Over 30 years ago, a reporter from the Anchorage Daily News told me you sometimes have to toot your own horn to get noticed.
He mentioned this when I called his newspaper to see about getting a certain story published, with it ending up front and center, along with an awesome color photo.
That was the first and last time I’ve ever brought attention to myself where journalism credit is concerned. I prefer to remain in the shadows, not soliciting ribbons, awards, or trophies. The finished product is gratitude enough.
Two years ago, I set off on a writing project unlike anything I’ve ever attempted. It was a grueling undertaking, with me spending countless hours late at night and into the morning sunrise, tediously putting things together.
There were nights I wondered what was I doing as my wife and our parrots slept peacefully in the next room. During this time, I also kept busy composing articles for our local Lake Havasu City newspaper, Today’s News–Herald. I’d venture out in the garage between writing sessions to tinker on my old truck and garner needed sanctity — or pray.
A total of 50 entertaining and unique stories on Alaska, as well as creating 51 photos with help from AI, was, for me, a monumental task. As a car nut, I’d say it’s akin to sanding a vehicle down to bare metal, performing all the priming and sanding, and then spraying on a custom paint job. The book will be around 400 pages, making it the largest I’ve composed.
My ultimate goal was to create the best, funniest, and most creative book ever written on the 49th State, and I feel as if I’ve accomplished that.
Over 10 years, six books later, and a blog with almost 500 submissions, my work has been read in 104 countries and all 50 states, including Puerto Rico. I find that totally amazing. ALASKA KEMOSABE will be featured via several yet-to-be-scheduled podcasts. Thankfully, those can be done from home.
I’ve always been careful to not cross the line where language or humor is concerned in my writing. I know that what I compose is always being scrutinized by the Man upstairs, including those non-believers that I dare not lead astray.
ALASKA KEMOSABE is unlike anything ever placed on the market. Not holding back one iota in putting things together, creatively speaking, there will never be another book like it. I say this because I’d have to be the one composing a sequel. My publisher is pushing me here, although I’ve yet to agree.
Neither an inflated ego nor bravado has anything to do with the above comments; it’s based entirely upon my thought train instead.
Everyone on this planet thinks differently, and there’s no counterfeiting our uniqueness, especially where writing is concerned — unless, of course, plagiarism comes into play.
God is responsible for us being different, with him blessing me with an outrageous and creative mind. It’s gotten me in trouble more than once when I crossed the line, so to speak.
The Choctaw Indians of North America are known as perhaps the best storytellers of all the tribes. They were able to paint a vivid picture by using their hands and gestures, along with artwork, to convey messages.
Their stories often incorporated life lessons passed down from elders, along with moral and religious teachings. Having no written language, they sometimes relied upon animal characters to get their point across.
My Great-Great Grandmother Minnie Pearl Redus-Hankins was half Choctaw, and undoubtedly, a tiny portion of her blood is in my veins. I give God first credit, and then Minnie Pearl for providing me the ability to relay tales of my own, both verbally and in print.
A friend that I personally never met, other than on the phone and email, Jeff Maddox, coaxed me into writing books more than anyone. Jeff was on another writing project when he was suddenly taken to Heaven before finishing.
ALASKA KEMOSABE may never make The New York Times bestsellers list, yet that wasn’t the reason for writing it. If only one person finds the finished manuscript a hoot as I do, all of that time and work was well worth the effort.
I laugh each time I see the cover alone, and I’d love to share it, but the publisher wants things kept totally under wraps until release time.
*ALASKA KEMOSABE will be available by late July 1 through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and via eBook.
I like to write junk... 