tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54311482745912711152024-03-08T13:57:41.523-07:00Musings from the InkwellI am a scholar, writer, artist and photographer. That makes me a triple threat, right?---Morgan Drake EcksteinMorgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.comBlogger534125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-53047903150309267512020-12-05T03:55:00.000-07:002020-12-05T03:55:04.374-07:00The Amazing Adventures of Meltdown Girl (Why my stuff is no longer available on Amazon)<p> </p><p>This post was originally written for The Many Pen-Names of Morgan Drake Eckstein under the title--The Amazing Adventures of Meltdown Girl (How losing access to Amazon is affecting my production schedule) </p><p><a href="https://mailchi.mp/5240692be362/the-many-pennames-of-morgan-drake-eckstein-mailing-list" target="_blank">Sign up to receive the monthly Essay of Doom (every 13th of the month) </a></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LgA93RLDheI/X8tlE_JYoiI/AAAAAAAAGF8/9mNYp80xmckUns7M4D8IIK0WAN9pO0ljgCLcBGAsYHQ/s800/The%2BAmazing%2BAdventures%2Bof%2BMeltdown%2BGirl.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="800" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-LgA93RLDheI/X8tlE_JYoiI/AAAAAAAAGF8/9mNYp80xmckUns7M4D8IIK0WAN9pO0ljgCLcBGAsYHQ/s320/The%2BAmazing%2BAdventures%2Bof%2BMeltdown%2BGirl.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br /> It is official. After twenty-five years of peace among the leaders of Denver’s Wiccan community, the Second Denver Witch War has started. And I am the first causality of DWW2. Happy, happy—joy, joy—right? <p></p><p>Yes, it is going to affect the production schedule—as in “Everything is on hold until further notice.” </p><p>Why? Because some witch thought that it was a suitable punishment for me to have my Amazon author account terminated. Me and my wife chose not to march in lock-step with a Big Name Witch, and now we need to be punished for our wrongful disobedience. </p><p>Nice, right? I am guessing that this is going to be another case of putting lipstick on a pig, and claiming that it is about “Community service, and not elevating ourselves over others.” Because baby witches need to be protected from the fraudulent and predatory—and I am an evil predator. Unlike those community serving witches who are protecting you from me. </p><p>For the one person who hasn’t heard the story yet: After enjoying twenty-five years of relative peace in the Denver Wiccan community, three and a half years ago (after the death of a prominent peacekeeping leader) a bunch of apex monopoly seekers decided that what Denver’s Wiccan community needed the most was a Gatekeeper to assassinate all the unworthy witches who had been allowed to infest the community with their pestilence and corruption during the previous twenty-five years of peace and cooperation. </p><p>Did you know that I was a source of corruption and Covid-19? Of course, you did. You are smart like that. Too bad you are not smart enough to unsubscribe from this newsletter. You bad, bad pagan. </p><p>But never fear, the scheme to drive me completely from the occult community is proceeding according to plan. </p><p>The latest step of the plan was to get Amazon to terminate my author account, ensuring that seventy to eighty percent of today’s book market is closed permanently to me and my evil professional liar ways. All over less than five dollars unpaid royalty. Because my wife defriended and blocked a friend—wrongfully, for my wife was supposed to agree completely with Meltdown Girl, killing both the open-to-the-public pagan event I cohost and my author brand. </p><p>Oh yes, you are supposed to love Meltdown Girl for her sunny personality (her blood type is Chernobyl Road Rage hot sauce), and obey her very wish and demand because she is special and should totally be in charge of all things magical and mystical. </p><p>After all, it is not like the honored dead approve of my operation of witchcraft and shaggy dog stories. </p><p>Maybe I need to explain that—what do you think? </p><p>Okay, here goes . . . </p><p>As we all know, the natural state of occult leaders is to be at war with one another. Despite the claims of community service, from the outside the war looks remarkably like self-serving monopoly seeking egomaniacs deciding that they, and they alone, deserve to receive all the bucks, fucks, and ducks that the students of esoteric traditions are willing to shell out to the bestest teacher and lineaged supreme, just to be ordered around by She Who Should Be Pope. Unfortunately, there are many pretenders to the throne—therefore, a Witch War must be fought until there is only one Witch Mother standing. And the Goddess approves, for there can only be one Witch Queen to rule all things magical and mystical. </p><p>War is the natural state of the occult community, and anyone who says otherwise (hinting that we could do better) needs to be driven out of the community at the earliest opportunity. </p><p>Around 1992—about the same time I entered the ranks of coven and lodge initiation—a source of pestilence arose in Denver. Her name was Alia Denny, and she was totally evil. As in, she “inherited” a community church devoted to doing public Wiccan ritual (got to honor the Official History) and changed the rules by allowing just about everyone to conduct an open pagan ritual on the behalf of the church. </p><p>That was evil—because we all know that such nonsense needs to be stopped—the ranks of the occult, including Wicca, need to be prescreened and filtered by properly lineaged witches. Allowing everyone in, oh the horror—next thing you know, people are going to be able to claim to be Wiccans without going through the trials and tribulations of being a properly initiated coven member. </p><p>Several people tried to stop Alia and the spread of this plague—a couple of her critics even joined the board of the church to try to correct things and put them back in their proper place and form—but Alia ignored all of them. </p><p>Sadly, the greater Wiccan community, you know those bastards and bitches who believe that the individual should have the right to choose their own religion, decided that the performance of public Wiccan ritual was the greatest thing since sliced white bread. Oh the horror—oh the humanity—oh why is it illegal to burn a heretic at the stake? </p><p>I was one of the misguided witches who felt that open ritual was awesome. Worse, the community leadership have failed to exile me from the witchcraft community—as in, I ignored all hints to leave the community, and kept worming my way back in, using my wallet as a tool of ultimate evil by paying to attend classes at my local occult shop. Alia was just encouraging bad behavior, and I was the poster child of the evils of an open-to-the-public religion. </p><p> Let me be clear—Alia Denny’s greatest crime was that she did not ban me from the community the very first night she met me. </p><p>Followed by the fact that the idea of lineage as ultimate proof of quality was ignored by the rabble in favor of how friendly you were and how entertaining your public rituals were. Oh dear, High Priestesses had been stripped of their right to be abusive to one and all—Wicca had become a Free Market Economy. </p><p>Enter the Amazing Meltdown Girl. </p><p>Meltdown Girl has never believed in a Free Market Economy. Meltdown Girl feels entitled to fame, wealth, and absolute obedience—and allowing customers to decide who they like the best is the Eighth Deadly Sin. You are a horrible person if you believe that Meltdown Girl might have to do some hard work to earn the mega-star success that she so desperately craves. </p><p>And Meltdown Girl believes that she is entitled to the fame, wealth, and influence that such authors as J.K. Rowling and Stephen King have. </p><p>With just one book. </p><p>Yes, Meltdown Girl believes that she should be earning mega-star prestige with just a single book. </p><p>Not a series of books. No need for an author platform. No need to improve her output—it is perfect in every way. </p><p>And she might be earning even less as a writer than I am. </p><p>If so, lying to Amazon and getting my author account terminated is JUSTICE and just something that I had coming for being a monster. </p><p>Now, I am not saying that I shouldn’t lost my author account, but let’s be honest about my real crime—it wasn’t about paying Meltdown Girl her just dues (royalties); it was the fact that I allowed this person to remain in my life for twelve years. </p><p>And I had plenty of warning that Meltdown Girl was a little bit of a Bleep since the first day I met her. </p><p>We met at my Second First OFM (Open Full Moon ritual)—the first one I did was years earlier and no one knew that I was actually the author of that ritual (I had self-confidence issues at the time). And like every first unrehearsed public performance, the performance was a burning dumpster fire. It wasn’t completely my fault—my volunteers had bolted at the last minute—leaving me to create an one-person ritual as I performed the OFM. (I would later realize that the abandonment of me was the first step in the Bast Temple schism—but that’s a story for the Initiation Book.) Somehow, I managed to survive. </p><p>Well, mostly. I had made a major mistake at the ritual that would burden me to this very day. You see, I am a Wiccan in Golden Dawn—and I don’t try to disguise that fact. So, public ritual—public performance of the Lesser Ritual of the Pentagram; isn’t that what supposed to happen? Turns out “No!” One of the audience members that night was Gertrude . . . who got a little upset that a mere man with a dodgy lineage, not properly trained and vetted by a “real Wiccan,” and who preached the radical idea that paganism could be a Free Market System—there should be no way in Hell that I was more powerful than she was. </p><p>But I was. </p><p>For the next twelve years (and counting), I would be punished for this unforgivable pagan sin—mainly because Gertrude really believes that she is the smartest, most knowledgeable, and most powerful witch in the city. And any evidence that says otherwise has to be destroyed. </p><p>Which is why the Official History of the Denver Wiccan community now says that I never once contributed to the community when people were needed to step up. </p><p>It is also why my medical marijuana status had to be weaponized, Alia Denny recast as a villain, and why it is totally ethical, legal, and good business sense to have someone lie to Amazon and get my author account terminated. Hell, the Honored Dead would totally approve of this much needed Witch War—even Alia Denny herself would ban me from the community if she was still alive today. </p><p>(Ethical—“benefiting the Uber-Witch who should be in complete control of the community”; Legal—“what you can get away with when you have a free lawyer”; Good business sense—“Morgan and Khari are morons who will gladly bled out and disappear from the community—they have no independent way to reach the greater pagan community”; Endorsed by the Honored Dead—“History can be rewritten and competition memory-holed 1984-style.” Anything else I should define? Oh, yes: Uber-Witch—“She was has the most greed, the biggest ego, and sharpest knife—she who deserves to receive all the bucks, fucks and ducks that aspiring witches are willing to shell be instructed in the One and Only True Way of Wicca.”) </p><p>Anyways, back to Meltdown Girl—and yes, that tangent ties into the mess later—Gertrude will be empowering Meltdown Girl before it is all over. </p><p>I had plenty of warning that Meltdown Girl wanted to be an Apex Witch Queen. For instance, when she first moved here from Dogsville, she was obsessed with a psychic friend of hers who was attempting to get producers interested in a ghost-chasing television show. </p><p>“Becky doesn’t deserve her own show. All the ghosts she is talking about, all those wonderful spiritual experiences, she stole those stories from me. I am the real talent—not her. Where is my f***ing TV show?” </p><p>It should be noted that as a man and a former business manager, I had opinions about what Meltdown Girl should do next. </p><p>“If you want to have a TV show, you need to build up your portfolio. People need to see past evidence that you know what you are doing. Without it, why would the producers ever consider giving you your own show?” </p><p>This advice to build up her portfolio was also given regarding her children book series, and her failure to get invited to the community church Council that Gertrude serves on. </p><p>“Why did Bunny get invited to join the Council? Why not me? I am more talented and ethical than Bunny is. I deserve to be on the Council that rules all things magical and mystical in Denver.” </p><p>She didn’t like my answer: “Bunny has done an annual children ritual for a decade. Bunny has proven that she contributes to the community. You have never done a single open ritual. Build a portfolio and you will be asked to do things too.” </p><p>Meltdown Girl did not like that answer. </p><p>And she really didn’t like it when I asked, “Why didn’t you volunteer when the Council put forth their call for new Council members?” </p><p>Yeah, I don’t have too much patience for people who want to be asked to be leaders, but don’t want to contribute to the community without getting “paid” for their service. In other words, “I want to be worshipped and I don’t want to have to work hard to become a living goddess.” You know—the attitude problem that drives all witch wars and trademark lawsuits. </p><p>And I knew that there was another person besides Bunny that Meltdown Girl was upset with—Me! </p><p>You see I also got asked to join the Council (despite engaging in Active Avoidance). Why? Because I had a visible to the public portfolio: Former Inner Order officer for a branch of Golden Dawn, a blog where I periodically talked about abusive occultists, a couple dozen newsletter articles, and several open-to-the-public pagan rituals written and performed by little old me.
In other words, I had portfolio. </p><p>Well, I had portfolio clear up to three and a half years ago—history has been rewritten since then. </p><p>Please note, I would have never joined the Council if I would have known that someday the Council would be dragging my reputation through the mud, rewriting history to justify taking over four events/services (and counting), and would encourage others to damage my author platform. </p><p>And yes, I am positive that the Council encouraged this whole mess. Let’s be clear—this is all about several witches believing that they have the right to boss around the entire Wiccan community. As in I was supposed to ask permission to write the Public Ritual as Community Growth Tool book—so that Gertrude and the rest of her Righteous Council could deny me permission to preach a philosophy that they pretended to support for a quarter of a century, but had just really wanted to burn the person who came up with the idea at the stake for ruining their chances of being the boss of every witch living in the city. Oh yeah, these are nice people focused on “Community service, and not elevating ourselves over others.” Pay no attention to how my resignation was accepted: “I feel that the best way for you to honor Alia and her legacy is for you to leave the community.” In other words, allow the Second Witch War to happen (and Denver’s history and Alia’s philosophy to be rewritten) while killing my own open event and my author brand—without me saying a single word about it. Because righteous actions should always be veiled by a cloak of secrecy. </p><p>One can only hope that Meltdown Girl’s manipulation of Amazon finally gets her invited to the Council—because Meltdown Girl would be a perfect addition to the Great Gherkin Collective.
So how did Meltdown Girl get my account terminated? And why? </p><p>Let’s deal with the Why first. </p><p>Last year, Meltdown Girl approached the Council after hearing that another Big Name Witch had threaten to go to the Council, arguing that no pagan (not alone a community leader) should be allowed to be on medical marijuana, and that I should be kicked off the Council and my slot given to her. Meltdown Girl heard me complain to someone about this below-the-belt maneuver and decided to use the gambit herself. Oh yes, last year’s drama was triggered by Meltdown Girl. </p><p>Oh yeah, Meltdown Girl ran screaming to the Council that I was trying to take over the entire Wiccan community. </p><p>Result? </p><p>The Council weaponized my medical marijuana, memory-holing my thirty-five years (now thirty-six) years in the Denver’s pagan and magical community, and forcing me to hand them a resignation that was in direct violation of a promise I made to Alia Denny. </p><p>Why try to get me burned at the stake? </p><p>Because Meltdown Girl realized that my wife, Khari, wasn’t going to kill the Occult Garden Parties “Celebrating with successful writers, artists, and witches.” No, my wife decided that she loved the OGPs and that they were not going to go away—no matter how much Meltdown Girl tried to sabotage the parties. </p><p>“I would not serve those people chicken and ribs. They only deserve hot dogs and hamburgers. You shouldn’t be wasting money on those people.” </p><p>I want it on the record that my Occult Garden Parties were started before Alia died (she was part of first stage testing of the event) and Alia was okay with me doing them despite my medical marijuana status. </p><p>So what set off Meltdown Girl? </p><p>Khari paying attention to someone else. </p><p>Yeah, just that. </p><p>And this is a person who thinks that they should be asked to lead the whole damn community—say what?!? </p><p>Please note that Meltdown Girl came back into our orbit earlier this year—bitching about the horrible stuff that the Council was doing. Mostly she was upset that she was not asked to join the Council to replace me. </p><p>Well, clear up to the moment that she realized that I thought that I still had a chance to influence people through the Occult Garden parties. Oh, and I thought that I could be a partial replacement for Alia in the community. </p><p>Now, when I say that I am in the running to be Alia’s replacement, I don’t mean that I am going to be the Apex Witch Queen ruling the entire city. No, what I mean is that in Colorado, there are fifteen medical marijuana patients per one thousand residents. Fifteen people who are not going to like the libel (slander) that the mere presence of a medical marijuana patient at a no-power open pagan ritual can result in the entire audience having to live in a padded cell for the rest of their lives. I do not see how any medical marijuana patient is ever going to trust the Council to be their pagan clergy ever again. I know that I would never trust someone who used dirty tricks to eliminate a rival, and tried to impose health, business, and personal decisions on someone (decisions that only benefited the Council, and actually increased the person’s chance of hurting themselves and others—yeah, you know, that type of good advice.) </p><p>I knew I was in trouble the instant that Meltdown Girl said that she dreamed of Alia and she had a message for me. </p><p>I knew that whatever the “message” was, it was going to boil down to “cease and desist—just do whatever makes Meltdown Girl happy.” </p><p>In self-defense, I avoided contact with the Amazing Damsel of Righteous Road Rage for several days. I also very quickly finished the section of the Public Pagan Ritual Planning Workbook that I had been working on. The feeling that someone was going to drive me straight into the weeds, if not into an extended bout of panic, low self-esteem, and close to suicidal depression—that caused the professional writer to hurry to the next logical break point in the project. </p><p>And I wasn’t wrong. </p><p>Please note that I cheated—it wasn’t a great feat of precognition and divination to know that trouble was coming. After all, I have known this lunatic for twelve years—and we were long overdue for Ms. Amazing to have a nuclear meltdown. </p><p>Let’s be clear. This is a woman who once accused me of concealing hundreds (perhaps thousands) of dollars’ worth of sales—robbing her of much needed royalties (reality: I couldn’t give her writing away). This is the person who blackballed all applicants to Bast Temple after the schism (“I am getting a bad vibe from them”). This is the person who gave Cos-Neo “Community service, not elevating ourselves over others” the idea of using my health problems to justify their secret banning of me. Not that I am supposed to know about the true extent of that backstabbing—I am supposed to believe that the resulting secret exile of me was merely the church misusing private information—and that Meltdown Girl was innocent of getting me kicked out of the community. And most of all, this is the person who still thought that she deserved superstar treatment (must be the center of attention at all times) and a sweet ass community church board membership with a bad attitude and a portfolio that still echoed from its emptiness. </p><p>Oh, I so knew this was going to be a bad “Alia is spinning in her grave” cease and desist message. </p><p>After all, I have seen the three eye flashes the weekend before. </p><p>Let’s count off the “If looks could kill,” shall we? </p><p>First, there was the glare when I pointed out an artist tip that I learned by watching Bob Ross. </p><p>The second flare was when I a small joke about being more qualified to be Alia’s replacement (more pro-open ritual) than any of the current crop of Apex Monopoly Seekers. </p><p>And the third attack of Medusa Eyes was when I laughed that I would have to decide how much of a discount that I would give her when I was ready to teach my upcoming Marketing For Pagan Community Leaders workshop. </p><p>Yeah, those are the horrible things that I did that triggered the latest round of drama; Meltdown Girl running back to the Council to complain some more, and the urgent need to get my Amazon author account terminated. </p><p>All of which, along with the righteous weaponization of my medical status, should prove to the Imperious Trio once and for all that Meltdown Girl needs to be invited to join the Council. </p><p>Oh, and why does she want to be a member of the Council? So she can ban people from the community simply because they give her a bad vibe. And someday, I was sure to be one of those banned—because I kept thinking that I was better than she was. </p><p>Now, at this point, it might be helpful for the reader to know that I belong to an esoteric tradition that reserves Tier Two training (think—Inner Order Golden Dawn/Second Degree Wicca) to those who can pass three tests—Tier Two cannot be opened without at least one student who can pass all three parts of the challenge. </p><p>One, you have to show a concern about acting ethically. This does not mean that you have to restrict yourself to only spiritual development—no, you can do practical magic. And it does not mean that you are a doormat in the real world either. You can be a bastard and still be ethical. All Tier Two members have to pass the ethics threshold. </p><p>Two, at least one student has to gain (learn) the ability to reach into someone else’s sphere of sensation and adjust their energy. Translation—someone who will be able to initiate others, and not be restricted to handing out placeholder degrees and grades. </p><p>Three, and the most important of them all, you have to be able to detect magical and mystical energies well enough that when you encounter someone bullshitting that they are a High Grade, powerful in magic and ritual, that you can see how often there is absolutely no energy while they are lying about hearing the advice of the Secret Chiefs and the Honored Dead. </p><p>By the way, no one who broke away during Bast Temple schism had passed these tests—not even a single part. </p><p>And Meltdown Girl had constantly failed all three parts—despite thinking that she was a top shelf healer and psychic. </p><p>Which is why when my wife, Khari, passed a second part of the Tier Two challenge a couple of years ago, I started trying to warn Meltdown Girl to knock off the fake medium act. Please note I am not allowed to just come out and say, “I have known that your on/off ratio as a psychic is 10:90 at best, and I have known this for twelve years. And Khari has progressed to the point where she might be able to see what you really are the next time you say, ‘The spirits are telling me you need to do it this way, and you can believe me because I am a psychic’ and I am quite sure Khari will not be pleased once she learns your actual truth to lies ratio.” </p><p>Okay, I did not foresee that Khari’s reaction being quite this bad—surprise, not only did Khari learn that you are a bullshitting psychic, turns out that she is still a little upset that you weren’t more sympathetic when her mother committed suicide [bad health issue]. </p><p>My wife defriended and blocked Meltdown Girl on Facebook. </p><p>Which is why Meltdown Girl ran back to the Council, got egged on by them to use a dirty trick to terminate my Amazon author account (a test balloon to see if the Council can use a quote of forty-three words and a claim that they are the only ones legally allowed to write about public goddess worship and its history to block the publication of my entire OFM support series), and all this because Meltdown Girl believes that Alia Denny should have handpicked her to be the next ruler of the Denver Wiccan community. </p><p>By the way, Alia (despite what the official history now claims) only controlled one event. Not four and counting. Alia never claimed the right to shut down other people’s events and projects—and she would have been horrified that someone was trying to destroy someone else’s business and livelihood. </p><p>Not that I was making money yet. But I had high hopes for my rebranding and relaunch. Especially my science fiction. A relaunch which can never happen now because there is no point in me finishing anything now—how would the readers ever find it? </p><p>I mean it is not like I spent twenty years blogging about abusive occultists—watchdog work I did for free—because I truly believe that the students of the esoteric traditions deserve better leadership than Meltdown Girl, the Righteous Trio of the Cos-Neo Council, the Great Gherkin and the dozens of other monopoly seeking Big Name Witches and Magicians that believe that the world of the occult exists only to serve as their own personal ATM (cash point), sex dungeon, and personal shooting gallery. </p><p>High-fives all around for Meltdown Girl and the legitimate guardians of the One True Wicca, for finally succeeding where so many others have failed—a big round of applause for permanently silencing my voice and exiling me from the occult community forever and ever. Oh yeah, these guardians of all things magical and mystical deserve a big round of applause. </p><p>Applause. </p><p>Not what I think they deserve. </p><p>My fans know what is about to happen—yeah, I will continue writing (both esoteric and fiction); the only difference is that I do it for free, rather than attempt to make money doing it. </p><p>And before anyone asks, the chances of me being able to use facts like “Payout threshold was five dollars; Contributors were being credited according to ereader page count of their submission: and Meltdown Girl had an advertisement for her children book series as part of her payment” to regain my Amazon account is relatively low, as in “Satan will be skating to work.” Amazon is notorious for capricious enforcement of their rules and business standards. Odds are very much that Amazon is permanently closed to me. </p><p>A big round of applause for Meltdown Girl. Hopefully, this deed of excellent community service, unselfishness, and supreme business sense earns her that place on the Council that she so feverishly desires. And if not, well, my wife has banned her from our property—Meltdown Girl is not coming back here. </p><p>So exactly how is all this drama, including the termination of my Amazon author account, going to affect my production schedule? </p><p>First, all projects are on hold. Mainly because of the emotional turmoil that the events of last year and a half has unleashed in my brain. It is hard to make process on writing projects when every draft turns out to be a rant about how I didn’t agree to be a board member just to undo everything positive that Alia Denny ever accomplished as soon as she was dead. </p><p>Secondly, all projects are on hold because I have absolutely no idea how far Meltdown Girl, the Cos-Neo Council, and the other three dozen or so Big Name Witches, intent on restoring Denver’s Wiccan community back to its pristine one true way state that existed during the Denver Witch War years—you know the ideal society that Alia Denny ruined by allowing portfolio (in the form of open pagan ritual done by the unwashed masses) into the community (undermining the ability of one simply to make a lineage claim to be able to boss others around)—I have absolutely no idea how far these fine pillars of the community will go to ensure that my opinions are silenced once and for all. </p><p>Let me be clear: These righteous reformers have blown past all the normal limits that govern ministers. The weaponization of my medical marijuana status to justify (secretly) banning me from a community church that I attended for a quarter of a century—as well as other events controlled by the eager monopoly seekers, the rewriting of history to memory-hole my thirty-six years in the local community, the voiding out of my contributions by claiming that the deeds don’t count because my actions were not done at the right time and for the right purpose (the glorification of She Who Wants It All). The recasting of Alia’s philosophy to make the claim that Alia herself would endorse the antics of the monopoly seekers, the claim that Alia would have banned me from the community herself (stripping me of my right to be a pagan minister) once she learned of my medical status, the lying to Amazon (massive unpaid royalties, my ass) to get my author account terminated, the invoking of Alia’s ghost to try to make my wife kill her (and my) open socializing and ritual event, and all the efforts to stop me from becoming a successful author—so far, from where I sit, not a single one of these Big Name Witches (all of whom claim to be so worthy of being Alia’s handpicked successor), none of them have exhibited any human decency or ethics. </p><p>Oh wait, these supreme Wiccans have showed that they have ethics—morals and business practices—it is just too bad that perhaps they are ethics worthy of a whorehouse madam. </p><p>Yes, that is my personal opinion. </p><p>An opinion that is totally worthy of screaming libel, slander, and character assassination—oh yeah, these Big Name Witches will be suing me in court, proving that Alia left detailed instructions on how she wanted these pillars of the community to deal with critics who think that occult monopolies are a bad idea, and showing a judge that their rewritten of history is what really happened and not what some Arkham asylum escapee claims happened. </p><p>And the BNWs will definitely be proving beyond all shadow of doubt that Alia Denny herself would have stripped me of my minister certificate, my community, my own open event, and my right to write about witchcraft and the occult the instant that Alia learned that I was taking medical marijuana to treat my complex PTSD, bipolar, panic attacks. </p><p>After all, Alia Denny knew the dark truth; she knew that the mere presence of a medical marijuana patient at a low power (nay, no power) open-to-the-public Wiccan ritual would result in dozens of attendees having to spend the rest of their lives in padded rooms. </p><p>And the BNWs will prove all this in a court of law, along with ensuring that their official rewritten history is the only one that historians are allowed to remember, as well as proving the Meltdown Girl is a real psychic, and that the religious laws of Wicca says that a single witch is allowed to micromanage (including shutting down) the religious and business activities of all who call themselves Wicca. </p><p>By goddess, they have historical documents to prove all these points—and by goddess, they are going to use them. </p><p>Easy peasee, once they find a free lawyer willing to swap legal services for a Wiccan degree in the bestest lineage (in fact, the only real Wiccan lineage) that the world has ever seen. And that will be easy to do because any lawyer will be able to instantly see that I am committing libel, slander, and historical revision (worthy of major life-crippling monetary damages) while their clients are a hundred percent innocent of wronging me in a similar manner. </p><p>Oh yes, any and all actions taken to destroy me are ethical, legal, and good business sense. </p><p>Fuck limits—let’s burn Morgan at the stake in the public square to show one and all that Morgan is the wickedest magician living today, and to make sure that everyone knows who Alia Denny’s rightful successors are and what happens to those unwilling to kiss their papal ring.
Us Wiccans like to talk about how Wiccan clergy should be better than the Christian fundamentalists. That’s rich. Someone please explain to me how abusing me is serving the Lord and Lady. </p><p>Worse than the potential legal problems, and far more responsible for causing all of my writing projects to be put on hold, is that Meltdown Girl has already proven that she is willing to lie, omit, and resort to dirty tricks to punish anyone who doubts that she is the one that Alia would have personally chosen to be succeed her. And there is also MDG’s rage when she learns that someone is doing better than she is as a writer, that’s some real sweet poison. </p><p>If I somehow negate the death blow that Meltdown Girl dealt to my author career—oh how do you survive as an indie writer without Amazon—will MDG hunt down and visit similar dirty tricks on each and every pen-name that she knows of? </p><p>Now that Meltdown Girl knows how easy it is to manipulate a book retailer into terminating another writer’s author account, will she ever stop? </p><p>Do I need to abandon every pen-name and project that I ever admitted to? Do I need to create completely brand-new pen-names, new fictional universes, and a totally different writing voice—projects that I would never be able to mention to anyone—do I need to go unbelievable lengths just to protect myself from this fucking lunatic? </p><p>*sigh* </p><p>Even if I somehow figure out how to bullet-proof the parts of my author platform that Meltdown Girl hasn’t destroyed yet, there will still be some deep changes to my production schedule and output. </p><p>For instance, the oral history project (of the “Golden Age Open Goddess Worship Peace Years”) that I wanted to do, that’s off the table. I can’t begin to imagine the type of copyright usage paperwork that I would require from the participants to make me feel safe from similar sabotage. That and sure as god makes little green apples, the Council (egged on by Meltdown Girl) will be taking me to court to make sure that the forty-three most important words are not usable by me, as soon as the Council locates the trademark paperwork and the Last Will and Testament which gives them not only complete and total control of Alia’s intellectual property (and not Doug, her husband)—but everything they need to prove to a judge that I am evil professional liar—a judge who will reward them by giving them the exclusive business right to close down the events and projects of other Wiccans. Yes, the Council will be able demand that others cease and desist—all in the name of community service, and not self-enrichment. </p><p>It will be awesome legal justice. Oh, they are so going to prove that I am a dirty filthy mouthed liar who does not deserve the basic legal protections that all other historians and journalists normally enjoy. Meltdown Girl, the Kosher Coven and their band of Merry Minions, are so going to have that judge wrapped around their little finger. It will be glorious—and at the end of the day, only the Council will have the legal right to call themselves Wiccans. The Imperious Threesome wants it—and therefore, it will happen—they will be the only Wiccans legally recognized in the whole damn world. </p><p>Hence legally, I no longer have the right to write about local Wiccan history. Only the Council enjoys that right. And it is righteous. Can I get an “Amen!” </p><p>So that history project is never going to happen now—one can only hope that the Council writes and publishes their totally true account (with supplementary historical documents) of why they were more important to the development of the local Wiccan community than Alia ever was. </p><p>Also gone is any future participation by me in anthologies, journals and magazines (including guest blog posts) organized by other people. Thanks to Meltdown Girl, I am now off-limits; no one is going to want to take the risk of working with someone who has been blackballed by the greatest witches and magicians in the world, and is now being hunted down by a horde of angry witches determined to root out my brand of heresy once and for all. Meltdown Girl is a lunatic, as are her Righteous Council friends, and they will probably feel perfectly okay with destroying the literary and publishing careers of anyone crazy enough to work with me. After all, it is about “Community service, and not elevating themselves over others.” </p><p>But the most important change brought about by this fun and games is the addition of several new “Great Gherkin Collective” projects—all starring these wonderful ladies who totally deserve to rule all things magical and mystical with a bad attitude and an iron fist. </p><p>Oh yes, let’s celebrate the great business and religious wisdom of Meltdown Girl and the Cos-Neo Council. Just don’t ask me what I know that they don’t know. Because I may not be a top shelf witch like they are, but I do know how to get information to people through non-paid channels. I blogged (unpaid) for twenty years about the antics of the Golden Dawn Trademark War. What would make this situation any different? </p><p>I have opinions about how occult teachers and leaders should act—and have shared these thoughts openly with the greater esoteric community since 1996 in a variety of media (blogs, newsletters, small press publications)—more often than not for FREE. </p><p>Why would I shut up now? </p><p>Between the weaponization of my medical marijuana status, the rewriting of history, and the termination of my Amazon author account—this has become personal. </p><p>And we all know how I get when things become personal. If the Council, Meltdown Girl, and their obedient minions, thought that I was a danger to the community before, they haven’t seen anything yet. </p><p>It is Game On Witches! </p><p><a href="https://mailchi.mp/5240692be362/the-many-pennames-of-morgan-drake-eckstein-mailing-list" target="_blank">Sign up for The Many Pen-Names of Morgan Drake Eckstein to receive the monthly Essay of Doom (the 13th of very month) </a><br /></p>Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-68218925763266466342018-07-03T17:22:00.001-06:002018-07-03T17:22:41.114-06:00How to annoy a published writer (one in a series of a thousand ways) Something that gets on my nerves is getting writing and marketing advice from non-writers. The other day, a local friend of mine was over at the house, and I talked some about what I am currently working on.
<br /><br />("Icarus: In the future, a thousand people live and work in outer space. They depend on Earth for supplies. What do they do to survive when Earth goes dark?")*
<br /><br />
So they tell me that I really should look at a link that a mutual friend of ours shared about "getting published." I tried to take the route of "Can I at least write one of the books first?" as well as "I am a hybrid writer--I have been on both sides of the business--I think I know what I am doing, and quite frankly have already decided how Icarus is going to be released (as well as the other projects that I am working on)."
They sent me the link anyways. <br /><br />And they had to dig to get to it. (The post was buried deep--deeper than I was willing to go looking.)
<br /><br />Turns out that the link was to a free seminar on "How to use a book to generate new leads for your business." And considering I have no desire to be the head of an international magical Order, or a world renown fortune teller, completely useless to me. Maybe if I wanted to become an expert on mental illness, it might be helpful--but still the process of writing a book and using it as a business card to make money as an expert does not appeal to me.
<br /><br />I know that he was trying to be helpful, but "I am not a writer--I have no desire to be a writer--yet I am going to share advice anyways" just annoys me. I would like to think that my thirty-four years of dabbling in the business (I wrote my first dubious erotica story in 1984 and got paid a whole twenty-five dollars for it) has taught me something. But there are loads of well meaning friends and critics who tell me otherwise.
<br /><br />Please, for heaven's sake--please, don't give me market advice, if you are not a writer. It just annoys me, especially when it turns out to be the hook for a paid consulting service.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RcK0ISsHL4E/WzwERE1EAlI/AAAAAAAAFoc/w44I37j6vZEl2ep1q2vzc7W7SUxoj3b7ACLcBGAs/s1600/axe%2Bmurderer%2Bof%2Btitan%2B002.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1236" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RcK0ISsHL4E/WzwERE1EAlI/AAAAAAAAFoc/w44I37j6vZEl2ep1q2vzc7W7SUxoj3b7ACLcBGAs/s320/axe%2Bmurderer%2Bof%2Btitan%2B002.jpg" width="247" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Concept art for the cover of Axe Murderer of Titan.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
[*I am going to be using a new pen-name for this series--Michael Ramalia.] <br /><br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-5252788178909066882018-07-02T18:20:00.001-06:002018-07-02T18:20:12.481-06:00Tenth Annual Smashwords ebook saleIt is once again time for Smashwords annual July ebook sale (July 1st to 31st).<br />
<br />
(Some of these books are scheduled to be expanded and updated--if it has an asterisk [*], it is scheduled to be expanded and revised--in other words, if you want to get it cheap before the expansion, do it now because the price will be going up on these ebooks when I update them later.)<br />
<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;"><b>Discounted to $1.50 USD</b></span><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/102660" target="_blank">Five Reasons Why Magic Fails</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/178929" target="_blank">Golden Dawn Rituals--Three Officer Neophyte Script*</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/561121" target="_blank">Rite of the Magical Images of the Wiccan Sabbats* </a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/435423" target="_blank">Witchy Rants (the Collected MDE Heaarthstone Community Church Newsletter articles)*</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/648498" target="_blank">Denver Witch Quarterly: To Curse, Or Not To Curse--The Big Cursing Issue (Samhain/Yule 2016)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/669158" target="_blank">Denver Witch Quarterly: Wealth and the Lucky Witch (Imbolc/Ostara 2017)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/687581" target="_blank">Denver Witch Quarterly: Evil Witches Bind President Trump and His Administration--also Occult Writers and Payment (Beltane and Lithna 2017)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/667804" target="_blank">Gaius Corbin: Light Out of Darkness--Lux E Tenebris (Thelema and the Necronomicon)</a><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<b><span style="color: red;">Free ebooks on Smashwords</span></b><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/643601" target="_blank">Denver Witch Quarterly: A Modest Magazine Proposal</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/96814" target="_blank">MDE Hearthstone: Pizza Boxes on the Floor (2010)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/257253" target="_blank">MDE Hearthstone: Bad Monkey (2011)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/287586" target="_blank">MDE Hearthstone: Lunatic With a Soapbox (2012)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/430381" target="_blank">MDE Hearthstone: Biggest Witch on the Block (2013)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/614643" target="_blank">MDE Hearthstone: Thirteen Signs That Your Occult Teacher is Rotten (2014-2015)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/688363" target="_blank">MDE Hearthstone: Hex the Vote--Mad Uncle Morgan Talks About American Politics (2016)</a><br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/161927" target="_blank"><br /></a>
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/161927" target="_blank">Shakespeare's Monkey (a fiction and poetry collection)*</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/788920" target="_blank">Esoteric Comedy Show: Assault With a Deadly Taco (Mad Uncle Morgan, I am--Your Face is Going to Freeze Like That)</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/795352" target="_blank">Esoteric Comedy Show: Free Guns For Everyone--Lap Cats Are Good Too (A Big Gun Control Show) </a><br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-43g0Je8_Pgk/Wzq1x0zpGfI/AAAAAAAAFoM/1zDupaAK_3Q-uyUHkB4sj4TZVFymN5CyQCLcBGAs/s1600/00%2BShakespeare%2BMonkey.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1242" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-43g0Je8_Pgk/Wzq1x0zpGfI/AAAAAAAAFoM/1zDupaAK_3Q-uyUHkB4sj4TZVFymN5CyQCLcBGAs/s320/00%2BShakespeare%2BMonkey.jpg" width="248" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is one of my favorite book covers. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-29049922035372142482018-05-14T23:21:00.002-06:002018-05-14T23:21:26.192-06:00Hey I was watching that (the world of sci-fi cancellations) One of the things that annoys me as a science fiction fan is cancellation of television shows that I am watching. (It should be noted that traditional legacy publishing--the Big Five Publishers and their siblings--also annoy me in this fashion, but to a lesser extent.) I have a list of shows that I was watching that ended up being canceled.<br />
<br />
[Partial list: Star Cops, Continuum, Lucifer, Defying Gravity, Star Trek Enterprise, Reaper...]<br />
<br />
It especially annoys me when a science fiction television show ends on a cliffhanger, one that was meant to set up the next season, and it becomes a "Surprise--you are canceled!"<br />
<br />
[Yes, I am really annoyed about Lucifer being canceled with such a great storyline that was about to be opened.]<br />
<br />
The really sad part is that often the writers and cast of a science fiction show will get no advance warning that the show is going to be canceled. So more often than not, there are a ton of storylines that are left dangling when a science fiction show is canceled because the season finale was written and filmed months before the cast and crew of a show knows that they are not coming back.<br />
<br />
There have been instances where enough advance warning has been given to allow writers to create a season finale that helps wrap things up, but that is the exception and not the rule.<br />
<br />
And it seems to happen to science fiction shows a lot.<br />
<br />
Why? My current theory (compounded by watching how the Big Six* during the 80s and 90s, and their treatment of science fiction book series) is that it is all about Cost and Eyeballs (aka f***ing ratings). After all, what else could it be?<br />
<br />
[*At the time, it was the Big Six, being before the merger of Random House and Penguin.]<br />
<br />
Science fiction is a niche audience, a long tail of the dog market; it does not appeal to everyone. Starting off as a smaller audience, it is not as profitable as stuff that "your average man on the street" would watch--therefore, ratings are automatically an issue.<br />
<br />
Plus special effects count money. And that means less profit.<br />
<br />
And it is all about the profit, or lack thereof.<br />
<br />
The entire television industry (outside of PBS) is all about making money. So for a science fiction series to survive, it has to become a runaway hit as soon as the first episode airs. And that is if it hasn't already been canceled before the first episode is aired (sadly many sci fi shows are dead before their first episode airs--Defying Gravity is a good example of a show that was dead on arrival because of how the network treated it--only three weeks notice that it was going to air, so no one, well almost no one, knew that it existed--one could argue that the network did everything it could to kill the show.)<br />
<br />
By the way, traditional legacy publishing also does things like this. The entire traditional book industry is based on best sellers--if the first book of a science fiction series does not sell a pubzillion copies, it will never see a second book in the series.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, science fiction is something that often takes time to find its audience.<br />
<br />
As a science fiction writer, in the traditional legacy market, your first book is probably going to be your last book.<br />
<br />
Both television networks and publishing houses are only concerned with the current numbers, the current eyeballs, and they do not attempt to grow an audience for a property.<br />
<br />
All the talk you hear about how traditional publishers cultivates writers is pure nonsense. You either swim or drown the first time you enter the pool. If you are not a success with your first book, you don't get a second chance.<br />
<br />
Now, this whole issue of cancellations has been on my mind for the last few months. I have an idea for an extended science fiction book series, but the fact that it is an idea that totally needs a series and cannot be done as an one-off means that there is no way that I personally could convince a traditional publisher to touch it with a ten foot pole. Or at least, not with my current audience size.<br />
<br />
Well, it could be done as an one-off, but I think it would suffer for it. The core idea--the situation that the characters find themselves in--creates many possible stories. Limiting it to just one set of characters and one location would totally rob the core idea of its vast potential.<br />
<br />
And I honestly think that it is a series that I would have to build up the audience one reader at a time.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, I live in a brave new world of indie publishing where I only have to convince two people that it is a project with potential (me and my wife).<br />
<br />
And I have been clear that it is going to be a long haul project (the earliest possible wrap-up point is eight books in). [There are also good business reasons that apply to indie publishing that makes a series worth far more than a single book.]<br />
<br />
But yeah, if I start to write Icarus, I am in it for the long haul--there will be no early cancellation because I hate cancellations that happen before the main story lines are resolved. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r-BY4VOsNmk/Wvpeeo_2XiI/AAAAAAAAFmA/rNE5nks2FwgPdsPzdAI7fInlIb8N5GUKgCLcBGAs/s1600/defying%2Bgravity%2Bhey%2BI%2Bwas%2Bwatching%2Bthat.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="893" data-original-width="1600" height="178" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-r-BY4VOsNmk/Wvpeeo_2XiI/AAAAAAAAFmA/rNE5nks2FwgPdsPzdAI7fInlIb8N5GUKgCLcBGAs/s320/defying%2Bgravity%2Bhey%2BI%2Bwas%2Bwatching%2Bthat.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I am still annoyed by the cancellation of Defying Gravity.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-55256671225320584752017-04-20T21:54:00.005-06:002017-04-20T21:54:37.326-06:00In your end is your beginning (writing exercise) Writing exercise (In your end is your beginning):<br />
<br />
Write a 500-word introduction to your own imaginary collected poems or complete stories. Assume your writing life has undergone a struggle, from obscurity to hard-won fame. This is your final opportunity to say something <i>wise</i> to your readers and critics. What were your strengths; and why did your audience first ignore your writing, then welcome it? Do you have any literary or personal debts outstanding? Now you can settle them publicly. State what you think the future holds for your work.<br />
<br />
Aim: Writers feel intense dissatisfaction. Learn to wait, and work at it; get used to that feeling of being perpetually dissatisfied with your abilities, achievements and the mercury-movement of language as you try to control it.<br />
<br />
<i>Trying to use words, and every attempt</i><br />
<i>is a wholly new start, and a different kind of failure</i><br />
<i>Because one has only learnt to get the better of words</i><br />
<i>For the thing one no longer has to say</i><br />
<br />
T. S. Eliot, <i>The Four Quartets</i> (1943)<br />
<br />
Writing exercise from The Cambridge Introduction to Creative Writing--David Morley<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jhciTnvckdw/WPl_iyom5QI/AAAAAAAAEzg/If5aDYNPu549OsSiWqeJvPx-3x45vyx6gCLcB/s1600/cambridge%2B001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jhciTnvckdw/WPl_iyom5QI/AAAAAAAAEzg/If5aDYNPu549OsSiWqeJvPx-3x45vyx6gCLcB/s320/cambridge%2B001.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An imaginary look at the future-past of one's own writing journey. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-64801974984131991572017-01-20T14:59:00.003-07:002017-01-20T14:59:48.388-07:00How I described myself in a WIP[From a work-in-progress (Death to the Great Gherkin)]<br />
<br />
On the Fourth of July in the year
of…well, we actually do not know the year that the magician known as the
Great Gherkin was born. Which is a real shame because if we had the
exact time, day and year, we could read the Great Gherkin like an open
book without all that messing having to interact with him.<br />
<br />
For
instance, using the secret Hermetic art of temporal divination, we know
that the Great Gherkin’s least favorite critic was born on the day of th<span class="text_exposed_show">e
Ax Murderer in the year of the Disgruntled Monkey, during the hour of
the Hungry Cat, and on the exact minute of the Bridge Troll. It is not a
real surprise that the Great Gherkin’s least favorite critic is an
angry blogger who owns a dozen cats and rage posts at one in the
morning. If the critic did not do this, we might have to call into
question whole swathes of the esoteric tradition, including the age old
school of astrology. </span><br />
<br />
<div class="text_exposed_show">
Now,
as we were saying, the Great Gherkin was born on the Fourth of July,
better known in occult circles as the day of the Patriotic Tax Dodger…</div>
Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-69175949752167839022017-01-14T23:20:00.001-07:002017-01-14T23:20:40.627-07:00DWQ Wealth and the Lucky Witch (Imbolc/Ostara 2017) release dayToday is the release date for the latest issue of the Denver Wealth Quarterly--Wealth and the Lucky Witch (Imbolc/Ostara 2017). <br />
<br />
Get it now at pre-release price. (99 cents USD--regularly $2.99 an issue)<br />
<br />
Denver Witch Quarterly is a magazine devoted to paganism, Wicca, witchcraft, magick, and the occult.<br />
<br />
In
this issue, we explore money, wealth, luck and prosperity, and the
magic necessary to obtain such. Also articles on Imbolc and Ostara, as
well as editorials about current events in the magical community.<br />
<br />
Editorials:<br />
Don't tell me how to vote: Cause I never vote (BHC)<br />
Not a big enough safety pin—MDE<br />
<br />
Humor<br />
Totally not a racist (Big Name Occultist)<br />
Seen on the internet: Trump-Pence hair joke<br />
<br />
Fiction<br />
[Flash fiction] What do we want—Morgan Drake Eckstein<br />
All Sales Are Final—A. J. Hallows<br />
<br />
Poetry<br />
"A Kiss of Bliss, or Misery?"—The Broom Hill Crow<br />
Body of a Goddess—Erin Lale<br />
Blame It on the Wine. Or Kali. Or Both.—Shea Herlihy-Abba<br />
My Parents Don’t Like Kali ‘Cause She Drives a Mustang—Shea Herlihy-Abba<br />
<br />
Instructional<br />
Luck--Moon Gazer<br />
Some wealth magic tips--MDE<br />
<br />
Rituals<br />
Shining the light on this year’s plantings at Imbolc—Moon Gazer<br />
Ostara’s Plantings—Moon Gazer<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WZL2YRXQHms/WHsRExmqlhI/AAAAAAAAEqc/5oW9Jzt4DxkVaWgo9g2TRYsgFvqRS_MLwCLcB/s1600/dwq%2B2017%2B01%2Bedit%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WZL2YRXQHms/WHsRExmqlhI/AAAAAAAAEqc/5oW9Jzt4DxkVaWgo9g2TRYsgFvqRS_MLwCLcB/s320/dwq%2B2017%2B01%2Bedit%2Bcover.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wealth and the Lucky Witch (DWQ Imbolc/Ostara 2017)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now available for purchase at the various online ebook retailers. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.amazon.com/Wealth-Lucky-Witch-Denver-Quarterly-ebook/dp/B01MAXGK9P/" target="_blank">Amazon</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/wealth-lucky-witch-denver/id1161626344" target="_blank">Apple</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wealth-and-the-lucky-witch-denver-witch-quarterly/1124723043" target="_blank">Barnes and Noble</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/wealth-and-the-lucky-witch-denver-witch-quarterly-imbolc-ostara-2017" target="_blank">Kobo</a><br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/669158" target="_blank">Smashwords</a><br />
<br />
And coming soon to Scribd! Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-67516604971080775142017-01-13T22:15:00.002-07:002017-01-13T22:15:25.673-07:00Did you know that Monday is a holiday?Conversation from tonight...<br />
<br />
Weatherman--And a lot of people will be up in the mountains skiing this long holiday weekend.<br />
<br />
Me--There is a holiday Monday? Which one? Is it President's day?<br />
<br />
Wife--Martin Luther King day. I am off Monday. You really need to keep track of Federal holidays.<br />
<br />
Me--I guess. It is not like I am changing my writing schedule because you are home.<br />
<br />
[Nor do I imagine that it really matters from her end either. What is she likely to be doing Monday? Pottery. She always does pottery on days that she is off from teaching.] <br />
<br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-4112061597466063182016-12-29T15:51:00.003-07:002016-12-29T15:51:31.098-07:00Support me on PatreonIf you love the work that I am doing, and you know that you do, you can now make a monthly donation to me on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/madunclemorgan">Patreon</a>.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/madunclemorgan">Patreon</a> is a crowdfunding site where people make monthly donations to creative people (writers, artists, comedians, etc.) to help them make ends meet--because being creative is not the gold mine that certain people think it is. The number of creatives that make decent money doing art is less than one percent.<br />
<br />
And yes, I know. No one should support my work because I spend too much time making fun of other people, and my artwork sucks, and my writing blows, and whatever else my critics say.<br />
<br />
To my critics, I say--bite me!<br />
<br />
There are rewards for supporting me on <a href="https://www.patreon.com/madunclemorgan">Patreon</a>, including early access to projects that I am working on.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/madunclemorgan">So for just a dollar a month, you can sponsor a lunatic--that would be me, Mad Uncle Morgan, and encourage me to continue doing what I do best. Thank you for your continued support. </a><br />
<br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="300" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/hBQ293VZcJ8" width="400"></iframe>Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-12343647476644491322016-10-31T22:38:00.001-06:002016-10-31T22:38:56.349-06:00Five years as an indie erotica writerFive years ago tonight, I quit writing for the erotica print market, and uploaded my first erotica offering on Smashwords. So this is one of my writing career anniversaries. <br />
<br /><br />
Over the last five years, I seen my sales start to promise a good living (on one ebook, I earned thirty-five dollars plus an hour before...), then watched my sales be destroyed first by Paypal, and then other outlets as someone decided that screaming, "Will someone please think of the children?!" was a good thing. I also got to watch outlets close, some of which I was doing good at (Oyster, how we will miss you), and others change the rules on which categories they were going to support (turns out the subscription model does not work for companies when it comes to romance). And Amazon....well, they are constantly changing the rules, but always in their own favor. <br />
<br /><br />
The only constant has been that (if an outlet allows it to be sold) dubious erotica is the money maker. And maybe romances--I am not sure if I wrote a romance if it would sell--but other writers seem to be doing good on that front. Of course, dubious erotica is the last thing you actually want to do if you care two cents about your reputation, or in my case, have family who care about such matters (I honestly think that one of my family members would rather have me be an ax murderer). <br />
<br /><br />
Not all of the problems have been external. The issues I had three years ago when I started really, really needing bipolar meds halted all my writing for awhile. It took almost an year for a doctor to get the chemical cocktail right; and then last year, I briefly could not get the meds for insurance reasons--none of which helped my writing any. <br />
<br /><br />
And this year, I have been focused on getting some non-erotica projects done, including a satire of the Necronomicon (almost done there--after thirteen months), so my output has not been what it should have been. <br />
<br /><br />
But still, every month, I do earn a little...which is probably why I will continue to write erotica (probably some of it dubious) for the foreseeable future. <br />
<br /><br />
[And before you ask, no, I do not share my erotica pen-names with the general public. It has been my policy since I started writing for the print market in 1984 (golly gee, it has been a long and dubious career). And yes, I know some people in the one of the other fields I write in, would just love to know my pen-names, so that they can loudly declare that I am unfit to be a spiritual leader--which is all the more reason not to share them. And yes, I know that this probably costs me some sales, but that is my choice to make.] <br />
<br /><br />
So Happy Indie Erotica Anniversary to me!<br />
<br /><br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rg_RaewNIfo/WBgbn0_Z2mI/AAAAAAAAElA/psBPlahwhIkz5NlKARoOOn0DDxhrc2mVQCLcB/s1600/amazon%2Brules.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rg_RaewNIfo/WBgbn0_Z2mI/AAAAAAAAElA/psBPlahwhIkz5NlKARoOOn0DDxhrc2mVQCLcB/s1600/amazon%2Brules.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Publishing erotica on Amazon--where the rules constantly change and your opinion does not matter. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-87416792078314252402016-10-13T16:59:00.000-06:002016-10-13T16:59:00.231-06:00Pre-release sale Denver Witch Quarterly Samhain-Yule 2016<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Denver Witch Quarterly Samhain/Yule 2016 issue<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Denver Witch Quarterly is a magazine devoted to paganism,
Wicca, witchcraft, magick, and the occult.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Get it now at the pre-release price. <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
In this issue, we explore the techniques and ethics of
cursing and hexing. From the mass hexing of convicted rapist, swimmer Brock
Turner, to the global bindings of ISIL, to revenge spells, cursing, hexing, and
binding is part of the toolbox of magicians and witches worldwide. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Are public hexings merely exercising one's First
Amendment rights? Or are curses effective enough to limit the actions of individuals
and organizations?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Plus Samhain and Yule stuff!!!<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
DWQ Samhain/Yule 2016 issue includes:<br />
<br />
Editorials about whether or not, it is ethical to hex a rapist; Black Lives
Matter (BHC); gun violence and gun control.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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Fiction: Short stories by A. J. Hallows (The Nightlight)
and B. H. Crowley (Basil Unsealed). Plus a poem, Living Art by B. H. Crowley.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Rituals: A fairy ritual in poetic form (MDE); An Anubis
Samhain ritual and Honoring Horus on the Winter Solstice (Moongazer).<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Instructional article: Heavenly Watchers—Using the Four
Royal Stars (Aldebaran, Regulus, Antares, Fomahault) and Sirius in astrology
and magic (MDE). <o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Interview with Gaius Corbin—The Voice of the Necronomicon
Translation Project.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Also included: Profit and Occult Writers—is it ethical
for occult writers to make money? (Morgan Drake Eckstein) <o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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And remember that the Denver Witch Quarterly is always
seeking submissions for upcoming issues: editorials and non-fiction articles on
paganism, occultism, magic, witchcraft, and Wicca; fiction and poetry; humor
and cartoons; artwork and photographs.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
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The holidays for next issue are Imbolc and Ostara, and
the special focus of the issue is on wealth, luck, and prosperity.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Amazon link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Not-Big-Cursing-Issue-ebook/dp/B01LXM5MX0/">https://www.amazon.com/Curse-Not-Big-Cursing-Issue-ebook/dp/B01LXM5MX0/</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Barnes & Noble: <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-curse-or-not-to-curse-the-big-cursing-issue-denver-witch-quarterly/1124094878">http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/to-curse-or-not-to-curse-the-big-cursing-issue-denver-witch-quarterly/1124094878</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Apple: <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/to-curse-or-not-to-curse-big/id1133780448">https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/to-curse-or-not-to-curse-big/id1133780448</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNoSpacing">
Kobo: <a href="https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/to-curse-or-not-to-curse-the-big-cursing-issue-samhain-yule-2016">https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/ebook/to-curse-or-not-to-curse-the-big-cursing-issue-samhain-yule-2016</a>
<o:p></o:p></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oc5oYOds_Mk/WAARnICygKI/AAAAAAAAEik/p6ktqO_pY6AgegxwBLfF3Zq6q1mE34dcACLcB/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Oc5oYOds_Mk/WAARnICygKI/AAAAAAAAEik/p6ktqO_pY6AgegxwBLfF3Zq6q1mE34dcACLcB/s320/cover.jpg" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">DWQ Samhain/Yule 2016</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-61328785963652049252016-09-29T17:00:00.000-06:002016-09-29T17:00:01.842-06:00Seeking Submissions (DWQ 2017 Issue 01)Seeking editorials and non-fiction articles on paganism, occultism, magic, witchcraft, and Wicca; fiction and poetry; humor and cartoons; artwork and photographs. <br />
<br />
The holidays for next issue are Imbolc and Ostara, and the special focus of the issue is on wealth, luck, and prosperity.<br />
<br />
Deadline: December 22nd.<br />
Email submissions to basttemple at msn dot com<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2m88zgpHmQg/V-2bPePbdLI/AAAAAAAAEiE/qJm-xuIfjAg3MC1GV4x5RjuVLsheeb4vwCLcB/s1600/dwq%2B2017%2B01%2Bedit%2Bcover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-2m88zgpHmQg/V-2bPePbdLI/AAAAAAAAEiE/qJm-xuIfjAg3MC1GV4x5RjuVLsheeb4vwCLcB/s320/dwq%2B2017%2B01%2Bedit%2Bcover.jpg" width="232" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wealth and the Lucky Witch---Denver Witch Quarterly (Imbolc/Ostara 2017)--coming January 15, 2017 (pre-orders available soon)</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-37083343302057828022016-09-01T00:00:00.000-06:002016-09-01T00:00:18.979-06:00Whats on the schedule for this next yearAnd once again it is time to kick around what I want to accomplish during the upcoming year (other than to stay healthy and to generally annoy people).<br />
<br />
Well, I am hoping to get the first installment of my little Necronomicon satire finished---hopefully by the time that the mercury retrograde is done later this month.<br />
<br />
Then I have to work on the October issue of <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Modest-Magical-Magazine-Proposal-Prospectus-ebook/dp/B01H422KCW/" target="_blank">Denver Witch Quarterly</a>. (We are always looking for submissions--email them to basttemple at msn dot com.) This involves writing up a couple of news reports, a ritual, and possibly doing a book review or two. And formatting and uploading. And some minor bookkeeping (with this second issue, I have to start tracking numbers....because we might sell enough copies for some of the contributors to get paid--or not). <br />
<br />
And then we have four other issues of DWQ over the next year. (Did I mention that we are always looking for submissions?)<br />
<br />
I have a few other satire bits that I would like to work on. And perhaps some coloring pages.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ThcwtTwSABs/V8e4ehGfPyI/AAAAAAAAEhI/MQFUWWngcYY5kvXONLJ42QALVpVpdyazACLcB/s1600/ran%2Bout%2Bof%2Bninjas%2Bdeath%2Bto%2Bmt%2Barch-enemy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ThcwtTwSABs/V8e4ehGfPyI/AAAAAAAAEhI/MQFUWWngcYY5kvXONLJ42QALVpVpdyazACLcB/s320/ran%2Bout%2Bof%2Bninjas%2Bdeath%2Bto%2Bmt%2Barch-enemy.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Remember that satire is fatal to some people. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
And there are a few series that I need to write the first novels for. (I am not sure which one will be done first...and November is a little ways away, so I do have time to decide.) And one of the series include something involving tentacles....because tentacles!!!<br />
<br />
And like always there will be a certain amount of copy and art done for the Tarot Blog Hop, and a couple of articles for the Hermetic Tablet, and I might work on the astrology dictionary that I have planned. Plus there might be some other pieces done for projects being done by other people. <br />
<br />
And of course, I am going to start writing erotica again under one of my many other secret pen-names. (The rule is if Mom would be upset for the church to find out about it, then it is under a pen-name....because Mom's reputation is more important than mine--and this is despite the fact that she is dead.)<br />
<br />
And I am going to do some more YouTube videos...probably.<br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.patreon.com/madunclemorgan" target="_blank">And if you want to encourage me to do all this, consider sponsoring me on Patreon. Remember for just a dollar a month, you can encourage me to continue to annoy the numpties. </a><br />
<br />
Oh, and finally, I am going to use the word "and" a lot in the coming year. <br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="225" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/vHWC0sVhkXY" width="400"></iframe>Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-47638966686459013542016-08-25T00:25:00.002-06:002016-08-25T00:25:25.125-06:00Trump robbed of ill-gotten gains (or Trump shady money laundering business) Crime alert! Best-selling author and American Presidential candidate, Donald J. Trump has been robbed of royalties from a Barnes & Noble purchase totaling $55,055 on May 10, 2016. That is right--the royalties from over 3,500 copies of the hardcover version of Crippled America: How to Make America Great Again, or from over 5000 copies of the renamed paperback, Great Again: How to Fix Our Crippled America--have been robbed from Trump. The purchase was made by the Trump campaign to put the best book ever (better than the Bible) into the prize/goodie bags at the National Republican Convention.<br />
<br />
It is just a great big shame that people think that they can get away with robbing Trump. Not only is he robbed of royalties, that lying hussy Hillary Clinton, who lies so much that she has to be a Terrorist Mexican Muslim, plans on trying to rob him of the election. The next thing you know Mexico is going to rob him of payments for the wall they are going to build to keep themselves out of America. <br />
<br />
The alleged robber, the Federal Election Commission, justified the robbery by saying that Trump has so much money, he won't notice the loss of....however much royalties he would have gotten from a $55,055 sale....which is more than one dollar, and probably less than $55,055 (see how good we are with math--just wait until you see us examine Trump's tax returns). To add insult to injury, the FEC said that “It’s fine for a candidate’s book to be purchased by his committee, but
it’s impermissible to receive royalties from the publisher. That amounts to an illegal conversion of campaign funds to personal
use. There’s a well established precedent from the FEC that funds from
the campaign account can’t end up in your own pocket.”<br />
<br />
Oh, wait...Trump might not be the victim here...here is Mad Uncle Morgan with the latest update. <br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4mffvkfeJQ/V76Bt4Q8jsI/AAAAAAAAEg0/EsG1yZPvYskjmRByptRrHaQBSCd0mYvsACLcB/s1600/orange%2Bagain%2Bthe%2Bdonald%2Btrump%2Bfear%2Bstory.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-u4mffvkfeJQ/V76Bt4Q8jsI/AAAAAAAAEg0/EsG1yZPvYskjmRByptRrHaQBSCd0mYvsACLcB/s320/orange%2Bagain%2Bthe%2Bdonald%2Btrump%2Bfear%2Bstory.jpg" width="205" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Orange Again--How to Fix White America--Cheeto-Faced Ferret Wearing Shitgibbon</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
In a blatant bid to be the only Presidential candidate ever to make money during a Presidential campaign, rather than after it--like all the other poor candidates do--Donald Trump turned a blind eye to his campaign spending $55,055 at a Barnes & Noble on May 10. At no point were the words "money laundering" uttered by a Cheeto-Faced Ferret Wearing Shitgibbon, which is rather odd given that this was either a failed attempt to do so, or a rather ham-handed attempt to get the book back onto the best-seller lists.<br />
<br />
One assumes that the publisher would have given the campaign discounted copies of the book, perhaps even some free copies. One also assumes that Trump had already brought his required number of copies; but given his long-held habit of not paying his bills with his own money, it might have been a wild attempt to get proof copies into the hands of unemployed monkeys. <br />
<br />
(Yes, that is right, famous celebrities are required by publishers to buy their own proof copies and farm out the work of proofing to any random friend or customer that they can corner--it is how big book publishers justify not using their own editors, who typically threaten to throw famous authors out of the thirteenth story window rather than having to actually read the dribble that your typical celebrity thinks is interesting and/or earth-shaking. After a famous author fails to corner enough humans to edit their book, they typically farm the job out to thousands of random monkeys for bananas on the dollar. The principle is that a thousand monkeys randomly doodling with red ink equals the amount of work that one depressed over-caffeinated editor can do.) <br />
<br />
In his defense, the shitgibbon declared his opponent, Lying Hillary Clinton, "a grifter" which campaign is nothing more than a "scam." (Please note that these words have been used by Trump at some point in his campaign, and we are just using the Fox News principle of "Any words spoken by a politician can be used at any time in connection with any news story because the American people are too dumb to fact-check things before they share them on Facebook.") <br />
<br />
And now for a closing word from our sponsor: "Remember to vote Orange in 2016--otherwise, some woman is going to continue using the policies of the 2010s, instead of the 1950s political policies that made this country <strike>white</strike> great. I make great political decisions, and my policies will be the best. I only consult with the smartest people when I need to make a decision. Mainly myself. I consult with myself a lot. Because I am really smart. Consulting sounds so much better than saying that I talk to myself. Orange 2016!" Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-18853759055231221672016-08-24T16:52:00.003-06:002016-08-24T16:52:51.020-06:00Fifteen percent off on witchy pottery (Khari's Wiccan Treasures) Now offering 15% off any purchase of $10 or more on Khari's Wiccan Treasures Etsy website.
Just enter coupon code THANKYOU15, all caps, at check out. Go to <a href="http://www.khariswiccantreasure.etsy.com/" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.khariswiccantreasure.etsy.com</a><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">This offer is good until August 31st, 2016. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Don't see what you want--private message Khari though Etsy. </span></span><span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Custom-made chalices, pentacles, coffee mugs, and altar sets available. </span></span><br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qf_ayJjYU2g/V7y3hMa6arI/AAAAAAAAEf8/2Ik4ViYnaiYvaUIhz6euqML6_6Tex57rgCLcB/s1600/01%2Bpansy%2Bpurple%2Blavender%2Btriple%2Bgoddess%2Bchalice2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Qf_ayJjYU2g/V7y3hMa6arI/AAAAAAAAEf8/2Ik4ViYnaiYvaUIhz6euqML6_6Tex57rgCLcB/s320/01%2Bpansy%2Bpurple%2Blavender%2Btriple%2Bgoddess%2Bchalice2.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pansy Purple on lavender Triple Moon Goddess chalice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NUz9no_xExc/V7y3hhwZ3LI/AAAAAAAAEgE/88OF0TvDHdUtqYZEk3MJsXSVfgZUt59vgCLcB/s1600/02%2Bcrazed%2Bcopper%2Bwitchy%2Bwoman%2Bmug2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NUz9no_xExc/V7y3hhwZ3LI/AAAAAAAAEgE/88OF0TvDHdUtqYZEk3MJsXSVfgZUt59vgCLcB/s320/02%2Bcrazed%2Bcopper%2Bwitchy%2Bwoman%2Bmug2.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Witchy Woman coffee mug in crazed copper.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6OMJadLvLpI/V7y3hYThWnI/AAAAAAAAEgA/q_dUmiITPoUXtk6j7xcoq7EvJzCj4wN1gCLcB/s1600/03%2Bcobalt%2Band%2Bpansy%2Bpurple%2Bmortar%2Band%2Bpestle4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6OMJadLvLpI/V7y3hYThWnI/AAAAAAAAEgA/q_dUmiITPoUXtk6j7xcoq7EvJzCj4wN1gCLcB/s320/03%2Bcobalt%2Band%2Bpansy%2Bpurple%2Bmortar%2Band%2Bpestle4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pansy purple on cobalt blue mortar and pestle (very durable).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-97SLKXirTrU/V7y3iv5hafI/AAAAAAAAEgI/fPBhaP8duKQeuTMMXCubR55jie2kl1h9QCLcB/s1600/04%2Bpams%2Bblue%2Btriple%2Bgoddess%2Bcone%2Bincense%2Bburner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-97SLKXirTrU/V7y3iv5hafI/AAAAAAAAEgI/fPBhaP8duKQeuTMMXCubR55jie2kl1h9QCLcB/s320/04%2Bpams%2Bblue%2Btriple%2Bgoddess%2Bcone%2Bincense%2Bburner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Triple Moon Goddess cone incense burner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PExGMZTgwuI/V7y3i4HjihI/AAAAAAAAEgM/QavYUvNxtv8nWdC5YYtLG5rZztuKbdXpgCLcB/s1600/05%2Bcrazed%2Bcopper%2Btriple%2Bmoon%2Bincense%2Bburner%2Bwith%2Bmoons.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-PExGMZTgwuI/V7y3i4HjihI/AAAAAAAAEgM/QavYUvNxtv8nWdC5YYtLG5rZztuKbdXpgCLcB/s320/05%2Bcrazed%2Bcopper%2Btriple%2Bmoon%2Bincense%2Bburner%2Bwith%2Bmoons.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Crazed copper Triple Moon Goddess cone incense burner.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A4EOd9_7laE/V7y3ji7UyGI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/irP8GiWmYoQu8WDJe_EwHrFuqPvLKttNwCLcB/s1600/06%2Blavender%2Band%2Bpansy%2Bpurple%2Bwitch%2Bmug4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-A4EOd9_7laE/V7y3ji7UyGI/AAAAAAAAEgQ/irP8GiWmYoQu8WDJe_EwHrFuqPvLKttNwCLcB/s320/06%2Blavender%2Band%2Bpansy%2Bpurple%2Bwitch%2Bmug4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pansy purple on lavender Hocus Pocus coffee mug. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fc9aGeexjlw/V7y3kEk1X4I/AAAAAAAAEgU/09kMgpz1ha424flQXsdIYZcWk_IeQ3H_ACLcB/s1600/07%2Blime%2Bgreen%2Bdark%2Bgreen%2Bpentacle%2Bchalice5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Fc9aGeexjlw/V7y3kEk1X4I/AAAAAAAAEgU/09kMgpz1ha424flQXsdIYZcWk_IeQ3H_ACLcB/s320/07%2Blime%2Bgreen%2Bdark%2Bgreen%2Bpentacle%2Bchalice5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dark green on lime green Triple Moon Pentacle chalice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDL9v_aru8M/V7y3kk3Jf2I/AAAAAAAAEgY/5L7-5IWOdC4UBo8__mlnNsToGeCWEEHjwCLcB/s1600/08%2Blime%2Bgreen%2BThe%2BWitch%2BIs%2BIn%2Bmug3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wDL9v_aru8M/V7y3kk3Jf2I/AAAAAAAAEgY/5L7-5IWOdC4UBo8__mlnNsToGeCWEEHjwCLcB/s320/08%2Blime%2Bgreen%2BThe%2BWitch%2BIs%2BIn%2Bmug3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Lime green Triple Moon Pentacle coffee mug.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HspgQe8TGmY/V7y3lahHeQI/AAAAAAAAEgc/bAJ-pQ1tuFsIfH_rSBMFRWdxZnlt1FN8QCLcB/s1600/09%2Bstormy%2Bsea%2Bpentacle%2Bchalice2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-HspgQe8TGmY/V7y3lahHeQI/AAAAAAAAEgc/bAJ-pQ1tuFsIfH_rSBMFRWdxZnlt1FN8QCLcB/s320/09%2Bstormy%2Bsea%2Bpentacle%2Bchalice2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stormy sea pentacle decorated chalice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IEDkyvlgWxM/V7y3l5JOVDI/AAAAAAAAEgg/YuOe2itL6uMqXMY3XmBJW0IbWIzeHENSQCLcB/s1600/10%2Bshino%2Bmortar%2Band%2Bpestle4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-IEDkyvlgWxM/V7y3l5JOVDI/AAAAAAAAEgg/YuOe2itL6uMqXMY3XmBJW0IbWIzeHENSQCLcB/s320/10%2Bshino%2Bmortar%2Band%2Bpestle4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Shino mortar and pestle (for grinding up herbs).</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jUGyQ_YkErA/V7y3mxlWpgI/AAAAAAAAEgk/yQW1UB9V9J0bPosOoGGDMkXvKRqahi_PQCLcB/s1600/ritual%2Bsets%2Bthat%2Bwent%2Bto%2BSpiritways.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="196" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jUGyQ_YkErA/V7y3mxlWpgI/AAAAAAAAEgk/yQW1UB9V9J0bPosOoGGDMkXvKRqahi_PQCLcB/s320/ritual%2Bsets%2Bthat%2Bwent%2Bto%2BSpiritways.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Plus we have many other options for the discerning witch and magician.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><span class="UFICommentBody">Photography done by Morgan Drake Eckstein 2016. <br /><br /> </span></span>Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-58484617723660967582016-08-16T17:45:00.001-06:002016-08-16T17:45:38.601-06:00Happy Chinese Buddha selfie (Prophets Visit Art Series) Continuing my art series, Prophets Visit--in this shot, we see Chinese Buddha taking a selfie with a statue of himself....because that is what Happy Buddha would do.<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rr4y3wGn-b4/V7OkVJwiw_I/AAAAAAAAEeU/bAAkujNbb6MU4a4AETHc_TPOBJismWnVgCLcB/s1600/prophet%2Bvisit%2Bselfie%2Btime%2Bchinatown%2Bidol%2Bstore%2Bmde%2B2016.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rr4y3wGn-b4/V7OkVJwiw_I/AAAAAAAAEeU/bAAkujNbb6MU4a4AETHc_TPOBJismWnVgCLcB/s320/prophet%2Bvisit%2Bselfie%2Btime%2Bchinatown%2Bidol%2Bstore%2Bmde%2B2016.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yay! It is me being sexy!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<a href="http://morgandrake.deviantart.com/gallery/60042092/Prophets-Visit" target="_blank">You can follow the whole series on DeviantArt. </a>Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-16785599243419180872016-07-01T15:23:00.001-06:002016-07-01T15:23:55.234-06:00House of Bast Open House (July 2 & 3 2016) <table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XE4SxHAC2UY/V3bW5-SM1gI/AAAAAAAAEX4/ZC0zB-4o82wrKT2hsTCK34rGdxJymdwUgCKgB/s1600/DSCN1395.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-XE4SxHAC2UY/V3bW5-SM1gI/AAAAAAAAEX4/ZC0zB-4o82wrKT2hsTCK34rGdxJymdwUgCKgB/s320/DSCN1395.JPG" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cobalt blue ceramic ritual set (with mint herbs). </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
A quick reminder that House of Bast Art Studio--Celtic Soul Jewelry and Pottery, and Khari's Wiccan Treasures is having an Open House tomorrow and Sunday (July 2 & 3, 2016). <br />
<br />
Khari will have pottery for sale, will be giving pottery throwing demos, offering pottery lessons, and there will be a Kid's Clay Korner. <br />
<br />
House of Bast—2727 Cook St., Denver, Colorado USA. <br />
Studio is located on the south side next to the alley.<br />
Phone number 303-815-8211.<br />
<br />
The hours will be 11 am to 6 pm on Saturday, July 2nd, and 12 pm to 6pm on Sunday.<br />
<br />
Pottery lessons will be from 1 to 5 pm each day. Come see our studio!<br />
<br />
<span id="goog_436216972"></span><span id="goog_436216973"><br />Etsy shops:<br /><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/celticsouljwlry" target="_blank">Celtic Soul Jewelry and Pottery</a><br /><a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/celticsouljwlry" target="_blank">Khari's Wiccan Treasures</a><br />
<br />
Facebook pages:<br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/celticsouljewelryandpottery/" target="_blank">Celtic Soul Jewelry and Pottery</a><br />
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/KharisWiccanTreasures/" target="_blank">Khari's Wiccan Treasures</a><br /><br />[And I will be there in the afternoons, after 2 pm, in case, anyone needs to drop by and talk Denver Witch Quarterly business with me.] </span>Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-91258037877060097262016-05-28T16:07:00.001-06:002016-05-28T16:07:13.529-06:00Year half over and I have accomplished all of nothingEgads! The year is half over, and I feel like I have accomplished nothing so far this year.<br />
<br />
But if I am being fair to myself, and not being super-critical of myself, I must admit that at least, I am making progress---it is just none of it is actually visible.<br />
<br />
The project that I am currently working on is a rather nonsensical one that was inspired by a comment from Nick Farrell back in October. He complained that Necronomicon rip-offs sell better than regular occult books. And being curious, I went and looked. He might be right.<br />
<br />
So when Novemeber rolled around, and I thought about doing National Novel Writing Month for the millionth time, I decided that a Necronomicon rip-off was a suitable project...because I am poor, and would love to get my hands on some of that sweet, sweet Necro-RipOff money.<br />
<br />
Unfortunately, the project was more complicated than I thought it would be (something to do with being an actual occultist who decided that a dollop of actual occult lore would be just the secret ingredient needed), and I had a problem with my meds.<br />
<br />
And by problem with my meds, I mean that the insurance decided that some of my meds were not covered and they needed an act of Congress to get them approved. So I ended up spending two months without the anti-drepressant...which, well, just turned me back into the constantly blocked and panicky writer that gets nothing done because they would make more money working in fast food, but so does not want to. The quickest way for me to be blocked is for me to look for big money projects; it causes me to second guess everything that I do (and hello writer's block!).<br />
<br />
Once I got back on the pills, it took time for them to re-stabilize me. So I lost about a four month block of time. I managed to do some work on the first Harmic Barrows story, but I ran into some plot problems, and the sneaky fear that perhaps I was copying too much stuff from other people. There is nothing like watching movies and realizing how much they inspired your current work to make one question one's ability to write.<br />
<br />
So doubt over whether I should even bother to finish the first Harmic story was killing me.<br />
<br />
Fortunately, I read an article about how someone gamed the Amazon best-seller system by picking super niche of niche categories, and had the urge to do the same myself. (One of the categories was Secret Societies--Freemasonry...hey, that could be one of mine!) And my mind stabilized, thanks to the yummy drugs.<br /><br />So the last couple of months have been chewed up by a project designed solely to allow me to try to create a Amazon best-seller in a super niche category where three whole sales will make me a best-selling auther (hey, it could happen). In all fairness to myself, the project should have only taken a month at most, but I keep adding stuff to it (and I have notes for several other related projects--egads!).<br /><br />Now, before anyone whines and says that I am cheating, I would like to point out that I am doing this little project (it is only going to be ten thousand words when finished) under a completely brand new pen-name, so it is not like it is going to help me sell books under my regular pen-name (that should make my critics happy).<br />
<br />
So anyways, the year is half over, and I have accomplished nothing. Or something, depending upon whether or not, working on a nonsensical project is actually an accomplishment.<br />
<br />
Yay me!!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TysaYiieXv8/V0oWRb-7GDI/AAAAAAAAESM/IwCuLyPTvswxtavwevZ0FsuyLOaAUrdEwCLcB/s1600/thulhu%2Bmtgn%2Bresized%2Bmde%2B2011.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-TysaYiieXv8/V0oWRb-7GDI/AAAAAAAAESM/IwCuLyPTvswxtavwevZ0FsuyLOaAUrdEwCLcB/s320/thulhu%2Bmtgn%2Bresized%2Bmde%2B2011.jpg" width="226" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A hint of things to come!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As for the second half of this year, well, one knows that one's career path is a strange one when one starts reading tentacle erotica and calls it market research. Oh yeah! Tentacle erotica is coming!!!<br /><br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-51976610514440844742016-05-11T17:27:00.004-06:002016-05-11T17:27:56.031-06:00Support classics and boycott Harry Potter pleads British schoolmasterToday, in a scathing broadside, Graeme Whiting, headmaster and creator of the British boarding school, the Acorn, blamed mental illness and bad behavior in kids in part on sensational books, such as Harry Potter. <br />
<br /><br />
Here are the highlights:<br />
<br /><br />
After pointing out that we have a conscious and subconscious mind, and that stuff is stored in the deep recesses of our brain, and ragging on therapists (which he has never seen despite being a child of the War, being bullied by fellow students, and beaten by teachers), he gets to his point that classical literature is good and modern young adult literature and modern technology is the spawn of the devil. <br /><br /><span style="color: red;">"Imagination is so rich and important that I cannot understand why any parent would not actively prevent exposure to modern-world electronic gadgets, screens, films and literature that will encumber the minds and especially the imagination of their children. Let beauty reign within the subconscious minds of our children, not fear and disturbing images cultivated by their amazing brains."</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"Children are innocent and pure at the same time, and don’t need to be mistreated by cramming their imagination that lies deep within them, with inappropriate things."</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"Parents walking around a modern shopping centre with their children are magnetised by the colourful and graphic attraction of the new book cover, and often, very little of the text is reflected in the beautiful and attractive cover. Such colourful covers attract children to the point of mesmerising them, and they make demands of their parents stating that they want one because every other child at school has one!"</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"Sensationalism is the key for marketing literature in today’s world. Publishers and authors don’t really care who reads what, as long as they achieve high sales figures, and they go to great lengths to create those pictorial covers that hide the sometimes demonic, influential and unacceptable words that may lie within the text. Gone are the classics..."</span> which are hard to find in bookstores yet, can be brought cheaply on Amazon <span style="color: red;">"for less than the cost of postage! Indeed, sets of classical literature, the stories that I read as a young buy, <span style="color: black;">[sic]</span> could be purchased and delivered to my door for less than the cost of driving to a bookshop."</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"This is the age of the mentally ill child, the obsessive age, the age where celebrities affect the lives of those who have been encouraged to adore them and who wish to be like them, but never can."</span><br />
<br /><br />
And if a mother at the shopping mall can check out the temperature of her baby's milk, why will she not check out the books that her child reads in thirteen years. Because she is lazy, and just follows the masses. Sheeple! Sheeple!<br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"This is the age of the mentally ill child, the obsessive age, the age where celebrities affect the lives of those who have been encouraged to adore them and who wish to be like them, but never can. This is a trap of falsehood for children."</span><br />
<br /><br />
Again with the celeb-hate! and the Sheeple!<br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"I stand for the old-fashioned values of traditional literature, classical poetry, Wordsworth, Keats, Shelley, Dickens, Shakespearean plays, and the great writers who will still be read in future years by those children whose parents adopt a protective attitude towards ensuring that dark, demonic literature, carefully sprinkled with ideas of magic, of control and of ghostly and frightening stories"</span> are never read by their children.<br />
<br /><br />
And these bad books being read by children with bad parents <span style="color: red;">"will cause the children who read them to seek for ever more sensational things to add to those they have already been exposed to. What then of their subconscious minds? What then of the minds of children whose parents couldn’t give the time to look closely at childhood; the sensitive period of the development of every human being? Where will this addiction to unacceptable literature lead?"</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"I want children to read literature that is conducive to their age and leave those mystical and frightening texts for when they can discern reality, and when they have first learned to love beauty. <strong><em><u>Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones, The Hunger Games, and Terry Pratchett, to mention only a few of the modern world’s ‘must-haves’, contain deeply insensitive and addictive material which I am certain encourages difficult behaviour in children; yet they can be bought without a special licence, and can damage the sensitive subconscious brains of young children,</u></em></strong> many of whom may be added to the current statistics of mentally ill young children. For young adults, this literature, when it can be understood for what it is, is the choice of many!"</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"Buying sensational books is like feeding your child with spoons of added sugar, heaps of it, and when the child becomes addicted it will seek more and more, which if related to books, fills the bank vaults of those who write un-sensitive books for young children!"</span><br />
<br /><br />
<span style="color: red;">"It is the duty of parents to spend time to study such matters and form their own conclusions, not to think that because the world is filled with such sensational literature they have to have it for their children, because everyone else does! Beware the devil in the text! Choose beauty for your young children!"</span><br />
<br /><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.theacornschool.com/news/the-imagination-of-the-child/" target="_blank">You can read his whole tirade an the Acorn School blog.</a> Or not, after all, I just copied and pasted the majority of it.<br />
<br /><br />
My f***ing response as a writer that wants to get some of that sweet, sweet sensational literature money:<br /><br />Dear Graeme Whiting, <br />
<br /><br />
Screw you!<br />
<br /><br />
My need for therapy and meds has nothing to do with what I read as a child. My entire family needs therapy and fistful of pills, and I am one of the few who willing cracked open a book this week. Bad children literature does not drive someone to becoming an ax murderer---that is the job of your bad employer, your loud neighbors, and a little thing called a hormonal imbalance. In fact, I am not even sure that any ax murderer has ever cracked up a book, good or bad.<br /><br />So you are saying that all the good stuff was written before the War. And contains no trace of magic. Fine, great. I see that you are good at justifying your curriculum which your students hate. I assume that you have removed, and never mention, the Little Scottish Play. <br />
<br /><br />
And by the way, Shakespeare was a hack who wrote for money, so you should just remove all of his writings from your syllabus. He wrote for the masses, was sensualist for his time, and once had someone chased off stage by a bear. And his witches had beards. So quit pretending that Shakespeare was somehow more noble than J.K. Rowling and Terry Pratchett. And hint, many of your other favorite writers were hacks who liked money and/or attention. <br />
<br /><br />
Just be grateful that today's kids want to read any book. And good luck at getting them to give up movies, TV, and the internet. <br />
<br /><br />
But no, you are a snob, who thinks that the 1950s was the best time in human history, or at least, one of its high notes. It is people like you that make literature students hate, nah, loathe literature. <br />
<br /><br />
And yes, I realize that I am prime example of the horrible person that reading such literature leads to. Yes, I read the Hardy Boys and Doc Savage, and Tarzan, Sherlock Holmes, the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy as a kid. And yes, my parent were horrible people who did not beat me enough and allowed me to do so. Well, my mom beat me, and forbade me from reading any science fiction or fantasy literature---and I did it anyways because it was a way to take my mind off of the fact that I was dirt poor and the oldest of eight kids in an abusive household. <br />
<br /><br />
And horror of horrors, I turned out to be a non-Christian writer who writes for money and the pleasure of writing satirical sensational stories. Oh, I imagine that I, and my parents, should be burned at the stake for this fate. <br />
<br /><br />
I am so sorry that your students do not enjoy the type of ennobling and enriching literature that you think that they should enjoy. Maybe you missed the whole point of teaching literature in school which is to ensure that people have actually read the classics---because quite honestly if a bunch of professors would not have gotten together and declared literature to be a noble discipline, most people would never crack open any of the books that you prefer people to read. <br /><br />Your problem is not with people being sheep; it is with them not being sheeple who think that your course material is the greatest thing such sliced white bread. Let me guess--you have tried your hand at writing "literature" and have gotten nothing but rejection slips saying, "You are boring people to death; please, please, never write another word ever again."<br /><br />Screw you!<br /><br />
Mad Uncle MorganMorgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-91981861561972348202016-04-21T23:31:00.001-06:002016-04-21T23:31:16.500-06:00Dont owe Prince a damn thingMy response to someone saying that as a writer, I owed Prince a debt because he fought censorship.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">"Luckily for prince, other artists can sell things like grimoires or explicit romance novels without being banned/forced to do some other shit to keep the lights on."</span><br />
<br />
You have no idea about the book market, do you? Most writers have a day job to keep the lights on because they will make less than a thousand in royalties. Same goes for most artists and musicians. Even today, all the book outlets can ban your book for absolutely no reason, and you can't do anything about it.<br />
<br />
The only artists that Prince helped were artists who were or became famous enough to make so much money that it was stupid for outlets not to sell their stuff.<br />
<br />
Small timers still suffer from the whims of the market and have to worry that some Christian will start screaming, "Will someone think of the children?!"<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1H87cWyVxw/Vxm2tic2YXI/AAAAAAAAEPc/mC8JF83fhbc975O5FpPL1g1rHIct68fTgCLcB/s1600/amazon%2Brules.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="223" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-e1H87cWyVxw/Vxm2tic2YXI/AAAAAAAAEPc/mC8JF83fhbc975O5FpPL1g1rHIct68fTgCLcB/s320/amazon%2Brules.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Amazon rules on erotica change the instant they notice that you are making money, and some Christian might get upset. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As an erotica writer, my market was cut by over 90% because companies decided to listen to those who supported censorship. Prince did not help me one bit.<br /><br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-61467331628681725652016-04-18T21:48:00.003-06:002016-04-18T21:48:51.736-06:00Am I being sued by the IRS (Scam alert)This afternoon I recieved a message on the answering machine saying that I was being sued by the IRS, and needed to call a certain phone number to resolve the issue.<br />
<br />
Uhh, yeah, right.<br />
<br />
Nope, no thanks, I will wait until the IRS sends me a piece of snail mail saying that I am in trouble.<br />
<br />
Remember the IRS will never call or email you; they communicate using good old fashioned snail mail.<br /><br />(And for those interested, I have never been audited...because I have never made enough money to justify hauling me in. If the IRS actually sued me, I would have to send them a big bag of used cat litter---because that is what I can spare.)Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-75280000081451921872016-04-18T15:44:00.004-06:002016-04-18T15:44:44.177-06:00My current writing itinerary (my boring life as a writer) In case you wonder, my current writing projects include (in no particular order of priority):<br />
<br />
A Necronomicon satire (which I am having way too much fun writing, and I figure will sell just a single copy if I ever am bothered enough to publish it)<br />
<br />
A short horror story about a man who summoned a demon as a muse<br />
<br />
Harmic Barrows--an urban fantasy series (think "orc" taxi driver forced to become a detective)<br />
<br />
A series of random fairy poems<br />
<br />
At least one Tarot deck (which is unlikely to ever be finished)<br />
<br />
A Mad Uncle Morgan commentary about the "laws" of magic (magic as a science)<br />
<br />
(As you can see, nothing terribly exciting or profitable.)Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-70308878036091825482016-01-26T16:39:00.001-07:002016-01-26T16:39:08.536-07:00Free USA shipping on pottery orders until Valetines Day (sponsor post)<a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/celticsouljewelry" target="_blank">Celtic Soul Jewelry and Pottery</a>, and its sister Etsy shop <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Khariswiccantreasure" target="_blank">Khari's Wiccan Treasures</a> is offering free shopping for orders in the United States when you use the code VALENTINES14 until Valentine's day (February 14, 2016).<br />
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Some of the stuff available at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/Khariswiccantreasure" target="_blank">Khari's Wiccan Treasures</a>.</div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FaCMaRUEpo0/VqgArMCN12I/AAAAAAAAEEI/ZI7d9J2f2mg/s1600/k1%2Bcobalt%2Bblue%2Bmortar%2Band%2Bpestle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-FaCMaRUEpo0/VqgArMCN12I/AAAAAAAAEEI/ZI7d9J2f2mg/s320/k1%2Bcobalt%2Bblue%2Bmortar%2Band%2Bpestle.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Cobalt blue small mortar and pestle. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5t9LxjLFoM/VqgAq6Z9g3I/AAAAAAAAEEE/1aGA5n9xNJ4/s1600/k2%2Bknight%2Btemplar%2Bcross%2Bchalice.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-A5t9LxjLFoM/VqgAq6Z9g3I/AAAAAAAAEEE/1aGA5n9xNJ4/s320/k2%2Bknight%2Btemplar%2Bcross%2Bchalice.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">She can also make customized chalices with the triple moon symbol. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6BigLNb6cJg/VqgArHFYtBI/AAAAAAAAEEM/XpOZ0atdn9w/s1600/k3%2Btriple%2Bgoddess%2Bcone%2Bincense%2Bburner.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6BigLNb6cJg/VqgArHFYtBI/AAAAAAAAEEM/XpOZ0atdn9w/s320/k3%2Btriple%2Bgoddess%2Bcone%2Bincense%2Bburner.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I love how the glaze turned out on this one. </td></tr>
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Some of the stuff available at <a href="https://www.etsy.com/shop/celticsouljewelry" target="_blank">Celtic Soul Jewelry and Pottery</a>. </div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-egh6OBcdhPE/VqgCopIybdI/AAAAAAAAEEg/R4EGBHhjUek/s1600/c1%2Bspiral%2Bheart%2Bpendant.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-egh6OBcdhPE/VqgCopIybdI/AAAAAAAAEEg/R4EGBHhjUek/s320/c1%2Bspiral%2Bheart%2Bpendant.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Isn't this cute?</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rY3AFwTS794/VqgCpmrVwZI/AAAAAAAAEEo/Fzi7ddIroKk/s1600/c2%2Bkitten%2Blover%2Bmug.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rY3AFwTS794/VqgCpmrVwZI/AAAAAAAAEEo/Fzi7ddIroKk/s320/c2%2Bkitten%2Blover%2Bmug.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Food safe, microwave safe, dishwasher safe. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6aH5KMZipXs/VqgCpgTqOMI/AAAAAAAAEEs/JvqaY1Qva1c/s1600/c3%2Begyptian%2Bhieroglyph%2Bmagnets.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-6aH5KMZipXs/VqgCpgTqOMI/AAAAAAAAEEs/JvqaY1Qva1c/s320/c3%2Begyptian%2Bhieroglyph%2Bmagnets.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Fridge magnets including the Eye of Horus. </td></tr>
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Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-12069109077899841692016-01-11T16:57:00.002-07:002016-01-11T16:57:43.226-07:00Custom made chalicesAnd now a word from my sponsor (aka my wife): <br />
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<br />
Here are some of the chalices that were made recently. There is a large variety of symbols that can be used: Templar cross, Wicca pentacle, triple moon, and horned god. There are also several scrolls that can be applied. We have a variety of glaze colors to choose from; all of them are food safe. The chalices are hand thrown, underglazed and fired, then overglazed and fired a second time. The whole process from start to finish takes seven to eight weeks. <br />
<br />
<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/243855059/made-to-order-personalized-custom-wheel?ref=shop_home_active_3" target="_blank">If you are interested in ordering a custom made chalice, check out Khari's Wiccan Treasures on Etsy.</a><br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i_YlQdOTzTY/VpQ7dPsTc_I/AAAAAAAAECI/Z4sU_heU2I8/s1600/fb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-i_YlQdOTzTY/VpQ7dPsTc_I/AAAAAAAAECI/Z4sU_heU2I8/s320/fb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Templar cross blue chalice. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VTKdj9-H_QM/VpQ7c7C6QEI/AAAAAAAAECE/ClDr1WGxkcg/s1600/fb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VTKdj9-H_QM/VpQ7c7C6QEI/AAAAAAAAECE/ClDr1WGxkcg/s320/fb2.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Templar cross green chalice. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5hWkACYyb2c/VpQ7b6BDekI/AAAAAAAAEB8/yAW6YQh2h40/s1600/fb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-5hWkACYyb2c/VpQ7b6BDekI/AAAAAAAAEB8/yAW6YQh2h40/s320/fb3.jpg" width="319" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Wiccan trimple moon pentacle green chalice. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulaSyXD08ns/VpQ7fsk6BoI/AAAAAAAAECU/R9NydLL0yuY/s1600/fb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ulaSyXD08ns/VpQ7fsk6BoI/AAAAAAAAECU/R9NydLL0yuY/s320/fb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Here is the selection of glaze colors to choose from. </td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcNA25TcCTE/VpQ7kttT2aI/AAAAAAAAECc/QXYld5_8Bhk/s1600/fb1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EcNA25TcCTE/VpQ7kttT2aI/AAAAAAAAECc/QXYld5_8Bhk/s320/fb1.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red and black horned god chalice.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hDljV3xR3_U/VpQ7mEU4mHI/AAAAAAAAECg/q6OPKSKou5g/s1600/fb2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-hDljV3xR3_U/VpQ7mEU4mHI/AAAAAAAAECg/q6OPKSKou5g/s320/fb2.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Green triple moon chalice. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpcaGbyw92Q/VpQ7mKQUxtI/AAAAAAAAECk/PVHbwfnC0Uw/s1600/fb3.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-fpcaGbyw92Q/VpQ7mKQUxtI/AAAAAAAAECk/PVHbwfnC0Uw/s320/fb3.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Golden brown triple moon chalice. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YIZLYxs-2IA/VpQ7prBrrDI/AAAAAAAAECo/sQwQuRdttCE/s1600/fb4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-YIZLYxs-2IA/VpQ7prBrrDI/AAAAAAAAECo/sQwQuRdttCE/s320/fb4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Red and black triple moon chalice. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMyfXZbJBNs/VpQ7r9goYQI/AAAAAAAAEC0/ZYXp_Fy-P3A/s1600/fb5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TMyfXZbJBNs/VpQ7r9goYQI/AAAAAAAAEC0/ZYXp_Fy-P3A/s320/fb5.jpg" width="305" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue and green pentacle chalice. </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cPiClD9uP24/VpQ7rza-eYI/AAAAAAAAEC4/Q8SZqrJwoQo/s1600/fb6.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-cPiClD9uP24/VpQ7rza-eYI/AAAAAAAAEC4/Q8SZqrJwoQo/s320/fb6.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Blue pentacle chalice. </td></tr>
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<br />Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5431148274591271115.post-31819218699102097472015-10-16T15:19:00.003-06:002015-10-16T15:19:48.734-06:00Custom-made pet urnsAs most of my readers know, my wife is a ceramic artist (a potter) who does wheel thrown pottery. One of the items that she makes are pet cremation urns. She can make ceramic pet urns with paw prints for dogs, cats, and ferrets. She does have a size limitation (basically she can't make an urn for a godzilla sized dog). The most common customization request is for the pet's name to be on the urn.<br />
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<a href="https://www.etsy.com/listing/173952000/made-to-order-medium-small-size-dog-urn?ref=shop_home_active_21" target="_blank">If you are interested, you can check out her Etsy shop.</a><br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBr2KVJj1cs/ViFm27cE-aI/AAAAAAAADzg/cYuWFx4YYNc/s1600/shino%2Bcat%2Burn%2Bmade%2Bto%2Border4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="319" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eBr2KVJj1cs/ViFm27cE-aI/AAAAAAAADzg/cYuWFx4YYNc/s320/shino%2Bcat%2Burn%2Bmade%2Bto%2Border4.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Handmade pet urn.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0v9-hjSKQlw/ViFm20P-rdI/AAAAAAAADzk/asQazImvXBk/s1600/shino%2Bcat%2Burn%2Bmade%2Bto%2Border5.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0v9-hjSKQlw/ViFm20P-rdI/AAAAAAAADzk/asQazImvXBk/s320/shino%2Bcat%2Burn%2Bmade%2Bto%2Border5.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ceramic pet urn.</td></tr>
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Morgan Drake Ecksteinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09258538066497554895noreply@blogger.com0