Strange Highways Music & Publishing

Tag: Strange Highways

  • 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

  • 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.