Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Talking Heads

Enough is enough!
Last night, when I wanted to watch NCIS, the President decided to preempt TV programing to talk about a troop buildup in Afghanistan. I didn't have a problem with that but did we really need his talk followed by a half hour of talking heads telling us what the President said?
To begin with, we knew what he was going to say before he said it. I really don't believe we needed the "Experts" telling us dumb people what he said.
And this brings me to a second group of talking heads I wish would go away.
I sometimes like to watch football and other sports. If I am watching a game and it comes to half-time, I really hate having the "Experts" tell me what I have just seen. I don't know about you, but I would rather watch the cheerleaders strut their stuff.
I know what I saw and what I want to see and it certainly isn't talking heads telling me what I saw like I'm too ignorant to know what I saw.
And while I'm at it - Tiger Woods. Who cares?
I don't care why he had an accident. I don't care if he is fooling around or not fooling around with anyone of the same or opposite sex. I don't care anything about Tiger Woods except for his ability to play golf.
Ditto for actors, singers and elected officials. As long as people are good at their job, I don't care what they do or don't do in their private life - unless it involves murder, rape or robbery.
News? All the above is fluff.
Experts! The main thing experts seem to be expert at is getting paid to voice an opinion. Nice work if you can get it, I guess, but if someone wanted to pay me for the opinions I just offered, I'd think they were nuts!

Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Why I write about vampires


My interest in vampires goes back to when I was in grade school and first saw Dracula with Bela Lugosi. Since I knew my grandmother had been born in Romania, I asked if there was any truth to the story. No, she said. "It's just foolish superstition."
I agreed then and I agree now. And yet...
When I was in my early twenties, I finally got around to reading the novel and fell more in love with the vampire myth. One of the things that struck me was the idea that it was perfectly okay for humans to kill vampires but not for vampires to kill humans.
Not until I first read Ann Rice's vampire stories did I get the idea of actually writing my own version.
I made several attempt before writing The Dancing Valkyrie but all previous attempts had one thing in common. My vampires would not be either the dead or the undead and I decided they would be related to humans but with a slightly different gene sequence that is activated when one who has the gene tastes the blood of a vampire. In other words, not anyone can become a vampire.
Another difference between my vampires and those in most modern day stories, my vampires would not agonize over being a vampire. They would regard being a vampire as having received a gift from God!
Those are some of the basic ideas I have tried to work with.
Over time I have come to see there are other ideas that were hidden from me when I first began to write.
My main character, Mary Hoffman, aka Erica, aka The Dancing Valkyrie, is a female who makes no apologies for being a sexual attractive female. I wanted her to be like this because I have never seen any reason why a woman should make any excuses or hide what she is. Neither should men but men seldom find themselves attacked for looking like a man.
Another thing I wanted to do was to be up front about, expose so to speak, was the erotic nature of Dracula and all good vampire stories.
With Mary, her sexual nature is magnified after she becomes the vampire she was meant to be from birth. Her lust for sex is as great if not greater than her lust for blood. She satisfies her need for sex more often than she satisfies her need for blood. Here too, she does not apologize.
For some, I am sure, my vampire stories are nothing but erotic trash. I do understand but disagree.
What I am trying to do is to explore the "what if" and the "why" vampires might actually exist as creatures created by God.
To me, nothing is created unless it is created by God - for whatever reason. It's not such a far fetched idea when you look at the natural world and see all God has created in the now and in the past.
And if you want a Biblical reference for what my vampires believe, they believe vampires were created when God gave a mark to Cain to protect him and his kind from being killed by humans.

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

E-books now available

E-Books

Ravenwolf Publishing releases three books in the rapidly becoming popular E-Book format..

Author and publisher Pete Klein says, "Amazon with its Kindle e-book reader has made e-books respectable, affordable, portable and popular, and it is only logical and natural to respond to their lead. This is why I have made my books available in the e-book format at both Amazon and my own web page."

Pete Klein, author of the vampire books "The Dancing Valkyrie" and "The Vampire Valkyrie," and the outdoor hiking guide "Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County" says, " recently released all three books in the E-Book format. These books are now available for download for $9.99 each at the following web addresses:
The Dancing Valkyrie at:
The Vampire Valkyrie at:
Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County at:

ALLBOOKS BOOK REVIEW
www.allbooksreviews.com www.allbooksreviews.ca
of The Dancing Valkyrie
Blood and sex. Of course love, but not the way humans think about it.
This is the recurring theme throughout The Dancing Valkyrie, a story about Mary Hoffman, librarian by day and exotic dancer by night. Mary, needing some time alone takes a hike along a secluded upstate New York trail. She is saved from two predatory young men by Beth, a beautiful woman slightly older than Mary. The two join together for the rest of the trail, becoming romantically involved along the way. Beth, it turns out is a vampire, and quickly introduces Mary to the mystical world she lives in. After inviting Mary back to her castle, built by her brother, Joseph, in a remote area, Mary is seduced into becoming a vampire as well. Joseph and Beth are hundreds of years old, and pose as brother / sister, but are husband and wife, or, in vampire terms, father and daughter. Thus begins the fascinating story of Mary’s transition from human woman to vampire.
This book is full of rich and incredibly descriptive prose that makes you feel you are in every scene. The dialog is both thought provoking and believable (or course we are talking about vampires), with an excellent mix of philosophical, religious and historical references mixed within the real time story. The plot is not complex, as the story is more of a journey than a twisty-turny, keep you in the dark project. It is more than adequate, however, as you quickly become submersed in the protagonist’s discovery process. Klein presents vampires in a light never seen before, and frankly one of the most inventive and most original depictions I’ve ever read.
This is an absolute must read if you are a vampire fan. It should be tempered with the fact that it is an erotic novel. However, the sex is an integral part of the novel’s framework and not only necessary, but adds to the overall richness of the work. A pleasant surprise on the last page was: “TO BE CONTINUED.”
Highly recommended.
Reviewer: Gregg J. Haugland, Allbooks Reviews.
ALLBOOK REVIEW
www.allbooksreviews.com www.allbooksreviews.ca
Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County
As an avid hiker myself, my bookshelf contains many hiking trail and guide books. Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County is a unique addition in that it is more personal than technical, more descriptive than mundane. I always find that I am bored by the many maps, geological notes, etc included in many guide-books.
Peter Klein takes readers on a hiking journey, describing the flora and fauna, the smells, the sounds, the sites and the feel of the area. He makes the trails real to the reader and definitely convinces the avid hiker or the everyday walker that visiting this area would be an excellent experience.
The book lists several areas in Hamilton County-Rock Lake Trail, Blue Ledges, Whortleberry and Big Bad Luck Ponds. Each trail includes location, short history and a recommendation for the best time of year to visit. The book also contains some excellent tips and advice for readers before venturing into the woods, very informative for beginners. Hikers and walkers should pick up a copy of this book if visiting Hamilton County.
Peter Klein is the author of both non fiction and fiction. He incorporates much of his flair for description into this book.
Reviewer: Shirley Roe, Allbooks Review.
Available at: www.amazon.com , www.barnesandnoble.com

Monday, October 19, 2009

Book format and price choices from Ravenwolf Publishing


Ravenwolf Publishing announced, Oct. 19, 2009, all of its books (The Dancing Valkyrie, The Vampire Valkyrie and Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County) are now available in hardcover, paperback and E-Book formats.
For those looking for price and prefer or don't mind reading a book on their computer, E-Books are available for $5 each.
Paper back editions range between $19.84 and $24.96 while the hardcover editions go for $22.62 to $25.95.
In addition to the books, also offered is a CD with over 120 photos taken on hikes in the Adirondacks of Hamilton County, NY, and a 2009 Adirondack photo calendar.

Sunday, September 27, 2009

Banned Book Week

This week is Banned Book Week!
Banned Books Week is the only national celebration of the freedom to read. It was launched in 1982 in response to a sudden surge in the number of challenges to books in schools, bookstores and libraries. More than a thousand books have been challenged since 1982. The challenges have occurred in every state and in hundreds of communities.
In support of banned book week, you might want to read my vampire novels, The Dancing Valkyrie and The Vampire Valkyrie.
While neither book has been officially banned, both have been rejected by some local book stores for the usual reasons: too much explicit sex, too many four letter words, religious viewpoints not compatible with the Christian Right, etc.
The fact of the matter is many books are prevented from reaching a wide audience because of content. To the best of my knowledge, Amazon will list anything published, as they do mine, but many book stores quietly ban what they deem inappropriate - which can be anything.
For more info, go to http://www.bannedbooksweek.org/

Thursday, September 24, 2009

Court action halts fee hike on NY retailers

Court action halts fee hike on NY retailers

ALBANY–A backdoor attempt to block the sale of cigarettes and add revenues to the state was temporarily blocked by the State Supreme Court.
On Thursday, Sept. 24, Senator Betty Little she was pleased by a State Supreme Court judge’s decision late last week that has prevented the state from collecting a huge cigarette fee increase on North Country retailers and others throughout the state. In a letter to the New York State Tax Department, Little has requested that businesses that have already paid the higher fee be refunded the money immediately.
“This fee hike could not come at a worse time for many of our small retailers,” said Little. “They are struggling to make it through the recession. An added cost of doing business just makes it harder.
“I am pleased by the judge’s decision, but have already heard from a small business owner who paid the higher amount and requested my help getting his money back from the state. He’s probably not alone, so I have written a letter to the state tax department urging them, in light of the restraining order, to return any overpayments.”
Little, who voted against the increase as part of this year’s state budget, said the previously flat license fee retailers pay to sell cigarettes was set to increase from $100 a year to $1,000 for stores with gross revenues of less than $1 million a year; to $2,500 for stores with revenue between $1 million and $10 million; and to $5,000 more for stores with $10 million or more in revenue.
Little added that the license fee increase would be based on total sales for a store, not on the amount of tobacco products they sell.
The decision by Justice Thomas Feinman to issue a temporary restraining order was in response to a lawsuit brought against the state by a group of retail organizations on Long Island. The judge said retailers could submit their 2010 applications under the previous fee. The $100 flat fee per store was due on September 21.
The restraining order is temporary while a court decision on a motion for a preliminary injunction is pending. If the court rules in favor of the state, retailers would then have to pay the higher fee and could cause many small Adirondack retailers to stop selling cigarettes.
The fee on retailers was nothing more than the latest attempt by those who have taken up the anti-smoking cause as their primary religion.

Wednesday, September 2, 2009

True Blood


I have been watching the HBO series called True Blood, mainly because I will watch or read any fiction dealing with vampires.
When the program began, I was much impressed because the take on vampires was original. Over time, my interest has held up mostly due to the good acting but have started to lose some interest because the focus has become diluted.
Of all the fictional horror characters, vampires have always seemed to me to be the most possible. Shape shifting and demons have not seemed very plausible but these characters now seem to dominate True Blood.
If I were a Southerner, I would flat out object to True Blood because it makes rural Southerners look like the dumbest people in the world.
I don't know. I guess I'll watch this to the end only because I have invested as much time as I have.

Tuesday, August 4, 2009

Ravenwolf Publsihing announces book sale discounts

Ravenwolf Publishing Announces 10% Book Discount Sale

Ravenwolf Publishing is pleased to announce a 10% discount on all books purchased from its Website, two vampire novels and an outdoor hiking guide, during the month of August.

Ravenwolf Publishing is pleased to announce a 10% discount on all books purchased from its Website during the month of August. Go to http://wwwlulu.com/ravenwowolf publish, select the book or books and type in the code "README" at checkout for the discount.

The books offered are the two vampire novels, "The Dancing Valkyrie" and "The Vampire Valkyrie," and the hiking guide book "Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County."
Just Click "Buy" and enter code "README" at checkout and you will save 10% off their purchase!

Author Peter "Pete" Klein says, 10% may not be much but during these tough economic times, I and my publisher are holding prices flat and doing what we can to do to make reading affordable as well as enjoyable.

The vampire novel "The Dancing Valkyrie" is the first novel in a 3 part series that tells the tale of an erotic dancer (topless pole dancer) who become a vampire while hiking in the Adirondack forest of northern New York. This is not your average vampire story. These are real vampires, created by God, a species similar to humans who can easily blend with humans both day and night but are far more deadly than any fictional vampire to date.
A unique twist in the story is a confrontation the Dancing Valkyrie has with an ancient vampire who is known as Father Van Helsing.
The second vampire book, "The Vampire Valkyrie," continues the story as the Dancing Valkyrie finds herself at war with the Mafia as she tries to protect her club, her human friends and herself.
"Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County" is a guide book to trails in the Adirondacks of Hamilton County. The hikes are hikes the author has taken with his hiking buddies, his twin granddaughters now in college.

Disclaimer: Enter coupon code "README" during checkout and save 10% off the purchase price. Discount cannot be used to pay for, nor shall be applied to, applicable taxes or shipping and handling charges. Promotional codes cannot be applied to any previous orders. No exchanges or substitutions allowed. Only one valid promotional code may be used per order. Offer expires August 31, 2009 at 11:59 PM EDT.
Lulu.com reserves the right to change or revoke this offer at any time. Void where prohibited.

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Is there Global Cooling?


Who knows what tomorrow may bring - global warming or global cooling?

I recently came across an interesting Web page which refutes Global Warming claims.

By the way, yesterday it was -97 in Antartica.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Page 5 of The Dancing Valkyrie


It had not always been so. She had been raised a Catholic and continued to consider herself a Catholic when going to college and studying to be a librarian. In fact, she was still a librarian at the Schenectady County Library in downtown Schenectady when not on stage at the club. But while going to college, she had taken a job dancing at The Limina to help pay for her education. After college, she continued to work at The Limina even after she had paid off her student loans. The fact was, she had come to admit, she liked to dance and she liked doing it with the fewest possible clothes the law would allow. She only kept her job at the library because she knew there would come a time when she would be too old to dance. But being nude had been a thing of hers, going back as far as she could remember. Even before her body flowered into womanhood, she liked to strip down and frolic in the woods that were part of her father’s farm. On warm summer days, she would often pack a lunch and head off for the woods where she would strip when she felt safe from prying eyes and pretend she was a Native American princess. When her body did blossom, she would sometimes pretend she was a witch. The idea of being a witch came about quite by accident. Something pagan had always been in Mary, though she never thought about Paganism until she read a book by Gerald Gardner, “Witchcraft Today.” At first, it seemed like a lot of nonsense and she thought she shouldn’t be reading it. But there were things in it that seemed to fit with her view of the world. What attracted her most were the nature aspects of Witchcraft and the idea of a loving Goddess as well as a God. She had always felt closer to God when contemplating nature than when she was in church at Sunday Mass. And yet, although there were elements of Witchcraft tempting to Mary, its ideas became dormant after finishing the book, largely because she never knew anyone who practiced Witchcraft and because she truly did believe in and loved Jesus. Also, a central idea in Witchcraft, the idea of reincarnation, did not make any sense to her. She viewed her body as herself. She could not be herself without her body. She could not be a man and could not imagine looking like any other woman but herself. But the idea of Witchcraft would make a sudden and unexpected comeback on this hike into the Adirondack woods

Wednesday, July 1, 2009

Pagae 4 of The Dancing Valkyrie

Those mountains, lakes, forests and streams in northern New York, that place defined by a blue line on maps and encircling an area of almost six million acres, about as large as Vermont but with only about one fifth the population, that rise of land where rocks and trees grow best and is sometimes called a park, sometimes called a forest preserve, a mix of state owned and private land where the state land is protected by the state constitution as “Forever Wild,” that place more commonly known simply as the Adirondacks had not been cooperating when Mary was on her solitary hike on the Northville/Lake Placid trail. When it wasn’t cool and rainy, the sun would come out and make for a sticky heat under a chicken white/yellow hazy kind of sky.
The hike forced Mary to slog through muddy trails with a fifty-pound pack on her back, wondering more than once each day why a girl like her was doing this. It was uphill and downhill. It was swatting bugs away and rubbing sweat from her eyes while smelling like a bug dope factory. It was stripping to jump in a lake if no one was around to watch, or go without the swim and feel clammy dirty. Yes, she liked hiking. She always had. Sometimes she would even walk to work just for the fun of it while coming up with the excuse she was doing it only to stay in shape. But Mary was a girl best known in Schenectady as Erica, a blond, voluptuous in all the right places girl with beautiful skin she was quite willing to bare to all at The Limina, the erotic dance club where she worked.

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Page 3 of "The Dancing Valkyrie

The complete vampire horror novel, The Dancing Valkyrie, is available at http://www.lulu.com/ravenwolfpublish and at most online booksellers as well as at traditional book stores and libraries.

Mary was already moving languidly, sensuously, when the New Age African beat reached her ears and where she quickly translated it into her flesh and blood. She closed her eyes and took herself to the erotic dance club where she worked in Schenectady. Sway and regain my balance, she thought. Be who I really am.
When she opened her eyes, she saw Beth and Joseph were sitting side by side again while watching her dance. She noticed but did not care that Joseph had one hand resting casually on one knee of Beth’s and had an arm draped over her shoulders. They did make a beautiful couple. So what?
But it was Beth’s eyes that Mary focused on. It was Beth’s eyes that had first trapped her on the trail and were now trapping her again to dance her sexy best. Joseph did not really matter, she told herself, other than for the fact that he was proof Beth had good taste when it came to picking a man to marry. And how could she possibly blame Beth for picking a man who had given Beth so much more than the wealth this castle exemplified. Just look at them, she thought. Neither looked to be past their early thirties. How could she or anyone believe both were hundreds of years old? But Mary did believe and was now almost willing to believe she too could live a very long life without aging, maybe even live long enough to see the end of the United States if not the end of the world.
Mary smiled, undid the spaghetti straps holding up her dress, let the dress fall, let it slide down past her breasts, slip past her hips, let it fall to the floor and step out of it, kicking it out of the way and sending it sailing to land on Joseph’s lap. Yes! It was very definitely enjoyable to be feeling so very much alive!

Sunday, June 28, 2009

Page 2 of "The Dancing Valkyrie"


What follows is the second page of The Dancing Valkyrie, available at http://www.lulu.com/ravenwolfpublish and at many online booksellers.
More to follow in the weeks ahead.


With glass of red wine in one hand and cigarette in the other, Beth said, “Show Joseph how well you dance, Mary. You know I won’t mind. You know how I love to watch you dance.”
Mary laughed, “Here?”
“Obviously,” Elizabeth said. “Oh! I suppose you would like some music, even though I know you don’t need it. I’ll put something on.”
Mary shrugged her shoulders and stood. Why not? Her world had gone totally crazy over the last few days and dancing might restore some degree of normalcy. She watched Elizabeth look through a pile of CDs next to the CD player on a nearby table and suggested, “Something moody but with a good beat. And not slow. Afro-pop or something like that. Rock is good too.”
“Yes,” Joseph agreed.
Mary didn’t wait for the music to begin. She really didn’t need music to dance. It was in her head, even more so since meeting Beth on the trail. But it was difficult to understand the idea of since, the idea that she was no longer who she had thought she was and had become who she really was. Then again, maybe she was only dreaming the events of the past few days. Yes, no, maybe. “Screw it. I like this,” she told herself as she began to dance.
The black dress she was wearing -silky, clingy, showing all her curves -was a delightful dress for the type of dancing she did for a living. It was not her dress. Beth had given it to her to wear because all she had to wear were the hiking clothes she had packed for her hike in the northern wilds of New York on the Northville/Lake Placid trail. She had not planned on dancing. She had not planned on meeting Beth on the trail and then being invited to stay at a castle on a private lake deep within the forest. She had not planned for anything that had happened since meeting Beth.

Friday, June 26, 2009

God is merciful - Islam is not!

AP reported today: Ayatollah Ahmed Khatami, a senior cleric, said in a Friday prayer sermon that the government should punish "leaders of protests, who were supported by the United States and Israel, strongly and with cruelty so it will be a lesson for everyone."
By their own words, they prove they are devils wearing the clothing of holy men.

Sunday, June 21, 2009

The vampire story about Mary Hoffman beings


What follows is the first page of the vampire novel "The Dancing Valkyrie."
The whole story is available at http://www.lulu.com/ravenwolfpublish and at many online booksellers including Amazon.

The Dancing Valkyrie

Chapter 1

“If you like what you do, do it. There is absolutely no reason to change your life, Mary,” Joseph Gottsched was saying to Mary Hoffman in the great dining hall of his castle in the Adirondacks where he sat with his wife Elizabeth next to him on a leather sofa. Mary was sitting opposite of them on the raised hearth stone of the massive fireplace. The stone was almost cold to sit on, not having been warmed much by the sun that was now setting and casting the last of its rays into the castle.
Mary smiled and thought, “No reason to change my life?” But that thought was quickly replaced by thinking of how beautiful were Joseph and Elizabeth Gottsched, especially Elizabeth whom she had come to think of as Beth, her Beth.
Beth was sultry in a Mediterranean way with some Gypsy and Spanish blood in her. She was svelte in figure, had long black hair, yet exuded an aura of strength beyond the smallness of her frame. Joseph had about him a curious blend of European handsomeness and world weariness. There was also about him a little boy’s innocence and youthfulness that floated on a nonchalant attitude most strikingly seen in the way his eyes twinkled and his lips seemed almost always ready to break his usual seriousness with a smile. He was neither short nor tall, neither fat nor thin, had black hair like his wife, though not as long, and in the proper lighting, he could almost be mistaken for being a brother, rather than a husband to his wife. Both appeared to be in their late twenties or early thirties at most. But in their cases, in more ways than one, appearances could be very deceiving.

Wednesday, June 17, 2009

An interview of Pete Klein


INTERVIEW WITH THE WRITER PETE KLEIN



WHAT DID YOU FIRST READ? How did you begin to write? Who were the first to read what you wrote?
Probably Dick and Jane. Maybe before Dick and Jane was comics. I don't recall any early desire to write, certainly not before high school. Reading came first. Listening to the radio, watching TV and movies. In grade school, I advanced to Classic Comics. The first major novel in High School was "Great Expectations."
My first creating writing was for a literary high school publication where I published some poetry.

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GENRE? Can you provide a link to a site where we can read some of your work or learn something about it?
I consider myself very catholic in my reading. Favorite subjects include religion, philosophy, history, science, outdoors. In the fiction category I prefer horror, sci-fi and mystery.

WHAT IS YOUR CREATIVE PROCESS LIKE? What happens before sitting down to write?
When I was in grade school, I used to like to day dream. I view writing as a form of day dreaming. I play with words and ideas for awhile. Look at a blank page, then put down a word and see where it leads.
Words often act like dominoes. One leads to another. There is a hidden logic behind each word.

WHAT TYPE OF READING INSPIRES YOU TO WRITE?
There is not one type of reading leading me to write.
Inspiration can come from any of my five senses.
Inspiration is mostly emotion. Words trigger emotion, as do smells, sounds, taste, sight and touch.

WHAT DO YOU THINK ARE THE BASIC INGREDIENTS OF A STORY?
Here I would like to answer with an opinion.
Basically, one could say a story is anything with a start and a finish. How you go from start to finish is called a plot. Here is where I have a problem with the question.
Humans want to believe there is preordained logic to everything. I rather think there is a logic which stems from chaos. I guess this puts me in with free verse, avant-garde and the Theater of the Absurd.
This attitude, no doubt, may cause difficulty for some when I write fiction.
On the other hand, when I put on my non-fiction hat, I strive for objective, logical prose.

WHAT VOICE DO YOU FIND MOST TO YOUR LIKING: first person or third person?
In both fiction, non-fiction and in my role as a reporter, it is always third person.
Only in opinion do I use first person.

WHAT WELL KNOWN WRITERS DO YOU ADMIRE MOST?
Well I certainly need to start with Shakespeare. I've read every play and poem he wrote.
I like Joyce, Herman Hess, Thomas Mann, Hemingway, Jack Kerouac, Walt Whitman.
But to list everyone I have ever liked would create a small book and I'd probably still leave someone out.

WHAT IS REQUIRED FOR A CHARACTER TO BE BELIEVABLE? How do you create yours?
Oh dear! What is believable? Who is believable? Life is unbelievable.
I think in fiction, as well as in real life, characters do some unbelievable things. Just when you think you know someone, they do something you would never have thought they would do.
Now I have a question for you? Haven't you ever acted out of character and done something you never thought you would do?
Maybe it is doing something unbelievable that a character becomes believable.

ARE YOU EQUALLY GOOD AT TELLING STORIES ORALLY?
What I am very good at is talking BS for the fun of it and being believed.

DEEP DOWN INSIDE, WHO DO YOU WRITE FOR?
I think every writer writes for themselves. The hope is that you end up pleasing others as well. As Ricky Nelson said in a song, "You can't please everyone so you might as well please yourself."

IS WRITING A FORM OF PERSONAL THERAPY? Are internal conflicts a creative force?
I think the answer is yes to both questions. For me, writing is mostly fun. Bottom line, all art is play and play is often the acting out of things both in yourself and in others you find disturbing. Play brings them out from the darkness into the light.

DOES READER FEED-BACK HELP YOU?
I like reader feed-back, especially when it is positive.
Is it helpful? Sometimes yes and sometimes no.
What I would say is every artist must be careful when it comes to feed-back. You want to recognize constructive criticism while not be destroyed by the negative.

DO YOU PARTICIPATE IN COMPETITIONS? Have you received any awards?
No and no.

DO YOU SHARE ROUGH DRAFTS OF YOUR WRITINGS WITH SOMEONE WHOSE OPINION YOU TRUST?
No again.

DO YOU BELIEVE YOU HAVE ALREADY FOUND "YOUR VOICE" or is that something one is always searching for?
I believe my voice is always changing and I would hope it continues to be so.

WHAT DISCIPLINE DO YOU IMPOSE ON YOURSELF REGARDING SCHEDULES, GOALS, ETC.?
Because I depend on my job as a reporter for the money I need to live, my discipline is to put that job first.
Because reporting comes first, my creative writing is done whenever possible.
I should be working on my novel instead of doing this.

WHAT DO YOU SURROUND YOURSELF WITH IN YOUR WORK AREA IN ORDER TO HELP YOUR CONCENTRATE?
Coffee and cigarettes. The coffee goes cold and the cigarettes often burn without any help from me.

DO YOU WRITE ON A COMPUTER? Do you print frequently? Do you correct on paper? What is your process?
The best subject I took in high school was typing. Now I keyboard on a computer.
I use OpenOffice to compose and edit. Since I self-publish, the final draft is saved as a PDF file.

WHAT SITES DO YOU FREQUENT ON-LINE TO SHARE EXPERIENCES OR INFORMATION?
There are numerous author groups I belong to on the Internet. I do attend local author book signing gatherings where I get the chance to talk with other writers.
Most of the sharing I have done is on my BlogTalkRadio show -http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheAdirondackBookhouse- where I have interviewed many authors.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR EXPERIENCE WITH PUBLISHERS?
I'll tell you a short story.
A dear, dear friend is an agent who owns a major Literary agency. Before I decided to go with self publishing, I sent a manuscript to her. She liked it well enough to send it out to several publishers. I think it was the third publisher she sent it to that didn't get back in the usual time. She checked with them and - they lost it!
This was back before I had a computer. I did not have a backup copy. It was gone, gone, gone.
She did not object when I said I wanted to self-publish. My reason to self publish was simple. I was beyond the age of 60 and was in the mode of not knowing how long I might live. I didn't want to wait the years it can take from the time you finish a book to the time it MIGHT be eventually published by a traditional publisher.

WHY HAVE YOU WRITTEN THE BOOKS YOU HAVE WRITTEN?
"Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County" was the result of hikes I took with my twin granddaughters. The stories were first published in the paper where I am a reporter, The Hamilton County Express. Several readers of the paper suggested I publish the hikes in a book form, which I did.
The two vampire books, first "The Dancing Valkyrie," then "The Vampire Valkyrie," were the result of a long fascination with vampire stories and my desire to do something different. Though I like all forms of fiction and horror in particular, I am a bit of a skeptic. I don't believe in monsters of any sort to include ghosts, werewolves, zombies and vampires. I figured: if there were vampires, they would be natural creatures. This belief resulted in my approach to my vampires.

WHERE ARE YOUR BOOKS AVAILABLE?
My three published books are available at local book stores and libraries (and any book store by order if not in stock, as well as at many online sources including Amazon and Google.
Let's not forget my own web pages at http://www.lulu.com/ravenwolfpublish and http://www.vampirevalkyrie.com and http://www.petekleinvampires.com

WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON NOW?
I have two vampire novels, "The Dancing Valkyrie" and "The Vampire Valkyrie," and am now working on the third in the series, tentatively titled "And God Created Vampires."

WHAT DO YOU RECOMMEND I DO WITH ALL THOSE THINGS I WROTE YEARS AGO BUT HAVE NEVER BEEN ABLE TO BRING MYSELF TO SHOW ANYONE?
Show them! Publish them! Be naked and don't be afraid.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

New BlogTalkRadio show


After almost two years and 92 shows on BlogTalkRadio, Pete Klein has decided to change the format.
The show "The Adirondack Book House" will air for at least 30 min. every Friday, starting, Friday, June 5, at 10 pm EST (daylight time summer season). It could run up to 1 hr. if callers are on the air.
No authors will be scheduled but all authors are invited to call in to promote their books
Any and all are invited to call in and comment about anything, including my books - Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County, The Dancing Valkyrie and The Vampire Valkyrie.
While waiting for someone to call in, I will talk about my books, arts and all issues.
Check out the show at: http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheAdirondackBookhouse
Call in to 1-646-716-8094

Tuesday, May 19, 2009

Is God the number one abortionist?

Is God the number one abortionist?
Miscarriage reportedly occurs in 20 percent of all pregnancies. However, according to some sources, this may be an inaccurate number. Many women may miscarry without knowing it-assuming their miscarriage is merely a heavier period. Therefore, the miscarriage rate may be closer to 40 or 50 percent. Of the number of women who miscarry, 20 percent will suffer recurring miscarriages.
Miscarriage refers to the loss of a developing pregnancy up until the twentieth week of gestation. Medical terminology labels this event as a spontaneous abortion. When a woman loses her pregnancy after the twentieth week of pregnancy, the loss is referred to as a stillbirth.

Where to buy books by Pete Klein

Where to buy The Dancing Valkyrie, The Vampire Valkyrie and Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County as if May 18 2009
In New York, book stores where copies of Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County The Dancing Valkyrie and The Vampire Valkyrie may be purchased at : Mysteries on Main Street, Johnstown; Adirondack Country Store, Northville; Charlie Johns, Speculator; The Lake Store, Sabael; Pines Country Store, Indian Lake; The Adirondack Museum, Blue Mt. Lake; Hoss's Country Corner, Long Lake; Adirondack Reader, Inlet; Old Forge Hardware, Old Forge; and Fact & Fiction, Saranac Lake.
Where to buy (over 35 online stores throughout the world)
Nationally and internationally at: Half.com, Barnes&Noble, BookQuest, Abebooks, Amazon USA, Canada, UK, FR, GR, JP, A1books, The Adirondack Book House, TextbookX, Half.com, Buy.com, Ecampus, Booksamillion, eBay.com, Alibris Powells, USA and Canada, Biblio, Valorebooks, Bookfellas, Computer Manuals, Sprintbooks, Biggerbooks, Page1book, Indigo, Tesco to name but a few.
Or at any traditional chain or independent book store - if not stocked, will order.
Amazon caries the books in the Kindle edition.
All books are also carried by many Upstate NY Public Libraries.

Monday, March 23, 2009

On Blog Talk Radio this Sat., March 28, Lt. Michael Berish (Retired-M.P.D.) of the REAL Miami Vice! Author of “REFLECTIONS FROM THE PIT”

Lt. Michael Berish (Retired-M.P.D.) of the REAL Miami Vice! Author of “REFLECTIONS FROM THE PIT” This book pulls no punches. It shows you the dark side of police work: the good, the bad and the ugly (warts & all), both the humor and the tragedy. WEBSITE: www.realmiamivice.com BLOG SITE: www.realmiamivice.net Michael Berish graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a B.A. and earned his M.A. from Barry University. Mike worked for the City of Miami Police Department for twenty-two years; thirteen of which were spent as an undercover detective in the REAL Miami Vice where he worked everything from Narcotics & Vice, Prostitution, Gambling and ography, to Dignitary Protection of President Jose Napoleon Duarte (of El Salvador) and Pope John Paul II. Bad things happen in "the Pit," a notorious crime-infested ghetto in downtown Miami. "REFLECTIONS FROM THE PIT" is not just another collection of rehashed police stories with shootouts and car chases. These stories contain individual, quirky, off-center personalities and focuses on their basic character flaws, while dealing with social issues of the day: racism, sexism, prejudice, teenage prostitution, police brutality and its senseless violence, the murdering of transvestites, the stupidity of criminals, the cowardice of police officers, affirmative action, Cuban freedom fighters a.k.a. terrorists, hangings from police cruisers, drug-dealing cops and corruption, bungled police stings, the “don’t get involved” syndrome and the raping of the elderly.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

The Federal Vampire & Zombie Agency


One of the more original web pages on vampires is The Federal Vampire & Zombie Agency (FVZA) at http://www.fvza.org
This site created by Dr. Hugo Pecos would tempt you to believe vampires and zombies are truly with us.
But do scroll down to the bottom of the page for the disclaimer.
On the other hand, if you read my vampire novels, The Dancing Valkyrie and The Vampire Valkyrie, you just might think the FVZA is yet but one more trick real vampires use to protect them and hide their reality from the world, which prefers fantasy to reality.

Thursday, February 19, 2009

Book prices slashed correction

I goofed on the links
Here are the correct links
For readers who don’t yet have a Kindle, Klein has also made the books available as EBooks for only $5 on his own Web page at http://www.lulu.com/ravenwolfpublish
Also new.
In addition to hosting The Adirondack Book House at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheAdirondackBookhouse

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Book prices slashed

Book prices slashed
Peter “Pete” Klein, author of the vampire novels, “The Dancing Valkyrie” and “The Vampire Valkyrie,” plus the outdoor guide to trails in the Adirondacks of northern NY, “Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County,” knows the cost of books during these hard economic times can be a factor for many readers.
In an effort to make his books more affordable, Klein has partnered with Amazon to make all his books lower in cost by making them available for only $9 in the Kindle edition.
For readers who don’t yet have a Kindle, Klein has also made the books available as EBooks for only $5 on his own Web page at http://www.lulu.com/ravenwofpublish

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

This week on BlogTalkRadio

This week on BlogTalkRadio at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/TheAdirondackBookhouse
Sat., Feb 14, at 6:30 pm EST, Pete has on Lili Dauphin to discuss her new novel, I Will Fly Again.
Amid the chaos and carnage, six-year old Tilou braves the ordeal of being a restavek (child slave), never losing faith that she will one day find the mother she has never known. I Will Fly Again, Lili Dauphin's poignant book about a restavek (child slave), is a tale of hope that readers will find heart-wrenching, moving and ultimately spiritually uplifting. Crying Mountain, My First Sin, I Will Fly Again and three other inspirational books. Dauphin recently received the Irwin Award for best inspirational campaign. For more information, please feel free to visit her website at: www.islandlili.com

Tuesday, February 10, 2009

Listen to Pete being interview by Fran Silverman

Listen to Pete Klein being interviewed by Fran Silverman on Blog Talk Radio by clicking on http://www.blogtalkradio.com/Francine-Silverman/2008/11/11/The-Radio-Host-Show-


The interview took place Nov 2008 and in it Pete talks about his novels "The Dancing Valkyrie and The Vampire Valkyrie, plus talks about his outdoor guide book - Adirondack Hikes in Hamilton County.

To purchase this books, go online to any online book seller, including Amazon - or go to Pete web location at Http://www.lulu.com/ravenwolfpublish

Saturday, February 7, 2009

Pete Klein's vampire novel, "The Vampire Valkyrie" is featured at AllBooks Review

Pete Klein's vampire novel, "The Vampire Valkyrie" is featured at AllBooks Review.
To learn more, read a review of the book and an interview of Klein on his vampire book, The Vampire Valkyrie, go to http://www.allbookreviews.com/Default.aspx?tabid=638

Klein is the also the author of The Dancing Valkyrie, the first book in his vampire series about a woman who is both a topless dancer and a vampire.
In addition, he has published a guide to the outdoors in the wilds of New York's Adirondack Mountain. This is a hiking guide to the many hiking trails in Hamilton County where the author resides.
While Klein is currently working on the follow-up to "The Vampire Valkyrie," with a working title of "And God Created Vampires," he is a reporter at a weekly paper, "The Hamilton County Express."
In addition, Klein hosts a weekly BlogTalkRadio program at http://www.blogtalkradio.com/The AdirondackBookhouse where he discusses books with authors.
All of Klein's books are available at traditional bookstores in and near the Adirondacks, as well as online at numerous online booksellers throughout the world including Amazon, Barnes & Nobel, Blackwell, Powells, etc.

Sunday, January 18, 2009

The Vampire Valkyrie

The Vampire Valkyrie

A little self promotion here.
My new vampire novel, The Vampire Valkyrie, is now available at numerous online book sellers, through your local book store (you might have to have it ordered, and from my online book store at http://www.lulu.com/ravenwolfpublish.
To gain maximum exposure, although I use Lulu to publish, I have published under Ravenwolf Publishing.