Monday, July 31, 2017
Bushwhacking and Hiking a Passaconaway Slide Loop
The Passaconaway Slide Trail is an old "lost" trail that climbs an avalanche path to Mt Passaconaway, a 4000 footer in the Sandwich Range. While it's no longer signed or listed in the White Mountain Guide, it is possible to find the old route with a little bushwhacking saavy and a climb up the steep route, which comes out at a signed viewpoint at the summit.
The 1948 AMC White Mountain Guide describes the Passaconaway Slide Trail as follows:
This trail, ascending the mountain from the N, coincides with Downes Brook Trail (see below) as far as the foot of the slide. It leaves the Albany Intervale Road on the S a short distance W of the U. of N. H. Forestry School. Crossing Downes Brook four times, the trail reaches the slide on its L, 2 m. from the road. Painted arrows now indicate the driest and easiest routes up the slide. About halfway up, the slide turns sharply R and continues more steeply to its top. Care should be taken not to start rocks rolling. From the top of the slide the trail climbs steeply through thick woods, passing a series of outlooks to the N and joins the short trail between the two outlooks on the summit. As there is no sign where the Downes Brook Trail diverges at the foot of the slide, note that this slide is the first slide to be met, and is the only rock ledge slide. This trail is dangerous, especially after a rain, and is not recommended to amateur climbers. For this reason it is not signed. Distances. U. of N. H. Forestry School to foot of slide 2 m. (1 hr. 15 min.); summit 4 m. (4 hrs.).
The start of the route is fairly obvious approximately two miles up the Downes Brook Trail from Rt 302, but some off-trail finesse is helpful to find a good route through the debris at the bottom of the slide. One you start up the slide proper, old blazes and cairns are visible which still mark the trail, while a mellow waterfall flows down its center.
Part way up, the slide splits into two branches at a large, shallow pool. Follow the right hand branch by hiking up the rock lined gully between the two branches. A faint trail should be evident and runs back and forth across the slide as it climbs steeply through thick woods. If you look carefully, you can see indications of old trail maintenance (pruned branches and sawn logs) that indicate the route. While climbing, I could catch glimpses of the upper slide through the trees, which looked impossibly steep and wet to climb without climbing protection.
The slide ends at a gully at about 3500′ while the old trail keeps climbing up the ridgeline crest to the summit viewpoint through increasingly open woods. We didn't meet anyone until we reached the summit loop around Passaconaway, which was crawling with hikers on a busy summer Saturday.
From the Passaconaway summit, we followed the Rollins Trail to the cairn on top of Mt Whiteface, before following the Kate Sleeper Trail back to the Downes Brook Trail for the 5.2 mile hike back to our cars. It'd been 10 years since I last hiked the Downes Brook Trail in its entirety, which requires 11 stream crossings back and forth across the river. It seemed like yesterday because the trail hasn't changed that much during the interval, except for top of the trail where it meets the Kate Sleeper Trail.
This area has been trashed by wind, snow, and avalanche damage with a large number of blowdowns including multiple sections of trail that have been washed away. If you've considered hiking through this area in winter, I'd think again. I can't imagine being able to traverse the section on snowshoes, let alone find the trail in deep snow.
Most of the Downes Brook Trail is not blazed, which is common practice in White Mountain wilderness areas. There were a few places where we had to scout around to find the trail or it was overgrown by hobble bush and spruce. Just be patient and remember that the trail follows the river. Knowing that you can always hike downstream until you pick it up again if you lose the trail.
Climbing the Passaconaway Slide and looping back down the Downes Brook Trail is a great loop hike, but a long one, nearly 13 miles in length with close to 4000′ of elevation gain. Don't underestimate the difficulty of climbing the slide, which would require bushwhacking through dense vegetation on a steep slope unless you can find the old trail.
Recommended Guidebooks and Maps:
- Appalachian Mountain Club White Mountain Guide
- AMC White Mountain National Forest Map Set
- Exploring New Hampshire Map from the Wilderness Map Company
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2nd + Main by Create Properties in Mount Pleasant
On the corner of 2nd and Main Street is the new 226 residence building composed of 23 studios, 145 1-bedrooms, and 58 2-bedrooms. Vancouver based, Create Properties brings a unique vibe to their properties where you can live, work and play. This development will feature: a green roof for residents with garden plots and storage for gardening supplies, electric vehicle charging stations, four artist studios, bicycle stalls, 13000 square feet of retail space, and culture space.
This fabulous development is situated within walking distance to the Olympic Village, close to breweries and dining spots.
The post 2nd + Main by Create Properties in Mount Pleasant appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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2nd + Main by Create Properties in Mount Pleasant
On the corner of 2nd and Main Street is the new 226 residence building composed of 23 studios, 145 1-bedrooms, and 58 2-bedrooms. Vancouver based, Create Properties brings a unique vibe to their properties where you can live, work and play. This development will feature: a green roof for residents with garden plots and storage for gardening supplies, electric vehicle charging stations, four artist studios, bicycle stalls, 13000 square feet of retail space, and culture space.
This fabulous development is situated within walking distance to the Olympic Village, close to breweries and dining spots.
The post 2nd + Main by Create Properties in Mount Pleasant appeared first on Vancouver New Condos.
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Sunday, July 30, 2017
Outdoor Retailer 2017: Editor’s Choice Gear Picks
Outdoor Retailer is a trade show held every summer where gear manufacturers come together and show off the gear they plan to bring to market in the upcoming year. It's a very social event where you get to catch up with old friends, drink a lot of beer together, and try to figure out what the most promising new products will be in the upcoming year. My focus at these shows is to look for new gear that I can use on trips and adventures and that I think my readers will benefit from knowing about.
Here are the most interesting new products that I saw at Outdoor Retailer 2017.
Osprey's Levity and Lumina Ultralight Backpacks
Osprey Packs has new ultralight backpacks, the Levity and Lumina, which will be available this autumn. Both will be available in men's and women's-specific versions in 60L and 45L sizes and cost $270 and $250. All four packs are top loaders with a non-detachable top lids and a large wrap-around solid stretch pocket that provides plenty of external storage for water bottles, extra clothing layers, or wet gear. Both packs use the ventilated mesh AirSpeed frame system which has a partially visible wire aluminum frame with top and bottom cross pieces for rigidity.
The Levity and Lumina are made with a lightweight, durable, and nearly waterproof fabric that Osprey calls NanoFly. It's an abrasion resistant mix of 100 denier Cordura nylon and (UHMWPE) ultra high molecular weight polyethylene that is in the same wheelhouse as the cuben fiber composites used by some cottage manufacturers. It will be interesting to see if the Levity and Lumina packs will impact the popularity of the ultralight backpacks sold by them or whether they'll be able to innovate in time to compete head-to-head with Osprey.
| Name | Sizes | Volume | Pounds | Kilograms | Load Range |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Levity 60 | S | M | L | 57 | 60 | 63 | 1.82 | 1.83 | 1.84 | 0.83 | 0.83 | 0.83 | 10-30 lb | 4-13 kg |
| Levity 45 | S | M | L | 42 | 45 | 48 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 1.77 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 5-25 lb | 2-11 kg |
| Lumina 60 | WXS | WS | WM | 53 | 56 | 60 | 1.82 | 1.82 | 1.83 | 0.82 | 0.83 | 0.83 | 10-30 lb | 4-13 kg |
| Lumina 45 | WXS | WS | WM | 38 | 41 | 45 | 1.75 | 1.76 | 1.76 | 0.79 | 0.80 | 0.80 | 5-25 lb | 2-11 kg |
One notable omission on Osprey's Levity and Lumina packs is the lack of hip belt pockets and hip belt padding. While their larger and heavier packs still have hip belts and pockets, I think Osprey wants to to make the case that form fitting nature of their AirSpeed mesh frame eliminates for the lack of a beefy hipbelt. That's a pretty bold statement and it will be interesting to see how customers react to it when these new packs reach market. An updated Exos and a new women's-specific Exos, called the Eja, also have the same mesh hipbelt as the Levity and Lumina.
Gregory Packs Optic and Octal Ultralight Backpacks
Gregory Packs also announced four new men's and women's ultralight backpacks which will be available in Spring 2018. The men's Optic will be available in 58L and 48L sizes that weigh 2.52 lbs and 2.47 lbs, while the women's specific Octal will be available in 55L and 45L sizes, weighing 2.34 lbs and 2.31 lbs.
Both packs have an ultralight 7001 aluminum UL frame with a ventilated back panel and leaf spring lumbar pad. The pack bodies are made with 100 denier high tenacity nylon with a 210 denier high tenacity nylon base for durability. The top lids of the packs can be removed to reduce weight and both include a stretch mesh front pocket. Unlike Osprey's Levity and Lumina packs, Gregory's UL packs have beefy hip belts and large hip belt pockets.
Granite Gear Crown2 38L Backpack
Granite Gear announced a lower capacity 38L version of the wildly popular 60L Crown 2 backpack that came out earlier this year. The 38L Crown 2 weighs 2.265 lbs when configured with a top lid, frame sheet, and adjustable hip belt. All of those components are removable though, depending on your needs, bringing the pack's weight down to a measly 1.3 lbs for fast and light day hikes or overnight adventures. The 38L Crown 2 will be available in men's and women's specific models with an MSRP of $184.95. I think the 38L Crown2 will be great for one-nighters or as a technical day pack and can't wait to try it out.
Big Agnes Goose Creek Deluxe Hammock
Big Agnes has entered the hammock market with two gathered end hammocks, the Goose Creek Deluxe (12 oz) and the UL Headwall (6 oz). The Goose Creek Deluxe Hammock has an integrated sleeping pad sleeve that's compatible with any inflatable sleeping pad with multiple attachment points to fit a variety of different pad sizes and shapes. You can also configure your pad to have a bend under the knees to help prevent knee hyperextension, a common user problem with many short or narrow hammocks where it's difficult to sleep on a diagonal.
Big Agnes AXL and Insulated AXL Sleeping Pads
Big Agnes also has several new sleeping pads that push the boundaries on ultralight inflatable sleeping pad weights. The AXL Air (9 oz) and Insulated AXL Air (10 oz) are full size 20″ x 72″ pads with a reflective heat layers. Big Agnes also introduced their first ever foam pad, the 12 oz Third Degree Pad, for use under an inflatable pad in extreme winter and alpine conditions.
Sierra Designs High Side 1P Tent
The Sierra Designs High Side is a new 1 lb 14 oz single person, side-entrance bivy style tent designed for solo trips and bikepacking in mind. It's small pack size and pole length (12.5 inches) make it an interesting option for trips where keeping your load size to a minimum is important. It has an MSRP of $280 USD.
Western Mountaineering Quilts
Western Mountaineering has two new ultralight quilts, the 11 oz Nanolite ($330) and the 16 oz Astralite ($400). Both quilts have 7 denier shells with 850+ fill power goose down. They are available in regular 5'8″ and long 6'4″ lengths and have yoke-shaped top draft collars to help seal in heat around a person's neck and shoulders. I suspect that Western Mountaineering is feeling competitive pressure from quilt manufacturers that is eroding sales of their ultralight warm weather sleeping bags and that these new quilts are a competitive response.
| Name and Length | Temp (F/C) | Total Weight (oz/h) | Fill Weight (oz/g) | MSRP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanolite 5'8"/175 cm | 38 F / 3C | 11 oz / 312 g | 6.5 oz / 184 g | 330 USD |
| Nanolite 6'4"/195 cm | 38 F / 3C | 12.5 oz /354 g | 7.25 oz / 206 g | 345 USD |
| Astralite 5'8"/175 cm | 26 F / -3C | 16 oz / 454 g | 10.5 oz / 298 g | 400 USD |
| Astralite 6'4"/195 cm | 26 F / -3C | 17.5 oz /496 g | 11.25 oz / 319 g | $15 USD |
MSR Windburner Duo Stove Systems
MSR has several new radiant stove and cook pot systems built around a remote, decoupled version of the Windburner radiant stove for people who want to cook for a group and not just boil water. The new Duo stove stores inside the pots for ease of packing and has a very stable stove base that's a big improvement over the top-heavy, single-user, Windburner system.
ENO Fuse Side-By-Side Hammock System
If you've ever want to position your hammock next to a companions' at night, but couldn't find two pairs of aligned trees to hang from, look no further. The Eno Fuse lets you hang a pair of hammocks side-by-side from the same tree, separated by spreader bars. It's an ideal solution for hammocking couples or families, so you can sleep next to a child who needs a little more assurance when hammock camping.
Rab Mythic 200 Sleeping Bag
Rab introduced the Mythos 200, a 16.5 ounce down mummy bag rated for 34 degrees that's filled with 900 fill power goose down and has a silky 7 denier Pertex Quantum inner and outer shell. The Mythos is a 1/4 zip bag with a trapezoidal baffle chamber design, snag-free zipper guards, and an internal draft collar.
Sea-to-Summit Alpha Cook Pots and Pans
The new Alpha Series Cook Pots are made with a lightweight, hard-anodized alloy with a polished internal surface, while the Alpha Pans have a durable PFOA-free Halo non-stick surface. The pots are stamped with internal volume measurements and the base is textured for better stability on camp stoves. The pot lids have build-in colander holes for straining pasta or nice, as well as fold-away handles that lock the lids in place for transport. The Alpha Pans also have fold-away handles and are compatible with the pots, so you can nest them inside each other for easy transport.
| Model & Description | Weight |
|---|---|
| Alpha Pot 1.2L | 6.6 oz |
| Alpha Pot 1.9L | 8.1 oz |
| Alpha Pot 2.7L | 9.6 oz |
| Alpha Pot 3.7L | 11.9 oz |
| Alpha Pan 8" | 8.6 oz |
| Alpha Pan 10" | 11.8 oz |
Exped Hyperquilt
The Exped Hyperquilt combines the best properties of a quilt and a mummy sleeping bag with an optional integrated hood. Weighing 18.2 oz, the Hyperquilt is insulated with 800+ fill power goose down and has a 20 denier ripstop nylon shell. It connects to sleeping pads using a toggle-based sheet system and is also available in a two person, two hood model for couples. When not needed, the hood opening cinches shut so cold air doesn't leak into the quilt.
Wenzel Shenanigan 5
Wenzel has a fun new pyramid shelter designed for car camping and music festivals called the Shenanigan that sleeps 5. Priced at $120 (a great deal), it has mesh covered windows which zip close in the event of rain.
Other Notable Products
- Petzl has a new USB rechargeable 200 lumen headlamp call the BINDI that weighs 35 g with an elastic cord headstrap.
- Katadyn launched a 3L gravity version of their BeFree water filter system.
- Katadyn acquired Steripen last week in order to increase their share of the water filter and purification market.
- Osprey introduced a new daypack called the "Hike," available in 18L and 24L sizes.
- Sealline has a new line of compression stuff sacks with air purge valves.
- NEMO has a great new rocking camp chair called the Stargazer that makes it easy to view the stars at night.
- Cutter announced a new mail-away, DNA-based Tick Test that tests ticks (but not people) you pull off your skin for Lyme Disease. Their lab provides a response within 3 days, so you can initiate treatment quickly if advised by your doctor.
- CamelBak has a new vest-style hydration pack called the Chase Bike Vest. Designed for cyclists, the tool pockets are designed to hold bike tools to help counter balance the water weight in the hydration bladder.
- Good To Go has a new dinner flavor called Chicken Gumbo.
What strikes your fancy?
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Beach Bun Twist Hairstyle Tutorial
Sometimes the beach gives you better hair, and other time you just want to pin it all back. For those days, I love the beach bun twist hairstyle tutorial.
This is a simple bun hairstyle, but it takes it up a step with a cute twist detail.
It's really easy to do and almost anyone can do it no matter what type of hair you have. It takes less than two minutes to do and I even shot a video on location at the beach {without a mirror!} to show you how to do it.
Beach Bun Twist Hairstyle Tutorial
Click here if you can't see the video above
Styling tips
Adjust the twist to suit your face
The low bun at the back is the foundation of this style and the twist around it can really be adjusted to suit you and your hair.
Maybe you prefer a centre part or a side part, or you like a little bit more volume on top of your head. This is where you can adjust it to really make it suit you and your hair.
Thick hair variations
If you have really thick hair, I'd recommend putting your hair into a low ponytail first before doing the bun. It helps hold a little bit of the weight of your wet hair.
Also instead of bobby pins try spin pins. These pins really do the work of around 20 bobby pins each.
Fine hair variations
If you have fine hair, you may hate doing a bun hairstyle because it looks like you don't have any hair at all. But the trick is not to twist too tight. Instead of creating a tight bun, I'd like to create more of a flat pancake style bun. By doing a loose twist and pressing it up and down as I twist around, you create the illusion a larger bun and it gives the impression of having more hair.
Otherwise you can also try this style using a small donut bun or some hair padding to create a bit more impact.
But I wouldn't worry about having a small bun. Big buns are popular now but I like them all sizes. Rock the hair you've got and get back to having to having more fun on the beach.
Bonus styling tip
Keep a bottle of leave-in conditioner in your beach bag. While the sea salt can give me great curls, it can also dry out my hair. I always use a leave-in conditioner on wet hair to add a little bit of moisture back into my hair. The conditioner also helps make my hair easier to style and softer once it dries.
I hope you like this tutorial and let me know if you give it a try! You can tag me #hairromance on Instagram so I can see your styles.
Let me know what tutorial you'd like to see next xx
The post Beach Bun Twist Hairstyle Tutorial appeared first on Hair Romance.
from Hair Romance http://ift.tt/2hdSlQw
Beach Bun Twist Hairstyle Tutorial
Sometimes the beach gives you better hair, and other time you just want to pin it all back. For those days, I love the beach bun twist hairstyle tutorial.
This is a simple bun hairstyle, but it takes it up a step with a cute twist detail.
It’s really easy to do and almost anyone can do it no matter what type of hair you have. It takes less than two minutes to do and I even shot a video on location at the beach {without a mirror!} to show you how to do it.
Beach Bun Twist Hairstyle Tutorial
Click here if you can’t see the video above
Styling tips
Adjust the twist to suit your face
The low bun at the back is the foundation of this style and the twist around it can really be adjusted to suit you and your hair.
Maybe you prefer a centre part or a side part, or you like a little bit more volume on top of your head. This is where you can adjust it to really make it suit you and your hair.
Thick hair variations
If you have really thick hair, I’d recommend putting your hair into a low ponytail first before doing the bun. It helps hold a little bit of the weight of your wet hair.
Also instead of bobby pins try spin pins. These pins really do the work of around 20 bobby pins each.
Fine hair variations
If you have fine hair, you may hate doing a bun hairstyle because it looks like you don’t have any hair at all. But the trick is not to twist too tight. Instead of creating a tight bun, I’d like to create more of a flat pancake style bun. By doing a loose twist and pressing it up and down as I twist around, you create the illusion a larger bun and it gives the impression of having more hair.
Otherwise you can also try this style using a small donut bun or some hair padding to create a bit more impact.
But I wouldn’t worry about having a small bun. Big buns are popular now but I like them all sizes. Rock the hair you’ve got and get back to having to having more fun on the beach.
Bonus styling tip
Keep a bottle of leave-in conditioner in your beach bag. While the sea salt can give me great curls, it can also dry out my hair. I always use a leave-in conditioner on wet hair to add a little bit of moisture back into my hair. The conditioner also helps make my hair easier to style and softer once it dries.
I hope you like this tutorial and let me know if you give it a try! You can tag me #hairromance on Instagram so I can see your styles.
Let me know what tutorial you’d like to see next xx
The post Beach Bun Twist Hairstyle Tutorial appeared first on Hair Romance.
from Hair Romance http://ift.tt/2hdSlQw
Saturday, July 29, 2017
IndieView with E.A. Barker, author of Ms Creatn: The Wrong Doers!: Life with Women: The Long Awaited Instruction Manual
I had found some peace when a smart woman came along who just could not see how her behavior was completely driven by what Freud called id―her base urges.
E.A. Barker – 29 July 2017
The Back Flap
This book was created for everyone from young adults to seniors. It was written from a male's point of view, speaking to men who are endlessly struggling to understand the opposite sex. For women, this is a fascinating journey inside the male psyche. The book gives a young reader a glimpse of the future, with a recommended timeline for key life events. Mature readers, who have already experienced much of what is discussed in the book, should come away with a new found understanding and perhaps even closure. Ms. Creant is a controversial, entertaining, yet informative look at everything which influences human behaviour including: relationships, life, health, biology, philosophy, sociology, theology, politics, genetics—even physics. E. A. Barker shares twenty-four "inappropriate" stories of life with women. The author based these stories of women behaving badly on his real life experiences, spanning four decades of his search for an ideal partner. The lessons taken away from the book will serve to help readers make better choices, become more aware, grow and change—at any stage of life.
About the book
What is the book about?
Ms. Creant is a guide to the things we are not taught but need to know. It is a book about our journey through life and how we must seek awareness or be doomed by repetitive behavioral patterns. It is centered on relationships as there is no better place to learn about ourselves than through our interactions with others.
When did you start writing the book?
I began researching and making notes in 2009.
How long did it take you to write it?
The short answer is two years spread over a seven year span―one year of research and one year of writing―omitting the seven months it took to produce and distribute the book. I always struggle to answer this question because Ms. Creant kept evolving. It began as a simple memoir to benefit my coming of age nephews. Then the research was added, but I did not want the book to read like a textbook so I began adding all the politically incorrect humor to lighten things up a bit. It was at this point that I just wanted to publish it as an eight chapter e-book and call it a day, but it was not to be. My alpha reader said she wanted more. Ms. Creant 24 popped into my life and she also encouraged me to make the book everything it could be. I pulled some related ideas from the early chapters and wrote two more chapters to fully develop those thoughts. I sent what I thought was a pretty good manuscript off to a professional editor and later, while sifting through the thousands of errors, I thought up yet another new ending that I really liked. Chapter eleven represented the third and final time I would write The End.
Where did you get the idea from?
Without creating any spoilers, I had found some peace when a smart woman came along who just could not see how her behavior was completely driven by what Freud called id―her base urges. She was an emotional mess, but instead of learning about herself, she used her vulnerability to wreak havoc on the local male population.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I struggled with my inability to see my own mistakes. I must have read Ms. Creant twenty times prior to sending it to my editor, but what came back shook my confidence. I hired a proofreader once I had completed all the revisions and she found things I was incapable of seeing. It mystifies me how I cannot see a missing word or period in my own work.
What came easily?
I am one of the fortunate ones; I do not suffer from writer's block. Words just pour out of me onto the page, so much so at times that I need to keep a pad nearby so I can keep up.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
I definitely borrowed.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I am quite sure I have been influenced by other writers, but I really cannot say who, how, or to what extent.
Do you have a target reader?
I tried very hard to write a book for every mature guy on the planet as well as all the open-minded women of the world who are not easily offended. Truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I write with the idea that everything needs a beginning, a middle and an ending; whether it is a sentence, a paragraph (blurb), a chapter (blog) or a book. Sometimes you need fresh eyes to make a piece better so I write first and sort it the next day. When I speak of sorting, I am talking about content editing where we ask questions like: Is this necessary? Is this tangential? Is this redundant? Does this belong here or would it be better somewhere else? Does this thought need to be fleshed out?
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just write chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
In the early going, I did produce a VERY flexible outline mostly so I could begin to associate my narrative with the research and the related stories (case studies). It was a way of filing which ultimately led to the creation of chapters.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you've finished?
I try to edit as I go, but my editor, who I picture in my head as Ilsa of the SS, probably would not believe it. I do tend to write first and then proofread the section I wrote.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes. She came highly recommended, but I could only afford a single pass so all the final revisions were on the shoulders of my proofreader. I believe she did a great job of keeping me from looking like a moron.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No. I need quiet to hear the voices in my head.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I naively chased some fifty agents and publishers with a less than perfect pitch from a first time author lacking credentials and a writing platform. I had no chance.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher?
I have O.C.D. (Obsessive COMPLETION Disorder) I wanted to complete what I had begun and there are days where I question my decision.
Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I suppose it is a gradual process. You reach a point where you are getting nowhere with traditional publishing, yet you are heavily invested in terms of your time. It seems a shame to shelve your hard work and, in my case at least, your ego kicks in and says, I'LL SHOW THEM! I'll self-publish and sell a million copies. I'll have them all begging at my doorstep, and I won't return their calls, just like J.K. Rowling. (Still more evidence of my naiveté.)
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
A little of both; I took the photo, created a mockup, and had my publisher produce the cover I wanted. To their credit, it was their idea to reverse the photo to create the back cover.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
". . . of mice and men."
Oh, there was a plan―a real world comprehensive marketing strategy that would have put 100 copies of the book in the hands of mainstream media reviewers around the globe. There was to be advertising in magazines in support of the book's launch, promotional items, and books submitted to legitimate awards competitions, but everything hinged on a budget that did not materialize. This left me to do the best I could with what I had and plunged me into the low yield on-line book marketing arena.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
DON'T DO IT!
RUN AWAY!
SAVE YOURSELVES!
All kidding aside, here is my TOP 12 THINGS I WISH I KNEW before going on this ride:
1) YOU ARE IN BUSINESS. Businesses have costs whether measured in time, money or productivity. The best business advice I ever received was: "Leave your ego at home."
2) AGENTS AND MAJOR PUBLISHERS are part of a small tight-knit traditional publishing community that only bet on sure things, and they have installed a great many roadblocks to keep indie books out of their playground. Don't waste your time, envelopes or stamps on them.
3) YOU MUST NOT HAVE ANY ILLUSIONS about success being about the work. I was told by a publishing industry veteran that no one would publish War and Peace in today's market.
4) DO NOT EXPECT TO BE A BREAKOUT AUTHOR; the odds are literally one in a million. If you always wanted to publish a book, you have the money to put out a quality product, with still more money to market it effectively, then you have a chance to recoup your costs and buy a pizza or two when all is said and done.
5) SPEAKING OF MONEY . . . everybody will be after yours once word gets out that there is a new fish in the pond. BE REALLY CAREFUL and research these people thoroughly. One stop self-publishing companies, editors, formatters, cover designers, PA's, publicists, book fair promoters, twitter marketers, web developers, pay to review sites, pen and coffee cup peddlers, pay for awards sites, and associations looking for membership fees will inundate your in-boxes. Most of the so-called "industry experts" (consultants) are failed authors who have taken what they have learned and made a career of helping newbies fail as they did.
6) SOCIAL MEDIA is a horrible investment of your time. You will make some friends and garner the attention of some bloggers and reviewers which will help you to rationalize why you do it, but only 1% of social media followers become book buyers. Do a little but don't get sucked into believing that ads or campaigns will sell more books. They don't.
7) INTERNET MARKETING does have value. E-mail campaigns give you a much better return on investment. My statistics show a 10% return to be typical, and this interview resulted from an e-mail campaign.
8) Do not send out unprotected digital ADVANCE READER COPIES or you will one day wake up to find your book on a pirate site.
9) Many REVIEWERS want an ARC or galley three months prior to the release of the book. Some reviewers will only look at books that are less than six months old. Others will only review books in print. At most you have one year to get a mainstream review. Many mainstream publications will not review indie releases. Some mainstream publications will not review foreign releases.
10) Most MAINSTREAM LITERARY AWARDS will not consider indie releases because they did not go through an editorial selection process.
11) If you publish using AN AMAZONIAN COMPANY to produce your POD books, it is doubtful you will ever make a sale in a brick and mortar bookstore. I begged two bookstores to order a friend's book for me but they refused. They would rather pass on a sale than support the entity that is crushing them. The hostility level is that high.
12) DO NOT BELIEVE UNQUALIFIED ALPHA READERS! They are friends, fans or relations who will say you are as good as Hemmingway without ever having read his work. They encourage us but we must not allow our egos to be blown up by anything less than a real review in a mainstream publication.
(Proposed new question:) Would you do it again?
Not unless the costs, measured in both time and money, are recouped. I can now put AUTHOR on my resume and venture out into the world to see where that title takes me. This is a tough business and there is little about it I would miss.
(Proposed new question:) What are the positives?
There are some great people you would never have known were it not for this crazy adventure. Reviews are really a highlight. You hear there is a new one and you begin to rock back and forth sitting in the corner clutching your knees as someone reads it to you.
About You
What would you like readers to know about you?
I'm just a boy―standing in front of a bookstore―asking them to love me.
What are you working on now?
I'm trying desperately to maintain some semblance of sanity for another four months until I reach the finish line.
End of Interview:
For more from E.A. Barker visit his website, follow him on Twitter or like his Facebook page.
Get your copy of Ms Creatn: The Wrong Doers!: Life with Women: The Long Awaited Instruction Manual from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2w8Kqqb
IndieView with E.A. Barker, author of Ms Creatn: The Wrong Doers!: Life with Women: The Long Awaited Instruction Manual
I had found some peace when a smart woman came along who just could not see how her behavior was completely driven by what Freud called id―her base urges.
E.A. Barker – 29 July 2017
The Back Flap
This book was created for everyone from young adults to seniors. It was written from a male’s point of view, speaking to men who are endlessly struggling to understand the opposite sex. For women, this is a fascinating journey inside the male psyche. The book gives a young reader a glimpse of the future, with a recommended timeline for key life events. Mature readers, who have already experienced much of what is discussed in the book, should come away with a new found understanding and perhaps even closure. Ms. Creant is a controversial, entertaining, yet informative look at everything which influences human behaviour including: relationships, life, health, biology, philosophy, sociology, theology, politics, genetics—even physics. E. A. Barker shares twenty-four “inappropriate” stories of life with women. The author based these stories of women behaving badly on his real life experiences, spanning four decades of his search for an ideal partner. The lessons taken away from the book will serve to help readers make better choices, become more aware, grow and change—at any stage of life.
About the book
What is the book about?
Ms. Creant is a guide to the things we are not taught but need to know. It is a book about our journey through life and how we must seek awareness or be doomed by repetitive behavioral patterns. It is centered on relationships as there is no better place to learn about ourselves than through our interactions with others.
When did you start writing the book?
I began researching and making notes in 2009.
How long did it take you to write it?
The short answer is two years spread over a seven year span―one year of research and one year of writing―omitting the seven months it took to produce and distribute the book. I always struggle to answer this question because Ms. Creant kept evolving. It began as a simple memoir to benefit my coming of age nephews. Then the research was added, but I did not want the book to read like a textbook so I began adding all the politically incorrect humor to lighten things up a bit. It was at this point that I just wanted to publish it as an eight chapter e-book and call it a day, but it was not to be. My alpha reader said she wanted more. Ms. Creant 24 popped into my life and she also encouraged me to make the book everything it could be. I pulled some related ideas from the early chapters and wrote two more chapters to fully develop those thoughts. I sent what I thought was a pretty good manuscript off to a professional editor and later, while sifting through the thousands of errors, I thought up yet another new ending that I really liked. Chapter eleven represented the third and final time I would write The End.
Where did you get the idea from?
Without creating any spoilers, I had found some peace when a smart woman came along who just could not see how her behavior was completely driven by what Freud called id―her base urges. She was an emotional mess, but instead of learning about herself, she used her vulnerability to wreak havoc on the local male population.
Were there any parts of the book where you struggled?
I struggled with my inability to see my own mistakes. I must have read Ms. Creant twenty times prior to sending it to my editor, but what came back shook my confidence. I hired a proofreader once I had completed all the revisions and she found things I was incapable of seeing. It mystifies me how I cannot see a missing word or period in my own work.
What came easily?
I am one of the fortunate ones; I do not suffer from writer’s block. Words just pour out of me onto the page, so much so at times that I need to keep a pad nearby so I can keep up.
Are your characters entirely fictitious or have you borrowed from real world people you know?
I definitely borrowed.
We all know how important it is for writers to read. Are there any particular authors that have influenced how you write and, if so, how have they influenced you?
I am quite sure I have been influenced by other writers, but I really cannot say who, how, or to what extent.
Do you have a target reader?
I tried very hard to write a book for every mature guy on the planet as well as all the open-minded women of the world who are not easily offended. Truth is sometimes a hard pill to swallow.
About Writing
Do you have a writing process? If so can you please describe it?
I write with the idea that everything needs a beginning, a middle and an ending; whether it is a sentence, a paragraph (blurb), a chapter (blog) or a book. Sometimes you need fresh eyes to make a piece better so I write first and sort it the next day. When I speak of sorting, I am talking about content editing where we ask questions like: Is this necessary? Is this tangential? Is this redundant? Does this belong here or would it be better somewhere else? Does this thought need to be fleshed out?
Do you outline? If so, do you do so extensively or just write chapter headings and a couple of sentences?
In the early going, I did produce a VERY flexible outline mostly so I could begin to associate my narrative with the research and the related stories (case studies). It was a way of filing which ultimately led to the creation of chapters.
Do you edit as you go or wait until you’ve finished?
I try to edit as I go, but my editor, who I picture in my head as Ilsa of the SS, probably would not believe it. I do tend to write first and then proofread the section I wrote.
Did you hire a professional editor?
Yes. She came highly recommended, but I could only afford a single pass so all the final revisions were on the shoulders of my proofreader. I believe she did a great job of keeping me from looking like a moron.
Do you listen to music while you write? If yes, what gets the fingers tapping?
No. I need quiet to hear the voices in my head.
About Publishing
Did you submit your work to Agents?
I naively chased some fifty agents and publishers with a less than perfect pitch from a first time author lacking credentials and a writing platform. I had no chance.
What made you decide to go Indie, whether self-publishing or with an indie publisher?
I have O.C.D. (Obsessive COMPLETION Disorder) I wanted to complete what I had begun and there are days where I question my decision.
Was it a particular event or a gradual process?
I suppose it is a gradual process. You reach a point where you are getting nowhere with traditional publishing, yet you are heavily invested in terms of your time. It seems a shame to shelve your hard work and, in my case at least, your ego kicks in and says, I’LL SHOW THEM! I’ll self-publish and sell a million copies. I’ll have them all begging at my doorstep, and I won’t return their calls, just like J.K. Rowling. (Still more evidence of my naiveté.)
Did you get your book cover professionally done or did you do it yourself?
A little of both; I took the photo, created a mockup, and had my publisher produce the cover I wanted. To their credit, it was their idea to reverse the photo to create the back cover.
Do you have a marketing plan for the book or are you just winging it?
“. . . of mice and men.”
Oh, there was a plan―a real world comprehensive marketing strategy that would have put 100 copies of the book in the hands of mainstream media reviewers around the globe. There was to be advertising in magazines in support of the book’s launch, promotional items, and books submitted to legitimate awards competitions, but everything hinged on a budget that did not materialize. This left me to do the best I could with what I had and plunged me into the low yield on-line book marketing arena.
Any advice that you would like to give to other newbies considering becoming Indie authors?
DON’T DO IT!
RUN AWAY!
SAVE YOURSELVES!
All kidding aside, here is my TOP 12 THINGS I WISH I KNEW before going on this ride:
1) YOU ARE IN BUSINESS. Businesses have costs whether measured in time, money or productivity. The best business advice I ever received was: “Leave your ego at home.”
2) AGENTS AND MAJOR PUBLISHERS are part of a small tight-knit traditional publishing community that only bet on sure things, and they have installed a great many roadblocks to keep indie books out of their playground. Don’t waste your time, envelopes or stamps on them.
3) YOU MUST NOT HAVE ANY ILLUSIONS about success being about the work. I was told by a publishing industry veteran that no one would publish War and Peace in today’s market.
4) DO NOT EXPECT TO BE A BREAKOUT AUTHOR; the odds are literally one in a million. If you always wanted to publish a book, you have the money to put out a quality product, with still more money to market it effectively, then you have a chance to recoup your costs and buy a pizza or two when all is said and done.
5) SPEAKING OF MONEY . . . everybody will be after yours once word gets out that there is a new fish in the pond. BE REALLY CAREFUL and research these people thoroughly. One stop self-publishing companies, editors, formatters, cover designers, PA’s, publicists, book fair promoters, twitter marketers, web developers, pay to review sites, pen and coffee cup peddlers, pay for awards sites, and associations looking for membership fees will inundate your in-boxes. Most of the so-called “industry experts” (consultants) are failed authors who have taken what they have learned and made a career of helping newbies fail as they did.
6) SOCIAL MEDIA is a horrible investment of your time. You will make some friends and garner the attention of some bloggers and reviewers which will help you to rationalize why you do it, but only 1% of social media followers become book buyers. Do a little but don’t get sucked into believing that ads or campaigns will sell more books. They don’t.
7) INTERNET MARKETING does have value. E-mail campaigns give you a much better return on investment. My statistics show a 10% return to be typical, and this interview resulted from an e-mail campaign.
8) Do not send out unprotected digital ADVANCE READER COPIES or you will one day wake up to find your book on a pirate site.
9) Many REVIEWERS want an ARC or galley three months prior to the release of the book. Some reviewers will only look at books that are less than six months old. Others will only review books in print. At most you have one year to get a mainstream review. Many mainstream publications will not review indie releases. Some mainstream publications will not review foreign releases.
10) Most MAINSTREAM LITERARY AWARDS will not consider indie releases because they did not go through an editorial selection process.
11) If you publish using AN AMAZONIAN COMPANY to produce your POD books, it is doubtful you will ever make a sale in a brick and mortar bookstore. I begged two bookstores to order a friend’s book for me but they refused. They would rather pass on a sale than support the entity that is crushing them. The hostility level is that high.
12) DO NOT BELIEVE UNQUALIFIED ALPHA READERS! They are friends, fans or relations who will say you are as good as Hemmingway without ever having read his work. They encourage us but we must not allow our egos to be blown up by anything less than a real review in a mainstream publication.
(Proposed new question:) Would you do it again?
Not unless the costs, measured in both time and money, are recouped. I can now put AUTHOR on my resume and venture out into the world to see where that title takes me. This is a tough business and there is little about it I would miss.
(Proposed new question:) What are the positives?
There are some great people you would never have known were it not for this crazy adventure. Reviews are really a highlight. You hear there is a new one and you begin to rock back and forth sitting in the corner clutching your knees as someone reads it to you.
About You
What would you like readers to know about you?
I’m just a boy―standing in front of a bookstore―asking them to love me.
What are you working on now?
I’m trying desperately to maintain some semblance of sanity for another four months until I reach the finish line.
End of Interview:
For more from E.A. Barker visit his website, follow him on Twitter or like his Facebook page.
Get your copy of Ms Creatn: The Wrong Doers!: Life with Women: The Long Awaited Instruction Manual from Amazon US or Amazon UK.
from The IndieView http://ift.tt/2w8Kqqb
Thursday, July 27, 2017
Mountain Weather: Backcountry Forecasting for Hikers and Backpackers
"Mountains make their own weather." I'll never forget hearing that from the friend who introduced me to trip planing and accident analysis. It's a sobering and important lesson for anyone who climbs above timberline across exposed terrain on backpacking and mountaineering trips.
Written by Jeff Renner, Mountain Weather explains how mountains influence weather patterns and what to look for when planning your own trips. "Life in high places exists by meteorological consent."
The book begins with simple introduction to understanding warm and cold fronts, how they influence weather patterns on the ground, and how to recognize pending atmospheric conditions based on cloud formations. Illustrated with easy to understand diagrams, you can quickly understand the significance of cloud observations in the field.
Renner pays considerable attention to thunderstorms, the most frequent weather related hazard experienced by outdoor adventurers. He explains the mechanism that cause lightning and thunder, the different stages in the development of a thunderstorm, how long they last, where they occur relative to mountains, and how to arrange your travel schedule to avoid them…"Move high in the morning. Get low in the afternoon."
What should you do it a thunderstorm is moving toward you? How long do you have to act before it overtakes your position? How can you mitigate your risk if the thunderstorm is on top of you? How should you treat a victim if they are hit by lightning? If you've ever been caught out in a thunderstorm, had lightning strike a tree or ground near you, or been hailed-on by a black cloud directly overhead, you'll understand the significance of this information. It's happened to me a handful of times and not something I ever want to experience again.
Thunderstorms are not the only weather related danger faced by hikers and backpackers. Renner explains how to avoid and escape flash floods, wildfires, avalanches, high winds, and hypothermia – which are all weather-related dangers and phenomena.
Armed with this knowledge, how does one apply it when planning a trip and before you set out on day one. Renner advocates compiling a pre-trip "weather briefing" and walks you through how to interpret the forecast information available from NOAA and other information services.
This is the best explanation of how to interpret the forecasts that meteorologists share with one another, weather radar, satellite photos, and avalanche forecast in the context of trip planning risk assessments that I've found anywhere. Combined with local weather wisdom, these weather briefings provides an excellent basis to make go-no go decisions about trip objectives and plans. Renner also includes chapters on weather patterns region by region across the U.S., highlighted by reference maps.
If you lead trips for outdoor clubs, work as a professional guide, or you want to expand your backcountry skill set, Mountain Weather is a highly readable guide to understanding backcountry weather forecasting and risk assessment. Renner has also recently published a shortened laminated fold out field reference called Mountain Weather Pocket Guide: A Field Reference which you may also find useful.
Jeff Renner serves as Chief Meteorologist at Seattle's KING Television; he's forecast weather in the northwest since 1980, holding a degree in Atmospheric Science from the University of Washington. Jeff has served as a board member for the American Meteorological Society and regularly serves as a guest contributor on the Weather Channel.
Disclosure: The author purchased this book with his own funds.
| Support SectionHiker.com. If you make a purchase after clicking on the links above, a portion of the sale helps support this site at no additional cost to you. |
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2uImqea
Mountain Weather: Backcountry Forecasting for Hikers and Backpackers
“Mountains make their own weather.” I’ll never forget hearing that from the friend who introduced me to trip planing and accident analysis. It’s a sobering and important lesson for anyone who climbs above timberline across exposed terrain on backpacking and mountaineering trips.
Written by Jeff Renner, Mountain Weather explains how mountains influence weather patterns and what to look for when planning your own trips. “Life in high places exists by meteorological consent.”
The book begins with simple introduction to understanding warm and cold fronts, how they influence weather patterns on the ground, and how to recognize pending atmospheric conditions based on cloud formations. Illustrated with easy to understand diagrams, you can quickly understand the significance of cloud observations in the field.
Renner pays considerable attention to thunderstorms, the most frequent weather related hazard experienced by outdoor adventurers. He explains the mechanism that cause lightning and thunder, the different stages in the development of a thunderstorm, how long they last, where they occur relative to mountains, and how to arrange your travel schedule to avoid them…”Move high in the morning. Get low in the afternoon.”
What should you do it a thunderstorm is moving toward you? How long do you have to act before it overtakes your position? How can you mitigate your risk if the thunderstorm is on top of you? How should you treat a victim if they are hit by lightning? If you’ve ever been caught out in a thunderstorm, had lightning strike a tree or ground near you, or been hailed-on by a black cloud directly overhead, you’ll understand the significance of this information. It’s happened to me a handful of times and not something I ever want to experience again.
Thunderstorms are not the only weather related danger faced by hikers and backpackers. Renner explains how to avoid and escape flash floods, wildfires, avalanches, high winds, and hypothermia – which are all weather-related dangers and phenomena.
Armed with this knowledge, how does one apply it when planning a trip and before you set out on day one. Renner advocates compiling a pre-trip “weather briefing” and walks you through how to interpret the forecast information available from NOAA and other information services.
This is the best explanation of how to interpret the forecasts that meteorologists share with one another, weather radar, satellite photos, and avalanche forecast in the context of trip planning risk assessments that I’ve found anywhere. Combined with local weather wisdom, these weather briefings provides an excellent basis to make go-no go decisions about trip objectives and plans. Renner also includes chapters on weather patterns region by region across the U.S., highlighted by reference maps.
If you lead trips for outdoor clubs, work as a professional guide, or you want to expand your backcountry skill set, Mountain Weather is a highly readable guide to understanding backcountry weather forecasting and risk assessment. Renner has also recently published a shortened laminated fold out field reference called Mountain Weather Pocket Guide: A Field Reference which you may also find useful.
Jeff Renner serves as Chief Meteorologist at Seattle’s KING Television; he’s forecast weather in the northwest since 1980, holding a degree in Atmospheric Science from the University of Washington. Jeff has served as a board member for the American Meteorological Society and regularly serves as a guest contributor on the Weather Channel.
Disclosure: The author purchased this book with his own funds.
|
Support SectionHiker.com. If you make a purchase after clicking on the links above, a portion of the sale helps support this site at no additional cost to you. |
from Section Hikers Backpacking Blog http://ift.tt/2uImqea