GEORGE CLOONEY and THE EIGHT-FINGERED CRIMINAL'S SON

The mock-up of the entire text has been approved. Now I'm waiting for a mock-up of the physical book. We're on track to have bound copies of THE EIGHT FINGERED CRIMINAL'S SON available at a few California and Arizona bookstores, AMAZON.COM and CHANDLER AUTO AND TIRE REPAIR in March.

As far as I know, George Clooney has not read The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son and has absolutely nothing to do with the book. However, Rick Moranis is following me on Twitter and there is a possibility that he has read the book. Okay, it's a minute posibility, but I'll take all the hope I can get...

The e-book can be dowloaded for a measly 5 bucks at
http://www.amazon.com/The-Eight-Fingered-Criminals-Son-ebook/dp/B005NWH8L4/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1326594616&sr=1-1

THE DESCENDANTS

Word on the street was The Descendants was a little on the blah side, not exactly a stinker, but nothing to write home about. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that I am not in the primary demographic group for which the studios make their films, but I honestly can't remember being more disinterested in a list of movies at a multiplex theater. Armed with movie passes and a couple of hours on our hands, my wife and I chose to see The Descendents because it was the least uninteresting film at the theater. 

I guess it's always helpful to walk into a movie theater with absolutely no expectations.
Getting to the point, I was pleasantly surprised. The Descendants is a pretty good movie.  Set against the  breathtaking music and landscape of Hawaii, the story follows a wealthy patriarch as he struggles to lead his family in the midst of tragedy and betrayal.  To sum things up, the film is terribly sad, uniquely funny and undeniably real.

New to this blog?  I'm promoting my new book THE EIGHT-FINGERED CRIMINAL'S SON. 

You can read an excerpt or download the entire e-book for a measly 5 bucks by clicking here: 
http://www.amazon.com/The-Eight-Fingered-Criminals-Son-ebook/dp/B005NWH8L4
The print version will be available soon at The Book Frog, Chandler Auto and Tire and Amazon.com.

Courderoys, Printers, Hungover Snails and THE EIGHT-FINGERED CRIMINAL'S SON

Did I mention I wrote a book?

I just recieved the mock-up of the first 15 pages from the printer. It looks fantastic.  We're now awaiting the mock-up of the complete text. I guess you could say my printer has gone from moving at the pace of a hungover snail to moving along at the pace of a hungover snail that's had a glass of Alka Seltzer.

Did I mention that I am a high school teacher?

Today some wisenhiemer kid told me he liked my courderoys. They were making a zipping noise as I was running to the library.

I stopped and waved my finger at the modern day juvenile delinquent and cautioned,"Listen here, bub, I realize that was a sarcastic remark. I know you were making fun of me."

To which he replied, "Did you just call me bub?"

"Hah!" I snapped back, my finger waving back and forth like some kind of out of control windshield wiper. "You're doing it again. You're making fun of me. You're being sarcastic again."

The kid was left speechless. On the other hand, he may have been a little freaked out.

Satisfied, I made my way to the library and went about the business of teaching. The point is the day is coming when I won't be able tell that they're making fun of me.And  I'm afraid that day is right around the corner. I'm not getting any younger, man. I'm telling you I can't see myself still teaching ten years from now.

This is why I'm asking you to read The Eight Fingered Criminal's Son. In case you haven't heard, the e-book is available at http://www.amazon.com/The-Eight-Fingered-Criminals-Son-ebook/dp/B005NWH8L4 for  a measly 5 bucks. And the print version will be available as soon as the hungover snail of a printing company prints the thing.

RICK MORANIS AND THE EIGHT-FINGERED CRIMINAL'S SON

We have hired Create Space to print The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son. Create Space is in possession of the text and they are rocketing along at the speed of a hungover snail to facilitate the release of the physical, non e-book version.


In the mean time, I set up a Twitter account in order to promote the book. I haven't exactly figured out how to use Twitter, but I do have 15 followers. Interestingly enough, and I am not kidding, I'm pretty sure Rick Moranis is one of my 15 followers. If Rick Moranis is following me, I'm thinking I just might have myself a fist full of marketing dynamite. If I can get Rick "Ghostbusters" Moranis to read The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son and he likes the book, good golly Miss Molly, this thing is on. I could sell, I don't know, 130 - maybe 140 books.

You can follow my rather confused Twitter campaign that seems to include Rick "Honey I Shrunk the Kids" Moranis by clicking  https://twitter.com/#!/GriggitSnyder

If you know someone who recieved a new Kindle for Christmas, please tell them about The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son. The book can be downloaded for a measly 5 bucks by clicking on http://www.amazon.com/The-Eight-Fingered-Criminals-Son-ebook/dp/B005NWH8L4

The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son - Clif the Lawyer and Various Other Book Mojo Makers

About a year ago, I met for breakfast with my old amigo Clifton Batchelor, also known as Clif the Lawyer. I call him Clif the Lawyer because he's a dentist. Actually, he's not a dentist; he's a lawyer, but it would be so much more ironic if I called him Clif the Lawyer while he was actually a dentist. The point is it was Clif the Lawyer who convinced me to team up whim him to compile and publish a collection of my stories. Clif spent countless hours working with me, editing, revising, researching publishing options, formatting text, and working on the cover design. If not for Clif, The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son would not exist. I want to take the opportunity to publicly thank Clifton Batchelor.

While I'm at it, I'd like to thank my old pal Robert Sanchez for personally financing the bound version. When the book was released on Amazon, my daughter Lindsey Hernandez and my sister's childhood friend Mandy Treckman Martes took it upon themselves to spread the word and between the two of them, they were probably responsible for 50 e-book sales. Pete Ledesma, co owner of The Book Frog, has offered to carry the book. And Brett White, owner of Chandler Auto and Tire, has also agreed to carry the book. How cool is that, selling a book at a garage. Bryan Frank, John Marciolonis and Tony Frink were kind enough to help out with the editing.  Finally, John Baker is plugging the book on Cougar Town, the Hawthorne High School Website http://cougartown.com/feedback.html.

Countless old friends and family members have supported this venture. I realize that 126 e-book sales is a far cry from the Times Best Seller List, but it's a nice start. And it's pretty cool to have the support and encouragement from so many people. It feels a little bit serendipitous. Wait, I'm not the kind of guy who uses words like serendipitous. I'm the kind of guy who says something like it feels like there's some serious good mojo connected to The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son and I'm feeling like a pretty lucky schlep.

Awe heck, I forgot to thank Brady "Cat" White, Dickey "Tom Jones" Imburgia, Ian "Moon Doggie" Welch, Joel and Amy Fricke, Jayden White, and Wayne "Geege' Mossbarger for the 3 whacked out promotional videos.

The Latest scoop on THE EIGHT FINGERED CRIMINAL'S SON and THE MIAMI HEAT

Here's a shot, taken in 1985, of yours tryly with the eight-fingered criminal himself, William "Cash" Snyder.
Over 100 e-books have been downloaded from Amazon.com. My goal was 100 so I'm calling this book making venture a success.

The cover design is finished and the text has been formatted for the printer. I've been told the print version will be ready to rock in 2 to 3 months.

For starters, the print version will be available on Amazon.com, The Book Frog in L.A., and Chandler Auto and Tire Repair. Selling the book at an auto and tire repair shop is supposed to be funny.

Thank you to all who have downloaded the e-book and I'll keep you posted on the release date for the dead tree version.

You can download the e-book for a measly 5 bucks by clicking on the link below.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Eight-Fingered-Criminals-Son-ebook/dp/B005NWH8L4
Happy New Year
And the Miami Heat have absolutely nothing to do with The Eight-Fingered Criminal's Son.