The Compassion Experiment

I spent a good day or two this year trying to learn more about promoting my books and it was agony. So, I just stopped. And then I started writing more books, lol. In other news: I have two books available at your local library! Yes, you can now find not one, but two of my books, free of charge, through Indie Ontario and Biblioboard. And my books are available all over North America, so you can get my books in Vancouver, or New York City, via your local library. That's pretty cool. They don't charge anything and I don't make any money from it but it is a good way to get my books out there. And they are pretty picky, so it's cool that they accepted both books I submitted, which were:  Moose and Turkey and A Maggot Conspiracy. To learn more about Indie Ontario and Bilblioboard, check this link:   https://library.biblioboard.com/anthology/eaf4f849-020a-4c09-b181-94bddeff4d4 In Other Other news: I've been working hard at my newest writing project a...

Awarded the Award of Excellence!! I don’t know exactly when it was that I came up with the idea to publish 12 Books in 12 Months, I just know that I did it to impress a girl, one that would be out of my life before I even published my first book. I guess I can thank her though, for helping me come up with an ambitious plan that would nearly bankrupt me spiritually and creatively. In the end, I would publish a total of 13 Books in 12 Months, releasing the last book on Dec. 30, 2018. To say it was a lot of work would be stating the obvious. I had to learn how to: lay out an ebook, design a book cover, publish an ebook and how to promote it. Every month I had to juggle editing one book, while writing a second book and designing a book cover, while posting blogs and sending mass emails, it was exhausting. But it was a good way to distract myself from all the chaos and sadness in my life. To get a clearer picture of the emotions I was going through check out the chapter: Interv...

Here are the links to every book I've published to date: Book 1: 12 Books in 12 Months? Non-Fiction. Book Sampler. https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=Stud%21o+M%21ke   Book 2: A Maggot Conspiracy Fiction. Illustrated Novel. https://www.amazon.ca/s/ref=nb _sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dap s&field-keywords=Stud%21o+M%21 ke   Book 3: Moose and Turkey Fiction. Kids Book. https://www.amazon.ca/Moose- Turkey-Twelve-Month- Experiment-ebook/dp/ B07BN5GPSY/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8& qid=1521912069&sr=8-1& keywords=moose+and+turkey& dpID=61jysMwL5cL&preST=_SX342_ QL70_&dpSrc=srch Book 4: The Mars Experiment Vol. 1 Fiction. Sci-Fi/Fantasty. https://www.amazon.ca/Mars- Experiment-Stud-M-ke-ebook/dp/ B07BVVDXJD/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8& qid=1524600331&sr=8-2& keywords=the+mars+experiment& dpID=51Fz%252BgzrKSL&preST=_ SX342_QL70_&dpSrc=srch Book 5: The Mars Experiment Vol. 2...

The Mars Experiment Collection So, I beat my goal of publishing 12 Books in 12 Months by releasing Book #13 - lucky #13, please! - on Dec. 30, 2018. I think the word that best describes me is 'completist', though that word is usually used to describe collectors of useless items and their need to compete their collections. Wait! That word really does describe me. Completer of useless collections. See: book #13. Here is the link: https://www.amazon.com/Mars-Experiment-Collection-Volumes-1-4-ebook/dp/B07MP7RWJ1/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1546804157&sr=8-1&keywords=The+Mars+Experiment+Collection What was the most surprising thing about surpassing your goal? The first day after completing the 13 books I thought I'd relax and take it easy. After watching half a movie I found myself thinking: 'I'm just wasting my time watching this movie, I could be doing so much more'. I had been working so hard, for so many months, I hadn't realized that I ...

Well, when I started this journey, did you really think I was going to publish 12 Books in 12 Months? Don't worry, if the answer is no, you're not the only one who thought that, I didn't think I'd get it done either, but here we are, looking at a poster of the 12 books I published this year, at least half of which I wrote or re-wrote this year. I've spent the last 12 months writing, editing, working on layouts, designing book covers and of course, moving. Twice. It was a lot of work, let me tell you. Try writing/editing/laying out/designing and poorly promoting a book, then do it 12 times. Welcome to my 2018. You've just put out 12 books in 12 months, do you have any regrets? Yes. Coming up with the idea of publishing 12 Books in 12 Months.  That's a lot of unread books, do you have any favourites? Without question, my most well-liked and enjoyed book of the 12 is Moose and Turkey and I enjoy that one very much, especially the $5 I've made...

With November almost over, that means it's time to publish another book! I'm happy to announce the release of Book #11 of 2018, The Mary Agnes Foster Diaries. For those who are counting, this represents the 3rd non-fiction book of 2018. There are also a couple true stories in the short story anthology Little Surfer Girl. The description for the Mary Agnes Foster Diaries : "Mary Agnes Foster Diaries is a photo-documentary about the ups and downs of fostering a former puppy mill mama, named Mary Agnes. She came into the shelter as a terrified, skinny dog and l was drawn to her and wanted nothing more than to help turn her life around. This is the true story of how that happened." You can purchase it here: https://www.amazon.ca/Mary- Agnes-Foster-Diaries-Studio- ebook/dp/B07KVR7SFF/ref=sr_1_ 1?ie=UTF8&qid=1543433295&sr=8- 1&keywords=Mary+Agnes+Foster+ Diaries --  The irony of course, is that I never planned on releasing this book, it wasn...

With the tenth month of the year coming to a close, it's time to release my tenth book of the year, my collection of musical recollections, called My Wasted Youth. This is the book where I wrote the true stories and memories of every band I could remember seeing. A list that I stopped at 269 bands because I liked that number and because I got tired of writing them. I'd say the true number is closer to 500 bands but there a lot that weren't worth remembering, to be honest. Interesting facts:  - There are 269 bands on the list, but this number continues to grow.  - The first band that I ever saw perform was Glass Tiger in 1987. And the most recent concert was Elliott Brood at Super Crawl in Hamilton, 2018.  - The most concerts I saw in the span of two weeks was five. They included AC/DC , KISS , Rage Against The Machine , Korn and Shallow North Dakota .  - The only letters not represented on the list are X and Y.  - Furthest I travelled for a c...

The First Volume I did get this book up and published in September but the day I wanted to blog/email/FB about it, my internet was down. I'm happy to release book #9 of 2018, the third volume of my sci-fi/fantasy adventure, The Mars Experiment. If you haven't read the first two volumes this one would make no sense whatsoever. That being said, it is the most intense, funny and shocking of the three so far. The write up goes like this: The only monster on Mars, is man. The third instalment of The Mars Experiment Collection is fast-paced, dark and keeps readers on their toes until the final page. The good guys have taken control of the pod station and have things under control until their worst nightmare lands on Mars and throws the whole station into turmoil. Now, the good side and bad side will have to team up to fight an even bigger adversary. Will working together be enough to stop the slaughter? It can be purchased here: https://www.amazon.ca/Mars- Experiment-Thr...

It's not very often you get a chance to release a book that has the chance to make the world a better place and thats exactly what this book can do. Announcing the release of book #8 of 2018, the vegan cook book Compassionate Eating for Everyday Folk . Originally released in paperback in 2014, it sold out quickly and then sat on the shelf until yesterday when I spent the day updating, upgrading and turning it into an eBook, or eCook Book, if you will. The original cook book was in development for five years and every recipe is tasty, easy to make and well, just plain delicious. The write up for amazon goes like this: "Compassionate Eating for Everyday Folk is a vegan cook book that contains tasty recipes that respect the earth and your taste buds at the same time. Inside this cook book you will find mouthwatering compassionate recipes that have been taste-tested and enjoyed for years! Recipes like: Basil Linguine, Veggie Pot Pie, Veggie Chilli, Mac and Cheese, Carro...

Forest I'm happy to release book #7 of 2018, an action/adventure story titled Lost in the Wilderness . This has been the hardest book to complete this year, that's because this month I had to: 1. Write and complete the final half the book. 2. Do a first edit. 3. Design the cover. 4. Find pictures to be included in the book. 5. Layout the book in Vellum. 6. Do a second edit, in Vellum. 7. Upload it to Kindle Direct Publishing. 8. View the online preview and do a third edit. 9. Upload final version to KDP. 10. Write a blog about it. 11. Send a mass email 12. Post about it on Facebook. 13. Find an apartment - not completed. Daisy What is Lost in the Wilderness about? It is the weekend of Thanksgiving and Moose Morris-Middleton III is driving home from the family cottage in Northern Ontario, with his dog, Jazz, and his two cats Forest and Daisy. While driving home they hit a patch of black ice on HWY 400, the minivan hits gravel at the side of the road...

Book # 6! In my attempt to publish 12 books this year, I've now hit the halfway mark with Book #6, my short story anthology  Little Surfer Girl and other Tales of Hilarity and Horror. Hard to believe I've made it this far, considering all the craziness that has been happening in my real life. Releasing 6 books is a pretty big accomplishment. You can purchase Little Surfer Girl here: https://www.amazon.ca/Little- Surfer-Girl-Hilarity- Experiment-ebook/dp/ B07DYJ177V/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8& qid=1529763499&sr=8-1& keywords=Little+Surfer+Girl+ Studio+Mike My next book is going to be... actually, I haven't decided which book to release next. I've been kind of winging it this whole way, so your guess is as good as mine as to which book I'll release next. Been keeping myself busy with the successful Tribute Concert for Glynis Cunningham - I will write a longer post about that in the near future - we raised $1165 for the Oakville Milton Humane Society and ...

Book # 5!! I've been keeping myself busy with The Twelve Month Experiment and now with the Tribute Concert for Glynis Cunningham set for Sunday June 10, I'll be busier than ever. I still haven't found a new apartment and that's after looking for two months but my stay here is has been extended until the house sells, so fingers crossed I finally find the place I so badly need and that this house sells for the max price. Book #6 I worked hard on Book #5, The Mars Experiment, Vol. 2 and think that the layout and the overall look of the book is my best so far. Of course, if you haven't read the first volume, this book won't make any sense and that's ok. Dark sci-fi/fantasy isn't everybody's cup of tea, that's why for Book #6, I'll be putting out my Short Story Anthology titled 'Little Surfer Girl and other Tales of Hilarity and Horror ' and hope that it will appeal to a larger audience. All I have done at this point is the cov...

Happy to finally release this book upon the earth. The Mars Experiment is the most ambitious artistic project I've ever taken on and by releasing the first one, this means I have no choice but to finish the whole collection. This is one of the projects that is not complete, the first three volumes are 'in the can', as they say,  don't know who actually says that, but I do believe it is a term that means 'done'. The fourth volume is still in the procrastination stage, and to be honest, until I get my home life situation under control - 30 days left until I have to move out of my apartment and I have no place to move into - I probably won't be in the right state of mind to write about life on Mars. What is The Mars Experiment about? It is 2089 on Mars. A new wave of colonists have arrived into the complete chaos and lawlessness of an ungoverned society. The colonists live in a Pod Station built through the collaboration of the USA, Saudi Arabia and Rus...

I'm attempting to release 12 books in 2018 and with the release of my third book, Moose and Turkey , I'm 1/4 of the way to achieving my goal! It hasn't been easy, in fact, last week my new computer died and I had to take it in to get it fixed. Not only was I told I would lose everything I had saved on my new computer, but the warranty for my NEW COMPUTER! didn't cover anything and I was out of pocket $111. Luckily, they were able to save my books, so that's a good thing. It was a stressful time, though I've got tougher things coming soon but I'll save that for another blog. Moose and Turkey was my first attempt at writing a children's book and having to be PG and use kid-friendly language was a challenge because, you know, I'm a dirty old man with a twisted sense of humor, so that made it tough. But I did it and I'm super happy with the results. It's actually a pretty kick-ass book, so even if no one cares to read it, I'm still prou...