Tim Wheat's Blog, page 5

Goodreads, Books I love, and Family...

My kids are in church and I was sitting here working on the follow up to Ma'iitso Rises, but its kind of loud in here and I'm getting distracted. Something I've been told to do on Goodreads is to put books on my bookshelf that I've read. It's supposed to help people connect with me by understanding my background. So, I started doing that. At first I was searching by my favorite authors, but that was kind of slow, so instead I just did a blank search for books. It turns out, in my life, I have read a TON of books! I stopped rating at 186 books because it was taking me forever since I actually wanted to think about each of these books which have taken up a portion of my life. "Of Mice and Men" reminds me of my sophomore year of high school. "The Hunt For Red October" was the first Clancy book I ever read and I remember my father telling me, as a restless adolescent, that I just had to push through those first 400 pages and it would be worth it. He was right! "The Scarlet Letter" was easily my least favorite of all time, but thinking about it intrigued me. Perhaps now that I'm older I'll understand and appreciate it more? I don't know if I'm willing to take that risk. :-) All of the C.S. Lewis books bring back amazing memories of my youth. The same is true of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" and "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer". I stopped shortly after rating those books because now I can't stop thinking about them.

One summer, as a child, my mother, father, three sisters and I packed up our full size silver and maroon striped Dodge Ram Van and headed to Missouri. My mother had been reading us Twain's masterpieces and I remember them really catching my imagination. The thought of being a couple of friends, stealing around in the night, and sailing down the Mighty Mississippi absolutely appealed to me in every way. I was so excited for our daily reads when we would get to hear more. If I remember correctly we would take turns reading the books out loud while the others listened until the smaller children would get restless, and then mom would take over or we would stop. I was already a semi-voracious reader even at the age of ten or so, and it bothered me that Mom wouldn't let me continue through the books without the others. I wanted to know what happened! Well, we finished the books, and went on vacation. We traveled up and down the Mississippi on a huge paddlewheel boat, visited Merrimac Caverns, and explored various landmarks associated with the books. We did it all as a family of six in that silver and maroon striped full size van. I don't remember a lot of arguments, although I assume there were some. I honestly don't remember a single bad moment of the trip. Looking back on it, even my sister vomiting all over the inside of the van, which at the time was horrifying, is now kind of awesome. It doesn't seem that long ago when all of this happened, but it has been 25 years. Even today, though we're spread across the United States, it's times like that Mark Twain inspired Missouri vacation that have kept us tight knit. It seems like yesterday my two sons were born, but they are already 5, and 7. I can only hope that 25 years from now they can think back on something we did together as fondly as I do this. So, now I'm sitting here thinking about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn floating down the Mighty Mississip with nothing but a raft beneath their feet and a blanket of stars over their heads. Books rule...

Goodreads, Books I love, and Family...

My kids are in church and I was sitting here working on the follow up to Ma'iitso Rises, but its kind of loud in here and I'm getting distracted.  Something I've been told to do on Goodreads is to put books on my bookshelf that I've read.  It's supposed to help people connect with me by understanding my background.  So, I started doing that.  At first I was searching by my favorite authors, but that was kind of slow, so instead I just did a blank search for books.  It turns out, in my life, I have read a TON of books!  I stopped rating at 186 books because it was taking me forever since I actually wanted to think about each of these books which have taken up a portion of my life.  "Of Mice and Men" reminds me of my sophomore year of high school.  "The Hunt For Red October" was the first Clancy book I ever read and I remember my father telling me, as a restless adolescent, that I just had to push through those first 400 pages and it would be worth it.  He was right!  "The Scarlet Letter" was easily my least favorite of all time, but thinking about it intrigued me.  Perhaps now that I'm older I'll understand and appreciate it more?  I don't know if I'm willing to take that risk. :-)  All of the C.S. Lewis books bring back amazing memories of my youth.  The same is true of Mark Twain's "Huckleberry Finn" and "The Adventures of Tom Sawyer".  I stopped shortly after rating those books because now I can't stop thinking about them.  

One summer, as a child, my mother, father, three sisters and I packed up our full size silver and maroon striped Dodge Ram Van and headed to Missouri.  My mother had been reading us Twain's masterpieces and I remember them really catching my imagination.  The thought of being a couple of friends, stealing around in the night, and sailing down the Mighty Mississippi absolutely appealed to me in every way.  I was so excited for our daily reads when we would get to hear more.  If I remember correctly we would take turns reading the books out loud while the others listened until the smaller children would get restless, and then mom would take over or we would stop.  I was already a semi-voracious reader even at the age of ten or so, and it bothered me that Mom wouldn't let me continue through the books without the others.  I wanted to know what happened!  Well, we finished the books, and went on vacation.  We traveled up and down the Mississippi on a huge paddlewheel boat, visited Merrimac Caverns, and explored various landmarks associated with the books.  We did it all as a family of six in that silver and maroon striped full size van.  I don't remember a lot of arguments, although I assume there were some.  I honestly don't remember a single bad moment of the trip.  Looking back on it, even my sister vomiting all over the inside of the van, which at the time was horrifying, is now kind of awesome.  It doesn't seem that long ago when all of this happened, but it has been 25 years.  Even today, though we're spread across the United States, it's times like that Mark Twain inspired Missouri vacation that have kept us tight knit.  It seems like yesterday my two sons were born, but they are already 5, and 7.  I can only hope that 25 years from now they can think back on something we did together as fondly as I do this.   So, now I'm sitting here thinking about Tom Sawyer and Huck Finn floating down the Mighty Mississip with nothing but a raft beneath their feet and a blanket of stars over their heads.  Books rule...

Ma'iitso Rises is free for download!

Head on over to www.timwheatbooks.com/freestuff and get your free epub today!

FREE BOOK!

I'm running a Goodreads free signed paperback book giveaway starting tomorrow January 6 and running through January the 9th.  Enter to win!

Goodreads Book Giveaway








Ma'iitso Rises


by Tim Wheat

Giveaway ends January 09, 2014.

See the giveaway details
at Goodreads.

Enter to win

Lots of things are happening!

Hardbacks are in.  Paperbacks are on their way.  Promo posters are available.  I recently signed a distribution deal with Ingram, which will make it possible to get into Barnes and Noble, Wal-mart, et.   December is starting to fill up with book signings and presentations.  December 6th at 9 A.M. I'll be speaking with the Forman Valley Library Friday book club.  December 16th at 6:30 I'll be doing a book signing and presentation at the Fondulac District Library.  There will be more dates to follow, so check back often!

Ma'iitso Rises Hardback

Ma'iitso Rises is available in signed hardback edition.  So, head on over to the shop and pick one up.  Make sure to tell me who you want me to make it out to!  Thanks. 

Check out this review!

This was the review given Ma'iitso Rises by the 24th ranked reviewer on Amazon.  Privately he was even more complimentary! 

5.0 out of 5 stars Rex Chase is a young Indiana Jones October 14, 2013

By Arthur Bradley TOP 50 REVIEWERVINE VOICE

Amazon Verified Purchase

As I read this outstanding story, I couldn't help but feel that I was following along on an adventure of a young Indiana Jones. The story is fast paced, filled with secret weapons, spies, German soldiers, gun battles, submarines, and brilliant heroes. It begins some three hundred years earlier when a Navajo Chief unleashes an almost magical devastation on warlike Apaches. His secret that was hidden for centuries is eventually uncovered, leading forces of evil to begin their diabolical plotting. Only Rex Chase can stop them!

The writing is very crisp and well edited. Anyone who enjoys science fiction pre-WWII adventure will enjoy this book. It compares well to titles like Rocket Ranger and any of the Indiana Jones adventures. I would be the first in line to read the next Rex Chase adventure. A job well done!

Ma'iitso Rises UPDATE!!

Work is continuing on Ma'iitso Rises to get the hardbacks out there even as the digital copy sells on Amazon.  I really want to make sure there are no hidden mistakes in there once I get this thing immortalized in print.  Its not like the digital copy that I can just re-upload!   I've gotten a few feedbacks on Amazon so far, but I definitely need more.  Thanks a lot for checking in here guys.  Oh, I've been writing The Sentinel too.  Goodnight!

FEEDBACK!!

I neeeeeeeed some feedback on Amazon!  I've talked to a number of people who have finished the book, and so far the feedback has been good, but we need to get that put in writing.  I've started promoting a little on a few different forums and am looking to pick up some writing credits on a couple of different sites.  I've also picked up writing The Sentinel again, and its cruising right along.  I hope you all are enjoying the book.  Thanks!

Still working hard...

I've spent a lot of time the past few days diligently editing and honing Ma'iitso even further.  We found a few more mistakes, and cleared a few things up.  I cleaned up and tightened the infamous chapter 20, effectively taking me off of the rated R list for strong sexual content! Lol.  Really, the book should be pretty appropriate for teens on up now.  I definitely have some violence, but I don't feel its anything too over the top.  I believe it all fits in well.  So, you can still download the first 100 pages for free from here, or head on over to Amazon and buy the thing.  Thanks!