Book on Nook!

Place: Istanbul |

Drink: Café Organico Indonesie coffee with milk |

For all of you out there with a Nook, you’re in luck: I’ve just made my first novel A Simple Game available on Barnes & Noble.  Let’s see how it does here against the rest of you Kindle readers (I saw somewhere how sales on Amazon tend to lead 3-to-1 for independent novels, so I’ll try my own experiment now).

It’s up just in time, too, for next Thursday my book and I will be the featured guests at the U.S. Consulate’s book club here.  I’m excited by the prospect – my first such public event – but I must admit to being a little nervous, too.  I mean, that’s my baby they’ll be discussing.  This must be how parents feel the first time Junior steps onto stage for an elementary school play: proud as hell but hoping the little tot doesn’t seize up or wet himself in front of the other parents and kids!

A lifelong friend of mine, who’s an artist and a philosopher, among his many talents, once gave me some good philosophical advice about art.  Don’t be surprised, he warned, when people see very different things in your creations then you ever intended.  During his first art show, he said, several people made remarks about his paintings he had never even considered.  He realized then just how much each of us brings our own unique experiences and perspectives to what we see – read or hear – which, I think, is one of the most amazing aspects of art.

Already, people have been asking me questions about my characters and plot, which seemed so obvious to me when I was “painting pictures” on the page while writing the book.  I’m guessing many more questions are headed my way, and I’ll be sure to let you know how my baby and I fare on Thursday!