Happy New Year 2015!

Happy New Year everyone! I think I’ll do for 2015 what I did for 2014: I’ll post “a look back” this week…and “a look ahead” next week. WordPress provided me with an interesting report, but they’ve gussied it up so it’s more flair than substance this year. A few interesting tidbits from it though:

My most popular post for 2014 was The Origin of Hotty Toddy, a post I wrote in an attempt to poke fun at the obnoxious University of Mississippi football chant. I think what happens is that since they were winning this year, more people heard the chant and wanted to know a little something about it and my post turned up in the google search. Kinda funny.

The most popular day for my blog in 2014 was Oct 4, which was, probably not coincidentally the day after the Black Bears beat Alabama. Yeah, I post about other stuff (like this entry), but random googlers tend to find the Hotty Toddy post.

My top commenters are some pretty decent writers/bloggers, so I’m honored they visit AND comment on my page. Because of that, they get a shout out from me now! Krystol Diggs, who is a former student of mine from Full Sail. Kayla Dean, who I met when she attended the Hemingway Writers Retreat in Piggott, Arkansas. Freeda Baker Nichols, another writer I met at Hemingway and who is a far more consistent blogger than I am! Dot Hatfield, yet another writer I met at Hemingway! You see a trend, don’t you? Rounding out the top five is my mom—thanks, Mom! Show these writers some love and check out what they have to say since they’re often nice enough to leave comments for me here!

I did a handful of shows/appearances/speaking engagements again this year and had a blast at all of them. In March I returned to Memphis where I was the keynote Speaker at the Mid-South Christian Writers Conference. I met a small press publisher that expressed interest in my work. We’ve been talking for several months. Nothing hard and fast, but it’s promising.

In April, I returned to the Hemingway Writers Retreat where we had a great retreat. I was also a comic guest at MegaCon again this year. I moderated a panel “Break-in Stories” with a handful of really talented folks!

In September I got to go back to the Shoals Alabama area where I was a guest at the Geek Gathering in Sheffield. It was a fantastic little con and I sure wish they’d had something like that when I lived there. That area remains the only place I’d willingly go back to in a heartbeat! Then in October, I was a presenter at the Florida Writers Conference where I met a whole slew of new people.

Creatively, it’s been a decent year, too. I’ve been talking to a few artists not mentioned on this page before about projects, so hopefully something will come of those and you’ll see it here.

In August, my short story “Broken Down Truck” was published by Arkansas Review (v.45 #2) and in September, my graphic novel adaptation of The Remaining was published.

With all the advances in digital media, I’m looking to release some of my older comic work digitally and possible make it available via print on demand.

My novel, Buying Time, was made available in print via Amazon and in Kindle format on Christmas day! So I hope you’ve picked up your copy! Autographs are free! J Oh! And if you’ve already read it, pop on over there and leave a review on Amazon. I hear they really help!

It’s cool to see technology advancing so quickly…cool, but a little scary. Hopefully you’ve all “liked” my author page on Facebook so you can keep up with all the new stuff.

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Origin of “Hotty Toddy”

Disclaimer: This post may offend some. Offense is not intended. Humor is intended. However, seeing as to how I may likely fail at my attempt at humor, offense may follow. Thus, if you are a University of Mississippi fan (sometimes referred to as That School Up North), please do not read any further. I would hate to offend my Rebel Black Bear friends. Both of you are important to me.

Anyone who’s spent any time around SEC sports is well aware of the foul-mouthed chant so dearly loved by the Ole Miss faithful. All other eleven schools in the SEC are repulsed by both its vulgarity and by its execution, which is generally only done when 85% of the participants are fully inebriated. Black Bear faithful are quick to point out that there is a “kid-friendly” version, but regrettably cannot remember those words.

It’s funny, though—if you aren’t already laughing—at the general misunderstanding of the “Hotty Toddy” term. 98.32 percent of the current student body believes it comes from a form of hot totty, which is, of course, a hot alcoholic drink. Serve them another, please.

Fans of rival Mississippi State claim it comes from a time when teams hurled slurs at one another during sporting events and a drunken Ole Miss fan heard an angry Mississippi State fan yell “hoity toity” which, of course, means “Pretentiously self-important, haughty or pompous.” The Ole Miss fan, in his drunken stupor, took it as a challenge to imbibe more alcohol. Serve him another, please.

Fans of rival LSU also claim it comes from a time when fans of the team hurled slurs (as well as beer bottles) at one another.  Of course, the LSU faithful were actually yelling “potty potty,” which was a stab at the ever poor quality of the Ole Miss football team. Serve them all another, please.

Fans of rival Arkansas claim no knowledge of the obnoxious chant and are insulted when intoxicated Rebels accuse the Razorbacks of having an obnoxious cheer. Razorback fans wonder how that new coach is working out for the Rebel Black Bears and are thankful not to have to play such football powerhouses as Jacksonville St.

Fans of rival Alabama, which is not really a rivalry at all as Alabama rarely loses (44-9-2), have actually never heard the Hotty Toddy chant. They’ve heard of it, but it seems the Bamrs begin their own famous Rammer Jammer chant at kickoff of their games with Ole Miss. The Rammer Jammer chant is generally done after victory is assured. They’ve all had enough, thank you.

Of course, no one associated with the University can remember the REAL origin of Hotty Toddy—statistics say memory is the first thing to go when one is intoxicated.

LATE EDIT: As I seem to be getting a LOT of hits recently…I think I discovered why and just HAD to post this very humorous youtube video. Not sure how long it will be up before the Black Bear lawyers force it down–so watch it while you can!