Thoughts From Homer Hickam at Skyridge

My 1993 Moon Lab Proposal

2012-02-25T15:12:00.000-08:00

Long before I wrote Crater or, for that matter, Back to the Moon, I was thinking about what it would take to live on the moon.

Of course, I would have loved back then to imagine a book of mine becoming a classic and turned into a movie like Rocket Boys/October Sky.

Or a prodigious trailer like this one done for my new novel Crater out in April.

Crater Trailer!

Here's some selected pages from my 1993 work. Now, let's go!

Holidays 2011 Newsletter

2011-11-28T10:35:00.000-08:00

Dear Gentle and Prodigious Readers,

Don Howard's wonderful caricature, http://www.donhoward.org

Linda and I are astonished that it's already the Holiday Season. Didn't I take the Christmas lights down just the other day? Well, it's upon us, the lights are back up (with some new ones added - hooray!) and we're getting ready to make it the best one ever. In fact, Linda might just be able to help you make yours a little better, too. How, you may ask? Read on and see!

THE WRITING LIFE:

In November, 2010, The Dinosaur Hunter was released upon an unsuspecting public.

Happily, that same public received it very well. It was even an alternate selection of the Book of the Month Club and the Mystery Book of the Month Club! We also ran a very successful "Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter" contest with some creative, entertaining entries. We hope to do it again with the next book Crater. Burke Allen of Allen Media Strategies in association with St. Martin's (the publisher of TDH) set up a great series of radio and television interviews. For those of you who, through some terrible oversight, haven't read the novel yet, go HERE to read more about it and you can order an autographed copy easily - Linda is even offering 20% off ALL my autographed books for Holiday gifting, through her storefront, KnowInk. Be sure and read about it below in Linda’s section!

My next novel, titled Crater, is written and turned in to its publisher, the marvelous Thomas Nelson. The first in the Helium-3 series, I think you're going to like it, and it will be published in April. Although considered a Young Adult science fiction novel (a first for me), I think my adult readers will like it, too. Here's a synopsis:

It's the 22nd Century and a tough, pioneering people are mining the moon to produce energy for a desperate, war torn Earth. Crater Trueblood, an orphan, loves his life in Moontown, a frontier mining settlement. Just turned sixteen, Crater is already a seasoned Helium 3 miner, hoping someday to be a foreman on the scrapes. But "the Colonel," the man who owns the mine, has a different plan for Crater which includes Maria, the Colonel's daring young grandaughter. Crater, accompanied by Maria and also his gillie—a sentient and sometimes insubordinate clump of slime mold cells—ventures forth on a forbidding river of dust to cross the hostile Lunar terrain before vaulting into the far reaches of space. Danger, adventure, and discovery await them as Crater, the gillie, and Maria use their wits and courage to find a mysterious, historical treasure that may keep the ravages of war away from the moon.

Mango helps Linda edit Homer's manuscripts

What do you think? Hope you like Crater and the next two novels in the series! You can pre-order HERE or get an autographed copy in April through KnowInk by emailing LTerry@hiwaay.net.

JOURNEYS:

"Push once! More confuses gate."

We just returned from our wonderful home in St. John. As always, we had a marvelous time there although we spent a good amount of our time scrubbing it clean from the mildew that always builds up during the shuttered time of hurricane season, plus repairing the usual nicks and dings that occur in a house that's also rented when we're not there. We have the best guests in the world but wear and tear is normal and has to be fixed (like our gate!), leaving Linda and me with the choice of hiring someone to do it for us or doing it ourselves. We end up doing a little of both. Windspree, our wonderful property management company, provides us with "Punchlist Pete," who does great work for us but we also enjoy getting in there with screwdriver, drill, and paintbrush and adding the touches that only a homeowner can do. We had wonderful weather to snorkel and even deep sea fished with our good friends MaryJo and Rick and were in awe of several double rainbows from our deck! Of course, if you're interested in renting Skyridge, we'd be thrilled to have you as guests. Please go HERE to learn how to do that! Also, know that even though Skyridge has room for eight, we love renting to four folks or even two. It's a great first, second, or third honeymoon escape with some of the prettiest views in the Caribbean!

Double rainbows are quite often part of our outstanding Skyridge view!

Our lawnmowers work pretty cheap and are fun to watch with a healthy adult beverage.

We NEVER get tired of just watching the boats go by, and some spectacular ones do!

Linda caught this parrotfish grinning.

A stingray glides over the reef. The snorkeling here is worldclass.

Al's octopus photo is perfect and they were able to watch him for some time as he looked for food.

Homer, Al and Chris hiked to the pectoglyphs on their "boy trip" to St. John to fix up the house.

We've covered much of our experiences in 2011 in previous blogs which you can read if you scroll below. It was a good year but it had some sad times in it, too. We lost our precious Maxx kitty after twenty years of enjoying her company. This wasn't long after we'd lost little black and white Flopsy, having had her for nineteen years. The light went out of our lives just a little when they passed. Before long, another cat came to join us. Her name is April and she hasn't quite fit into the family as well. It's a long story on how she came to us but let's just say, nobody else would have her. Her favorite line, "I kill you," has gradually been replaced with "I slap you - I like you - but I slap you." She's calming down although every so often, the other three cats come running to us, crying "There's a crazy cat in the house!" We sigh and say, "We know. She's your sister."

Poor April has unfortunate markings that just make her look grumpy all the time. . .

Homer in Coalwood, in front of new signage about the town.

Homer as MC at the national Space Club.

Chuck Gordon and family and friends in Tuscaloosa

Let's see . . . as mentioned, this year, we made not only a recent but several visits to Skyridge. We also went to Allen, Texas to celebrate Rocket Boys picked as their annual read; to Radford University to celebrate Rocket Boys as their special book of the year; to the Challenger Middle School in Huntsville to help celebrate the eighth grade class again studying Rocket Boys; to the Space and Rocket Center here in Huntsville to help open their Dinosaur exhibit and a book signing for The Dinosaur Hunter; to Montana for dinosaur hunting with Linda (who proved to be a great dino-hunter); to Dallas for a speech to the Mars Society, to Beckley, West Virginia to work with Theatre West Virginia during their presentation of Rocket Boys The Musical; to Reno to accept the Excellence in the Arts award from the Vietnam Veterans of America; to Los Angeles to consult with my film agent on future projects and to visit with officials of Universal Studios; to the Space and Rocket Center to act as Master of Ceremonies (third year in a row) for the National Space Club of Huntsville at the annual Wernher von Braun dinner; and to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to attend a celebration honoring University of Alabama alum and our good friend Chuck Gordon (Producer of October Sky, Field of Dreams, etc.). There was also a rainy October Sky festival in Coalwood, but still fun. Whew! A lot of travel but it was all fun and interesting! We also still very much enjoy our volunteer work with Forgotten Felines and even fostered two kittens short term. We found them great homes before we fell in love with them, but again, out foursome here were NOT pleased, and did not think the little ones trying to play with them were at all cute, even if WE sure did!

Sonny

Valentine who became BooBoo

Here's a little extra fun. Every month, I go out to WDHP radio to do a morning talk show with Toni and Gary. We have so much fun! I'm told I'm a pretty good guest so I guess they'll keep inviting me back. To listen to me on the show, even call in to Toni and Gary, go HERE.

And don't let them tell you we engineers don't have fun! Here is a party at the Hickam house in October, featuring an anniversary present from Linda to me. . .

Ahead, I'm sure there will be many journeys, especially after Crater is published, and we look forward to them all. As always, we appreciate your interest in our lives and our career. Linda and I send our very best to you and your families and we wish you a prodigious Holiday Season which, as Linda will tell you below, she can help you perhaps make a little more prodigious!

Your writer and friend,

Homer Hickam 

FROM LINDA:

All the kitties are fine and we wish you a very Happy Happy Holidays from all the Hickams (a lot of H’s!!).

As Homer mentioned, I think maybe I might be able help you through the holiday season by offering some very special gifts for that difficult-to-buy-for person on your gift list. I know, I know. We've got them, too.

You see, this year I started a little company I call KnowInk dedicated to providing gifts related to Homer's work including his classic memoir Rocket Boys and the film October Sky. If you're reading this, likely you know folks who also like Homer's books and the movie, not to mention the Broadway musical that Theatre West Virginia put on last year and will soon be heading everywhere.

We had so many folks come to us looking for these special items so that's why I established the company.

Now, let me tell you about my Holiday sale that I hope can help solve part if not all your gift giving!

Homer signing Rocket Boys!

20% off Holiday Sale - Autographed Books and Rocket Boy Caps!

Autographed by Homer, personalized, all embossed with special authenticity seal (we have seen books with faked autographs, I swan!) and mailed to you for that special gift. Order now, while my supply is good! Priority mailing.

NOW ONLY $24! Everyones’ favorite, the classic Rocket Boys, hardcover book, (normally $30) Autographed and personalized by Homer Hickam, with special Rocket Boys authenticity embossed seal. Just let me know the name you want the book signed to. If you want a Rocket Boys Cap with any book order, on Holiday special, they are only $12, no extra mailing ($11 US priority)

Embossed seal is added to every book's signature.

NOW $14 Rocket Boys Cap (Normally $18) $5 mailing for one, $11 for many many :)

Caps added to any book order for $12 each, no extra mailing cost

NOW $50 The Coalwood Trilogy Set (Rocket Boys, The Coalwood Way, Sky of Stone) (Normally $60 - all but Rocket Boys are first editions and out of print, so collectible already! ) Add a cap for $12, and a special surprise included.

NOW $20! The Coalwood Way, (hardback, 1^st edition) Normally $30

NOW $20! Sky of Stone, (hardback, 1^st edition) Normally $30

NOW $24! The Dinosaur Hunter (hardback, 1^st edition) Normally $30

NOW $24! Red Helmet (hardback, 1^st edition) Normally $30

NOW $20! The Far Reaches (hardback, 1^st edition)
Normally $30

NOW $20! The Ambassador's Son (hardback, 1^st edition) Normally $30

NOW $50 Josh Thurlow Set - hardcover of The Keeper's Son, The Ambassador's Son, The Far Reaches - Normally $75

NOW $20! Torpedo Junction (oversize paperback WWII non-fiction) Normally $25

NOW $13 We Are Not Afraid (paperback, inspirational)
Normally $16

**Check or money order only to Linda Hickam

Shipping & Handling, USPS Priority, $11 first book & $2 each additional book. Shipping for sets is only $11.

Mail to:

Linda Hickam

KnowInk

9532 Hemlock Dr. SE

Huntsville AL 35803

If you have questions about these items, please email me at LTerry@hiwaay.net.

THANKS AND MERRY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY HOLIDAYS FROM ALL THE HICKAM FAMILY!!!!

Our Summer 2011 Newsletter

2011-09-01T13:28:00.000-07:00

Homer Hickam Newsletter

Summer, 2011

Dear Gentle and Prodigious Readers,

I love summers, always have. Growing up in Coalwood, summer was the time for adventurous fun in the hills, woods, and creeks of our mountain home. We kids ran, climbed, swam, fished, biked, and simply played, all without any adult supervision. We were FREE! Maybe that's why I love summers most of all. Now, with this summer ending, it's time to reflect on a very busy season. But before I get to that, here's something very important I want you to know.

THERE ARE THREE MORE DAYS LEFT IN THEATRE WEST VIRGINIA'S PRESENTATION OF ROCKET BOYS THE MUSICAL!

Home page of the Rocket Boys, The Musical!

September 2, 3, & 4 will be IT! So if you can get to the Cliffside Amphitheater in Grandview near Beckley, West Virginia, please attend. Linda and I will also be there on Saturday and Sunday (Sept. 3-4) to enjoy the show and say hello to the audience.

The show has had a brilliant run to date. The reviews and comments have been overwhelmingly positive. Here's one of the local articles: Musical Review

To order tickets to the show, please go here: Theatre West Virginia. You can get your tickets over the Internet or call and have them held at the box office. Bring the whole family!!!!

The marvelous cast and crew involved with this production are brilliant and I couldn't be happier with Theatre West Virginia's involvement. Here are some photographs taken of the show.

Linda and Homer go for a piece of the RBoys cake.

The cast and crew watch the cutting of the RBoys cake.

Carl Anthony Tramon & Linda Hickam before the premiere.

Homer signs a program for the actor who plays "Buck"

Dan Tramon's prodigious
scientific tie!

Close to the end...Valentine, left, gives Sonny the eye.

"Rise", the finale!

CAT and Homer

Of course, I have to mention my marvelous co-writer of the stageplay, Carl Anthony Tramon. CAT, as we call him, brilliantly plays "Sonny" (that's the name I went by back in 1950's Coalwood) in the musical and is co-director. Diana Belkowski and Dan Tramon, the composers of the wonderful music, are simply geniuses. I am so proud to be associated with them.


Diana Tramon Belkowski, Dan Tramon and CAT Tramon

Where we will take the show next isn't set but we've heard from many cities who are interested in having us. Even Japan is interested in a long run! Wherever it is, we look forward to the next production. Every time we put it on, we learn what works and what doesn't, and it allows us to hone even more this musical as we march toward Broadway. Though sharpening a play is part of the process, I think the play as Theatre West Virginia presents it is pretty darn close to what the Broadway version will be. Come out to see us, you hear?

THE WRITING LIFE:

A quick mention of The Dinosaur Hunter, my novel published by St. Martin's in November, 2010. I'm happy to report it has done very well. If you haven't read it, no time like right now! Of course, if you don't like page-turners... It's a great read, even if I do say so myself (and I do). Go here for more information: The Dinosaur Hunter Page. Linda can also get you an autographed copy. See her section below!

Exciting news! The next Homer Hickam book is the initial volume of the Helium-3 Trilogy. Set on the moon 120 years in the future, the first book is titled CRATER (A Helium-3 Novel).

Here's a quick synopsis:

It's the 22nd Century and a tough, pioneering people are mining the moon to produce energy for a desperate, war torn Earth. Crater Trueblood, an orphan, loves his life in Moontown, a frontier mining settlement. Just turned 16, Crater is already a seasoned Helium-3 miner. Riding on his shoulder is a sentient clump of slime mold cells called a gillie. The gillie, illegal on Earth, is the only thing Crater's parents left him. With capabilities that even Crater doesn't realize, the gillie both helps and frustrates Crater. Another companion of Crater's is his fellow orphan, an older boy named Petro. Then, a girl named Maria enters Crater's life. She is the granddaughter of the man who owns Moontown whom everyone calls "the Colonel." When the Colonel requires Crater to take on a special assignment, Crater, the gillie, Petro, and Maria venture forth on a forbidding river of dust to cross the hostile Lunar terrain before vaulting into the far reaches of space. Danger, adventure, and discovery await them as they use their wits and courage to stave off a team of assassins while looking for an astonishing, surprising, historical treasure that may be needed to save the people of the moon.

Published by Thomas Nelson, Crater will be out in April, 2012. It is already up on Amazon and will be available in hardcover, Kindle and most e-books, plus an audio version. Get ready, get set, GO for adventure with Crater on the moon!!!!! After they read Crater, readers will know what it will be like to live (and sometimes die) on the moon. Of course, as with most of my work, you'll enjoy an adventure, a little romance, and some laughs, too. Go HERE to preorder the book from Amazon!

If you'd like an autographed and/or inscribed copy of any of my books, contact LTHickam@homerhickam.com. Linda has a little store now. Please see her section below with news and photos. She has some very special Homer Hickam gifts available! Think Christmas now!

Off the deck, Skyridge, St. John, USVI

JOURNEYS:

Our adventures this summer were astounding. First, we returned to Skyridge, our wonderful home in St. John, United States Virgin Islands. With our friends Carol and Al English, we had one of our best times ever. The view from our deck is soooo peaceful. In August, by the way, we caught the tail of Hurricane Irene, but luckily just a little tree damage was done to the island and lots of rain, good for the water collection cisterns that everyone uses.

Homer and Linda dinosaur hunting in Montana.

Then Linda and I journeyed to Montana to hunt dinosaur bones! This was the first time Linda had joined Frank Stewart and me on one of our dino-hunting excursions and she proved to be a marvelous dinosaur hunter, indeed! We had great weather and enjoyed meeting up with all my old friends in Garfield County and also in Bozeman. I love the Montanans I have had the privilege to meet over the dozen years I have been hunting the wily dinosaurs. Frank and I marked some interesting finds this year and hope they will be dug up by the paleo teams next season.

Homer logging a find.

The logo of the Museum of the Rockies as captured on the side of one of their trucks!

Linda looking for bones.

Frank and Homer hot on some dino bones on the side of a cliff.

Next, we were off to the Vietnam Veterans of American annual convention in Reno, Nevada where I was honored to receive the Excellence in the Arts award. While there, we took a quick trip to spend a night at beautiful Lake Tahoe, on the California side. We were enchanted!

Homer signing his books and meeting the vets in Reno.

Homer's most excellent award from his fellow Vietnam vets!

I hope to see you all soon, either while on book tour, making speeches, or at the upcoming October Sky Festival in Coalwood! Go HERE for more information on the festival. This year it's on Saturday, October 1! Hope to see you there!!! Remember you can "like" me on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/HomerHickamOfficialPage

Your writer and friend,

Homer Hickam 

FROM LINDA:

Yep, it HAS been a busy summer and we want to get this out today so those of you close enough can come to the musical, so I won't make this long. For the musical, I opened my own store and am selling autographed books, caps, dvds of the movie and such. I call my company KnowInk. :)

Special Collectible Gift Package of these 4 items

I am offering a very special collectible gift set of an autographed hardcover of Rocket Boys with an authentic embossed seal over the signature, a neat Rocket Boys embroidered royal blue cap, a signed photo bookmark and a signed special edition DVD, all for $75.00 for your special someone who loves Rocket Boys/October Sky. Additional items in the set may be ordered to fill the box, with the same shipping price of $11 US Priority mail. Books are $30, Caps $18, Bookmarks $4 and DVDs $16. Everything but the ballcap can be personally inscribed also, so let me know to whom.


Homer signing Rocket Boys at home

Other special sets will be available also such as The Coalwood Trilogy of Rocket Boys, The Coalwood Way and Sky of Stone, all hardcovers. TCW and SoS hardcovers are out of print, so very collectible already, $75.00 the set. I also have copies of his many other books available to be personalized and mailed. Please ask. Please write me for more information at LTHickam@homerhickam.com.
Check or money order only.

April says, "I keel you!"
Actually, she's a sweet kitty who's just misunderstood.
She'll get there.

The kitties are fine, but poor April is still not friends with anyone but Homer and still picking on everyone (me too), and especially she and China do not get along. We have hopes that this will resolve itself, sigh. She is such a lovely kitty and just has not had a good life until now. Here she is helping Homer write Crater.

Oh, and while we were away, yikes, the goldfish had babies! Too many for our pond, but luckily we have a friend who has room for the 10 or so baby fish we have, very cute but just too many for our small pond!

April looking out our kitchen window at the pond.

All best, Linda

China loves to snooze in boxes.

Mango and Summer

Spring 2011 Newsletter from Homer and Linda Hickam

2011-04-19T08:01:00.000-07:00

Homer Hickam Newsletter

Spring, 2011

Dear Gentle and Prodigious Readers,

Spring always brings new life to our hills and valleys in North Alabama and into our lives, too. But, this year, it also brought the pain and pangs of the end of life. Although T.S. Eliot claimed April was the "cruelest month," March, 2011 was a very cruel month because we lost our dear kitty Maxx, a marvelous torbie Manx, whom we had the happiness of living with for twenty years. She was my little girl and I will miss her as long as I live. This was only a little more than five months after we lost our 19-year old little black and white furchild Flopsy so we are mourning both Maxx and Flopsy while also celebrating all the love and laughter they brought into our lives.

Maxx hoops

Flopsy plays

The world goes on, however, and so shall we. The budding trees remind us that time and tide do not wait for any man, woman, or circumstance, and that to look only backwards is ultimately self-defeating. We are looking forward to the future and all the good things we trust await us there. We still have Mango and our two fluffies (China and Summer) and they delight us every day.

Linda and Mango

Summer loves fine literature

China loves to get into baskets, large and small

The new goldfish in our pond

We've also added a school of eight new goldfish to the pond and they're settling in nicely.

Linda and her RocketCityGlassGirls (more on them below in Linda's section) are working hard to get ready for Panoply, a large art show in Huntsville. Their artistic work is amazing and I'm proud of what Linda is doing with the other ladies in their glassworks. The best, most current way to see their work is to “like” their group on Facebook, RocketCityGlassGirls

As you'll also read, I've just finished a novel that may very well turn into a series, and I'll include some of my other writing ventures, too. We hope you enjoy reading about our lives and our adventures. If you like, please comment and let us know your thoughts as well and of course, you can "like" me on Facebook too. Just go to the Homer Hickam Official Page!

THE WRITING LIFE:

In November, 2010, The Dinosaur Hunter was released upon an unsuspecting public. Happily, that same public received it very well. It was even an alternate selection of the Book of the Month Club and the Mystery Book of the Month Club! We also ran a very successful "Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter" contest with some great, entertaining entries that you can see on our earlier newsletter/blog. Burke Allen of Allen Media Strategies, in association with St. Martin's (the publisher of TDH), set up a great series of radio and television interviews. For those of you who, through some terrible oversight, haven't read the novel yet, go HERE to read more about it and order up a copy!

Usually, I get a little time off before starting another book but this time the way the schedule worked, I needed to start the next novel essentially the minute I'd finished The Dinosaur Hunter. But schedule requirements and the art form don't always see eye-to-eye and, in truth, I struggled with the new novel at first. I had told the publisher (the prodigious Thomas Nelson Publishers) that I was going to set it on the moon in the future. That left a lot of room for what was going to happen in the novel. It took a long while, and many false starts, before the story finally came to me but when it did, I knew I was on to something. It has always been my belief that when writing any story, it's best to understand that what people are really interested in is other people. Well, I had a marvelous lead character (protagonist as we novelists call such) with many other interesting and unique characters around him and the story just flowed. It takes place on the moon 120 years in the future.

After they read Helium 3: Crater, readers will know what it will be like

to live (and sometimes die) on the moon. Of course, as with most of my work,they'll enjoy an adventure and a laugh or three.

Crater Trueblood is a fifteen-year old orphan living in Moontown, a tiny town dedicated to mining Helium-3, the fuel of the future. Moontown is a harsh, demanding place but Crater loves his life and especially his job as a miner on the heel-3 scrapes. Then, foul play ensues and Crater finds himself on a river of dust with his gillie, a clump of slime mold cells fashioned into a friend and a helper, on a mission to retrieve a remarkable treasure that could well change the future of the moon and the Earth. A little steampunk in character and approach, my novel was so well received by Thomas Nelson that my editor has already proposed that it be turned into a Young Adult series titled Helium 3. I'm amenable to this. The first book will be subtitled Crater.

Home page of the Rocket Boys, The Musical!

Here's something really fun. As part of its development and march toward Broadway, Rocket Boys, The Musical is going to be presented in full by Theatre West Virginia this summer! I could not possibly be more tickled by this. Theatre West Virginia is a remarkable organization and I, and all the creators of the show, are proud to be associated with these fine folks. For more on Theatre West Virginia, go HERE and for more about the musical go HERE .

As of the writing of this newsletter, we anticipate it will be presented at Theatre West Virginia August 25 through September 4.  We hope to see all of you there! For those who are wondering if the show is coming to your city, town, burg, or country, the answer is yes! We intend to go everywhere! But the show is presently in its development stage so hang tough and tight! But, of course, you could just come on to West Virginia to see it NOW!!

As always, if you'd like an autographed and/or inscribed copy of any of my books, please go HERE and click on the white gift with the green ribbon.

JOURNEYS:

Since our last newsletter at Christmas, we've been sticking a little close to home for various reasons. As mentioned above, I was deep into writing the Helium 3: Crater novel. January also seems to be a good time for us to go in for our various medical and dental checks. I'm happy to report all exams found nothing dire. In fact, Linda and I are pretty healthy although recently I've been having trouble with my lower back. The suspicion is too many hours sitting in this chair writing! But I love what I do and don't see stopping any time soon although we have some remedies in mind that might help. More on that probably in the next newsletter!

Not Maxx's favorite time, a visit by our wonderful Doorstep Vet

Another reason we were staying close to home was worry about Maxx, our 20-year old Manx kitty. Maxx was definitely the light in her daddy's eye and we loved her. As mentioned above, we had lost our darling 19-year old Flopsy only five months before so we were very concerned about Maxx. She was getting weaker, that much we could see, but she still seemed to have the same personality and spunk she'd always had. We were hoping for a few more years with her—I guess we're greedy that way—and we had her on a variety of medicines that seemed to help.

Nice rainbow view from one of the outside showers

Photo taken from our Skyridge Cam at dusk

In February, we left Maxx and the other kitties in the capable hands of Kelly, our wonderful cat-sitter, and headed to St. John to spend some time at our beloved Skyridge and with our St. John friends. We had a great time snorkeling, hiking, and working on the house and enjoying it, too. I'm happy to report the gate was working perfectly, the plants and trees recovering nicely from the last hurricane, and the island a perfect escape for us as always. We so enjoy looking every day at the live webcam installed on our deck there, Skyridge Cam .

Maxx looking outside.
At 17, she became an indoor cat although
we still took her outside for walks.

We returned and I kept working on the new novel and Linda kept working on taxes, the office, and with her Rocket City Glass Girls (more on that below). Maxx seemed OK although we kept worrying about her with frequent checks by our Doorstep vet. On March 10, I packed my suitcase, patted Maxx on the head, told her to be a good girl, and headed to Allen, a burgeoning city next door to Dallas, to celebrate Rocket Boys as its annual community read. Just as I walked into my hotel room, my cell phone rang and it was Linda in tears. Maxx was very ill. Linda took her to the emergency vet and there, in her mama's arms, Maxx left us, crossing that rainbow bridge.

We were both heartbroken, of course. When I'm somewhere to give a speech or make an appearance, I try to give them every molecule of my energies and attention and Allen definitely deserved that so I did my best but it was hard. HERE is a story on my stay in that wonderful Texas city. Now, after more than a month of her being gone, we still find ourselves shedding tears over Maxx and the house seems a bit empty without her. I think nearly everyone who reads this newsletter also loves their pets so we know you understand how we feel. Anyway, we'll miss Maxx forever. She was a great cat and a prodigious lady.

Maxx Terry Hickam, 1991-2011, Rest in Peace, Pretty Girl

Linda and Homer at Rockwood Manor

We recently got back from Radford University where I was honored to speak about wonderful teachers at the presentation of the annual McGlothlin Awards. Linda and I felt right at home at Radford, where I used to visit very occasionally when I went to Virginia Tech back in the early 1960's. At that time, Radford was a women's school and Virginia Tech essentially mostly males so we Tech boys tended to go there, hoping to find a date. Sometimes, we even got one! Anyway, although it is now co-ed, Radford still has lovely ladies attending and it was good to see and talk to them. We stayed at a beautiful B&B near Radford which we highly recommend, Rockwood Manor .

We also got the chance while in Virginia to visit fellow Coalwood Rocket Boys Jimmie O'Dell Carroll. We had a great visit. While there, we took the opportunity for a photo op with him, me, and a certain book (although on the mass market paperback we're holding, it's slightly mistitled).

O'Dell and I hold October Sky (aka Rocket Boys) on his beautiful farm in Virginia

A future journey will include a trip to Reno, Nevada, on August 20, 2011, for the annual Vietnam Veterans of America convention where I will receive the VVA Excellence in the Arts Award. I am grateful and honored to receive this award. I am in good company here. Other recipients include Tim O'Brien, Philip Caputo, and Oliver Stone. A little more about this can be found HERE. This summer will also include my annual dinosaur hunting in Montana, another trek to Skyridge in St. John, and probably some surprises.

Ahead, I'm sure there will be many other journeys and we look forward to them all. As ever, we appreciate your interest in our lives and our work. Linda and I send our very best to you and your families and we wish you a prodigious summer!

Your writer and friend,

Homer Hickam 

FROM LINDA:

Ahhh, little Maxx, how we miss that bright girl! She was full of purrsonality. But our lover boy Mango does his best and the Fluffies keep us laughing at their foolishness, and we go on. That our primary family, the original four that Homer and I had as our furchildren are now all passed, makes us very sad.

Our original four furchildren in a painting by Karen Rouse. L to R: Batman, Paco, Flopsy, Maxx

We were very privileged to have them all for very long cat lives, but never long enough. . .
The "new kids" are a joy though, especially "my" lover boy Mango who sleeps on me every night.

Summer and Mango playing

China aligning her spine in Homer's office

Linda's Mom opening gifts in March

A huge blessing is that my folks are doing great. Mom is finally feeling like herself after a very rough winter with her back operation and recovery, and Dad keeps busy feeding the birds, yardwork and more, at 89! They finally felt well enough, and so our large family gathered to feast and enjoyed the Terry Christmas this month.

Panoply, the big art show Homer mentioned, is coming up April 29 – May 1 and has been keeping Pat, Carol and I - the RocketCityGlassGirls - VERY busy in the studio making lots of pretty fused glass to sell. We have a lot of fun and make beautiful art too!

We were very honored to be asked to be Featured Artists at the show, but had really let our inventory get way down at Christmas. What fun it has been to get it back up! We came up with "Bonefish" and "Catfishin'" wind chimes, lots of beautiful bowls and plates, and tons of jewelry pendants. We have begun to sell online and mail, and everything we make is one-of-a-kind so if you see something you want, get in touch quickly! The most current way to see our work is to “like” us on the group on Facebook, RocketCityGlassGirls You can message us there. We are coming up with a special fused glass collectable autographed rocket ornament. . . but sadly, our rocket designs have not passed Chief Scientist HHH’s inspection yet!

Miscellaneous simple pendants

"Crazy Lady" pendants by RCGG Carol, a teacher who feels like this some days!


6" X 12.5" fused art glass trays

Happy Spring!! Linda

Homer Hickam Holiday 2010 Newsletter

2010-12-10T12:13:00.000-08:00

To register for Homer's free quarterly Newsletter and information on contests and book tours, enter your email address in the Newsletter sign up area at www.homerhickam.com, on the right. Get it first! Every 3 months we will email notification the new issue is up with the latest news and stories of the writing life.

HOMER HICKAM NEWSLETTER

Fun, 2009 Christmas Parade Marshall

Holiday Issue, December 2010

Dear Gentle and Prodigious Readers,

First and foremost, let me wish all reading this a joyful Holiday Season with the emphasis on the meaning of the word Holiday, i.e. Holy Day, celebrating a renewal of our spirit and the contemplation of our Creator and the blessings we have all received throughout the year.

One of the blessings I've received this year is the enthusiasm of readers for my new novel, The Dinosaur Hunter. Many accolades are coming my way for this book and more than a few are asking if I'm going to make it into a series. It's a thought. Mike Wire is an interesting fellow and I'm sure he'll be getting into more trouble over in Fillmore County, Montana.

A top seller in the Western & Mystery genres across the USA and Canada!

Reviews have been marvelous, too. Here's a couple of them I like. Go here for Carolyn See's review in The Washington Post. Carolyn is known for giving tough reviews and I was most pleased to see she liked the story this "mannerly, old-fashioned gent" told.

And please go here for a review from the Big Sky state itself in the Great Falls Tribune. It's always nice when the home folks like a story I tell about the place and the people where they live. I work hard at getting it right.

Here's an interview I gave a radio station in Billings, Montana, that kind of tells it all.

Of course, if you haven't gotten your copy of The Dinosaur Hunter, then just go here on our website to learn more about the book and make that happen. It's also not too late to get an autographed and inscribed copy for that special reader in your family, just email or call John Shaver at shaversbks@comcast.net or (256) 533-7364! I'm loving that e-Book readers are also embracing "Dino." For these readers, I've got your autograph situation covered.

There you go! Just print my signature out and tape it to your electronic reader and you're good to go!

We also love our Book Club folks and hope they will choose The Dinosaur Hunter for their members to read. Go here for some discussion Q&A.

JOURNEYS

We're just back from Skyridge, our beloved home in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands. While we were there, Clay and Chris, my brothers-in-law, installed a marvelous invention, a web cam that looks out at the view from our top deck. Go here to see the view. Its live, so you may see boats going by, maybe even a big cruise ship from time to time. The biggest island seen is Tortola, British Virgin Islands. The twin peaks in front are part of the National Park in St. John. There's actually an island called Frenchman's Cay between the peaks and Tortola although it tends to blend in. Behind Frenchman's Cay is a rather large settlement and marina called Soper's Hole which is invisible to us from our Skyridge perch, except for its lights. That little triangle of blue to the left of Frenchman's Cay is often where the big yachts of the rich and famous dock. Keep your eye out for Sean Connery or maybe even Tiger Woods! We also are pleased to rent Skyridge as a vacation villa. Just go here to read all about it:

Still shot from SkyridgeCam. It is live so you see the many boats going by.

While we were at Skyridge, Linda and I went snorkeling many times. Here are just a few underwater photographs I took in those most marvelous, serene, and very clear waters.

Hawksbill Turtle, Yawzi Point, St. John, USVI

Eagle Ray, Grootpan Bay, St. John, USVI

Twin Eagle Rays, Yawzi Point, St. John, USVI

Linda on a Grootpan Bay reef

There are so many beautiful places on St. John but the one we love the most is the view from our deck. We also love the birds that come to visit us. Hummingbirds, hawks, doves, kingbirds, banaquits and many many more.

Bananaquits at our Skyridge sugar feeder with a bullfinch flying up to join them. They all get along!

RESULTS OF THE "GET CAUGHT READING "THE DINOSAUR HUNTER" CONTEST!!!

The entrants to our "Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter" contest were many and varied and we had so much fun looking at them. Linda and her panel of judges have made their decisions. It was tough to choose the winners but here, at last, they are!

GRAND PRIZE

Our GRAND PRIZE winner of our photo contest, who just blew us away with ALL of their amazing photos, is Ken Mitchell, who had much assistance from his lovely wife Jeanne. The UNDERWATER ONE (can you imagine?) was our first #1 pick for Contest 1 until little Rachel came along, and next the basketball one, and reading on the racing bike,... and the graveyard, and and and. We just had to create a special category for all their effort, a Grand Prize. We all had so much fun wondering what would come next. 21 Photos in all!

Here are a few in the "She just couldn't put the book down" series:
View all of their marvelous photos, posted on Facebook here.

Dyin' to finish The Dinosaur Hunter...

Contest 1 One person, one book

1st Prize: “I got here four months early to make sure I would be ready to get caught reading The Dinosaur Hunter. And look, it’s my first Chanukkah present! Now, if only I could only hold my head up to read. Rachel Farbman

Daughter of Joel and Melissa Farbman, Huntsville AL

2nd Prize: Cadet Alexander Hughes, Gun Captain Timothy Brooks, and Cadet Jason Schnitker get caught reading in front of the Skipper cannon, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, VA. By Rock Roszak.

3rd Prize: Laura Wilson, Boulder CO is caught reading with a special triceratops friend!

4th Prize: Oh my goodness....!! Skylar Green, by Jerry Green, Huntsville, AL.

5th Prize: Future engineer Gray Miley and his friends read The Dinosaur Hunter in Pilot, Virginia. By Leane Charett

And some great Honorable Mention photos below!

Jacob, Decatur, AL

Jean reads in the Dinosaur House, Coral Bay, St. John

Charles, Huntsville, AL

Jacob, Decatur, AL

Debbie reads to Claus and Ginny, Thankspigging, Coral Bay, St. John

CONTEST 2 WINNERS...

An animal or thing caught reading!

1st Prize: Paleontologist Barbie, By Kari Baker

2nd Prize: Petunia, Matza Ball, and Isabella Nuckolls, think that Homer's new book is just splendid. By Rich Nuckolls

4th Prize: McQueen "The Great Escape" reading The Dinosaur Hunter while checking out his fish fossil from the Green River Formation in Wyoming. By Thomas Rone

3rd Prize: Marble Belkowski listens to the audio version in New Jersey.

5th Prize: Pierre English reads The Dinosaur Hunter during a boring poker game... LTH

Thankspigging pig reads The Dinosaur Hunter in St. John, USVI

CONTEST 3 WINNERS
Multiple books and people caught reading!!!

1st Prize: Rachel Hergett, Tiffany Heydon and Naomi Stewart share champagne and a good book on a balmy day in Bozeman, Montana. By Frank Stewart, Dino Boy.


2nd Prize: The family that reads and wines(whines) together, stays together. The Stewarts of Bozeman, Montana. By Rachel Hergett

CONTEST 4, VIDEO or Animation

Congratulations to Janet Oliver, Erie, CO, whose outstanding, creative and funny entry is the winner in this category! She worked very hard on it so have fun watching this and please share :) Thank you Janet!

To watch this most excellent and entertaining video, click on the screen!

CELEBRITIES Caught reading....!!!

Ami McConnell, Homer Hickam's editor, Thomas Nelson, Nashville, TN. LTH

Elon Musk, who heads up SpaceX, a great new company that's revolutionizing space travel

Jim Brickman, the world's most romantic and handsome piano player gets caught reading in Washington, DC. By Burke Allen

Grammy winner Kathy Mattea curls up with a good book between touring, Nashville, TN.

Phury Arnold, featured cat in The Dinosaur Hunter (spelling name changed to protect him from fans) Kim Arnold

Rhage Arnold, featured cat in The Dinosaur Hunter (spelling name changed to protect him from fans) Kim Arnold

CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL OUR CONTEST WINNERS AND ENTRANTS.

WE REALLY APPRECIATE YOU ALL. HOPE YOU HAD FUN WITH IT. WE DID!!!

I would be remiss during this season if I didn't remind readers that The Coalwood Way, the follow-up memoir to Rocket Boys/October Sky, is at heart a Christmas story. I wanted to title it A Coalwood Christmas but was overruled by the publisher. I should have fought for it. I think it would be considered a Christmas classic if I had done so. So if you're looking for a good Christmas story... please go here.

May you and yours have a most joyful and wonderful Holiday Season and please, please have a most prodigious and HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Your writer and friend,

Homer Hickam

FROM LINDA:

Piece of pottery Linda found

We had a good time in St. John, and I love all the blues and greens this drab time of year, but that always puts me behind here at home. Snorkeling was great and Homer got some super shots of the rays in particular. I even found a shard of ancient pottery, as I came out of the water, on the beach. We believe it might be pre-columbian Taino Indian pottery dating from around 900AD to 1400AD but most likely closer to the earlier years when their pottery was finer. It most likely was a ceremonial offering bowl that was deliberately smashed after a single use, as was their custom. This was exciting and, with our understanding that every archeological find deserves to be examined by professional scientists, I turned it in to the National Park for further study.

We are not decorating for Christmas as much as usual this year as my mom is having a fused vertebrae back operation December 14 and at eighty one, we know it will be a bit of a slow recovery. Prayers please for her, Sue Terry. I am lucky to have a great dad, and a large family who will all pitch in with love to make everything go as smoothly as possible for everyone. We just had to put up a small tree here though…for the cats we say. Summer cannot resist the lower branches with their pretties, so they have unbreakable ornaments and Homer has the Christmas music on to keep us in a cheerful mood.

RIP dear Flopsy

And finally, this is the first Christmas we've had in 19 years when we didn't have our beloved Flopsy with us. We still miss her and always will. You were a good girl, Flop, and you live on in our hearts, darling Doodle Bug.

China says "Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays, and We Love You All!"

Skyridge View

2010-12-04T11:44:00.000-08:00

We're just back from our beautiful home in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, which we call Skyridge.

We installed a web camera looking out from our top deck while we were there. For you wonderful folks who are signed up for this blog, this one's for you.

To see a live view from our home, go here.

And if you're ever interested in renting Skyridge, you may go here.

And, of course, I'm hoping you saw the great review of The Dinosaur Hunter in the Washington Post. If not, go here.

If you haven't read Dino yet, well... I think you'll like it! Go here.

And it's not too late for autographed, inscribed books for Christmas, either. Just click where it says, "Order a personally autographed copy" and you're there!

H3

Eagle Rays and a Hawksbill Turtle

2010-11-30T12:04:00.000-08:00

Today, we snorkeled Yawzi Point, one of my favorite reefs on St. John. Along the way, we encountered two eagle rays and one hawksbill, none of which, by the way, were reading The Dinosaur Hunter.

So... have you read it yet? I hope you have. Your favorite writer needs your support. You know, publishers get touchy on publishing authors who don't sell.

Anyway, you'll like The Dinosaur Hunter, I swan.

Commercial over. Here are the critters!

Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter by Homer Hickam

2010-11-24T17:35:00.000-08:00

Our contest continues to generate interest.

Go here to have a look at the rules: http://justamusings.blogspot.com/

Here's a couple of the latest photos.

The Skipper cannon crew of the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets are caught reading Dino

The famous Elon Musk of SpaceX, Tesla, and Paypal is caught reading Dino.

Homer Hickam's The Dinosaur Hunter on Kindle, Nook, Ipad, Ebooks

2010-11-20T12:51:00.000-08:00

Two more great entries in the "Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter" Contest!

Ebooks of The Dinosaur Hunter by Homer Hickam

My new novel of adventure and mystery set beneath the big sky of Montana and the prime dinosaur hunting grounds of North America is now available to ebook readers!

I love readers of ebooks who I think will surely love The Dinosaur Hunter, too.

FOR KINDLE AND IPAD READERS GO HERE!
FOR NOOK AND IPAD READERS GO HERE

FOR EBOOK READERS GO HERE

Interviews with Homer Hickam on The Dinosaur Hunter

2010-11-19T09:47:00.000-08:00

Here's two interviews about my new novel The Dinosaur Hunter which is selling like, well, Cretaceous Dinosaur hotcakes (that's a good thing).

Thanks to all the folks who have gone out and gotten their copy of "Dino" and all those who will!

It's nice when my readers go past Rocket Boys/October Sky and discover, hey, I like Homer's latest work, too!

Go here for a great interview from NPR.

And here for a prodigious interview by "Big J" in Billings, Montana which is very near the country I write about in The Dinosaur Hunter.

For all the on-line sites where The Dinosaur Hunter can be found, go here. Note that autographed copies are also available. Think Christmas and the Holidays now for that reader in your family who likes mysteries or westerns or dinosaurs or just a good read.

And for you Kindle readers, I really appreciate your support. The Dinosaur Hunter was an instant best-seller amongst Kindle users. For your copy, go here.

And don't forget our "Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter" contest. We've extended the contest deadline until Dec. 5 because the book was slow to get into bookstores and then sold out, meaning another restock! Go here to find out how to enter and all the great prizes to be given. We have no entries in the "most readers reading..." part of the contest and no entries in the video part. So you may win with just a little imagination in those two areas and the others, too!

Got caught reading, even the fish!

Homer Hickam, Book Clubs, and The Dinosaur Hunter

2010-11-17T05:56:00.000-08:00

For new readers, please go here to learn more about The Dinosaur Hunter and the "Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter Contest." You'll also see our latest newsletter.

Or here for my official website.

Thank you!

One of the very cool things that can happen to a book is when it is chosen by a book club. Book clubs are groups of readers who gather together to discuss a chosen book. Many of my books are often picked and sometimes I get to Skype or have a phoner with the group. Great fun!

The Dinosaur Hunter may be a popular choice for book clubs, too. I hope so! We've just put up our discussion questions for book clubs and information on how to contact us and set up a Skype/Phoner session.

Go here and have fun with the book!

Here's a fun new entry in our "Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter" contest!

They look worried! Wonder what chapter they're on?

Homer Hickam Newsletter, Fall, 2010

2010-10-31T12:47:00.000-07:00

*********************************************************************
BECAUSE OF LATE DELIVERIES OF THE DINOSAUR HUNTER TO THE BOOKSTORES AND ON-LINE SELLERS, WE'RE EXTENDING THE "GET CAUGHT READING THE DINOSAUR HUNTER CONTEST" TO DECEMBER 5. THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENTRIES!
**********************************************************************

To register for Homer's free quarterly Newsletter and information on contests and book tours, enter your email address in the Newsletter sign up area at homerhickam.com, on the right. Get it first! Every 3 months we will email you notification that the new issue is up with the latest news and stories of the writing life.

SOME ENTRIES IN THE GET CAUGHT READING THE DINOSAUR HUNTER CONTEST!

Grammy-Winning singing star Kathy Mattea Gets Caught!

My next editor, Ami, gets caught!

Marble gets caught listening!

HOMER HICKAM NEWSLETTER

Fall '10 Issue, October 2010

ANNOUNCING A FUN CONTEST FOR
THE DINOSAUR HUNTER
SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS
NEWSLETTER ON HOW TO ENTER
AND WIN SOME GREAT PRIZES.
21 winners in all!

Dear Gentle and Prodigious Readers:

I'm sitting here at my desk savoring the only copy I've received so far of my new novel The Dinosaur Hunter. It's a handsome book with a lovely cover. The cover is even embossed which means my publisher and editor are excited enough over this novel to have gone to extra expense to make it not only look but feel good! So, for tactile as well as entertainment reasons, I think you really will want to get The Dinosaur Hunter into your hands. And it's astonishingly easy to do! Nearly every bookstore in the country plus all the popular Internet outlets will have it available on November 9. To pre-order or order, go here: Homer Hickam The Dinosaur Hunter Page If you like mysteries, westerns, or just fine literature, The Dinosaur Hunter is a novel that should be in your airplane carry-on, beside your easy chair, or on your bedside table. I think you'll discover The Dinosaur Hunter is fast-paced, charming, interesting, and funny. That's the word from my readers! And the new character who narrates the story, Mike Wire, a retired city homicide detective turned vegetarian cowboy, is an interesting guy. You'll like him. Trust me. If I hadn't written The Dinosaur Hunter, I'd want to read it. In fact, I don't think I could wait to crack it open and get lost in the ranchlands of Montana and the "deep time" of the dinosaurs which once lived there. And please think of your friends and family during the holiday season. I bet they'd like my tale of Montana ranchers, dinosaur diggers, ancient bones, and murder, too. It is, by the way, an alternate choice for the Book of the Month Club, the Literary Guild Book Club, and the Mystery Guild Book Club!

The cool cover of the Audiobook!

By the way, there's also an audio CD and Internet download of The Dinosaur Hunter. Click here: The Dinosaur Hunter Audio or look for it on your favorite Internet book website or bookstore!

For economic and marketing reasons, publishers aren't sponsoring book tours as much as they once were but I did volunteer to go to some great stores close by. Please don't let me be lonely when I'm there! Come visit me and tell your friends! Of course, personalized autographed copies of all of my books can be ordered from Shaver's Books. Please contact John Shaver at shaversbks@comcast.net, (256) 533-7364. Think Christmas NOW!

The Dinosaur Hunter Booktour

Birmingham, AL Nashville, TN

Tuesday, November 9 4:00 PM Thursday, November 11 7:00 PM

The Alabama Booksmith Davis Kidd

2626 19th Place, Homewood, AL The Mall at Green Hills, Suite 281

Contact: Jake Reiss 205-870-4242 2121 Green Hills Village Drive

Contact: Ms. Robinson 615-783-0218 ext. 1241

Store number: 615-385-2645

Huntsville, AL Chattanooga, TN

Sunday, November 14 3:00 PM Saturday, November 13 2:00 PM

Barnes & Noble Barnes & Noble # 2337

2750 Carl T. Jones Parkway 2100 Hamilton Place Blvd Suite 315

Contact: Maggie Clark 256-885-0501 Contact: Adam R. Anderson (423) 893-0186

Decatur, AL

Thursday, November 18 6:00 PM

Decatur Public Library

504 Cherry St. NE, Decatur, AL 35601

Contact: Mary Lou 256-353-2993

JOURNEYS:

Homer talks to Mark about the script

Linda celebrates with
the prodigious Rocket Boys

In June, Linda and I flew to New York to work with the delightful cast and crew of Rocket Boys, The Musical. This was a stage reading of the musical based on my most famous work. We were thrilled with the cast which included my good friend Robert Picardo as Mr. Turner/Basil Oglethorpe, J. Mark McVey as Dad, Terri Klausner as Mom, Carl Anthony Tramon as Sonny, and many more fine actors filling in the cast. Go here to read a great review of that most delightful stage reading: Review of Rocket Boys: The Musical. For more news on show plus photos, explore the extensive website of Rocket Boys the Musical. Naturally, Linda and I enjoyed just being in New York. There's an undeniable energy there that is like nowhere else. We love the Big Apple!

MM's enjoying the good life at Camp Runamuck, 2010

Later that month in Huntsville, there was a gathering of the kids who grew up on Monte Sano, the mountain that overlooks the Rocket City. This included my Bozeman, Montana dino-hunting buddy Frank Stewart and wife Naomi among many others. Frank and Naomi spent a night or two with us which was most enjoyable. From there, along with our friends who we call the Mountain Marauders (or MM's for short), Linda and I drove to North Carolina near Ashville to visit the property in the woods that buddies Claus and Debbie purchased last year. It is an old summer camp for boys with dozens of abandoned cabins which they hope to restore to its former glory. It is an incredible place where we relaxed and enjoyed the beauty of the surrounding mountains and, of course, our great friends.

During the summer, Linda and I went out to Space camp.com for Educators a couple of times to meet with teachers who were attending special gatherings there. As always, we love being with the teachers who come to Space Camp and embody the spirit and passion of Miss Riley. We always feel energized and hopeful for the nation's future when we meet these dedicated teachers. Kudos to the Space and Rocket Center here in Huntsville and the companies who sponsor these teachers, giving them not only a fun week but also the tools to teach our kids some really neat stuff about science and space.

Homer Hickam, dinosaur hunter

Of course, summer brought my always eagerly-anticipated annual trek to Montana to hunt the wily dinosaurs of the Cretaceous. I joined up with Frank Stewart and we drove first to Cohagen to visit with Mary and Wayland who operate a ranch in Garfield County. Mary was one of my advisors during the writing of The Dinosaur Hunter, allowing me some valuable insight into the life of the working rancher in eastern Montana. She and Wayland are also my treasured friends and it's always great to visit with them and their two great kids, Angus and "Princess" Maggie. Maggie really loves Frank and crawls into his lap at every opportunity. Well, the old boy is somewhat lovable in a gnarly, irascible way, I suppose, and that's why I dedicated The Dinosaur Hunter to him. After our visit, we headed to the badlands to seek out the bones of the Cretaceous. The first thing that happened after we started hiking was I was bitten by a rattlesnake. Truth! Luckily, all the rattler got was a mouthful of Kevlar (tm) since I had on my trusty snake gaiters. I vented my unhappiness to the snake who, to his credit, looked pretty sheepish about the whole incident. Well, he did let me step on him, after all. We forgave each other and both of us went about our business. Frank and I had some success this year, especially when we discovered metatarsals of two different theropods in the same little hill. This indicated to us there were a lot more bones below. We don't yet know what these meat-eaters were (Dr. Jack Horner will tell us, eventually) but we know they're from a little big animal (perhaps a juvenile T.rex) or a big little critter (perhaps an Ornithomimosaur).

Frank hunting the wily dinosaur

I shot some video while Frank and I were dino-hunting and I'm including a short clip. After you've read The Dinosaur Hunter, I think you'll understand better how marvelous this Big Sky country really is.

Since our last newsletter, I've been out to WBHP-AM radio any number of times to hang out with Toni and Gary on their morning show. We have so much fun! See them here as they get “Caught Reading” The Dinosaur Hunter. Also, if you keep an eye on my Facebook page Homer Hickam Official Page, you'll be able see when I'll be on the show. No matter where you live, you can listen live online: WBHP online

Toni and Gary Get Caught Reading
The Dinosaur Hunter

Homer, Toni, and Gary at work?

The Marvelous A Squadron Rats, Class of 1964,
Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets

In September, Linda and I drove up to Blacksburg for a Virginia Tech Squadron A "rat buddies" reunion. I was also asked to speak to the Corps of Cadets as well as give the speech at the Corps reunion. My gosh, I love the Corps and all that it represents. Linda and I especially love the cadets themselves. What marvelous young men and women they are! Visiting with my old rat buddies was, as always, a special time for me. Kudos to Chick Leftwich for organizing everything, and thanks to Bill and Barbara May for letting us stay with them at their condo. What great folks.

Big Creek 50th High School reunion

We next drove over to Myrtle Beach, the site of my 50th Big Creek High School reunion! It was so much fun to see all my friends from the great class of 1960. None of them have changed at all, I swan. Thanks to Mary Ledford for putting it all together. We know it wasn't easy.

Blast off, Rocket Boy!


The crowd listens at the opening ceremony, October Sky Festival. The Concord University Band was a popular addition to the parade and festivities this year.

Homer, Roy Lee, Billy & Dreama

Our next trek was to Coalwood, WV for the annual October Sky Festival, first Saturday in October. Actually, we drove up a little early to accomplish all the interviews our great publicist, Burke Allen of Allen Media Strategies had set up for us. We had fun in West Virginia with all these radio and television appearances and it helped the festival to be one of the most successful ever! Actor Randy Stripling who played Mr. Bolden in the movie joined us. What a lovely person he is. Rocket Boys Roy Lee, O'Dell, and Billy also joined us along with Dreama Denver, the widow of Bob Denver (Gilligan of Gilligan's Island) and a truely talented person in her own right. The people of Coalwood and the visitors to the October Sky Festival absolutely adored him and so do we! It was a gloriously, beautiful day.

Part of the awesome view from our deck at Skyridge

NASA Al and Dino Boy Homer

The full moon over the sea, view from our deck

To our surprise, our home in St. John, U.S. Virgin Islands, got whacked by two hurricanes, Earl and Otto. Earl was a hurricane with a great deal of wind but little rain, and Otto was a hurricane with a great deal of rain and little wind. Both worked over our end of the island, especially our neighborhood. When word of downed trees and water in the house reached us, Linda and I planned a quick trip down there along with our buddy Al English (known as NASA Al on St. John) to see what we could do. We settled in for a week of constant work which included installing a new gate opener, necessary on our steep driveway. I think we now have Skyridge in good shape. Of course, the most beautiful views on St. John are as grand as ever! We were also pleased to visit with our new property manager, Karen of Windspree. What a delight she and her staff are! To rent the spruced-up and freshly cheerful Skyridge, go here Windspree - Skyridge

For the second year in a row, I was honored to be the Master of Ceremonies at the National Space Club-Huntsville's annual Wernher von Braun dinner at the Space & Rocket Center's Davidson Center. What a great group of true Rocket Girls and Rocket Boys joined us! As always, Linda and I had a great time talking to these people who are passionate about spaceflight. It was pretty unanimous that we are all less than enamored with the present course of NASA. Let's hope for better leadership soon. Time to go back to the moon! I've written a number of blogs about that which can be found on our website here: Homer Hickam, Blogs

And speaking of blogs, I now have a new site for my blogs (where you've also found this Newsletter) which I will try to keep updated. Go here for it: Thoughts From Homer Hickam At Skyridge

You can also keep track of me on my Twitter: Homer's Twitter

So, Homer, you might ask, why all the Facebook, blogs, and Twitter activity? A fair question. Chomp, munch, gurgle, tromp, trundle, rawwrrr. An author these days does all that he can to stay in contact with his readers. It's not only good marketing, but I think the feedback and back and forth between a writer and his readers is invaluable to both. I hope you agree!

Buddy, big, Littlebit, small

Part of life's journey is saying goodbye to those we love. In July, we lost our funny little goldfish Buddy who we got to keep poor Littlebit, a hybrid koi/goldfish, company after he was born in our pond with a congenital defect. Littlebit lived for five years and Buddy just a "little bit" longer. We loved them and miss them both.

Our kitty angel, Flopsy

And then in August, we very sadly lost our beloved kitty Flopsy. Flopsy was our NASA cat. One day, after a meeting at the headquarters building on Marshall Space Flight Center back around 1991, a scrawny little black and white cat came running up to me, meowing. There were, at the time, many feral cats living on the MSFC grounds but this one was very insistent that I pay attention to her. I picked her up and brought her home, meaning to find her a permanent family. Flopsy got her name by performing early on what I used to call "her only trick," that of cutely flopping on her side without warning. Of course, it wasn't her only trick at all. She also had the trick of announcing to the world early on that she was a "Hickam cat" and had no intention of ever leaving. And she didn't. Flopsy was great company. We used to say she was no trouble. She ate what we gave her without complaint, she was quiet, she was clean, and she was polite. In her latter years, she delighted in sitting, her paws daintily crossed, on the couch beside me and Linda when we watched television. In the early summer of her 19th year, Flopsy's appetite waned and although her veterinarians and we did everything we could to get her interested in eating, she refused and became thinner and thinner. At the last, we hydrated her daily which seemed to make her feel better but when it became clear she was not going to recover, Linda and I had to take a deep breath and allow our Doodlebug to go on to kitty heaven. We miss her now and we will always miss her. Rest in peace, dear Flopsy. You were a great Hickam cat!

Your Writer and Friend,
Homer Hickam

Flopsy, a true Hickam cat

FROM LINDA:

Maxx, almost 20

We’ll always miss our little Flop, for our kitties are indeed our fur children.
Our other four send greetings and are well, all spoiled but fine. All of our cats are rescues and we volunteer for a wonderful local cat rescue organization, Forgotten Felines. Their main mission is education and community support for spaying and neutering to prevent pet overpopulation. Please help in your community too.

Mango, Dino Hunter

The fluffies, China and Summer

Below is a letter from one of our true heroes, a teacher. She teaches adult education attended by men and women who want to better themselves. She sent a heartwarming letter with a slideshow of a book club where they all read Rocket Boys. If you want a smile, watch it.

Dear Linda and Homer, Our ABE/GED program received a grant from our local Rotary Club this spring to purchase 100 copies of Rocket Boys to use for our Book Club. I just wanted to let you know that it was an amazing experience for both students and staff, and your website was invaluable in providing background and classroom resources. Although the length and reading level of Rocket Boys was challenging for many of our students, they loved the story and were able to relate the themes and "message" to their own lives. As an added bonus, Steve Date came to speak to us about his experiences meeting Homer and his time in Coalwood.

We had four classes, ranging from high-level non-native English speakers to GED students, reading and studying the book in different ways within their own classrooms. We then gathered together on May 27 for a time of sharing and celebration. This is the fourth year we have had a Book Club at our site, and it's now become an eagerly anticipated event!

If you're interested, here is a link to our Northside Wiki page to see a slide show from our final event: Rocket-Boys-Final-Event Here is a link to another page where I asked students for their first impressions of the book: First-Impressions

Thanks to you and Homer for helping us make a positive difference in the lives of our students! Darlene Hays Northside Adult Basic Education Minneapolis, MN 55411

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CONTEST FOR
THE DINOSAUR HUNTER!

“Get Caught Reading"

THE DINOSAUR HUNTER

Photo Contest

Dear Readers: Let’s have fun with my new book with a chance to win some great prizes too!

I am running a contest to have people “Get Caught Reading” my new book The Dinosaur Hunter. Win a specially autographed copy of the book and a cool collectable dinosaur-related prize!

21 winners in all!

See below for contest prizes and rules.

Let’s do it this way:

The whole idea is to take a picture of someone (or something) reading The Dinosaur Hunter. Now, be aware all photos must have the hardcover prominently displayed. See Homer's old Howdy Doody doll above for an example.

Submit the photo to Facebook on the Homer Hickam Official Page or by email to LTerry(nospam)@hiwaay.net – please remove no spam.

One submission per day per person, please. Please be aware that all photos submitted may be published on Facebook or our website. Contest ends quickly, November 18, so pre-order those books NOW by going to the Homer Hickam The Dinosaur Hunter Page and clicking on the Internet book links OR go to your local bookstore and put yourself on the list for the first arrival of the book!

OK, here's our categories in the Get Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter contest:

The world' most romantic piano player,
handsome Jim Brickman,
Gets Caught Reading The Dinosaur Hunter!

• Contest 1 - Best photo of a person caught reading The Dinosaur Hunter (imaginative, funny, different, celebrity, WOW us!) There will be five winners in this category. First prize is a personalized and autographed copy of The Dinosaur Hunter, a Homer-signed cast of a T.rex skull, and a special Don Howard autographed caricature of Homer as writer and dino-hunter. Second through fifth prize-winners will each receive a Homer-signed T.rex crossing sign and an autographed picture of Homer! All very collectible and something no one else will have!

• Contest 2 - Best photo of an animal (or something else such as Homer's old Howdy Doody and friend above) caught reading The Dinosaur Hunter (imaginative, funny, different, WOW us!) There will be five winners in this category. First prize is a personalized and autographed copy of The Dinosaur Hunter, a Homer-signed cast of a T.rex skull, and a special Don Howard autographed caricature of Homer as writer and dino-hunter. Second through fifth prize-winners will each receive a Homer-signed T.rex crossing sign and an autographed picture of Homer! All very collectible and something no one else will have!

• Contest 3 - The most people in one photo caught reading The Dinosaur Hunter (each person in the photo should have their own copy). Be creative and WOW us! There will be five winners in this category. First prize is a personalized and autographed copy of The Dinosaur Hunter, a Homer-signed cast of a full-sized T.rex claw (this is a most prodigious claw and I can just barely stand to give it up), and a special Don Howard autographed caricature of Homer as writer and dino-hunter. Second through fifth prize-winners will each receive a Homer-signed T.rex crossing sign and an autographed picture of Homer! All very collectible and something no one else will have!

• Contest 4 - Video or animation that captures the true spirit of reading The Dinosaur Hunter! There will be three winners in this category. First prize is a personalized and autographed copy of The Dinosaur Hunter plus a Homer-signed 24” x 36” laminated poster of two T.rexes fighting. Very, very cool! Second and third prize-winners will each receive a Homer-signed T.rex skull cast and an autographed picture of Homer! All very collectible and something no one else will have!

• Contest 5 - This one is for our Newsletter subscribers only (we have a database of subscribers). In this newsletter, there is a sentence that reflects what we think maybe dinosaurs sounded like. Copy and paste the sentence and send it in an email to Linda (LTerry(nospam)@hiwaay.net – please remove the no spam) and she will put you into the pot for a drawing. If you would like to join our Newsletter list, go to www.homerhickam.com and enter your email in the box to the right. There will be three lucky winners of an autographed copy of The Dinosaur Hunter!

Summer and friend relax with The Dinosaur Hunter

2010-10-07T15:21:00.000-07:00

A MOST MARVELOUS REVIEW OF THE DINOSAUR HUNTER

Dinosaur Hunters Frank Stewart, Bill Hendricks, and me in Montana. Ten years of work in the field led to write my new mystery Western novel titled The Dinosaur Hunter

Every author wants Kirkus to review his book but, at the same time, we keep our fingers crossed that it will be a good one. Many decisions are made based on Kirkus reviews by bookstores, libraries, marketing folks, and publishers. How many books will be stocked or purchased? How will the review affect advertising? How much will be spent on marketing? Overall, will the book be a hit or a miss?

Kirkus says this of itself:

Kirkus Reviews, founded in 1933, is published twice monthly and reviews, one to three months before the publication date, 4,000-5,000 titles per year: fiction, mysteries, science fiction and fantasy, translations, nonfiction and children's and young adult books. The reviews are reliable and authoritative, written by specialists selected for their knowledge and expertise in a particular field.

Well, we recently received a marvelous review by Kirkus which makes everyone involved with The Dinosaur Hunter very happy. There's a good chance this could be a break-out novel for me, even possibly beginning a new series. Remember, think Christmas Holiday Season now. The Dinosaur Hunter could very well solve your Christmas and/or Holiday list! Autographed and inscribed copies are available on http://www.homerhickam.com. Just click on the gift icon!

AND NOW, THE REVIEW!

Hickam, Homer

THE DINOSAUR HUNTER

Dunne/St. Martin's (320 pp)

Nov. 2, 2010

ISBN: 978-0-312-38378-7

Cowboys and criminals mix it up in the new West over the bones of dead monsters.

Hickam (Red Helmet, 2008, etc.) hits the sweet spot for cowboy fiction with this dusty, inspired mystery about paleontologists and lifelong ranchers in the high desert. The book's hero is Mike Wire, a former LAPD homicide detective who abandoned Hollywood 12 years earlier to become a foreman on the Square C Ranch where he hides his unrequited love for its owner, Jeanette Coulter, and looks out for her son, Ray. Hickam breathes life into his square-jawed wrangler, lending him a unique mix of tenderness and stubbornness. Before long, Mike develops an interest in the area's paleontological history. Ray's idle discovery of some theropod bones draws the attention of Dr. Norman "Pick" Pickford, who soon has gaggles of students unearthing bones from a butte on Jeanette's property. Then strange thing start happening, raising Mike's suspicions. First, a few animals are shot, with clues that lead to an environmental terrorist. And eventually [SPOILER ALERT] a Russian interloper is found dead with a pickaxe in his head. Nobody is on Mike's side as he starts figuring things out, least of all the locals. "I know you're still new out here but I thought a dozen years was enough for you to learn a few of our rules," warns the local tough guy. "A man could get shot, he wanders where he's not supposed to go." The plot gets a bit rickety near the end but Hickam's obvious love for Montana and his newly acquired fascination with paleontology—earned at the side of paleontologist Jack Horner, one of the trade's most famous practitioners—makes this tale worth digging into.

The rare novel that pits science against cowboy doggedness, getting both of them right.

Thanks, Kirkus! You are obviously true dino boys and girls!

The photo below is of me with a Tyrannosaur rex claw found in Montana. By its size, we think it was from a very rare juvenile. A juvenile T.rex is important to the tale told in The Dinosaur Hunter.

For more on The Dinosaur Hunter, please go to http://www.homerhickam.com/books/dino.shtml

Interviewing for the Cause Called Coalwood

2010-09-29T10:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, today, tomorrow, and Friday are interview days, all aimed at publicizing the October Sky Festival in Coalwood, West Virginia, on Oct. 2, 2010. Coalwood is the town where I grew up. It was a pure company town back then, every house, fence, store, and church in the town owned by the coal company. Every adult male living there had to work for the company, every adult female had to be married to a coal miner, and every kid had to be a coal miner's kid. There were two exceptions, teachers and the preacher. The preacher, however, was also a company man although on a 3-year contract. That meant every three years, we had a good chance of changing religions. We used to laugh and say we got the low-bid religion.

The first book I wrote about growing up in Coalwood was Rocket Boys which is now a classic and is studied in many school systems across the USA and the world. The movie October Sky was based on that book and Jake Gyllenhaal played me in it. That was a lot of fun. Now, there's a new Broadway musical called Rocket Boys being developed. Go to http://www.rocketboysthemusical.com to read more about that and listen to some of the great music!

Anyway, I'm all over the radio stations, mostly in West Virginia and the surrounding states, inviting folks to come to Coalwood on Saturday and visit with the Rocket Boys, Randy Stripling (the actor who played machinist Leon Bolden in the film October Sky), Dreama Denver (widow of Bob Denver of Gilligan's Island), and many more interesting folks. There will also be lots of music, food, and rocket-launching going on down at old Cape Coalwood. To find out more, people should visit http://www.homerhickam.com and click on the page called Rocket Boys/October Sky.

In the interviews, shameless that I am, I also tend to mention The Dinosaur Hunter, talk about how I came to write my latest novel, and so forth. It's all fun. Here's a podcast of an interview I did this morning!

http://www.talkradio1370.com/howard_monroe_and_the_mor/2010/09/teachers-ufos-and-the-rocket-boys.html

The Dinosaur Hunter

2010-09-27T16:07:00.000-07:00

Intrigued readers have asked me what The Dinosaur Hunter, my new novel (out November 9, 2010) is about. I loved writing this book and I think you'll enjoy reading it, too. Here's a quick synopsis:

Life on the ranchlands of Montana comes with more than its share of trouble. The unique people who live and work on this untamed stretch of today's American West expect it – and some of them even enjoy it. One of them is Mike Wire, a former homicide detective who once worked the decadent hills and valleys of Hollywood. Having enough of the violence of the big city, Mike has retreated to a far corner of civilization to spend his days running the Square C Ranch and pining for Jeanette Coulter, its spirited but iron-fisted owner.

But Mike is soon to learn terrible things can happen beneath Montana's big skies, too. The badlands are home to more than horses, cattle, cowboys, and laid-back rattlesnakes. Just beneath the surface are the bones of a dinosaur family which could make a fortune for whoever gets to them first. When a paleontologist and his attractive young assistants arrive at the Square C to dig, Mike senses trouble is clinging to them like Montana mud. Once discovered, those bones won’t stay buried, and not everyone hunting for them is doing it in the interest of science. When a murderer begins to stalk the dinosaur hunting grounds, Mike has to combine the lessons he learned in Los Angeles with those of the Montana prairie to protect the people and the land he has come to love.

Yep, I'm entering new literary territory here to write about a world that has fascinated me for decades, drawing on my own experiences fossil-hunting in the Montana ranchlands and getting to know the remarkable people who live there. I like to think The Dinosaur Hunter is similar at least in spirit to the novels of Larry McMurtry and Tony Hillerman while also paying tribute to the modern American West and the attitudes that still make it such an incomparable and rich part of the country.

To read a chapter and see more about The Dinosaur Hunter, go here: http://www.homerhickam.com/books/dino.shtml

So... get ready. The Dinosaur Hunter has strapped on his backpack and is coming your way!