The Beat Handbook is at The Higher Grounds

A copy of The Beat Handbook sits on the shelf at The Higher Grounds in Hallowell, Maine, waiting for customers to write in it. Here's a picture of me in front of the book, displayed beautifully courtesy of Crystal's eye for such things.



Yes, that's a picture of Bob Dylan and Allen Ginsberg that has been at the HG for as long as I've been going there. Yes, that's my banjo hanging there - the NitPickers had just finished playing). Yes, that's a copy of The Dharma Bums and On The Road next to my book.

So what are you waiting for? Get on down to The Higher Grounds and do some beat writing in The Beat Handbook!

What's the beat this day?

Let's see. What's happening in the life of The Beat Handbook and its author today? Later I'll be mailing a copy of the book to Carl Stevens, the reporter from Boston's WBZ NewsRadio who posted a YouTube video showing my book at Kerouac's grave. Nothing in return expected. Just a thank you for the free publicity and for helping keep Jack's memory alive.

Just received a copy of Thomas Parkinson's A Casebook on the Beat, which Dennis from Lowell Celebrates Kerouac! 2008 turned me on to. It's an awesome resource for anyone interested in the beat generation.

Later we're heading to Hallowell to hear live music (Stevie Jones, one of the best guitar players and overall musicians in Maine) at Higher Grounds. The NitPickers are playing there tomorrow night.

Oh, and on a completely tangential note, if you are unlucky enough to have your computer infected with the WindowsXP 2009 Antispyware virus, may the god of your choice bless you because you are fucked. As I was. But I conquered it. How? Reboot in Safe Mode and do a System Restore.

Kerouac struggled with his typewriters. I struggle with my ThinkPad. And so it goes.