Saturday, December 31, 2011

New Years Eve.

The house is quite and it is just getting light in the east. Today is New Years Eve and I think that I am supposed to write something profound. Well nothing profound is trying to get out and find it's way on to the screen. So instead of profound let's try this.
It was 18 years ago tonight that I met the woman I have been married to since 1997. I never drive on New Years Eve or if possible New Years Day. Just too many accidents waiting to happen out there. I happened into a little out of the way bar near the truck stop to have a beer for the New Year. As the saying goes the rest is history.
At the moment I am working on a continuation of the "Shade" story from Rambling and doing some research for a story that will bring back the characters from Christmas on the Mesa only this one deals with a very real program in New Mexico that helps veterans who need it. A good deal of the money will be going to that charity when it comes in. I wrote about it earlier this year. The inside of a man, the outside of a horse.
Well that about does it for 2011. I hope all of you have a wonderful and prosperous New Year.

Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Christmas 2011

Not really sure what to write this year. Everyone has their own ideas about Christmas. I know that this year will be different for my wife and I. We will be in a cabin that is far from finished but cozy and warm against the weather. It will be a simple affair and dinner will be shared with my brother-in-law and his wife. This will be the beginning of a plan for the future. Hopefully the end result will be the land paid off and a new house where the one we were living in now stands. The cabin will then be our guest house where friends and family can stay when they come to visit. Somewhere in all of this will be an office where I can get away to write or just work on the computer. Together my wife and I are starting on a journey that hopefully will allow me the chance to stay home with her. Having the land is a dream that I never thought could happen to me. It is all thanks to my wife that I have the things I do, and that I took the chance to get my first work published. She deserves the home that we are working towards and to have a husband who is there more than once in a great while. That is the real gift I would love to give her. I will always be something of a vagabond, but I think she has earned my being there for her as she has always been there for me.
I hope that each and everyone of you who reads this has a wonderful and blessed holiday.
Merry Christmas everyone.

Saturday, December 10, 2011

Gratitude.

This is the season of giving, or so they tell us. Well I have to say that I received a wonderful gift this week. It took some time to do, but it didn't cost the giver a dime, just some energy. After an exhilarating week of watching his book Hunter climb into the top ten selling books on Kindle, Robert Bidinotto took the time to write an outstanding review of my book Rambling. It seems that Robert is one of the rising stars in the independent author business, so it is nice that he would take the time to help other authors try to scale the ladder to success. Some gifts are worth more than money and this is one of those. You can see the review on Robert's web page. So drop by and give it a read, then maybe you can enjoy both books, Robert's and mine.

Remember it is not the birth of the Child that is important, it is the sacrifice of the Man that makes the difference.

Saturday, December 3, 2011

Trying to repay a debt.

Twenty-five years ago this month I incurred a debt. It is for twenty dollars. It was the result of an act of generosity from a complete stranger. Let me share the story and hope that it helps in some small way to repay this kindness. Once before I told the story in a round about manner in the book A Tree for America now, I want to just tell the story as it happened in December of 1986.

Unable to find a job in Denver my wife at the time and I decided to accept the offer her sister and brother-in-law had extended to us. They would help us move to the Seattle area since the economy there was growing. We made the arrangements to store what we couldn't fit into the car we had at the time, a 1977 Malibu. With the help of a friend we replaced a faulty starter before packing the car with my wife two daughters, two cats and a full grown Alaskan Malamute. All went well until the car died alongside the Interstate just west of Baker Oregon. There was a storm coming in and it was very cold. A Department of Highways snow plow stopped to check on us. Not being really mechanically inclined I had NO idea what was wrong, and the cash was getting very low. Above my protestations he radioed in a asked for a tow truck. There wasn't any getting around it the car had to be towed. The truck arrived and hooked onto us then took us to a little town just south of the highway where the driver had a shop. Putting the car on the lift he found that the starter had come loose and within a few minutes he had us ready to go. My mouth went dry when I asked him how much we owed him. I almost passed out with relief when he told me, twenty bucks. I thanked him and explained that we were on our way to Seattle looking for work. That was when he told me to pay him after I got a job. Later on when my wife and her sister went back to Denver to get the rest of our belongings she was supposed to stop and pay him. She didn't and I have always felt bad about it. I have been by there a million times but always in a semi so I couldn't just go looking for this guy to pay him. I hope in some small way this will help repay that kindness.

Saturday, November 26, 2011

Holiday Ramblings

Well Thanksgiving is over now and Christmas lies just ahead. It is a time to take stock of what is important in our lives and express our gratitude for those things. I find it amusing that everyone says that they are thankful for this or that in their lives but they fail to say who they are thankful to. Christians and people of other religions give thanks to God as they see Him, but who does the Atheist give thanks to? Well since I am a firm believer that I didn't survive my life to this point by accident, it was with God's help I will leave that question to those who believe in no god to answer that question.
The truck has been keeping me pretty busy but I have found time to get my first book up (as an independent since I am also the publisher) on Kindle and out in paperback after a few real screw ups on my part. That is what happens when I get in a hurry and don't check things out before hitting the approve button. The corrections have been made and everything is up and ready for sale. Use this link to find it, A Tree for America.
I also finished the edits for The Last Raid and published it on Amazon in Kindle format only. Since it is only a novella I was leery about publishing it as a full length book. Even though it is about the same length as A Tree for America since it is not a Christmas book I didn't think it would sell well. If you think differently please let me know.
Here is hoping that you get the things that will benefit you most over these holidays and that they may bring joy to your life no matter who you believe in.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

11-11-11

Some people are making a lot out of this, but they are missing the main thing about the date. Above all else it is the day we set aside to honor our Veterans. So in honor of my brothers and sisters who served I offer this attempt at poetry.


Who Are They?

His hair if he has any has turned to gray
Nothing like it was in his younger day.

His back is bent and he doesn’t stand as straight
He doesn’t move as fast with this slower gait.

But when he sees the young ones standing proud
The band is playing the Anthem so he sings right out loud

For he walked among them when he was a younger man
No matter what the trouble they never turned and ran

They wore the uniform of green, or white or maybe blue
In the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and the Coast Guard too.

He was young back then and so was she
The woman who served by his side on land air or sea.

Their country called and they gladly went the extra mile
Even when so many others said it wasn’t the thing in style

Through the times when it was not the thing to do
They went to serve our country and protect me and you.

Some faced the enemy and fought in the fires of hell
Others barely got more than some funny tales to tell

But all of them served where ever needed, and never asked “why”
And they stand a little taller when the new ones go walking by

Because a Veteran comes in many shapes, sizes and colors
Less interested in themselve’s than in helping others.

Call them many things but always call them veterans
The backbone of our country, and Pride of all Americans.





Edd Voss  4/6/11

Also if you have the time check out the interview on my friend Robert Bidinotto's page. It is about me and the book Rambling. It is all here at The Vigilanty Author

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Roy Rogers 100th birthday

Well October is gone and November is here. Where has this year gone? I found out that the 5th will mark the 100th birthday of one of my childhood idols, Roy Rogers. Saturday morning was not complete without a half hour spent with Roy, Dale, Pat Brady, Bullet, and of course Trigger. When my mother passed just before my 10th birthday, I had this dream the he and Dale would adopt me. Obviously that didn't happen but he continued to be an influence in my life. In an article written about him just after his death, I read that he quit drinking beer, even when he was out of the media's eye. He was concerned that it might set an example to kids that drinking was okay. Can you imagine a modern entertainer taking a stand like that in their personal life? Roy tried to set the standard that we wanted to believe all cowboys lived up to. Of course it was a standard that very few could actually attain but it was the one you wanted at least try for. Since those days we have taken our heroes and tried our best to turn them into villains but Roy managed to stay above all of that. His image still remains untarnished. While in my writing I try to treat the west honestly not whitewashing, the European settlers, the freed blacks, or the Native Americans who settled the area, I wish that they were all like the world I saw watching Roy Rogers every Saturday morning.

Thursday, October 27, 2011

A Christmas Tale

After a learning curve that resulted in a false start A Tree for America is now available in both print and Kindle editions. The link above is for the Createspace store where the print edition is for sale now. They have assured me that by November 7th it will be on Amazon and linked with the Kindle Edition  which is up for sale now. This story was published in 2005 by a publishing company. While they lived up to their part of the contract I felt there was a lot more they could have done to promote it. I also was not impressed with the price tag they put on it. I am grateful to them for giving me the start, but I am much happier to be in control of my story now. There is also a place to Preview the book and comment on a portion of it. I have posted a good part of chapter one to wet your appetite. It is a story of two men who travel across the country in a semitruck hauling a large Douglas Fir to be displayed in front of the White House.
So now that the weather is getting colder and the snow will soon be falling, climb up in the cab of Ken Rainey's big red Freightliner. Settle in for the journey of a lifetime and just enjoy the ride.

Wednesday, October 12, 2011

Down time

Well once more I am sitting at my dining room table writing this before the sun is even peeking over the horizon. It is just getting light in the east and the day will soon begin in earnest. It will be a day of insulation, paint, drywall and light fixtures. By the end of the week we will start the move from the main house into the cabin. It is all part of a long term plan, to replace the main house. With all the leaks and opportunities for the rodent population to invade the main house we decided that we had to do something. What exactly we are not sure yet. Over time we will save the money we need to make the next move, isn't that supposed to be the American way? Work hard save your money and follow your dreams. I may not have all the time I wish to pursue my dreams of writing full time, but I do have the tools to work at them one step at a time. It was 2005 when my first effort at writing was picked up by a publisher. While the experience with the publisher wasn't bad, it wasn't all that great either. Thankfully it was the catalyst  that got me started. Since that time I have participated in a few short story projects and have published them all in a single volume Rambling.  Now the rights to my first book have reverted to me so I am in the process of getting it up as a Kindle product and figuring out the process for reissuing it in paperback. Along with that the novella "The Last Raid" is in the final editing stage and the cover design is set and approved. I hope to have my first work "A Tree for America" back up and available well before Christmas, because it is a good Christmas tale.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Revisiting old friends

When I wrote Apache Tears the idea was just something that intrigued me. After it was published I got to thinking about it and realized that there was much more to the story than I had written. As many authors will tell you sometimes characters take on their own persona. Pablito, and Sgt O'Connell had more to tell along with a few new characters like Eyes Turn Red. So in the tradition of Louis L'Amour's turning a short story called "The Gift of Cochise" into his break out novel Hondo I decided to revisit the whole legend and give it another try. While it is still only novella length I am in the process of publishing it under the title "The Last Raid".
Another character, Tommy Loving, has been poking me to tell more about him and his family. Christmas on the Mesa is one story that seems to sell year round and s few people have mentioned that they would like to revisit the ranch and know more about the life there. I would like to tie it in with a charity in that area that has captured my attention but I haven't heard back from the owners of the charity. All of the characters will return and some of the questions that have been asked about the original tale will be answered. Patch has been stamping his feet ready to go see what lies beyond his stall. The original idea for this story was headed one way and had to take a turn when I couldn't get any answers from the copyright holder of a song that inspired it, so who knows where it will go this time.

Sunday, September 25, 2011

The Inside of a man, the outside of a horse.

Through out history there have been mountains of literature about the connection between man and animals. Recently we have found that having a bond between dogs and people to be a way of healing emotional trauma. Out in New Mexico on the Turquoise Trail National Scenic Byway at the Crossed Arrows Ranch, Santa Fe, NM.a retired U.S. Marshal and former Green Beret has opened his heart and home to Veterans who have sustained physical trauma or PTSD. Unlike many horse and rider therapies this program teaches the men and women how to translate skills they learned in the military into ranch skills. They learn how to work horses and cattle which gives them a sense of purpose and belonging which is something they had in the military. As a writer this idea captured my imagination, as a veteran it captured my sense of duty, as an American it captured my heart. So I have been posting about this every chance I get. From here on out at least a portion of all royalties from my books and short stories will go to this endeavor. For more information just remember their motto Cowboy Up I hope that others will also choose to get involved. 
There is something about the outside of a horse that is good for the inside of a man. 
~ Winston Churchill

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Western Expansion

The expansion westward was one of the most shameful periods of our history, it was also one of the greatest. Treatment of the Native Americans was deplorable as was the practice of hunting the buffalo to near extinction. When people started talking about expansion across the entire continent they used the term Manifest Destiny, to make it sound better. It also gave them the excuse they needed to take what ever they wanted along the way. Andrew Jackson used it to turn on the very tribes that had helped him win the Creek War. It was also part of the reasoning behind the war with Mexico in the 1840s that brought California, Texas and the rest of the Southwest into the U.S. On the positive side we managed to tame a continent. Men like Kit Carson, Jim Bridger, and a host of others went in search of their fortunes trapping beaver in the Rocky Mountains. Blazing trails along the way that would lead people all the way to the rich farm lands in Oregon, Washington and California. It spurred the rails to find way to cross the mountains and prairies. Many who never made it all the way ended up taming what some called the Great American Desert, turning it into the breadbasket of the world. Out of all of this we have crafted a mythology of what the people were like and have written story after story about them. Well the west wasn't what we see on the movies or even read in most of the books. It was more violent and less than we have believed. The people we have held up as heroes were sometimes very bad people, like Jessie James and Billy the Kid. Some of those we have defamed like Buffalo Bill were not as bad as they have been painted. It was the Texas cattleman Charlie Goodnight that started the preservation of the buffalo by building a herd on his own land. One thing is for certain they were strong physically, mentally and spiritually, they had to be simply to survive. It is one of the reasons that there have been so many who write about the West, both the Old West and modern.
Check out Phil Whitley's books Keechie and Granny Boo for a fictional look at the Creek culture.

Monday, September 5, 2011

Adversity

Many of my works deal with people facing adversity of one kind or another. I believe in the ability to overcome almost anything life throws at you if you understand one simple truth. While you can't control the things that happen in your life, you can control how you let it effect you. Many of you know a little of my own story and the adversity I have faced in my own life. But this week I got the chance to hear the compelling story of Michael Oher, whose story was portrayed in the movie and book The Blind Side. While I loved the movie Michael's own book, I Beat-Odds: FromHomelessness to the Blind Side and Beyond, tells it in an even a more compelling way. Also his comments on attitude and how it played a major part in his success are an example of that adage. There is a lot more to the story and how he was actually working to get out of his situation. He chose his friends and the people he wanted to associate with as part of his path out of the ghetto. Even if the Tuohy's had not taken him in he had a basic game plan in mind. Even if it meant starting out at a community college and working his way into a four year school with a football program. The very fact that this family did take him in and help him over the hurdles made me think back to all the people in my life who were there when I needed them. It seems that every time I was on the verge of taking the wrong path some one would say or do something to get my attention and turn me in the right direction. Sometimes it was just an off hand comment that sparked the change. You never know what change your comments can make. I just want to thank those people who may never even know the difference they made. My only hope is that in some small way I can pass that gift on to others.

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Photographic Prints

After putting it off for years I have finally posted some images on Fine Art America. This is thanks to encouragement of  a very talented photographer and friend. From everything I have heard about them they do top quality work and their canvas prints are extremely well done. Knowing my friend Eric Smith if they meet his standards then it is worth the money. He has been running a very successful Portrait Studio for years. We worked together many years ago in Germany where we basically made up the entire photo section along with one other photographer. If you have seen an image of mine that isn't up yet and would like a print please let me know and I will try to get it posted as quickly as possible. Also take the time to check out Eric's work at the same time. He uses a technique that produces some very interesting pieces.

My friend Robert Bidinotto has started a new website that he calls The Vigilante Author. He has some very informative articles about the independent publishing process and market.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Texas, BBQ, and knives.

I was headed west on I-20 between Shreveport, Louisiana and Dallas, Texas this morning when I decided to stop at a new truck stop at exit 523. Rumor had it that the guy who used to have the knife shop in the TA truck stop in Terrell, TX. had moved over to this new place. Since he has always been fun and informative to talk to, and he puts good edge on my work knife it made sense to check it out. Trouble was they also had a BBQ restaurant there too. Now I do have a weakness to slow smoked Texas style BBQ, so a plate of ribs made it out to the truck. Over the years during our conversations I have mentioned my writing from time to time. Well today he asked where he could find it, so I got a copy of Rambling and signed it for him. My only request was that he keep it on the counter and if people ask that he tell them about it and give them my card. So with some possible good advertising going, a plate of ribs for dinner and a sharp edge on my knife I left and headed west. The name of the truck stop is Dukes Travel Plaza and though the parking is a little tight the food is good and the people are friendly. If you stop by there be sure and say hi, to Jerry Bates at The Knife Shop.
If you are looking for a new indie author who ranks up there with Thor, Flynn, and Clancy check out the new release Hunter by Robert Bidinotto, it is an excellent thrill ride full of secrets and surprises.

Sunday, August 7, 2011

Vacation?

For most of the last week my wife and I have been working on a log cabin on our ranch. It has been a lot of work. At times we have been using the same tools that our ancestors would have used. One of which is a draw knife. This is a piece of metal sharpened on one side with handles on both ends. The purpose of this implement is to skin the bark off logs that are going to be used in building. It is a long and arduous task using a lot of arm and back muscles. Some of which I forget that I even had. Since the cabin has a wood burning stove as the main source of heat getting the firewood stacked is another chore that needs to be done before winter sets in. If it doesn't get done while I am home then my wife would have to do it while I am on the road. While these chores have gained me points with my wife they have also shown me just a taste of what it must have been like to have lived in my grandparent's  time. My maternal grandfather moved from Kansas to the plains of eastern Colorado to start his own farm. He built a sod house on the property and it was in this structure that my mother, uncle, and one of my aunts were born. Lumber was expensive and very hard to come by, so settlers used squares of sod to build with. The image is of my grandparents in front of the Soddy. Since the two children are identified as my Aunts Mary and Margaret I am guessing that it must have been taken around 1915 or so. The date on the edge is the date that it was copied. This is the type of structure I used as a refuge in the short story "Storm" in Rambling.

Friday, August 5, 2011

Promises.

Not sure where this weeks blog will go. It is a time of reflection and hard work. We have two houses on our property, one stick built and one log house. Over the years we have found so many problems with the main house that we are going to move into the log house till we can save the money to either completely rebuild the main house or replace it in the future. Some of the people whom my wife hired to do the work based on bids are dragging their feet. It seems they under bid the project and took the money. What happened to the days when a persons word was their bond? I have run into the same types of things happening in the publishing world too.

Tuesday, July 26, 2011

Tony Hillerman country.

Ever since I picked up my first Tony Hillerman novel I was hooked. His stories about the Legendary Lieutenant Joe Leaphorn and Sergeant Jim Chee were a lot of fun to read, or listen to on audio books. One of the many things that made his books stand out in my opinion was the way he treated the Native American characters in work. They had problems just as any of us do, some were looking to the Traditional Ways to find the answers while others didn't believe in them. Leaphorn was the modern policeman using all the technology and psychology available to solve the crime, while Chee was a Traditionalist and used his knowledge of the Navajo traditions to do the same. Along the way were characters with all the flaws of mankind. Then he told us about the landscape and the sounds of the desert Southwest as it is today. One of the reasons for this post this week is because I am in the area of the Big Res, along I-40. I love this part of the country but it is now a little sad because Tony Hillerman is gone. There will be no more adventures with Jim Chee and Joe Leaphorn, and that is a reason for some wistful thoughts of the books already read. Even the Navajos, Hopi, Zunis and Apaches miss him. I only hope that in my writing I can do justice to the people I write about as well as he did.

Saturday, July 16, 2011

Southerners who supported the Union?

While doing some research this morning I asked someone for some help since they were more familiar with a specific area and its history. The result was eye opening to say the least. I wanted my main character to have come from the Shenandoah Valley region of Virginia after the Civil War. Because of the time frame involved he needed to be the son of an anti-secessionist Southerner. Thinking that they would have been a very small group it was amazing to find that there were a whole lot of them. As I found out from this site Southern Unionists Chronicles. The whole story got started with two main ideas, a Southern Gentleman sitting in his study reading about the travels of Lewis and Clark, and being taken by the descriptions of the horses of the Nez Perce, and the idea of breeding such horses at extremely high altitudes to increase their stamina. Since the breed was almost destroyed after Chief Joseph's famous attempt to get many of his people into Canada in 1877 it was a matter of getting the details worked out to cover the time gap. Which is why it is the son who is the main character and who came west after his father lost everything to both the Confederacy and later to the Carpetbaggers who came south after the war. Now if I can just get the rest of the story to come together it could be very interesting to write.

Sunday, July 10, 2011

Her real name.


This is a rough time of year for me. It is nearing the anniversary of the events that are recounted in Jo Anna. The story came about because of a writing exercise on one of the Authors boards I used to have time for. Someone read a scene that I had written for the exercise and asked me if it was true. When I told the board that it was indeed true everyone encouraged me to tell the whole story. Originally the scene dealt with a soldier standing tall and proud in the sunshine. His uniform is immaculate and he looks every inch the soldier, from the soles of his paratrooper boots to the Beret on his head. On closer inspection the reader learns that there are tears streaming down his cheeks. In front of him is a casket and inside is a female. He yearns to once more touch the hair like spun gold, see the mischief in her twinkling eyes and to feel her kiss once more. To once more hear the music of her voice as she calls him Daddy.

I once was that soldier and stood that watch. When I decided to write that story there was no way that I could bring myself to write it in the first person. So I changed the names and wrote it from the outside looking in. It is sometimes said that a writer should write what they know. Well I knew that story intimately. From being the grandfather who sits in terror watching his granddaughters get their first riding lesson, to the soldier standing in the California summer sun feeling as if the world around him had disappeared and only he alone stood there watching his daughters funeral. In truth there were a lot of people who were touched by the joyous spirit of that little girl not just this writer. They all tried to help ease the loneliness that followed and I thank them for that. It was July 15th 1980 when it all happened and her real name was Jean Marie.

Saturday, July 2, 2011

Vioce of the West.

When I was very young, I lived in Colorado Springs, and it was a much simpler time. It was nothing for my mother to let me go down town to the movies by myself at the age 7 or 8. She even let me go down to see the big parade of the year, the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo. It was a magical time for me. Horses of every shape and size ridden by cowboys and cowgirls from all over, but the biggest thrill for me was to see the Grand Marshall. The one that sticks out most in my memory was Rex Allen and his horse Koko. Well last weekend I found a radio station that took me back to that time. It is out of Santa Ynez California and I stumbled on it through Face Book. I can listen to it on the internet and hear the music that reminds me of the West that I grew up in. Thanks to their Face Book page I was even able to exchange messages with the son of one of my childhood heroes Rex Allen Jr. The flow of old country to the distinct sound of western music makes it fun to listen to and is conducive to my writing efforts. Since this is our Independence Day holiday I can think of very little that epitomizes the Spirit of our country more than the mythos of the American Cowboy and our western expansion. If you are looking for a great mix of music that you won’t hear anywhere else take time to check out Range Radio the voice of the West. Now if you will excuse me I will take a trip back in time and try to write some more.

Saturday, June 25, 2011

What ever happened to the Cowboy

What ever happened to the Cowboy? As I grew up at the foot of the Rocky Mountains the West has always been a part of my life. My heroes were guys like Roy Rogers, John Wayne, Rex Allen and a thousand others who rode across the silver screen. In later years I began reading authors like Will Henry, Louis L’Amour, Zane Grey and many, many others. I learned from the stories of the people who ventured west from the settlements of the east. As a genre the Western tells us the tales of our ancestors as they forged ever westward. Names like Hugh Glass, Jim Bridger, Kit Carson, and Jim Beckwourth filled out tales of the mountain men, John Chisholm, Charlie Goodnight and Oliver Loving did the same for the cattle drives north to the rails. Most people today know very little or nothing of this time period. A couple of times westerns have tried again to find a place in the movies but they haven’t done too well. I’m not sure if it was the movies or the lack of interest that caused them to dwindle into obscurity. “Dances With Wolves” despite a few major changes from the book “Lonesome Dove” and “Tombstone” are the exceptions instead of the rule. Well the movies and books may not be what they once were but as Chris LeDoux so eloquently told us, there are still real cowboys out there “You Just Can’t See Them From the Road.”

I am willing to open this up to guest bloggers on the subject of Westerns as a genre, if you are interested in posting please leave a comment or shoot me an email.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Quartzsite AZ.

I stopped for a couple of hours in the town of Quartzsite Arizona. During the height of the summer months only the hardiest of desert denizens are there. The population is around 3600 or less during the brutal months of the Arizona summer. My stop had two main objectives. One was to see if it was possible to get a good promo video shot for the short story The Ghost of Hi Jolly in the book Rambling. The other was to pick up a few more specimens of Apache Tears. Since the cemetery is closer to the truck stop I decided to tackle that one first.

Walking down the short road to the cemetery I looked at the empty lots on both sides and remembered how different they would be in the winter months when the population of this sleepy little town explodes to somewhere around 1.5 million people. They come from all over for the Mineral and Gem Show. A side effect is that the town also becomes one super large Flea Market. Most of them though had no idea that tucked away back in the grave yard was a National Historic site, The Tomb of Hi Jolly. This Greek/Syrian camel driver came to the U.S. with a load of camels in the 1850's. It was an experiment to see how effective the animals would be in the desert Southwest. When the Civil War broke out it was abandoned, but Hi Jolly stayed on acting a packer, scout, and a number of other useful occupations in the area around Quartzsite. While I use him in my story it bothers me that more people don’t know about him and a lot of other colorful characters from the western expansion. Here is a still photo of the tomb. It really isn’t hard to find, if you know where to look.

I want to thank the great folks at Hardies Beads and Jewelry for keeping me supplied in Apache Tears and information about the town and Hi Jolly’s Tomb.

Monday, June 13, 2011

I stand with Israel.

I usually keep my politics separate from my writing but some times you just have to take a stand. Well this is my stand.

Dachau
Auschwitz
Buchenwald
Bergen-Belsen
Sobibor
These are names that should never be forgotten and the crimes that were committed there should never be allowed to happen again. It wasn't just the Jews that died there, it was the Gays, the Romanies and anyone that the Nazi Party felt should be there. Now we see that there are those who ignore these things and forget how those who tried to escape the Third Reich had nowhere to go. Not even America would allow them in. Lady Liberty turned her back on them and sent them home to face the wrath of the Gestapo and Der Fuhrer. One of the Major reasons behind the establishment of the nation of Israel was to make sure that there would always be ONE place where the Jews could go to avoid persecution. When people talk about returning Israel to the pre-67 borders I want to know who will get the land that Israel aquired during that short war? Would Gaza return to Egypt? Do the Golan Heights return to Syria, and would the West Bank once again be known as Trans Jordan? Funny, notice that none of the land came from a place called Palestine. There was no Palestine and it wasn't really even considered till after the Yom Kippur War of 73. Now it can be seen that the game is not quite what it has been portrayed as in the news recently. While there are blatant attempts to make the whole mess in the Middle East appear to be the fault of Israel it is plain that people are not telling the whole truth about the matter. It is easy for us to sit here in the U.S. and tell Israel that they have to give up land for the Palestinians forgetting that the people in charge or the these people have only one goal, the destruction of Israel and the Jewish people. Well I for one cannot just sit idly by while that happens. I for one will always STAND WITH ISRAEL.

Monday, May 30, 2011

Memorial Day 2011

Over the years many have made the decision that somethings are worth sacrificing for. Some will say that they lost a limb or even their lives in the process and those people would be wrong. Those lives and limbs were not lost, they were GIVEN in the endeavor of keeping the light of Freedom shining. They sacrificed so that we could celebrate so enjoy the cookouts, picnics and the beach, but take just a moment to say thanks to those who paid the price.
formerly
Sgt Edd Voss
U.S. Army
1971-1980

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Welcome Home Free for Memorial Day Week

It seems that I got my wires crossed and it isn't possible to give the Kindle version of my short story away for free. However I made the announcement that I was going to give it away and I am. You can download it in PDF format from the home page on my website EddVoss .com Enjoy it and take a moment to remember those that gave all for their country and thank those who made it back.

Friday, May 20, 2011

Video for Memorial Day promotion

Here is a video to help promote my Memorial Day give away. I hope that you enjoy it.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

Defending the short story.

From across the pond in the UK blogger James Everington has started a campaign to defend the short story as a legitimate literary form. He has decided to have short story writers guest blog on his page. My offering is due to appear around the second week of June. In the mean time check out the first offering in his Defense of the Short Story segment here at James Everington: Scattershot Writing

Friday, May 13, 2011

Memorial Day promotion

As a promotion for the book Rambling I am going to make the short story Welcome Home available for free during the holiday weekend. If you are a veteran, or know a veteran please either tell them about it or download the story as a gift to them. It is a tribute to all veterans but especially those who served in Vietnam.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Tales from a modern day drifter.

I have decided to take a slightly different tact in my marketing strategy. I have tried to keep my writing and my other job in trucking separate but it has come time to embrace them both. My travels while trucking have provided many of the ideas behind my writing so it is only fair that I mention it. All but two of the stories in Rambling are the direct result of things that were inspired by trucking or were thought out during my travels. Airborne: One Man's Journey while not directly related was thought out and plotted while on the road as was Jo Anna both of which are autobiographical.

There have also been some changes at my website eddvoss.com to include some videos that I haven't posted here yet. I hope to find the time and ambition to add to the photography pages on the site too. Check back for more information on the changes.

Saturday, April 23, 2011

It has been awhile

Things have been hectic and I have again been neglecting this blog. Rambling is out now in paperback and Kindle editions after a few false starts all the bugs have been worked out. I have posted some promotional videos on youtube and on Facebook. Look for more of the in the future along with some other things I am working on as I try to find the most effective way to market my work.