Nokia Connects has a list of 10 Snake facts to celebrate the event.

Snake first appeared on a Nokia device in 1997 on the Nokia 6110. It was adapted for Nokia devices by Taneli Armanto, a design engineer in user interface software.

Snake was one of three games introduced in 1997, with the others being Logic and Memory. I remember playing Memory far more than Snake, but that was because I was bad at it. Logic was just stupid, but that’s because it was far too complicated for my 8-year-old mind.

The game is on over 400 million mobile phones and is now on its ninth version.

A fun fact is that Nokia 7110 players could play multiplayer Snake via the phones’ infra-red connections.

The most interesting fact, for me at least, is the maximum number of points on level one is 312 and on level nine is 2008. Nokia Connects lays out the scoring formula as: “bits on screen (212) X level (1 through to 9) + 100 bonus points for completing the level.”

A nice tribute is that Windows Phone now has a Snake ‘97 app that emulates the original game perfectly for those feeling up for a nostalgia bomb today.

I remember asking to see the family cellphone just so I could play Snake on long rides to see family. I didn’t realize it until today, but Snake is pretty influential on gaming as a whole. It started the mobile gaming craze that’s focused on simple, easy to understand games.

We at WebProNews tip our hats off to Snake for the many hours of fun its provided us and for the many more hours of fun it will provide to countless other people.

Happy birthday, Snake!

Kaiser had been smuggled in by his owner, according to ABC’s David Schoetz, and his escape put certain sections of Google’s New York offices on high alert.  There was even "a search by Google security that included posted photos and a description of the brown and gray reptile."

Of course, given the date on which the escape occurred, some people – including your humble author – required extra convincing that it had taken place.  "The company, known for internal April Fool’s Day pranks, was forced to confirm the missing reptile after some employees shrugged off the search as a seasonal joke," reported Schoetz.

At the same time, Google tried to downplay the incident; Kaiser’s "exact location . . . was not disclosed," according to a Valleywag article, because "Google didn’t want to alarm the office’s residents, who had probably been sitting with the python all day."

Said python, by the way, was non-venomous, just three feet long, and, as described by Valleywag, "a danger to mice but not to humans, unless they’re very delicate."

Just the same, I can only imagine how much happier those New York Googlers must be to know that their workplace is now snake-free.  Complimentary meals are nice, but loose reptiles have to take away from the company’s appeal.

As a writer you may think you are blocked because you think your book may not be significant enough, you don’t know how to format it, or since you aren’t famous, your book won’t sell. Or, like Dave you can’t think of something great to say.

Let the book coach encourage you beyond your doubts. Know that your book is unique and offers useful solutions to help your audience solve their challenge or problem. You don’t have to write like others, and yes, you can write a saleable book.

What is Writer’s Block?

To me it’s just that I’m distracted and don’t seem organized enough with what’s important to write for my particular audience. It’s a signal that my brain won’t focus temporarily. Like Dave Berry, I need a break.

To some of you, it’s like stepping off a cliff and plunging into the abyss. You don’t have all the answers to start, so it becomes overwhelming to even put words to paper..

Why do we have Writer’s Block?

1. We have too many ideas/ choices. We need to focus on one thing at a time. Write down 3-4 topics you are passionate about. Take some deep breaths, and let the #1 come forth. Write on one book primarily, and just put new ideas into the others’ folder. Stay with your #1 book until you finish it. When we don’t finish a project, we feel guilty–and hence more stuck!

2. Fear. Really, “False Evidence Appearing Real.” Our performance anxiety keeps us from taking that next step.However, we can get direction and skills from a how-to book on writing or a qualified book coach if we are willing.

3. We don’t have enough information to move forward to write a clear, compelling book. Perhaps we aren’t sure of how to publish our book. Or, we don’t know how to put a chapter together. Book writing information is easily available from the Internet. Do a search on “book coaching” and find helpful resources.

4. It seems an enormous task in time and money. What most emerging authors don’t realize is that they don’t have to write the “end all, be all” book. Just choose one focus such as solving one problem or writing for only one preferred audience per book. Targeted audiences are much easier to sell to.

How to Get Unstuck.

1. Warm up! Writers need to relax, get into alpha state each time before they write. So take deep belly breaths for 1-2 minutes first. Another way to set up your book writing success is to listen to relaxing music before you set out to write. You may even warm up by handwriting something before you commit it to your computer.

2. Got the blank page blues? Write a little the day before-then you have a partial page to hook new related, information onto. I wrote this article in two sittings because I didn’t like my old introduction.

3. Switch tasks, but honor a time set aside for writing each day. If you are stuck in #1 book, add research stories, or how to’s to the #2 book. If stuck on one chapter, start or work on another one.

4. Organize your book, both on your computer and in paper files. For your book, name it and save as the main folder. Add new files to this folder such as
- the introduction
- Chapter One and the rest
- Table of Contents with Chapter Titles
- The back cover, sales letter, or 30-60 Second Tell and Sell (sales message).

4. Start a promotion folder too. Name one folder “traditional” and another one “online.” Start adding files of promotion information as it comes to you.

Then, when your book is almost finished, you’ll have your promotion foundation ready to hit the ground running for fast, continuous sales that keep your cash flow going.

4. Love your topic. When you have passion for your book, you won’t have many blocks. You’ll be excited to sit down and spend special time each week on it. You may want to work daily like I do. When you do one “high level” activity a day on your book, you will finish before you know it and you will feel exhilarated and satisfied at your results.

Remember a page a day yields 365 pages a year. Think about a shorter book of only 25-50 pages you can deliver as an eBook or print book. You can finish one in less than a month!

Judy Cullins, 20-year Book and Internet Marketing Coach works with small business people who want to make a difference in people’s lives, build their credibility and clients, and make a consistent life-long income. Author of 10 eBooks including “Write your eBook Fast,” “How to Market your Business on the Internet,” and “Create your Web Site With Marketing Pizzazz,” she offers free help through her 2 monthly ezines, The Book Coach Says…and Business Tip of the Month at http://www.bookcoaching.com/opt-in.shtml and over 145 free articles. Email her at Judy@bookcoaching.com.