Those of you who have purchased "Harker's Barns" and "Still Standing" are my defacto supporters - I had promised you about a year ago that "Harker's Courthouses" and "Harker's Schools" would be my next books. These follow-up works are part of my committment to the people of Iowa. I want to let you know that they will be published, just not as soon as I thought.

Both books have been delayed due to technical problems normal with book publishing, especially photography books, as the design and printing process has more challenges than novels or collections of short stories and poetry.

They were tentavely scheduled for release in Spring of 2008, but probably won't be ready that soon. I will keep you informed as things progress towards a more definite release date.

Here are the images selected by TCB Cafe Publishing for their book from the contest "A Smile Is Worth A Thousand Words":

In September of 2006 I entered a photo contest sponsored by TCB Cafe Publishing out of San Fransisco with the theme "A Smile is Worth A Thousand Words". TCB is a publisher of major magazines for food and wine conniseurs and the corporation believes in supporting photographers in their effort to gain national recognition.

They approach their mission seriously and hold these contests with the goal of publishing a hard-bound book of the finalists' images and a travelling exhibit of these images that tours the United States. The winners are given publicity in over a dozen major magazines and major galleries and museums are notified also.

I am extremely proud to announce that I have been chosen as a finalist.

On March 15th, I will go to TCB's website and get the details of what it means to be a finalist and what will be required of me to fulfill my obligations as such. I will then post the images I submitted that they have chosen for the book.

You will not be disappointed.

I strongly urge you to visit their website and enter your own work in the 2007 competition. To become a finalist means an excellent opportunity to enter the national limelight as an emerging photographer.

Please feel free to e-mail the folks at TCB Cafe Publishing if you support my work as a photographer from Iowa and let them know you appreciate their sensitivity to an artist not necessarily from New York or Los Angeles.

It is always a pivotal moment when someone from the backwaters of American culture has something important to offer.

I graciously want to thank everyone who visits my website - it gives me great pleasure to know that hundreds of you do so on a daily basis.

Sincerely Yours,

Michael P. Harker