#ASMSG

Notes on Kindle Unlimited for Authors

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment

bookshelf-1082309_1280

One of the most common questions I get asked when discussing my books is, “What is the Kindle Unlimited program?” When I answer those questions and mention the word “subscription,” most people will snap their fingers as the light bulb of recognition goes off in their head. They’ve seen the advertisement, they tell me, but never clicked on it. Not surprising, really. I know I skip over subscription services all the time. Then again, I’ve also signed up for a few as well. And the very fact that there are so many different types of subscription services out there speaks to their success.  It seems that everything from razors to underwear and all points in between can be covered by a subscription to a blog, a retailer, or a lifestyle consultation site. Continue reading →

Rheumatoid Arthritis: #RASucks

/ dvemac2013 / 2 Comments

hands-699486_640

I dropped the tiny screw for what must have been the fifteenth time. Instead of trying to fumble with my stiff, thick fingers to pick it back up and start the process all over again, I simply stared at it. For nearly twenty minutes I’d been trying to thread a tiny screw into the hole in the drawer rail and attach it to the side of the drawer. This would complete the assembly of the first of six drawers that would eventually go in my new dresser. Sweat was beading on my forehead and my hands had started to shake.

I knew I was fighting a losing battle…..I just didn’t want to admit it. Continue reading →

Storm Tide Rising Update #STR

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment

Published Kindle Cover 1

I have been fielding a lot of questions from friends and readers about how my second book is doing, so I figured I would post a quick update about Storm Tide Rising, the sequel to Officer of the Watch and second installment in the Blackout series. This book has been out for right at a month now (technically one day shy, but who’s counting?) and the sales have been awesome so far! I crunched the numbers this morning, and as of right now I have sold 1,029 copies of Storm Tide Rising through the Kindle system!! Continue reading →

First Aid On A Budget #KPS

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment
GEDSC DIGITAL CAMERA

Expanded Kit in the box

A few weeks ago I wrote a post about First Aid and how even in common household situations it is a good idea to have some basic First Aid supplies and knowledge on hand. It only takes a small slip with a chef’s knife for an evening cooking dinner to turn into a trip to the urgent care center or emergency room for stitches. Having the proper supplies on hand and knowing how to use them can sometimes save hundreds of dollars in doctor’s bills and insurance costs. Continue reading →

Storm Tide Rising Print Cover #STR

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment

 

Print BookCoverPreview

I’m working right now on designing the paperback version for my upcoming book Storm Tide Rising, the second installment in the Blackout Series.  This is a preview of the cover design that I’ve been putting together.  Let me know what you guys think, and I’ll keep posting updates as I get the interior layout and design finalized.  The paperback should be ready to release by the 4th when the Kindle version goes live if everything goes according to plan (fingers crossed).

Thanks for reading!

UPDATE: Black Out Series #STR

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment

The release of Storm Tide Rising a little more than a week and a half away and I am getting very excited! This book has been more than a year in the making, and I know a lot of you have been looking forward to it for a while now. I want to thank you for your patience while I worked my way through the manuscript and editing process. Most of this book, like Officer of the Watch, was written in the late night/early morning hours after work, kids, and everything else had been put to bed for the day. I put the final edits on the manuscript today, and it’s an awesome feeling to finally see that hard work finally finished.

Along with the launch of Storm Tide Rising, I have designed a new and updated cover for the first book in the series, Officer of the Watch. The new cover is currently available only on the Kindle version, but I’m working on updating the paperback as well. I will also be offering a limited run of signature series First Edition copies of Officer of the Watch soon, so stay tuned for details.

Storm Tide Rising is available now on Kindle Pre-order (here), and will be available for direct purchase on April 4th. I’m working on the cover layout and internal design for the paperback, and should have that available by the end of April as well. And, for those of you who are already looking ahead, I am hard at work on the manuscript for the third book in the series, Zero Hour.

Thank you all for your love and support, and as always….Thanks for reading!

DWM.

First Aid Basics

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment

 

first-aid-908591_1280

When looking into the basics for disaster and survival preparedness, there are a few staples that cannot be ignored. Food, water, security, and First Aid are typically the big four that most specialists will agree are absolutely necessary. Secure these four things and you’ve gone a long way to ensuring your immediate, if not overall, survival. I did a post on finding water a couple of months back, and today I want to talk about another of the big four survival necessities; First Aid. Continue reading →

Flint Knapping Intro: Painful Lessons

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment
GEDSC DIGITAL CAMERA

Some of my early obsidian points and a field found paleo-style blade

I’ve talked about flint knapping a little in my books and I figured it’d be good to let people know what that really is.  At its most basic, the skill or art of flint knapping is the shaping of stone to make blades, points, and other implements.  When you think about the classic, often inaccurate image of Native American combat, you think of bows and stone-tipped arrows, spears and tomahawks.  Those stone projectile points, weapon blades, and tools such as drills, grinders, scrapers, needles, fishing hooks, harpoons, and dozens of others were all possible with skilled flint knapping. 

 However, from the time the first European settlers set foot in North America, the art of flint knapping was on borrowed time.  And, for a while, it nearly disappeared completely from the cultural lexicon of America.     Continue reading →

My Rookie Year

/ dvemac2013 / Leave a comment

pv3a

This time last year, I was finishing up what I thought would be the final round of edits on my manuscript and working on getting a cover design for my first complete novel. I published Officer of the Watch on February 23rd, 2015 and I remember telling my wife, “Well, even if no one ever buys it, at least I can say I did it. I published a book.”

A year later, I’ve sold just shy of eleven thousand copies—10,699 as of writing this and counting. Continue reading →