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We took the train to Philadelphia with our friends Beth and Doris for a day of sightseeing and lunch at the Barnes Foundation museum. First stop: Eastern State Penitentiary, which was open for over 140 years, from 1829 until 1971! It was started by the Quakers and revolutionized incarceration at the time. It was the first to confine every prisoner in a single cell – today known as solitary confinement and a huge contributor to mental illness among the incarcerated. Back then they thought it was a better way to rehabilitate prisoners. They were allowed nothing to read but the bible, and they spent 23 hours a day alone in their cells. This could be something the architects of Project 2025 may want to look into …

After touring Donald Trump’s future lifestyle, we walked over to the Barnes Foundation museum, where we saw an art collection that is among the most unique in the world. I have never imagined seeing so many Cezannes, Picassos, and other modern masters in one location. Dr. Albert Barnes was an astute collector, purchasing works by artists in their un-famous prime that would later be with tens of millions of dollars.

About the Barnes

“Our founder, Dr. Albert C. Barnes, believed that art had the power to improve minds and transform lives. Our diverse educational programs are based on his teachings and one-of-a-kind collections.

Philadelphia art collector Albert C. Barnes (1872–1951) chartered the Barnes in 1922 to teach people from all walks of life how to look at art. Over three decades, he collected some of the world’s most important impressionist, post-impressionist, and modern paintings, including works by Renoir, Cézanne, Matisse, and Picasso. He displayed them alongside African masks, native American jewelry, Greek antiquities, and decorative metalwork.”

Love those senior perks

I have to take age’s pleasures where I can, and having a senior pass for free travel on trains to Philadelphia is one of them. If you live in Pennsylvania, New Jersey or Delaware and you’re over 65, you can get a pass to ride for free. We had to go to Philly to get them, but they’re great to have. I prefer going to Philadelphia over New York City for a number of reasons: it’s less congested, it’s much closer, and commuting on a train beats driving to Manhattan any day. We occasionally take a bus to NYC, but I won’t drive there again. Eleven years of that was enough.

All of my eBooks are once again available in wide distribution (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, SmashWords, Kobo and more). And not only that, you can BUY DIRECT AND SAVE! Just visit my Payhip storefront and choose one of my books, or all of them, at a deep discount.

This was the group’s first monthly meeting and it was so rewarding. Everyone was engaged, lots of good  conversation, and it promises to grow from there. As the facilitator, I could not have been happier.

This is a short 6-minute video introducing people to Your Write Path, the workshops, and me!

Self-Publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing): A Workshop In-Person

Learn the ins and outs of self-publishing on the Kindle Direct Publishing (KDP) platform with author and publisher Mark McNease. Mr. McNease is the author of 14 novels, all of which have been published through KDP. He is a two-time Emmy winner, and currently serves as a board member for the Mystery Writers of America – New York Chapter. In this workshop you’ll learn the process from final draft to published book and beyond, with additional topics that include book cover creation, self-promotion, exclusivity versus ‘wide’ distribution, and the process of publishing audiobooks.

For local friends: I’m facilitating an adult writers group every second Tuesday of the month starting next week. Join us at the New Hope (PA) Free Library, 6 – 7 pm. This is a non-critical, safe environment for writers, those who want to write, and the write-curious.

Also: Monday, September 30, join us for a free 2-hour workshop on Self-Publishing with KDP (Kindle Direct Publishing). 6:30 – 8:30 PM. This is at the wonderful Hunterdon County Library in Flemington.

It’s so nice to do what you love!

How exciting! I’ll be facilitating an adult writers group at the New Hope (PA) library starting September 10.

If you’ve followed me, you know I’ve been working on this a long time. I’ve just published a second edition of Dreamshaping: On Shaping Reality and Living Our Dreams, and I couldn’t be happier to put it out there. I’ll  also be creating a Dreamshaping Workshop for next year! I’m very excited about that, and I think it’s going to be a wonderful experience sharing the ways we create the dreams we call our lives, and how to live them with exuberance.

From the book’s description:

In this Second Edition of Dreamshaping: On Shaping Reality and Living Our Dreams, we find a collection of writings about our ability to shape the lives we live, the dreams we live. These words of advice and experience, presented in easy-to-read short chapters, are more essential than ever as we navigate the dreamscape of our everyday world. Quotes and commentary add to the suggestions made in this simple dreamer’s guide, and everything is presented in a way that makes it possible for anyone to do. As the introduction says, dreamshaping is not wishful thinking, it is wishful doing. Follow along and read about listening to our bodies, and letting go of the poisons in our lives, and embracing change without fearing it. Use this simple dreamer’s guide to steer a course toward freedom, self-acceptance, and exuberance in your life. And remember, all things are of the substance of dreams.

You have to dream to have a dream come true.

All my books, and that means all of them, are free on Kindle for the next 5 days! The Kyle Callahan Mysteries, the Maggie Dahl Mysteries, the Marshall James Thrillers, and the M.A. McNease supernatural chillers Hell to Pay, and I, Warlock, all yours at the drop of a download!

You can find them all on my Amazon page HERE, or just search Mark McNease. Read through the entire holiday! And remember, reviews are a writer’s best friend.

It’s never too early to save the date! November 11, Hoboken. The moderator of the panel looks familiar …

I’ve added two Guided Autobiography 2-Hour Introductory Workshops in August. These are free and online.

DATE: Monday, August 12
Time: 10:00 AM Eastern via Zoom
RSVP HERE (limited to 6)

DATE: Wednesday, August 14
Time: 2:00 PM Eastern via Zoom
RSVP HERE (limited to 6)

I’m sure it will look different when their ad department has created it, but I like this for my own purposes.