Kate McVaugh's Blog, page 13
May 14, 2016
Eurovision 2016
For the first time in history, the Eurovision Song Contest Finals were broadcast in the US….and I nearly missed it. Had I not seen a piece on BBC yesterday, I wouldn’t have known that the competition was even on. (it’s another minor miracle that one can now get BBC World in the USofA.)
Most Americans have never heard of Eurovision. Saying it’s a song contest simply does not convey the enormity of an event that keeps half the world glued to their TV sets.There is nothing to compare it to. Sporting events attract a certain type; reality shows – another. But it seems everyone, across all sectors of society watch and, more importantly, vote for the Eurovision contestants.
Read more here
Most Americans have never heard of Eurovision. Saying it’s a song contest simply does not convey the enormity of an event that keeps half the world glued to their TV sets.There is nothing to compare it to. Sporting events attract a certain type; reality shows – another. But it seems everyone, across all sectors of society watch and, more importantly, vote for the Eurovision contestants.
Read more here
March 30, 2016
Books Inc. is now carrying my book
Books Inc., "The West's Oldest Independent Bookseller", is now carrying my book,
The Many Wonders of Costa Contente
(at their Berkeley CA store.)
You can't get much better than that, in my opinion!
A little of their history from their website:
"Books Inc.’s origin dates back to the Gold Rush Days of 1851 when Anton Roman struck it rich in Shasta City, California and set himself up in business selling books. That small bookstore was moved, bought, sold, burned, rebuilt, renamed and became Books Inc., as we know it today, in 1946."
Read More
The Many Wonders of Costa Contente
(at their Berkeley CA store.)
You can't get much better than that, in my opinion!
A little of their history from their website:
"Books Inc.’s origin dates back to the Gold Rush Days of 1851 when Anton Roman struck it rich in Shasta City, California and set himself up in business selling books. That small bookstore was moved, bought, sold, burned, rebuilt, renamed and became Books Inc., as we know it today, in 1946."
Read More
February 10, 2016
The Mavericks is On
The Mavericks surf competition near Half Moon Bay, CA is a go. The call went out a few days ago giving 24 of the best big wave surfers in the world 48 hours to get on over to California. It only happens one day a year when the conditions are perfect. If those conditions do not appear between November 1, and the end of March, there is no contest.
Waves get big…really big, during the winter months off of Pillar Point. Owing to its unique position on the Northern California coast and the sea floor below it, when a big winter storm hits, waves off the Mavericks surf break can reach 60 feet. It is not for the feint of surfer; it’s quite the treacherous ride. Not only that, it’s damned cold.
Read more on my author's site
Waves get big…really big, during the winter months off of Pillar Point. Owing to its unique position on the Northern California coast and the sea floor below it, when a big winter storm hits, waves off the Mavericks surf break can reach 60 feet. It is not for the feint of surfer; it’s quite the treacherous ride. Not only that, it’s damned cold.
Read more on my author's site
December 22, 2015
Winter Solstice
People who know me might assume that since today is the first day of winter, I might be headed fast for bummer's-ville. Not in the least. The winter solstice is quite a significant day for me. I figure that if I can make it until today - the darkest, gloomiest, day of the year - everything will be uphill from here on in.
read more on my author's site
read more on my author's site
October 13, 2015
I need a La-Z-Boy Sofa
The books are all in print and now it's just a matter of selling a few. My attempts at marketing are in full swing, and time will tell how successful I have been at it this time around.
I now have another reason to hope for best-in-book sales other than just paying the bills and buying a bit of food. I need a comfortable place to sit and read and watch TV.
As the years go by, I find that I can no longer sit on the floor with a pillow and be content. All those younger years of having no furniture and making do with a beach chair in the living room and a blanket on the floor, just don't do it anymore. Presently, I do have furniture but it's quite ancient. I had thought that my constant discomfort and fidgeting to try and get into a halfway decent position, was a matter of age. It wasn't. Or at least not 100% of the problem.
Read more on my author's site
I now have another reason to hope for best-in-book sales other than just paying the bills and buying a bit of food. I need a comfortable place to sit and read and watch TV.
As the years go by, I find that I can no longer sit on the floor with a pillow and be content. All those younger years of having no furniture and making do with a beach chair in the living room and a blanket on the floor, just don't do it anymore. Presently, I do have furniture but it's quite ancient. I had thought that my constant discomfort and fidgeting to try and get into a halfway decent position, was a matter of age. It wasn't. Or at least not 100% of the problem.
Read more on my author's site
October 7, 2015
All My Books in Print!
All my books are now available in print!
Using Create Space, I did everything myself, so it didn't cost a penny. I couldn't be happier with the results. It is so much nicer to hold my books in my hand instead of flipping through Kindle pages.
I have my five books lined up where I can gaze at them at all hours. Eventually, I might put them on a bookshelf, but not for a while.
Friends and relations have been notified and congratulations bestowed....but I have yet to sell one paperback. They look so pretty I'm not sure how anyone can resist. (and I think the insides are also pretty darn good.)
Using Create Space, I did everything myself, so it didn't cost a penny. I couldn't be happier with the results. It is so much nicer to hold my books in my hand instead of flipping through Kindle pages.
I have my five books lined up where I can gaze at them at all hours. Eventually, I might put them on a bookshelf, but not for a while.
Friends and relations have been notified and congratulations bestowed....but I have yet to sell one paperback. They look so pretty I'm not sure how anyone can resist. (and I think the insides are also pretty darn good.)
September 10, 2015
Paperback Editions Coming Soon
Back in 2009, after searching around quite a bit, I found that I could publish Murder, Jaz, & Tel Aviv, for a reasonable price using BookSurge, which would later become Create Space. In 2011, I used them again for The Curse Breaker of Cairo.
I had another book or two ready for press, but simply could not afford the price to publish in paperback. And then Amazon KDP came along and I was saved. At least my books would be available in ebook form.
I have received monthly newsletters from Create Space for years. Often, they carried useful articles about self publishing and stories about other independent authors. So how is that until less than a week ago, I had not realized that one could now publish a paperback edition for free?
Read more on my Author's site
I had another book or two ready for press, but simply could not afford the price to publish in paperback. And then Amazon KDP came along and I was saved. At least my books would be available in ebook form.
I have received monthly newsletters from Create Space for years. Often, they carried useful articles about self publishing and stories about other independent authors. So how is that until less than a week ago, I had not realized that one could now publish a paperback edition for free?
Read more on my Author's site
August 18, 2015
The Berkeley Barb, People's Park, & Four Teenagers
This week the long-gone Berkeley Barb commemorated 50 years since its first publication. For those who have never heard of the newspaper:
“The Berkeley Barb was launched by Max Scherr on August 13, 1965, and was one of the earliest underground newspapers to serve the civil rights, anti-war, and countercultural movements in the Sixties. For 15 years, from 1965 to 1980, the Barb was a voice for a generation looking to change the world.
The Barb mixed radical politics with psychedelic art, guerrilla comics, local happenings, opinions, reviews, advice, personal ads, and frequent calls to protest. It offered its readers an unabashed alternative to the conformist mainstream press. At a nexus between Free Speech and the Sexual Revolution, the Barb trumpeted the irrepressible passions of the American counterculture.”
Berkeley Barb.net
A request was sent out for reminiscences. The following is a bit of back story to the article, V-Sign Downs Rifles, in the May 28-29, 1969 issue.
May 1969 – People’s Park protests are in full swing. Tanks roll up University Avenue and Berkeley is occupied by the National Guard. Guardsmen line the streets of downtown and the UC campus. Berkeley High School students walk by the jeeps and tanks and troops to get to classes. After school, many walk the few blocks up to Cal to participate in the protests.
Danza, Marcus, Kat, and Candy, 15 and 16 year olds from BHS, head up to the chancellor’s house to join in a peaceful protest against the occupation of Berkeley and the People’s Park situation. They are some of the first to arrive.
Read more/see photos
“The Berkeley Barb was launched by Max Scherr on August 13, 1965, and was one of the earliest underground newspapers to serve the civil rights, anti-war, and countercultural movements in the Sixties. For 15 years, from 1965 to 1980, the Barb was a voice for a generation looking to change the world.
The Barb mixed radical politics with psychedelic art, guerrilla comics, local happenings, opinions, reviews, advice, personal ads, and frequent calls to protest. It offered its readers an unabashed alternative to the conformist mainstream press. At a nexus between Free Speech and the Sexual Revolution, the Barb trumpeted the irrepressible passions of the American counterculture.”
Berkeley Barb.net
A request was sent out for reminiscences. The following is a bit of back story to the article, V-Sign Downs Rifles, in the May 28-29, 1969 issue.
May 1969 – People’s Park protests are in full swing. Tanks roll up University Avenue and Berkeley is occupied by the National Guard. Guardsmen line the streets of downtown and the UC campus. Berkeley High School students walk by the jeeps and tanks and troops to get to classes. After school, many walk the few blocks up to Cal to participate in the protests.
Danza, Marcus, Kat, and Candy, 15 and 16 year olds from BHS, head up to the chancellor’s house to join in a peaceful protest against the occupation of Berkeley and the People’s Park situation. They are some of the first to arrive.
Read more/see photos
The Barb, People's Park, & Four Teenagers
This week the long-gone Berkeley Barb commemorated 50 years since its first publication. For those who have never heard of the newspaper:
“The Berkeley Barb was launched by Max Scherr on August 13, 1965, and was one of the earliest underground newspapers to serve the civil rights, anti-war, and countercultural movements in the Sixties. For 15 years, from 1965 to 1980, the Barb was a voice for a generation looking to change the world.
The Barb mixed radical politics with psychedelic art, guerrilla comics, local happenings, opinions, reviews, advice, personal ads, and frequent calls to protest. It offered its readers an unabashed alternative to the conformist mainstream press. At a nexus between Free Speech and the Sexual Revolution, the Barb trumpeted the irrepressible passions of the American counterculture.”
Berkeley Barb.net
A request was sent out for reminiscences. The following is a bit of back story to the article, V-Sign Downs Rifles, in the May 28-29, 1969 issue.
May 1969 – People’s Park protests are in full swing. Tanks roll up University Avenue and Berkeley is occupied by the National Guard. Guardsmen line the streets of downtown and the UC campus. Berkeley High School students walk by the jeeps and tanks and troops to get to classes. After school, many walk the few blocks up to Cal to participate in the protests.
Danza, Marcus, Kat, and Candy, 15 and 16 year olds from BHS, head up to the chancellor’s house to join in a peaceful protest against the occupation of Berkeley and the People’s Park situation. They are some of the first to arrive.
Read more/see photos
“The Berkeley Barb was launched by Max Scherr on August 13, 1965, and was one of the earliest underground newspapers to serve the civil rights, anti-war, and countercultural movements in the Sixties. For 15 years, from 1965 to 1980, the Barb was a voice for a generation looking to change the world.
The Barb mixed radical politics with psychedelic art, guerrilla comics, local happenings, opinions, reviews, advice, personal ads, and frequent calls to protest. It offered its readers an unabashed alternative to the conformist mainstream press. At a nexus between Free Speech and the Sexual Revolution, the Barb trumpeted the irrepressible passions of the American counterculture.”
Berkeley Barb.net
A request was sent out for reminiscences. The following is a bit of back story to the article, V-Sign Downs Rifles, in the May 28-29, 1969 issue.
May 1969 – People’s Park protests are in full swing. Tanks roll up University Avenue and Berkeley is occupied by the National Guard. Guardsmen line the streets of downtown and the UC campus. Berkeley High School students walk by the jeeps and tanks and troops to get to classes. After school, many walk the few blocks up to Cal to participate in the protests.
Danza, Marcus, Kat, and Candy, 15 and 16 year olds from BHS, head up to the chancellor’s house to join in a peaceful protest against the occupation of Berkeley and the People’s Park situation. They are some of the first to arrive.
Read more/see photos
June 29, 2015
Free ebooks
A little of everything.....
Free today and tomorrow - July 1 & 2
Click on over to Amazon to pick up your free copies.
I'd love to hear what you think of any/all of my titles.
Thanks!
Kate
Free today and tomorrow - July 1 & 2
Click on over to Amazon to pick up your free copies.
I'd love to hear what you think of any/all of my titles.
Thanks!
Kate
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