Category: Blog

  • Next stop: 2025

    Next stop: 2025

    I hope everyone had a nice holiday season. For me, I usually consider the official end of the holidays to be on my birthday (mid-January). No sense is going back to dieting and all that crap for just a couple weeks, right? Right 🙂

    Anyway, finalizing many projects for this coming year and figured I would give a little info about what I will be working on.

    First up, The Outsider. I say first up – you can’t really be 100% sure of the order of these things, but it’s a good tentative guess. Now, back to the The Outsider…

    For years, I have dabbled in assorted types of instrumental music under one name or another. I’ve always wanted to go kind of “freestyle” though. Just sit down for a few days, lose my mind and see what comes out on tape.

    The first week of January, I did just that. I completed two of four tracks. I expect to wrap up recording on the rest by end of this month and, since it’s going to be outside of the label system, I’m just going to put it out once it’s done. No promo build up, no hoopla. It’s just an piece I’ve always wanted to make.

    Working title is The Outsider and I will be releasing it under my name (first time ever). I’ll post make a few posts about it once it’s ready. But, it is high on the list and should be out first quarter of 2025, for sure.

    More music… another old re-issue will be out on Valentine’s Day. This time it’s Project: PornTrack from RFH. This was from the same time period as Strange Highways was, same software. I thought it would be funny to do a DIY porno soundtrack. So, I did. I built a bunch of instrumental tracks for you, you and your partner or you and your group of friends to use as background music lol. Anyway, it’s my warped sense of humor and it will be re-released under the RFH handle on all the digital platforms.

    On the writing side, I’m hoping to publish two works this year. The first is called my first “full length” (aka not a short story) called EternaLife. It’s a little about mind control and other things that I don’t want to give away too much about right now. There will be decent promo on this one, so you’ll know when it’s coming, for sure.

    The other I’m in progress on and plan on releasing next Fall is tentatively called Uncle Jeff’s Once Upon a Time: A collection of Thoughtful Bedtime Stories for Children and their Grown-Ups. It’s basically done. Just has mega-editing to do. The idea is “moral of the story” tales. When I started on it early in 2024, the ideas just kept flowing. So, trying to weed out the weaker ingredients and make a smoother read. More on that later.

    What else? Oh, my Mixed Bags is still very much an active project. For those who don’t know, last year I started working on converting some family favorite recipes into recipes made from dry ingredients that could be sold in bags – you know the drill – dump it in, add water or whatever and enjoy.

    My first “bag” was for something my mom used to make. We called them sweet hot pickles. They are very hard to describe and have a truly unique taste. Anyway, I got the recipe down, did some taste testing and I think it’s fair to say that first recipe is ready to go. Everyone to tested it was happy with the results.

    The next step is to work on packaging and a sugar-free version. Once both of those are together, I will be able to start selling here in Texas. If you’re interested in it, it’s called Elder’s Mixed Bags (facebook page, etc).

    Speaking of social media, I am now on Blue Sky. If you’d like to follow me there, my handle is @jeffelder.bsky.social

    Ok ok ok… I’d say we’re caught up. Thanks, again, for joining me on this ride. It’s been fun and I intend to do my best to keep things interesting as we move forward.

    Jeff

  • Christmastime on the Beach: A Holiday Romance

    Christmastime on the Beach: A Holiday Romance

    Happy Black Friday Release Day!

    This has been a fun project to put together. As I mentioned in the introduction, the story is kind of a “What if I didn’t have to keep to the confines of a 3-minute pop song?” idea. It’s a simple Christmas story with a little Hallmark-style romance thrown in for good measure. Don’t worry, I promise I’m not going to become a romance writer. This was just a little fun for the sake of fun.

    Anyway, I hope you like it and can have as much fun with the song (and now the story) as I have over the years. It is everywhere today. I will post links to the major places below.

    Thanks for reading and have fun!

    Jeff

    Amazon Kindle and Print versions are available by clicking here. Print versions can also be found in many of your larger retail chains. If they don’t have it, just ask for it and they can get it through their distributor. Kindle note: If you have Kindle Unlimited, the title is available to read free for the next month! Just add it to your reading list and you’re good to go.

    Audible audiobook version is available by clicking here.

    The re-issue of the original Roy Holliday song (and more) is available today on Amazon by clicking here or at Apple Music by clicking here.

  • More Pre-order Links

    More Pre-order Links

    A couple more for you guys…

    Amazon MP3 pre-order link for the re-issue of the Roy Holliday song that started it all, Christmastime on the Beach. Pre-order / pre-save at https://amzn.to/3OqZ7z1

    Kindle pre-order link is at https://amzn.to/4f5I5lf

    And, the Audible audiobook version is available at https://amzn.to/496LZZD

    Party on,

    Jeff

  • The Countdown Begins / Spotify Pre-Save

    The Countdown Begins / Spotify Pre-Save

    Well, here we go, kids. 10 days til the release of the new short story, Christmastime on the Beach: A Holiday Romance and 10 days til the release of…

    Christmastime on the Beach – the digital music collection!

    Yes, to coincide with the book’s release, we’ve gathered Roy’s previous Christmas songs, remastered them, and put them all together in one place for easy access.

    Christmastime on the Beach will be available on all major streaming platforms and, for you Spotterfy users, you can pre-save it NOW by clicking here or using the perty link below.

    And while we’re on the topic of links and countdowns, don’t forget that the Goodreads giveaway (giving away 100 copies of the new book in Kindle format) only has 10 days left for you to enter.

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

    Christmastime on the Beach by Jeff  Elder

    Christmastime on the Beach

    by Jeff Elder

    Giveaway ends November 29, 2024.

    See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

    Enter Giveaway

    Here’s to hoping you have as much fun with this one as I am!

    Jeff

  • Goodreads Giveaway for Christmastime on the Beach

    Goodreads Giveaway for Christmastime on the Beach

    Happy to announce the Christmastime on the Beach Kindle giveaway is officially open at Goodreads. We’re giving away 100 copies (randomly) on Black Friday. Click the link below to enter now – Good luck!

    Goodreads Book Giveaway

    Christmastime on the Beach by Jeff  Elder

    Christmastime on the Beach

    by Jeff Elder

    Giveaway ends November 29, 2024.

    See the giveaway details at Goodreads.

    Enter Giveaway
  • Up next: Christmastime On The Beach!

    Up next: Christmastime On The Beach!

    I’m happy to announce my book release will be Christmastime On The Beach: A Holiday Romance!

    Christmastime on the Beach follows the heartfelt journey of Sage, a young woman who secretly yearns for romance amidst the hustle and bustle of her everyday life. To escape her unfulfilled desires and the winter blues, she takes a holiday vacation to a sun-kissed coastal town. Surrounded by the beach’s warmth and Christmas’s festive spirit, Sage finds herself immersed in unexpected adventures and charming encounters. As she navigates through new friendships and hidden passions, she discovers that the season’s magic might just bring her the love she’s been longing for. Will Sage’s holiday getaway turn into a romantic fairy tale, or will it remain a beautiful escape? Dive into this enchanting tale of love, self-discovery, and the wonders of Christmas by the sea.

    This one was a lot of fun to put together. It was inspired by the Roy Holliday song I wrote years ago. Kind of a “what if the story went farther than 3 minutes” idea.

    Anyway, COTB will be release on November 29th (aka Black Friday), 2024 on Kindle, Print and Audible formats. Pre-order Kindle format is available in the US now by clicking here.

    To coincide with the release, a remastered version of the song by Roy Holliday will be released on an expanded EP the same day.

    Now, go enjoy Halloween and make a note on your calendars about the book when you’re ready to get Christmas-y.

    Happy Saturday!
    – Jeff

  • Balloons, Bigfoot & Brainstorming on Route 66

    Balloons, Bigfoot & Brainstorming on Route 66

    Just wrapped up a wonderful road trip along, focused on Route 66 in Oklahoma.

    We started out in the Tulsa area and had the obligatory coney or ten at Coney I-lander. Coneys in Tulsa are unique things you can’t get anywhere else. If you’re ever passing through, be sure to stop there. I grew up in Tulsa and coneys are one of the things I miss most. Since 1926, they haven’t changed “a single bite.”

    The next stop was the inaugural Route 66 Balloon Festival in Arcadia, Oklahoma. Unfortunately, the excessive heat and winds dealt them a fairly poor turnout. But, we all had a great time, regardless. A highlight was hanging out with my sister and her man at the Chicken Shack after the evening glow. Assuming it happens again next year, I think the festival could take off and become a really cool annual event.

    I’m not normally a fan of cover bands, but they had a great one there performing called Adam Aguilar and the Weekend All-Stars. Really tight band with a fun setlist.

    Throughout the drive, I found some fun inspiration for a few upcoming stories. Ate way way way too much fried okra (The Brothers Houligan on Yale wins for best in the state this year) and, overall, had a blast.

    Here are a few pictures I snapped along the way…. and, yay, Summer is over. Happy Fall!

    Bring on the cooler weather!

    Jeff

  • Original Demos 1996

    Original Demos 1996

    Today, appropriately Friday, the 13th, welcomes a new Frustrated Housewives compilation; The Original Demos 1996.

    These recordings were made for the first CD (the green album with the Joan Warhol layout). While it has been remastered, the overall audio quality on these is not up to today’s standards and the performances are not nearly as polished as they became in later years, hence “Demos.” But I wanted to get them out there since all of the songs bring back memories or have some significance in my life and music career.

    If you were there back in the day, you may notice the absence of New World and a couple of others. Unfortunately, Warner Brothers was not willing to license the vocal samples for a new release, so I am not going to be able to get them on streaming services or for sale. There’s a good chance I may just make them freebie downloads in the near future, so stay tuned there.

    When I wrote these songs, it was a difficult and confusing time for me, both musically and personally. Listening to these tracks I am taken right back to where I was when I wrote them. We live. We learn and we move on. Right? Right! For now, I hope you enjoy this little time capsule of where my head was in 1996.

    Original Demos is available on Amazon by clicking here and is on all major streaming platforms.

  • Strange Highways Audiobook

    Strange Highways Audiobook

    I’m happy to announce that the audiobook for Strange Highways: Volume One is officially avaiable on Audible!

    This was a fun learning experience for me. Until you hear your words read out loud by someone else, I don’t think you fully understand how good (or bad) you’ve done in your writing. When working with Audible, the narrator is only allowed to read what has already been published. You can’t go back and say, “Why don’t you say this instead?” I picked up a few tips for the next book, for sure.

    Speaking of narrators, I had the pleasure of working with Shawn Rigby on this.

    When I began this process, I wasn’t aware that I could just post an audition call behind the scenes at Audible. Did I tell you this was my first dabbling in audiobooks? Anyway, I searched male voice talent through their platform for a good week until I found Shawn. His voice agreed with me and felt comfortable. He didn’t sound like most of the others. I liked it, so I made an offer, and he accepted.

    Once Shawn was in the picture, it was great. He took the lead and, within a week or so, we had an audiobook. Great guy to work with and I hope to do so again in the future.

    Shawn is also a musician. Maybe that’s why I liked him. Birds of a feather, right? Next time you’re scrolling away on the Faceplace, I highly recommend you check out his page and music at Shawn Rigby Music.

    Happy Saturday!

    Jeff

    Oh, and Click Here to grab your copy of Strange Highways: Volume One on Audible!

  • Strange Highways: Volume One

    Strange Highways: Volume One

    Well, Happy Release Day!

    My first release (as an author) happened early this morning. Actually, as I was going to bed last night, I saw it go live on Amazon. I was in a bit of shock, and pleasantly amused, to see it was at #2 in the One-Hour Travel Short Reads category. Who would have thought that would happen?

    This morning, I log in to make sure everything is live and running smoothly and see that, for the moment, it is the #1 New Release in One-Hour Travel Short Reads!

    I suspect that’s as high as this little book will go in the charts. But hey, I’ll take it. Thanks to all of those who pre-ordered. That’s how it entered at the high level on their charts. I can’t tell you all how much I appreciate that.

    So, anyway, it’s out! If you would like to check it out, click here to access the Kindle and Print versions.

    I finished up work with a narrator, Shawn Rigby, for the audiobook version a couple of weeks ago. Audiobooks have a whole different process. If you an audiobook fan, like I am, you’ll be glad to know it’s coming. I expect it to be live on Audible in about another week. I will post an update once that happens.

    For now, go grab you a copy of the Kindle or Print version. As I understand it, Kindle will be running random promotions on it or the next 90 days. Not that it’s expensive in the first place. But, it’s always nice to save a buck, right?

    Ok ok… It is Sunday of Labor Day weekend here in the US. Grab a beer, grill some burgers and have a wonderful rest of your weekend.

    Jeff

  • RFH – Strange Highways

    RFH – Strange Highways

    Strange Highways was a project I conceived in the late nineties. I’ll take an excerpt from the forthcoming book to explain:

    In my younger days, I was a musician and did a lot of solo driving. I enjoyed the driving more than playing live. Around 1999, I stumbled upon some new music software that was uniquely suited for soundtrack style compositions and I was very interested in getting into soundtrack work. I decided to put together a concept album called Strange Highways. It would be about things that used to run through my head as I drove throughout the night. I always wondered what might have happened at some of the ruins I’d see along the
    highways. Not knowing, and not having time to stop, I would make up my own stories – or scenes might be a more appropriate term.

    I released a limited run of Strange Highways on CD in 2001 with the plans of turning it into a side-show style walk through multi-media “ride” that would tour with bands, like as an opening act as you enter the concert venue.

    Unfortunately, the budget to make this happen just wasn’t there and the concept slowly faded away.

    The music stuck with me, though. So did driving. Even without being in a band, I found myself drawn to the road -my comfort zone. My happy place. I re-visited the Strange Highways album. In 2015, I had it remastered and released it under the band name RFH.

    Strange Highways is currently still available on all major streaming platforms.

    Click Here to listen or purchase on Amazon.