The Miracle of Sound (i.e. Ultrasound)

So the results are in. Most of my children accompanied my wife and I as we gathered around the Ultrasound machine to learn the gender of our new baby. We were very much a house divided. Half wanted it to be a girl, and half wanted it to be a boy. This discussion and debate became so lively that Emily and I became concerned. We didn't want anyone to be disappointed. We both feel strongly that this is our last child (knock on wood). Thankfully, it will likely be a child--whatever the gender--that receives an abundance of love and attention--from my 22-year-old-son who has just returned from a mission to the Ukraine down to my six-year-old daughter who probably envisions the experience much like getting a sophisticated doll for her birthday. Despite the initial attention, we're also aware that after a while the "newness" of the experience has a tendency to wear off. So, in time, we might find ourselves once again facing most of the responsibilities. In any case, it was finally time to find out if we were having a boy or a girl.

The image on an ultrasound, for those who haven't partaken of this unique experience, is keenly similar to our stereotype of an Area-51 alien. Perhaps in the future the image will improve, but with today's technology some unsuspecting mothers might need to be comforted that they're not bringing a Martian into the world. Now, I've been around the block a few times when it comes to interpreting an ultrasound. Having been here 5 times before, I had a little more experience than most parents as far as recognizing a baby's gender. So before the technician made the announcement, I noticed that the apple had a stem (metaphorically speaking). This meant that I was the first to announce, "I think we're looking at a boy."

So, just to confirm, for our final act in the production of Heimerdinger offspring, we will indeed be offering another boy to the world. In a certain way, this is a great blessing. I have a happy tradition of giving all of my children Book of Mormon middle names, and quite frankly we'd plum run out of "girl" Book of Mormon names. I guess we haven't used Abish or Isabel, but . . . well . . . you probably get the picture. I seemed to recall that there might be a Lamanite village somewhere in Ammon's exploits that had an attractive feminine ring to it, otherwise we were drawing a complete blank. Now that we know we're definitely having a boy, we're contemplating the name Hunter Helaman Heimerdinger (initials H.H.H.).

That first name is not a lock. My wife could well decide that she wants to name him something else before the cooking phase is complete. But for now, that's the best we've been able to come up with.

I also have some unhappy news, at least for game fans. The boardgame that I announced a month or two ago will NOT be released this coming Fall. The reasons are complex, but it mostly comes down to money. Sorry folks. My publisher stated that the project might be resurrected next year, but I have a feeling that unless I finance the venture myself, it may not get done. I'll contemplate that when the time is right.

In the meantime, Escape to Zarahemla is progressing nicely. I expect to finish the novel in the next month or two, just in time for a fall release. But I really have no control over a book's release. After I've turned in the manuscript, it's really up to them. But I'm extremely proud of what this story is looking like right now.

Sorry I haven't posted much this year. That's what happens when I'm anxiously engaged in a new novel. Oh, and with any luck I'll repost Chapter 1, along with Chapter 2, very soon.

Don't forget to check out our new online store at http://www.frostcave.com/.

Stay close to the Lord.

(c) Copywrite 2011, Chris Heimerdinger

Have E-Book, Will Travel

Several big news items.

Tennis Shoes Vol. 11: Sorcerers and Seers is now available as a Kindle E-Book through Amazon.com. So for everyone who has HOUNDED me as to when this book might be available for download, I happily invite you to go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Tennis-Shoes-Adventure-Vol-ebook/dp/B004MYH0SK/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1297452856&sr=8-3

I'm sure the next question E-Book addicts will ask is "When will your other books be available on Amazon?" All in good time, my friends. All in good time. My publisher is certainly "incentivized" to get them up as soon as possible, but the texts of my books need to be formatted for the Kindle, which takes time, effort, bureaucracy, etc., etc.

NOW FOR THE OTHER BIG NEWS! This might be just as big as the first news, but I had to put something up first. I have a totally new store website connected to my blog called http://www.frostcave.com/. Please visit and check it out. You can also link to it from the link at the top of this page. I owe it all to the kindness of a wonderful fan named Courtney Wilson for establishing it. This site does away with the old HeimerRecords website, which had many bugs. If you were already registered on HeimerRecords, YOU MIGHT have to re-register on FrostCave.com. We're trying to find a way to preseve your info and make it automatic, but for now you must re-register. For new registrants, we will carefully see if you were registered on the OLD Heimerrecords.com website and delete your OLD registration. (So you don't get, for example, two newsletters.) To register on FrostCave.com go to: http://frostcave.com/store/index.php?main_page=login

NOTE: Because the store site (http://www.frostcave.com/) is a different platform than the blog site, it IS NECESSARY TO SEPARATELY REGISTER ON BOTH SITES.

Remember, folks who want to continue to order directly from me via the phone (801-495-0555) are certainly welcome to do so. It all goes to the same Visa or MC merchant account anyway. This new store site is sooo much cleaner and easier to access, understand, etc. And EVERYTHING IS DISCOUNTED!

In the future I hope to add many other features, including podcasts, either of my own rants or interviews with other LDS artists. In the meantime, I invite those who are interested to post "reviews" of my various book and audio products on Frostcave.com.

Now for the LAST news. My publisher asked me to design a new themed game for Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites. The design was pretty much designed, so it was mostly a matter of execution. (I say that for those who worry that such a project might distract me too much from writing.) This new game will be called Tennis Shoes Among the Nephites: Race Against Time!! It should be available this fall, along with the new novel, Escape From Zarahemla, (if I can just get the doggone thing finished. :)

That's all for now! Thanks for your fanship!

BIG (well, "little") NEWS FOR THE HEIMERDINGERS

Life can be a funny thing. Pains and trials can be a funny thing. But then you wake up one day and realize the purpose of it all. The depth of it all. And the inevitability of it all. You realize that if certain things hadn't happened, certain other incredible things would not have happened either.

Such was the case a few weeks ago when I came home after dropping off kids at school and found that my wife, Emily, had placed on my pillow a stuffed Winnie-the-Poo and an Eeyore. Beside those, on the night table, was a pregnancy test--with a plus sign.

So is it a boy or a girl? Well, as Mary Bailey replied to her husband, George, when he asked that same question in It's a Wonderful Life: "Uh-huh." I presume we'll know around April. And then there will be another little Heimerdinger in our home in late July or early August. And to think we already gave away all those baby clothes, carriers, swings, etc., etc....Gonna have to find all that stuff all over again. :)

That means I'll have son who is a returned missionary in my home at the same time that I'll have a newborn. Mindboggling.

I'd love to add other news to that. But anything else seems highly anti-climactic. I'll try to add more in a few days.

Chris Heimerdinger