Kyle Pratt's Blog: Musings & Rantings, page 24

March 20, 2015

First Sale

Book three of the Strengthen What Remains series is off to a good start.







Kyle Pratt and and Bill Radtke with the check for book 3.





Kyle Pratt and and Bill Radtke with the check for book 3.








I haven’t finished the novel or even named it yet, but I’ve sold at least one copy.

Bill Radtke, a friend of mine, is a busy man, and has little time to read for entertainment, but he recently bought paperback copies of both Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure. While we talked he asked me about the third book. I told him that I haven’t come up with a title yet, but otherwise it was coming along fine. I’ve written about 15,000 words and plotted out most of the novel. (You can track my progress on the book here.)

As Bill wrote the check for the first two books he said, “I’m going to add extra for the third book. I told him it wasn’t necessary, that I would make sure he got a copy, but he insisted.

The more I thought about it, the more I enjoyed the idea of selling a book I haven’t finished or even named, so I asked him to pose for this picture with me.

Bill, I hope you enjoy Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure and I will personally deliver your signed first edition copy of the third book (whatever it ends up being called) as soon as they are available. 

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Published on March 20, 2015 09:44

March 7, 2015

Busy Bees & Keepers

Spring is a busy time for bees and beekeepers.
















For most of the country this winter has snowy and cold, but in western Washington state the weather has been mild. As a beekeeper this is both a blessing and a problem.

If the winter is short and mild it is a blessing in that the bees use less food and plants bloom early. This gives the bees a longer period to build up supplies for the next winter. However, the weather is mild, but winter returns, the entire colony might starve because of the postponed spring. Right now it looks like winter will continue to fade away.

I keep one or two hives of bees as a hobby, for the honey and to pollenate my garden and orchard. While I’ve done this for eight years, what I know I learned through trial and error (many errors) and by reading books. I’ve never taken a class—until now. I took this picture as the second session of the apprentice beekeeping class ended today. While I’m probably beyond the apprentice level, I’ve learned things during both sessions. The class has three more sessions.

















The smiling woman, with lanyard, is Susanne Weil, one of the officers of our local beekeeping association. She is standing behind two hive boxes.


I have only one colony of bees, but I’ll be ordering a package of bees in a couple of days. A package consists of a queen and around 2000 bees in a box. While they arrive I’ll do a blogpost about it.  

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Published on March 07, 2015 15:28

February 18, 2015

A New Venture

Yesterday I began a new dimension of my writing business.
















I’m often asked how I succeeded in the writing and publishing business when so many others struggle or fail. The simple answer is I work very hard to succeed and when I’m not writing I’m reading about some aspect of the business. Over the years, I’ve learned a quite a bit about writing, publishing, marketing and business in general.

For several years I’ve talked, coached and given advice about indie writing and publishing as a mentor. I’m still going to do that, but I want to do it on a bigger scale. As part of that venture I began work on a new website, IndieWriter.guru this summer. I’ve been gathering information, blogging, writing and creating a free newsletter.

While there is still much work to be done, yesterday I sent out the newsletter you see here to a few early subscribers. If this is something you’re interesting in, I encourage you to sign up for it here.

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Published on February 18, 2015 18:35

February 11, 2015

Falls Terrace

Last night my wife Lorraine and I enjoyed a pre-anniversary dinner.







Kyle & Lorraine Pratt





Kyle & Lorraine Pratt








This was the third time we’ve traveled north to Tumwater and ate at the Falls Terrace Restaurant. We enjoy the establishment for several reasons. It has good service and an excellent steak and seafood selection. However, in addition it sits across from the old Olympia Brewing Company and looks down on a series of cascades on the Deschutes River known as Tumwater falls.

The combination of service, food and view makes Falls Terrace a place we return to for special occasions.

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Published on February 11, 2015 09:15

February 8, 2015

An Evening with Charlie

For the first time in over ten years I had the chance to see, hear and speak with Charlie Albright.







Kyle Pratt and Charlie Albright





Kyle Pratt and Charlie Albright








In 2004 Charlie Albright was a freshman in my civics class at Centralia High School. Even then I knew he would achieve things in life. He worked hard in class and turned in every regular and extra credit assignment. I don’t believe he got less than an “A” on anything.

While still in high school, Charlie earned an Associate of Science degree at Centralia College, but that was just the beginning. He was accepted into the joint program with Harvard and the New England Conservatory. At Harvard he earned a Bachelor’s in pre-med and economics. While at the New England Conservatory he earned a Masters of Music. Moving on to Juilliard he graduated with the prestigious Artist Diploma.

Today he performs around the nation and the world, but last night he was back home in Centralia at the Corbet Theatre of Centralia College. While I enjoy classical music, I’ve never studied it, and cannot judge Charlie’s performance except to say that for over two hours his hands flew across the keys in an incredible flurry of movement and created sounds which held me, and the others who were there, in rapt silence.

After the performance I was walking toward the door, when my wife encouraged me to stay, buy a CD and speak with Charlie. I didn’t expect him to remember me and there was a long line, but she persisted. It turned out Charlie did remember me, so with an autographed CD, a handshake and a picture we ended our evening with Charlie.

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Published on February 08, 2015 11:32

February 6, 2015

Richard Castle Book Commercial

I would so do this!



I enjoy science fiction. I read science fiction. I write it and I watch it on television and at the cinema. Firefly and Serenity are how I came to know the work of Nathan Fillion. So, through Fillion I had a vague knowledge of the ABC television series Castle, but had never watched it until last year. Being bored one night, I stumbled across it on Netflix and watched the first episode. I enjoyed it and have continued to watch past shows and catch up.


Now in season seven, I watched “Meme is Murder” last night and thoroughly enjoyed the book commercial at the end of the episode. If I had an advertising budget I would love to do a commercial like this one. 

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Published on February 06, 2015 20:51

February 1, 2015

American Sniper and America

Why is American Sniper such a box office success?

Nearly two weeks after it was released, I went to see the movie American Sniper. For those of you who have been off the grid, the film is based on the book American Sniper: The Autobiography of the Most Lethal Sniper in U.S. Military History, by Chris Kyle. The title sums up much of the book.

From where I sat in the theater it was clear the movie was still doing well at the box office when I saw it. As I left the cinema I was thinking of other recent movies about our wars in the Middle East. Most that I remembered had not done well. That led me to the question, what is different about American Sniper that makes it such a box office success?

















While the movie seems to resonate with many Americans, Bill Maher of HBO’s Real Time, called Chris Kyle a “psychopath patriot,” and NBC’s Ayman Mohyeldin described Kyle’s work as a military sniper as “killing sprees.” Matt Taibbi writing in Rolling Stone called the movie, “Almost Too Dumb to Criticize.” Taibbi goes on to say, “It's the fact that the movie is popular, and actually makes sense to so many people, that's the problem.”


American Sniper, Lone Survivor and Zero Dark Thirty all depict the American military in a favorable light fighting against terrorism and related evil. The government is either not depicted or shown to have similar goals.

In contrast, The Green Zone portrays an inept or corrupt American leadership and a rogue military. Michael Moore called The Green Zone, “the most honest film about the Iraq War made by Hollywood.”

The Hurt Locker took a more nuanced view of the military and their mission in the Middle East but, as the list here shows, that moral ambiguity didn’t resonate with American moviegoers. However, the Hollywood elite loved it, giving it the Academy Award for best picture in 2009.







Click to enlarge





Click to enlarge








Personally, I prefer stories that portray the United States and its military as a force for good in the world. I realize that we’ve not always succeeded, but good should always be our goal. On the other hand, liberals seem to view the worst in our country as the norm. However, in World War II, the Korean War, and during the Cold War it was the America military that turned the tide against fascism, communism and oppression.

American Sniper depicts a good man trying to protect his fellow soldiers and innocent civilians during an ugly conflict. That is what I expect from the military and, apparently, many Americans share that opinion. 

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Published on February 01, 2015 19:50

January 29, 2015

Listen to A Time to Endure

My latest novel, A Time to Endure, has just been released in Audiobook form




















A Time to endure was already available in paperback, and as an ebook on Kindle, Nook and Kobo. With the announcement this morning the novel is available on Audible.com and will be on iTunes by the end of this week.

I’d like to thank Micah Hansen for the covers of both Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure and Kevin Pierce who reprised his role as the voice of the series. I’ve already started the third book in the series and hope to have both back on the team again.

My first novel, Titan Encounter, was released in July of 2012. As of this morning I have four books out as audiobooks and ebooks. Three have also been released as paperbacks. In addition to selling in the United States, the novels sell in Canada, Britain, Australia and ten other countries.

All of that has occurred in less than three years. I still shake my head in wonder of it all.

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Published on January 29, 2015 11:06

January 24, 2015

Archery for Fun and Defense

As a prepper I don’t want to hurt anyone, but I want to be ready to defend myself.

Bows and arrows have always been of interest to me but, I admit, I’ve done little to develop my ability with them.



Thanks in part to the “The Hunger Games,” “Brave,” and even the recent “Avengers” movie, interest in archery has climbed. USA Archery, the governing body for the Olympic sport has shown staggering growth over the last few years. In the past year membership in local clubs has increased 54%.


With all that in mind, one of my sons recently sent me the link to this video. I encourage you to watch it. Frankly I had no idea such feats of ability could be achieved with a bow.

I think I should get my bow out and start practicing. 

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Published on January 24, 2015 15:50

January 19, 2015

Pure Publicity

Marketing and publicity are part of being an author but, like most writers, I avoid it.







Kyle Pratt with posters of his first four books.





Kyle Pratt with posters of his first four books.








I’d rather stay in my office typing my next story than go to a party, or even most meetings with other authors. It’s not as if I hate people. I don’t but, like most writers, I’m an introvert.







Kyle Pratt with posters of Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure.





Kyle Pratt with posters of Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure.









However, getting your picture taken can be fun. The pictures here are of me posing with posters of my first four books. They have been hung in the order the books were released. From right-to-left they are, Titan Encounter, Final Duty, Through Many Fires and A Time to Endure.


Now if I could just figure out a way to make all the marketing and publicity as much fun as these pictures. 

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Published on January 19, 2015 15:18