WritingMadeHard

I'll be attending the Mountain Home, Arkansas writer's group meeting this Saturday. If you are in the neighborhood, drop by.
I'm currently working to two manuscripts. One is a non-fiction, Paranormal Hypnosis, and the other is a sequel to a book coming out next year from Mundania Press. The book coming out next year is called Dark Moon and it is about the Loup Garou, a kind of Cajun swamp monster that is very similar to a werewolf. I wrote it with Canadian author Beverley Bateman. I hope it does well, it is part of my plan to take Stephen Kings place now that he is about to retire. Steve

I have a very bad back, hurts all the time, and so I try a lot of things to make it feel better. Seldom do I find anything that actually works, but recently I went to Hot Springs, Arkansas for a soak and a rub. Hot springs is a very historic place. At the turn of the last century, thousands of people were going there regularly by train or any other means available to avail themselves of the waters. Hot Springs water, by the way has been the only water served in the White House since Teddy Roosevelt. Anyway, there used to be numerous bath houses on bath house row and throughout the city. Today there are only a couple still in operation. The National Park Service is restoring the rest of them. It is a wonder what pills can accomplish. People no longer have the time to take a trip to Hot Springs and stay for a week or two to avail themselves of the therapeutic waters, so they spend the day at a doctor's office and get some pills instead. Anyway, I thought I'd give it a try since the pills are not that big a help to me. Actually, to date, hypnosis has done me more good than pills. At Hot Springs, I made an appointment for a soak and a massage at the only resort hotel and bath house that is still doing business and went in to see what would happen. They had me take my clothes off, of course, and get into a bathtub with a water massage and remain there for 20 minutes. It was a strange feeling to be naked with an attendant who washes your legs and back, but it felt wonderful. The attendant also gave me Hot Springs water to drink. After spending the appropriate amount of time in the water, the attendant told me to get out. He helped me and I needed help because I could hardly stand after soaking in the hot water. HE then put me into a sauna for about 10 minutes (my first time in a sauna) . He joked that it was to dri me off. When I came out of the Sauna, I was wetter than ever, but with sweat. He then had me lie on hot, wet towels and he wrapped me up like mummy in sheets, then placed a cold wet towel on my head and face. Boy did that feel good! After spending some time in that cocoon, he directed me to the massage room where I underwent a terrific massage. I was afraid the massage would hurt because my back is really bad, but by that time I was as limp as old lettuce , so the massage felt really good. All in all, it was a wonderful experience and I cannot wait to do it again. I felt better for days! I cannot recommend it highly enough. I just wish I could do it a couple times a week for a while. Steve