, thank you!)

Table of Contents:

A Man in her Arms
A Path to the Woods (A Ghost Story)
Score
Code
Alter/Soldier
To My Beloved I Am a Stranger
Common Place
Wanted
Legacy of Boy
Half- Moon Bride

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And here’s a curious — although really nice! — thing.

Amazon claims there is “only one print copy of The Curse of our Profound Disorder left in stock (more on the way)”!

I guess this means people are actually buying the book. I think the eBook is selling even a little better. But absolutely no one besides Ron Bass in NYC has reviewed it… so who knows, gang.

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Also, yesterday, while searching through some really old files for a specific story by Michael Hemmingson, I discovered the manuscripts for my erotic romance novel, When Hearts Collide (this was distributed exclusively by Barnes & Noble stores, in 2003, and it sold, overall, 10,000 copies).

And another erotic short story collection, Ribbon of Darkness & Other Stories, that I printed privately on LULU — it has never been for sale. I gave it to a handful of people as a gift. This was back in 2009.

Even though the short story collection has stories that appear in various other anthologies of mine, I’m thinking of re-publishing both these books as specially-priced eBooks on Amazon.

I was thinking of doing this because, you know, I’ve got nothing else to do right now…

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Okay.

I’ve got a lot of “here’s this’s” for today, so let’s get crackin’!!

Here’s this!!

From Phyllis Stein!

Richard Hell!!

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And how about this??!!

Photo by Anton Corbijn.

Blixa Bargeld! A long time ago!

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From Jim Lauderdale–

He’ll be playing at the Gram Parsons Derry Down listening room, in Winter Haven, Florida, on November 7th, in honor of what would have been Gram Parsons’ 80th birthday (tickets are $30 — you can buy them HERE):