Hot off the presses (or electrons) First Chapters!

Here's your chance to sample 22 different indie authors. 

First Chapters

Available now on Amazon, just click First Chapters

First Chapters is an introduction to twenty-two cutting edge indie authors. Some of them are award-winning, some are bestselling, and they all, at one time, joined forces at IndiesUnlimited.com: a site dedicated to the indie author movement. This volume includes a wide array of genres and unique voices. We are sure you will find something inside to please every appetite.

This volume includes chapters from authors DV Berkom, Melissa Bowersock, Laurie Boris, K.S. Brooks, Lynne Cantwell, Martin Crosbie, Jim Devitt, A.C. Flory, Yvonne Hertzberger, Stephen Hise, Mark Jacobs, Chris James, LA Lewandowski, TD McKinnon, Rich Meyer, Melissa Pearl, Lin Robinson, Kathy Rowe, Carolyn Steele, Krista Tibbs, Dick Waters, and Carol Wyer.

Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

How do You Write the Chapters of Your Life?

Are you happy with your life? Do you ever wish that your life were different? Are you where you want to be with your writing, business, love life or just about anything else?

Most of the people that visit this blog are writers or readers. That pretty much sums up the entire population because if you are not doing one or the other or both, you are probably dead. As readers and writers, we are very familiar with novel structure. It's a series of chapters. You start with the introduction of a main character that experiences a transformation through a growth process that may involve mystery, romance, action, heartbreak, death, illness or exploration. The concepts are limitless.

Our lives can be looked at the same way.

The Many Faces of Jim Devitt

As many of you know, I worked the visiting clubhouse for the Seattle Mariners a Major League Baseball team. Since I worked for the visiting teams, I would wear the uniform of the visiting team. That put me in a bunch of different uniforms. 

I figured I would share some of those looks, both good and really bad. Yes, it was the late seventies, but that's no excuse as to how geeky some of these pictures are ...

Here's a little pre-game action while sporting the Kansas City Royals blue traveling uniform.

The Post All-Star Game Bounty

Being a batboy at the All-Star game did have some perks. Besides the great people and awesome times, I walked away with a couple of choice items. It's not every day that someone gets their own bat made for them!

 

Both Louisville Slugger and Adirondack custom made commemorative bats for me as the batboy for the National League. Although the relationships I forged I'll never forget, I did get a couple of nice things from some of the players.

I went from player to player getting autographs from the entire National League All-Star team on the official 50th All-Star game ball. That ball is loaded with baseball greats, you can find the list of All-Stars in my previous post here.  

The All-Star Game

Game day had finally arrived. Adrenalin was my main power source after sleeping at the Kingdome for three straight nights. The Groundskeepers had the field looking better than ever. Red, white and blue draped the gray concrete in every imaginable space.

As the day marched on, players arrived and a constant buzz of activity nested on the field. Dignitaries and stars came and went. I saw more people in the clubhouse than ever. In today's game, I don't think you would ever see access like in those days.

In one quiet moment, I walked through the dugout out on to the field. The television crews were laying cable and positioning cameras and I looked to my left and noticed an older man sitting by himself on the dugout bench.

In the Clubhouse and On the Field Before the All Star Game

The All-Stars had arrived and the Kingdome became the center of the baseball universe for three days. This was not the All-Star experience of today. Keep in mind, this was 34 years ago, the spectacle of the All-Star Game would grow over the next couple of decades. There was no Home Run hitting contest, no futures games or fan-fest.

The events leading up to the contest consisted of a batting and infield practice open to the public—that's it. No television directed drama, just a simple practice. Still, 15,000 people showed up for that event. It was cool for me, because I got to shag balls in the outfield during the batting practice, alongside greats like Dave Parker, George Foster and Dave Winfield.

My All-Star Experience - The Players Arrive

My days in the clubhouse reached a fever pitch about this time 34 years ago. I picked the right year to become batboy—the year Seattle hosted its first Major League All-Star Game. As the visiting clubhouse batboy, that meant that I would perform batboy duties for the National League All-Stars.

The players started filtering in a couple of days before the game. Players and their equipment would arrive at all hours of the day and night. This began a three-day stint of living in the Kingdome for me. Bags would arrive from a foreign city and team. I would look in awe at the arrival of these players from the "other" league.

The Fair Use Doctrine From Jane Friedman's Blog

Here's an excellent post by Jane Friedman and Bradlee Frazer on copyright infringement and fair use of copyrighted material.

http://janefriedman.com/2013/07/15/the-fair-use-doctrine/

It's definitely worth the few minutes it takes to read. You could save yourself a big headache down the road.



Jim Devitt is the author of the #1 Kindle Bestselling Young Adult novel, The Card. He's also a healthcare consultant specializing in helping healthcare companies and practices develop a social media marketing platform, and maximize cash flow. You can find him posting weekly to Indies Unlimited and occasionally as a contributor on Yahoo!

My Covert Photo of President Ronald Reagan at the Opening Ceremonies of Liberty Weekend

Dress Rehearsal with Neil Diamond

The Opening Ceremonies for the Centennial Celebration of the Statue of Liberty came at last. After weeks of fourteen hour days of rehearsing and practicing, it was time to put on the uniform and perform in front of a mesmerized nation. 

We arrived at Governor’s Island eight hours before show time due to the fact that two president’s would be in attendance, Ronald Reagan from the United States and Francois Mitterand of France. Security was tight, I was searched high and low, and even my trombone was searched piece by piece. 

Behind-The-Scenes at Giants Stadium and Governor's Island for Liberty Weekend

Opening Ceremonies Dress Rehearsal

In 1986, as the renovation completed on the Statue of Liberty for her 100th birthday, a group known as the College All-American Marching Band or Liberty Band for short, spent twelve plus hours a day rehearsing and practicing. 

Arriving in New York to Rehearse For the Liberty Weekend Celebration

After my selection to the Liberty Band, I arrived in New York with eyes as big as saucers. I couldn't believe that I was about to take part in such a huge event. 

Our home away from home for the next two weeks was William Patterson College in New Jersey. We stayed in the dorms and used their facilities for rehearsals.

The first time our group of squad leaders played together, I was in awe. What a talented group of musicians—I certainly didn't feel worthy. However, our group of about twelve leaders knew we were a part of something special. We bonded instantly. Those few days before the band arrived, was like something out of a movie. 

Liberty Weekend and The College All-American Marching Band

This is a fun time of the year. Summer is officially digging in and Fourth of July is just around the corner. Years ago, back in 1986 to be exact, the Statue of Liberty enjoyed a special Fourth of July weekend. After 100 years of salt water and weather wearing away at her exterior, Lady Liberty underwent an extensive facelift. 

The re-dedication party lasted from July 3rd through the 6th, with a series of concerts, performances, fireworks and celebrities. The television network, ABC, bid on exclusive rights to the production and they did not disappoint. 

So what does all this have to do with me?