Details

Written by SW Hammond

Published: 16 April 2015

What a week! Things have been going crazy with the release of Mojo And The American Female. The support and feedback has been fantastic- thanks so much to everyone for checking it out! All of your notes and emails mean a lot.

From here on out it’s about promotion and getting the book into the hands of the reader. Pretty easy, right? I’ll just call up Oprah and get into her book club, haha. I need help turning the snowball into a snowboulder.

Every little bit helps- a shoutout on Twitter, a post on Facebook, mentioning it to your friends at the bar. Anything you can do would be appreciated!

If any of you would be willing to give an honest and objective review of the book and post your findings on the major websites, that’d really help a ton. I’m a big softy so drop me an This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and I’ll see about giving you a free copy of the book for review.

Well, I can’t believe it’s “done” and finally out there! It turned out to be a lot more work than I expected, but I’m happy with it. A lot of technical issues getting it work on the different devices / tablets. You'd think there'd be a universal standard language for all readers like HTML is for web browsers. ePub 3.0 is trying, but it has a long way to go... But, overall I think it’s a quality product and proud to put my name on it! Wish I could sit back an enjoy the release, clear my brain for a few days but my mind is already racing- time to jump back into The Final Book series!

Details

Written by SW Hammond

Published: 06 April 2015

From music and baseball industry professional SW Hammond, comes Mojo And The American Female, a collection of provocative short stories on his life as a Lost Boy in search of Winnie Cooper.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: William Searle, 702-927-8384
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

http://www.swhammond.com

MUSIC INDUSTRY PROFESSIONAL RELEASES DEBUT TELL-ALL

“A collection of short stories spanning more than a decade woven together to create the misguided anti-love story of a young man learning about the opposite sex through music, movies, and television.”

LAS VEGAS, NV, April 7- Music and sports industry professional Sean “SW” Hammond of Salt Lake City, debuts his collection of real life short stories “MOJO AND THE AMERICAN FEMALE” as part of Surf Star Media’s ePublishing line.

Hammond, spending more than a decade working for Sony Music Entertainment, Warped Tour, and Major League Baseball, has been documenting and reflecting upon his career and life contributing numerous articles to music, athletic, pop culture, and lifestyle publications. In addition, he is currently working on a set of fictional novels, the first, “THE FINAL BOOK: GODS” set to be released by Surf Star Media early in 2016.

Raised on rock n’ roll, with a particularly strong affinity for women who rock, Hammond blends an unparalleled view of pop culture and philosophy that follows him from his early twenties through his early thirties. “MOJO AND THE AMERICAN FEMALE” is rich with photography capturing Hammond’s days as a tour manager on Warped Tour and working for Sony Music Entertainment, as well as bringing to life the music, movies, and television that has plagued his rational sense of love and relationships. From childhood viewings of Full House leading to his lifelong hatred of John Stamos, his introduction to the Riot Grrrl movement and Kathleen Hanna, and to a questionable infatuation with The OC’s Summer Roberts - each story blends a reflective Kevin Arnold-like inner monolog with Wild Turkey.

“MOJO AND THE AMERICAN FEMALE” is the byproduct of one too many romantic comedies. Inspiration, enlightenment, and delusion fuel Hammond’s quest as he searches for a bit of meaning to life and someone to share it with.

Follow SW Hammond on Twitter: @SWHammond

Hammond is available for interviews and appearances. For booking presentations, media appearances, interviews, and/or book-signings contact This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Details

Written by SW Hammond

Published: 06 March 2015

In a two headed effort to pave the way for Surf Star Media to enter the realm of publishing and establish the necessary processes and relationships in that industry, together we will be creating and releasing the book, Mojo And The American Female.

The book is a compilation of remastered articles found here on HyL along with exclusive content unique to the book. The book captures the struggles and emotions of being single throughout a 10 year period. Woven together to create a coming of age tale, the story begins with Sean as a brash young man in his early twenties and follows him as he experiences life and women using pop culture as the backbone of his misadventures.

The book is designed to be highly visual complete with rich photography and vibrant design. Originally created as an interactive eBook, an adaptation to print as a coffee table book is also expected.

Tentative release on Amazon and iBooks store for late April / May. More info to come!

Details

Written by SW Hammond

Published: 28 December 2014

It’s been a long time… I apologize to you, and to myself. Always feel like a significant part of me dies when I step away from creative / personal writing for an extended period. You’d think at this point in my life I would have learned that I don’t operate well without it! Unbalanced. A little less in tune with the world and my place in it. It may not be reflected or communicated well, but there’s something grounding and satisfying when I put words together on a blank page. Secrets unlock.

So, what have I been up to? Well, I went back to Phoenix and worked for Major League Baseball for another season. I just can’t seem to step away! It was a fantastic experience- I worked in the Commissioner’s Office in Western Ops, Bud’s desk was actually right across the hall from mine (not that he was ever there). Helped with the Arizona Fall League, Angels AZL at Diablo Stadium, and few other various projects.

Baseball is a consuming gig. The hours I committed in order to feel like I was doing a good job were crazy. Routinely 70, 90, and even had a 110+ hour weeks. At this point in my life, that is a complaint. Baseball is a huge passion of mine and the game will always have a significant part in my life- I was again so fortunate to meet great people, icons, be apart of something so much bigger than myself, and turn that passion and experience into a paycheck. However, there was very little balance. I rarely had a thought or a meal that was away from the ballpark.

Normally the workload wouldn’t bother me, hell I would have welcomed it, but I had The Final Book in the back of my mind the whole time. Things were moving along so well with my writing prior to signing up for another season- tons of freelance opportunities and charging ahead through the novel. I felt I was being pulled away from “this” and that my stories and ideas were fading. That job, lifestyle, requires such a different part of the brain. Not that there were enough hours in the day, but I felt I was losing my creativity and ability to express myself.

I assume most people would scoff and laugh at that- for one to “say such things” about even having an opportunity to work in baseball, and the second that creativity is all in my head- my choice whether to be creative or not. I hear that, but I don’t know how to do both. My creativity is a fragile thing- it needs the foundation of a proper living situation, work stimulation, functional / drama free relationships, and the physical release from exercise to even get it turning. Once it sparks, I then need to dive in and foster it- put considerable effort into nurturing and strengthening that part of my mind. Exercises, practice, variety of content, deep-thinking and a bit of hope and optimism. That’s how mine works- I’m not sure about others but that’s how I’ve achieved creative success in the past.

I don’t feel that my head is in a creative place right now. I’ve been away from baseball for 3 weeks and this is the first time I’ve been able to come back to HyL without feeling completely lost and disappointed in myself. When the season ended I thought I’d be able to just dive back in, pick up where I left off- it hasn’t been that easy. Writing this has been a struggle.

So, what does the future hold? Am I recommitting myself to writing? What’s happened with the novel?

I have the opportunity to return to MLB next season if I choose. That’s a tough decision… I love the game. There’s something special about being at the ballpark… The fear is if you reject the opportunity, you may never get another one. Do I want another one? Do I feel I have unfinished business with baseball? I know with certain changes and improvements, the opportunity would become more intriguing and almost foolish to pass up. However, I can’t see a time or place when MLB and creative writing merge and I could accomplish both at the same time.

That’s the crux of my current uncreative rut. Until that decision is made, there’s a cloud hanging over my solar-powered muse.