Friday, March 30, 2012







You know when you pull up to a stop sign and you and the car across from you both go, then stop, then go again because neither of you know who has the right of way…


I wonder if that’s ever happened at a glory hole.

motivation...

I want to take this opportunity to discuss my relationship with “motivation”. It’s a love-hate thing. We hate each other and love it that way.

Motivation’s cousin, Procrastination, and I still talk. She and I get along pretty well in fact. However, Procrastination and Motivation are like oil and water. When I’m with Motivation, all we do is bitch about Procrastination… When I’m with Procrastination, all we do is badmouth Motivation… It’s actually a vicious circle.

Every now and again, Motivation and I get together, we have a good time and vow to keep our friendship on the up and up. We’ll even go out with Motivation’s step-son (Responsibility) for a few beers. I want to explain something about Responsibility. I’ll admit he’s a nice kid, but he’s a know-it-all to the tenth degree. I can only take that self-righteous bullshit for so long.

Then I’ll get a late-night booty-call from Procrastination. What am I supposed to do? Send her away?

Anyway, she was here yesterday. We had a great time. Spent all day in bed together and never got around to posting another piece to “Harnessing the Spark”. She’s an annoying bitch, but what can I say, I love her.







Friday thoughts...

I think I need to start posting more stuff on this blog that isn’t outright blatant promos for “Lost in Infinity”. I need to start dividing my posts between my personal blog and this blog.


I need to make more of an effort to get back to “Harnessing the Spark”. Every time I sit down to start writing, something else comes up and if I am not completely focused I won’t allow myself to work on it.


I’m told that a Facebook fan page for “Lost in Infinity” is in the works. I’m excited about this. When it does go live, I’ll link it here.


“Lost in Infinity” is now available in the US, Canada, UK and Australia…






curiositykilledthiskat:



TRAVIS!!!!!! THANK YOU!!!!


It’s been waiting in the office for me for a month and they never told me >:( 
Bullshit. I love how I get it 3 days after I read it on Kindle. 



BUT WHO CARES I’M SO FUCKING EXCITED!!! 



"Lost in Infinity" Free book Friday

Link: "Lost in Infinity" Free book Friday

I’m giving away a signed copy of “Lost in Infinity” each and every Friday until people are no longer interested or “Harnessing the Spark” is released.


Who wants a signed copy of “Lost in Infinity”? I’m sending out one for free every Friday.


If you want one, here’s what you have to do:



1) You MUST be following me at @FinallyHeSleeps on Twitter


2) Your MUST RT this tweet on your timeline or this post on your Blog


3) send a reply on Twitter telling me why you want or need a signed copy of the book.



That’s it. Nothing else. You can do it all week long if you like. I’ll keep track and decide each Friday night. I’ll do it every week until people stop asking for copies.


Good luck.


Monday, March 26, 2012

"Lost in Infinity" now on GoodReads

Go check it out, review it if you’ve read it. If you haven’t make sure you mark that you plan to read it. You do plan to read it right?


http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13561541-lost-in-infinity








ctattianahh:



Received this badboy in the mail last week. Still haven’t been able to read it since we had guests over on the weekend, I’ve had to study for a midterm, and finally felt like writing something, myself.


Will be sure to post a review once I’m finished.


For those of you who haven’t heard of Travis or his amazing writing skillz, go check him out at apocalypsecomingbooks. Also check out the reviews for his latest novel on Amazon, buy yourself a copy, and then tell your friends all about it.


Although I’ve yet to read Lost In Infinity, there is no doubt in my mind that it’ll be brilliant.



———————


THANK YOU! I hope you enjoy it!

Sunday, March 25, 2012

curiositykilledthiskat: Just finished Lost In Infinity

curiositykilledthiskat:



Cried massive blubbering bullshit tears.
It was quite a sight. I’m glad no one saw it.
I had to get to the end. I needed to know. I had to. But now that it’s over I’m left with my own damn thoughts.


Damn you Travis.
That was fucking….fantastic, and creepy, and haunting (my word of choice), and UTTER BULLSHIT because now I can’t get it out of my god damn head.


Don’t worry. I reviewed it on Amazon like 4.7 seconds after I finished.


….jesus fuck man… 



———————-


Saturday, March 24, 2012

curiositykilledthiskat:



If you guys listen to anything I ever put on this thing, listen to this. Lost In Infinity is amazing. 


It is.
I keep getting in trouble for reading it on my phone in class.
My mom already finished it and I’m beyond jealous.
I’ve never read anything like it. It’s unique. It’s amazing…and slightly haunting (okay a lot haunting).


If you are someone who likes reading, PLEASE check it out.
 


Friday, March 23, 2012

Who wants a signed copy? FOR FREE

Link: Who wants a signed copy? FOR FREE

I’m giving away a signed copy of “Lost in Infinity” each and every Friday until people are no longer interested or “Harnessing the Spark” is released.


If you want one, here’s what you have to do:



1) You MUST be following me at @FinallyHeSleeps on Twitter


2) Your MUST RT this tweet on your timeline or this post on your Blog


3) send a reply on Twitter telling me why you want or need a signed copy of the book.



That’s it. Nothing else. You can do it all week long if you like. I’ll keep track and decide each Friday night. I’ll do it every week until people stop asking for copies.


Good luck.


Monday, March 19, 2012





titsandsass:



i took public transportation today so i wouldn’t waste any valuable reading time driving. fact.






The perfect alternative to those family stickers on the back of people’s cars…


http://www.fredflare.com/WHAT-S-NEW/Zombie-Family-Car-Stickers/

mysheli: I can’t sleep tonight so I’m curled up in bed with my 8 pillows (yes,...

Link: mysheli: I can’t sleep tonight so I’m curled up in bed with my 8 pillows (yes,...


mybelllle:




I can’t sleep tonight so I’m curled up in bed with my 8 pillows (yes, I really have that many) and an amazing book.


The things you’ve heard about Lost in Infinity? They’re all true…and so much more.


This book gives me a hunger to read again, to live my life as more than just another American zombie worker: work, eat, sleep, repeat. It’s not necessarily the content of the book but the language, the words, the verbiage. I feel as if my soul is starving, desperate for sustenance.


I need to read. I need to write. I need to play music. I need to travel.


I’m entirely too young to have already let my soul starve.


But for tonight, back to the book. I’m hungry for more, scrambling to devour every last delicious sentence.


I need to find beauty again.




—————————————


This may be one of the nicest reactions to “Lost in Infinity” I’ve read. I’ve regretted writing the book more times than not, both because of the problems it’s caused and the depth of my personal life it reveals. Reading this reaction, makes it all seem worth it. Thank you!


Sunday, March 18, 2012





nancyfromutah:



I finished this just a few minutes ago.  I started it yesterday.  I put it down only long enough to find out if Travis has written anything else, because if he had I wanted to buy it RIGHT NOW.


Have you read it?  Go read it.  


I will write a better review soon, but I wanted to make sure you knew to go read this RIGHT NOW.  Put down your damn green beer and go.


Saturday, March 17, 2012





Thank you to everyone who has reviewed “Lost in Infinity” at Amazon. The reviews and your photos of the book are what make me want to continue writing. Thanks guys.

Friday, March 16, 2012

i read, therefore i write: Lost in Infinity by Travis Besecker

Link: i read, therefore i write: Lost in Infinity by Travis Besecker

iwishigotpaidtoread:



On average, how much would you say you sleep?  Have you ever really thought about it?  If you suffer from chronic insomnia like Travis Besecker, you have. 


On your sleepless nights, what keeps you awake?  Worries about money, or how you could have handled a previous interaction better?  Is it ever a fear of infinity, and the vast nothingness that surrounds us and looks down from the night sky?  If you suffer from apeirophobia like Travis Besecker, it is.


Besecker’s new novel, Lost in Infinity is a chronicle of his life-long battle with insomnia and the ugly, and often times, dangerous side effects that can occur due to extreme sleep deprivation.  He tells his story of pain, frustration, and fear of the unknown.  His tale is sad, funny, extremely moving, and also, at times, deeply unsettling.  Besecker is a person that almost everyone can relate to, in one way or another, which makes his story all the more powerful.


Lost in Infinity follows Travis Besecker on a sometimes sporadic timeline from early childhood to the present as he deals with his inability to “sleep like a normal kid,” and his boundless fear. Besecker’s journey takes us to him as a small boy, sitting in the visiting area of a mental institution reminiscent of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and to the night more than 20 years in the future, when he slams his car into a guardrail after falling asleep at the wheel.  He tells of his well-meaning parents who tried to help a child they loved but didn’t understand.  He explains his constant need to be involved in numerous projects and his fight to succeed at everything he does as an attempt to silence the Shadow Man.


I received and read Lost in Infinity in the same day.  That was in part due to the fact that I had agreed to write this review when I was finished with the novel; I don’t like to keep people waiting.  But mostly, it was due to the fact that I absolutely couldn’t put the book down. 


I don’t want to give away the story of Besecker’s trials but I will give my reaction to it: 


My arms were covered in goose bumps for the duration of the first two chapters, a feeling I described as finding Besecker “eerily relatable.”  There were so many ways in which I felt a kinship to this person I was reading about.  My mind raced with every passing page and my heart pounded with emotion.  There was more than one moment where I wanted to hug this scared and frustrated little boy.  Two-thirds of the way into Besecker’s work, I realized there were probably 20 different ways his story could end, and no matter what path the novel took, I knew it would be the right one.  I don’t think I have ever been so confident of a novel’s genuine goodness since I began reading them at age 7.  Lost in Infinity is a book that I will be returning to for another read many, many more times to come.


Thursday, March 15, 2012

That time of the week again... Who wants a signed copy? FOR FREE

Link: That time of the week again... Who wants a signed copy? FOR FREE

I’m giving away a signed copy of “Lost in Infinity” each and every Friday until people are no longer interested or “Harnessing the Spark” is released.


If you want one, here’s what you have to do:



1) You MUST be following me at @FinallyHeSleeps on Twitter


2) Your MUST RT this tweet on your timeline or this post on your Blog


3) send a reply on Twitter telling me why you want or need a signed copy of the book.



That’s it. Nothing else. You can do it all week long if you like. I’ll keep track and decide each Friday night. I’ll do it every week until people stop asking for copies.


Good luck.


Wednesday, March 14, 2012

1,000 Free Downloads...

I don’t know what to say. I just happened to see this today. Apparently “Lost in Infinity” DID hit 1,000 free downloads during the 4-day promo!



Plus, if you are Prime Member on Amazon, it’s always free.


http://amzn.to/lost-in-infinity

Sunday, March 11, 2012

I GAB THEREFORE I AM: LOST IN INFINITY Review

Link: I GAB THEREFORE I AM: LOST IN INFINITY Review

iamagabbymom:



A book review by Gabby 


When I purchased this book, I confess I did it more to support a fellow tumblr than for any other reason.  Skimming the premise I deduced that this was not in my normal “comfort zone” of genres.  But, I am passionate about supporting the people I follow, so I pulled up Amazon and ordered a physical copy of the book.  I wanted the author to be rewarded monetarily for his efforts.  


The book came UPS yesterday, and while I was excited, it was more that initial phase for me.  New book.  Uncreased seam.  The smell of the paper.  I started it at lunch and found it interesting.  Very well written.  But I was distracted by life and after reading a chapter or four I set it aside.  


Last night my internet connection flaked out and I was bored.  Picked up the book.  And I was lost.  This is the kind of book that, if i was 12 years old again, I would hide under the covers and read with a flashlight so my parents wouldn’t see the light under my door and realize I was up past my bedtime.  As it is I read until I was reading with one eye open, fighting against the urge to sleep.  and even when I put the book down, my mind wouldn’t stop wondering what would happen next to the character.  I woke up early and should have gone back to sleep, but found my desire to find out what happens was stronger than my desire for rest.  I could not put it down until I finished it.  Racing along to the OMG conclusion…


This to me signifies an excellent book.  When I disappear into it’s pages completely.  I cease to be, and with each page turned I move closer to the conclusion.  I found myself laughing out loud at his comments to his bible school teacher, and conversely torn with sympathy for his endless search for the oblivion of sleep.  Upon reaching the conclusion I was stunned, speechless, and quite frankly in awe.  It all made sense.  Literally a holy shit moment.  I can honestly say it was one of the best reads I have ever had.  


I hope the author continues to write.  I know if he does I will be one of those preordering his next work.  I will wait for it to arrive like a child waiting for a long awaited sequel to a beloved video game.  And I will hide under the covers with my flashlight so that no one will disturb me until I reach it’s conclusion.


Saturday, March 10, 2012

Free promo on Amazon is over

There were 998 copies of “Lost in Infinity”and downloaded.



2 short of 1,000. Two. Short.



I hope everyone who downloaded enjoys it, reviews it and lets me know! Thanks guys!

Friday, March 9, 2012

889 Free Downloads so far...

Today is the last day to get a copy of “Lost in Infinity” for free for your Kindle or Kindle app. I want to see if you guys can break 1000 downloads.


PLEASE REBLOG


http://amzn.to/lost-in-infinity



From Amazon:



“Lost in Infinity” is the gothic memoir of a chronic insomniac suffering from apeirophobia (the fear of infinity). The novel unfolds the history of his life as he tries to unlock repressed memories through a near schizophrenic relationship with his own splintered subconscious.

The novel offers a no holds barred look into the private confessions of a man on the precipice of a mental breakdown. The recurring theme of déjà vu leads the reader through the work giving glimpses of a dark past while offering anecdotes that will relate to every reader. Mixing in humor and satire with the tragedy of a childhood spent under the microscope of therapists keeps the mood light while he digs deeper into his past looking for the root of his problems.

The author pulls back the curtain and reveals the dark inner workings of his mind as he fears a slow deliberate path toward schizophrenia. Suicide, insomnia, stress, parenthood, relationships, careers and redemption will keep you reading and waiting for the ultimate reveal.

You’ll feel as if you’ve read this book before. Maybe you have? All is not as it seems. The feeling of déjà vu may be much more than a feeling. What if his fears are correct? What if the world is stuck in an infinite cycle set to skip and repeat for eternity? What if we are all simply lost in infinity?

Influenced by Kurt Vonnegut, Philip K. Dick and Chuck Palahniuk, “Lost in Infinity” provides an intimate look into the mind of a broken man as he looks for the answer to the question, “what is the meaning of existence?”


Thursday, March 8, 2012

Flingin' Poo with the Best Monkey: Lost in Infinity: My Review

Link: Flingin' Poo with the Best Monkey: Lost in Infinity: My Review

pooflinginwiththebestmonkey:



On average, how much would you say you sleep?  Have you ever really thought about it?  If you suffer from chronic insomnia like Travis Besecker, you have. 


On your sleepless nights, what keeps you awake?  Worries about money, or how you could have handled a previous interaction better?  Is it ever a fear of infinity, and the vast nothingness that surrounds us and looks down from the night sky?  If you suffer from apeirophobia like Travis Besecker, it is.


Besecker’s new novel, Lost in Infinity is a chronicle of his life-long battle with insomnia and the ugly, and often times, dangerous side effects that can occur due to extreme sleep deprivation.  He tells his story of pain, frustration, and fear of the unknown.  His tale is sad, funny, extremely moving, and also, at times, deeply unsettling.  Besecker is a person that almost everyone can relate to, in one way or another, which makes his story all the more powerful.


Lost in Infinity follows Travis Besecker on a sometimes sporadic timeline from early childhood to the present as he deals with his inability to “sleep like a normal kid,” and his boundless fear. Besecker’s journey takes us to him as a small boy, sitting in the visiting area of a mental institution reminiscent of One Flew over the Cuckoo’s Nest, and to the night more than 20 years in the future, when he slams his car into a guardrail after falling asleep at the wheel.  He tells of his well-meaning parents who tried to help a child they loved but didn’t understand.  He explains his constant need to be involved in numerous projects and his fight to succeed at everything he does as an attempt to silence the Shadow Man.


I received and read Lost in Infinity in the same day.  That was in part due to the fact that I had agreed to write this review when I was finished with the novel; I don’t like to keep people waiting.  But mostly, it was due to the fact that I absolutely couldn’t put the book down. 


I don’t want to give away the story of Besecker’s trials but I will give my reaction to it: 


My arms were covered in goose bumps for the duration of the first two chapters, a feeling I described as finding Besecker “eerily relatable.”  There were so many ways in which I felt a kinship to this person I was reading about.  My mind raced with every passing page and my heart pounded with emotion.  There was more than one moment where I wanted to hug this scared and frustrated little boy.  Two-thirds of the way into Besecker’s work, I realized there were probably 20 different ways his story could end, and no matter what path the novel took, I knew it would be the right one.  I don’t think I have ever been so confident of a novel’s genuine goodness since I began reading them at age 7.  Lost in Infinity is a book that I will be returning to for another read many, many more times to come.



—————————————-


THANK YOU LAINEY! I love this!

Who wants a signed copy? FOR FREE

Link: Who wants a signed copy? FOR FREE

I’m giving away a signed copy of “Lost in Infinity” each and every Friday until people are no longer interested or “Harnessing the Spark” is released.


If you want one, here’s what you have to do:



1) You MUST be following me at @FinallyHeSleeps on Twitter


2) Your MUST RT this tweet on your timeline or this post on your Blog


3) send a reply on Twitter telling me why you want or need a signed copy of the book.



That’s it. Nothing else. You can do it all week long if you like. I’ll keep track and decide each Friday night. I’ll do it every week until people stop asking for copies.


Good luck.


thoughts to share

a friend of mine sent me a review she wrote for “Lost in Infinity” last night. It was amazing. I’m not sure where she’s going to post it, but when she does, I’m sharing.


You guys reading the book and telling me about it is validating on so many levels. I can’t be the only one who loves getting stars at twitter and hearts here, especially when they are from someone I think is amazing, hilarious or interesting as hell. Imagine that times a thousand when I see you guys checking out the book. I’ve said it before, and I’ll probably say it again… thank you guys for your support. It means the world.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012











mypo0rbrain:



Took advantage of the free download. Can’t wait to read it!


I downloaded the Kindle app solely to get this book, but it actually looks like a solid app.


Kindle app installed

madsahm:



Lost in Infinity downloaded for free.


First chapter read….. Curse you battery life and responsibility!!






fightergirl:



A little bedtime reading.


I’m utterly fascinated with Travis’ book. I feel like I crawled inside his brain and I don’t want to leave until I’m done exploring.


Well done, dude. Seriously. :)






winknudgesaynomo:



Lunch hour reading. :-) Congrats, Travis!!! We are so proud of you!


waking up to pics of you guys with your books, emails & ask box notes

is awesome. Knowing you guys are reading “Lost in Infinity” and for the most part enjoying it has just made my Wednesday. *blush* Thanks guys.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Who wants a signed copy? FOR FREE

I’m giving away a signed copy of “Lost in Infinity” each and every Friday until people are no longer interested or “Harnessing the Spark” is released.


If you want one, here’s what you have to do:



1) You MUST be following me at @FinallyHeSleeps on Twitter


2) Your MUST RT this tweet on your timeline or this post on your Blog


3) send a reply on Twitter telling me why you want or need a signed copy of the book.



That’s it. Nothing else. You can do it all week long if you like. I’ll keep track and decide each Friday night. I’ll do it every week until people stop asking for copies.


Good luck.






onlyonemee:



Mail came!!!


Thanks, Travis!






tumblrfiction:



ctattianahh:



molotovcoqteez:



I got mail! Woot! This sucker is a lot bigger than I thought it would be!


http://amzn.to/lost-in-infinity



I am so ridiculously excited for this. I came across Travis’ work several months back and fell in love with his narrative voices.


I used to review a great deal at FictionPress. I found it helped my own writing and I thought that helping other writers edit their work was enjoyable. With Travis, though, it was a breath of fresh air. I never read anything I didn’t like. I never had any suggestions; it was all dead on.


And now he’s published.


I’m so proud of him and so glad to know him. He is one of the most brilliant writers I know personally. I would not suggest you go out and buy his book (also on Kindle) if I didn’t enjoy his work and find him to be an amazing personality.


I wish I could force everyone I’m connected with to go out and support him but I can’t. Which is why I will continue to post about him on my FB and here on Tumblr.


Please, go out and buy it. His novel isn’t ridiculously expensive. In fact, it’s relatively cheap. And I think it’s worth it. Truly.


Follow him on Tumblr.


Book reviews? Google it with his name. Came up with a surprising amount of results so quickly after publication. That is a good sign, yes.


Here; here.



Buy that shit.


— RC


Is anyone reading "Lost in Infinity"?

Link: Is anyone reading "Lost in Infinity"?

Tell me about it. What do you think? Did you find any spelling errors? Anything?



ALSO, if you don’t have a copy and want one, it’s going to be FREE for Kindle starting tomorrow, through Friday. If you don’t have a kindle you can download the free app for your iPad, iPhone, iPod or most smart phones.


If you do read it, review it on amazon. PLEASE. Then let people borrow it. Give it away. Donate it to the library. Anything. Spread the word.


on Amazon: http://amzn.to/lost-in-infinity


at Barnes & Noble: http://bit.ly/LostBarnesNoble


in the UK: http://amzn.to/LostUK


— REBLOG AT WILL —

Monday, March 5, 2012

Savage Imaginations Interview 9/2011

Link: Savage Imaginations Interview 9/2011

finallyhesleeps:





Travis


Have you ever sat around at a bar with your friends laughing about things like The Dirty Sanchez, The Cleveland Steamer or The Donkey Punch and thought, “Man, I’d love to have a drink with the dirty bastard who thought up all this shit!” Well, Travis is actually that guy. 


The beautiful chaos of Travis’ mind transfers to page almost effortlessly, as in Harnessing The Spark, he takes us into a world on the brink of the zombie apocalypse. After being only eight chapters into the story, I’m still having nightmares about being trapped in my garage while zombie’s ransack my house. Travis is able to take subject matter from the far-reaches of the imagination and make it feel real in a way that most writers only think they can.


Even his short works are gripping. You can’t read Taking a Shot and not only identify with the characters, but also feel as though you are one of them. While Travis can make even the furthest fantasy of zombies seem real, when he writes about reality it seems to become hyper-reality; it’s like you’ve been in that situation before, you know these people, you know what they’re feeling before they even feel it and you feel it just as strongly as they do.


Travis is more than just a writer; he’s more than someone who crafts words into a self-contained story. He crafts entire realities and seamlessly superimposes them onto our pre-existing one. Whether they be love stories or apocalyptic war stories, if you read them closely enough, with an open imagination, you too, will be questioning which reality is real.




— Meaghan Hayes



QI: Inquiring minds want to know who you are—what makes you tick, what grinds you gears, and what inspires you.


Whoa, that’s a question and a half… I’ll do my best. I’m a 35 year old Industrial Designer who grew up too fast and was forced to make adult decisions at an early age. I had no childhood.


I started attending High School when I was 9, able to graduate when I was 14 and started college at 15. I got married at 20. Graduated from college at 21 and have been working for the same company ever since. It’s all very boring really.


I’ve always been heavily involved in art, whether it be music, painting, performance or writing. It’s what fuels me. I also believe that being an Apeirophobic has influenced my creativity more than any single factor. It’s my own internal muse.


QII: Continuing along that train of thought, are many of your writings based on reality? Do you imbue your pieces with memories and parts of yourself; are they entirely fiction, or a hybrid?


Depending upon the piece, most of my fiction is based on my own experiences. Using truth and my own history puts honesty into the work. Sometimes, the inspiration is real, but the plot is too far out there to have any solid footing in reality. Other times, what feels like fiction is closer to the truth than I’d care to admit. 


QIII: You’ve submitted several pieces to Tumblr Fiction, how long have you been writing for and do you see yourself having a career in the writing field, or do you simply do it for pleasure or therapeutic reasons?


I’ve been writing since I was a child. Playing a story out in my head has always kept me busy. My brain works constantly. It never stops. I must keep it occupied. When I’m alone or trying to shut down from the world around me, I tend to build a perfect world in my mind.


As a child, battling insomnia, I’d spend hours in a dark room, living out a fantasy of being trapped in a quarantined town. I could go anywhere and do anything I wanted. I could go to the mall and play with any toy I wanted. As I got older, I’d borrow cars. Eventually girls miraculously appeared in my quarantined town… we won’t elaborate on that though.


Point being, spending hours every day in a dream world, I decided it would be nice to start recording the stories. Reading them back to myself turned them into films in my head… At that early age, I preferred to read a story the way I wanted it to unfold instead of someone else’s fantasy. This led me to creative writing.


I’ve never intended to make a living from writing. I still enjoy it, but my motivation is to purge my brain. Getting it out of my head and onto paper is a release. I’d compare it to ripping off a band-aid and letting the wound breathe. 


QIV: Are you surrounded by other creative beings? Do any of them in particular fuel your writing?


I am always surrounded by creative beings, it’s part of my job. I’m the Director of Design for a consortium. My hands are in all sorts of products and services. Everything from architecture to advertising to medical equipment. Part of the responsibilities includes dealing with artists and designers fluent in all avenues of commercial creativity.


Artists, by nature, are the most interesting souls a person can interact with. They’ll drag you to rock bottom or sit you on a pedestal. They never disappoint when you’re looking for inspiration (good or bad). I think it’d be best to direct you to a post 


I wrote about working with artists…







QV: What other avenues of creativity do you embark upon?


Other avenues? Being an Industrial Designer, my hands are in everything. Architecture, product design, copy-writing, graphic design, photography, digital design, web design, etc etc. Figure in GetOffended.com and everything that goes with it, and you can say I lead a fairly busy work life.


Spending 12 - 15 hours a day wrapped in art, I tend to find solace in writing, twitter, tumblr, playing piano, and watching movies. Being a chronic insomniac, I’m awake 20 - 22 hours every day. You have to find many different things to keep yourself occupied and busy. Relaxing leads to thinking. Thinking leads to worrying. Worrying leads to less sleep. Keeping busy actually keeps me sane. 


QVI: What are your greatest challenges in writing? Do you struggle with certain aspects of transferring an idea from your mind to the page?


Greatest challenges… If I’m being honest it’s finding the time to write. My life is pretty full at this point. Working 15 hour work days, coaching soccer 9 months out of the year, I barely have the time to devote to personal ventures. I’ve actually taken the route of audio dictation on my 3 hour total daily commute, then emailing it to myself to clean up and post in the evening. I’ve considered quite seriously, taking a week or two, heading to our condo and just shutting myself off from the world to finish a few things. That would be perfect, but alas, the best laid plans and all.


My biggest struggle transferring certain ideas from my mind to the page comes from being most interested and creative when I’m most vulnerable to my fears and insomnia. This in turn, leads to long rambling diatribes that repeat over and over. There’s usually a good idea in there somewhere, but I have to allow my coherent brain to decipher and clean up at a later date. Often there’s too much pointless blather to sift through and I delete it all, like flushing a dying fish. Sometimes, I say fuck it, and post it no matter what. Then end up pulling the trigger on it down the road, after I find my way to a recharge sleep and spend the next 24 hours cleaning up my own messes.


QVII: When your kids grow up, would you let them buy and wear a “Welcome to America, Now Speak the Damn Language” t-shirt, which you’ve said you’d burn the entire stock of, if given the chance?


This is an awesome question. I have two boys, 6 and 10. I’m not going to go into how they’re smart and all that, every parent thinks they have the smartest kids in the world. I can confirm that my kids live a life oblivious to my exploits. When the time comes when they’re making their own decisions more so than they are now, I, as a parent can only hope that I guided them well enough to make the correct and appropriate decisions.


I’d never wear one of those shirts. I’d never wear half our shirts. I’ll admit there’s a few that I do wear that I probably shouldn’t but that’s another story. Would I let them buy the shirt and wear it? Yes, I would. Would I be happy about it? No, I would not. I see parenting as caring and dictating at an early age. Then moving to protecting and guiding at a middle age. Finally supporting and appreciating as they reach adulthood. So far this strategy has worked out. If it does, I shouldn’t have to worry about what they buy and wear. I’ll just be glad they’re doing what they want and not what I told them to do.



QVIII: Anything else you’d like to add?


The only thing I’d like to add is that I’m by no means a writer. I’m only someone who uses it as a way to change my brain’s oil. It’s like spring cleaning for my psyche. Being an Apeirophobic means that my brain never slows. If it slows I dwell on the fear and can’t function properly at all. Keeping myself occupied with writing is a great personal escape from the things that plague me. It’s my own private Idaho. It may all be shit, that’s kind of beside the point. For me, it’s therapy. It’s a means to tomorrow by working through today.


Sunday, March 4, 2012

Maiden Embrace

He shuffles his feet side to side and watches the hoards pass him by with their own agendas driving them forth like cattle crossing a stream. Each face that passes bears its own emotional story. He looks at all of them and none of them as his mind wonders, floating up and mingling through the hanging florescent fixtures. He fumbles in his pocket again for the cell phone that runs his life, shifting weight to extract it from his khakis. He drops his backpack to the ground beside his leg and brings the screen to life.


He lets out a breath. The time has changed. The moment grows nearer but not near enough.


Back into his pocket he shoves the phone with a huff. He’s not angry, he realizes that. He knows it’s just nerves. The moment approaches and he waits. The hustle and bustle of the flowing travelers picks up and dies off as if there were invisible traffic lights at the top of the escalators. He pulls the phone free for the hundredth time and checks it for messages.


Nothing.


He readjusts his luggage and gathers his belongings as he looks around for a place to sit. Movement and relocation takes his mind off of the coming events but only for a brief second. Down against the wall, he feels the breaks in the tile against his spine. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out. His hand, holding the green plastic bottle he’d picked up on his layover starts to twitch. The taste of cotton balls and cobwebs gets washed away before he screws the lid back on and straightens his legs. A new herd of travelers hurries down the escalator each pushing through the next with someplace they’d rather be.


He recalls the break in monotony when he moved to the wall and decides to change the lull once again, this time venturing back to where he began so he can have an unobstructed view of her arrival. A new rush of people halts his migration so he scopes his present locale and takes up shop. Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, breathe out.


“What time is it now?” he asks himself aloud as he goes fishing for electronics once again. Before he can awaken the screen he catches a glimpse of her hair as she walks by. His heart starts to pound so loud she must be able to hear it. He takes a step then remembers his luggage in a moment of clarity brought on by the fear of being without clean clothes for the next few days. He turns on his heel and collects the Samsonite montage as the sweat beads on his forehead. His hands start to shake under the weight of the carry-on or so he rationalizes against the butterflies building in his gut. The only thing audible is the rush of blood through his ears as the sea of blank faces rages and crashes all around him. The whole of the world slows, but he, unobstructed, presses forward toward her flowered dress. 


Three steps separate them as she turns to read the sign behind him. Their eyes meet. He quickly looks past her at the sign overhead showing departure and arrival updates. The three steps become tow, then one then quickly three again as they pass each other. He exhales and steadies himself, taking a glance over his shoulder at the girl he nearly grabbed. She was not his.


The embarrassment avoided calms his nerves. He gathers his worldly possessions again with ease and starts on the familiar path back to his perch at the end of the escalators. One more check on his iPhone followed by another five clicks of the analog clock hanging overhead and his pocket starts to vibrate. He pulls out the cell and fumbles with the touch screen.


“I’m here,” it reads.


As he shoves the phone back into his pocket with his right hand he looks up to scan the approaching crowd with renewed purpose.


Through the mass of weary travelers she shines, desaturating the rest as if she were stuck in film noir. Her smile radiates below her massive sunglasses. The flash of teeth in her bright smile seems to scream out against the soft pattern on her summer dress. Time slows as he takes in her brilliance flowing down the stairs inch by inch. He wants to remember this moment so he can relive it when he closes his eyes and beckons the dreams to bring them together again. He sits the luggage down and plants his feet, willing them to hold so that she can come to him, out away from the crowd.


She reaches the floor and pauses, looking left then right. His smile draws her attention to his gaze only to be dwarfed by hers in comparison. She changes directions and walks quickly toward his trembling figure. He watches her fight each and every step, trying to maintain her form and refrain from breaking into a run. Breathe in, breathe out.


Their worlds collide as he takes her hand and she reaches for his arm. The sound of the crowd surging by falls away as they wrap each other in their maiden embrace. He can feel her heart pounding through her chest as he presses her close. Not a word is spoken as they relish the moment and control their excitement to socially accepted levels. His hand leaves the small of her back and gently moves her hair from her ear. Their eyes lock, her lips part and in that one caress he gives her a piece of his heart.

Twitter changes...

@ApocalypseComin is gone. I’ll be tweeting my normal madness over at @FinallyHeSleeps from here on out.


Stop by, say hi. I only follow back if you interact and say things that are interesting, inspiring or worth a laugh.





Thanks to @RealTalk for sending out my book to 300,000+ people on Twitter!

This week's signed book goes to:

Alex! @LuNcH_BoXx on twitter.


I’ll do it again next Friday but this time from my twitter. @FinallyHeSleeps.

Friday, March 2, 2012

Who is reading "Lost in Infinity"?

Who has already read it?


What do you think? What was your take? No Spoilers please!

Who wants a signed copy of "Lost in Infinity" for FREE?

Feel free to reblog and pass this along…


Travis is giving away a signed copy of “Lost in Infinity” each and every Friday until people are no longer interested or “Harnessing the Spark” is released.


If you want one, here’s what you have to do: 1) Follow @ApocalypseComin on Twitter, 2) RT this tweet on your timeline and 3) send a reply on Twitter telling me why you want or need a signed copy of the book.


That’s it. Nothing else. We’ll do it every week until people stop asking for copies.


Good luck and make sure you do ALL THREE THINGS.


———


Last week’s winner thewindcries:






thewindcries:



See what came today!  That’s my squee face!  Can’t wait to dig in. I was the lucky recipient of the free giveaway last week. Thanks again!