My latest book, ”Revenge of the Pond Scum: Searching for the causes of Alzheimer’s Disease, Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) and Parkinson’s Disease” will be a FREE Kindle download this Saturday, May 19.

I give away books whenever I can because it generates word of mouth. Some folks who get a free book will write a nice review on Amazon or their blog, or in their support group newsletter. I’ve been making my living writing and selling books like this for over twenty years. Seems counterintuitive, but it works.

For Kindle books, it has another advantage– each downloaded copy (even free ones) moves the title closer to the first page of new searches. This applies to any kind of book. If you write funny mysteries featuring zombies, you want your book to pop up on that first page when someone searches the category. I gave away nearly six thousand copies of Algebra Unplugged two weeks ago, now it’s one of the first titles a prospective buyer sees. My paid sales are up a thousand percent over last month.

If you know someone who’s interested in reading about weird and quirky science facts, feel free to let them know about Saturday’s promotion of “Revenge of the Pond Scum.” One PhD scientist who oversees ALS research for twenty universities emailed me and said “your book helped me think about ALS.” It ain’t as hard a book to read as it sounds.

The book’s page on Amazon is HERE

Same-sex marriage is a weird issue. I’ve never personally felt attracted to another man, with the possible exceptions of Brad Pitt and Johnny Depp. In their cases I understand that no matter what my orientation, they are out of my league, so it’s not a real issue for me. Read the rest of this entry »

Mitt Romney wrote an op ed in the Cleveland Plain Dealer yesterday in anticipation of Obama’s speech at Ohio State. I read his letter, and you can too: Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been working on a book about the various theories people use to explain the causes of ALS, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s. It’s called “Revenge of the Pond Scum,” for reasons that may not be obvious at first. A dozen scientists and doctors have read sections relating to their specialties or theories and suggested a few minor changes, which I happily made. One of those scientists, who coordinates the efforts of several university teams studying ALS said my book “helped me to think about ALS.” Another said “It’s a very, very fascinating book indeed!” Read the rest of this entry »

After watching several Sunday morning political discussions on TV, I had a weird little insight. Both right wing and left wing commentators accused their opponents of being elitists. At first that felt odd, because being elite seems admirable in most arenas. It means ranking near the top of a field. No one mocks someone for being an elite athlete. Being “elite” is a good thing. Being “elitist” is bad. Read the rest of this entry »

Years ago, I sprouted some peach pits in a coffee can, mostly by accident. I couldn’t stand to kill the little sprouts, so I planted them. Years later, several peach trees bloomed in my backyard. Later that season, miraculously, I collected buckets of peaches from their sagging branches. Read the rest of this entry »

I had a long and polite argument with one of my favorite people today about Rush Limbaugh’s position. We both agreed Rush’s language was inappropriate but smart business because it gave him free publicity. I maintained that Rush is simply wrong: I think contraception is a health issue worthy of coverage by insurance. My conversation partner said it isn’t: everyone has cheaper choices for contraception including condoms and abstinence. Why should the rest of us subsidize their expensive choice? Read the rest of this entry »

On an airplane leaving Wichita after visiting my sister and aging father, I thought about how disconnected we are from our actual lives. As our plane roared into the sky, everyone on that flight fell into a comfortable charade. A few conversed with whoever the clever gods of Frontier threw them next to. Others entered the world of their preferred book or electronic device, which quickly became their real life. Some dozed through a dream for an hour or two. Almost no one looked out the window or seemed aware of their actual life. We all successfully ignored our status as fragile living specks flying hundreds of miles per hour above the clouds. It’s probably just as well. Most of us don’t have enough confidence in thrust and lift (and physics in general) to happily dwell on abstract concepts while they suspend us a few miles above anything we understand. Read the rest of this entry »

I’ve been in Kansas for the last few days, which has been surreal in many ways. If I can come up with a way to describe it, I’ll do so.

Very kind (and well written!) review of Joy Writing waiting for me when I got home today. That was cool. In case you’re wondering, the other cover (the brownish one) is the newest one but the book’s text is identical. I’ve never met Patricia, but I hope to at some point:

http://patriciastoltey.blogspot.com/2012/02/joy-writing-by-kenn-amdahl-book-review.html

The book I’m trying to finish refuses to cooperate. Some sections at the end drag, no matter what I do. This weekend I devised a strategy that helped. It might work for you, too. Read the rest of this entry »