The Official Blog of Joseph Baker

As many of you know I was so thankful to finally have the law suits put behind me and be able to have my autobiography released. We had a great event at Borders (even though I was hijacked but, it's okay) and even though I may seem sullen at times,I really do appreciate all of this I had a great time getting to know some some of you.

Somebody told me that by releasing this I was giving a piece of myself to people, I realized this was a bigger deal than I wanted or ever dreamed it could be. After some thought and talking it over with some co-workers I am considering going on a very short tour. The goal of the tour would be to go to places where there is a large concentration of readers but, is a place we don't go to usually. Jill and Taylor have worked with their contacts to put together a tenative list of places.

October 24 - Sacramento, CA (morning) San Francisco (evening)

October 25- Hope Springs, Colorado

October 26 - Flint, Michigan

October 27-- Ontario and Montreal,Canada

October 28 - Tampa, Florida

October 29-- Corpus Christi, Texas & San Antonio, Texas

I will blog more later (I hear crying)

I have made a commitment to blogging more so, I hope you guys keep me to it.

As many of you know my biography was supposed to come out tonight, however until further notice the book has been canceled.

I am very sorry.

Joel

I know I haven't updated in a while but, I have been doing a lot of non-fascinating things lately. Mostly, being at home with my family and lots of stuff dealing with new changes at Cobalt as well as working on physical therapy which has actually been getting easier to deal with.

My autobiography should still be coming out on the 19th but, we have been having a bunch of issues with it but, we are sorting them out. Mostly people who think I am going to make them look bad when that is not and will never be my intention.

I have been talking to Jill and I we are talking about another tour but, just talking. I do want to be able to personally thank everybody who reads my book but, I have become addicted to being at home and having some stability. Not that I didn't have fun last time because I did and I know that going only helped the company.

I am having surgery on my arm (the one that I broke) so, I have no idea when the next time I will write is but, I will be leaving this blog open for Jill to post any interviews or anything else that may be of interest.

So, I just received an advance on my autobiography and I feel like it would not be right if I did not thank all of my readers out there.

I will admit the number surprised me (and Jill and Greta) but, it has made me rethink some things in my life. I have been out of "work" for so long that I actually forgot the amount I can make. I know my family and I will work on getting a new house. I of course give a lot if to charities and my foundations but, I have this strange idea that I may really want another child. I know my wife will kill me for saying that but, it's just an idea I have been thinking on. And praying on.

I will go ahead, without Jill or Greta's approval talk about my daughters entry in our family blog, which should be taken down by the time this is published. She is a child and I spoke to her about it and she did not really know what she was writing and how terrible it was. I think the truth is she misses her mother and isn't sure how to express it.

I tell my kids that if they want to be writers they can write anything they want but, they should never write anything that could hurt anyone in anyway.

I think the point is she is a child who was not supervised while she was online, a fault of mine and she did not mean what she wrote, I can assure you.

If you have no idea what I am talking about then, nevermind and thanks again.

I know everyone has their opinions about my wife so, I am going to lock the comments in any entry when I mention her.

Yes, I am alive and I know I have not been doing a very good job of keeping up with this blog but, I've been doing a lot of work with my fellow writers, with my family and with my autobiography coming out. So, with this being the weekend I have time to take a break and actually write in here.

I've noticed News lately has been very depressing so,I actually have nothing to write about.

I have been living with my oldest children these last few weeks and it has been very strange for me to be in a house without babies or toddlers running around. Actually, if anything the house has been quieter. When kids are the age the older ones are now they tend to be very dependent but, I am always happy when my children want to spend time with me without being forced. In my opinion family values is very important even though I know it clashes largely with what I do for a living so, I will admit to being a hypocrite. However,I don't write what I write to be controversial I write it because it is the only way I know how to fully convey a story.

I, like any parent want my kids to have much better than I did and I often ask myself if I am doing that. I know I won't be able to run around or play with them or that I can't give them as much individual attention,etc. I also think I can't compare myself to my own parents or my mother,really because it is a different situation.

I was a mess for a long time, even when I was a father but I cleaned myself up for my children eventually. I wonder what my childhood would have been like if my mother cleaned herself up for me ?

These thoughts don't come to my mind often though because I am just happy and thankful for everything and everyone I have now in my life.



Now I only have one pressing decesion to make right now :

This one:or this one :

Yes I stole my title from Shawna

I am very happy that this blog doesn't have a date log because then I would feel really bad about not updating. I just got my cast off so,I am back at physical therapy full time and my doctor is kicking my ass. In some of my past hobbies and jobs I have asked my body to do thins it probably couldn't but, this is different because I am re-adjusting to everything--not just walking.

Things at Cobalt have been relatively busy actually. Shawna is starting her new division so we constantly have new writers coming in and out along with all the other brilliant people it takes to start a new publishing division. Cobalt publishing has 3 floors in the Fere-Hallston building (counting the Midnight Agency) but it looks like we may need more space, although it will take a lot of negotiations for that to even begin.

Anyway between my family, physical therapy,getting ready to release this new book and helping out Shawna I have been very busy.

In other news, my bar is doing great. Apparently bars are seeing the better end of the recession. I know that's terrible

I have decided to take one of my co-workers suggestions and make this entry more personal. If you have noticed the style of writing I have done has changed from my previous entries.

Some of the fallout (no pun intended) from my accident was that I acquired a very mild form of a brain disorder called Aphasia. It affected me for a very long time where I was unable to speak for a long time as many of you saw. With help of my therapist, nurses and support from my family I was able to overcome this however it still affects the way I write.

It takes me a long time to write stories, to create fictional worlds because I often can not find the words to complete them. Writing these blog entries has been surprisingly easy though. But, I will admit I have some difficulties but,Jill and some of the editors at Cobalt are kind enough to edit these so they are readable but, the thoughts behind them are all mine.

So, the point is I will be taking a break from writing for now, this is a decision that has been a long time coming now but,I am officially saying it for the first time. I will still write this blog, I have been asked to do a few things for LA Magazine and I will always be involved with Cobalt but Joel Baker,Novelist is going to be taking a break for now. I have lots of scraps (a modem full actually)of a variety of unfinished stories, scenes and dialogue that I will either hold on to, give to other writers or something. Everything is really up in the air for now.

I think I will spend most of my time learning how to better manage my family and spending time with my family.