It is, perhaps the most important day of the year for this blog.

Time for me to announce 4 of my Top Favorite National Parks. Insiders information, and a brief History for each of these National Treasures.

I went a little deep into the lore, feel free to stop by just to check out the postcards.

What does a 3,000 mile bike ride, a trip to Lesotho, and a bunch of books have to do with my choice of an Alien Jester for my logo, and Alienjest Press for my imprint?

Well, here, I explain.

(Spoiler, not directly in the article,) The colors are a reference to Terry Pratchett’s book Color of Magic. Magic is described as Greenish Purple, and I thought: I can work with that.

Our parks are #worthfightingfor. Here are 10 interesting factoids which help explain why.

Did you know that the first National Park was Yellowstone, and it was established in 1872? Even though the National Park Service wasn’t established until 1920? How does that work? How many national parks are there? How many have dinosaurs- (fossils)?

Let’s find out.

In the 1960’s Postcards helped to save a National Park. It’s an encouraging tale of how small actions can have big effects, especially with growing communities.

Our National Parks, national treasures, are worth fighting for. Here’s the story how one woman, and the community around her, chose to fight.

Our National Parks are popular, but I want them to be even more popular! Our National Parks are worth fighting for.

And behind every single National Park. (All 433 of them) There are fascinating stories about the people who fought for them, why they still need our support, and how you can help.

This blog isn’t about that. It’s about a recent visit to Biscayne National Park. But the next blog will be. Stay Tuned!

14 Years ago, (a few months from now anyway,) People from 2 countries came together to celebrate not just the 4rth of July, but also 50 Years of Peace Corps Service in Lesotho.

64 years ago, today, the Peace Corps was established. It’s mission is ongoing, and I played a brief small part in it. As 1 of many volunteers, my service as a Science Teacher in Ha Sefako left an impact on me. From my fellow teachers and school staff, to the students, to the rest of the people in Ha Sefako, to the other volunteers, and the other Basotho of Lesotho, there are many interesting, and inspiring stories.

I’ve told some before, but let’s try again, with slightly better internet, and 14 more years of writing, if not 14 more years of skill. And let’s start simply: Happy Peace Corps day! Stay tuned.

Which National Park Do you want to be your Valentines?

As the date rolled closer, I couldn’t decide. So I started to make a list of the 9 parks I’d want to be my valentines. But then, the article took a turn. (and that turn took longer than expected.)

So a day late, and 5 park short, I wrote something else entirely. Please check this one out, and stick around to the end. I think I have a theme for the year now.

We’re just getting started.

Today, I would like to answer one of the most important questions in the Self-Publishing world:

Where do I publish my book?

Let’s explore the options for getting a Physical Copy of your book in yours (and your readers’) hands.

Including one of the Best Innovations in Self-Publishing last year! (if you live in the U.S.) I break down 3.5 of the best options for self-publishing print books.

So, you want to publish your book in 2025? I’m here to help. Or, at least offer introductory-level advice to get you started on your journey to publication.

This week, I hope to highlight the 10 main steps which will help you get your novel self-published.

Why? I’d like to see more authors out there. I don’t like to see authors fall into some of the biggest traps online, and it’s fun. This article is a highlight of the main points. If you want a more in-depth look at the 10 steps, check previous blogs.

Manuscript on hand? Idea you’re ready to put to page? Do you want to become a self-published author? There’s never been a better time! But only if you know what to do, (and what to look out for)

So let’s continue my guide.

This week we get a little more technical, so feel free to follow Step #7, and find other places to look for help. Also, look forward to a few more articles in the future hoping to expand upon, and simplify some of the ideas. But for now, let’s get you ready to publish.

It’s 2025, and perhaps you’ve decided it’s finally time to write that novel you’ve had on your mind for years! Or perhaps you’ve been sitting on a manuscript for a while and don’t know what to do next. Well, I’m happy to tell you that there is a light at the end of the writing tunnel. That light is Publication. And while traditional publication is challenging, self-publication has never been easier.

However, it’s also never been more daunting. With Generative AI, a plethora of technical choices, and people looking to scam you every step along the way, Publishing a book on your own may seem like a far-fetched task, but I’m here to tell you it’s not, and while this more general guide may only be enough to get your thoughts going, at least you’ll have an idea of some of the steps you could take to make self-publish your book today.

It’s time to start a whole new year! Lay out plans, structure new goals, and (most importantly for me on several fronts) WRITE.

A lot of that is incoming.

Come for the cute holiday gif. Stay to learn about what I will be up to in the coming year.

I hope and wish all of you a better 2025 than your 2024.

Aliens are real!

You’ve seen them!

Now, What are you supposed to do?

Fortunately, I have the guide for you!

This week I’ll teach you an important mnemonic for surviving a first alien encounter.

It’s funny, I was out walking a few years, when I saw a UFO. It zipped, way too quickly, between the stars hovering closer… and closer.

I raised my phone to capture a picture, or maybe a video, but it was too dark, too blurry and, despite its distinction against the night sky, too dim. None of the pictures worked. There I was, UFO sighting and no way to show it, or verify what I had seen.

However, the pilot made one mistake. It got just a little bit closer. That’s when I noticed the distinctive shape of an object often sold at Best Buy.

My UFO was a drone! It’s funny. Drones explain so many of our most recent UFO sightings, but now we’re explaining away the drones as potential UFO’s.

With UFO sightings at a peak, and Extraterrestrial Excitement way up, I think It’s time I release my guide on how to survive when Aliens Exist.

This week, I went on a quick research trip through southern Florida in preparation for Junior Ranger Investigative Club Novel #4!

Saw quite a few birds, and managed to take a picture of several of them. I also visited a really interesting shop which has been part of Greater Everglades History for more than a century!

The anhinga stared at me smugly after I had failed to capture video, as though he knew what I was attempting, and thus what I had missed. Little did he know, I was reflecting back on an early Floridian’s description of Anhinga’s as “water turkey.” I wonder if there’s a recipe out there for an alternative Christmas bird?

Sometimes it’s just fun to write about little bits of lesser known folklore.

Today, I thought I would share a bit about several seemingly paranormal stories believed to have taken place in Kentucky.

So check it out to learn about the Hopkinsville Goblin, The Kentucky Meat Shower, the little known but quite fun Stone-Gobbler!

Something spooky happened in Mammoth Cave! The Specter Detectors Chronicled it, but because Lucy Benitez is too afraid to watch their video, her amazingly kind friend transcribed the episode for her.

Find out what happened on the stairwell in Mammoth Dome, in an incident known as The Bloodening.

(This is the third part in a fictional tie in the Junior Rangers Investigative Club Novel The Specters of Mammoth Cave. The first two are also available.)

Amelia’s attempts to lure her friend Lucy into actually watching the Specter Detectors continues, as she writes about their first super haunting encounter in the depths of Mammoth Cave!

Lucy, you’ll like this one. Don’t be too afraid, we lived it.

(Authors note: This is a tie in with The Specters of Mammoth Cave and is part 2 of three in a spine-tingling Halloween story!)

Happy Halloween!

The Adventure begins! Something Spooky is happening in Mammoth Cave, and the Specter Detectors are on the case!

What will they find?

Because Lucy is too chicken to watch, I’ve started to transcribe these stories for her. This way, she should be able to read it without the goosebumps and nightmares. (This is just their intro, Lucy, and it doesn’t even have the screaming ghost, don’t chicken out!)

In this weeks blog, I reflect on a few recent milestones. Am I writing about my recent book signing because it was awesome? Yes! Am I writing this brief blog so that I have more time to finish my Halloween Special? Also, Yes!

Still the book signing went very well. The posters look really cool!