Well, it’s been a rollercoaster ride since I first published and released The. Hoosier. Girl. It’s also been a while since I’ve sent out an email. Let me quickly fill you in on what’s happened in the last six months. 

First, I want to thank everyone who bought The. Hoosier. Girl. I truly appreciate it. Sales via Amazon, my website and selling it at the local farmer’s market have been mildly successful. The. Hoosier. Girl currently has a 4.7 star rating out of 5 on Amazon and some amazing reviews. An additional appreciation goes out to those who have written a review. If you’ve read it and haven’t reviewed it yet, please do so. Pretty please with lots of sugar on it.

At the end of May, my girlfriend, Melinda, and I took a trip to Denver and turned it into a book tour. We stopped by nine independent bookstores in Missouri, Kansas and Colorado. That was exciting. I enjoyed meeting the owners/managers and giving them a free copy of The. Hoosier. Girl. The stores and their proprietors/managers were as diverse as the books on their shelves. You can see pics on my Facebook and Instagram pages. My plan is to one day return to those same bookstores and do actual book signings.

The month of June found me at the St. Charles farmers market on several Saturdays peddling my literary goods. I sold out of a case of 24 books at each market. That was a real blessing especially at a venue that sells food and produce. Not to mention, I love talking to people. I got the opportunity to do a lot of that. Thanks to my high school friends, family and others who supported me at the farmer’s market.

Then came July. Oh. Snap. Got hit with the virus and spent nearly a month in bed. I must confess, it knocked me for a loop. I consider myself a pretty healthy person. I don’t drink alcohol, smoke or take any drugs—prescription, over the counter or otherwise. I eat pretty healthy and exercise daily. But it still got me good. Spent the night in the ER with a blood clot. I’m now on blood thinners. Three months later, the aftereffects still physically toy with me. But overall, I feel great. I’m thankful that it wasn’t worse.

Aug-Oct found me writing and completing my first movie screenplay. It’s a holiday family oriented animated movie script. Think. Disney. It’ll be going out into the world shortly. Wish me luck that some agent or producer likes it. Compared to writing a novel, writing a movie script is like a literary walk in the park. All you have to do is write the dialog and some scene settings and such. You don’t have to fill 300 pages with 100,000 words of emotions, narratives, character nuances, scene descriptions etc, etc, etc …

Now that we’re up to date, I can tell you what’s currently on my plate. Yes, I have begun and I’m still working on finishing The. Vagina. Hunter., the next book in The Adventures of The Hoosier Girl and The Vagina Hunter. This time you’ll read their story from Amanda’s point of view. It continues to take place that memorable summer of 1981. They’re still in Spanish Lake but they also move their adventures to Hannibal and the Lake of the Ozarks, Missouri. If you think Christian’s head was full of engaging excitement and page turning enlightenment, you’re absolutely going to love what makes Amanda’s amazing mind tick and sometimes tock. Stay tuned.

But that’s not all! Oh. No. Not by far. About seven years ago, I started a little group called “The Readys.” It was sort of like a “preppers” group but not exactly. I used the term “SSEPPers.” Which stands for Self-Sufficient and Emergency Prepared People. We met once a month and went over skills and training for potential catastrophic events. First Aid. Water purification. Bugout bags. My ambition was to try to create a national network of “Readys.” Well, I got caught up with other things in life i.e. relationships, work and other creative endeavors like The. Hoosier. Girl. and TheReadys got put on the back burner. 

Over the years, I’ve pondered and played with a concept and plot of a book called TheReadys. It’s based on one very uncommon, common man named D.C. Hauk, who sets out to save America from an anonymous evil force that’s trying to destroy it. I’ve written several chapters and they have remained in my digital desk while I was working on The. Hoosier. Girl. and The. Vagina. Hunter.

The past year and a half have brought incredible changes to the world. My life and health have been drastically altered. I know everyone reading this has also suffered some type of detrimental consequence brought about by the pandemic. Unfortunately, it just seems like the craziness isn’t stopping. Everywhere we turn there’s new dramas and traumas developing in every arena of life. From mandated vaccinations to China buddying up to the Taliban. Some of the stories I’m reading and videos I’m watching leave me with a feeling that I’ve ventured down Alice’s rabbit hole and now I exist in a wonderland where right is wrong, wrong is right and we’re all crazy. Especially our elected leader’s, whose minds seem to have been taken over by strange evil aliens. It’s almost surreal. Scary. Unsettling. 

The Readys concept has been habitually popping to the forefront of my thoughts since the pandemic first broke. It’s awakened people and showed them we all need to be more self-sufficient and emergency prepared. Therefore, I’ve decided to resurrect it. But anyone who know me, knows I like to be creatively different. I’ve decided to combine the network of Readys with the book of the Readys and write a very unique and creative online book that I’ve titled…are you ready…TheReadys. 

This Sunday, NOV. 7, 2021 from 2-4pm I’m holding a lecture/workshop about TheReadys project. It’s at the St. Charles County Library Spencer Road Branch. Room #112. I’ll spend part of the time discussing my vision for the book and network. The other part of time we’ll go over a training class called 101+ Provisions. What every person should have in their home for catastrophic events. It’ll be the first of regular monthly Readys meetings where we network and learn SSEP skills. I’d like to invite each one of you to this event. It’s free, but you have to register at www.TheReadys.org. Seating is limited to the first 50 registrants. I have 13 registrations so far. You can find more details on the website.

If you’re like me, you don’t like to be motivated to do anything by fear. I really don’t want to come across like this. I just feel that there’s a subconscious vibe permeating around American’s consciousness (and being validated by our leader’s actions), that some type of greater economic, political, medical or militarily catastrophe sits lurking just around our country’s corner. I really hope I’m wrong. But you know the saying, “Pray for the best and prepare for the worst.” That’s what I’m doing. 

And if the worst does happen, fortunately, we have a hero that’s written a book called “The Salvation of our Nation” His name is D.C. Hauk. He’s the main character in TheReadys. He’s supernaturally talented, tough and truthful. His mission is to give hope to the hopeless. Courage to those who fear. Bring Light to a Darkening world. He knows the answers and solutions to our national problems. The guidelines and blueprints to stabilize this unbalanced place in history. And between his gifts, The Readys Network and his book “The Salvation of our Nation”, he’s determined to defeat whatever enemy, be it internal, external or alien that tries to keep America from being the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave. You’re invited to take part in D.C. Hauk’s adventure and literally become a character in his historic story.

As a member of my Reader’s Fan Club, I’d like to extend to you the special honor of reading the first chapter of “TheReadys.” You’ll be getting a link in your email very shortly. Please enjoy the free read. I’m confident, it’ll get you hooked. 

Meanwhile, don’t forget to register and attend my NOV workshop and lecture. For those interested, I’ll also have signed, Red Thumbprint Limited Editions of The. Hoosier. Girl. available for sale after the lecture. It would make a great Christmas gift. Hint. Hint.

Pray for the best. Prepare for the worst.

-D.C. Hauk

Aka Harry Sneed

Director of TheReadys.org