Spotlight Saturday: Guest Post and Giveaway with Kenneth Weene, author of Tales of the Dew Drop Inne

Hi, everyone!

Welcome to another edition of Spotlight Saturday at Darlene's Book Nook, where we feature authors and their books!

We will be joined today by Kenneth Weene.

About Kenneth:

Life itches and torments Kenneth Weene like pesky flies. Annoyed, he picks up a pile of paper to slap at the buzzing and often whacks himself on the head. Each whack is another story. At least having half-blinded himself, he has learned to not wave the pencil.

A New Englander by upbringing and inclination, Kenneth Weene is a teacher, psychologist and pastoral counselor by education. He is a writer by passion.

Ken’s short stories and poetry have appeared in numerous publications including Sol, Spirits, Palo Verde Pages, Vox Poetica, Clutching at Straws, The Word Place, Legendary, Sex and Murder Magazine, The New Flesh Magazine, The Santa Fe Literary Review, Daily Flashes of Erotica Quarterly, Bewildering Stories, A Word With You Press, Mirror Dance, The Aurorean, Stymie, and Empirical.

Ken’s novels, Widow’s Walk and Memoirs From the Asylum, and Tales From the Dew Drop Inne, are published by All Things That Matter Press.

CONNECT ONLINE WITH KENNETH:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Book Trailer (Tales From the Dew Drop Inne)

Welcome to Darlene's Book Nook, Kenneth!

Kenneth has written a guest post, so I will now turn the floor over to him! 

Firsts

by Kenneth Weene

I remember my firsts – first loves, first kiss, first… Well, you get the idea. And I remember that first:

It was a lovely fall day; I can still imagine the gold and russet colors of the trees and the honk of the geese as I walked from our bedroom to my office – a long ten-foot trek. I sat at my computer, which consisted of a tower, a heavy monitor, a keyboard, a printer that took up half the desk, and very minimal capacity. After some buzzing and burping the modem found what was then the Internet. I logged into my email and started reading.

“Yes, yes, yes!” My first poem had been accepted. I was going to be published. I was really a poet, an author. Immediate fantasies of Nobel Prizes and reviews in The Times crowded my head. -- Nobody has ever accused me of being reality bound.

With difficulty, my vision clouded by dreams, I read the email again. Paid? I was going to be paid. A copy of the magazine and money. Wow! I ran downstairs to tell my wife.

Having properly hugged, kissed, and congratulated me, Roz casually asked me how much.

I didn’t remember. Back upstairs to check. This time, with some churning, humming, and clacking from the printer, I printed out the email.

“Five dollars,” I announced proudly from the landing.

“We can go out for ice cream to celebrate,” Roz shouted back with her usual down-to-earth wry humor. “If we share, maybe a sundae.”

Was I deflated to realize how little the payment would be? No. No way. I was still ecstatic. Indeed, I thought I might just keep the check, a proper memento to a life begun.

A month later the nine-by-twelve manila envelope came. Ripping it open, I now held the precious magazine. It appeared to have been printed on a mimeograph or possibly a computer printer somewhat inferior to my own clacker. Its pink cover was only slightly heavier than the pages, and the entire was plastic spiral-bound. I wondered if anyone would buy copies besides the friends and family of the “publisher” and of course the fame-starved writers who would distribute them to their families as well. Needless to say, there was a form for my order clipped to the check—the check for five whole dollars. At three fifty per copy, I only needed to order a few copies for Mom, Dad, etc. and the “publisher” would have her profit.

I chose the ice cream instead: Butter pecan and coffee with fudge, whipped cream, and nuts. Roz and I laughed our way through the sweet, and for days she called me the Hot Fudge author.

That was almost twenty years ago. A lot has changed. We moved to Phoenix where the fall is non-existent. We don’t eat that many sweets. My computer is now a laptop; although I do have some extras, like an external monitor and keyboard, and of course a  laser printer. I use a cable modem now, except when I want to write on the patio and switch to wifi. Either way it is much faster.

What hasn’t changed is that I still write: poetry, short stories, and novels. I still use the Internet to find publishers and read with great excitement the emails telling me that my work will be published.

One other thing, an important one, has changed. I get quarterly checks, royalties, from my publisher when people buy my novels. Those checks haven’t made me rich. I haven’t heard any rumors of Nobels or even mentions in The Times, but the writing still thrills me and those acceptance emails still give me goose bumps.

Another thing has changed, and this change is very important. You can now check out my writing right here by clicking on the links that I provide. How cool is that? For example, you can listen to me read a prose poem.  Or hear one of my short stories. And, most importantly, you can learn about my books.

My newest is Tales From the Dew Drop Inne. Set in a small bar in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tales From the Dew Drop Inne tells the collective bittersweet stories of the people who make the place their home - people who have not fallen off the social ladder but who are hanging on desperately at the bottom. Their stories will make you smile, shed a tear, and most importantly care. Here’s the trailer for the book, and yes, it has a purchase link at the end.                                              

All three of my books, Dew Drop, Memoirs From the Asylum, and Widow’s Walk are available at Amazon.  They are all available in print, Kindle, and Nook.

Thanks so much for joining us today, Kenneth! 

Kenneth has generously offered paperbacks to three lucky winners! 

SYNOPSIS:

Set in a small bar in Albuquerque, New Mexico, Tales From the Dew Drop Inne tells the collective bittersweet stories of the people who make the place their home - people who have not fallen off the social ladder but who are hanging on desperately at the bottom.

 To enter the giveaway, you must complete the Rafflecopter entry form below.

This giveaway open to Canada and the United States only, and it will close on Saturday, March 24th at 12:01 AM EST.

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