I have had quite a bit of dental work done the past couple of weeks, including a root canal (ouch) so I've been splurging on milkshakes and ice cream almost non stop. It doesn't hurt that it has been 100 degrees in Chicago lately.

I'm also in the midst of packing up my entire apartment to make a move eight blocks north. While I'm excited about the new place, I'm not excited about moving all my stuff. However, as I have been cleaning things out and packing up boxes, I've been formulating some ideas for a giveaway blitz.

I will be releasing the second book in the Shadows Trilogy, The Rebels, in August and I'm going to be doing 5 days of promotion leading up to the release. Blog readers and fans will have a chance to win copies of my books, both paperback and kindle version, and some other fun stuff. So be on the lookout for that the first week or so of August.

I will also be creating a nice long blog about my experiences as an indie writer. Part of the process is keeping track of what works and what doesn't, so I'll be including some details of my successes an failures over the past couple of months. While I've been writing for a few years, I only recently took the plunge and put my stuff up on Amazon and I'm quickly learning that simply loading your book doesn't guarantee you fans and sales. There's a lot of behind the scenes work that goes into selling your books online and I'm just beginning to wrap my brain around it all.

So if you have read one of my books and enjoyed it, please tell your friends. And family. And pets. And neighbors. Tell everyone that will listen. I will be eternally grateful.

The fourth of July is such a great holiday. Warm weather, food, family and friends, and fireworks. But it's also a day to remember that we wouldn't be who we are today without sacrifice. This is true in the history of America and in our own personal histories. Sometimes you have to be willing to do things you don't want to do to achieve something great or important.

So I encourage people to think about the sacrifices they have made in their own lives and the sacrifices others have made for them. I also encourage you to eat something that was cooked on a grill and have a cold beer or two.

Oh and also, if you haven't picked it up yet, my first book The Shadows is free on Amazon today as my own little birthday gift. Enjoy!