Hello all - 

Well - 2008 is drawing to an end, offering a wonderfully snowy Alaska winter, and time to think on things and play outdoors. There's lots to feel grateful for in this last year. In the musical realm, I accomplished 3 goals that I'm quite happy about:

1. Releasing a CD that I personally really like and am proud to sell
2. Living the rich life of a traveling singer-songwriter, connecting with great people and seeing new places through music...
3. As of just a few weeks ago - breaking even on the $16,000 costs of my CD production, directly from CD sales. Woohoo!

THANK YOU to all of you for helping me accomplish these goals, whether you bought a CD, hosted or attended a concert, passed the word on to others, or just said/wrote nice things about my music. I soooo appreciate you! It's been very hard work, and the results have been fun and satisfying. Since I got back from my October journey to Colorado and Arizona, I've been laying low and catching up on stuff at home, and pondering the next step. Record again? Set up further national or even international tours? Focus more on Alaska? Stay home more and write new songs? Get a "normal" job you can come home from and forget about?  I'm not quite sure yet... I promise to update you once my intents are re-set.

***** Lookee here! A Holiday Special! *****

Since it does happen to be holiday-time and for many, that means gift-giving time, I can't help but humbly whisper the rather brilliant suggestion of buying Unfinished Houses as a gift for folks you know who might like it. To celebrate my breaking-even on production costs, I'm going to re-instate selling signed copies directly from my website. Just until the end of 2008, I'm dropping a buck off to make them $14 a piece and free standard shipping (faster shipping options will be available if needed) in the United States. And I'll sign them any way you like. (Ohmygoodness - if you all start buying my CDs as gifts, I'll actually start SAVING money as a recording musician, now that I've broken even!)  :-)

***** Or Digital Downloads *****

If you just want to buy downloaded MP3 copies, your best bet for the whole album is to buy it from CDBaby.com. Great audio quality and great company. It's also available digitally in all the standard places on the net, including ITunes. Links are below.

***** Is Unfinished Houses in Alaska stores? ****

Anchorage: Arctic Brewing Supply, Metro Music and Books, and Title Wave Books.
Mat-Su Valley: Fireside Books in Palmer
Fairbanks: College Coffeehouse
Seward: The Ranting Raven
Chitina: Spirit Mountain Artworks
Talkeetna: Whole Wheat Radio, Tanners Cofee Cabin, Dry Goods, Village Arts and Crafts, Latitude 62, Artisans Coop, Moose's Tooth Gifts

***** New photo slideshows *****

Oh - and I've posted a few more slideshows on my website with lots of silly-faces, as is my tradition. There are pics from the July Portland trip, my Alaska Tour with Danny Schmidt, and I'll soon post my recent Colorado/Arizona tour.

***** Louise Update *****

One more thought: On my travels recently, I got the chance to visit with my friend Louise, the aerial dancer with brain cancer, and the subject of my song of the same name.  In some ways she was doing really well after her third brain operation this last summer - bright-eyed and full of humor, despite brain damage from surgery and seizures. But I was shocked to see what a financial struggle it is for her to just make ends meet these days, much less pay hoards of medical bills. There are many people in this country in similar situations, I know... If you were personally moved by her story, and this is one person you think you might like to personally help, there is a Paypal donation button on my page about her... www.esthergolton.com/louise .  I know she'd deeply appreciate any extra financial help you can spare...

Okay - that's all for now. Have a great Solstice and Holiday season, however you choose to celebrate it. Hopefully you'll get to savour some fine cookies. If you need some snow, we have plenty to spare!

Take care,

Esther

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Esther Golton
Alaska Singer-songwriter with Mountain Dulcimer and Flute
PO Box 812
Talkeetna, Alaska 99676
Website: www.esthergolton.com
Listen at Myspace: www.myspace.com/esthergolton
Buy CDs and MP3s: My website or CDBaby  or ITunes