Visit to WLEX Channel 18

Lately I have been very blessed to have had lots of attention drawn to my latest book, Pumpkin Guts. I have had articles about it in all of the local and regional papers, including the Kentucky Mountain News. I have had my book placed in local businesses such as Jiffy Mart and in local schools where it is available for both checkout and sale. My website and blog are getting lots of hits, and my book is selling very well on Barnes and Noble, Amazon, and Books-A-Million. However, it is my recent trip to WLEX Channel 18 that I want to write about today.


On Thursday, April 2nd, I was invited to WLEX in order to speak about my book and about my experience of being a Kentucky author. In case you don’t remember, I had been to their station a few years ago to talk about my previous book, Nose Pickin’. I will have to say that this trip was a lot easier than my first.


First of all, I was able to find the TV station a lot easier because I had been there before. I didn’t even have to look it up on Yahoo Maps or anything. I know that I just have to go to the Wal-Mart on New Circle Road right when we get into Lexington and go right on behind it.


Second, I wasn’t as nervous this time as I was the last time. I had been there before and I sort of knew what to expect. When I walked in the front door, the receptionist greeted me and had me sign in. After I had signed in, I was greeted by the station manager and taken to the “green room.” I was surprised that the green room wasn’t green. It is just called that because it is a place to relax and calm one’s nerves before appearing on TV.


My wife Lisa was with me that day. We have been together for nearly 18 years and married for nearly 17 of those years, and we are always there for each other. Just having Lisa with me that day was a big positive. We sat and watched the noon news through the door to the main studio. It was really cool watching the news take place live while we were watching it on the little TV in the green room also.


Soon, it was time for me to be interviewed. While the viewers at home were watching commercials and community announcements, I was being led into the studio and hooked up to a microphone. Both Lee Cruse and Chris Goodman welcomed me and chatted with me before the interview. Yes…they are both just as funny off camera as they are on camera! At one point, Chris Goodman meant to tell me to just ignore the cameras but said that I should just ignore them (Lee and Chris). Lee Cruse was like, “Wait a minute. He can’t ignore us…or it won’t be much of an interview.” Those guys just cracked me up.






And then….it was magic time. The cameras were rolling and I had to speak….whether I was ready or not. Amazingly, I found that I wasn’t one little bit nervous. I felt like I was talking to old friends. I guess that it is because I watch these fellows each day on TV. When you invite them into your home all the time, people on TV start to feel like old friends.


I had a great time talking about my book and how I wrote and illustrated it. I am really very proud of my book….especially the illustrations. I hope that you have a chance to read it. I also talked about my experiences as a National Board Certified Teacher. At the last minute, I remembered to give a shout-out to all the people in Breathitt County and LBJ Elementary. Hey…I couldn’t disappoint my home county! I knew that the kids at LBJ would be watching also.


In closing, I just want to let everyone know that I will be a guest at the Mountain Showcase at Buckhorn Lake State Park on April 18th. I will be signing copies of my book. If you are in the area, please stop by and say hello. I will be more than happy to personalize a copy of Pumpkin Guts for you. I am also going to set up a booth at the Arts Fair in Jackson this year. That seems like it will be a good opportunity for many local artists and writers. In addition, I have been invited to a signing in Pikeville this summer on June 22nd. It will be held at the Pikeville Library. Once again…if you are in the area then please stop by.


I want to thank everyone for being so supportive of this writer. Because when it comes down to it….a writer isn’t worth too much if there aren't people who are willing to read what he writes. Thanks for being one of my readers. I appreciate it!


Until next week, class dismissed!

Tending Your Garden!

It was such a relief to have a change in the weather yesterday. There has been so much death and disease lately in the lives of people around me. For a while, it seemed like every time I was turning around, someone was sick, dying, or dead. The power of the storm drove away some of the negative energy that was hanging around and made for more enjoyable days to come. True…it was a rather damp day but much improved from the cold which blanketed the area in the weeks before! I would rather have a warm, rainy day than a cold, dry day.

I love to go outside just before a storm. The air is charged with so much power. The more lightning…the better. I feel like I could do anything at times like this. I feel so alive. This is especially true when the rain begins to fall. The water that falls from the skies is part of a cycle that has been continuing since the beginning of time. Life began in water, and water still remains necessary to life.

Changes in the seasons bring about changes in our lives. The wheel has turned once again. As I drive to and from work each day, I see people plowing their gardens and preparing the soil for planting. Like these hard working gardeners, we can also take some time to prepare ourselves for change. If there is something that you want to change in your life, now is the time to plant the seed!

Perhaps you find yourself wanting more friends. Don’t just sit there! Get out and interact with others. Plant that seed of friendship. If you water it with love, compassion, and care…you will find yourself with many friends.

If you want a new or better paying job, start building your skills as a worker. If you plant that seed and tend it with hard work, education, training, and persistence…you will get that job you desire. Anything is possible. Everything in the world…and sometimes out of it…is within our reach if we will just get off our lazy behinds and actually reach for it.

And if love is something that you lack….begin now to sow the seeds which will lead to a full harvest. Improve your hygiene, increase your social skills, and actually get out there and try to meet some people with interests that are similar to your own. If you work hard at this and take the time necessary to plant these seeds, you will grow a true and lasting love. Just remember…things like this take time and patience.

How are you tending your garden? Right now is the time to prepare yourself for the upcoming season of growth. Don’t be afraid or feel unworthy to achieve happiness. Each of us has a right to gain happiness. Never let anyone tell you otherwise. There are too many unhappy people walking around on this planet.

Summer’s birth is near at hand
Growing sunlight on the land

A kiss of life as time awakes
We sense the spring of growing days

Prepare your fields and plant the seed
Growing wealth and love you need

A gathering of minds and men
In prayers the sun returns again

Just remember to never wait to do the things which make you happy. You may not have a chance tomorrow. Until next time…class dismissed!