It's a New Year, our first full one, for the GoWesting team and a lot of new stuff is happening already. I wanted to let our fan faithful in on what's in store for the next month or so. The message now is spread the word. The more people we can get involved in this project the more fun it will be for all of us. You're either on the bus or you're off the bus, as Kesey used to say. So hop on and watch the first step... keep reading to see a schedule of planned happenings.

In the next two weeks we should have our subscription and purchasing system sorted out which means you can actually BUY WESTING! Don't feel betrayed. You gotta pay to play. All it means is that you'll have to fork over $15 in a onetime payment to watch the on-line project unfold over the next few months. The first three chapters, two stories, and the blog will remain free of charge but for chapters 4-20 of Westing you'll need the subscription. You can pay a fistful of dollars more for stuff like artistic limited edition hard copies, vicious t-shirts, and my flesh by the pound.

In February we are planning at least two fundraising parties, one in D.C. and one in Chicago. We are also looking at having parties in Boston, New York, and Eugene. We'll actually party anywhere but we want to raise money from those places where we have the most friends. The idea is to raise $10,000 in the next two months to produce our printed editions, juice up the community building capabilities of the website, and pay for some conventional marketing to bring more traffic. If you're interested in hosting, attending, recruiting, or funding give me a holler.

If you're a Westing reader and you're itching for more action, I can tell you that Chapter 5 should come off the presses in the next two weeks also. I'm slammed with work right now. It's political season in Chicago and I'm writing speeches, endorsement statements, press releases, and letters. If you're a farmer, think of it as me being in the middle of harvest. BUT, I did start editing Chapter 5 last month and got about half way through. These first eight chapters are so crucial for getting the right info out to you in the right way, so you know the characters well enough, Me and Kate, to kind of sit back and enjoy the ride across the GREAT AMERICAN WEST with a minimum of distraction.

Blog people, I know I've been lagging some. If you're in need of a new fix, though, try re-reading the Christmas in Blogland Blog with the hyperlinks. I was trying to figure out what is more interesting about reading off the computer than reading hard copy and I decided the answer is cool hyperlinks. It's like the Garden of the Forking Paths, you could follow an idea into infinity. After all, you're only as big as your web.

Some of you may have seen that Albert Ugarte's gallery is up on the Family Press Page. Check it out. A lot of that work has already been sold, but not all of it. Albert is willing to work on making prints, putting new work up, or do commissioned pieces if the interest is there, so please write in if you dig his stuff and want some.

I have also been hot on the heels of Hugh Wilson to get some of his paintings up. If you know him give him a hard time about it. He's been traveling through Niger in Saharan Africa and doing some real as life portraits of the people he comes across. You'll like it.

So I think that's all the news for now. What's the word? Okay then spread it like mayo.