I might have mentioned this before, but about ten percent of our 60,000 blog followers hail from foreign nations around the globe.  That being the case, a number of them have asked why there was no Sunday blog last week, so I thought I should take a moment and explain.  Last week, in the United States, was Memorial Day, a weekend set aside to honor the brave men and women who have made the ultimate sacrifice to keep us free.  For many of us, including me, the weekend is a somber occasion, a time to reflect and remember.  Writing a blog did not seem fitting or respectful, so I took a pass.  Simple as that.

Our foreign friends might be interested to know that Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day, and was created to honor the Union and Confederate soldiers who died during the American Civil War.  (1861-1865)  Our nation lost somewhere between 620,000 to 750,000 soldiers, depending upon who you ask.  Regardless of the exact number of casualties, the Civil War was our deadliest war, and some of the scars are still visible.

On a lighter note, I will be speaking about the Civil War and William H. Seward this coming Wednesday, as a guest of theTuscan Village Book Club in Lakeway.  I would like to thank the wonderful Betsy Frost and the incredible Sheila Niles for putting this event together.  These ladies, and all of the lovely ladies of Lakeway, are always a pleasure to talk to, and they ask some great questions.  (And a few of my answers are actually accurate!)

Thanks to the amazing Loyd Smith, my newly-hired Booking Manager, I will also be speaking to the Men’s Club of Lakeway on August 15th.  The subject of this presentation will not be TURBULENT TIMES (The Remarkable Life of William H. Seward) but my newest “Adam Gold Mystery,” titled, CAPONE ISLAND.  (Would you like to guess which American gangster plays a prominent role in the story?)  The event starts after breakfast, so come early and grab a good seat while you can.  (The last two events were “standing room” only.)

By the way, speaking of TURBULENT TIMES, I should mention that the book recently won another literary award.  Last week, Shelley Anderson, the Awards Coordinator of the 2018 NEXT GENERATION BOOK AWARDS, announced that my book had been chosen as a FINALIST in their prestigious writing contest.  In addition, I was invited to attend a gala awards ceremony at the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans on June 22nd.  Along with a medal and plaque, all of the winning authors will be featured on the Next Generation Webpage, receive a complimentary listing in the 2018 NGIBA Catalog, and have their book displayed at the 2018 American Library Association Annual Meeting.  Needless to say, I am humbled by this wonderful award.

For those of you who live in the Lakeway area and have been asking about my upcoming writing course, I have some good news!  I had a very productive meeting with the amazing events manager at Longhorn Village  (Ms. Terri Hallenbeck) and we have agreed to offer a course starting on October 4, 2018!  Terri was absolutely wonderful in every way (and Longhorn Village is just beautiful) so I look forward to a long association with these caring folks.  If you’re ever in Steiner Ranch, you should stop by and take a look at this place.  You won’t believe your eyes!

Well, I guess that’s about it for now.  If you missed my birthday on May 29th, please don’t worry.  I took down the names of those who did not send a gift, but I don’t hold a grudge very long.  (Less than a decade)  Don’t ask how old I am, but I’ll give you a hint…  I remember when a cup of coffee was under $3.00  (Jeez, that’s old!)  If you think that’s old, listen to this joke…   I’m so old that my first homeowner policy covered fire, theft, and Indian raids!

Have a great week, and check out my new award below this blog…..

Love to all,

Doc Yanoff