SciFi and More from Duane Simolke

I’ll be in Austin this weekend. If you’re there, please look for The Acorn Stories: Second Edition in the iUniverse display (Book Fair Booth #413), at the Texas Book Festival. Press Release.

From First Lady Laura Bush, honorary chairperson of the Texas Book Festival: “The Texas Book Festival’s mission is twofold. We have a wonderful annual event that gives everyone an opportunity to experience the great range of literary talent that Texas offers, while making a valuable contribution to public library collections across the state. These grants are making a significant difference.”

Some of the other writers at the book fair: Dave Barry, Elmer Kelton, Amy Tan, Kinky Friedman, Joe Bob Briggs, Walt McDonald, Molly Ivins, and former Texas Governor Ann Richards.

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About the The Acorn Stories: Second Edition…

I polished some of the dialogue and descriptions, while keeping the characters and situations exactly the same. The formatting looks better, without the teasers at the beginning of each chapter, and with a better overall look for the text. My publisher, iUniverse, chose the second edition as part of their new “Editor’s Choice” series, which they promote more aggressively.

The first edition ended with a brief bio and just a list of my other books. This one ends with a longer biography/bibliography that includes a paragraph each for my other books. Also, the second edition is out in both paperback and hardcover, making it my first book available in hardcover!

The Acorn Stories: Second Edition, Paperback

The Acorn Stories: Second Edition, Hardcover

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I’m happy to report that the publicity for that second edition is also bringing more attention to the spin-off The Acorn Gathering: Writers Uniting Against Cancer.

Unfortunately, I’ve found that some people seem to worry that The Acorn Gathering is some depressing book about cancer and won’t appeal to my usual readers. Actually, it has the same emotional range as the books I wrote alone. The themes, settings, and topics also vary. Some of the stories deal, in part, with cancer, but others present characters in situations such as finding love, losing weight, or helping people in need.

The subtitle Writers Uniting Against Cancer comes from the fact that this unusual collection raises money for the American Cancer Society. I found five amazing writers to contribute short fiction, and I wrote four of the stories. All of our royalties from The Acorn Gathering are going to the American Cancer Society.

I’m excited about both Acorn books finding new readers and want to thank those of you who have already been supportive of my work!

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The Acorn Gathering Table of Contents

Preface

Part One: Acorn, Texas

Finding Acorns In Winter. By Duane Simolke.
The Seedling. By Jan Chandler.
Fat Diary. By Duane Simolke.
Again. By Duane Simolke.
Lynching. By Huda Orfali.

Part Two: Beyond Acorn

Nachos Are Green And Ducks Appear To Be Blue At Town Pump In Cut Bank, Montana. By Bill Wetzel.
As I Lay Dying. By Huda Orfali.
The Flamenco Painter. By Shawna Chandler.
The 23rd Of August. By Timothy Morris Taylor.
A Morning By the River. By Bill Wetzel.
Dancing With the Angels. By Huda Orfali.
Gun. By Jan Chandler.

Part Three: Still Beginning

The Last Few And the First Few. By Duane Simolke.