My first book goes to press

I can't die any time soon.  I've got 5 more books over the next 2 years in the planning stages, and I really need to have a minimum of 10 titles to be taken seriously as a small publisher.  So stay tuned.

PirateJohn's™ Most Unique™ Guide To Motorcycling in Northeastern Florida, 2005 edition, went to the printer a few days ago and we seem to have worked out the last technical details on the cover as of yesterday.  So now I can relax.  Sort of.  I've been joking about going on a 2-week drunk in celebration but what I'm actually going to do, weather permitting, is to go riding down in the Everglades this weekend and start gathering material for another book.  So if you are around Yeehaw Junction, FL this weekend and see a red-eyed old motorcyclist, that may well be me.

Which could be interesting, because it's supposed to rain cats and dogs all weekend.  And in the Everglades there is a serious lack of shelter.  I don't mind getting wet, but playing lightning rod is another matter.  And down there, one missed corner and about 30 seconds of bubbling water later you become a weekly episode on CSI Miami.  They really do have 'gators on the hoof down there, and the little bit of fencing that you see isn't to keep the 'gators inside a compound, it's to separate the 'gators from the tourists, who the 'gators view as a food source.

And the Indians ... let's just say that not everyone living down there welcomes the round eyes.  I've seen the signs.  And I really don't blame them.  At one time the Seminoles controlled all of Florida and Georgia, and now they are isolated in the Everglades. 

Anyhow, folks have told me for years that I should write.  My 2nd ex- talked constantly about being a writer but in the eight years that we were together I never saw her put one word on paper for commercial purposes.  It ain't that easy.  Even in this exciting day and age of POD (print on demand) technology you still have to have a commercial model for getting your books developed, produced, and marketed.  I've known more starving authors than I have known authors who did this on a full-time basis.  And I've known a few who have lost their asses financially, to be blunt about it.

So here I am, not only writing my first highly opinionated book, but also setting myself up as a fledgling publishing company and planning to market my series of books myself.  Whew!  Wish me luck.  As the expression goes, I'm going to need it.

Whether there will be printed copies of the Northeastern Florida available in time for Bike Week is a matter of speculation right now.  I would like to have them -- Daytona Bike Week is the primo event in this part of the USA -- but if we miss that goal by a week or two it's not the end of the world.  At least I have a helluva head start on the 2006 edition ;)

I you are interested in purchasing a copy of my book please watch my website at www.BuccaneerPress.com.  They aren't on sale yet because I didn't want to promise delivery in time for Bike Week and then not be able to deliver.  If it should become obvious that the book will not be available in time for Bike Week I will likely offer a *FREE* downloadable .PDF version for a week or two, just so that we get the word out there.

Everyone that has seen the book seems to get a laugh out of it.  It's a tour guide, in PirateJohn's somewhat unique style.  I discuss the good, the bad, the mainstream, and the weird.  Old brothels, where serial killers hang out, where notorious outlaws and rock stars met their demise, etc. And some other really neat places, some obscure and some so well known that everyone needs to make a pilgrimage to see 'em.  There is a lot of history down here in Northern Florida, but there is also a lot of history in other parts of this country. 

And then there's the subject of riding in Mexico.  Damn ... I cannot wait to start to put my stories together on that book ;)

This weekend being a possible exception, we have started to have some really nice weather here in Jacksonville.  Whereas the rest of the country seems to have snow everywhere, we have had balmy temps and bright, sunny skies.  The next few weeks and Bike Week look promising, although traditionally Bike Week always gets some chilly weather and some rain (last year it rained constantly for 10 days, and that too is unusual).

Y'all have fun, and get out of the house this weekend if you can!

The Beginning

Greetings!

Frankly, I am curious about this blog-thang and thought that I would explore and experiment a bit.  Yours Truly has managed a joke list for years (there should be a link to the HumourList on the left there somewhere) and has been a bit of a presence on the 'net for what seems like forever.  I've been around long enough to see the technologies and environment change and we appear to be at another crossroads today as blogs take over and newsgroups are dying off rapidly as a form of sharing meaningful discussion. 

Welcome!  Hopefully we can share some tales of motorcycling, travel, and just all around positive living here during the next several months.

Once again, discussing links on this site, there is a link to my current website at PirateJohn.com where you can see several of my travel tales and other rants from over the years.

At BuccaneerPress.com you can watch as I struggle to get a publishing company off of the ground.  That effort is also going to be a multiple beer discussion.  My last several months have been dedicated to getting my first book into print.  At this point it is looking very, very good (I was at a bike club meeting last night, was showing some of the guys a photo of them that I was going to use, and everyone wanted a copy -- so that sounds like a positive sign) but I am right on the border of having sample copies available for Bike Week.  Exposure at Daytona Bike Week isn't critical to the sales effort, but it sure would have been nice to have that put together a month ago so that I could be out there promoting the book.  Oh well ... ;)

Y'all take it easy.  I'll be back to post later.