Here I am at the edge

None of my stories are motivated by my views. From the start, let me point out that at the moment, none of my stories are motivated by my views on politics , religion , or any other matters of personal opinion. The exception is my award-winning ebook   which is written with my disdain for celebrities in mind. As the writer, I  can only tell you how I intended the story to be read if you read anything in my work that I did not plan that is not my fault.

The last roundup. After sending to over 70 publishers, I finally found one this is interested in my  romance novel    disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-indieworld/thar_she_blows/ .   I am now waiting for an editor friend to give me the go ahead, then I will send my book to 

Jewish fiction This morning, I contacted a publisher interested in Jewish fiction about the possibility of publishing my book, don't hold your breath for a reply, I am not holding mine.

Military courts should deal with military matters. I realise this post  -    https://disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-indieworld/i_did_what_i_was_paid_to_do_and_now_i_get_condemned_for_doing_my_duty/   will be controversial, what else would you expect from me. I am a man of strong opinions, and they often raise tempers. I have, and always will, said that the Armed Forces should be left to deal with their own issues. You cannot try a person put in a life-threatening situation by people whose lives are never put in that position.

Shit happens  After my massive let down last week; I have decided to go ahead and  self-publish  my story  www.amazon.com/dp/B075BJH2D2   / www.draft2digital.com/book/235628 ​ After all, what else can I lose? The covers for the book and e-book have already cost me over $250, and I have seen nothing back.

Free samples To read a  free  sample from the sequel to my  romance    www.amazon.com/dp/B075BJH2D2  /  www.draft2digital.com/book/235628    follow this link    disqus.com/home/discussion/channel-writingworld/the_sighting_at_masada/

Life can still hold a few curveballs. While the reply from  http://www.novum-publishing.co.uk/home.html   was not a yes, it was far from my usual rejection note. I saw myself as a writer , I never saw myself writing a romance novel , after all, if you believe what is online, men cannot write romances.

Great compliments Over the years, many people have paid me compliments on either my writing or the volume of my writing, but one of the greatest compliments I have been paid is that several people said I think like a Jew. This is probably because like the Jews, I have had to fight for what little I have and I can understand their struggle to survive.

Romance on several platforms While my   Amazon  rating rises, do not forget that  A Homecoming   is available on   Draft2Digital   www.draft2digital.com/book/235628

The forlorn hope Today, I ordered a book cover for my  e-book  to turn the e-book versions     https://www.draft2digital.com/book/235628  /  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075BJH2D2  into paperback editions. If there are enough sales, I could be tempted to write a novel shortly

Price cuts galore One of the reasons for charging $2 a copy for my   #romance   https://www.draft2digital.com/book/235628   was to cover the cost of the cover I bought, but after four months and no sales, I decided I will be changing the cover this week and dropping the price to attempt to get some sales.

The sequel This is the beginning of the sequel to A Homecoming https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075BJH2D2  and  https://www.draft2digital.com/book/235628 Jehoiakim woke from a disturbed night - one more in a series - he couldn't recall the last time he'd slept well; his tendon injury made sleep difficult, and his mind was racing about the story he had in mind about the events at Masada. The sun rose across the bay, but he felt no warmth in his bones, too many sleepless nights left him drained and cold despite the desert heat. He got up from his bed, and getting dressed as he walked to the kitchen, he fumbled in his trouser pockets to locate the change before he put the kettle on for his morning coffee. "Was it only a day or two since Adriana returned to Haifa?" he thought. “It seemed like weeks. I miss her so much, I know she's got her job and now is a respite she needs but I'd like to see her again." He was roused from his longing for Adriana...

Is it more blessed? Is it better to give than to receive? For years I selflessly helped others and never got a thank you in return.  Now, as a writer, I am writing stories that people read (I hope) and yet my e-book   sales keep dropping, no matter how well these  blogs  are read.

Mark 12: 41-44 Last night I found the verses in the Scriptures that I had been seeking for weeks.  These verses in the  Gospel  of  St. Mark  www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Mark+12:41-44 , I feel are pertinent to me, as they represent how I feel about my  GoFundMe  campaign   www.gofundme.com/bookcovers-for-charity .  I can't give much to help others, but I am doing what I can. When I go on the  CUFI or  IFCJ  sites, I get the feeling I am supporting the mission houses, rather than sending money to  Israel , that is why I prefer to buy from     theisraelboutique.com / ,   www.israeltoday.co.il/Shop/Category/tabid/266/cid/37/Default.aspx   or   www.judaicawebstore.com/israeli-jewish-literature-C142.aspx . 

War in the Ukraine If Donald Trump becomes President, which is very likely to happen, he has said he's going to end the war in the Ukraine within a month. I think US intervention into this Civil War will cause another World War , this time America will be seen as the agressor. I keep coming back to what a mother said at the end of WW2 , it goes for any war, "Too many young men have died fighting wars for old men." The Ukraine does not need help, that is why Russia signed the agreement with China last month. Russian troops are not fighting to defend their homes which is why they are deserting their posts; most of the soldiers never knew where they were going when they got their posting orders.

Media bias On the last writing site, I was on, I had the rep as being like Don Quixote and taking on massive battles, some I won, others I lost. That is how some friends would view my position at the moment, as I assume the task of informing people of the lies behind the media bias against Israel .  There is so much misinformation about Israel when I read some of the things in print, I think I am reading fiction. With the collapse of my GoFundMe project, several people have asked me to inform them of the truth behind the lies in the media.  I am no expert, but I do read the Jewish papers and magazines online, so I get a better view than the media portrays of Israel. The biggest lie is that Israel is the antagonist in the area - really? - that is BS than a field of bulls with diarrhea. Disregarding religious beliefs and biased reporting, you can see the lies behind the stories in the Atlas, why would the smallest nation in the area wish to attack countrie...

Notable ladies of Israel This afternoon, I had a parcel arrive from Israel . One of the stamps on the packing was a Jewish woman, being me, this started a quest for information about the lady in question. The woman in question turned out to be the poet Zelda Mishkovsky . It is a trait of mine to research people I see on stamps.

The Lord said it is better to give than to receive Jesus said, "It is better to give than to receive." That is one reason why I donate to charity  in  Israel . Also, several years ago, my family hit bottom when we were short of money at Christmas ; if it hadn't been for a food hamper donated by our school, we wouldn't have had food that Christmas.

To Life The Jewish greeting L'Chaim translates into the better known "Cheers." Each day, I thank our Lord for allowing my friend Max to live, only a few weeks ago, I thought I'd lose him to a resurgence of cancer he'd had several months ago. Max's breathing is wheezy and laboured, but he appears in no pain. He is back to his cheerful self, demanding cuddles and tummy rubs at the most awkward moments; for this, I thank our Lord.  I know when his time comes, I will be devasted, that is why I am thankful for each minute with him. The Rainbow Bridge When Max's time does come, he'll have lots of friends across the Rainbow Bridge . Until that day, I say L'Chaim, Max.

I have the ideas It's a daily struggle to fight my demons, which is why today as though my battle is lost and the urge is to write is lost . In my search for new markets, this week I started to write a story about a spiritual encounter in Israel . As I doubt the story will get published, the story is about a journalist's Aliyah  and a trip to Masada . The story is fiction, but I always wanted to visit the Holy Land . I need to find the faith that others have in me, as the Jewish people have a strong belief in the word of the Lord, I have started to read the Bible in the attempt to find some faith in my work  as a writer.