The Muse’s Challenge — A Christmas Story for Little Red Bear

October 27, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

Do you recall the ‘Writing Muse’ that I have mentioned before? The one that awakens me anytime between 3-5am in the mornings with writing and other creative ideas and inspirations? Well, she paid me a visit this morning right at 5am, with an idea for a Christmas themed short story featuring Little Red Bear. She openly challenged me to have it completed for the holidays and is really adamant about it. I have learned over time that one should never decline the challenge or assistance of a determined muse!

So, despite an already overloaded schedule, Little Red Bear and I began work this morning on a Christmas Story. But a lot needs to be accomplished in a short time to pull this one off. Muses never really give much weight to schedules, working on Celestial time as they do.

As I said, the muse is insistent this be done and the story seems to be coming to mind rather quickly, so Red and I will be very busy to get it all completed in time for the approaching holidays. Probably need to place some large chocolate and honey orders to get us thru this one!

I mentioned that her name should maybe be changed from “Creative Inspiration Muse” to “Last Minute Muse”, but she didn’t see the humor. I guess it may have been too early in the morning for that, even for a muse.

Thanks as always for visiting with us. Please wish us well with so much to do and pull together. We’re off now to get to work and will keep you posted on our progress over the next few weeks. — Jim (and Red!)

christmas-tree-1

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Stories on Amazon.

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages and Fitness Levels!

About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.

Book Reviews: Here Today, Gone Tomorrow

October 13, 2016October 13, 2016 / jrmilson / 11 Comments

Let me start off by saying that Little Red Bear and I do not live or die with book review comments, positive or negative. I write the stories that are in my head and as Red tells them to me, and we hope some others enjoy them along the way. A writer focusing on and being influenced by comments, positive or negative, runs the risk of the writer no longer writing their stories anymore, but rather writing for feedback reward, or stopping altogether if they allow their spirit to be crushed by negative feedback. Reviews are most important to me as guideposts to help lead others to my work.

Most folks I know look about as forward to the prospect of leaving a book review as they do to a root canal. There seems to be a back-of-the-mind memory association with grade school and book reviews, especially when one clicks on the Amazon “Leave a Review” tab and is confronted with all of their suggestions. It can be intimidating, and think may scare people away. So book reviews seem to be as hard to find as a needle in a stack of needles to begin with.

Last year, a gentleman purchased the print version of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” directly from Amazon. “Verified Purchaser” as they say, the very best kind. He liked it very much and left a 5 Star review. His wife picked up the book and read it this past summer, just about a year later, loved it, and went to leave her own review last week. Not only was her review not posted, but his review was removed as well, a year later. I can only surmise that it was because the second review was possibly coming from the same Amazon account ID, and to Amazon smacked of review manipulation. They also both follow my Facebook personal and writer pages, which is how he found out about the book in the first place. That is how it’s supposed to work, isn’t it?

If authors are strongly encouraged to invest great time and effort building social media platforms to promote their work to followers (and by default, build Amazon sales), if the number of reviews is a criteria in determining whether Amazon itself promotes your book to others or not, if securing a review at all is so very difficult, and if they remove any reviews which even hint of a connection to an author thru social media, then there is a piece of this circular logic that I am missing.

If I do not actively promote my book to interested followers, how do they find out about it? If I do promote my book to interested followers and then their reviews are subsequently removed, how do others find out about it? And yet I see review after review on Amazon for both books and products with the phrase “I obtained this item for Free in exchange for an unbiased review.” So apparently it is okay to give your book away to a total disinterested stranger for a review, but a “Verified Purchaser” review is subject to removal because they are interested and may follow you on social media somewhere. Having one’s review blocked or removed is not exactly strong encouragement to ever attempt to leave another, for anyone.

To quote the King of Siam in “The King and I” — “It’s a puzzlement.”

So sharing this information for other writer friends who may be similarly affected, along with a link for more information to check out — “Why Has Amazon Removed My Book Review” by k-lytics.

Thanks as always for visiting! Little Red Bear and I are just going to keep telling stories and enjoying ourselves, regardless of what Amazon does or doesn’t do, because that’s simply how we roll here. Here is a link for “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler” and there is one below. Following me here, your book review may not be posted, but you should probably read it anyway just for fun. — Jim (and Red!)

Bear- Little Red Bear Hiding in Tree

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Stories on Amazon.

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages and Fitness Levels!

About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.

So You Want To Be A Writer — Dreaming of Chickens . . . .

August 1, 2016August 1, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

So, you want to be a writer, you say. It’s a neat life living in your imagination, you say. Seems like a fun hobby. Thoughts to share with the world. You want to work in your pajamas. Wake up dreaming about exotic locales and people, you say.

Cool. But just so you know, this particular writer woke up in the wee hours this morning dreaming he was sleeping outside in a muddy pen in the rain, with chickens and a wet, smelly and cranky fox. Blow the image for you?

Yeah, someday I may have to try my hand at writing a rich and sensuous romance novel to wake up dreaming about sharing a bottle of wine with someone special on a Riviera beach or in a street-side Paris cafe. Luscious cheese, a warm croissant and enchanting conversation. Or a refreshing sea breeze in the air with laughing gulls greeting the sunrise.

Aaahh – who am I kidding? We both know that’ll never happen and the someone special in the dream would just be another frickin’ chicken anyway. I have to go. Need to write about the chickens and add them to the stories before I forget just how dreadfully bad that fox truly smelled. But yeah — I am writing all that down in my pajamas. So there’s that. At 3 a.m.

The muse sends ideas. I have no control over what they are or when they arrive. And that’s the writer’s life.

Thanks as always for visiting! — Jim (and Red!)

Careful What You Dream Of . . . .

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Stories on Amazon.

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages and Fitness Levels!

About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Determined To Be ‘Sound Investment’

July 28, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

In order to cover all bases for his fans, Little Red Bear had an official Cost/Benefit analysis of “The Adventures of Little Red Bear: The First Holler!” performed by his trusted accountant and financial advisor, Angus McNutt, senior partner of the firm “McNutt and McGillicutty CCC” ( Country Crop Counters) over in Slippery Slide, and the results of the study are in.

For the paperback, at 64,254 words, the reader receives over 4,961 words per dollar invested. For the Kindle and eReader version, a reader receives over 21,781 words per dollar. And of course, the book is Free for anyone with Kindle Unlimited. Taking into account that all words used are original text in copyrighted format with the Library of Congress, it is quite clearly a bargain at any price.

In addition, bearing in mind the fact that words enrich the brain and lessons learned about nature, life, kindness and simply having fun remain with a person forever, it was clear that any of the versions far exceed any value received in television and other forms of entertainment, where “any benefit potentially received is fleeting and transitory”, as Mr. McNutt stated in his report.

It should be noted that the Preface, Frontispiece, Dedication, Artwork and such were not included in Mr. McNutt’s calculations, which would have the effect of making the Cost:Benefit ratio even higher for a reader.

It was Angus McNutt’s conclusion then that “’The Adventures of Little Red Bear’ short story collection is both a wise and sound long-term financial investment.” Just in case anyone was on the fence concerning issues of that sort before investing in the book.

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Story Collections on Amazon. Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Storytelling and Fun for both the Young and the Young-at-Heart. Positive Themes of Friendship, Kindness, Helping Others and Mother Nature. With a healthy dash of oldfangled, belly laugh humor and fun.

Join us for an Adventure in the Beautiful Ozarks Mountain Country, and stop by for some biscuits and honey! — Jim (and Red!)

Angus McNutt, of "McNutt and McGillicutty Country Crop Counters"

Angus McNutt, of “McNutt and McGillicutty CCC”

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Stories on Amazon.

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages and Fitness Levels!

About an Uncommonly Special Bear and His Friends.

Research and Fiction Writing with Little Red Bear

April 19, 2016April 19, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

A beautiful weekend here. Windows open, fresh air. Birds singing. So what did I choose to do all weekend? Story research.

Some have the impression that writing is simply sit down, type out your thoughts, and publish. And for many, for better or worse, that may work. But admitting to not knowing everything, researching all of the little tidbits and factoids comprising “The Adventures of Little Red Bear” stories takes as much or more time and effort than the actual writing of the stories.

Getting the little information right is important to me not only to lend believability and credibility to fictionalized stories, but also as a heartfelt responsibility to present correct and historically accurate information. Maybe made more so attempting to write reliably about positive themes and guidance, wildlife, animals, nature and the environment. Hours of research may be boiled down to a few lines in a paragraph. But I feel it is incumbent upon me to get it right. It is the underpinning of everything else in the story.

Writing- Research 5

Some say that the research is easier than the writing. Others seem to dread doing research, feeling it needless drudgery. I enjoy both. It’s a personal matter for every writer. But when reading a story featuring a character rushing to deliver a telegraph message about the Boston Tea Party while riding a Morgan stallion during the American Revolution and being chased thru Massachusetts by a band of Sioux Indians in warbonnets working with the British Army , you just get the sense that someone did not do their homework. For me, the”Fiction” heading only stretches the credibility and believability envelope so far.

This weekend I researched Ice Cream, Adjectives Beginning With The Letter “F”, Coonhounds, Honeybees, the History of Horses in America, Mustangs, Chickens, Various Breeds of Pigs, Pasture Farming Practices, Native American Beliefs, Plains Bison vs Wood Bison, Ozarks Mountain Folklore, Steamboat Whistles and Hoopskirts. (Yes, Hoopskirts. Bet you can’t wait for that story!)

But story research is not only visiting the library, pouring thru reference volumes, or Googling information for a specific item, fact or question. It is an everyday, part of living thing. Being aware, paying attention and observing all going on around us, all the time. Mannerisms, expressions, behaviors, reactions to situations, responses, the way people dress, communicating, personal exchanges, and so much more. Always adding to the internal library of knowledge from which to withdraw when needed. Research is both living and being a student of life.

Now, off again to come up with a good name and learn more about a certain Turkey Buzzard that Little Red Bear just remembered he wanted to include in the next collection of stories. As one of my favorite authors said — “Good writing is hard work!”

Peanuts- Snoopy- Writing- Hard Work

Thanks as always for visiting and reading! — Jim (and Red!)

Quote- Mark Twain- Facts and Writing

“The Adventures of Little Red Bear” Short Stories on Amazon.

Old-fashioned, Family-friendly Stories and Fun for All Ages and Fitness Levels!

Join us for an Adventure in the beautiful Ozarks Mountain Country!

Little Red Bear Unable to Attend Book Signing Event

April 5, 2016April 5, 2016 / jrmilson / Leave a comment

Still mending from a leg injury suffered on the writing set a week ago, Little Red Bear will not be able to make the scheduled book signing and personal appearance at “McNickle’s Famous Pickles & Pork Rinds” this coming Saturday, located on Shady Holler Road, just west of Knob Lick. The country store is located about half a mile past Turner’s red barn and across from the split pin oak if you’re unfamiliar with the area. If you find yourself sitting in front of the Post Office, chances are you most likely missed the barn and went too far. Remember, the barn sits back from the road a bit behind the row of hedge apples, so you need to be on the lookout for it. And if that’s the case, it’s best to just start over from where you left and try again.

Bobo and Lily, black bears and recurring featured characters in the “Adventures of Little Red Bear” stories, will be taking Red’s place and happy to do so, being the good friends and neighbors that they are. They will be bringing a good supply of autographed Little Red Bear pictures, along with pre-signed books available for purchase, and will be autographing books themselves, as well. Lily has even volunteered to demonstrate the famous “Lily Bear Shuffle” if Earl and Lester bring their banjos along.

Village Country Store, Cold Spring Village, Cape May, NJ

Ethel McNickle will generously be giving away free samples of her prize-winning pickles and pork rinds, famous countywide, to all in attendance. Ethel’s second cousin once removed will also be there for the event, with samples of her new and locally grown “Lorene’s Greens & Beans”. As you may recall, McNickle’s Pickles was founded many years ago by Ethel’s twin grandfathers, Fickle and Tickle McNickle, who always used to say — “If your pickle don’t snap, it ain’t worth a cr–!” (it’s a ‘G’ rated blog)

And be sure to check out Ethel’s blue ribbon Plumberry Preserves while there, too. Bobo won’t be leaving without a few jars, so you might want to show up early before they run out.

So, we’re sorry to say that Little Red Bear will miss the event and he feels just gosh-awful terrible about it, but be assured that Bobo and Lily will more than make the trip worthwhile for you. Not to mention Ethel’s pickles and pork rinds. And if someone tosses Bobo a beach ball, well — there’s no telling the show he may put on! As a note though, just so you’re not disappointed, Lily has been instructed not to let Bobo anywhere near a bicycle. Our Backwoods Indemnity and Bite Casualty Insurance plan is stretched past the limits with Little Red Bear’s injury, and poor Aunt Ivy has nearly picked her herb garden clean already, this being so early in the season and all. Simply can’t risk any more character injuries at the moment and still meet the bills next month.

The Vermont Country Store, Weston, Vermont — September 2012 via The Mr. Hunter Wall Blog

And just one more thing before we let you go. While he is laid up, now is a good time to remind everyone to send in their questions for the “Ask Little Red Bear” feature. If you have a question that you’ve been sitting on about any of Red’s past or coming adventures, there’s no need to sit any longer waiting for it to hatch. Don’t be shy — just ask away! Red and I will be happy to try to find or make up an answer for you. No dating or relationship questions though. We need all the advice and help we can get in that area ourselves.

Thanks as always for visiting with us. Hope you get a chance to drop by McNickle’s Pickles on Saturday! If I can get away from writing with Little Red Bear while he takes a restful nap in the afternoon, maybe I’ll be able to drop in myself for a few minutes. I do love those pork rinds! And someone please save me a jar of Plumberry Preserves. — Jim ( and Red!)