I don’t usually do roundup type posts, but I have a few things to tell you about and none of them I felt I could stretch to fill an entire post, so I thought I’d rope them all together and herd them into a corral somewhere on this imaginary dude ranch I call a blog. So, giddy-up those little piggies. Do pigs giddy-up? I told you, I’m no expert at roundups.
Today is the last full day of Obama’s presidency and I hope he does something weird with it, like fill the Oval Office with testicle-shaped balloons or put glue in the First Stapler. You know, just go crazy with it. But seriously, I’ll miss the guy. I’m split about whether or not he was a great president, but he represented the USA very well with his style, grace and gravitas. Although his foreign policy left a lot to be desired and he spent most of his first term struggling with a muddied domestic message, history I think will be very kind to him based on the ACA alone. Yes, it’s a deeply troubled piece of legislation, but it’s the first of its kind and it took serious balls to get that thing passed and then defend it like it was the Alamo. Hopefully, the once impossible dream of national healthcare will remain a reality and will survive and evolve into something we can all be proud of. No matter who else in the future tries to put their name to it, it’ll always be to his credit in my mind.
Thanks, Obama.
“No problem. Be good. I’m outta here… I’m taking the jet with me, though. Trump’s got his own. He won’t mind.”
In other news, guess who landed a promo-spot on BookBub? ME! Yes, the most influential and successful email marketer of e-books finally selected my Grant Scotland omnibus, The Unlikely Spy, for a spot on their daily newsletter. As most of you probably know, I’ve performed several painful experiments over the past couple of years with other email marketers and came to the conclusion (along with basically every other self and traditionally published author) that BookBub is the only one truly worth it. The entrance price is steep, but everyone who has ever been featured on their newsletter has received a decent return on investment as well as a huge increase in distribution, at least for the length of the promo at any rate. How did I do it? Well, I told them the omnibus would be discounted down to a crazy cheap $1.99 for a few days and would be offered on Nook, Kobo and Apple as well as Amazon. I think that’s the killer combo they like to see.
I’ll update the blog/Facebook page/Twitter etc when the deal goes live.
I made some New Year’s resolutions. I committed myself to writing two short stories and the next installment in the Grant Scotland series by year’s end. One story is almost finished and the other is about 30-40%. The next Scotland book is all just notes for now, but there are ALOT of notes.
Oh, and I resolved to lose weight. Again. Sweet treats, this is tough! Word of advice to anyone still in their thirties – start adopting healthier eating habits than you had in your twenties. Your waistline will thank you in your forties. Your wallet, too. You’ll save a TON of money on the number of forklifts needed to move your gigantic ass around.
“Morning, Dan! Where would you like me to place your left buttock?”
And finally, the Adventures of Grant Scotland blog tour rolls on! Today, we’re being featured at T’s Stuff. Stop by and read an excerpt from Greedy Villain and a brief interview. Each blog I stop at has a little different dose of excerpts, guest posts and interview questions, so be sure to check them all out. You can find a list of all the stops here. FYI – Some sites have switched dates so you might have to hunt around a bit. You can also find updated links to all the stops as they happen on the Grant Scotland community page.
That’s it! Are you ready for tomorrow? Are you ready for the next four years? Things are about to get real interesting, that’s for sure.
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“When you’re going through Hell, keep going.” – Winston Churchill
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This Tone of Voice 
Thanks for your round-up. I agree 100% with your assessments.
Regarding weight loss—I lost 30 pounds on my Tootsie Roll™ diet. No matter what diet you want to use, you need to count calories, always thinking that whatever you eat next may prevent you from consuming a particular something later, as it would put you over your count for the day. I probably was eating an average of 2,200 calories a day, which is why I ballooned in my thirties and forties. I started my diet at 2,000 calories a day, and when the weight loss leveled off, I went down another 100 calories for my daily total. I am now at 1,500 a day, and looking into what to trim to go to 1,400 per day—or I will add a bit more exercise into the day while going to 1,450 calories instead. The Tootsie Roll™? My reward at the end of the day when I have kept my daily calories (with the ‘cost’ of the treat included) within the limit I set. And, it is a great way to cause my doctors’ eye brows to rise when starting to discuss my diet. You do not have to live on crackers and pickles; you still can have many choices on the menu, as long as your total calories for the day are maintained. Goals are nice, but only go to the next level of restriction when you are comfortable to do so. If I lose just ten pounds this year, I still will be quite happy…and not killing myself to get there is the right way to be happy with the process.
Best to everyone in the new year, and during the new, unpredictable political administration.
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