Lordy Lordy LOOK whose 40

Well whenever I feel blue about getting older, as everyone around me seems to love to remind me that I am getting MUCH OLDER, I like to think about the alternative to getting older and this wards away my anxiety. I mean surviving this long does say something about my longevity. 40, it's not easy to believe, I mean wasn't I just going to the Prom and playing football under the lights, wasn't I just studying creative writing at old Metro State, wasn't it just yesterday that I jumped out a plane with a group of my students at Gateway? Or have all these years truly passed me by? Well, all I can say is, perhaps 40 is the new 30 and perhaps I'm just getting started.

Of course more realistically this birthday means that I am one year closer to death... And that is sort of depressing, but hey, none of us know how long we have on this spinning mine field in a vacuum of space, so what's the point in focusing on endings! I'm enjoying some great beginnings!

For instance: ECHO POOL is a new beginning, and you can purchase a copy by simply clicking on the title above! Thanks for your support.

CURTIS NEBRASKA BOOK STORE has ECHO POOL

I apologize that I don't know the actual name of the book store in Curtis Nebraska, my home town, but this store has brought in a few of my books. This should make it easier for people back there who want to read the piece. I have gotten some interesting emails about who might be who in the book. Some of them are RIGHT ON! Of course, keep in mind, I fictionalized many of the actions -- yes even the camper scene is a creation, but come on, we all had our share of camper nights back in Husker land.

BOOKS ARE IN AMERICA

Sim at the temple of King Narisiwan -- who loved chickens.

Hello to all the Americans out there who are enjoying their summer. I really do miss the old USA in the summer time. It was a fabulous change of pace when it hit and everything slowed down and heated up!

A quick note of thanks to all of the American folks who have purchased my book on line. Really cool of you! The books have arrived at my mother's place in Kearney and they are being shipped to you directly. I would love to hear what you think about the book, and especially if you think you have spotted yourself or one of your friends in the book. Please hit me back with any reviews or comments!

And if you haven't purchased ECHO POOL yet, click the title above for a direct link to purchase it. Thanks again!

Speedy does BOND

A SPEEDY ACTOR Video Production. Enjoy the Bond Moment, as Speedy introduces the awards for an actor team in Georgia USA.

Thai Golf, VICTORY and Vintage FUN

Golf is one of the BEST reasons to live in Thailand. Some of the guys at Satit Kaset competed in a tournament last week. Well, some competed and some drank beers. BANK, had a great round and won the entire tournament, but of course some of our coworkers, who need only to be referred to as JOES, focused more on the social aspect and drinking aspect of the game.

A photo says a thousand words. TOP we see Bank, the tournaments winner relaxing beneath the shade and eyeing his next shot. While BELOW we see the JOES preparing for their next shot while sitting in the club house lounge.

Speedy Finds ECHO pool at BOOKAZINE!

The excitement is building. Seeing my books on the shelves of a bookstore really makes it feel real -- a vision realized.

Thanks a lot to Speedy who took this photo at a Bookazine location on Sukamvit. Thanks for the heads up that Echo Pool is finally out there and ready to be HELD!

Don't let these books get dusty. Find one today and liberate it from the book store.

The Goddess Guards the Lake

This magnificent golden statue greets visitors to this mountain temple. Located to the north west of the Chinat province, some 2 1/2 hours outside of Bangkok. While checking out a possible camp site for Satit Kaset's up coming high school camp, we took time out to visit one of Thailand's most scenic temples. The calm which resonated within this compound was magnificent and inspiring. We all walked around quietly soaking in the peaceful Ora of this land mark.

One of the oddest aspect of the temple was that the monk who is most famous for teaching here is still preaching to visitors from beyond the grave. No it's not haunted, its just the wonderment of good old tape technology. As you walk by one of the small worship areas the voice of a monk rings out through high quality speakers, still spreading his vision of content, peace, and happiness. He passed away several years ago, but it's really cool that his lessons live on!

A direct LINK to buy from Bangkok Book House

A DIRECT LINK TO BANGKOK BOOK HOUSE TO BUY MY NEW BOOK!

Echo Pool is in a STORE NEAR YOU

YES! We are in stores in Bangkok. I received the following news from Bangkok Book House yesterday:

Hi Jonathon,
‘Echo Pool’ has been released today and will be delivered to all Bookazine branches today and tomorrow. Asia Books, B2S, Kinokuniya and smaller outlets will follow soon. Please calculate about 2-3 months for full distribution within Thailand and Singapore.

I am really excited! Please click on the title above, which is a direct link to Bangkok Book House, if you'd like even more information about their newest release. I still don't have a copy as they are mailing me a couple of free copies this week. So you could have one in your hands before I do.

Elephant Stay Seemingly a GREAT CAUSE

I have not visited this place, but from what I read on their website these guys really have a wonderful idea. Saving Elephants and trying to give them a peaceful and natural environment to live in seems WONDERFUL to me.

Please take a look at their web site by clicking on the title above and visiting their website.

Elephants in Thailand are sacred animals. If you want to experience them in their environment instead of behind bars, come visit us.

HARRY WHO?

One of my former students gave me a call last night to wish me well with my book. I thought that was really nice of him. Of course he made a point to mention that my book will release during the same week as Harry Potter and that might be some very difficult competition for ECHO POOL. Thanks PK for pointing this little hurdle out.

Actually I don't like to think of it as competition or rivalry, but if it is a rivalry I'd just like to wish J.K. Rowlings good luck I mean come one, a story about witches and wizards... I mean all of this stuff was really cool when Bram Stoker and Marry Shelly were writing about it in the late 1800s, but this is the 2000s, I got to think our society is beyond such things.

I mean come on, which would you rather read, a story about the suffering of a man struggling with his lost hopes and dreams or a boy wizard with a scar and a mysterious past and unforeseen future? J.K. I truly do wish you GOOD LUCK.

But since it is GAME ON as the Brit's love to say, I'd just like to remind everyone that when it comes to ECHO POOL the key is to remember the one book for one family member rule. What I mean is this, count every uncle, cousin, daughter, and son, any distant relatives who you need to make peace with through a gift and buy an ECHO POOL COPY and give it to them.

Sorry J.K., you didn't think of this incredible purchasing scheme. You are really in a sticky wicket now aren't you... My cricketing friend tells me this means something about difficult situation, well she's a Brit, she'll understand.

ECHO POOL HAS A PRICE

My new novel has been priced. It appears the dollar, being predicted to further slip against all major currencies, will up the price of the book. In the Kingdom of Thailand ECHO POOL will be selling at 395 Baht. This is a good price for a paper back here. But the international price is going to be at a 30 to 1 dollar exchange rate and so, it will be priced at $13.17 . Only a year ago the price would have been less than eleven dollars, but the buck just doesn't buy much now days. For this reason I am setting up a shipment of the books to the US so I can offer the book at less than full shipping rates. But I will only do this for the first 50 books and then see how bad the shipping rates are.

WANT THE BOOK? Then simply click on the title above and it will take you to a payment gateway where you can use PayPal or a major credit card to purchase the book, with shipping included, for just $15.00. Be sure to leave your mailing address.

This is a special http://www.siminoe.com/ offer which will not last.

The cover we decided against

The design team at Bangkok Book House created several designs for the cover for ECHO POOL. This one, although it is clear that the artist understood a great deal about the storyline of the book, we have decided against. I did appreciate the attempt to give readers a bit of detail about the plot, but in my opinion its too retro and a bit too busy.

We went for a more simple design. It is also more colorful. I worried that this cover, although cool, gives the impression that my novel is a mystery novel or a thriller of some kind. Actually ECHO POOL is a literary novel, so the action doesn't drive the story as much as the introspective narrative attempts to move the reader.

I'm going to wait a few days closer to the release date to show the ACTUAL COVER, but I'm happy with its color and simplicity of theme. I hope the novel will speak for itself.

If any of you who are reading this were ever in my life, you may want to read the novel just to see if you find a character which resembles you. Without a doubt, the characters in this book are people from my life, many of them renamed to protect them, but some of them I didn't even bother to change their names. Also, some of the characters are composites of friends, the humor of someone I know mixed with the life circumstances of someone else, etc. From 2ND grade on to now, the book will take people from my Nebraska days with wild drunken parties; to Colorado days where I studied at University and well wild drunken parties; to Bangkok where of course things are very tame and domestic -- yeah right. Anyway, I'm anxious to see who recognizes whom?

We should be on book shelves by the end of the month. I am beginning to get EXCITED!