# Short Stories For Your Soul and Heart: THE MIDDLE-AGED MAN AND THE SEA



## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

WHY do we like to read? Because it matters.

Our hearts, our very beings, demand and cherish good stories because they tell us things about this crazy life. We need to know. In a single day we hear a lot of noise: Kim Kardashian divorcing or making up, Lindsay Lohan going to jail or getting out, or two 14-year old girls being hit in a crosswalk by a driver angry about a car stopped in front of her so she zooms around until she sees the girls flying off her grill.

Kindle readers who've written me about their love of short fiction say that my stort stories speak to them. Thank you. They speak to me, too, which is how I wrote them. I have two collections of short fiction out, both well-reviewed in print and on literary websites--and they have picked up awards. The stories leap into contemporary life and relationships, entertain, and leave you with something to ponder.

Praise for Christopher Meeks's 
*The Middle-Aged Man & the Sea 
and Other Stories:*

"A collection that is so stunning . . . that I could not help but move on to the next story." - Entertainment Weekly

"Poignant and wise, sympathetic to the everyday struggles these characters face." - Los Angeles Times

"These are original, articulate, engaging stories which examine life in America from the unique perspectives of ordinary people searching for their share of the promises held out as part of the American dream . . . . The Middle-Aged Man & The Sea is highly recommended, highly entertaining, highly rewarding reading." - The Midwest Book Review

"Christopher Meeks bounces onto the literary scene as a vibrant new voice filled with talent and imagination. The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea is one of the finer collections of short stories that will rapidly rise to the top to of the heap of a battery of fine writers of this difficult medium." - Grady Harp, Top Ten Reviewer, Amazon.com

"Mr. Meeks has a wonderfully fun writing style-witty, cynical, and often poignant. His stories are about the stuff of life: love and heartbreak, sickness and death, desires and struggles, spirituality and the search for meaning." - Janet Rubin, Novel Reviews

"In this collection of short stories, Christopher Meeks examines the small heartbreaks and quiet despair that are so much a part of all of our lives. He does it in language that is resonant, poetic, and precise. Franz Kafka said that a book should be an ice-axe to break the frozen sea within us. This collection is just such a weapon. If you like Raymond Carver, you'll love Meeks. He may be as good-or better. He deserves major recognition." - author David Scott Milton (Paradise Road)

"If the publishing and reading world is fair and just, Christopher Meeks is destined to be widely read and deservedly honored." - Carolyn Howard-Johnson, Myshelf.com

"Many of these tales have appeared in American literary journals, but reading them together, you get the full impact of Meeks's talent, as he takes you in a head-long assault through ordinary day-to-day life, the mundane under the microscope and given the once-over through Meeks's careful eye." - Susan Tomaselli, Dogmatika

My stories, first published in literary journals such as _Rosebud, the Southern California Anthology_, and many more, have several inspirations, including short fiction from Lorrie Moore, J.D. Salinger, and Flannery O'Connor. They allow humor to interweave with their serious points, and so do I. I'm trying to capture our times. Reviewers have compared my pieces to Raymond Carver and John Irving.

The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea 

The first book, "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" had its first review in the Los Angeles Times, and then things picked up from there, receiving must-read recognition in Entertainment Weekly. The book also won a Noble (not Nobel) Award for best fiction in 2006. If you want to see a very short video on the book, try:





.

On Kindle: $2.99. The printed version is still priced well at $11.66 on Amazon.

My second collection, _Months and Seasons_, will now have its own thread.

--Christopher Meeks

ADDITION: Red Adept reviewed _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_ at http://redadept.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/the-middle-aged-man-and-the-sea-by-christopher-meeks/


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

Picked up samples of both.

I'm way over my book budget for the month.    

Thanks for the post and the low prices!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Wow. You found my post within a minute after posting. Many thanks for your purchase.


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## Bren S. (May 10, 2009)

I just bought "The Middle Man and the Sea" I look forward to reading it.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you, Sugar. I have to say, I'm so new to Kindleboards and all things Kindle that I ended up blogging about Kindleboards today at http://www.redroom.com/blog/christopher-meeks/kindle-the-emerging-elephant-room. I appreciate you trying my book out.


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## shallowgal (Jul 25, 2009)

I read the free Sample & ended up buying the book yesterday. It looks great!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Shallowgal, I had to pause to think where you might have read a sample story. At first I thought it might be my Red Room site (http://www.redroom.com/author/christopher-meeks) but when I went there, there are only parts of stories there. Is that what you read? More obscure, but certainly available is my story "Green River" on my main website (www.chrismeeks.com), which anyone can get to at http://homepage.smc.edu/meeks_christopher/green%20river.htm.

I was then reminded besides the videos I posted, the Beverly Hills Public Library hosted an event where four actors read a story each from my collection "Months and Seasons." They videotaped the event and posted part of it on YouTube. In the link below, actor Rod Maxwell reads much of the story "Dracula Slinks Into the Night." I love it not only for his acting but also for the audience's response. This event showed me that I need to pour my soul into a public reading (when I read). One cannot be a monotone writer nervously reading. The goal is to be as bold as Rod here:






Thank you for buying my book.


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## geoffthomas (Feb 27, 2009)

I have purchased your The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea and will read it soon.
Then I will come back and tell you my opinion.
Good reviews, so I have high expectations.



Just sayin......


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Geoff--

I appreciate the time you'll have with the book, and I'd love to hear your response, particularly anything that resonates with you.

Best,
  Chris


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

Just picked up the first one.


Thanks!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thanks you, RedAdept. Now that I see you crave cigarettes, perhaps your habit is what allows you to focus on reading so well. My mother was a smoker AND a constant reader, which is perhaps what sent me into writing.

(I was just picked for a two-week jury, so your note was a bright spot in my day.l)


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

Chrismeeks said:


> Thanks you, RedAdept. Now that I see you crave cigarettes, perhaps your habit is what allows you to focus on reading so well. My mother was a smoker AND a constant reader, which is perhaps what sent me into writing.
> 
> (I was just picked for a two-week jury, so your note was a bright spot in my day.l)


Sorry to hear about your jury duty.  But, maybe it will give you new fodder for your creative mill? 

Yes, that is a possibility on the smoking thing. I have tried to quit in the past. Off of cigarettes, I can be a bit ADD. I'm also a little OCD, but when not smoking, I am majorly OCD. 

And, when I was trying to quit, reading was harder for me. It was just harder to concentrate.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Red Adept--

Congratulations on your new blog, and the photo of you looks great. 

The jury trial ended Friday. The defendant was convicted of four counts of sexual molestation with his 13-year-old stepdaughter. It wasn't enjoyable by any means, but I was impressed with the judge and both attorneys--and my fellow jurists. It took us ten minutes to agree on the verdicts and another twenty just to be sure.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

If the above doesn't make you curious, here are a few blurbs from reviews to introduce my work to Kindle users. My two short story collections under three dollars for now. This is a community of readers, so may this experiment work.

THE MIDDLE AGED MAN AND THE SEA, $1.95 http://www.amazon.com/Middle-Aged-Man-Sea-ebook/dp/B002K2RI1A

_[The stoires] are poignant and wise, sumpathetic to the everyday stuggles these characters face._ *- The Los Angeles Times*

_So stunning...that I could not help but move on to the next story_ *- Entertainment Weekly*

_Christopher Meeks's first collection of short stories is chock full of humanity._ *- Wendy Robards, Caribousmom*

MONTHS AND SEASONS, $2.95 http://www.amazon.com/Months-and-Seasons-ebook/dp/B002K2RRQ6

_The stories in "Months and Seasons" are like potato chips: you can't read just one._ *- Small Press Reviews*

_Christopher Meeks proves there is an audience for short stories_ *- The Midwest Book Review*

_If "Months and Seasons" was a music album, many of its twelve pieces would be destined for the charts--no filler here_ *- Book Chase*


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## telracs (Jul 12, 2009)

Chris,

Don't forget that one of the beauties of the kindle is that we can sample EVERYTHING available in the kindle store, so that's how a lot of us start reading things.  We sample the first bit for free, then decide whether or not to buy.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I know a few people have loved the samples on the short story collections, so I hope you do, too. As the author, I did not get to select the samples, so I'm hoping the samples make sense. If not, go to http://homepage.smc.edu/meeks_christopher/academy%20award.htm for a full story.

I know there's software to have Kindle books work on the iPhone. I have a Palm Pre (iPhone like), so I hope there will be software for that someday soon.


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

I've really got to get around to reading your work.

I just did a book of short stories, though, so will probably wait until next week, at the earliest.  I really, really have to be in the mood for short stories to read a whole book of them. 

I'm one of those strange OCD people who cannot read a story or two, then read another book, then come back and read another story or two. Nope, I have to just read it straight through. Weird, huh?

In the meantime, I will be happy to add a link to your website/blog/whatever on my blog site. Just let me know.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Red, I don't think it's weird to read a short story collection all the way through. Although the stories span twenty years in the writing (I was withholding my stories for many years like Emily Dickenson did with her poems), most reviewers have read them all the way through and found a sense of meaning that trailed through the stories, which I found interesting. I wasn't conscious of anything like that. I selected the stories and the order the way Bruce Springsteen might select songs on an album. The subconscious mind can be a powerful thing.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

For those of you who have _great_ short story collections to recommend--or to give reasons why you like short fiction--please go to the SHORT STORY COLLECTION thread in the Book Corner Forum. I started that because I noticed that the top selling short story collections for Kindle are by "classic" writers, such as Fitzgerald and Hemingway. While I adore their work, I thought people might have recommendations of contemporary writers. There, I offer a list of six I recommend by writers who are inspirations.


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

_The Middle Aged Man and the Sea_ has been featured in my blog this evening!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Red, you're the first to give feedback on my stories here on Kindle, and I'm honored by your words. I know you don't give five stars to many things. Thank you so much.

I always love hearing which stories are a person's favorite, so the fact you connected to "The Scent"--inspired by my then 90-year-old friend--and by "Green River," which is an actual place in Utah, makes me sing (if authors are allowed to sing).

--Christopher Meeks

(Red Adept's review is at: http://redadept.wordpress.com/2009/08/26/the-middle-aged-man-and-the-sea-by-christopher-meeks/)


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I wrote about Kindle and self-publishing in three short articles in my latest newsletter, the Maplewoods Mirror. You can read the articles at http://homepage.smc.edu/meeks_christopher/Maplewoods%20Mirror%2042.htm. The Maplewoods Mirror, by the way, is eclectic. Not only are there the three mentioned articles, but there's also a short humorous look at my love for the Dyson vacuum, and a look at love itself in a review of the film "(500) Days of Summer."

If you want to see past Maplewoods Mirrors, go to my website at www.chrismeeks.com and scroll down. If you want a free subscription, fill in the form with your name and email address. I do NOT sell or give away my subscription list. I see the Maplewoods Mirror as another creative work, and I'm honored with subscribers. I have a thousand so far, and it's growing.

--Christopher Meeks


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

SOMETIMES THE MAGIC WORKS

"Sometimes the magic works," said the theatre impresario in _Shakespeare in Love_. As much as I muse on the subject of marketing in these forums, I can't always explain things. I can't explain my ranking today.

Probably the worst habit many writers have is checking sales rankings on Amazon. It's as if our self-worth is on parade. My last two books have done particularly well during the week after publication, but there's a steep drop in sales after that, with spikes every now and then that match the hope a stalker has for Drew Barrymore. The spikes last for about four months, dribbling down in energy like a missed basketball.

Now six months later for my novel _The Brightest Moon of the Century_, the sales have almost halted. I can't tell you why other than after more than two dozen reviews, the reviews have stopped, too. The book remains my darling (and will come to Kindle after my next book). I don't have a publicist helping me anymore, nor a big publisher behind me. Barnes and Noble tells me that my book isn't "modeled," meaning it hasn't been guaranteed to stay on the shelves in its bookstores--although it remains in some. I'm not angry. The goal is to figure out how to be "modeled."

All writers hope for the steady sales of Salinger's _Catcher in the Rye_. We want our books to be in stores and Kindles the way Charles Dickens remains on shelves and in Kindles. What we get is akin to the life of an ice cream cone in a toddler's sticky hands.

It's only when I was looking for a particular review today on Amazon that I noticed the ranking for my short story collection, _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_, was just over a thousand overall and #5 in short story collections for the Kindle. I had to pinch myself to see if this was true.

Then this hour the book bumped up to #652 (then #451) in overall sales and #3 in short story collections. I had to take a photo of it so that I can prove it. I showed the photo on Facebook, wondering why it's happening. Terran Boylan wrote, "Have you ever thought it may be because it's a really good book? I certainly enjoyed it."

Still, what marketing magic brought this about? I don't know. One possibility is that five out of seven Backwords Books authors, including me, were on Stacey Cochran's _BookChatter_ last night (September 11), and the discussion was involving. Another possibility is simply writing here on Kindleboards. Whatever it is, I'll be thankful. Now that I'm feeling like Christmas, the trick is to get back to editing my next novel, whose draft I finished on Monday. The work awaits.

If you want to see the September 11th _BookChatter_, click on the image below.

--Christopher Meeks


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## misterwilson (Aug 11, 2009)

i like the sound of this and will try to pick it up soon.  keep writing!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

A friend sent me the likely source of the sudden spike it sales. Here's the link: http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/ref=cm_cd_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx8ANGR0RGQKXC&displayType=tagsDetail

Thanks goes to Neil Shapiro, Stacey Cochran, and everyone trying out my books. Today's my birthday, so there's that magic there, too.


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## Kristen Tsetsi (Sep 1, 2009)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

_*Happy Birthday!*_


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you Kristen and Red. Sundays have to be the best day for a birthday: no feeling embarrassed at work for the extra attention (am I the only one who feels this?), and Sunday is a slow, peaceful day where I can actually have the time to talk--and type--with friends. 

I had a physical on Friday, and all systems are go for another year. 

Best,
  Chris


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## Kristen Tsetsi (Sep 1, 2009)

I just now got around to watching YOUR video - wow!


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

Chris, I bought "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" a few days ago. I'm about halfway through it, and I'm enjoying it very much. I put everything on hold this morning for Dan Brown's new book, but afterward, I'll finish it and post a review.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thanks, Jim. I remain impressed how fast people read books with the Kindle. I just bought the new Lorrie Moore book, myself, but as I find myself teaching a literature class right now, I'm reading mostly student papers and rereading the pieces I assign. 

I appreciate in advance, too, your upcoming review.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

WIN BOOKS!

The authors consortium that I'm a part of with Kristen Tsetsi and R.J. Keller and four others is giving away books. You can win a copy (in book form) of any of our newest books OR all seven books by joining a contest. The rules of the contest are simple and have been posted in the Special Deals and Discounts forum. Or go here for guidelines: http://www.backwordbooks.com/2009/09/16/the-backword-books-contest-win-7-books-by-backword-authors/

My new novel, "The Brightest Moon of the Century," will eventually get to Kindle, but I'm still pondering what I can do about the photos in the book. I haven't seen books on the Kindle with photos. Is it impossible for the Kindle to show photos? I realize there are not many novels with photos, but I was inspired by "Water for Elephants" by Sarah Gruen. Have you read that great book?

--Chris


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## koland (Nov 24, 2008)

Haven't read it, but have a number of books with photos (try the sample of some of the digital photography books to see how they look - I don't have any, but have looked at samples of those).

So long as the photo looks good when converted to grayscale (16 shades) and formatted to the correct size, they should look fine on the Kindle (not so much on the original, which has fewer gray shades).


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Karen, I will definitely look at samples of photography books on a trip to a wedding tomorrow. The photos that appear in the book are black-and-white and were sent to the graphic designer as TIF files. Do you know if the photos should be JPEG or some other format?

Now that I know photos can be inserted amid the text, I might get on having a Kindle version of "The Brightest Moon of the Century" sooner than later. 

Thanks,
    Chris


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## MikeD (Nov 5, 2008)

In another thread I mentioned that I had purchased "Months and Seasons" by Mr. Meeks.

I'm not a huge short fiction fan but do occasionally try different collections and/or anthologies and sometimes run into one that I really enjoy. Of late, I have found several good collections. "Months and Seasons" is one of those. I also need to mention that I typically prefer short fiction that is structured with a defined beginning, middle and end. Mr. Meeks stories don't quite fit that description, but his writing is so good that I found myself caught up in his work nonetheless. 

Each story is sort of a vignette. A character study, if you will. Each tale is a look into a small part of someone's life. Some funny, some romantic, some tragic. All well written and captivating.

My favorite story of the collection was "The Holes in My Door". This story was at once funny and tragic. It is the story of a man, alone, who experiences an event that frightens him. How he reacts to that event is the window that we see through.

My least favorite was "The Farms at 93rd and Broadway". An interesting character study of an older couple, the ending was less than satisfying. Still, like all of this book, it was beautifully crafted. The ending didn't make the story a poor one, it just did not fulfill - IMHO.

All in all, it was a collection that I would recommend. "Months and Season" is a prime example of how good writing can keep the reader's interest on almost any subject. This collection does exactly that.

My only real complaint has to do with an aspect of the format of the book, and not with the content at all. I was disappointed that the TOC was not an active one, but was instead just a simple list of the stories. IMHO, an active TOC is most needed/used in a short story collection. Again, JMO.

I enjoyed this book and I'll be reading more of Mr. Meeks work.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Mike--

After a trip to Joshua Tree this weekend, I hopped onto Kindleboards to find your flattering review. Thank you. The Table-of-Contents issue is a real one. Ever since Red Adept brought up the same point with my other collection, I've been trying to find a solution. Kindle programming is not a widespread knowledge base. A friend mentioned that Microsoft Word has a "Jump to" command, and perhaps that command attached to each title in the table of contents will translate over to Kindle. I will try that. 

I like, too, your description of the stories as vignettes but compelling to read. A few reviewers have compared the stories to those by Raymond Carver, which happen to have the same quality. While they aren't vignettes per se, where the stories end sometimes make the reader question what just happened, which leads to an understanding that that's the perfect end. That's my hope. 

The way I look at short stories is they have to be different than the usual fare, especially TV and film, which have different quailities that short stories can't compete with. Short stories should catch readers slightly off-guard as if they just just witnessed a meteor flash by in front of them, and they stand in awe: was that a meteor?

--Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Dear Mike or Anyone who has "Months and Seasons":

I read how to make my table of contents interactive, did so, and just uploaded the new version to the Kindle Digital Text Platform. I don't know if what I did is now instantly there, and I'm guessing if it is, you might have to Whispernet yourself a new version. Before I do the same thing to "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea," please tell me if what I did worked. I don't have a Kindle on hand. (I get to borrow one occasionally from my wife's library.) 

This should make it easier to zip to your favorite stories. 

--Chris


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## MikeD (Nov 5, 2008)

Chris,

Thanks for the hard work to fix the TOC. 

Unfortunately, Amazon does not replace previously purchased versions of books with updated versions. I guess the only exception to this that I have seen was when Amazon replaced versions of King's "The Stand".

Bottom line is that I cannot test your updated version as Amazon will not allow me to download that new version. I can't even repurchase the book as Amazon has a safeguard built into the purchasing system to keep people from inadvertently buying the same book twice. Just to be certain that this is right, I downloaded a fresh copy and, indeed, the TOC is inactive.

I'd be glad to test it for you, but I'm not sure how to get an updated version into my Kindle...


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## Ann in Arlington (Oct 27, 2008)

Normally, you can return a book for refund when purchased with in 7 days, no questions asked.  

If it's been more than 7 days, Amazon has been known to refund a book when it's been more than that if there's a good reason.  Good reasons include a new version available that corrects formatting or editing issues.  You can then re-purchase it and will get the updated version.  It can't hurt to ask.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Ann, Mike, and Others:

I remember seeing on these boards a few weeks ago that Amazon can be taking up to five days to approve a book once it's been uploaded. I don't know if a new version needs approval or not, so I can't say that if someone bought "Months and Seasons" this morning whether it has the interactive TOC or not. Within the hour, I'll be uploading a new version of "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" whose new feature is an interactive TOC. 

Now that I've used the Kindle, I see there's one solution to zipping to a story: you can give a search word. For instance "Catalina" takes you to the short story "Catalina." "Farms" takes you to "The Farms at 93rd and Broadway," etc. I'm sorry it's not more elegant, but your suggestion for a new TOC, Mike, was a good one, so know that I listened.

Amazon, by the way, is being cautious now, as you probably know, because it paid out $150,000 in a federal lawsuit to a teenager who lost his homework when Amazon sucked up his copy of George Orwell's "1984." Whoever originally uploaded "1984" did not have the copyright to do so, and when Amazon found out, it pulled back everyone's copy of it and refunded their money. Now Amazon checks each new book made available for the Kindle.

-Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Now that I have interactive tables of contents for both the short story collections, I also created a "how to do it" thread for other authors considering creating Kindle versions of their books. Just look for the thread "For Authors Wanting to Create a Kindle-Friendly Version of their Book."


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

PRICE REDUCTION: Thanks to the great sales of my first short story collection, "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea," I've reduced the second collection, "Months and Seasons," to $1.99. Enjoy it.

For those many readers who asked about my new novel, "The Brightest Moon of the Century," it's now available for the Kindle--only $1.99.


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

I've now finished reading "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" and "Months and Seasons." I enjoyed both of them very much. Some original, very well written stories.

I lean toward short stories with more action, especially the O'Henry kind with surprise endings, and I generally stick with mystery, sci-fi, and horror, but Chris' stories drew me in and kept me reading. Now I'm looking forward to reading his novel "The Brightest Moon of the Century," since I enjoyed "The Hand," which is the last story in "Months and Seasons" and also the first chapter of the novel.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Jim, I also hear you've reviewed "Months and Seasons," which will appear on Red Adept's review pages soon. Not having seen the review, I nonetheless thank you in advance for reading the book and writing about it. Having been a reviewer last decade, writing a review is hard work, so thank you for that and for your kind words here.

--Chris


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## Lynn McNamee (Jan 8, 2009)

The review is scheduled to appear on Monday, November 2nd.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

That's soon. Good to know! Thank you, Lynn.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

With Halloween tomorrow, I remembered there's an excerpt on YouTube of "Dracula Slinks Into the Night," which is the first story in *Months and Seasons *. In the video, actor Rod Maxwell is performing the story in front of an audience at the Beverly Hills Public Library. Four stories were performed that night to launch the book. As you'll see, an actor reading a story is much different than most authors reading their work. I learned a lot from what they did. Here it is:


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you Jim Chambers and Red Adept for the review at http://redadept.wordpress.com/2009/11/02/guest-review-months-and-seasons-christopher-meeks/. It all helps. You're stimulating the economy.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Send cheers to R.J. Keller who has the swine flu. You can catch her at her "Waiting for Spring" thread. (Feel better, R.J.!)

--Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

IF YOU'RE IN LOS ANGELES on December 1, I'll be speaking at Santa Monica College as part of the college's literary series at 11:15 a.m. in Lecture Hall HSS 165. The event is free and open to the public. Santa Monica College is at 1900 Pico Blvd. My lecture, "The Pursuit of Truth in Fiction," will feature brief examples from my three books. For more details and information, call (310) 434‑4303. See you there!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I'll be on "Book Chatter" tonight, November 28, at 11 p.m. Eastern time (where host Stacey Cochran is), which is 8 p.m. Pacific Time (where I am). Come watch at http://www.ustream.tv/channel/bookchatter. You can call in with questions, too. Let's chatter.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

*Author R.J. Keller* (Waiting For Spring (Volume 1) interviewed me for Backword Books a few weeks ago, and it's now online at the link below. If you want to win a copy of the book, go to the link, too. Here's an excerpt from the interview:

*R.J. Keller: In addition to your novel and short story collections, you've written several plays that have been produced in the Los Angeles area. When writing straight fiction, an author is the god of their world. I like that power. Do you find it difficult to give up control of your stage play's "world" to actors and directors? *

*Christopher Meeks:* That's a great question because the very reason I wrote for stage and even film for a while was about having what I saw as a safety net. It's not so much about giving up control, because it's still my story, but if any single moment might seem false, an actor or director was likely to point it out-and audiences, too. If something's funny, audiences laugh. If it's not funny, they don't-as simple as that. There's a wonderful power seeing an audience respond positively to a play. You can feel the tension in the tense parts, the humor in the funny parts-and the seat rustling in parts that may be too long.

All the time I was writing for the stage and film, I wrote short stories, but I wasn't brave enough to send them out for years. I wanted to learn the craft of fiction more and well as earn self-confidence. Writing fiction is writing without a net because my words go directly to the readers without others directing or acting them.

*R.J. Keller: Which authors (or playwrights) have had the biggest influence on your work? *

*Christopher Meeks:* The playwrights Lawrence and Lee were a huge influence because I interviewed them for Writer's Digest at a time I was diving into theatre, both as a playwright and as a theatre reviewer for Daily Variety. Laurence and Lee were great role models with thirty plays that they wrote together, most of them landing on Broadway and around the globe. I became good friends with them. Who knows what seeped in from the many conversations I'd had. My short story "The Old Topanga Incident" in Months and Seasons is based on Jerry Lawrence's house burning down when he was 78-a lifetime of photos, writing, and collectibles were gone.

I began my writing career as a freelance journalist, and I had the pleasure of interviewing many best-selling authors including Colleen McCullough, Chaim Potok, and Thomas Thompson, among others. I also interviewed many people in the arts-dancers, actors, filmmakers, painters, poets, TV writers, costumers, set designers, musicians, composers, and more. I sensed a creative imperative that I've tried to harness. Two of my favorite interviews with film directors were with Werner Herzog and Tim Burton-driven, creative people.

As for authors who I haven't interviewed but whose work has influenced me, I may have learned the most from Tim O'Brien. He showed me to that one has to be brave as a writer-willing to be vulnerable, willing to borrow from one's life and not be ashamed. Often new writers purposely make things up because they aren't willing to reveal things from their own lives. If they create characters that never have breathed or have little to no history, it feels false. Another writer who spurred me on is Lorrie Moore, whose mixture of humor and pathos showed me I'm along the right path. 
---

In the interview, she also asked me about the Kindle community, which I've found extremely supportive.

To see the whole interview, go to: http://www.backwordbooks.com/2009/12/04/interview-with-chris-meeks/


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Coming soon: "Who Lives?: A Play"

Several people have asked for this play, which has been recently nominated for five Ovation Awards in Los Angeles based on a production earlier this year. It's just been uploaded, but it will take a few days, most likely, for its availability to appear. I'll start a new thread when it does.

"Who Lives?" is based on a real event. In the early 1960s, an anonymous committee of ordinary citizens in Seattle selected kidney disease victims from a pool for an experiment with something new: a kidney dialysis machine. If the experiment worked, a small number of people would live instead of surely die from kidney failure. But who among the pool lives? How will the committee choose? Playwright Christopher Meeks centers the action on one person, attorney Gabriel Hornstein, who desperately needs what the committee offers.

This morality tale races against time and asks what is a life worth? What criteria should this committee and ones today use? Race, gender, net worth, family size, career, what? For readers who like moral issues and real drama, this play will get you involved.

As _Los Angeles Times_ theatre critic David C. Nichols said of the play's most recent production in Los Angeles, "Those who have personal experience with its topic should perhaps bring Kleenex."


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

It's official. "Who Lives?: A Play" is now available for Kindle. You can see it and sample it at http://www.amazon.com/Who-Lives-A-Play-ebook/dp/B0030IM61A/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=digital-text&qid=1261163439&sr=1-4.

Thanks!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I'm on the other side of the country for the Christmas holidays, Savannah, Georgia, to be exact, and now that it's nearing the end of the year, I thank those of you I've met here on Kindleboards--not only for buying my books, but also for the interaction and for being interesting. I came on in September, and I see I've spent two days, eight hours,and twenty-two minutes. Yikes!

Happy New Year!


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## Kristen Tsetsi (Sep 1, 2009)

Happy New Year back at you!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you, Kristen. I feel a bit like Garrison Keillor right now as I'm about to relate the weather here in beautiful Savannah, Georgia, where the artists are strong (thanks to the Savannah College of Art and Design--SCAD) and the people above-average friendly. It's 48 degrees now, ready to dip into the twenties tonight. That's a lot for the South. I wonder if the coldness will hit the orange growers to the south in Florida. I'm headed for warmer California tomorrow.

For you adept readers and writers headed for Savannah in the near future, be sure to visit the childhood home of Flannery O'Connor in the historic district and in the shadow of a cathedral. We took the tour and could feel her whimsy and charm. Tell Toby hello.

Happy New Year!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Now that I have some new good news, I'll mention it, using the press release:



*THE BRIGHTEST MOON OF THE CENTURY WINS TWO "BEST" AWARDS*

_The Brightest Moon of the Century_, a comic novel about a young Minnesotan blessed with "experience," has landed at the top on two literary websites. First, the Literary Feline at _Musings of a Bookish Kitty _ selected the novel as one of ten Best Books of 2009, which you can read by clicking here: http://www.literaryfeline.com/2009/12/2009-year-in-review.html.

Second, _The Brightest Moon of the Century_ won a Noble (not Nobel) Award in MyShelf.com's seventh annual end-of-the-year awards, created by Carolyn Howard-Johnson in her "Back to Literature" column. In listing the award, Howard-Johnson says, "If the world is just, Christopher Meeks is destined to be widely read." To read more about the Noble Awards, clck here: http://www.myshelf.com/backtoliterature/column.htm.

His short story collection, _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_, won a Noble Award in 2006, and _Months and Seasons_ won last year. Try out his work. (Click on the links below in the signature.)


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

In the week since I was last here, "The Brightest Moon of the Century" landed on a third Top-Ten Best Book at Book Chase. Sam Sattler at the website also includes books by Pete Dexter and Jon Krakauer. Sattler says, "Meeks's characters, and his slightly off-centered view of life, continue to remind me of John Irving's early work, definitely a good thing." You can see all his choices at http://bookchase.blogspot.com/2009/12/best-books-of-2009.html.

Because this is the thread for my short story collections, I should mention that each of the books in previous years won a Noble (Not Nobel) Award from Carolyn Howard-Johnson.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Over the holidays, I happened to visit Savannah, Georgia, where my wife's father lives, and in the beautiful, old historical part of town, short story writer Flannery O'Connor's childhood home stands in the shadow of a Catholic church. I happen to love her short stories, which remain vivid and modern today. She's been a big inspiration in that she shows how well one can searing insight into the human condition with humor. In seeing her home, at first I was thinking how amazing that her childhood home was saved from so long ago. However, if she hadn't had lupus, which she died from in 1964, she could well be alive today at 84. One of her childhood playmates lived across the street, is alive today, and contributed some of the items in O'Connor's house. Time is strange.

Anyway, if you want a good read, the above collection is only $2.49 on Kindle.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

If anyone reading this happens to be an author who has books on Smashwords, any words of advice on promoting there? Is there an equivalent of Kindleboards for Smashwords? I've been very pleased with Kindle, and thanks to Ed Patterson's eBooks for the troops over on Smashwords, I joined that. I've put two of my books up on Smashwords this month: my novel "The Brightest Moon of the Century," and my play, "Who Lives?"


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

My short story "The Farms at 93rd and Broadway," from the book _Months and Seasons_ will be in an upcoming college textbook reader edited by Dr. Lawrence Driscoll from Kendall Hunt Publishers. I'm pleased that my fiction will be read by college students.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Last night, as I was looking something up on Google with _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_, I was reminded of an interview I did with questions from author R.J. Keller. The whole interview is at http://www.backwordbooks.com/2009/12/04/interview-with-chris-meeks/

Here's one question she asked with part of my answer:

*R.J. Keller*: You've recently made two of your short story collections, The Middle Aged Man and the Sea and Months and Seasons, available on Kindle. Have you found that there's a wider audience for short stories through the electronic book market than in print?

*Christopher Meeks*: For short story collections, Kindle readers are only discovering them in a bigger way now. I started a thread called "Short Story Collections Recommendations"on Kingleboards because many books by famous short story writers are not available on the Kindle, but many new writers are. The Kindle is so handy for carrying around and reading a quick story as you're waiting in a car line for picking up your kid, or at DMV or wherever. Short stories are appealing to more and more people. Fitting in short stories in our fast lives works.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I happened to hear a husband-and-wife team on the radio the other day. Annabelle Gurwitch and Jeff Kahn wrote a comedic and touching book about their marriage called "You Say Tomato, I Say Shut Up: A Love Story." I was glued to what they said as I realized a few things. My short stories tend to be about relationships and the absurdities within them, and how we're all just human--which is the essence of their book.

I also realized more than before what it takes for authors these days to get the word out there. The 21st century is clearly different from what authors were doing even sixty years ago. While radio was around then, TV was just starting, and there was no Internet (to the surprise of our kids). Also, authors wrote, and publishers publicized. Now authors such as Annabelle and Jeff are on the radio, they're on book tours, they're making videos for Amazon, they're blogging, they're writing articles for Publishers Weekly, and more. Myself, I have the kindness of people who have started Amazon Discussions for my books and who write here on Kindleboards. I have my blog at http://www.redroom.com/author/christopher-meeks. I put out a newsletter, which is called The Maplewoods Mirror, about life and writing, which you can sign up for free at www.chrismeeks.com. I give readings and lectures, have a Facebook page, and more.

Still, a balance is required. I'm eagerly finishing a new novel, so there's not always time to keep up with all these other things. Thus, I'm ever grateful for people who mention my books. Thank you.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Happy Easter Sunday, everyone. A new review of my novel was posted by a reviewer who is starting to use her Kindle for reading the books she's reviewing, and not only does the whole review capture the essence of the novel, but the first line of the review mentions my short fiction: "Christopher Meeks is a brilliant short story writer, and I knew I wanted to read this novel the minute I read the title." The review ends with, "He's easy to root for and especially for the female reader, reveals a side of the male that we should all take the time to know."

You can read that whole review at the literary website, "Literary Magic," at http://www.literary-magic.com/2010/04/book-review-brightest-moon-of-century.html.

My two collections are priced affordably: "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" is $1.99, and "Months and Seasons" is $2.99. If you want to taste my short fiction for even less, I just came out with a novela-length story, The Sun Is a Billiard Ball







, for only 99 cents.

If nothing else, try a sample of one of the books.

I appreciate the support.

By the way, those of you who read this who may be going to the AWP Conference in Denver, I'll be moderating a panel, "To Publish or to Self-Publish: The Changing Landscape of Publishing." It's on Saturday April 10th at 9 a.m. If you happen to go, come up to me afterwards and introduce yourself. I love meeting fellow Kindlers.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I'm heartened by how Kindle readers clearly are open to trying new things. Thriller writer JA Konrath, who had sold well before discovering the Kindle market where he's done even better, wrote in a recent blog that one does not have to be famous for Kindle readers to discover good books. He gave a list of twenty "unknown" authors who are doing well and explained there are a minimum of three elements to get your, the reader's, attention:

1) A good cover
2) A good product description
3) A good price

Heck, I've got those things. I'd also add one other thing to sustain good sales: great word of mouth. Many Kindle readers shout out about good books they like. I've certainly seen that with RJ Keller's "Waiting for Spring," and I've seen it for my books, too. To read Konrath's column, go to http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2010_05_28_archive.html

On another subject, *those of you in Minnesota*: I'll be signing at two bookstores in the Minneapolis area on June 12 and 13.

Saturday, June 12 - 11 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Barnes and Noble HarMar Mall
2100 N. Snelling Avenue
Roseville, MN 55113
(651) 639-9256

Sunday, June 13 - 2 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Borders Ridgedale Mall
1501 Plymouth Road
Minnetonka, MN 55305
(952) 595-0977

I don't worry about sales at signings. I'm there to chat and meet people. Come and don't buy a thing. Just say hello. Tell me what you're reading or writing. I'd love to meet you.

--Chris


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## JimC1946 (Aug 6, 2009)

Chris, my Amazon list "My favorite short story collections on my Kindle" includes _*The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea*_ and *Months and Seasons*, two superb short story collections.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Jim, thank you so much, and it's great to be back on the boards and see you again. I became curious about your list and found it at http://www.amazon.com/My-favorite-short-story-collections-on-my-Kindle/lm/R2T5BUZOKD5YX6/ref=cm_srch_res_rpli_alt_1. I also see you list Kristen Tsetsi's *Carol's Aquarium*, which I must get after I finish her novel *Home Front*

As I looked at other people's lists for short stories, I see Red Adept has the fourth most popular list at
http://www.amazon.com/Red-Adept-s-List-of-Favorite-Short-Stories-amp-Short-Story-Collections/lm/R2U9MIS6V3B0NL/ref=cm_srch_res_rpli_alt_4, and *The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea* is also on her list.

I also found your list of *Favorite Books I've Read on the Kindle*, and not only do you count my two short story collections there, but also my virtually unknown play *Who Lives?* is there, too. Thank you. Plays are interesting because few people read them. When it was performed last year in Los Angeles, it was a favorite to see--a nearly sold out run--but then it's gone like a poppy flower after a week.

I hope all is well with you.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

UNTIL JULY 30TH The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea will remain at $1.99. The response has been wonderful for the past year, and now I'll raise the price August 1st to $2.99 in hopes I'll actually start making a living through the Kindle as others are finding for themselves.

If you want to see the response to The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea, go to the Amazon Community page at this link: http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/ref=cm_cd_ef_tft_tp?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdThread=Tx8ANGR0RGQKXC&displayType=tagsDetail

Thank you all who have bought one of my books. To show my thanks, I'll be offering my next novel, "Love at Absolute Zero," to Kindle users only about three months before the print version comes out. It'll happen before the end of the year.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I've spent Labor Day finally creating a website for all my books. Please check it out and see if you can navigate around easily. I even have a Kindle button. The site is at http://christophermeeks.weebly.com.

By the way, I have only great things to say about Weebly.com--it's a free site with software that's easy to use, so there's no excuse now if you've been putting it off for yourself.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I was just in my car here in Los Angeles when I heard a fabulous interview on the radio with a short story writer, Maile Meloy, whose work I didn't know. Her energy, drive, and insights about writing are fabulous. You have to listen to her. I found the link on radio station KCRW:

http://www.kcrw.com/media-player/mediaPlayer2.html?type=audio&id=bw100916maile_meloy_both_way

She was on Michael Silverblatt's "Bookworm," and Silverblatt himself was particularly great. You short story writers out there will get a lot from this--probably inspiration to write another story immediately.

The link also has the option for other recent interviews, including Jane Smiley and film director John Waters, who turns out to be an avid reader. If you don't like the ad that first comes on, click on "Turn off ads."


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

It occurs to me as I wrote a blog today on twin blades, triple blades and more about shaving that my short stories often show the absurdities we live with as well as the humor and joy of our lives. _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_ also goes into men at mid-life, their relationships and their crises. If shaving interests you, here's the blog: http://www.redroom.com/blog/christopher-meeks/zorro-now-would-buy-double-edged-safety-swords

On the other hand, if you've read either of my short story collections and want to comment, join here or over on Amazon Discussions where Neil Shapiro, a reader, started a thread at http://www.amazon.com/tag/kindle/forum/ref=cm_cd_pg_pg1?_encoding=UTF8&cdForum=Fx1D7SY3BVSESG&cdPage=1&cdSort=oldest&cdThread=Tx8ANGR0RGQKXC


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Now I'm a true Kindleboarder. I'd borrowed a Kindle before, but with the $139 price for a new Kindle 3, I bought it and a leather case from eBay, and now for the first time ever I see the seductiveness of shopping. It's so easy. I want more books than I have time to read. It's like going to a half-price candy store. With everything less expensive than print copies, I just want that and that and that. I tried something that you may have figured out: click on sample before buying.

So that's all I ask. Get a sample of my books and see if you're won over. Eric Christopher's "Crack-Up" thus won me over. I don't see why a big publisher isn't running with that book. I'll save an elaboration on that for another thread, but as a mystery, it grabbed me quickly.

Now I want to find short fiction that I like along the lines of what my own stories do: truth, pathos, and humor.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

For you writers who might read this, I've found that my new Kindle is a handy tool for the final proof stage. This is to say that I've never been fond of reading my proof pages on a computer screen, and printing them out, while effective, always seems so intimidating. Not only that, but it's hard for me to get a sense of what it looks like as a published book. Yesterday I sent to my Kindle email address my Microsoft Word file of my nearly finished novel. It showed up on my Kindle within a few minutes. As I read it, because it looks published, I get a particularly great sense of the pacing, and things I don't like pop out. I make a note on words or passages I want to change on the Kindle, then go back to the computer later to change it.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

"The Farms at 93rd and Broadway," which is a short story in my second collection, Months and Seasons appears in the new college textbook _English Literature_ from Kendall Hunt Publishing Company, authored by Lawrence Driscoll.

In the textbook, my story joins those by Jhumpa Lahiri, Martin Amis, Junot Diaz, Sandra Cisneros, Donald Barthleme, and 11 others. Each of the stories has questions after it to lead students to a better understanding of what they just read. The book also contains poetry and guidelines on how to write the literature essay.

Although it's not an award, per se, it sure feels good. It great to know classes will be discussing it. It's a story about an older New York couple living in Manhattan who miss the starting time for a musical, so they go next door to a club that has a hypnotist--and it changes their lives in both humorous and serious ways.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

It's been a big week for this Lake Woebegon guy. First, in honor of Halloween and in thinking about how to make it tempting for people to try my short fiction if $2.99 isn't a big enough draw, I created a short new book on Kindle for $1:



Dracula Slinks Into the Night has three stories in it. The first is the title story, which had been published first as an Amazon Short, and then in _Rosebud_ magazine. Then is "*The Farms at 93rd and Broadway,"* a comic short piece that's featured in the new college textbook _English Literature_ by Lawrence Driscoll. It's a tale that works on many levels and is also entertaining. This and the title piece both come from Months and Seasons, which was long-listed for the prestigious Frank O'Connor International Short Story Award.

The third story, *"The Natant Poet,"* is fairly new and it's not featured in either of my two published collections of short fiction, Months and Seasons or The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea. Rather, this is a new short story only previously published in the journal _The Gander Literary Review_.

Also this week, my novel received a big push from Kindle Nation Daily, which you can see here: http://bit.ly/9L1M6q Book sales skyrocketed.

All this has left me feeling good, as if all the women are strong, all the men are good-looking, and all the children are above average.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

You probably came here curious to see if my two collections of short stories are for you. This tells me you're open to reading short fiction. Thus, you should see the SHORT STORY COLLECTION RECOMMENDATIONS thread over in the Book Corner. Here's a shortcut: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,12840.0.html

I've been finding some great collections available on Kindle over there--keeps me busy. It also reminds me to keep writing.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

With my novel, "The Brightest Moon of the Century," being the Kindle Book of the Day today, I'm hoping people will take a look also at my award-winning short ficiton. Grab a sample. If time to read is always a challenge, the great thing about short fiction is that you can get a whole story is a short time. These stories are fun and may get you thinking, too. Tell me what you think if you read any. 

ALERT: For some reason, "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" shows "Pricing Information is Not Available," even though it's priced at $2.99. Thus, it's not available right now, and I'm trying to find out what happened. However, you can try out "Months and Seasons" right now.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

AVAILABLE AGAIN: "THE MIDDLE-AGED MAN AND THE SEA." A few weeks ago the book showed no pricing was available, even though it'd been selling at $2.99. When I went to the Digital Platform, there was a message that the book was blocked. Only then did I realize there's no one at Amazon to call about such problems. I felt helpless. I did know why it was blocked or how to fix it. I noticed, however, there was an email address to write, so I did. While I never heard back from anyone, the book became unblocked.

I'm happy to see it's available again, and, in fact, I just bought a Kindle Nation Daily Free Short sponsorship to alert the community the book is back. I'm not sure when the free short will go out, but I'll let people know here.

Best,
  Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Even though you can click for a free sample for the short story collections The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea and Months and Seasons, where you can read a couple of full stories, today I want to give you an entire short story, below, from Months and Seasons. See if it's enough to get you to want to read more short stories.

*"CATALINA" by Christopher Meeks*

Daunus handed his ticket to the man in the crisp white naval-style uniform for the boat to Catalina Island, and the man paused, looking him up and down as if Daunus might be a terrorist. "I'm Greek," said Daunus emphatically with an accent, grabbing his thick half-gray beard and then pointing to his black fishing cap. "And I've been a U.S. citizen seventeen years!"
"I don't doubt you," said the man. 
"Want to look in my rucksack?"
"No need. Welcome to Catalina Express."
The pier was higher than the boat, so Daunus stepped down the gangplank toward a sleek 300-passenger catamaran, shaking his head. After all he gave this country, people still looked at him like he didn't belong. This trip was folly. He shouldn't have listened to his friend.
 Once on the boat, he marched up the stairs to the top deck, moved past the outside seating area and into the cabin. The airline-style seating inside was nearly full. He didn't want to sit next to anyone, so he returned outside where he found two seats isolated from the others. He placed his green rucksack on the extra seat. No one asked him to remove it. Few people sat outside because it was a cool, gray day. 
When the boat backed up then moved forward through the Long Beach channel, a young woman in a red sweater and sunglasses approached him but did not look at him. Rather, she stood at the side near him, looking off toward the front of the boat. What's to see? Gray clouds?
She then turned toward him. "Have you been to Catalina before?" She looked like a movie star with her red lipstick-the kind of person who had people wash her dishes.
"Never," he said, leaving it at that.
"Me neither. Staying long?"
"Just the day. My friend said I needed it."
"Oh?"
"Yeah." A loss for her was probably getting a dent in her Porsche. 
"Sorry," she said. "Didn't mean to pry. How cool it's an island, though, huh?"
"My friend said it's like a persimmon-unexpected fruit on a naked tree." He looked at her woefully cheerful face. 
"Wow," she said. "I wish I'd said that."
"I shouldn't have listened. I shouldn't be here."
She nodded. "Well, I hope you find your fruit," she said with a movie-star smile and stepped to the other side of the boat. 
Once out of the port, the catamaran pushed its engines to full and stabbed into the mist that hung over the dark water. For the full hour-ride, Daunus sat outside, looking rearward into the gray wake. At one point, a white baseball cap landed in the wake. Someone lost it. His chest felt constricted. Breathing was hard. He'd given this country everything, including now his son. Daunus had supported Mr. George W. Bush-even Iraq. What did such devotion do for him? The churned water faded into the horizonless backdrop. Bloody fuckin' America. 
Entering Avalon, the only city on Catalina, the boat moved like a dark eel into the cave-like bay, past the silent million-dollar yachts and a tarped black speedboat, all at anchor. The dry hills leaping from the water were like Chora Sfakion in Crete. His friend must have known.
Daunus stood and turned his attention to the shoreline, a narrow dead beach that fronted a line of restaurants and shops with awnings. Because it was midweek in November, the high season had passed, and so there were no eager shoppers or young couples strolling the boulevard as summer days had probably promised. The happy time was over. 
With the boat approaching the dock, a crowd headed to the stairs to descend to the first level. Daunus inserted himself in front of a kid and started to feel lightheaded. He was anxious, he supposed. Once off the boat with the crowd, he did his best to stop hyperventilating and felt like an old car shaking apart. One step, then another, he told himself. He moved with everyone toward the town center, passing a shaded grassy area. He came upon bricks arranged in a square. Names and dates were on the bricks and when he caught the word "veterans," he became dizzy and his breathing became shorter, shallower. He pictured his son in uniform, proud and innocent, muscles like a thoroughbred. Daunus grabbed a nearby rail. Was he going to pass out here? 
He thought he heard a bird above him, a caw. He paused, raised his head. High above the town, the scrubby hills stood naked, even burned in some places. The yearly autumn Santa Ana winds had sucked all the moisture from every tendril on the rocky soil, and a careless spark from a construction worker had set off a firestorm. As he'd seen on television, hundreds of fire fighters and dozens of fire trucks had been moved by hovercraft from the mainland and saved the town, but the hillsides remained scarred. 
The young woman in red walked by and said, "Definitely a persimmon! Isn't this place beautiful?" She gave him another smile, and he realized she was carrying a heavy backpack with a bedroll strapped on. He'd read her completely wrong. She was going camping.
He tipped his cap to her. She nodded appreciatively in return and walked off. Air now filled his lungs easily. Daunus stepped forward more surely. "Go, mister," he told himself with a nod. He knew where he wanted to walk: high into the heavenly white ash.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Five years in the making--and one year rewriting and polishing for the fifth time--I'm nearing publishing my new novel, "Love at Absolute Zero." A book designer is already at work. Before I leap in and do anything, however, I need a marketing strategy. I happened to read B.V. Larson's guest blog at http://jakonrath.blogspot.com/2011/02/guest-post-by-bv-larson.html. There, he says he went from selling 7 copies of his book one month on Kindle to now selling over 100,000. It makes me wonder what he did.

Because I was an editor at a publishing company, quality is paramount. For my collections of short fiction and my novel, "The Brightest Moon of the Century," I made sure they were tight and looked like a book from a big publisher. This time, because it's been two years since I came out with a book, I'm thinking of first offering the book to a few readers just to see how they like it. I'll write more on this once I figure out the best way of sending a copies for a Kindle. I'm nervous--yet excited. It's a comic novel, so I hope people will have fun.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I thought I'd give back to writers who are trying to understand how to prepare and publish their short fiction collection or their literary novel. You can feel lost among the top-selling mysteries and thrillers you read here, so I wrote an article on this subject, which you can read at http://www.redroom.com/blog/christopher-meeks/marketing-your-literary-novel-through-independent-publishing

If you go to the top of this thread and see the reviews for my book, getting quality reviewers to see your book is an important part of the process. My article explains how to do it. If you have questions, just write me.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I just finished a new novel after five drafts, and now looking months ahead for when there might be a cover for it, I had a designer give me these. Without telling you anything about the story, does one more than the other make you want to know more? Would you want to look at the back cover for its blurb?


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

This week I found information on improving one's platform here on Kindleboards at http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,56012.0.html

There are points on creating a good cover, a good blurb, blogging, using Goodreads, and more.

A couple things I've done recently is change my signature here on Kindleboards to covers instead of text links. Then I noticed that the title on the cover for "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" could hardly be read in a thumbnail. The book designer had been picturing a 6x9-inch space, but that didn't work for here--so I boosted the size of the title.

I'm busy finishing two novels, trying to get a new agent, and figuring out if the next book or books can find a big publisher or go directly onto Kindle through me. My latest realization is that literary fiction is a challenging market for sales and perhaps I can use a big publisher.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

On December 21, 1999 was a full moon on the winter soltice--which was the brightest moon of the century (in 133 years, actually) and it inspired me to write my first novel, The Brightest Moon of the Century.

It turns out I didn't have to wait another 133 years to see such a thing. There's the brightest moon of the decade right now tonight, March 20th, the full moon on the spring soltice. You can read about it here: http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/supermoon-lights-sky-impresses-skywatchers/story?id=13179032

What made the one in 1999 brightest was that the earth is closest to the sun on December 21st.

Did you get to see the moon last night?


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## KBoards Admin (Nov 27, 2007)

My family and I did see that moon, here in northwest Washington, and it was fantastic! Well worth the short drive we took to get a good vantage point on it.

I am pleased to welcome The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea as our KB Book of the Day!


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you, Harvey. That moon was amazing, and in fact, here's a shot of it from England:










I'm pleased to have _The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_ become the KB Book of the Day. For those who like to watch numbers,
my two short story collections' rankings as of the night before the Book of the Day are:

_The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea_: #130,856
_Months and Seasons_: #245,595

I'm hoping to see them go up in rankings. If nothing else, try a sample. You'll get a short story or two.

--Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Thank you for coming to visit the Kindlebook of the Day today. 

My next book, a novel, "Love at Absolute Zero," will be released on Kindle on May 16th. It's going through the final proofreaders now, so I'm excited. It's been over five years in the making. My goal is to give an involving, affecting, and fun read.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

In the absence of personally signing Kindles, I'll be at the FESTIVAL OF BOOKS today on the USC Campus, signing my books in the USC Bookstore tent from 11 a.m. to noon. Come on by. I'd love to meet anyone from the Kindleboards. And do you think in a year or two, the Festival of Books will have people carrying around a single Kindle instead of a bag of books?


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I realized I haven't been to this thread in a month. I happened to sign books yesterday at the El Segundo Authors Fair in Los Angeles, and while some of the authors there found it difficult to meet people and others came on too strong in trying to sell to anyone merely looking at their books, I found it a pleasure to talk with people. My favoirte thing was to see people attracted to the cover of my new novel, "Love at Absolute Zero." They'd pick up the book, and usually turn to me and say "Nice cover," then turn to the back and read the blurb and laugh. That's exactly what I hoped would happen, so that was fun.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

A challenge for self-publishers and well as small publishers is getting one's books into bookstores. I thought I was clever when I learned from the Small Press department at Barnes and Noble that one must do two things to get into their bookstores (and anyone's bookstores):

1) Offer at least a 40% discount
2) Make the book returnable

Because I was using Lightning Source for my printing, I could set up both conditions. Soon my books were in bookstores. A couple of months ago, I ended up paying for it bigtime, and I could see how someone could go bankrupt thanks to good reviews.

An article I wrote on the subject can be seen here: http://www.redroom.com/blog/christopher-meeks/how-to-go-bankrupt-thanks-to-really-great-reviews

I survived. Now my printed books are unreturnable.

--Chris

My new website: http://www.whitewhiskerbooks.com/


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I've learned to tweet, and I've just been tweeting about my new blog on how to get rich self publishing. Here are examples of some tweets I just did:

Get rich in pub tip #3: Come up with a good title like "Girl With the Starbucks Cup"

Get rich in pub tip #7: Any monkey with a computer can design a cover. Be that monkey.

Get rich in pub tip #11: Getting feedback will slow you down. Publish as is. http://t.co/jtkjhWO

If you want to see all the tips (and get rich) go here, where it's been made BLOG OF THE DAY on Red Room: http://www.redroom.com/blog/christopher-meeks/ten-simple-things-becoming-rich-rich-rich-self-publishing

I'm also using Twitter to bring out blurbs from my new book, Love at Absolute Zero. Here are examples:

"No, a bookmobile gets much better mileage, and it's such a man magnet." Love At Absolute Zero. http://t.co/dmXAi35 physorg_com

Anyway, yit's good to see that people are starting to find my books. All the rave reivews didn't do it alone. The challenge has been simply getting people to see my books when so many books are out there. These short stories are a good and inexpensive gateway.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I've now discovered which of the tweets have been retweeted. Here are a couple, especially as they relate to my short fiction.

"Each is a polished gem from a gifted artist." -Grady Harp on Meeks' short stories. http://t.co/P0sriIm #books #publishing #writer

"We have a superior writer of the genre in our presence" -Grady Harp on Meeks' short stories. http://t.co/P0sriIm #books #publishing #writer

"It was a world run over with gas-guzzlers and pollution and cattle prods for semen." http://t.co/P0sriIm #books #publishing #writer

LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO. Physicist wants wife in 3 days w/ scientific method and trip to #Denmark http://t.co/b74b0Bj #humor

"Ground Control to Major Tom"--my thoughts on the importance of growing up in the space age. #essay http://t.co/opKnCDV #amwriting @NMSI


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

I just returned from a two-week trip to Europe--Amsterdam, Venice, Paris, Copenhagen and two smaller towns in Denmark. It was a great trip, and if you like Europe and haven't been to Denmark, it was my family's favorite (and every place on the whole trip was a minimum of great).

As for writing news, I'm expanding what I do. Because of my success with these stort story collections and my novel, I'd been approached by my colleagues at USC about what I do, and I'm now publishing two people. The first book went up today, Boyfriend From Hell (Fallen Angels Saga) by E. Van Lowe. To read more about it, go to this link: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,80024.0.html. I'll also be publishing in a few months a dark mystery, _Iron City _ by David Scott Milton.

I find it all exciting. And I remain proud of these short story collections and my own new novel, Love at Absolute Zero. Try a sample of any of these.

--Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

One of the things that drove me into short stories were wonderful narrative songs, such things as Bruce Springsteen's "The River," Bob Dylan's "Tangled Up in Blue," Joni Mitchell's "A Case of You" and even Pink Floyd's "Comfortably Numb." Yesterday I happened to be on YouTube and fell into Cat Steven's music again, such as this one called "Lady D'arbanville," which was about when he dated Patti D'arbanville. She was also an inspiration for Stevens' songs "Wild World" and "Hard-Headed Woman." D'Arbanville went on to have an affair with Mick Jagger.

If you haven't heard it, look how much he enjoys singing it. That's often the way I look when I'm writing. I just love writing when I pull out of myself and into story--away from the sales and the marketing and everything that proves a challenge.






--Chris

P.S. If you haven't seen my new novel LOVE AT ABSOLUTE ZERO, go to this Kindleboards thread: http://www.kboards.com/index.php/topic,66600.0.html


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Today was a big day. I bought my first iPhone, and now I have Kindle for the iPhone on it. I'm not sure if I'll read a book on it. Perhaps this is an ideal medium when stuck at the DMV--a short story or two while in line.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

The life of a writer is interesting because you never know what will inspire you. Today I stumbled on this video from a TED conference, and it goes into WHY Apple is innovative, WHY Martin Luther King and not someone else led the civil rights movement. It's about having something in the core. "Story" drives me. There's nothing better than a great story because it speaks to me. This video made me think about why I dod what I do.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Part of me says that I need to be more rigorous and update this more often. Another part of me says I'd rather be ruthless with my writing schedule than my marketing schedule. Another part says more people seem to be selling than reading on Kindleboards, so don't worry about "marketing." Thus, I see this as an eclectic place to occassionally write on the cave wall.

One thing I'll call attention to is a Huffington Post piece I wrote, which is about how the Pasadena blackout from the winds caused our family to unplug and recharge. See it at: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/christopher-meeks/connections-electrical-and-otherwise_b_1128235.html

My latest YouTube video to recommend is another TED one, this time of singer Natalie Merchant as she sings old poems set to music--quite interesting and affecting:






Merry Christmas! --Chris


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Alright literary fans with musical tastes. I've spent the last few weeks diving in, off and on, into Pink Floyd music, which I loved in high school and have a new appreciation for. I've followed that obsession down into videos with guitarist David Gilmour, one of the great guitarists in the world. What follows is a two-hour video of David Gilmour playing before a huge crowd in Gdansk, Poland. You may not normally spend two hours in Kindleboards, but this might make you want to do so:


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Right at the end of December, I made two mini-collections of short fiction, "The Sun is a Billiard Ball" and "Dracula Slinks Into the Night," free for a couple of days and gave away over 400 copies. I liked that. "The Middle-Aged Man and the Sea" is too entrenched in other platforms to make it exclusive to Kindle via KDP Select, but I do like that people have been introduced to my short fiction with the mini-collections.


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## Christopher Meeks (Aug 2, 2009)

Coming up next week, my novel THE BRIGHTEST MOON OF THE CENTURY will be free, and I'll remind you on the 6th. In the meantime, this collection of short fiction , award-winning, is a great and inexpensive introduction to my work.


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