9:35 a.m. PT: Social media’s useful after all. I just found out on Twitter that David Perlmutter, author of a new book called Blogwars: The New Political Battleground, recently appeared on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart.
Perlmutter interviewed me for the book a few years ago, but I didn’t think I’d make the cut. Lo, and behold, I did! On page 19, he calls me an attorney (which I’m not), wrote that my blog was “well cited by many leading conservative blogs” (which it was), and that I “attacked” him in a post (which I didn’t).
Perlmutter’s referring to a post I wrote called Peasants Don’t Blog, where I commented on an article he wrote about blog hype. Why do some people consider critiques an attack? Geez. It’s good copy, though.
Although Perlmutter misspelled my first name in the index, I’m pleased overall that he found my blog worthy of mention. On page 20 he quoted at length from a post called The Immorality of Race Preferences.
Publicist, if you want to send me a review copy, here’s my snail mail info. I’ll review the book on the blog, but I can’t (or shouldn’t) review it for a news site or print publication. Because I appear in it, there’d be a conflict of interest, or something like that.
I’m still experiencing the residual effects of a once-popular political blog. Nice memories for the most part. But I’d like to see myself quoted in books and articles about digital tech, music (Christian and non-Christian), the changing music industry (a good start), pop culture, fan culture (a new fascination), etc. And one day soon, I hope to see my own book for sale on Amazon.
Back to work!
Addendum: Music to work by (turn it up!):
Wednesday, May 14: Check out my review of Finding Purpose in Narnia: Journey with Prince Caspian. The Prince Caspian movie trailer is awesome. Click on the link at the end of the review.
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10:48 a.m. PT: Becoming a Christian produced profound changes in me. One of them was seeing people clearly for the first time, especially fellow believers.
As I read about the lives of the disciples and the apostles, I experienced a transcendent awe that words can’t describe. I, La Shawn Barber, born 2,000 years after the fact, worshiped the same God as those men and women. They shared the same Gospel and tried to impart the same truths about the person of Jesus Christ, his sinlessness, his sacrifice, and his deity. And they, too, struggled to live a life that glorifies him.
3:19 p.m. PT: Whenever I feel like blogging (like today), I have a ton of other stuff to do (like today). When I have free time to blog, I don’t feel like blogging. For instance, I feel like blogging some more, but I have to finish a book review (due tomorrow), do some heavy lifting on my book proposal, and I just finished a telephone interview with Essence magazine. I don’t think I can mention what the story’s about yet, and I’m not certain my quotes will make the cut. I’ll let you know!
Anyway, let’s talk about bands and fans.
11:24 a.m. PT: Dealing with illegal “immigration” as an identity theft/Social Security fraud issue is very effective. Don’t tell me the United States doesn’t have the manpower to slow down border jumping or find, arrest, and deport illegal aliens. We know who and where they are.
The question is, are we willing to do what it takes, within the law, to enforce our own laws? The only thing at stake is a little idea called the “rule of law.” No big deal. 
Related posts:
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7:15 a.m. PT: Writing is something I’ve felt compelled (in a good way) to do most of my life. I never thought I’d be able to support myself with it. But I am. Well, I blog for a living. I blog for businesses. Blogging is writing, but it’s a different kind of writing. The ultimate goal is to make a living writing books and articles, not updating blogs.
Writing has always been a part of who I am, but it was still a hobby for many years. A few years ago, I managed to turn it into a profession. The thing about writing is that you never know when and how it will pay off. Feeling like you have no choice but to write certainly helps keep you motivated, payoff or not.
If you surfed here from Google looking for political news, I have none for you. But maybe you can get something out of this visit by answering two questions. Regular readers, I’d like to hear from you, too.
Perhaps you’re a musician struggling to make a living, but one who is compelled to make music whether or not it pays the bills. Or maybe you have a hobby that makes the 9-5 grind easier to take. Your job isn’t challenging enough, or it’s too stressful, or downright boring. Engaging in a hobby can keep you sane.
1) Is there something you feel you must do (teach, preach, write, draw, make music, etc.)?
2) If you could, would you try to make a career (part time or full time) doing it?
Update (5/9): Here’s what stinks about being a writer: pitching an idea to an editor, not hearing from the editor, reading a story based on your idea sometime later, and knowing the editor got the article idea from you. That’s the way it goes sometimes. Still stinks. 
But I’ll have a good weekend, anyway 
And I hope you do, too.
12:36 p.m. PT: Lunch break!
6:09 a.m. PT: I’m working on a proposal for a book I know won’t appeal to the masses.
We live in a niche world. In fact, we’ve always lived in a niche world. We just didn’t know it. Before the Internet, we were stuck with whatever brick-and-mortar stores had to offer or whatever DJs played. Everybody we knew watched the same TV shows and movies and listened to the same songs.
These days, blockbusters and hits still exist, (Have you seen “Iron Man?”), but we have a lot more books, movies, and TV shows to choose from (Amazon, Netflix). The Internet has exposed a world of products and services that people used to see only in their dreams. That world now exists in the long tail of reality. In fact, some say there’s too much choice. Filters (recommendations, reviews, ratings) help narrow down some of those choices.
There is a very distinct audience for my proposed book. My job is to sell the idea to an agent, to spread the passion like a contagion. With the anticipated tie-ins and marketing approach I have in mind, I know this book will sell well among its niche audience. And I know I’m the best person to write it.
Starting something new + Daring to be bold + Doing the unexpected = Adrenaline rush!
(Hat tip: Derek Sivers, founder of CD Baby)
Tuesday, May 6 @ 6:42 a.m. PT: Thanks for the birthday wishes, everyone! 
I met country singer Rissi Palmer last Friday at the Stagecoach Festival. The photo of us isn’t the best quality, but there it is. As people I meet often tell me about my photos, Rissi’s photos don’t do her justice. She’s downright radiant. I reviewed the show for Blog Critics. I’ll link when it’s up.
Later…Check out the review.
Wednesday, May 14: Check out my review of Finding Purpose in Narnia: Journey with Prince Caspian. The Prince Caspian movie trailer is awesome. Click on the link at the end of the review.
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May 1 @ 8:12 a.m. PT: I have a review copy of a book called Finding Purpose in Narnia: A Journey with Prince Caspian. Written by Gina Burkhart, an English professor, the book explores Christian themes in C.S. Lewis’s second book of the seven-book Narnia series.
In the first book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, Peter, Susan, Edmund, and Lucy Pevensie go through a wardrobe and discover a magical kingdom ruled by the evil White Witch. Along with Aslan the lion (a Christ figure), the four defeat the witch and become kings and queens of Narnia.
In Prince Caspian: The Return to Narnia, over 1,000 years have passed in Narnia since the four Pevensie kids were there (although only a year has lapsed in their time). An evil king has overtaken Caspian’s throne, and the young prince calls on Narnia’s former kings and queens to help him recover it.
As I’m sure you’re aware, Prince Caspian the movie opens on May 16. I blogged very briefly about it on my old fantasy for Christians blog. The first movie made close to $300 million, and no doubt this one will equal or surpass that number. Check out the trailer. Well done.
Read more about the movie at NarniaWeb and NarniaFans.
Related posts:
12:15 p.m. PT: Remember Margaret Seltzer, aka Margaret Jones, the woman who wrote a memoir about being a half white, half Indian child growing up in a foster home in South Central Los Angeles and joining a gang?
You may recall that she was exposed as a liar. She’s not half Indian, didn’t grow up in a foster home, and wasn’t a gang member. See Crips, Bloods, and Rats for background.
In a video recorded before she was exposed, she explains what her “life” was like. Margaret Seltzer has serious fantasy want-to-be-down issues. Homies. I still can’t get over that. I haven’t heard anybody talk like that in years. Anyway, watch and listen as Seltzer makes up stuff. With a straight face:
Lots more information at Media Assassin.
(Hat tip: Galley Cat)
