Still an idiot writer

I am pretty sure no one will read this, so I guess it doesn't matter what I say. I just thought I'd jump on here and continue my promise of trying to keep a somewhat up to date blog.

I am very worried about the state of publishing and reading and writing these days. Books were pretty obscure objects once before - like when I grew up. There were and still are only a handful of real staples that I read growing up - The Cat in the Hat, Chronicles of Narnia (now it seems everyone has a 'chronicles' story), Winnie the Pooh, Grimm Fairy Tales, Where the Sidewalk Ends, and The Hardy Boys' Mysteries. Now there is just so much stuff out there, and it is hard to separate anything that is actually good.

I also think that writing has been on the decline. Every tip I read has been in the words of 'cut', 'cut', 'cut' - This to me only represents one thing - either publishers think kids are to stupid to read long stories, or publishers don't want to spend money on publishing any extra pages. It has almost become the adage - hey let's put this book out as cheaply as possible and then on to the next one.

I guess I am one who likes to see different styles in the way people write - not the one syllable, five word sentence. I like my words painted - it shows that someone has an imagination. NOT rehashing the movie - "The Running Man" and making it a book. Just read, "20000 Leagues Under the Sea" You'll then know what I am talking about.

It is pretty cool in a way to write a blog no one reads. No one cares. I do get to vent about nothing in particular. If you are out trying to be an author that anyone cares about, quit wasting your time. I also don't want to hear - I just need to write, because that's who I am. No we just have this fascination that someone is actually going to care about what we write - and I have to tell - you - no one does. Twitter is full of this - "such and such says - The Time of NeverEver is the such and such choice.." OR "Mandy Nobody has just released the Flyergate Chronicles, and it's in par with Hunger Games."

If you self publish, and you get a few kudos here and there - hold on to them, because that is all you'll get -

Why so angry you ask? I'm not - I'm just writing a blog no one reads. However, if you do come across this blog - I speaketh the truth. And you can vent along with me if you 'd like?


Yours Truly,


Mark

I am an idiot writer

This will be the first post in the adventures of being a stupid writer.

I have to say that of all of the things to be in this world, why would anyone want to be a writer --- especially now?

I am not sure what being in middle school is these days, but when I went to school, we were required to read certain books throughout the year... what a crock. I had better things to do than read. I think most of the time I copied my neighbors answers to the 10 question quiz we had after each reading assignment.

It wasn't until I had this bright idea in 1996 to write a book that I thought reading added anything to society. That's right - 1996. That was before "Harry Potter", before the Internet craze and before the absolute saturation of wanna be authors - yours truly included.

It is amazing what one can do with technology these days - meaning - CAN ANYONE TELL ME WHERE THIS STUFF STARTS OR STOPS? What do I mean by stuff? Exactly, have not one clue.

I have gone the self-publishing route - and let me be the first to say - DON'T DO IT!! Unless you want to pat yourself on the back. There is virtue in self publishing though - once you go through it - you'll know where you made your mistake, and you'll be cleaning it up for some time afterwards.

I will say I have a product due to self-publication - it is not a bad product - but what an agent and publishing house can do for said product is daunting to say the least what one can do with that product themselves.

You see - I have done everything that everyone says a self-publisher should do - but yet no one reads my book. The reason? Well - this is hard, but the reason is that I have not a clue how to market, distribute, publicize, or anything else to my audience.

So yes - I have the social media stuff...nothing. I have a blog...nothing.

Maybe my story is not good enough.......hmmmm....maybe, but I don't know that because I can't reach a larger market, and the money it would take to do so is something I am not willing to pay - especially since I am some thousands of dollars in the hole.

Being published in a house with an agent gives you one thing self-pub will not, and that is being legit. Save the sermons, please, until later. I know all of the cliches and sayings and everything else.

There are always exceptions to the rule, but there is also a winner of the lottery - and what is the chance in that?

I still think it is easier to make in Hollywood than it is to be a writer.

I love success stories - yet I am not one of them. I am probably one of the millions that are not - though I will not give up. I just want to do it right.

It is a brand new world out there as far as publishing goes. Anyone with a computer can be a writer nowadays. I have probably seen my window open and shut, but we'll see.

So I have 3 followers of my blog as of this post.....this should be interesting.

www.facebook.com/jmarkboliek

Durham Author Donates His New Books, CDs To Duke Children's Hospital

J. Mark Boliek hopes “The Mahogany Door” book and soundtrack will help cheer young patients.

November 1, 2011 (Durham, NC) – J. Mark Boliek, the author of the new fantasy-adventure book for young readers entitled “The Mahogany Door,” has donated 18 books, along with the all-original CD soundtrack that accompanies them, to Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center at Duke University.

Duke’s Child Life Specialist Tracy Lamar, who is in charge of toy and book donations to the hospital, has placed the donated books in libraries at Duke Children’s Hospital: in the playroom for inpatient children and families, and a library in the classroom in the Children’s Health Clinic for outpatient visitors.

“I also handed out a book and CD to a patient who has been hospitalized multiple times recently,” she noted. “As an avid reader, she was excited to have a new book to read. Her mother was thrilled as well. She had heard of the book already.”

“The Mahogany Door,” which has been called “recommended reading” by Midwest Book Review, is the story of three friends who were separated for years by a tragedy, but who must now reunite to fulfill a destiny in the fantasy world of Bruinduer before that world collapses. One of the friends doesn’t remember Bruinduer, another has worked hard to forget it, and the other’s reasons for returning are suspect. Ultimately the fast-paced adventure book is about facing fear, friendship, perseverance, and trusting a higher power for guidance.

“I want children, young and old, to have as much fun reading this story as I had writing it,” Boliek said. “I also would like them to know that this is an allegorical tale about my life, and that circumstances happen that are beyond our control. But as the narrator says and I have come to believe, ‘…that hope always exists.’ “

“The Mahogany Door” and CD are available at The Regulator Bookshop in Durham, Quail Ridge Books & Music in Raleigh, the Moravian Books & Gifts shop in Old Salem, NC, Chambers Arts in Cary, and from the author’s website at www.jmarkboliek.com. The regular ebook is available for Kindle, Nook, and iPad users from Barnes & Noble (BN.com), Amazon, and from Apple’s iBookstore. The enhanced version, which features embedded music from CD, is also available from the iBookstore for iPads, iPhones, and the iPod Touch.

For more information on “The Mahogany Door,” visit www.jmarkboliek.com.

About Duke’s Children’s Hospital & Health Center:

Duke Children’s Hospital & Health Center, located in Durham, N.C., is nationally ranked among the best in pediatric health care programs. Caring for children is our number one priority, from routine check-ups and immunizations to the treatment of life-threatening injuries and illnesses. At Duke Children’s, we provide hope and the most advanced health care available. Offering innovative procedures including stem cell and bone marrow transplants as well as a variety of support services for our patients and their families, Duke Children’s cares for children from around the world. We are also a critical local resource - taking care of 60 percent of Durham's children with more than 70 percent of patients coming from central North Carolina. For more information please visit www.dukechildrens.org.

The Mahogany Door Project To Perform During 2011 Carrboro Mlusic Festival

Showcasing all-original live music at Cat’s Cradle

September 20, 2011 (Carrboro, NC) – The Mahogany Door Project, a band comprised of the musicians who created the original soundtrack CD for the new fantasy-adventure book “The Mahogany Door” by Durham author J. Mark Boliek, will perform live at the legendary Cat’s Cradle on Sunday, September 25, during the Carrboro Music Festival.

The band’s set will begin at 4:30 p.m.

“Dark, happy, and hopeful” are the words Boliek uses to describe the songs the Mahogany Door Project will perform. Boliek developed the songs so that readers of his book can immerse themselves in the book’s fantasy world of “Bruinduer.”

The Mahogany Door Project’s live performances are laced with an eclectic style of music ranging from pop and rock to country and classical – from a mysterious and lonely rock anthem to heart-breaking country tunes, R&B acoustic compositions, and a powerful rock lullaby. And all of the songs are appropriate for all ages.

The members of the band are: Mark Boliek, guitar; Jill Boliek, vocals; Scott Jackson, lead guitar; Jon Murray, guitar and vocals; Evans Nicholson, drums; Jim Gilliam, bass; Mary Summerlin, keyboard and vocals; and Chris Summerin, guitar.

“The Mahogany Door Project serves up a lot of fun, laughter, and good music,” Boliek said, noting that he will also have copies of “The Mahogany Door” and CD on hand to sell. “We’re extremely grateful for the opportunity to be a part of such an exciting event as the Carrboro Music Festival.”

The band recently performed at Broad Street Café in Durham to a full house.

To hear a preview of the songs, go to www.jmarkboliek.com/the-music. The CD can also be heard through a variety of online sources including iTunes, Napster, Amazon MP3.

For more information on “The Mahogany Door,” a fantasy-adventure book for young readers, visit www.jmarkboliek.com.

Since its inception in 1998, the Carrboro Music Festival has drawn musicians and music lovers from all over the state. Performances take on 25 stages from one end of Carrboro to the other and the all-day event is free. The complete schedule can be downloaded at www.carrboro.com/carrboromusicfestival/.

Cat’s Cradle is located at 300 East Main Street in Carrboro, NC 27510 (919-967-9053). For more information and directions, go to www.catscradle.com.

Band Facts:

Musical Style/Genre: Pop, Rock, R&B, Country, Folk.

City of origin: Durham, North Carolina

Key Points of Interest:

· Recorded new CD together (in association with Split Rail Multimedia)

· Performs songs from the CD that are appropriate for all ages

· Recordings of the songs can be heard at www.jmarkboliek.com and at other online resources

· Facebook: www.facebookcom/jmarkboliek.

Quail Ridge Books, Moravian Books & Gifts Now Carrying "The Mahogany Door"

New fantasy-adventure book for young readers accepted at two more bookstores.

September 16, 2011 (Raleigh, NC) – Quail Ridge Books & Music, the award-winning independent bookstore in Raleigh, NC, and Moravian Books & Gifts, an independent bookstore in Winston-Salem, NC’s historic Old Salem district, are now carrying “The Mahogany Door,” a new fantasy-adventure book for young readers by Durham author J. Mark Boliek.

Moravian Books & Gifts is stocking the book, the all-original soundtrack CD that accompanies it, and the limited edition version featuring the book, CD and bookmark within a handcrafted, hand-etched wooden box. At a recent in-store event, the store sold both versions while Boliek was on hand to sign them.

Quail Ridge Books is just offering the limited edition version at this point.

“The Mahogany Door” is also being sold at The Regulator Bookshop, an independent bookstore in Durham.

“I’ve become a huge proponent of supporting local and independent businesses,” Boliek said. “They’re more representative of the independent author. And just like me, they have to compete with big name entities like Barnes & Nobel. Just as I try to find my space among a mountain of popular authors, indie bookstores have to find their space in the larger market. So they empathize more with an author who’s just trying to get his or her foot in the door. And local bookstores are much more personable, especially to local authors. They enjoy showcasing local talent.”

Boliek will return to Old Salem in November and December for two more in-store author/holiday events at Moravian Books & Gifts.

“The Mahogany Door,” published by Split Rail Multimedia, is the first book in a trilogy entitled The Bruinduer Narrative. According to Boliek, it represents his feelings about friendship, loss, perseverance, and about accepting help from someone larger than one’s self along the way. It is recommended reading for young and young adult readers by Midwest Book Review.

The book’s story surrounds three 20-something friends who were separated years ago by a tragedy but must reunite to fulfill a destiny. They must return through The Mahogany Door to the fantasy world of Bruinduer to retrieve a friend they left there before that world collapses. One of the three friends has suffered amnesia from a serious accident and doesn’t remember Bruinduer. Another wants nothing so much as to forget about Bruinduer. And the third’s reasons for returning are suspect. The adventures begin as soon as they reach the great door in the basement of an old mansion on the coast called Warhead Dale.

The ebook version is available on Amazon and through iBooks and the CD is available on iTunes as well as other online music sources. For more information on “The Mahogany Door” and CD, visit the author’s website at www.jmarkboliek.com.

This Kid Reviews Books.com: The Mahogany Door

Nine-year-old Erik (three months shy of his 10th birthday) writes a blog entitled "This Kid Reviews Books." It's read by other kids and their parents all over the globe. He reviewed "The Mahogany Door" -- and the CD -- and interviewed the author. Since he a member of the book's target audience, we couldn't be happier with his review. Enjoy!

The Mahogany Door and Interview with Author J. Mark Boliek

by Erik

What would you do if you could save someone who was lost in a different world? Years ago, JT, Kali, Michael and Charlie traveled to the world of Bruinduer through The Mahogany Door, a magical portal. The friends thought Charlie died in Bruinduer, but he didn’t. He is just trapped and the others now realize it and they vow to get him back. JT, Kali and Michael have to travel back through The Mahogany Door. They’ll face old enemies, fight in a war, cross a desert, have to find trust in Billy (their guide in Bruinduer) and convince Charlie (who wasn’t happy to see them) to come back home.

I have to say, when I first started into the story I thought it was going to be too much like the Witch, Lion and the Wardrobe, but it wasn’t. The story of The Mahogany Door is unique. The story really kept me reading (seriously, I couldn’t put the book down (see my Dad’s comments below)). I like how the book is told by a narrator telling the story to young kids. The reading level was good for 9+ readers and there really are no parts that are slow. There are also some nice illustrations throughout the book. I recommend it to everyone!!!!!

CLICK HERE TO READ THE REST OF ERIK'S REVIEW

Press Release: J. Mark Boliek Featured on "The Bookworms: Young Adult Book Reviews" Blog

To discuss the songs on his new book’s soundtrack CD

August 19, 2011 -- J. Mark Boliek, the author of The Mahogany Door and composer of the book’s accompanying all-original soundtrack CD, was the featured guest on "The Bookworms: Young Adult Book Reviews” blog.

The Mahogany Door is a 353-page urban fantasy-adventure novel about three friends – JT, Michael and Kali -- who have been separated for years by a tragedy, but who must reunite to return to the fantasy land of Bruindeur beyond the mahogany door to fulfill a destiny before that world collapses. The journey back to the world behind the door leads to self-discovery and to the realization that things in life are not always as they seem. The songs on the CD capture themes and emotions from the book.

For The Bookworms blog, Boliek focused on his three favorite songs from the CD: “All Alone,” “In The Afternoon,” and “Goodbyes.”

“All Alone” is the theme song of the book, he said. The main characters “find themselves alone in their own little space in the world, and it is not until they are able to reunite will they be able to face the demons from their past and conquer them.”

The song also speaks to the reason he wrote the book: “Many bad things have happened in my life, and along the way I have felt very much alone. It is when I started to find my true inner self that I could move forward, in some cases dealing with the mundane of everyday life.”

“In The Afternoon” addresses the way a single event can drastically change one’s life in just a few hours. “For JT in the book,” Boliek said, “he wakes up on his farm bee-bopping around, and by the afternoon his whole world has been turned upside down by a little boy who comes to him and tells a crazy story about his past.”

Boliek told The Bookworms that “Goodbyes”, however, is the most special song on the CD to him, yet it’s also the most difficult for him to listen to even today.

“I wrote it during one of the worst times in my life. It is so hard to say goodbye to the ones you love, but sometimes it is closure that humans need to move on,” he said. His character Kali “wants closure to everything that has happened to her, but it will not be easy for her to find.”

The Bookworms blog provides audio files for listening to the three songs from the CD. To see the entire post, go to http://thebookworms.org and click on “Guest Post: J. Mark Boliek” under Recent posts.

The Mahogany Door is currently available at The Regulator Bookshop in Durham, NC, on the author’s website, and in e-book versions at Barnes & Noble and Amazon. For more information on the book and the accompanying CD, visit www.jmarkboliek.com.