IMPORTANT NEWS

Kenneth Wayne Blokzyl
"Digger"

submitted 09/02/05 by Tony Ravenscroft

My father, Kenny Blokzyl, passed away Thursday, June 9, 2005, at 12:30 in the afternoon, surrounded by his family.

To say "he will be deeply missed" vastly understates reality. I cannot possibly convey how heartening it was to see the dozens of family members & hundreds of friends turn out to mark the passing of this man, but I’m glad that I had the chance to talk to so many, even though I was certainly lacking in communication ability.

Kenny was loud, rude, & totally honest, & played a huge role in my still-developing skills as a storyteller & public speaker. I sometimes believe that he had a bigger heart than any ten people, & he certainly cared deeply about the world around him. His love & support buoyed me through many of my own dark moments, something that will last the rest of my life, & I cannot be more proud to have had him as "my old man" — there has to be a Heaven, because Kenny certainly deserves to be there.

UPDATES

yet another book

submitted 10/01/05 by Tony Ravenscroft

It's been a busy year for me, in more than the obvious ways. Besides helping to run a small book company, the Crossquarter Publishing Group, I'm able to get some of my own work into print (when I can convince my partners, anyway). In July, my first novel came out, The Emperor of Portland, a slightly wacky yet meticulous mystery. Earlier this year, we published my Other People's Treasures (selling used books on Amazon.com), & we're set to bring out Write Print Sell (self-publishing your own books as marketing tools). Not that I'm there mainstay: Crossquarter will have its 25th book in print by the end of 2005.