Atari Smeghead

Hi everyone! Sales of Driving Crazy have been pretty good (earlier this week, my Amazon ranking shot up from 1,800,000 to something like 400,000 ), and I've enjoyed the signings and interviews I've done. Here's a recently published Q and A interview, if you're interested. I also have a DVD copy of my segment on WLNZ TV, but I'm still not sure how to transfer it to Youtube or my website. Working on it. ) Also, it appears that Amazon is having a sale on my novel this weekend, If you've been on the fence with the novel called, "Entertaining from start to finish" and "laugh out loud funny," this could be a prime opportunity. Enjoy your Independence Day weekend, or if your country is not all gung-ho on fireworks this weekend, enjoy your Saturday and Sunday! Cheers, Smeg

Thanks so much, Clint! I really appreciate that! I'm so pleased it's out there, in the world. Hi Anthony! Thanks for taking a look. If your library doesn't have it, (and I'd be shocked if it did, since it just came out and teleportation hasn't been perfected in the book selling industry ) ask them to order it through the normal channels. I'm in the all the major distribution channels now. Same goes for B&N - they can easily order it through their network. If you want to read some of it now, either go to Amazon, or to my website. Amazon does that "Look Inside" thing, and my website has excerpts, deleted scenes, and you can even listen to the "MegaShop Stakeout scene" there as well. Thanks again for the interest! Cheers, Smeg

Hi everyone! I just edited the top post, to update the links and to share the exciting news - Driving Crazy was recently picked up by Tate Publishing for a full printing/marketing/distribution deal! Come June 16, 2015, it will be available everywhere books are sold. Please scroll to the top for the proper links ... or I suppose I can put them here too! Amazon.com, Barnes and Noble, Tate Publishing, or buy it directly from my website if you want a signed copy! To read some excerpts and deleted scenes, or to listen to a section of the novel, please visit my website. Cheers, Smeg

HI all, I just edited the first post in this thread, to remove the old, outdated links. Take a look! Come June 16, Driving Crazy will be available nationwide! So thriling! Cheers, Smeg

By the way... the above eBook links no longer work. Tate Publishing has taken over the publishing and distributing, which includes both the eBook versions and Amazon. Driving Crazy (nationwide release date June 16) is currently available for preorder from either Amazon... or directly from Tate's website. But you can still order it directly from my website, to get a signed and personalized (or personalised) copy. Cheers, Smeg

Hi Danny! As you can see (by how long it took me to respond), I really haven't been here all that much. Marriage, new house, the re-release of the novel, the job... it all takes time away from playing my Atari and visiting here. Great to hear from you again, old friend! How have things been? Good, I hope! And thanks for the kind words about ol' Driving Crazy! Thanks so much, Chris! I really appreciate that! Cheers, Smeg

Hi all, The news of the day is... Driving Crazy, the formerly self-published novel, has been picked up by Tate Publishing, a full-fledged, full-service, nationwide publisher. As of Friday it's in the print queue, with copies available to me (and on Tate's website) within a month, and available to bookstores across the US by June! As you can imagine, I am beyond geeked! Since I soon won't have any control over pricing (and will have to take my version of the eBook offline so they can put their own version up), I am lowering my eBook's price on Amazon to $1.99. I have no idea how long this will last... my guess is only a few days. (My marketing fellow made it sound like their copy of this eBook will be $9.99 - so if you've been on the fence, a couple of bucks really is the way to go!) So if you'd like a cheap copy of the book called "Awesome" "fantastic" "entertaining" and "a must read," check out the $1.99 eBook on Amazon. It's also available for $1.99 at Smashwords. Cheers, Smeg

Thank you both so much! I hope you enjoy it! I heard from my marketing guy Friday, and was told DC is now in the print queue. I even ordered my first set of "second edition" copies. I didn't bring up my eBooks, so I can probably keep this sale going for a little bit longer. But it sounds like the retail price of their eBook will be $9.99, so if anyone is still on the fence... I mean really, what's two bucks for a book that Atariage's own Cebus Capucinis called, "...absolutely perfect for anyone who is a video game enthusiast ... At multiple times throughout the book I found myself laughing out loud..."? Cheers, Smeg

Wow, I didn't realize you have a little one now! Congratulations for that!! How wonderful! I have a 14-year-old step daughter now myself. Certainly not the same as a baby, but it brings its own challenges. I hope we didn't scare off Eric. Come back Eric!

Hi all, The news of the day is... Driving Crazy, the formerly self-published novel, has been picked up by a full-fledged, full-service, nationwide publisher. Just today I received the final proof copy, and once I sign the approval form, they will begin printing copies of the "second edition." They will then distribute my novel to all places books are sold! As you can imagine, I am beyond geeked! Since I soon won't have any control over pricing (and will have to take my version of the eBook offline so they can put their own version up), I am lowering my eBook's price on Amazon to $1.99. I have no idea how long this will last... my guess is only a few days. But if you'd like a cheap copy of the book called "Awesome" "fantastic" "entertaining" and "a must read," check out the $1.99 eBook on Amazon. It's also available for $1.99 at Smashwords. Cheers, Smeg (PS - I just changed the Amazon price a few minutes ago, so it may take a couple of hours for the $1.99 price point to appear. Not that it's not worth it at $2.99, but if ya don't mind being a tad patient, you can save a buck!)

Hi Mr Bland! Wonderful to see you again as well! Glad that you've kept up here. Thanks so much for the kind words. I'm loving life, though it would be nice to have enough "spare time" to be able to write, read, play copious amounts of Atari, AND spend time with Mrs. Smeghead and my step-daughter. I'm going to try to visit here more often, but when I do, I generally just feel like, "Man I wish I could afford to buy that!!" I've missed a lot, but still, I wouldn't trade my current life for my old one, that's for sure. Hi Serby! SO nice to "chat" with you once again, my friend! Been too long, to be sure. Thanks so much for all of that! I gotta tell ya, Wendy came outta the blue, and I'm so happy she did. I met her at a book signing event - the owner of the bookstore made a point of introducing us, because he knew we'd hit it off... and boy, was he right! I brought her back to that book store 8 months later and proposed to her in front of the counter where we first met. I am definitely geeked over Driving Crazy's second life. In fact, just moments ago, I got the final proof copy from my project manager. Once I sign off on it and scan him the approval form, it's off to the printers! I very much appreciate the kind words about DC. Since the price will be going up with the new publisher, I'll probably do a quick advert for "version one" eBooks, before I have no say in the price anymore. Very happy you still have our Battlesphere . I suspect you will be the last owner, but I suppose ya never know where life might take us. So... how've you been? What have I missed of your life these past few years? Take care, both of you! Cheers, Smeg

Hi Eric (and Serblander and the rest of you from back in the day, and to the new folks too), Since this is kinda becoming a "welcome back" thread, figure I may as well jump in. I too have let "the real world" interfere with my gaming, and my AtariAge-ing. In the past couple of years, I started a new job, met my future wife, married her in May, moved in with future/current wifey, and bought a house in the country. Not a lot of time to enjoy the "nearly complete" Lynx collection (for those who don't know me, you can check out my old Lynx threads about my collection - I have something like 120 titles, including a proto-version of Eric's EotB. I also had a huge Jag collection but had to sell off the big stuff when I was unemployed.) I'm not famous or anything - though I did write the manual for Lynx Solitaire and the Flash card. :^) Oh, and my videogame themed novel Driving Crazy was recently picked up by a nationwide publisher. In the next couple of months, it will be available at bookstores nationwide. That and my new novel are two more things keeping me away from playing my Jag and Lynx. Anywho... didn't mean to highjack, just wated to say hi to everyone... Especially Eric and Serby! Definately two of my favourite Atari folks. Serby and I traded a copy of Battlesphere back and forth... do you still have it? And Eric, so glad to hear you're doing well! We live in the same state... weren't we gonna get together back in the day? Maybe I'll be able to do a book signing in your area this summer. Take care everyone! Cheers, Smeg

Oh, and if anyone here is still wanting to pick up an eBook version, it is now bargain-priced at 99 cents until the end of the year. Right now, it's available through Smashwords - and also at Amazon. Cheers, Smeg

Hi Andy, Sorry I missed this post back in the day! I've been off the grid - got married and started working at a demanding job. But thanks so much for picking up a copy! Hope you enjoyed it! Cheers, Randy

I hadn't seen that before! Very cool indeed! "216th attempt... he was unsuccessful." Cheers, Smeg

As the Pink Floyd song goes, any colour you like. Just need to get out the Hi-Liters. I'd use spray paint, but the ventilation isn't good in here, and it brings up another Pink Floyd song, Brain Damage. Cheers, Smeg

But wait... I also created a direct connect version! 300/1200/2400, baby!! So many choices!