Looking From The Inside Out

A World of Dreams

2011-04-11T08:30:00.000-07:00

Kids are prompted to follow their dreams. Yet, sometimes, when they do they are ridiculed. One case in point is the Rebecca Black phenomenon. Her mother bought her a music video. She made it and posted it on You Tube. The rest, as they say, is history. Being hailed as the worst video in history, Ms. Black has had to endure countless taunts. NPR has covered the follow up to her fame here. I think they cover it well. She is just a 13 year old girl. Fortunately she is a mature 13 year old. She is holding her head high and not succumbing to the jeers.
I can't imagine if I would have been able to handle it as well at that age. I have to say, honestly, I've seen worst videos. We had a record, back in the 60's which was absolutely horrible. It was by a girl named Brenda Holly. It seems that this young girl's parents paid for her to make a record.It was made locally and distributed far and wide. Someone put one of her songs on You Tube. She must have made several songs because the one I heard was much worse. I can't imagine what would have become of her had You Tube been around in the 60's.
I started writing stories when I was very young. Thank goodness no one posted them on the internet. If the internet had existed back then, I'm sure my older brother would have posted my stories. Suffice it to say, they weren't very good. They were corny and tripe and, well, the product of a youthful imagination. Young people have dreams. Sometimes they grow and change their minds. Meanwhile, they leave a trail of leftover drawings, essays, songs, etc. That's how life works. We dream, we love, we evolve. When we really love something, we will learn about it. We will sharpen our skills through trial and error. Anyone who feels the urge to attack someone who is just trying to follow a chosen path, should take a hard look at themselves. If you don't like something, then don't read, listen or look at it. If it isn't good, then it will go away on its own. I'm not talking about sought out constructive criticism. I'm talking about personal attacks and taunts. Usually, those who feel it necessary to do such a thing have their own issues. They may have their own insecurity problems or worse, superiority complexes. I've seen writers who have made the mistake to strike back at critics. This is a huge mistake. They are alienating their readership as a whole. Not only that, their work has a target market. It isn't supposed to appeal to everyone, assuming that was even possible. So, readers, if you enjoy a work, say so, if not, let it go. Writers, if you do not like a criticism, let it go. Its part of the process when you expose yourself to the world.
So, here's to dreams in all their wonderful forms!

The new age in reading.

2011-03-16T09:42:00.000-07:00

I've taken a hiatus from here due to extensive writing elsewhere. I am still busy, which is a good thing. Recently, the media is saying quite a bit about millionaire e-book authors. They make it sound so easy and mysterious. Amanda Hocking is a young writer who has happened to become very successful writing e-books. She makes it clear that it wasn't easy but a lot of time and hard work went into her writing. She isn't the only success story. These self-made millionaires are the exception and not the rule. One of the main reasons is that not everyone can write a compelling story that millions want to read. Also, some authors do not successfully promote their work. There is a fine line between promotion and spamming. You don't want to be annoying. You do want to let people know where your work is and how they can obtain it. They need to know something about you and why your books are worth reading. The e-book industry is booming. My book is selling 3 to 1 on the kindle vs. paper. I have a major novel making the rounds. It deserves only the best. However, the sequel to my children's book will become an ebook. I've already written it. I have a DTP account with Amazon. The rest is just a matter of fine tuning and submitting it. I would prefer it to be in a paper form too. Yet, putting it as an e-book does have its advantages. I will, of course, have to acquire a nook publishing account as well. This is a new age of publishing. Getting your work read can be easier than ever before. You must be able to write well and keep the reader's attention. Beyond that, the sky's the limit.

J. D. Salinger: A Life

2011-01-25T11:18:00.000-08:00

It hardly seems that a year has past since J. D. Salinger departed this life. Since his passing, inevitably, authors have taken the time to analyze, research and write about him. Currently, a book is being released called, aptly, J. D. Salinger: A Life. Author Kenneth Slawenski lives in New Jersey. He has been researching J.D. Salinger: A Life for the past eight years. NPR's Maureen Corrigan reviews the new book with her usual candor and delightful insights.There is not much I can add to her review other than this: Is this book completely factual? I'm not saying the author deliberately made up observations about Salinger. What I am saying is that no one can truly understand and know what a person's life was except for that person. Salinger chose to keep to himself as much as he could considering the fame which followed his novel The Catcher In The Rye. As a result, he left himself open to conjecture and rumors. One could only understand him through his writing and personal observation. This biographer also researched the records of Salinger's family in order to weave in the pertinent facts about Salinger's past.
I, for one, would have loved to read a Salinger autobiography. Much like Mark Twain, Salinger could have written a personal account of his life only to have it published posthumously. That way, Salinger could have been open and forthright in his writing without worrying about who it might offend. Only then, could we see into the mind that is J. D. Salinger. Alas, it was not to be. We must be content with a third-person account of Salinger. It is written by a skillful and well researched author. However, he had never met the subject of his book. He can only do so much to see into J.D. Salinger, the man. Nonetheless, it offers something for those hungry for any insights into the life of Salinger. He was an enigma as much as he was a master story teller.

Tis the Season

2010-12-23T09:39:00.000-08:00

The holidays make me think (which is something I do a lot of). What is it about the holidays that bring out the best/worst in people? As a kid, you can't sleep, eat, rest or anything else, because there is stuff under the tree with YOUR name on it!!! Well, to be fair, you can eat...candy, nuts, pies, sugar, etc. They say that the child is full of wonder and sees the good in all things. Yet, if you don't put any presents under the tree with the child's name on it, you'll see how "full of wonder" they are. Like, "I wonder where the !@#$ my booty is?" Well, maybe not exactly like that, but the sentiment is the same. So, here we are, a youngster awaiting the opening of the gifts. Their joy knows no bounds. The adult, on the other hand may have their own Christmas spirit (albeit, from a bottle), but it is spirit nonetheless. Now, let's fast forward to a week later, The kids are exhausted and covered in broken toys, sleeping off their Christmas high. The adults, however, are uncorking the bottle, yet again, as they open their Christmas bills. Its almost like going through withdrawals. You get the anticipation, the high, and the eventual let down. Now you don't have to be a drinker to anesthetize yourself. You can do it through whatever guilty pleasure suits you, be it sugar, caffeine, two day naps, etc. Here's the thing, do we really want to do this to ourselves? I mean, I like getting new stuff as much as the next person. But, is my life really enhanced by this stuff? I guess it depends on what it is. I'm not suggesting that we stop with the gifts. All I'm saying is that there should be limits. Maybe there should be more traditions and rituals to offset the money drainage. The bottom line is, is it worth it? Some people suggest that we live every day as if it were Christmas eve. Is that even possible? I look at it this way, the lows (and yes they are inevitable) make the highs that much better. We learn from contrast. If everyday was a euphoric field of happiness, would we be getting all that life has to offer? I try to appreciate each and every day. I attempt to "stop and smell the roses" so to speak. I take note of something, no matter how insignificant, to appreciate. When the lows hit, I try to see them as a formidable opponent. Not something to fear, but something to overcome. I see it for what it is: LIFE. So, for 2011, I, for one, shall attempt to walk through the forest of life with perspective. See it from a higher point of view, like a river. You can stay stuck in the sandbar, or you can take flight and see the whole river. You can see the beauty of it and how it flows on and on. You can savor the scenery before you reach the end of the river and traverse a whole new world. Merry Christmas, Happy Life Day (which is every day)!!

While I Was Out.

2010-12-07T11:17:00.000-08:00

As I've been busy doing "very productive" things, a prominent blogger has recommended three books for the holiday gift giving season. Over here. I am a contributor in book #1, so, if you have an inclination, check it out. Or, for that matter, check all three. Passing along the written word is a wonderful tradition. Expanding one's mind is about the single most important thing you can do. We are all trying to get through this thing called life, just like everyone else. The key is to evolve in a positive way. Remember, you don't drown by falling in the water, you drown by staying there. They say we all have friends on the "other side" who are whispering in our ears from time to time. Stop and take time to listen. Even if you don't believe in an after life, you can surely believe in your own intuition. It is that inner spark which tells us we are doing something right (or wrong). It continually guides us along our path. It is connected to our emotional guidance system which tells us if the advice fits. You know, the feeling we have which tells us if something makes sense, no matter how bold or not, it might be. It lets you know if the voices in your head are good or misguided. If we take time out, even if only for a few minutes, to reconnect, we can nurture our inner spirit. Meditation doesn't have to be ritualistic. Just take some deep breaths, let them out slowly and close your eyes. Let your imagination do as it will. You may see some strange things and maybe, like a puzzle, some things just might make a bit of sense. Here's to sitting down occasionally on the park bench of life and taking a breather. Then, when you start traversing you life's path, once again, it might seem just a bit nicer.

Reading for October

2010-10-08T06:11:00.000-07:00

Ray Bradbury first published the short story, the Homecoming, in Mademoiselle magazine in 1946. It was about an Elliott family reunion in Illinois. The Elliott family happen to be vampires. They were an unusual family who lived in a dark, Gothic Victorian house. This fictional family became the inspiration for Charles Addams creation, the Addams family.Author Neil Gaiman credited this tale as one of the stories that inspired him to take up writing.
Since I am an Elliott, I find the story intriguing.I was brought up watching the Addams family and the Munsters on television. In fact, my siblings and I seemed to be able to relate to these weird, yet loving families who were different by all of society's norms. We, too, felt as if society saw us as "strange". At the same time, we saw this as a good thing. We loved being the "black sheep" who loved monsters and unusual books and movies. Maybe we used our unique outlook to life as coping mechanisms. Maybe we had an artist mentality. It was probably a little of both. Yet, we were different in a good way. It became who we were.
Bradbury seemed to be coming from the same type of mentality. He saw the world from an artistic, yet darker slant. Bradbury had an intelligent imagination. He could not only see the world in different ways, he could make the reader see it too.

Bradbury came from Waukegan Illinois which he immortalized in a poem.

Byzantium I come not from….
As boy

I dropped me forth in Illinois.
A name with neither love nor grace
Was Waukegan, there I came from
And not, good friends, Byzantium….
Pretending there beneath our sky
That it was Aphrodite’s thigh….

And uncles, gathered with their smokes
Emitted wisdoms masked as jokes,
And aunts as wise as Delphic maids
Dispensed prophetic lemonades
To boys knelt there as acolytes
To Grecian porch on summer nights

When he was young and had recently moved to California, Bradbury was introduced to the existence
of the “Science Fiction Society,” a local group where he met
Robert Heinlein and other writers, both established and
aspiring. Heinlein helped Bradbury publish an early story, and
by the early 1940s the boy from Waukegan was selling material
regularly to pulp fiction periodicals.

Almost from the start, Bradbury aspired to something higher
than the formulas of genre fiction. When his story Homecoming was turned down by Weird Tales, Bradbury
published it instead in Mademoiselle, where it was championed by
Truman Capote. Soon afterwards, it was chosen for inclusion in
The O Henry Prize Stories of 1947. Around this same time,
Bradbury’s work was accepted by Harper’s and The New Yorker.
By the early 1950s, when he began publishing the novels and
short story collections for which he is best known—including
The Martian Chronicles (1950), The Illustrated Man (1951), Fahrenheit
451 (1953)—Ray Bradbury had evolved into a fantasy writer, evolving into a Science Fiction author. He had the wit of a poet and the flair of an actor who could immerse himself in the tale as if he were living it.

Looking at his classic works, one could see how unique his slant was on reality. Take, for example, a passage from The Martian Chronicles. Here any other science fiction writer of
Bradbury’s generation would have written: “The rocket ship
landed.” Instead, this is what we get with Bradbury:

The ship came down from space. It came

from the stars and the black velocities, and

the shining movements, and the silent gulfs

of space. It was a new ship; it had fire in its

body and men in its metal cells, and it moved

with a clean silence, fiery and warm . . . It was

a thing of beauty and strength. It had moved

in the midnight waters of space like a pale sea

leviathan; it had passed the ancient moon and

thrown itself onward into one nothingness

following another.

(from

The Martian Chronicles

)

Science did not prevail in Bradbury's Sci-fi tales. He chose to envelope the reader into another world without the nuances of technicalities.He used interpersonal relationships between the characters and their environment. He chose to delve into the underlying human and political aspects of the tale. He used common dilemmas society faced and placed them delicately into a science fiction setting.In the book Dandelion Wine, he takes the idea of a boy wanting a pair of "tennis shoes" or sneakers and makes it a wonderful thing. Here is an excerpt:

Somehow the people who made tennis shoes
knew what boys needed and wanted. They
put marshmallows and coiled springs in the
soles and they wove the rest out of grasses
bleached and fired in the wilderness.
Somewhere deep in the soft loam of the
shoes the thin hard sinews of the buck deer
were hidden. The people that made the shoes
must have watched a lot of winds blow the
trees and a lot of rivers going down to the
lake. Whatever it was, it was in the shoes,
and it was summer

When I was in high school, I was fortunate to have been offered a class in science fiction. In this class we read and discussed science fiction books. From Bradbury to Asimov, the class was propelled into a fantasy world that faced issues that were not so different to what we faced in our world. The wonderful twists of fate and ultimate ethical questions sparked my young mind. Bradbury deserves our gratitude. He gave us a way to escape the mundane while offering us an alternative view of the world in which we live. He presents us with thought provoking ideas and ideologies which, ultimately, give birth to our limitless imaginations. It is a gift we all have. How we use it is up to us.

B.C. Brown Writes

Banned Books Week

2010-09-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

Boo

It is, once again, Banned Books Week. Stand up for the freedom of information and speech. Here is the place to go to in order to see what is currently being challenged in the U.S.
Let us remember the wonderful books that were once banned or currently challenged. Education is a wonderful thing as long as the young minds have access to all types of subjects. Obviously, anything that might be a directive for specific harm should be monitored, but generally that is a gray subject. Also, if a book is being touted as non-fiction when it is actually fiction, then it must be brought to light. The debate on what is acceptable and what is not could go on forever. It is important to keep in mind that, just because you disagree with something, doesn't necessarily make it bad. It is just like the parents who refused to let their children listen to a speech on the value of education by President Obama. It is sad when parents withhold information just because they don't agree with the person delivering it or the subject for that matter. They may hide topics they oppose. Eventually, the child will grow up and be exposed to this information. Wouldn't it be better to open a dialogue on the topic so your offspring can be fully informed enough to make up their own mind? A well informed student will become a well informed adult. Educational balance is very important for intelligent, functioning adults. Our leaders need to know about the world they live in....every sordid detail.
Here is a very short list of formerly or currently banned books.
A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Alice In Wonderland by Lewis Carrol
Annie on My Mind by Nancy Garden
As I Lay Dying by William Faulkner
Blubber by Judy Blume
Brave New World by Aldous Huxley
Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson
Canterbury Tales by Chaucer
Carrie by Stephen King
Catch-22 by Joseph Heller
Christine by Stephen King
Confessions by Jean-Jacques Rousseau
Cujo by Stephen King
Curses, Hexes, and Spells by Daniel Cohen
Daddy's Roommate by Michael Willhoite
Day No Pigs Would Die by Robert Peck
Death of a Salesman by Arthur Miller
Decameron by Boccaccio
East of Eden by John Steinbeck
Fallen Angels by Walter Myers
Fanny Hill (Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure) by John Cleland
Flowers For Algernon by Daniel Keyes
Forever by Judy Blume
Grendel by John Champlin Gardner
Halloween ABC by Eve Merriam
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Prizoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling
Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by J.K. Rowling
Have to Go by Robert Munsch
Heather Has Two Mommies by Leslea Newman
How to Eat Fried Worms by Thomas Rockwell
Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou
Impressions edited by Jack Booth
In the Night Kitchen by Maurice Sendak
It's Okay if You Don't Love Me by Norma Klein
James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl
Lady Chatterley's Lover by D.H. Lawrence
Leaves of Grass by Walt Whitman
Little Red Riding Hood by Jacob and Wilhelm Grimm
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
Love is One of the Choices by Norma Klein
Lysistrata by Aristophanes
More Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
My Brother Sam Is Dead by James Lincoln Collier and Christopher Collier
My House by Nikki Giovanni
My Friend Flicka by Mary O'Hara
Night Chills by Dean Koontz
Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck
On My Honor by Marion Dane Bauer
One Day in The Life of Ivan Denisovich by Alexander Solzhenitsyn
One Flew Over The Cuckoo's Nest by Ken Kesey
One Hundred Years of Solitude by Gabriel Garcia Marquez
Ordinary People by Judith Guest
Our Bodies, Ourselves by Boston Women's Health Collective
Prince of Tides by Pat Conroy
Revolting Rhymes by Roald Dahl
Scary Stories 3: More Tales to Chill Your Bones by Alvin Schwartz
Scary Stories in the Dark by Alvin Schwartz
Separate Peace by John Knowles
Silas Marner by George Eliot
Slaughterhouse-Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.
Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs
The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain
The Adventures of Tom Sawyer by Mark Twain
The Bastard by John Jakes
The Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger
The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier
The Color Purple by Alice Walker
The Devil's Alternative by Frederick Forsyth
The Figure in the Shadows by John Bellairs
The Grapes of Wrath by John Steinbeck
The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson
The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood
The Headless Cupid by Zilpha Snyder
The Learning Tree by Gordon Parks
The Living Bible by William C. Bower
The Merchant of Venice by William Shakespeare
The New Teenage Body Book by Kathy McCoy and Charles Wibbelsman
The Pigman by Paul Zindel
The Seduction of Peter S. by Lawrence Sanders
The Shining by Stephen King
The Witches by Roald Dahl
The Witches of Worm by Zilpha Snyder
Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume
To Kill A Mockingbird by Harper Lee
Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Webster's Ninth New Collegiate Dictionary by the Merriam-Webster Editorial Staff
Witches, Pumpkins, and Grinning Ghosts: The Story of the Halloween Symbols by Edna Barth

Seeing the World Anew

2010-09-21T07:08:00.000-07:00

     Many people walk through life unaware. They go through the routine, they complain, eat, sleep, work and relax. Routine is a comfort to many people. Vacations, a nice respite, can have an undertone of anxiety. People will worry about money, accidents or any number of problems that can interrupt routine. Putting your energy into what you don't want, only gives it power over you. Many organized religions, corporations and any number of groups will use fear in order to dominate, control or to suppress. Anarchy and chaos would surely destroy civilization, they surmise.
   Now, take a step back and see the world through the eyes of an artist. The artist sees the world through their art.
     The writer will see the world in words. They use words to paint a picture and bring it alive. They create emotional dramas or vignettes of serenity.They will use prose to assist a reader in their visualization of a scene.
     The painter will see the world in color. They will use the canvas as a scene. Using color, or lack of color, they will fashion a moment in time. A piece of the world as they see it. Color, texture and light combinations can draw the viewer into their world. It can be a realistic depiction of everyday life or a fantasy piece from the artist's imagination.Like the painter, the sketch artist will use their pencil or charcoal as an avenue to recreate a picture from life or imagination. They can use the graphite to form simulated texture and shape.
     The photographer sees the world through the lens of a camera. They will use lighting, color, and filters to generate a snapshot of life. The photographer can use various angles and still life in order to offer new perspectives to a subject.
     The musician will see the world through pitch, frequency and harmony. The composer will evoke an emotional response utilizing instruments and rhythm. The musician can also use lyrics in order to clarify and define the musical piece. Along the same lines, the vocalist will use pitch and tone in order to portray a mood and accompany a melody. The singer may sing a cappella without the aid of instruments. The vocal resonance will consummate the aria on its own merit.
The fashion designer is also an artist. Clothes are constructed by design using fabric, buttons,thread, color, texture and anything else the designer fancies. The layout and cut of the cloth is just as important as the cloth itself. Some designs are geometric and plain. Yet, they are important parts of an ensemble. People decide how they want to look. What image do they want to project? People will choose their outfits to fit the occasion. A formal or informal party will dictate the style a person will select.
   The actor is an artist who transforms the face, hair and voice in order to elicit a mood. A good actor feels the part. The actor becomes one with the scene as if he or she were actually experiencing it. A professional thespian makes it look easy. The viewer will be drawn into the scene as if they were really there.
     The hairdresser uses the hair as her canvas. Using scissors, color and ingenuity, she fashions the style to portray a person's individuality. Hair is an important part of a person's essence. The stylist plays an essential role in an individual's self confidence.
   The culinary artist uses the taste buds in order to create a delectable meal. Using a recipe, the cook will combine any number of spices, condiments and foodstuff together to make a culinary masterpiece. There is a difference between eating to live and living to eat. Savoring a great meal is a wonderful way to unwind after a hard day. The chef, not only uses food, but also compliments the meal with creative beverages. Wine, coffee and deserts are an important part of a well planned cuisine.
     An architect is also an artist. Look at the classic architecture in Italy, France and Greece. There are many architectural styles of past and present. Some people love the old Gothic styles used during the renaissance (myself included). Some love the modern, Frank Lloyd Wright styles.The architect must combine style with function in order to add to the aesthetics and utilitarian layout of a well planned city.
     Now, take the filmographer. This person will combine all the creative avenues together. Movies use music, cinematography, artistic set design, costume design and human emotion. The success of a film is dependent on all creative avenues. An actor is only as good as the script. The script cannot stand alone without the successful backdrop and so on.
The common denominator that all artists use is the ability to evoke emotion. Using their art, they draw out an emotional response from the audience. If they cannot do this, they are not fully utilizing their art. It does not matter what the emotion is. It could even be apathy. If an individual is sparked in some way by art, then the art has, at the very least, did its job. Even if you are not a creative person, you can surely appreciate the artist. How boring the world would be without the artist's input. Using our senses, we absorb the world around us. The artist uses the senses in order to make our world a bit more interesting. They make us more aware of the world around and inside us.

Here's a wonderful example of how an artist used junk in order to create fascinating shadow art.

The Year of Twain

2010-09-14T12:34:00.000-07:00

“I came in with Halley’s Comet in 1835,” Mark Twain wrote in 1909. “It is coming again next year, and I expect to go out with it. The Almighty has said, no doubt: ‘Now here are these two unaccountable freaks; they came in together, they must go out together.’” With this eerie prediction, Samuel L. Clemens did indeed die in the year of the comet on April 21, 1910. One hundred years later, Mr. Twain's legacy is surfacing again. One of Mark Twain's dying wishes was the publication of his personal, outspoken and revelatory autobiography. He devoted the last ten years of his life writing it. Not wanting to face the readers of this candid, tell-all book, Twain chose to have it locked away for a century. He felt that 100 years was adequate enough time to allow his words to simmer. He, most likely, would have been pleasantly surprised to learn that he is as popular as ever in the next century as he was in the last. His publications have survived social changes and book banning. The world is a different place than it was in Twain's day. Yet, simultaneously, human nature remains as complex and dynamic as ever. Mark Twain had a deep understanding of this.
The creator of Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn left behind 5,000 unedited pages of memoirs when he died in 1910, together with handwritten notes saying that he did not want them to hit the book stores for at least a century.

The wait is over, and in November the University of California, Berkeley, where the manuscript is in a vault, will release the first volume of Mark Twain's autobiography. The eventual trilogy will run to half a million words, and shed new light on this uncommon novelist from another time.
In order to honor Mark Twain, support your local independent bookshop Twain wrote about common folk who made their own adventures, off the beaten path. With the major chain stores, electronic books and the like, the independent shops of all types are being squeezed out.However, it is the locally owned, self-reliant shops that exists for the community. The corporate run stores care about the bottom line, first and foremost. They are motivated by manufacturer kick-backs and popular genres over intelligent, high quality merchandise. The chains are homogenizing the world, one community at a time.Patronizing the local shops is a way of reclaiming individuality and art for the sake of art. The local shop is going up against the corporate giant armed only with a knowledgeable passion for success. They truly care about what they do. So, keep this in mind when you decide your next purchase. Check out the local shops first and support your community. Ever wonder where a local shop is when traveling? Check this out! If you find a great local shop, you can add it for free!

The future of books.

2010-08-23T07:06:00.000-07:00

Electronic books save on paper. Are they really greener? There is still controversy on this. Trees are a renewable resource. Yet, electronic books do not use up landfills, unless they become unusable. That, of course, would happen at a much slower rate than physical books. At the same time, I cannot envision a world without books. My son loves the "ology" books...like Pirateology, Dragonology, Egyptology, where he can open and discover wonderful pictures and hidden treasures. He and I both enjoy the art of pop-up books. There are some very creative books on the market which combine the written word with art. Would an electronic book truly reproduce the beautiful "table" art books available? I wonder if a future reader would truly appreciate Vincent Van Gogh's "Starry Night" on a 3 to 7 inch screen? For this purpose I am assuming the screen is in full color. (Currently Amazon's Kindle is not, although it's just a matter of time until it is.) Imagine, if you will, a city wide blackout. I have experienced this many times. What will you do with an electronic reader once the batteries are exhausted. If you do not have a car where you can recharge it, you cannot read. Even a solar powered reader will lose its charge at night after time. Not everyone will be able to afford an e-reader. What about the poor child whose family cannot provide such a device? Would he be lost without the paper book, which he can borrow from a library? One can only assume that the library will loan out e-readers. Even so, we can refer back to the whole power supply issue.

I truly believe that there is a place for both electronic books and paper books. Of course, we need to have paper books for reading. Here's someone who is using books for a house. Electronic books are not going to go away. We might as well accept this. Yet, I am reminded of H.G. Well's story The Time Machine, where the main character goes to the future only to discover the demise of books. He is shocked at the sight of books which crumble to his touch. Then there is Fahrenheit 451 where individuals memorize books in order to preserve them in a world of book destruction. I understand that e-books preserve information. However, they can be erased. They can be unreadable during a power outage when the batteries have died. They cannot be touched, shelved or admired as a creative object. I believe the physical book is an art form which deserves to be preserved. I remember a time when people were aghast at the ideal of vinyl albums disappearing. They said it would never happen. Alas, despite the opposition, it did, indeed happen. There was a time when those in the radio business were convinced that television would never last. Again, it lasted and over took the radio shows of the day. This is the way civilization evolves. Someday, we will no longer have CD's with music. Eventually, all music will be digital only. It seems hard to believe to those who have yet to cross over to the digital music age. There will always be impoverished individuals who would have no access to technological advances. The physical book can be found in libraries, in second hand shops and be given out to the needy. Technology needs to be maintained, which some people simply cannot do. I truly hope, for the sake of future generations, that civilization leaves room for both types of books.

Perspective

2010-08-16T08:29:00.000-07:00

People who constantly have bad luck tend to see things in a different way. They see life as a string of negative experiences. They wear the badge of despair for the whole world to see. Sometimes they even compete with others for "I have it worse than you" scenarios. Then, conversely, there are those who think they are better than others. They compete for "Mine is better than yours" situations. One thing these types of people have in common is the "self-fulfilling prophecy" phenomenon. Their lives will reflect their outlooks. It is rare to see the person who is content, no matter what happens. These people put their focus on what they want instead of what they don't want. These same people will find that life delivers what they put their focus on. They do not compare themselve to others. They just do what makes them happy.
It has been said that a journey of a thousand miles begins with just one step. I see people who love to begin a sentence with "if only" or "yeah, but". They infer that their dreams are impossible. Then, of course, they are. Then there are those who walk toward their dreams. If they fall down, they get back up and walk again, even if it is in a different direction. They savor the journey and realize their goals. Once realized they create new journeys and new goals. They are happier than those who savor the worst case scenarios. They may even experience similar situations. However, they know it isn't the situation but how you react to it.

We are all residents on this planet which resides within the Milky Way Galaxy. Standing back and looking at the whole picture can make all the difference in the world. I used to think all of my problems were caused by others or circumstances beyond my control. Now I realize, in hindsight, I was the creator of my life. I made choices that I didn't have to make. I despaired over situations instead of looking for better scenarios. I made my life choices. At the same time, I am a product of those choices. Sometimes it takes something negative in order to help you see something positive. Opposites can teach and can give you perspective. I applaud those who can stand up, brush themselves off, and move on...with a smile on their face. Life doesn't have to be as difficult as we make it out to be. Here's to perspective. Live it, write about it and get to know it.

MirrorMask: “If I Apologized”

2010-08-11T08:43:00.000-07:00

Sometimes a song can put life in perspective. Sometimes a lyric can inspire. I now think of someone, who is gone but not forgotten, when I hear "Blackbird" by the Beatles. I find music relaxing, inspiring, motivating or just plain fun. Different types of music is essential for different types of moods. The music below was written for the movie "Mirrormask". It is reflective, yet hauntingly poetic. The enticing instrumental blend is pleasantly melodic. Although the lyrics might have resonated more with my younger self, it is still evocative. This is a personal observation. Everyone has music that they can respond to, depending on their moods. Music can be a wonderful mood enhancer when life seems a bit oppressive. Many artists use music to create by. Here's to the beautiful melody in all its evocative forms.

LISTEN
If I apologized
it wouldn’t make it all unhappen
wouldn’t make the darkness go away
If I apologized
it wouldn’t mean I was forgiven
wouldn’t mean you wanted me to stay
But
it’s a dream
when you seem
to be walking into the sun
we’re on first
unrehearsed
and we still don’t know what we've done
so we don’t say anything.
If I apologized
I don’t suppose you’d even notice
even though I’d whisper it inside
If I apologized
we could be the perfect couple
Well we could, but only in my mind
but
if you ask
for the mask
then we’re stumbling on through the dark
But we wait
it’s too late
And we only had to be asked
so we don’t say anything.
It couldn’t hurt to try it
It couldn’t hurt too much to try
It’s there beyond the quiet
it couldn’t hurt too much to fly…

Here's a link to the song's author discussing it.
Here's another link to songs which were inspired by the classics.

Choosing Easy World

2010-07-30T07:34:00.000-07:00

The new book, Choosing Easy World by Julia Rogers Hamrick, is about a mindset which people can use to change their world. Ms. Hamrick is a spiritual writer and contributes on the forum affiliated with the popular "Secret" site . Her latest book outlines the steps needed for people to change the way they think about life. The book also incorporates individual true stories which illustrates how the concept works in reality. I am one of the contributors to this compilation. Since I learned how to change the way I look at my life, my life has changed for the better. It is more than just positive thinking. It is a way of life. It encompasses the thoughts and feelings of ease and optimism. At the same time, when you see things in a new light you become more inspired. Inspiration will lead to inspired action. The book assists individuals in turning their lives around from the inside out. Quantum physicists have known for some time that all atoms consist of energy. This energy is part of the fabric of life. We are all made from it. This includes our thoughts. If we see it all as a living entity, we can understand more clearly how it all connects together. Our life reflects our mind set. For example, it is commonly known that negative people have more health problems. This is why physicians will ask people if they have any worries or issues when diagnosing a health matter. Ulcers, colitis,hypertension are just a few of the health issues which are directly connected to negativity and depression. Choosing Easy World lets the reader understand that life doesn't have to be so hard. We really do have a choice, no matter how bleak things seem. It takes time to allow yourself to really believe that life can be easy, but once you do things start to change.

Libraries attacked!

2010-06-30T11:17:00.000-07:00

So, the news media has decided that libraries are a waste of money. OR, maybe not, they wonder aloud...
Yeah, lets save money by shutting down libraries. Why provide literature to the masses? Surely we could find other ways to save money. For example, maybe we could cut back on excess baseball fields in cities where the current fields are not used to capacity. Many cities have built stadiums that weren't necessarily needed. Its all debatable, of course. However, I cannot see how libraries can be debated. Call me crazy, but free literature should be made available to all. It is the responsibility of modern society to educate and inform. Do we really want society to be populated with a majority of mindless followers? Maybe the politicians do, I don't know. People should use libraries and make it clear to those in power that knowledge and books are something they cannot withhold. Here's a link to make your view known by July 2nd. How could anyone even debate a library's validity? I guess those who can't read, but there are audio books there. It causes me to take pause. Its not quite as drastic as Fahrenheit 451 but its a step in the wrong direction.

Life observations

2010-06-21T11:20:00.000-07:00

I saw a similar list about life, however, I had a bit of a different slant on the whole thing. I thought I would put my two cents worth in.

Things we aren't taught in school

No one cares about you as much as you do.
Life isn't fair. Fair to one person, isn't always fair to another. Also, whining about it won't help. Rarely will anyone ask you how you feel about what happened.So what? Your self-esteem belongs to you, build it from within. Be the kind of person that you admire.
Success is dependent on you and thousands of other people. In this reference I'm talking about career success.To be on top, others have to follow you.At the very least, others have to care about what you are doing.
No matter how shy you are, you have to connect to the real world. It is next to impossible to function without connecting with someone. To really operate in society, you must connect to many.
Life can be tough. Teachers are only the beginning. Wait till you get a boss who dangles that paycheck over your head in return for menial tasks. You have to perform for less than likable people, deal with it. Of course, always know it is only a step in the process. Remember, you don't drown by being under the water, you drown by staying there.
Don't be humiliated when you have to do something you consider beneath you in order to eat. All work is valid and can lead to other opportunities. The CEO isn't necessarily a better or smarter person than the burger flipper at McDonald's. Actor Jack Nicholson was "discovered" while working in the mail room at MGM
Stop blaming your boss, job, spouses, etc. for everything that's wrong in your life. You can see your experiences as anchors or the clay that made you who you are today. You have the choice to be what you want to be. Hating someone is like taking poison, expecting the other person to die. Spinning your wheels in the mud of self pity won't help you move forward. You can either accept the person in your life who holds you back, move on or deal with it. If you have been walked over, get back up and walk on. You can also try showering the oppressor with love and overwhelm him/her. At the very least, they will be confused enough to stop, if only for a little while. Doors are there for a reason when the heat is too great.
Stop blaming your parents. Your parents are individuals too. There's a good chance that they were learning right along side you as you grew up. They have dreams, ideas and opinions independent of you. They may be older but they are not always as senile as you might think.
Life goes on and on and on until it doesn't. Savor it. Yes, life can be depressing. People can be a pain. Remember, someday, if you're lucky, you will realize how great it was to be younger or where you are right now.
Personal success can't be gauged by wealth or career. You are successful if you raised kids who become responsible, contributing adults. You are successful if someone loves you for who you are. You are successful if you are happy and content. Success in the eyes of others doesn't matter because, generally, people are gauging themselves in relation to you in order to feel better (or worse).Do you really need their admiration or scorn as the case may be?
Be nice to nerds. They are the great thinkers who power the world's infrastructure. Oh, yeah, they may be your boss someday.
Don't judge people on the surface. Everyone has a story. The cover rarely divulges the novel within. You may be surprised to discover the layers underneath, once you get to know a person.
Don't wait until your death bed to say I'm sorry or I love you. Also, don't die with regrets. Its never too late, really it isn't. Look at Betty White, she isn't quitting even though she's in her 80's. George Burns contributed well in to his nineties.

What do you want?

2010-04-29T12:07:00.001-07:00

Social networking is great for people who want to connect to other people for a variety of reasons. It may be they have too much time on their hands or they are lonely. It is also a big conduit for those who have something to connect to those who want something. Writers, marketers, politicians, satirists, etc. all have "something" they want people to have. Those who are seeking for something to have may stumble upon those who are giving. It is a nice symbiotic relationship. The thing is, what is it you really want? What is it you really have? I mean REALLY. Sometimes what we think we want isn't always what we need. Thinking outside the proverbial box helps us clarify our goals. It also gives an avenue for creativity. You know what you want, now decide what you need. Here's to connecting on many different levels while at the same time fulfilling all of our hopes and dreams.

National Library Week

2010-04-15T11:39:00.000-07:00

It is time, once again, to honor our libraries . Go ahead and check out a book or DVD at your local library. Author Neil Gaiman is the honorary chair for this event. It amazes me how libraries tend to be forgotten. They have such a rich source of material available for free. Many libraries across the country are having events this week. Even after this event has come and gone, don't forget your local library. They exist because of those who check out material and patronize the library. If no one bothered to check anything out or just stayed away, they would eventually lose their funding. I know of a one-horse-town, not far from my neck of the woods, which has a one room library. It was created by a lady who wanted to promote reading. She donated the first books and housed them in a small shot gun style house. Since then, some odd 40 years ago, the library still exists. The local school, citizens of the town and the current Caretaker, have supported it and had fundraisers in order to keep it alive. There is a place in Kansas that claims to have the smallest US Library. The library I was referring to was at least as small as the one in Kansas. The smallest library in the world is in South Britain. They converted a telephone booth into a library of sorts. People actually wait in line to check out a book there. I believe, even with the electronic books becoming all the rage, that the good old paper and binding will still prevail. I have electronic books on my Ipod but I still house a plethora of wonderful ink and paper books. I don't have to worry about charging the batteries or having my electronic device with me. I can always grab my latest read and take it anywhere. There's something special about the smell and feel of a real book.
So, honor your library, no matter how small. It exists to serve, even if it isn't always appreciated. The smallest of libraries are even more special as they must live amidst technology. To me, they serve as a reminder of how a group of people, no matter how small, can do great things.

Imagine a library

2010-03-30T11:55:00.000-07:00

Here's a link to another place where there is a contest going on. Laurie King wants you to imagine what your "perfect" library would look like. What would it contain (besides books)? I've seen many a beautiful library and know exactly what I would like. The contest is for a "public library" but I have my personal library already planned out. It would have dark cherry walls which meet midway with deep red fabric walls. The shelves would be very classical and massive. The obligatory ladder on wheels would allow the reader to access the higher shelves There would be comfortable velvet seating with gorgeous stained glass lamps. The ambiance would be welcoming and soothing. It would have carved wood tables with matching chairs. There may be a tapestry hanging, depicting some medieval scene. My library would be a combination of Victorian, renaissance and classical styles. Of course, being in the 21st century, it would also contain modern technology. Wi-Fi and and an mp3 player with a sound system would allow me to play background music at my discretion. Since it is obvious that I love books, creating an imaginary library is an easy thing for me to do. Alas, the next thing to do is to create a real one.

Competition

2010-03-18T10:08:00.000-07:00

I've observed many things throughout my life. One thing, more than most, is that human beings are competitive. I don't necessarily mean in a business sense either. Sure, that is one area that involves competition and is necessary. However, I've noticed that if you break down the art of gossip, (it is an art) you see the fundamentals of competitiveness at its basic form. Usually, gossip consists of discussing what is wrong or negative about someone else, though not always. At the heart of these negative observations and/or opinions is competition. Many people either have underlying feelings of inferiority or superiority, take your pick. They want to come out on top of the heap. They do not want their lifestyles analyzed but have no problem analyzing some one else. I can honestly say that I have been drawn into such conversations. In the past I would just nod my head and agree rather than start an argument. Then I went through the stage of standing up for what I believed. I would defend the person or cause being accused by asking what proof the accuser had. I can say one thing for sure, that was a waste of time. People will believe what they want and no amount of facts can change this. Just look at the last election for proof of this. I always said, "don't sell your soul" to anyone just to avoid an argument. The fact is, some people love to argue. I have finally come to the conclusion that its ok to live and let live. Of course, you should obviously not be passive to abuse or overt injustices that are harmful. Just, pick you battles carefully. Words are words and can only hurt you if you allow them to. If you know that you are doing your very best and not hurting anyone, that's all you can do. It doesn't matter what anyone else may think. This takes me back to the subject of competition. It has been discovered that the most successful people were those who did what they loved to do. They followed their passions without regard to what other people did. They succeeded, not because they were better, but because they did their best. There are so many talented, passionate people out there. The ones that stand out are those who focus on their craft rather than what their "competition" was doing. That weeds out the negative, self defeating energy and leaves them with the beautiful talent which gave birth to their ideas in the first place. There's always someone with more ______________(fill in the blank) but not someone better at being you! Everyone has a story. So focus on your passions and see the beauty in everyday life!

Our world

2010-02-16T09:33:00.000-08:00

We build our world from the inside out. Everything we see, interact with and what we believe makes up our world. We decide what it is we want to be. But first we must decide who we are. You can choose to believe what others say you are or you can believe what you want (be it good or bad). I hear people say "I'm bad at math" or "I'm an excellent cook" or "I'm thin/fat", etc. The bottom line is, you tend to be exactly what you believe yourself to be. Now you can say, "I'm just looking at reality." Reality to one person may not be reality to another. For example, when it snows, one person can see the beauty in the white landscape. Another person will only see the slippery streets which can be dangerous to drive on. Its the same reality to both persons.
There have been studies conducted that show people who think more positively are happier than those who think more negatively. On the surface, that makes sense. However, when another study was conducted, it showed that positive thinkers were actually having better "luck" than the negative thinkers. In effect, they were creating their reality from the inside out. Cancer patients with longer survival rates are the ones who are taught positive visualizations and meditation.
The recent HBO movie Temple Grandin is an excellent example of people making up their own minds about what is real and what isn't. Temple is autistic. Because her educated mother refused to follow the doctor's advice and institutionalize her, Temple received an education. Temple is now a grown woman with a doctorate. She now speaks on behalf of autism issues. She is also an animal behaviorist. Because Temple was educated, she learned not to accept the world's vision of her. She saw events as a door which she could open. Society tends to close doors to those with autism and learning disabilities. Temple teaches that everyone learns differently and as such everyone needs to be taught differently. Temple Grandin has several books that should be checked out. Also, here is a video.
Today's schools attempt to teach every child in the same way. As a result, some kids are left on the sidelines.
What does all this tell us? First, it shows that it is up to each individual to decide who they want to be. Second, it shows us that once we decide, we must not stray from our vision. If you want to succeed, you must realize that you do indeed create your reality from the inside out. If you have a disability, you must look beyond it. You can use it as a tool to greater things or move on to a higher purpose. It truly is up to each person. For good or bad we are all on this planet trying to live our lives. No one greater than the other.
So, are you a writer, doctor, speaker, etc? Are you more than one thing? It is up to you. Circumstances can either stop you or be overcome. They can help you or hinder you. It is up to you.

J.D. Salinger will be remembered by his book.

2010-01-28T12:06:00.000-08:00

"Catcher in the Rye" author J. D. Salinger has died at age 91 in New Hampshire.

The AP states: "He had lived for decades in self-imposed isolation in the small, remote house in Cornish, N. H."

I always find media statements like that rather odd. I heard the late Paul Harvey state that Barbara Streisand had agoraphobia. He stated that she hid behind closed doors and was afraid to leave her home. Famous people are stalked, hounded and bothered. Naturally they are going to shy away from the privacy-invading public. It doesn't necessarily make them hermits or agoraphobics. At the same time, Salinger openly admitted that he cherished his privacy. So do I, yet I am not afraid of getting out. So, let's move on.

Salinger's only successful novel, The Catcher in the Rye, was published in 1951 and gradually achieved a status of fame which he chose not to participate in. That book became a coming of age story for many an adolescent and disgruntled youth. The Catcher in the Rye with its immortal teenage protagonist - the twisted, rebellious Holden Caulfield - came out during the time of anxious, Cold War conformity. Salinger wrote for adults, but teenagers all over the world identified with the novel's themes of alienation, innocence and fantasy.

In later years, Salinger become famous for not wanting to be famous, refusing interviews. If you might wonder why he chose solitude, check out a pursuer of the famed author who searched him out. Actually, to his credit, the literary afficiado did not disturb Mr. Salinger. Nonetheless, many before him have. Let us leave Salinger's memory to the ages. His literary contribution stands for itself.

A New Year

2010-01-05T11:10:00.001-08:00

2009 has come and gone. We are now in a new decade. As such, we should make up our minds as to what we want to accomplish in the coming months. Now is as good a time as any to make a list. Don't be afraid to dream BIG. If you don't seem to be getting where you want to be, maybe you aren't dreaming big enough. It really does matter how you look at your goals. People tend to get what they expect to get, so expect the impossible! You can't reach the summit if you stop half way. Here's to a wonderful new year full of dreams, joy and accomplishment. Follow your passion and you can't go wrong.

The holidays make people strange

2009-12-08T11:16:00.001-08:00

Strange...that's a nice way of putting it. I did a Twitter book give away which went well. Now there are a few more people sharing The Wormhole with a few more young people. I may give some away at the hospital this year. Heaven knows they need something to get their minds off of their circumstances. I think I shall stay away from the shops now that people are desperate for gifts. I've done my shopping and am quite pleased with myself. I stopped at a store yesterday and looked at an item on the shelf. I went to pick it up and someone reached in front of me and grabbed it. I think they thought I was going to get the last "something". I moved along and saw another item in a different department. The same scenario replayed itself. People think that everything is the last thing. People tend to want things that other people want. Don't get me started on the way people are driving. Too much money and stress are put into ONE day. As a result, the day after is such a let down. If only we could honor every single day as the special day it is. Laugh, live and love.....

Interesting tale

2009-11-23T07:12:00.000-08:00

The author Shaun Tan has provided a nice illustrated short story for the UK's Guardian. His story telling is somewhat unusual, yet heart warming. I found the story of "Eric" quite charming. Some authors, especially children's authors, find that pictures can tell a story as well as the words. For Tan, the pictures make the story what it is. His books can appeal to young and old alike. They are simple narratives with an underlying significance. His illustrations speak more clearly than the words that accompany them. He is a visual story teller with a talent for dark and unique imagery. He may not be everyone's cup of tea, but I find such stories delightfully strange.

This is funny on so many levels.

2009-11-13T05:58:00.000-08:00

A Massachusetts high school principal has banned the word "meep" What in the world is "meep" you may ask. It is a nonsense word made popular by the muppet Beaker. You know, the victimized lab assistant to Dr. Bunsen Honeydew. Since Beaker had a speech impediment, most everything he said came out as "meep". Sure, the good doctor could understand him but no one else could. The rest of us had to rely on poor Beaker's body language and verbal tones. It wasn't too difficult, though, since Beaker tended to be blown up, caught on fire or suffered from many other various, experiments gone wrong, situations.
Now we understand the word and its origins. So why would a school ban this? Well, it seems a senior on facebook organized the student body together and planned a mass "meeping" or something like that. First off, how did the principal know this? Apparently, there was a double spy on facebook. Let this be a lesson learned. Be careful who you accept as a friend on facebook. Like, don't befriend the principal's daughter, son, brown noser, etc. If you want to know more details and we know you do, look here and here and maybe here The principal is just trying to keep order. However, it seems more like a challenge. What's to stop the students from using another nonsense word? Eventually, in theory, all nonsense words could be banned. Where will it end? This is why the freedom of speech is so important in the good 'ol U.S. of A. Shouldn't the kids be happy, thus more open to learning? If it isn't fun then it becomes a chore and everyone loses. OK. I understand that the kids can't go around disrupting class. There has to be a line drawn somewhere. Nonetheless, I would rather see the kids uttering "meep" in the halls than a string of foul words I won't repeat here. Don't get me started on the dehumanizing lyrics of some of the gangsta rap. Lighten up, Mr. Principal. Have a sit down with the ring leaders and discuss their motivations and why you lack a sense of humor. We know, you're just trying to do your job and keep order among the ranks. Maybe a compromise could be reached. Allow the meeps in between classes only. Keep the meeps away from specific offended teachers. As with all things, these kids would have eventually become bored with this and moved on to something else. Now, well, now they have been challenged, thus bringing the whole meeping thing to a level they had never expected. Thanks Mr. Principal, now my kid can't go to school and say meep. Where will it end?

Artists Unite!

2009-11-03T08:18:00.000-08:00

An artist is asking for help.
This artist is being sued by a manufacturer. The manufacturer is seeking to overturn the artist's copyrights. They want the artist's original designs all for themselves. This isn't the first time something like this has happened. Those with big money recognize an idea, concept or cool product that will make them more money. They know that if they drag the creator through the legal process they can eventually bankrupt the artist and win the money making art all for themselves. Art comes in all forms, be it paintings, designs, the written word, architectural, etc There comes a time when someone has to stop the Walmarts, marketers, etc from stealing from the creative individuals. It would seem simple enough for the manufacturer to simply license the design from its creator. The manufacturer, however, doesn't want any part of the artist. They don't want a future where the artist might actually ask for more money. They don't want to deal with the middle man. The bottom line is that they are greedy and will stop at nothing to corner the market on whatever it is that they think is a money magnet. Creative people must do whatever is in their power to change the laws that allow such a practice. There is the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund which was created in order to help graphic novelists and comic book artists protect themselves in a court of law. It does a brisk business helping the creators of some very fine work. Every area of creativity is at risk from Big Money and needs like minded individuals to band together in order to retain the wonderful art with its creators. Copyrights, trademarks and patents do not necessarily protect an artist. Patents expire and there are numerous loop holes in the laws. You can spread the word and let the world know that the little guys are the ones with the creative ideas. Corporations do not posses the creative mind. They must be held up to a higher standard.

Plagiarism software finds Shakespeare

2009-10-20T12:27:00.000-07:00

THE 400-year-old mystery of whether William Shakespeare was the author of an unattributed play about Edward III may have been solved by a computer program designed to detect plagiarism. Software such as this is normally used to catch cheating college students. However, it has come in handy as a tool for scholars looking to research historical texts.
Sir Brian Vickers, an authority on Shakespeare at the Institute of English Studies at the University of London, believes that a comparison of phrases used in The Reign of King Edward III with Shakespeare's early works proves conclusively that the Bard wrote the play in collaboration with Thomas Kyd, one of the most popular playwrights of his day.
The professor used software called Pl@giarism, developed by the University of Maastricht to detect cheating students, to compare language used in Edward III - published anonymously in 1596, when Shakespeare was 32 - with other plays of the period.
It is interesting to note that software like this is readily available to professors and publishers alike. It can save an author and publisher future legal problems.

Should some books be removed from libraries?

2009-10-01T08:36:00.000-07:00

This is a question that has circulated for as long as I can remember. H ere is a link to a well thought out response to this question.
A woman strongly opposes a book which is shelved in the children's section of the library. It deals with gay marriage. The response covers all bases of the woman's concerns. I have to agree that if you do not like a subject, it does not mean it should be removed. Should we homogenize our books stores and libraries? I understand that adult information should be kept from children. I mean who wants our children exposed to x rated material? Common sense should prevail when categorizing such material. The subject matter at the center of this particular complaint covers gay marriage which, like it or not, is part of today's society. If a child is removed from such controversial realities, is it a good idea? The child will grow up totally ignorant of such things. When they become independent adults they are in for quite a shock. If the mother strongly disagrees (or agrees) with something, then discuss the topic with the child instead of hiding it. Give the child intelligent facts on the subject. This way the child is equipped with valuable information in order to deal with the world. Otherwise, the child will eventually go out in the world totally unprepared to deal with life's nuances.

National Book Festival

2009-09-28T09:11:00.001-07:00

Once again authors and readers descended upon Washington D. C. The Washington Post put up a nice video of the various authors who talked about their craft and the books they love to read.

Also, on You Tube there is an amateur video of children's author Judy Blume talking about her childhood. If you love to read, book festivals of this caliber are a wonderful place to be. An array of books from all genres are laid out with the author there to chat with. Having done smaller book festivals, I know how much the authors enjoy this as much as the readers. Even the more popular authors have stated that it is a wonderful way to meet their readers and learn something about their fan base. Even if they do get writer's cramp signing so many books, they still love positive feedback from someone who truly gets where they're coming from.

How to write a great query letter.

2009-09-16T11:23:00.000-07:00

It's easy to get lost in the world of publishing. Everyone needs help occasionally. A literary agent has decided to make his and writer's lives a bit easier by offering a free download of his query letter tips. For the agent, it relieves them of the trouble of sorting through pointless and confusing query letters. For the writer, it gives great ideas and tips for writing a query letter that just might get noticed. Go ahead and have a look. Then, write your query with the agent in mind.
From the free download site: New York literary agent Noah Lukeman, President of Lukeman Literary Management Ltd, has represented multiple bestsellers, winners of the Pulitzer Prize and American Book Award, National Book Award Finalists, and has written three critically-acclaimed books on the craft of writing New York Times The First Five Pages, The Plot Thickens, and A Dash of Style). During his last 13 years as a literary agent he has read thousands of query letters and now, for the first time, he offers his insights on the query letter, sharing an insider's perspective, giving insights and practical tips about what works and what doesn’t.
HOW TO WRITE A GREAT QUERY LETTER:INSIDER TIPS AND TECHNIQUES FOR SUCCESS is a must-read for any writer serious about being published.Designed for writers of fiction and non-fiction, for screenwriters and poets, it speaks to a broad range of authors, offering principles that will help lead to success no matter what your craft.Practical, engaging, filled with exercises, anecdotes and sidebars, this 80 page e-book takes you on a journey, will transform your query letter from a document that could be rejected to a document that will make agents take you seriously.

Space Invaders

2009-09-04T12:07:00.000-07:00

No, I am not talking about an ancient video game or Sci-Fi novel. I'm talking about individuals, who, for some reason, gravitate towards lonely people. These are gregarious, talkative, social people who honestly feel that if you are sitting alone, you are lonely. They assume that any right minded person craves social interaction. They see the poor pitiful soul sitting there all alone and they decide, right then and there, that they shall brighten up your world. They volunteer their presence so you will not feel like an out cast. To be fair, they crave the interaction as much as they think you do. They have plenty to say and it would be just plain weird to say it to no one. So, here you are. You found that perfect spot, away from the crowds, where you intend to sit. You may be waiting for someone or just killing time. You purposely chose this spot because of its seclusion. You may be at an amusement park waiting for your family to get off a ride. You may be on a lunch break. Oh the sweet serenity where you can gather your thoughts. You may be getting ready to pull out that book you've been reading. You've waited all day to get back to it. You silently congratulate yourself for finding a fine spot in which to exist, if only for a little while. As an added bonus you find a spot near a tree or better yet, a wall. One less personal access point, you sigh contentedly. You note that there are plenty of places for newcomers to sit, away from you. Since most people do not usually like to sit in too close proximity to someone else, you're pretty much guaranteed solitude.
Then it happens. You notice out of the corner of your eye that someone is looking in your direction. Then, they start walking toward you. You make a point to look at your phone or bag, anything to avoid eye contact. Then, oh dear lord, no! They sit right next to you despite the sea of unoccupied spaces far away from you. You mentally go over a list of inconspicuous exits you can make without insulting the intruder. For the love of god, you were just about to grab your book. You were so close. Now it would look like you obviously were trying to avoid this person. So? Does it matter you ask yourself? Noooooo, you wasted too much time thinking...Now the invader speaks to you! I know, I'll feign deafness. No, that would be too obvious. OK, I'll answer their question to be polite and then act like I have to go.
"Yes, it sure is nice weather", you respond. Nooooo, another question!
"I have a dog." You silently berate yourself for not saying that you hate animals or that you are allergic to them or anything that would cause this person to get up and leave. Too late, you're engaged in conversation! You pray for a cell phone call, an alien abduction or your family to return, anything but this time wasting conversation. Its not like you're anti-social or anything. You just looked so forward to this personal time out.
I searched a bit on the topic. To my horrors I discovered that those who are advisers are telling people to invade other people's space! They mean well, really they do. But, they fail to take into account that its OK to be alone sometimes. It doesn't necessarily mean anything negative. Why do the occasional loners get singled out as sad, pathetic people in need of companionship? Sometimes they are labeled as shy or worse yet, stuck up. When seeking a place to wait, size up the situation for yourself. Don't always do what other people tell you. You might just pick out some crazy person to sit next to. I won't go into the many scenarios that could ensue there. To be fair, there are those who want companionship in open spaces. The shy ones who seek companionship usually send out clear signals. They have no book to read, they make eye contact (even if they do look down immediately) or they sit rather close to occupied spaces. Even loners know that in a group situation like a sporting event or school activity, sitting alone is not usually an option. The loners know this and accept it. No one wants to be alone 100% of the time. OK, some do but they tend to be in a whole category by themselves.
Remember, people, when you are approaching a potential seat, don't pick out the person who obviously chose a seat way away from the crowd. They aren't necessarily lonely. In fact, their seat choice may be strategic. If there are many people around, yet this one person sits alone, there's a reason for this! Be kind and take pity on the, not necessarily lonely individual by choosing your own idealistic spot, way away from the loner. Thank you for your support.

Flying Snakes, Who Knew?

2009-09-01T12:02:00.000-07:00

Just when you think you've cornered the market on innovation, you find out that someone already did it. There was a cartoonist who drew a strip with flying snakes. He smugly went where no other cartoonist had gone. He created a niche. He was quite proud of his unique character that he created out of his own imagination. His strips were mildly funny. It was the concept of the flying snake that made it silly. I gave this cartoonist silent accolades for his original, witty theme. Come to find out, flying snakes do exist in nature. (check out the videos) One can almost hear the snakes go "wheeeeeee" as they fly from one place to another. Not only do they fly, they do so in a floppy, comical kind of way. These snakes, in real life, are way more funny than the cartoonist's strips. OK, they don't actually fly like a bird but they do flee. Even though they are technically jumping in a wiggly sort of way, they are still called flying snakes. Flying snakes, you say, well that cartoonist honestly had no idea. Does it matter? It didn't seem to matter to the person who created Rocky the flying squirrel from the Bullwinkle cartoons. Everyone knew that flying squirrels existed and it didn't matter. So, should you spend your life trying to find a void in the creative world in order to be the "only one"?
I read that many of the new inventions being patented today are just remakes of old, expired patents. Sure they're modernized, but they aren't necessarily original. Try watching the old black and white sitcoms from early TV. You will see how many of those original ideas have been recycled by today's TV writers. Even those original shows "borrowed" from vaudeville and ancient comedians. Surely, after Socrates died from drinking Hemlock, some Greek comedian said, in his monologue before the gladiator festivities, "Hemlock! why didn't someone tell me Hemlock was poisonous?" when making a joke about the philosopher's demise.
The bottom line is, be creative. Follow that inner voice that tells you something is right. If you write, then write and finish things. Then, do it all over again. If you paint then paint...and so on. If it is your passion, follow it. Does it matter if flying snakes really exist? No, but it makes the world that much more fun.
Oh yes, as a side note, the aforementioned cartoonist did not use a flying snake as his hero due to its uniqueness. No, he admitted to using a snake because that was all he could draw accurately.

Those who live in glass houses...

2009-08-28T09:19:00.000-07:00

...build sliding walls! The Sliding House was built by an innovative architectural firm. They specialize in bizarre and unique buildings designed to be functional as well as aesthetic. Making designs that stand out and cause people to pause is no easy feat. This site, which focuses on unique architecture goes into more detail along with a video. Creating functional art is a noble cause. Too many things are boring because it is cheaper to mass produce straight lines and average products. Homes are no exception. I've checked out many homes over the years and have not been impressed. Many of the big, expensive homes in the great neighborhoods have very little design in them. They leave it up to the resident to add design via interior decoration. Rarely do I see a grand Victorian fireplace complete with dark carved wood mantles and marble inlay. I am told it is too expensive to do. Yet, I know there are cheaper ways to reproduce such aesthetic designs. Faux marble and molded statuary aren't as good as the real thing, but at least it is an attempt at design. Walls with real wood instead of dry wall are another design element that has been lost. I don't mean the ugly wood paneling from the 60's through the 70's either. Architecture, like literature is an art form that begs for new innovative ideas from unique, talented individuals.
“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has.”
Margaret Mead

Why computers are important.

2009-08-27T07:39:00.000-07:00

The following video illustrates a point. Outside of the obvious inspirational aspect of this amazing team, it also show just how important computers can be. Since supporting computers is part of my livelihood, I hear many comments of how computers are monopolizing everyone's time. Maybe, but they are a valid tool for so many things. In medicine, communication and so much more, computers are just now embarking on an amazing frontier. Its hard to imagine life before them. Like TV, computers do take up a lot of the average persons time. However, what matters is what you do with it. The technology isn't the culprit. The user can make productive choices with what they do. Here's to the amazing communication devices which open up the world to people who depend on them. Caring, thinking, intelligent individuals who, without the aid of the computer, would otherwise not be able to communicate.

Find your inner artist,

2009-08-21T08:16:00.001-07:00

Do you feel like you're in a slump? Are your creative juices drying up? Then go to the above site and create a snowflake. Anything that promotes creativity can be productive. Start with a snowflake and move on to bigger and better things. Once you get the creative ball rolling who knows where it will take you? To make a camp fire you must start with a spark. Go ahead, construct and add your snowflake to the creative blizzard. Maybe, just maybe, it will ignite your own inner genius.

You CAN overcome anything!

2009-08-20T06:15:00.000-07:00

This video illustrates a very good point. No matter what your circumstances, you can find ways to reach your goals. This boy never gave in and never gave up. He used the tools he had and refused to focus on what he didn't have.Attitude, ability and focus are the operative words. First you have to decide what it is that you don't want. Then, let it go. Next, decide exactly what you do want. Take a few moments each and every day to go through your list of wants. Visualize them as if you already had them. Experience how it feels to have what you want. As time goes by you will adjust or modify your wants. Life is always a work in progress. Never compare yourself to someone else. Do not worry if someone else is better or worse. They have their path and you have yours. There is nothing more self defeating than trying to measure up to someone else's standards. Always follow your emotional well being. If you feel positive about something, explore it. Negative emotions aren't always bad either. For example, if you find you are jealous of someone, ask yourself why? Sometimes jealousy can be a signal showing you where you want to be. If you are jealous of a coworker who just sold a painting, then maybe your soul is telling you that art is where your heart is. The bottom line is, don't give up on the dream, no matter what it is. If you do, you not only will hurt yourself but you just might deprive society of something wonderful which you could have contributed.

Library refuses to censor

2009-08-19T07:26:00.000-07:00

A library in Effingham, Illinois voted to deny a request to remove Living Dead Girl by Elizabeth Scott from the teen section's shelf. Amy Hibdon requested the book be removed due to the physical and sexual abuse the character is subjected to in the book. Her 15 yr old daughter checked the book out and was upset by the content according to Hibdon. She feels the book is too graphic for teens. The book is written from the perspective of a 15 yr old who is kidnapped and imprisoned at the age of 10.

“This is the first formal censorship request that has reached this point in the past eight years, according to Library Directory Jeannie May,” reports the Effingham Daily News. (the article contains a spoiler for the book, it gives away the ending) May told the board any decision made would set a precedence for the future. “I’m opposed to censorship,” said board member John Latta. “It is up to parents to censor the material they are reading, not the library.”

Is is right for libraries and book stores to deny access to material that is deemed controversial by conservative groups and parents? Should the parents, themselves, take the role of censor when it comes to their children's reading material? Many parents and groups are afraid that if some material is made accessible their innocent children will be exposed to bad information without the parents even knowing about it. Even worse, their children could be traumatized. This is why they advocate a form of censorship. They want to protect today's youths from graphic, controversial and corrupt text. On the other side of the coin, there are parents who want their kids to be well informed. How can they make educated decisions if they do not have exposure to both sides to an issue? Should there be warning labels or a form of ratings for books like music albums? Bad things happen, looking the other way isn't the answer. Exposing the bad issue can be the first step to creating an awareness and possibly even stopping it. Should it be left to the adults? Maybe, but one thing is for sure, kids will become informed one way or another whether you want them to or not. Should we not make sure the information they get is accurate?

There is one author I've spoken to who is related to a family who overly protected their kids. "I've seen what can happen to children who are protected too much. They become naive and gullible adults who lack a true ability to function in the tumultuous real world. My cousin grew up without any exposure to bad things. He was unable to get and hold a job because the world scared him too much. He was scared of everything because he was always taught that the world is bad and can hurt you. His family never allowed him to read or watch anything remotely negative. Now, as an adult, he still lives at home afraid to leave. His parents simpy write it off as autism, which, I know he is not because he has never been diagnosed. I know why he is the way he is."

This, of course, is an extreme example. However, the issue of censorship is as old as time and won't be going away any time soon.

Fahrenheit 451 gets a new look

2009-07-30T12:05:00.000-07:00

The Ray Bradbury novel, Fahrenheit 451, which was publish in 1953, is now being released in a graphic novel format.
The artist who adapted the novel, Tim Hamilton, says he initially found the idea of taking on such a well-known book, intimidating. Hamilton did not collaborate with Bradbury, but he did get some sense of what the author thought the book should look like. Bradbury supports this interpretation of his story as he did the movie in 1966. In fact, he has given his full backing to the graphic adaptation. For Bradbury, a comic book collector since age 9, the idea is exciting.
"Buck Rogers came into my life in October of 1929," he says. "So you see, I have a strong interest in illustration, and a graphic novel is part of my life."
Bradbury was inspired to write Fahrenheit 451 after, at the age of 15, he saw images of books being burned in Hitler's Germany.
"It killed my heart and killed my soul," he says, "and the memory of Hitler burning the books caused me to sit down and write Fahrenheit 451."
With the latest book regulations, the idea of book burning isn't impossible to imagine. Bringing the story to a new medium will also attract a new generation of readers. Being politically, socially and actively aware of what is going on in the world is waning in much of today's youth. Bringing back the "good fight" and sparking a social conscious is an admirable thing to do. There are many such books awaiting to be resurrected in this and many other new forms today. Reading for pleasure is great. When the written word causes the reader to pause, if only for a moment, and think about a social injustice or new idea, then something wonderful has happened.

You're never too old or too young

2009-07-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

I hear people say "I'm too old [young] to do..... People limit themselves by self established rules based on miscellaneous guidelines by unknown masses. When these same people see someone succeed they rationalize. "They're lucky, rich, talented, etc." What drives anyone to do anything? It all comes down to motivation and perseverance. The really successful ones have passion. A passion goes way beyond motivation. It is what drives someone to do something that they love. They do it for love and no other reason. Success tends to happen on its own. Children are taught to use their imaginations when they are very young. As they begin to grow, they are taught to use their intellect. A well rounded person uses both. Modern public education tends to stifle the natural creative side of a student. Art is considered an expendable subject when budgets are being made. Its no wonder that today's society is full of disgruntled people. The Tony Award winning actress Carol Channing set up a foundation to preserve the arts in the schools. As a senior citizen, she is very active with her work. She knows, personally, how important artistic release is to a young mind. She refuses to let age hinder her passion.
Then there's Alexa Kitchen. She has been drawing comic books and graphic novels since she was five. Actually, as soon as she was old enough to hold a crayon she was creating. Her parents recognized her passion and actively supported it. She had enough material for a book by the age of six. She has since been published with her latest book "Grownups are Dumb" out next month.
Alexa is now ten years old and shows no sign of stopping. What's the difference between her and other talented kids out there? Well, she was never told she was too young or that she couldn't do it.
There are so many "dream stoppers" out there that it boggles the mind. A dream stopper is someone who tells you to get your head out of the clouds, face reality and loves to use the word "can't". Too many people listen to them and too many people are them.
Like our current President of the U.S. , anyone can be anything they choose to be if they set their minds to it. If they have a passion for something good, they should follow it. No one can tell you who you are, only you can do that. So here's to dreams in all their lovely, creative forms.

Book Burning?

2009-06-16T10:40:00.000-07:00

In this day and age you would think that the subject of book burning wouldn't be in the headlines. The Milwaukee branch of the Christian Civil Liberties Union and three plaintiffs are seeking the right “to publicly burn or destroy by other means” Baby Be-Bop, a book on the coming out of a gay teen by Francesca Lia Block. They are asking for $120,000 in damages after being “exposed” to it in a library display. The row over Be-bop, described by CCLU plaintiffs as “explicitly vulgar, racial and anti-Christian” blew up in April. Four members of the library board were suspended for refusing to remove the book and two others from the young adult section of the West Bend Community Memorial Library prior to the books being formally reviewed. The plaintiffs, all of whom are elderly, claim their mental and emotional well-being was impaired by seeing the book on display. One has to wonder if these people actually read the book.
In the book, "Dirk is beaten by gay bashers but steadfastly clings to the possibility of finding love," notes Salon. The book also uses "offensive" words... n*gg** and f*gg*t (I wouldn't want to be banned by spelling them out.) To a group calling themselves the West Bend Citizens for Safe Libraries, that's enough to harm children. Of course, Mark Twain used the first word in his (sometimes banned) books. When the library ignored the original request for removal, the CCLU came in with the lawsuit. They say it uses racist and explicit terms and promotes discrimination. In fact, the book uses the terms to expose such things. It attributes the "bad words" to the antagonists in the book in order to illustrate how wrong such irrational bias is. The American Library Association addresses the issue here.
Book-burning didn't go out with the Inquisition. It was practiced as recently as WWII by another belief-system, Nazism - i.e. the belief in world domination by a master Aryan "race". There will always be those who want to "protect" the world from "bad things" and those who fight to preserve free speech. Sure, there are really bad things out there which a civilized world does not need, like murder, racism, oppression, etc. However, if there are no laws being broken and no harm being done to others, where do you draw the line? Sometimes you have to expose the "bad" in order to fight against it. Fortunately, so far, the library is winning the fight. Unfortunately, it is a huge expense that didn't need to be taken on right now. The money could have been used for new books and library updates instead of fighting a nuisance suit which, if won, will not make the library "pure" by the CCLU's standards anyway.

Time stands still for no man

2009-06-11T06:15:00.000-07:00

Getting back to my normal routine isn't easy after a vacation of spontaneous gadding about. Waking up very early is the hardest part. I came across some interesting alarm clocks which, I thought, might make my getting up a little easier, or at the very least more interesting. My favorite was the polite alarm clock. The Polite Speaking Alarm Clock "reproduces the subtle wit employed by P. G. Wodehouse's most famous character, the valet Reginald Jeeves." In fact, it plays back 126 wake-up messages in the voice of Stephen Fry, such as "Excuse me sir, I'm so sorry to disturb you, but it appears to be morning... very inconvenient, I agree... I believe it is the rotation of the Earth that is to blame, sir." At $99.95, it is a bit pricey, but unique nonetheless.
Then there's the vibrating pillow that does what you’d expect, it vibrates. It not only works for the hearing impaired but also for the couple who wake up at different times in the morning. With this handy gadget, the one who gets to sleep in a bit later doesn't have to be disturbed by the partner's alarm. It is also a less shocking way to wake up. So is the Wind Chime clock which wakes you up to soothing chimes. If that isn't good enough, try waking yourself up. There's the alarm clock which allows you to record your own voice.
My son has an alarm clock that employs a whirligig which is ejected into the air when the alarm goes off. The sleeper must retrieve the flying wheel in order to stop the alarm. This works on the same principle as the Puzzle Alarm clock which ejects 4 puzzle pieces into the air when it goes off. It's guaranteed to get you out of bed. Not surprisingly, this alarm isn't used too often.
There is a website dedicated to clocks as entertainment. Albert Einstein said that time is an illusion, why not measure it creatively? Illusion is just another form of reality since we all have our own perspective to reality. Our senses perceive the world around us. Then our brains interpret the stimuli. I may look at a garden and see the beautiful flowers whereas another person may see the green grass or the weeds which long to be pulled. Yet another may see the sprinklers which are begging to be ran through. Time is the same way. Waking up time is way different than evening time. I like gadgets that entertain as well as perform a useful function.
Waking up with ease helps you start the day with a smile, or at the very least, without the normal aggravation. This eliminates the usual stress involved in waking up. Then, you can start your day with a clear, creative mind.

Travels

2009-05-28T05:08:00.000-07:00

I'm off to NYC, the city that never sleeps, or, as the song says "a city so nice, they named it twice." Having been there many times, I marvel at how such a small geographic area can fit over 8 million people without sinking. Nonetheless, it does, and does so quite nicely. I intend to hit Broadway. There are several plays that look interesting. Rock Of Ages is full of 80's rock, how can you go wrong there? 39 Steps is a mystery and The Philanthropist seems like it might be amusing. On Tuesday I shall be in the audience at the David Letterman show. Those tickets were free (right up my alley) but I had to answer a trivia question to get them. I lucked out when I knew who Rupert the deli guy next door to the show was. My brother, who is a musician, has invited us to be at his "live recording" concert his band is having. I love the MET and the Museum of Natural History. It would be even better if the Night At The Museum was real and the exhibits came to life. Regardless, it is a fine museum in its own right. Central Park is all abloom. I've seen NYC late at night and won't tarnish its lovely reputation by going into the unique ambiance of a NYC subway station in the wee hours of the morning. (Its not for the faint of heart) Everyone should have an adventure like that before they die, assuming it in itself doesn't kill you. I shall return in a week and a half to continue life where I left off. In the meantime, keep reading, writing and doing whatever it is you love to do.

The thin line of free speech

2009-05-21T07:28:00.001-07:00

Recently there has been an obscenity case against a specific comic book owner. Christopher Handley owned Manga books. He was an average individual who ordered some comics from Japan. When the package went into the postal system, the postmaster decided there were questionable images in them. He permitted Handley to pick up the package only to have him pulled over by the police en route to his home. See the background on this here. The images were drawings and not photographs. There were specific drawings the authorities deemed as obscene.
Manga is a Japanese form of comic covering a wide range of subjects. See here. However, Manga has also veered into the more mature themes of entertainment.
I am not into this form of entertainment personally, yet I know those who are. However, the results of this type of restriction has far deeper implications. How is it that the countless forms of pornography is able to be bought and sold in this country? Obviously child pornography is illegal, as it should be. Was the Manga in question in this category? The Comic Book Defense Fund doesn't think so. Handley has given into pressure by pleading guilty. He wants this all to go away and is doing what he believes will do just that. What's to become of those naive individuals who have questionable Manga tattoos? Will our own personal libraries be safe? Why are booksellers still allowed to sell Manga? It comes down to images and what the governing bodies deem as inappropriate. This case sets a precedence. It will surely be challenged in the future as more cases come to light. How many artists throughout history have painted nudes, nude babies and cherubs. Under the guidelines of these certain governing bodies, those paintings would be considered inappropriate.

When there's no one else to talk to, talk to yourself.

2009-05-14T12:19:00.000-07:00

Then, write it down. This advice came from a commercially successful writer. He writes fantasy type stories. He was alone. He had no family, none at all. He had no friends, not really. Readers and fans showed up later. His advice was strange and borderline schizophrenic. Being weird actually paid off, for him. I won't go into which successful author he was because it might take away from his advice. A person might say that it has to be good. Well, yes it does. The thing is, what is good to one isn't necessarily good to another. You have to find your market. If you can get your work out there, then, your market will find you. Remember, someone was paid for those cartoons you read. What on Earth will you do with a bunch of random thoughts. You can stow them away somewhere. Then, someday, once you're gone, someone can find them. Then, they can assemble the writings and make them into a book. Then, this individual can profit from your life's work. Nothing wrong with that. At least someone is able to benefit from you having been born. And, hey, if you have no living relatives, then who cares. right? Then again, why not benefit from your over worked brain yourself? Why not piece together your writings, artwork, or some other creative outlet yourself? Benefit from your own life. Don't leave it for someone else to do it. Don't think about what your talent is. Just do something. Eventually you'll know what it is you enjoy doing. Do it without any particular goal in mind. Then, someday, when you're bored and sitting around staring out the window you can get all that creative stuff out. Piece it together and post it online, find a publisher, sell it yourself...and, if you're lucky, you can be successful. Success to one isn't necessarily success to another. And, here we go again.

In honor of a beautiful soul.

2009-05-11T08:41:00.000-07:00

My niece and, overall, wonderful person, left this world on Mother's day. I guess, in a way, it was fitting that, she, a mother and daughter herself, would cross over on a day which honors mothers. Most people I have lost in my life have left on or near significant days. I think it is a way to let those left behind understand that it was their time to pass. The significant day should be special and a day for remembrance. An extraordinary day to remember the life that meant so much. It has been said "Don't take life too seriously, you won't get out alive. "
No one likes to think about the end but it will arrive sooner or later. That is why it is so important to pursue your dreams, live life to the fullest and have fun. As long as you treat others well, the rest will fall into place. What we focus on is what we become. We have a duty to ourselves and those around us to make our reality the best it can be. We cannot truly love another if we cannot love ourselves. It is imperative that we live with purpose and joy. In honor of my niece, I intend to do just that. Those who loved her must live the life she wasn't given a chance to finish. Life doesn't have to be grandiose or like what other's think it should be. Life just has to be lived to the best of your ability. Don't be afraid to try. In fact, fear is the great inhibitor and is best left alone.
My niece lived, loved and had many pleasures. Her family came first in all she did. She loved to read and was intently curious about life. She enjoyed sci-fi and fantasy shows as well as thrillers and movies with a point. She was a deep thinker who loved to analyze situations. Her innate intelligence sometimes left her on the outside looking in. She loved all kinds of music. She had her favorites. She enjoyed writing poetry and had a poetic outlook to life. Her life took a tragic turn and should be an example to the rest of us. Don't allow grief to consume you. Recognize it, feel it and release it. That goes for any problem that may overwhelm you. It isn't always easy to do but those who love you depend on you to come back to them. Sometimes, there are people who care, and you don't even realize it. The bottom line is that you just never know what tomorrow may bring. Become the author of your life. Make it a good one.

Quotes:
How transient is life!
Every minute is to be grasped.
Time waits for nobody.
Inscription on a Zen Gong

Death lies on her, like an untimely frost Upon the sweetest flower of all the field.- William Shakespeare

Life is forever. Death is only a temporary abridgment. It is just a state of transition where you will move from one world into another. You will move from the physical to the causal, from matter into pure energy-Rama
Blackbird singing in the dead of night, take these broken wings and learn to fly. All your life, you were only waiting for this moment to arrive, you were only waiting for this moment to be free. - The Beatles, Blackbird

-In the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make. -The Beatles

Blooming thoughts

2009-04-24T05:27:00.001-07:00

Since life is fleeting, its important where you put your focus. I've learned that life reflects your mindset. Spring is in full force and I hear so many people sneezing, complaining about allergies, etc. Where I live, pollen rules. In fact, the area I live in is considered the allergy capital of the world. I've been victim to the sneezing, etc. I noticed my car was covered in the dusty pollen. Instead of fretting over this, I've decide to change my focus. I looked up from my car to see my azalea bushes blooming in beautiful pink and white flowers. Instead of sneezing, I was in awe. I felt grateful for the magnificent floral display. Conversely, I work with a woman who sees life on the dark side. She cannot see the flowers because the pollen would have consumed her. It doesn't matter what the subject is, she only sees the dark implications from it. As a result, she is sick quite often. She suffers from depression more often than not and is generally unhappy. She tends to have way more bad luck than I do. I don't believe any of this is coincidence. I used to be like that. When I walked on the dark side, I suffered more illness than I care to relate. When I say dark side, I don't mean the love of scary movies or spooky stories. I mean the love of seeing every glass as half empty. The love of listening and telling all the negative gossip you can find. When you put yourself into a negative mindset, you tend to set yourself up for a fall. The negative coworker just found out that she has an ulcer. When you suffer chronic illnesses, many times its your body giving you a wake up call. Even Edgar Allen Poe, who used the dark recesses of his mind, suffered from depression and persistent health issues. Is it possible to create such dark creative prose without a dark mindset? I think so. If you do your best to find the laughter and lightness of life, it fuels the creative juices. I've enjoyed writing dark humor over the years. At the same time, I love the lighter side of creativity too. There's no denying that a dark mind can produce intense dark literature. However, if a writer wants to channel that part of himself, it would do him good to shake it off after he's completed his work. Go to the theater, watch a comedy or just take a walk in a beautiful garden. Your body, mind and soul will greatly appreciate it.

Today is a gift

2009-04-21T07:54:00.000-07:00

My 40 yr old niece had heart failure and is now in a coma. Yesterday she was taken off life support. She is now breathing on her own and we wait. She became a widow three years ago when her husband fell asleep at the wheel, driving home from work. The stress from all of that didn't help her. Her heart failure really came as a surprise to us. Also, her young adult daughter, who was married last year, is three months pregnant. The daughter has to make life and death decisions concerning her mother. My sister has to watch her daughter in a coma. I am really appreciating my family each day.
I know how fragile life is. I've lost both of my parents to heart disease. I do everything in my power to make good life choices so I'll be around a long time for my children. I think this not only includes diet and exercise, but also meditation or some sort of stress release. Life is meant to be fun. Laughter has been proven to be very healing. Music is also food for the soul. I try to limit myself from focusing on all the bad news, etc. As it is, stress sometimes throws itself at you whether you like it or not. The key is how you deal with it. My sister was telling us how she wanted to donate her skeleton to a med school. I added that it might be interesting to do the same but before that I wanted my skeleton to be tied up to strings like a marionette's puppet and danced around. Sure that's crazy talk but it did lighten the moment for my great-niece who has been suffering for a week now since her mother has been in a coma.
Situations like this really bring home the fact that life is a gift. I see life as a string of pearls. It is one long string of beautiful shiny todays.

The world of big business

2009-04-17T05:09:00.001-07:00

The Amazon controversy continues for some. This author says that she's been censored by Amazon and isn't happy. Anytime a company is massive, like Amazon or Walmart, they have dominance. Naturally, they will use their size as a powerful marketing tool. They are able to buy in bulk and pass the savings along to the consumer. They are able to have the upper hand in negotiating with their suppliers. If a supplier wants to have their product available to millions, they are forced to play by their rules. Sometimes a few toes are stepped on in the process. For example, Walmart has strict cost guidelines which force many manufactures to cut corners with their products in order to stay within the Walmart pricing strategy. Sometimes this isn't always good for the consumer when a product isn't up to its usual standards or packaged in a smaller size. As far as Amazon is concerned, they are able to manipulate what they sell as well. They will favor the big publishers because that's where the money is. In the process, sometimes the smaller guys are shuffled around in a way that may not be fair. That is the way business is conducted, it isn't always fair. However, when Facebook decided to make some very unpopular changes, their users raised a protest. As a result, they decided to lean in favor of their users. They know where their numbers come from and how competetive internet business is. Amazon has listened to their customers to some extent. Amazon knows how to create a profitable business, which isn't easy in times like these. Nevertheless, they don't always play fair. It would be naive to think that big business is always on the up and up with its consumers. They wouldn't be on top of the heap if they didn't know how to play the game. Its up to each individual to decide what they want to do. Do they want to fight for the rights of a few? Its important to keep an eye on situations like this in case it starts to snowball into something big. Nothing big ever started out that way. It always starts out one step at a time. Walmart started with just one store. Amazon was a start up internet business once upon a time. That is why there are government and business watch dog groups, to keep the massive powers in check. Its the Democratic way.

Amazon does it again

2009-04-13T11:20:00.000-07:00

Amazon has been in several controversial marketing ploys and apparently they aren't going to change any time soon. Previously, Amazon had decided to quit carrying POD (print on demand) books on their site. After sorting through all the reasons behind the decision, one remained clear, they wanted to create a market for their own CreateSpace POD publishing sector. They figured that they would be cutting into their own POD sales by selling competing POD books. They loosely categorized many publishers into the POD category, even if they weren't strictly POD books. This raised an uproar in the publishing community. Now that time has passed, Amazon has started allowing select books, which they previously restricted, back into their warehouse. I'm not sure if they are using sales rank as an indicator or not.
This brings us to their new decision. They have decided to remove the sales rankings from all books which contain homosexual or adult content. The result of this decision would mean that these books would not come up on their search engine, since it uses sales ranks as part of its process. The literary community has been in an uproar over this latest decision by Amazon. It also seems that romance books are being selectively included in this removal. If a book has adult content, then label it as such, but don't remove it. Amazon's filtering is also removing books without adult content.
Now they are responding that this was a glitch.
Of course, they won't fix this overnight but at least there is progress. Never doubt what a large group of individuals can do when banded together for a common cause.

Mental Blocks

2009-04-07T11:10:00.000-07:00

What do you do when you've reached a creativity block? It doesn't matter if you're an artist, writer or just about any career that requires creativity. Slumps happen! So, what do you do? First off, don't fight it. Just continue to breath, move, watch, listen and live. Sometimes inspiration can come in the least expected ways. Relax and follow other creative people. More than likely, they had their own slumps.
My son had a notebook. It was blank and we were traveling in the car. My husband was driving. I decided to have a writing game. My mother used to do similar games when I was a kid. I wrote the beginning of a story and handed it to him. He was to write a few paragraphs and hand it back to me. I added to that. We went back and forth until we felt it was time to end it. We wrote off the top of our heads with no particular idea in mind. We ended up coming up with some very funny and creative stories. My mother did a similar game except it was a group participation story. About four+ people sat at a table and wrote the opening lines to a story. Then they folded the paper over, covering what they wrote except for the ending line or ending words. It was the job of the next person to finish the sentence or thought and continue with their own story lines. The papers went around the table until the paper was filled up. At that point, whatever paper you had in front of you, you concluded. The results were very funny and insightful short stories. These are a few ways to get your creative juices flowing.
The bottom line is to follow your passion. Do what strikes your fancy and see where it leads. Behind it all, know what you want. Its good to occasionally make a list of what you want. It gives you something to focus on. Your list will change as you do. Remember if you stare too much at the closed door, you won't see the open one. Live each day with purpose. Its OK to stop and smell the flowers. All work and no play makes for a very unhappy individual. Find what makes you happy and enjoy it. Eventually, creativity will follow. Don't spend too much time on the "hows". If you know what you want and do what makes you happy, things will fall into place. I've asked "successful" people (writers, actors, etc) how they did it. Generally they tell me that they never gave up and just did what they loved. They said that when they worried or stressed over it, they stalled. It was when they stopped all that they started to succeed. The author Neil Gaiman once said that when it starts to become "work" and stops being fun, he'll stop. Until then, he said he'll write as inspiration dictates.
Don't restrict yourself either. If you're a writer, its OK to write within different genres. You don't have to stick within your chosen field if you don't want to. You're the creator of your life. You can take advice or leave it. Its entirely up to you. Here's to your dreams, may they all come true!

Confusing Words

2009-04-06T12:21:00.001-07:00

Confusing words in the English language have always been a pet peeve for those who strive to promote good grammar, correct spelling and all around great prose. There is a nice site which offers assistance to those who need help with confusing words.
Everyone needs help now and then. There are other sites intended to help with confusing words.
Good English is based on meanings, pronunciations, and spelling of words. The study of Semantics is important in order to write an intelligent discourse and have it understood correctly. Knowing the meanings and/or multiple meanings of words can greatly improve your writing. It is so easy to be misunderstood by a genre of readers who may see a word in one way when you meant it in another way. Avoiding a double entendre, which is French for "double meaning" can be invaluable. A double entedre usually implies a slip of the word which could have embarrassing implications.
The English language has evolved many times over the centuries. Today, there is UK English and American English. Even so, with the internet and movies, the language is blending more and more everyday. Nonetheless, there are pioneers in the development of language. None greater than those who write the guidebooks on language. The dictionary is the word bible for writers and speakers. In the United States, the great pioneer in making dictionaries was Noah Webster. His first work, which was published in 1806, advocated spelling head as hed and thumb as thum; but his efforts at spelling reform were generally rejected by the public. In other respects, however, his work was widely accepted; and in 1828, his well-known An American Dictionary of the English language began to exert its lasting influence on English in this country. Lexicographers since Webster have been somewhat more reliable than he is reporting actual usage but they, too, have had to report spelling as it is found in printed sources. Thus, spelling has become fixed and largely unchangeable, although it frequently does not represent actual pronunciation and often departs from common sense.
Here's to the evolution of language. Every writer has a part in this process. For example, Shakespeare wrote at a time when English was not a standard being taught to the general populace. As a result, he invented new words and grammar rules which were later followed. Shakespeare's plays became popular in the late seventeenth and eighteenth century and they helped contribute to the standardization of the English language

Disclaimers for books

2009-04-02T11:23:00.000-07:00

In this day and age everything has a disclaimer. As every lawyer knows, disclaimers do not protect you from lawsuits. However ,we use them in order to discourage the protesters. I found this group of book disclaimers quite interesting and humorous. There is a collection of real textbook disclaimers as well humorous ones to protest the original disclaimers. This site is geared toward science textbooks.
Some of the population is at odds with science when they feel it contradicts their stance on creationism. The groups who take the bible literally are actively fighting against evolution being taught to young impressionable minds, among other things. You can see their institute here. You decide for yourself. I believe in many things you cannot see, but I also believe in science too. I don't see why the two should be at odds with each other. Their latest discourse on flight evolution was especially, uh, interesting, yeah that's it. I'm a firm believer that you shouldn't rant against or for something if you haven't read both sides of the argument. I did my research and I feel my opinion is based on intelligent research, facts, etc.
In order to look at the other side to this coin, check out The Bad Astronomy Blog Phil Plait's blog from Discover, rants on this very subject, among other things. There are always shades of gray in any subject. No one group should force their opinion onto others, no matter how good they think it is. We were created with thinking minds, use them, don't limit them.

Write your Congressman

2009-04-01T05:03:00.000-07:00

Remember the controversy about old children's books being destroyed due to a misinterpretation of a new law? Well, here is a link about it. The Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008 was intended to protect children from children's products that contain lead. Older books, do contain minute traces of lead. I grew up reading these books as did my parents and their parents. We suffered no ill effects from reading these books. I understand the intention behind this law. It makes sense in what it is trying to do. However, there must be some guidelines and exceptions. It is sad to see the old Hardy Boys and Nancy Drew books being destroyed for future generations to enjoy. Sure, these titles can be bought in newer versions, but some titles can't. I still have some of my old favorites and passed them down to my children.
U.S. Representative Jeff Fortenberry (R-Neb.) recently introduced legislation to amend the CPSIA to exempt ordinary books from the lead limits within the bill. This legislation specifically exempts books and would ensure that children continue to have access to safe, educational and entertaining reading materials. You need to write your congressman in order to let them know that this legislation needs to pass.
Here is a link to the text of the amendment proposed.

Books that become phenomenons.

2009-03-26T08:33:00.000-07:00

There are some books out there which are every bit as good as the so-called phenomenons. So, what is the difference between them? The popular books, of course, have to be good. If they weren't it wouldn't matter who pushed them. The readership would revolt. Second, there has to be publicity. There have been some self published books which became phenomenons, like The Celestine Prophecy by James Redfield or Embraced By The Light by Bettie Jean Eadie. Those books are the exception. It takes some major self promotion and capital to be able to pull this off. The bottom line is that a great book still needs financial backing. When a major publisher backs an author's book, magic happens. Suddenly it is listed on all the literary lists. It becomes nominated for awards and the author hits the road on a major publicity tour. Even couch potatoes know about the book via the television. Then, it becomes a movie. At this point the world knows about it. If the author is lucky, the movie is a hit or at the very least recoups it's investment capital.
Back in the 60's, Richard Bach wrote and published, Jonathon Livingston Seagull. He was a pilot who wrote. He kept to himself and rarely checked in with his publisher. Imagine his surprise, when, one day he stopped at a diner and decided to call his publisher. He was traveling around offering airplane rides for money. His editor told him that she had been trying to track him down because the media wanted to interview him. She told him to check his bank account, which he did. To his amazement, his account was in the six figure category. He only drew what he needed for the week and never bothered to check his balance. Of course, his life changed drastically after that. His book became a movie and he married a movie star and wrote more books.
The lesson here is to show writers to relax. Follow your heart, write with passion and never give up. Some people spend a lot of time looking for Mr. or Ms Right. Eventually they may find their soul mate. The same holds true in other relationships. If a writer is passionate about their work and keeps focused, he just may find his soul agent.
*spoiler alert* if you click on the Twilight cartoon above, there are some major book spoilers. Be forewarned.*

Write a Screenplay

2009-03-25T07:14:00.001-07:00

If you've ever felt the desire to write a screenplay and don't know where to start, check this out.
This site has listed many screenplays which can be viewed and picked apart in order to study the screenplay writing process. It can be very useful to the new screenplay writer. There is a market for screenplays and you can actually turn your own book or story into one, just in case. Here's another great screenplay site. You key in the elements and it does the rest.
If poetry is your thing, here's a site that helps with that process.
If you want more help for poetry, here is a site that gives a list of words that can be used in a poem, then puts it altogether. Here's an interesting poem generator that just needs the first line to create a rhyme. We're all in this together and every little bit helps.

Freedom of Speech

2009-03-20T09:44:00.000-07:00

There are so many banned books over the years, that it took a whole website dedicated to them. The amazing part is that some of them were only recently banned. You would think that the whole Fahrenheit 451 thing would not exist in the modern, right thinking world. Wrong. There are conservative Evangelists who, right now, dedicate themselves to keeping the wrong kind of material from seeing the light of day. And..if it does see the light of day, they are there to stop, inhibit or blast it with their right thinking views. They do this in order to protect the general populous from anarchy or something like that. Like I said before, I'm all for keeping the adult oriented material away from minors. That being said, we must, as a society, open our minds to views of all types. How can we have an educated opinion on a subject if we don't know the other side? When opposing something, it is important to be well acquainted with that which you oppose. Here's an example of a book being read by its opposition. Would the author of the "proof of God" book read an atheist's "no proof of God" book? Probably not.

How can anyone throw away books?

2009-03-15T12:15:00.000-07:00

The new law went into effect banning children's books which were printed before 1985. Why? Because there might be a trace of lead in them. The law, which is to make everything for children safe, fails to take into account books. So many wonderful, out of print books have been discarded by book shops in order to keep in line with the law. Its a very wrong thing to do, in my opinion. It reminds me of the book and movie Fahrenheit 451, where all books were banned. People had to memorize books and pass them down for future generations. Sure, this isn't the same thing but its a step in the wrong direction. We can't make blanket laws without considering all of the implications of it. I've been an insatiable reader for as long as I can remember. I'm middle age now and am quite healthy, according to my doctor. The minute amount of lead in my books and toys hasn't seemed to cause me any problems that I know of. I am all for protecting children from dangerous toys. Too many products produced in China have had an unhealthy level of toxins in them, all to save money. We need to promote a "buy American" slogan, where we can buy safe products and save jobs. However, the great historic literature from long ago days should be protected. This is our heritage and as such, deserves to be exempted form annihilation. Just think, all of those wonderful hardback editions of Nancy Drew and The Hardy Boys would be a thing of the past. Is that what we really want?

Random Generator

2009-03-04T11:50:00.000-08:00

This Random Generator does the thinking for you. Great for writer's blocks, writing reports or just sending a letter. I tried out the "interesting site generator" It came up with "Fang Royal Castle" which sounds interesting enough. The generators can be used for just about anything. Also, you can create your own generators. How cool is that? Sure, writers want to come up with stuff that is completely their own creation...plagiarism you know. However, the generators can get the creative juices flowing. Also, the site gives permission for the results to be used in any way you please. Nevertheless, we must be unique in our creativity. No one says you can't kick start your creativity every now and then. So, try it out and see what it does for you.

Twitter

2009-03-03T09:34:00.000-08:00

Ok, there are too many social sites. Many of them are open to predators and spammers. There isn't enough time in the day to be creative and sift through all the online social networks screaming for attention. However, Twitter seems to be gaining quite a bit of attention. I visited, I stalked around and now I'm there. The good thing about Twitter is that it doesn't demand much of your time. It limits you to only 140 characters at a time. I am able to follow some of my favorite authors, film makers, odd sorts, etc. You can write via the computer or phone. Its a place where someone can have an "Aha" moment and twitter it for all to see. Actually, it helps the individual mentally bookmark their thoughts for no one in particular. Don't be afraid to join and just be a voyeur. Here's a nice synopsis on Twitter from Jon Stewart. T here are even sites that list the top Twitters.
There are even sites with Twitter tools.
I'm not a top user or even an average one. I do find it interesting and have even had real Twitter conversations with some of my favorite authors and film makers. Actually, they were some that I've had discussions with before. Regardless, it's an interesting and apparently popular way to network with the stars. Who knows, you could connect with that one person who just might be your rung on the ladder to success.

Philip José Farmer, Science Fiction Writer, Dies at 91

2009-02-27T08:04:00.000-08:00

'Philip José Farmer, unconventional Science Fiction Writer, Dies at 91" He lived in Peoria, Ill. His official Web site, pjfarmer.com, announced his death, saying he had “passed away peacefully in his sleep.”

Mr. Farmer’s blend of intellectual and pulp-fiction prose found a worldwide audience. His more than 75 books have been translated into 22 languages and published in more than 40 countries. Though he wrote many short stories, he was best known for his many series of multiple novels. These sprawling, episodic works gave him room to explore the nuances of a provocative premise while indulging his taste for lurid, violent action.

In his Riverworld series Mr. Farmer imagined a river millions of miles long on a distant planet where virtually everyone who has died on Earth is physically reborn, strong and vital, and given a second chance to make something of life.

In the first of the series, “To Your Scattered Bodies Go,” a reborn character discovers that his “skin was smooth, and the muscles of his belly were ridged, and his thighs were packed with strong young muscles.”

“He no longer had the body of the enfeebled and sick 69-year-old man who had been dying only a moment ago. And the hundred or so scars were gone.”

In his Dayworld series, an overpopulation crisis on Earth has been relieved by a technical fix: each person spends one day a week awake and the other six days in suspended animation. In his World of Tiers series, mad demigods create pocket universes for their own amusement, only to face rebellion from their putative creatures.

In a genre known for prolific writers, Mr. Farmer’s output was famously prodigious. At one point in the 1970s he had 11 different series in various stages of completion. Even some of his admirers said he wrote too much too fast. The critic Leslie Fiedler said that his work was sometimes sloppily written but added that was a small price to pay for the breadth of Mr. Farmer’s imagination.

Mr. Farmer made no apologies for his excesses. “Imagination,” he said, “is like a muscle. I found out that the more I wrote, the bigger it got.”

Philip José Farmer was born Jan. 26, 1918, in North Terre Haute, Ind. He grew up in Peoria, where his father, a civil engineer, was a supervisor for the power company. A voracious reader as a boy, Mr. Farmer said he resolved to become a writer in the fourth grade. After washing out of flight training in World War II, he went to work in a steel mill while attending Bradley University in Peoria at night and writing in his spare time.

His first success came in 1952 with a story called “The Lovers,” about a man seduced by an alien with an unusual reproductive system. The story was rejected by the two leading science fiction editors; both said that its graphic description of interspecies sex made them physically ill. Published in a pulp magazine called Startling Stories, the story won Mr. Farmer his first Hugo as “most promising new writer.”

Emboldened, he quit his job to become a full-time writer. Entering a publisher’s contest, he won the $4,000 first prize for a novel that held the germ of his Riverworld series. But an unscrupulous editor failed to deliver the money, and the manuscript was lost. Struggling financially, Mr. Farmer left Peoria in 1956 to become a technical writer. He spent the next 14 years working for defense contractors, from Syracuse, N.Y., to Los Angeles, while continuing to write science fiction on the side.

With the loosening of social taboos in the 1960s, Mr. Farmer emerged as a major force in the genre. In a 1966 story set on Riverworld, one of the resurrected is a resentful Jesus, angry that he had been deceived about the nature of the afterlife.

Mr. Farmer won a Hugo for his 1967 novella “Riders of the Purple Wage,” a satire on a cradle-to-grave welfare state, written as an exuberant pastiche of James Joyce’s “Ulysses.” His 1971 novel “To Your Scattered Bodies Go” also won the Hugo.

After moving back to Peoria in 1970, Mr. Farmer published 25 new works over the next decade. A 1975 novel, “Venus on the Half-Shell,” created a stir beyond the genre. The jacket and title page identified the author only as Kilgore Trout, a fictional character who appears as an unappreciated science fiction writer in several of Kurt Vonnegut’s novels. Although Mr. Farmer claimed he had permission for this playful hoax, Vonnegut was not amused to learn that some reviewers not only concluded that he had written “Venus on the Half-Shell” but that it was a worthy addition to the Vonnegut canon.

Mr. Farmer also wrote full-length, mock-scholarly “biographies” of Tarzan and Doc Savage, two of the pulp heroes whose stories had inspired him to become a writer.

Mr. Farmer had his detractors. “A humdrum toiler in the fields of science fiction,” Christopher Lehmann-Haupt wrote in The New York Times in 1972. But Mr. Fiedler saw in Mr. Farmer’s approach to storytelling a “gargantuan lust to swallow down the whole cosmos, past, present and to come, and to spew it out again.”

In the Riverworld series, for example, Mr. Farmer resurrected not just historical personages like Samuel Clemens and the explorer Richard Francis Burton but legendary figures like Odysseus and Gilgamesh.

He is survived by his wife, Bette, his son, Philip, his daughter, Kristen, and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

Prophecy or Parady?

2009-02-20T05:21:00.000-08:00

Plato has returned from the dead to write an article for the Sun (UK's version of the National Enquirer) Plato wrote about Atlantis and now that evidence is popping up, he's decided to say, "I told you so." Well, maybe not, but he would if he could.
Actually, the photo that people are saying looks like an ancient city on the ocean floor was taking by Google Oceans, a segment of Google Earth. Google insists that it is not archaeological ruins but rather scan lines used in obtaining its computer imagery. Sure, go ahead and rain on Plato's parade. The site is in the same area that Plato insisted the ancient city of Atlantis once existed. Coincidence? You decide. What are the odds that this mysterious grid shows up right in the same spot that Atlantis was supposed to be? Even Edgar Cayce, the famous sleeping prophet, spoke of Atlantis. Maybe, Google Earth will finally photograph Big Foot. It really is too bad that Plato isn't around to give his insight on the matter. I, for one, believe that Atlantis existed. I mean, how can you explain the pyramids in South America, Egypt and the mounds in North America? The Earth's evolution has come a long way. Who's to say how many times it evolved, only to return to its beginnings and start anew. Well, it gives scientists something to research and speculate. Just think, someday our own civilization will be ancient history. Even with written records, time has a way of turning many things into myths. Given enough time, life as we know it could end up being one big conspiracy theory.

Memoirs

2009-02-12T05:03:00.000-08:00

I read an article about writing your own memoirs. Many people will say that there isn't anything interesting to write about. On the surface, it may seem that way. However, if you really look at your life you might be amazed. Ask a relative if they can think of anything about your life that seems interesting. Sometimes a person on the outside can see things we don't. I thought about the whole memoir idea. I know that I had wished my parents had written one. They've been gone for many years now. Most of their contemporaries are gone too. Looking at it this way, I realized something. Writing your memoirs is something you not only do for yourself, you do it for your children or future generations to see what life was like "then". You have to see your life from different angles. For example, you are and were witness to history. You can describe what it was like to witness the moon landing on TV or the events of 9/11/2001. You can describe the nation's passion during the 2008 election. Writing about your life helps you see things anew. It can be very healing and cathartic. It also gives your children, if you have any, insight into who you really are. My mother had a diary which helped me see the kind of person she was when she met my father. My grandmothers both told many fascinating stories about their lives in the first part of the 20th century. My son loved reading about one of our ancestors during the 1800's for his ethnic heritage project. I realized that this ancestor's whole life boiled down to general anecdotes passed down from his contemporaries and public records. Did it depict who he really was? Do I want my life remembered that way? Some future genealogist would write that I published a book, bought a house and car and graduated college. They may be able to note where I worked and what my income was. Is that all there is to say about me? ...Not by a long shot! Set the records straight. Write about who you are, what you've done and what you've witnessed. You don't have to chronicle every little detail. A memoir is about significant events in your life. A biography chronicles your life from start to finish. Even a biography leaves out many details. If you feel your life was boring, you may want to recall your feelings at witnessing a major event. It could be a world shattering event or just a vacation to someplace amazing. Your memoir doesn't have to be published to be significant. There was a 96 year old lady who wrote her memoirs and passed it out to relatives. The relatives found it captivating and learned so much about this amazing lady that they had never known.
Socrates once said, "An unexamined life is not worth living."
Let the world know that you were here. Some future genealogist or archaeologist just might discover your memoir and use it in understanding life in the 21st century. At the very least, a page from your memoir might accidentally escape through an open window. The breeze might take it to parts unknown, where, a despondent individual just might pick it up and read it as he stands on the ledge of a high rise contemplating his fate. Then, just maybe, said individual might have an epiphany and change the course of his entire life by leaving the ledge. He just might realize maybe his life wasn't so bad after all. He could have been you. Or, conversely, he could actually be inspired to be you!

Neil Gaiman wins the Newbery!

2009-01-27T13:27:00.000-08:00

Neil Gaiman won the Newbery award for The Graveyard Book. Congratulations Neil! He still has it up for free on his site. He did a chapter reading at various book stores and posted them for all to see. So, in effect, you can get the book for free if you choose. I still suggest buying a copy. It is a great book and you don't have to be a kid to like it. The best part is that they are going to make it into a movie.

Favorite Trailer

2009-01-23T12:21:00.000-08:00

Neil Gaiman says this is his favorite Caroline trailer. I have to admit it isn't bad, if you like that sort of thing. Since I grew up watching the Addams Family and the Munsters, I guess I do like weird and strange sorts of things. Reality sometimes isn't what you think it is. Then again, maybe it is.

Save the books

2009-01-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

The new law, which goes into effect in February, states that toys, etc. must be tested for lead before they can be sold. The law is called the Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act and it is designed to protect children all over the country from the dangers of lead.The premise of the law is good since it protects our children from lead poisoning. The problem is that the experts said there could be trace amounts of lead in books because of the ink. That's why the government wants all books, old and new, tested for lead. The testing costs more money that libraries have. For a book, it could between $300 and $600. The American Libraries Assocation is lobbying Capitol Hill to exclude public and school libraries from the new law. If not, it said millions of books will be taken off the shelves and destroyed or kids won't be allowed in the libraries.
Yes, we want safe products for our children, but how far should we go? What happened to all the millions of kids, like myself, who survived the reading of "unsafe" books? As far as I can tell, nothing. The trace amount in books would not hurt the average child, unless, maybe they ate it. It is curious to note how many adults managed to survive a world with peanut butter, dangerous toys, unsafe books, bottles without child protection lids, etc. The number one killer of kids throughout history was disease. Fortunately for us we have antibiotics and immunizations. I'm all for protecting our children. We need laws which do that. However, we need to be careful how far we go. I can envision a world where kids are strapped in foam and sent out into the cruel world of dangers which lurk in every corner. Even bicycles would be banned since we all know that kids will fall off of them or worse yet, run into something.

Creative bliss

2009-01-15T07:14:00.000-08:00

I've just found the "lost chapters" of my latest book. I had quite forgotten them. Suddenly, as if a lightening bolt struck, I nearly shouted, "my additional chapters were missing!" Apparently I had been editing an earlier version of my book. I was quite pleased with myself, when much later, the missing parts hit me full force. Life, for me, was put on hold until I retrieved those errant chapters. I could do nothing else. I found them. They were hidden within a backed up version of my book. I copied them and pasted them right where they needed to be. I've since re-edited the book and feel so much better. It was almost like I had lost someone dear to me. I knew they were somewhere but could not feel at ease until I found them. Now, all is right in my world, at least for now. I'm back on track and looking forward to the whole novel tuning process. Here's to creative bliss, may it descend upon you like a spring rain, showering its imaginative and productive deluge of wonder.

A Discussion with Neil Gaiman and Stephen Jones

2009-01-12T18:23:00.000-08:00

For fans of Neil Gaiman, there will be a live webcast on Thursday at1 PM EST or 12 PM CST. They will be talking about the upcoming Coraline movie.
Link

Click on the "Authors on Air" banner to see the complete author schedule.

More ravens, more tales

2009-01-07T09:05:00.000-08:00

My first and latest project is well under way. Actually it is completed. It is my first real novel, an allegory of spiritual proportions. The Wormhole Adventures was written after this book. However, I am dedicated to this novel and shall persevere to the very end (or actually beginning). It's all how you look at it. I have a real connection with Finley: A Raven's Tale. It is where I started, evolved and eventually will end up. Here is a link to my preview page (a work in progress).
I know there is an avenue for this book and I shall connect with it. I will keep you posted on the latest developments.

Looking in

2009-01-05T05:22:00.000-08:00

Getting back into my usual routines seems a bit constrained. Having time off during the holidays is hectic and nice all at the same time. I'll be back into the groove by the middle of the week, I'm sure.
I will be having a book signing in Terre Haute, Indiana, though I don't have the date yet. I'm wanting to get through February. Last year we had some bad ice storms in February. If you look back at this blog, you can see that they were very beautiful ice storms too. Still, I do not wish to drive on ice covered streets. Last year they melted off the streets quickly allowing me to drive around and take pictures of the ice covered trees.
I am currently polishing up my first book, which I haven't sent out yet. It is an allegory, written for all ages. It is the novel that got me started writing many years ago. I have put quite a bit of heart and soul into this novel. I am quite proud of it and intend to find my "soul agent" out there who sees the world in a different way. One that follows the beat of their own drum, even if only they can hear it. Meanwhile, my current book is still being read. I've had some great feedback on it from children and parents. I've written the sequel to it, but like the other book, I'm still polishing it up. Here's to our real life adventures, may they all be fascinating and wonderful.

Resolutions and stuff

2008-12-31T11:04:00.001-08:00

I had a very nice Christmas with family. We also car shopped and helped our daughter get a new one. She ran into a deer, on her birthday. She was driving from Bloomington Indiana with her son, where she lives, to our house in Evansville. The deer totaled her car and she has been car-less for several weeks.
My 11 year old son's best friend in school lost his 20year old brother on Christmas day. My son had just spent the night at their house four weeks ago. It was very tragic. The boy was driving his family home Christmas evening and a drunk driver, fleeing the police, plowed into him. The guy was speeding on the wrong side of the road with his lights off at night. It was on the same stretch of road we had just traveled that evening. He was killed instantly. His mother was hospitalized and had hip surgery from the accident. His other brother and sister had minor injuries. There was also a baby in the car. The drunk driver had 6 previous DUI's and, due to an error, had a valid license. The county clerk failed to file his lifetime suspension with the BMV. We had to go to the visitation last evening. The line was all the way out of the building. The mother was allowed to leave the hospital to be at the visitation and funeral. What do you say to someone who lost a son? Over the years I've been to two other similar situations and it is never easy. People take the whole drinking and driving thing way to lightly. I've seen friends over the years who drive because they think they are ok. In this situation, the guy was way over the legal limit. What would posses someone to flee the police? Things like this really make me appreciate what I have.
Here's to a wonderful new year full of happy surprises and good times!

Book Event

2008-12-16T12:08:00.000-08:00

I had a wonderful book signing at the Blue Moon Gallery in Vincennes Indiana. The ladies who own the place are artists and very nice people. I met many interesting people and gave a reading from my book. My son took pictures and helped out. We ended up buying things there. I couldn't believe that Vincennes does not have a book store, yet they have a college. That is why the owners decided to add authors and their books to their eclectic shop. I enjoyed signing books and its always nice when someone finds your work interesting. Unlike a regular book store, this signing was more of a gathering of like minded people. It was very laid back. I must make a point to go back and visit the gallery. Its an hour away, but worth it.

In honor of A Christmas Story

2008-12-08T05:46:00.000-08:00

Thirty second movie parodies, performed by animated bunnies.

Writing and traveling

2008-12-05T10:58:00.000-08:00

I'll be in Vincennes, December 5th at the Blue Moon Gallery. I like the idea of a small art gallery for local artists. With my sister being a professional artist in New York, I know how important it is to support the arts. It's all about exposure.
Also, anyone in the New York area...the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund is hosting a party for their patrons or those who want to start. The CBLDF was founded in 1986 as a non-profit organization dedicated to the preservation of First Amendment rights for members of the comics community. Comic books are a legitimate art form written by legitimate writers and illustrators. Sometimes they are over looked. If you can get your child to start reading, even comic books, you are contributing to keeping their minds active and away from the television. Of course TV is ok, it's what you watch that matters. Too many people are quick to categorize comic books as bad. I've enjoyed many hours reading and researching old comic such as Krazy Kat, Blondie, Pogo, Peanuts and much more. I still love Garfield, For Better Or Worse, Sally Forth, etc. I realize there are bad types of graphic novels but that's where the law comes into play. Defining what is bad, protected or restricted is an important aspect of the printed word. Let us not forget the stacks of classic novels which the Nazis burned and American Libraries banned. One of the greatest things about this country, which many countries do not enjoy, is the freedom of speech. United we can do wonderful things.

Authonomy

2008-11-14T05:08:00.000-08:00

Authonomy is a web site from Harper Collins (UK) where authors, aspiring writers and bibliophiles can keep up with new releases and show off their own work. This is from their own site:

"Get Read. Get Noticed. Get Published.

authonomy^TM is a brand new community site for writers, readers and publishers, conceived and developed by book editors at HarperCollins. We want to flush out the brightest, freshest new literature around ...

If you’re a writer, authonomy is the place to show your face – and show off your work on the web. Whether you’re unpublished, self-published or just getting started, all you need is a few chapters to start building your profile online, and start connecting with the authonomy community.

And if you’re a reader, blogger publisher or agent, authonomy is for you too. The book world is kept alive by those who search out, digest and spread the word about the best new books – authonomy invites you to join our community, champion the best new writing and build a personal profile that really reflects your tastes, opinions and talent-spotting skills.

The publishing world is changing. One thing’s for sure: whether you’re a reader, writer, agent or publisher, this is an exciting time for books. In our corner of HarperCollins we’ve been given a chance to do something a little different.

We’d really love your help."

It's a win win situation for both Harper Collins and those in the industry. They can find the latest hidden talent and the gifted writer can be discovered. It's a new era in the publishing industry where, within cyberspace, like minded individuals can find each other and do what they love doing. Millions of books, millions of writers and only thousands of publishers. Anyplace that can facilitate the meeting of the two can't be bad.

National Novel Writing Month

2008-11-07T05:20:00.000-08:00

We're well into November and if you haven't already started, get out your pens or keyboards and start writing. In their own words: "Participants begin writing November 1. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30....Because of the limited writing window, the ONLY thing that matters in NaNoWriMo is output. It's all about quantity, not quality. The kamikaze approach forces you to lower your expectations, take risks, and write on the fly."
They have a youth category too. The youth category does not have the word limit. So, tell your kids about it. They might actually find it fun and helpful. My 10 year old son (who is 11 now) tried it. He wasn't sure about it at first. Then, he approached the paper as if it were infected with some horrible disease. Cautiously, he touched it, didn't die, then wrote a sentence. Realizing that nothing remotely fatal was going to follow, he wrote another, awkward sentence. Then another, and another, until, much to his chagrin, the process began to elicit his hidden creativity. He could no longer hide his pursuance for plots, interesting characters and the ultimate provocative finale. He completed his contribution. In the process, he discovered something about himself that he had not know before. He was capable of writing for fun. He had the ability to apply pen to paper and create a tale from from the resources of his own mind. That, he had previously assumed, was something "authors" did. It wasn't something he was capable of. Since the average person couldn't perform surgery, the same held true for writing...or did it? Even the surgeon had to start somewhere. He had to have the interest in order to go to school and study his trade. Without that, nothing else would matter. And so it was, another inner writer was unleashed, if only for a few weeks. Isn't that what its all about?
My daughter, who is in her 20s with her own son, is very creative, but too busy at this stage in her life to stop and write anything for any period of time.
Since there are no expectations other than word count and time constraints, the pressure is minimal. And, who knows, you might find that next great novel hidden within the recesses of your normally confined imagination. At the very least, you'll be writing and contributing to the greater good. Maybe, just maybe, you'll find your inner Faulkner, Alcott, Bradbury or even Shakespeare.

Writing, history and promotions

2008-11-05T05:49:00.000-08:00

Promoting a book is a bit like hitting the campaign trail. You have to forget your modesty for a moment and let people know why they should actually buy your book. It isn't always easy for someone who is not comfortable in the spotlight. Eventually, however, you learn to shift into a different mode when you're at a book signing. You must let go of your inhibitions in order to focus on your product. What does this book have to offer? Why should a person put down their hard earned money on this particular book?
One thing this presidential election can teach us is that anyone can succeed. Anyone who is brave, determined, intelligent and confident enough can persevere amidst all adversity. You must keep your eye on the prize and never pay attention to the "dream killers". Sure we can learn from constructive criticism but we have to know the difference. If we stop believing in ourselves, no one else will believe in us. So, here's to dreams in all its wonderful forms. If we follow an honest and harmonious path, the journey will truly be worth the destination.

The Second annual Tales Of Terror

2008-10-25T09:34:00.001-07:00

I was given the link to the second Tales Of Terror by an anonymous commenter...Thanks! Take credit where credit is due. Lovely, horrifying tales by talented story tellers. Check it out and enjoy! What makes it even better is that the writer reads the tales. Sit back and listen, like before, in a dark room with nothing but the dim glow from your monitor. Better yet, cue up the audio and click off your monitor just long enough to listen.
The title reminds me of the old 1962 Vincent Price movie of the same name. The synopsis from the movie database: Three stories adapted from the work of Edgar Allen Poe. A man and his daughter are reunited, but the blame for the death of his wife hangs over them, unresolved. A derelict challenges the local wine-tasting champion to a competition, but finds the man's attention to his wife worthy of more dramatic action. A man dying and in great pain agrees to be hypnotized at the moment of death, with unexpected consequences.
Halloween is riddled with fun, fear and scary stories. Now is the time to dive right into all the old horror movies. The problem I have with some of the newer horror films is that they rely too much on gore and not enough fear. A scary film or story should be able to scare you with implied doom rather than blood and guts. When I dole out good money for a Halloween haunted house, I want fear, not cheesy red paint splattered everywhere. Who doesn't scream when someone jumps unexpectedly out of the darkness and screams boo! Rubber bones with read paint are fine props but they don't scare me. I'm not much for gore but prefer good old fashioned scare tactics. A good set is fine but the plot within the set, well, that makes the scary tale.

National Book Festival: Authors

2008-10-22T09:06:00.000-07:00

While I was at my own book festival, here is a nice video of what was going on in Washington DC.

Shrunken Heads

2008-10-21T05:54:00.000-07:00

How to make Srunken Heads: You make shrunken apple heads then float them in warm apple cider. Half the apple or keep whole if you prefer, use a melon-baller to take the core out, peel the apple, use a melon-baller to make eye sockets, use a knife for nose slits and mouth, then bake in oven for two hours at 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Serve apple cider in mug with shrunken head. Have all the shrunken heads floating in the pot of warm apple cider.
Other options include, leaving them out of the cider and decorate the dried, baked apple heads for props and not for eating. You can stitch the eyes and mouth with thread afterward. You can add hair from a craft shop. You're imagination is the only limit.

Writer's tributes to Scary Tales

2008-10-15T07:45:00.000-07:00

Last year the Weekend America site decided to honor Halloween by soliciting professional authors to write a short, very short, tale of terror. I am revisiting this since Halloween is just around the corner. The audio of the stories may not be available but you can still read them.
30 Second Tales of Terror (by famous writers no less)

Only someone with an over active imagination can tell a 30 second scary story. So, for Halloween, read the petite tales in a darkened room with only the monitor's light for comfort.

Here's my contribution to really short scary stories:
It was a dark and stormy night as Mr. Collinsworth signed and concluded his will. He thought he heard the floor squeak but decided it was his over active imagination. Suddenly a quick and decisive blow to the head ended Mr. Collinsworth's life prematurely.
When I arrived at the Estate the next morning I felt a cold chill run down my spine. This was the room my unsuspecting Uncle had drew his last breath. There were still spots of blood on his desk. The butler was being interrogated by the police as I walked about the gloomy study. Just then a blood curdling scream came from the kitchen where the maid was found lying in a pool of blood. I ran back to the study only to find the, now murdered, butler lying limply across a divan. Being terrified by the sudden deaths, I began to panic. The detective told me, as I stood shaking in my shoes, that the maid and butler had been listed in the will my Uncle had just completed. The only other names listed were me and a long lost cousin! I had been studying my shoes in order to avoid the detective's insinuating glare. To my shock, when I looked up, no one was there. Where had the detective gone? For that matter where is everyone else? They had just been here. I could hear the floor squeak behind me and I ran to the now locked front door. I turned in a panic only to see the crazed face of my long lost cousin, Broderick!

Coraline the movie

2008-10-14T09:17:00.000-07:00

Another one of Neil Gaiman's books is well on its way to being a movie. It's dark and mysterious with a splash of "Tim Burton", other worldly flair to it. There are some good websites out now which introduce you to the whole Coraline concept. The official site has intense flash animations which may bog down an older computer, but it does take you on a cyber/fantasy journey into the imaginative world that is Mr. Gaiman's mind. I'm glad to see they are making it as a stop animation feature rather than computer animation. Computer animation has its merits, to be sure, but it lacks in the whole "parallel world" realism. Its hard to explain really. Some people just don't get "Nightmare Before Christmas" or "Corpse Bride", but those who do...well, they understand. I was raised during the time the Addams Family and Munsters were on television. I always fancied myself growing up in a wonderful Victorian home full of interesting nooks and crannies. Sure, I watched the Brady Bunch and Partridge Family shows, but I related to the lovable misfits who didn't know they were monsters living in a "normal" world. They could be funny, like Alf who came later, or just plain weird. I live in one of the few homes in my neighborhood which is nicely adorned with Halloween lights and decorations. Halloween has always been a big deal in my family. When my mother was still alive, she hosted a Halloween party which even made the newspaper because her home was decorated up so well. I've always felt I lived in a little bit of both worlds. Which one do I live in more? I'll never tell.

Follow your dream NOW! While you still can.

2008-10-08T06:20:00.000-07:00

Writer, Terry Pratchett was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s last December. He has written books for adults, young adults and children. His fantasy novels, collaborations and art work combined make up a very impressive library. His UK interview reveals a poignant and bittersweet look into his world of forgetfulness and diminishing creativity. It is unimaginable to understand how it feels to see your, once brilliant mind, slowly slipping into the abyss of dementia. This website covers all of the books and art in which he has contributed over his lifetime.
Pratchett said in his interview,
"Regrettably one of the best swords for killing demons like this is made of gold - lots of gold.
These days we call it funding. I believe the D-day battle on Alzheimer’s will be engaged shortly and a lot of things I’ve heard from experts, not always formally, strengthen that belief."
Let's hope he is right. Alzheimer's research doesn't just rescue old farts from being lost in their own mind. There are highly creative, contributing adults who are being diagnosed daily. Is it in your future? I certainly hope not. However, it could be in your loved ones future. Who knows? Support the Alzheimer walks and charities as well as the Alzheimer sufferers.
I had a great aunt who had been diagnosed with it. She was an articulate, intelligent woman who watched her mind slowly degrade. In one of her lucid moments, she stated emphatically that she did not want to live out her last days in a nursing home oblivious to the world. Little did we know that she and her husband, who was suffering from advanced heart disease actually intended to avoid such a fate. One chilly fall morning we received a call that they had both passed away. Her husband, in his own words, "mercifully" took her life and then his own. It seemed such a sad way to go, but then again, the only other options they had was slow and painful. I'm not one to judge what is right. I'm just making the observation. So, learn about the disease and support the sufferers.
Do, create, write, read, travel, talk and live!....Who knows what tomorrow brings. Learn from the past and live for today. Today is what you dreamed about yesterday. So, live the dream you envisioned long ago.

It's amazing what a group of former kids can do.

2008-10-02T06:30:00.000-07:00

The city where the birth of the genius, Jules Vernes was Nantes, France. Let us not talk of literature now, but mechanics.
When you go downtown, near the river Loire, there is a very particular island in which dwell many strange creatures, half steel, half wood. The Machines de L’île is an artistic project situated in the former warehouses of the Nantes shipyard.
Part Vernes, part Vinci and definitely part Dr Moreau, you cannot miss the gallery of the Machines, the Heron Tree and the Great Elephant.
They have also created other giant mechanical creatures. Three new Machines of the Marine Worlds are in the Gallery : the Giant Crab, the Abyssal Bus and the Storm Boat. What a great way to make a living.
Oh to be able to travel the world on a whim. I would definitely stay busy seeking out the unique, unusual and wonderful nooks and crannies all over this beautiful globe.

Neil Gaiman's latest book

2008-10-01T11:25:00.000-07:00

Chapter one is read by the author, just click play. (More details and offers.) What a nice way to discover a book. Audio books are a great alternative in literature. I need to check into this. I remember going to sleep, when I was younger, to audio books and recorded old radio programs my father had. It had a profound effect on me. My imagination began its full time journey into the world of storytelling.

The "Best of Blog" day

2008-09-30T05:19:00.000-07:00

I've been writing for some time now. I felt the moment had arrived that I did a "best of" entry. It is a day to reminisce and commemorate the archives of this blog and blogs I've linked to. They get lost in the shuffle of daily life and newcomers may have missed them. Without further adieu I shall commence with my first citation. It was in February of 2008 when I came across the beautiful, artistic keyboards. They were pricey but exquisite, aesthetic creations. Here's a link to that entry
The last winter solstice left an icy glaze over my part of the country. The type of weather that is both beautiful and frightful all at the same time. This was my take on it.
Over a year ago, I wrote a passage about myself. I rarely like to talk about myself. I've always felt a bit "different". It's taken me a long time to realize that "normal" is a subjective word. It is all about perception. Here is the entry I wrote about me, at least the me I was then. Everyday, I redefine who I am. That's the way life is, always evolving and flowing.
My last memorialized entry for now is about the subject of time and parallel worlds. Many people will find this essay a bit daunting. But, if you're inclined to the wonderment of physics and time travel you might find it thought provoking. If not, then skip this one. It isn't academic and certainly less cerebral than one might read in a college book. No, my brief take on the subject was more philosophical. That reminds me of a (lame) joke. "what does a philosophy graduate say on his first day on the job?" "Do you want fries with that?"

Banned Books Week

2008-09-29T06:09:00.000-07:00

This is banned books week. Let's pay tribute to all the banned books throughout history this week. Here's a comprehensive list of the latest banned books.
Why do some people want to decide what other people read? Sure, there are dangerous books out there like "how to make a bomb for fun and revenge" (not sure if that exists or not) but why do those "in charge" feel threatened? Does the truth hurt? Are they afraid that someone might believe a lie? Do they not know the difference between fiction and non-fiction? These and many other questions wait to be answered, as if they actually could be answered. One thing for sure, banned books tend to get a boost in readership. So, in effect, banning them only gets the opposite effect. People don't like to be told what to do. They want to believe that they actually have the freedom of choice. Go ahead, ban my book, I dare you. Let's promote the freedom to read and write!

Books and things

2008-09-29T05:57:00.000-07:00

The Tri-State Book Expo in Evansville, Indiana this past weekend is over and now on to new things. I met many other interesting authors and enjoyed myself. I had hoped that the local media would have covered it better, though. Had I known, I would have done more promoting myself. I bought more books than I sold, but its all about exposure, contacts and the like. In the photo with the three authors, I'm the one on the left. The middle author is B.B. Walters and then Bernice Camp. It is from the Book Expo. That's what I was doing instead of going to the National Book Expo in D. C. I'm now listed on the USA Book News site. I was chosen to be promoted and received an honorable mention from them. I am working on several projects at this time and finding that my time must be micro managed in order to do all the things I want to do. I guess that's better than having nothing to do at all.
Meanwhile, back at the farm (DC book expo), the National Book Expo was alive with action. Alas, I was doing my part in the midwest and missed it all. Good news, however, as I have pictures. They held the "big book festival" outdoors amidst pending rain. My sources tell me that it went off without a hitch and was great fun. Rain here and there did not dampen the spirit of the occasion. I have photos of the dark clouds hanging over the Washington Mall and Neil Gaiman (famed Fantasy author and graphic novelist) signing books.

The birth of Superman

2008-09-02T06:37:00.000-07:00

Today is the official launch of The Siegel & Shuster Society, with a celebrity charity auction that'll raise money to preserve the home of Jerry Siegel, creator of Superman. When you go to Brad Meltzer's charitable website www.OrdinaryPeopleChangeTheWorld.com, you can:

* bid online for original Superman and comic book art and items by top writers and artists

* buy a Siegel & Shuster Society t-shirt (designed by the legendary graphic designer Chip Kidd)

* or just donate to the good cause.

History is very important. It tells us who we are and where we came from. It shows us where we're going. Political and social history is not the only significant aspect of civilization. Civilization consists of ordinary people. Ordinary people combined make up civilization as we know it. It is the citizens who matter. They elect, live, work, create and follow. Collectively, we citizens of this planet pollute, clean and use the Earth's resources. Any individual who contributes to society in a way which helps individuals make through the day is significant. We must support the artisans who aren't always considered distinguished in cultural circles. The common comic book artist who gives the average kid an escape from his daily trials with peers and school must have his day. Superman is just one of the many heroes and characters who supported many a child and young adult. Support the historic homes of their creators. Support the historical comic books, newspaper dailies and books which holds the foundation of hopes and dreams. The hopes and dreams of everyday people.

NY Architect builds cryptic apartment

2008-06-13T06:09:00.000-07:00

An Architect in NY city, armed with money and a great imagination, turns his apartment into the ultimate puzzle box. Starting with an ingenious idea, Eric Clough designed his 4,200 square foot Park Avenue apartment with puzzling nooks and crannies, all clues to his secret treasure. It took his family months to unravel its secrets. As an added bonus, the finished home is visually pleasing as well. The smooth dark wood is etched with wonderful designs and hardware.
Can you imagine a large house made this way? I would put in plenty of secret passageways, which by the way, a company does just that. There are so many ingenious ideas which can be incorporated into the perfect, creative and unusual homes. It's wonderful when someone with the needed financial backing creates such a home. Unique living quarters full of art, design, nuances and the like. I am reminded of the Winchester mystery home where the occupant never stopped adding rooms, dead end hallways and marvelous stairways to nothing. Here's to creativity in all its marvelous forms.

National Doodle Day

2008-05-13T05:08:00.000-07:00

May 8th was National Doodle Day.
I think there should be a National Doodle Month, but that's just me. Doodles can be fun, interesting or just silly. They can also give you an insight into someone's psyche, especially when they don't know you're looking. The Doodles in question, however, are from various celebrities who are donating their doodles for charity. It's for a good cause. Regardless, doodles should be celebrated as an art form all its own. How many school kids have their notebooks covered in doodles? How many of those kids have had their doodle art confiscated by their teachers and displayed for all to see? Sure, the teacher wasn't trying to honor the art. The teacher clearly misunderstood the art and was attempting to humiliate the artist. Indirectly, however, the art was indeed being appreciated by the entire class as it was held up by the smirking educator. Some students would smile while others might aspire to achieve their own great doodle art. Inspiration comes from many sources. Let us celebrate the history of doodles in all its forms. (The above doodle was drawn by Micky Dolenz from The Monkees.)

Art imitating Life imitating Art

2008-04-09T08:38:00.000-07:00

Can anyone do it?

2008-03-26T05:34:00.001-07:00

When I spoke to the school kids, I told them how anyone could be a writer. I wouldn't say that to everyone, but I believe kids posses a great amount of potential. Kids know very well what they "can't do", not so much about what they can. Papers are graded with comments on what they did wrong and maybe a smiley face will be added for good measure. I realize that teachers do make positive remarks, its just that, overall, kids receive way more "constructive criticism" than they do positive reinforcement. The teachers are just doing their job. They have to follow the educational guidelines set before them. When I was talking to the kids, I was able to try and motivate them. I wanted them to see their inner passions and how they can use that to follow their dreams. It turns out, however, that I may have insulted other professional writers by saying "anyone can be a writer". I guess its like saying "anyone can be a doctor, lawyer, etc" The intention behind those words were meant to serve as youthful motivation rather than offending writers. I realize that it takes studying, desire, talent and much more to be a good writer. Neil Gaiman (a professional writer) told me once, "if you want to be a writer...write, finish, then write again." He said that's how he did it and still does. Talent stands on its own merits. "Of course," he added, "writers are avid readers, too."
People want to be at the top of their field. They do not want to think that "anyone can do it" (change it to whatever you want). Of course ANYONE can't do it! if they could then EVERYONE would be doing it. I believe that everyone has something they can do, however, and that they should be motivated to find out what that is. We are all valid, contributing individuals on this blue planet. Why not be the best we can be? Be the best parent, teacher, partner, cook, co-worker, student, etc. Find that spark within, for we all possess it.

Book signings

2008-03-24T09:22:00.000-07:00

I had a nice pre-Easter book signing. I was right next to the children's section where an Easter Egg hunt was under way. There were lots of kids and onlookers. I had a successful signing with some people buying more than one copy of my book. I had a drawing for a free mug and gave away magnets and bookmarks. Now I have to start scheduling more signings. I must decide where and when to do future signings. Its been an interesting ride thus far. I'm still working on future books in this series. I'm also working on getting my fantasy novel out there. I enjoy writing. The marketing part, however, is a lot of work. Oh to get noticed by that big publisher who spends all their own resources on advertising your work. That's my plan.

An outpouring of rain and random thoughts

2008-03-18T11:09:00.000-07:00

The rain has taken over my previously ice covered world. Now the world is drenched in a never ending onslaught of rain. My street and yard have various sizes of flooded puddles which quickly turn into mini lakes. We have had our fair share of moisture this year which completely makes up for last year which was semi-dry. I actually enjoy hearing the rain on the roof as I settle in with a good book and something soothing to drink. When the weather decides to go to extremes, I still sit in my home with a deluded sense of security. Reality is what we make it. That's what I believe. Everyone believes what they will and there is no stopping them. Advertising will attempt to sway a person's conception toward something, but in the end people will do as they please. Of course, who wants to be left out of the latest fad? Usually, by the time a person gets past their 30's they will be more in tuned with what they like. As such, they will be harder to reach through advertising. The marketers have to be clever to reach an older audience. Between handing out coupons and free samples, advertisers attempt to show how life can be made easier in some way. They leave the trends and what's vogue to the younger target market.
So, here's to a gently falling rain outside my window which makes me feel secure and safe inside my walls of illusion.

Sparks

2008-03-09T17:36:00.000-07:00

I spoke to an inner city class about my book and about writing. They were very well behaved. Of course you'll have those who are a bit crude, to put it mildly. I was amazed at all of the great questions the students had about writing and the ideas they had. Then, unexpectedly, one of the less attentive students spoke up. Something I said got his attention. I don't remember what it was but it instigated a dialog between us. Previously he had been making rude faces and such and now he was telling me his story ideas. The ideas were actually quite good. I could see that a chord was struck and he no longer exhibited his rude behavior. This is what makes it all worthwhile. When you see that spark light up in a child's eyes. It is so much easier to talk to students who have all the advantages of a good education and family support. It is frustrating to talk to kids you have a chip on their shoulder. We all know the type. The kid who comes from a deprived background where support is something he sorely lacks. In school he causes so much trouble that he gets labeled and pushed through the system without any prospects ahead of him. He is a forgotten soul who ends up being a burden to society. The child who gets attention through uncooperative behavior and downright meanness is lost. If I am able to let this child see, if only for a moment, that he is valuable then it is all worth it.
I've had kids see me later and remember me. They will tell me the ideas they are working on. The same ideas other adult authority figures told them weren't any good. Is there really a bad idea? Of course there are ideas that are not marketable. But if you get a person to thinking isn't that important? One idea can sparks new ideas. Eventually that person may have hundreds of ideas, with one being just the right one. Brainstorming is the foundation to the advertising industry. Throwing out good and bad concepts until the right one is born. Here's to the kids, our future adults. Let us encourage them all, even the misfits.

Opportunities

2008-03-08T08:13:00.001-08:00

The flagging economic indicators demonstrate that recessionary pressures seem to be at play. What this means is that the middle class is being squeezed between a lower mean income and the rising costs of living expenses. This is not a political issue but rather a personal one which millions of families face on a daily basis. When families are doing all they can just to live, the forgotten children suffer. Their earning potential as an adult is inhibited because they lack the funds to go to college. Many of these kids live in poverty and face abuse and neglect. Every child deserves the opportunity to go to college. Many of them fall between the cracks because they believe they are incapable to succeed. There are many scholarship opportunities for low income children. The problem is that many of them have become "labeled" by the school system. As such, they are not given the hope or means needed to explore their educational options. These kids are hidden behind the labels and pushed aside. All kids learn differently. Some kids learn visually where others are able to comprehend facts through mathematics or reading. The visual students are more likely to be labeled as "learning disabled". There have been many strides in the teaching platforms today. However, too many schools have fallen into the same old academic structures. They promote kids who cannot read above a third grade level and in some cases, not at all.
Hope and self confidence needs to be restored in these kids. They are the future adults and deserve to see the spark within themselves. Parents need to be educated as well. They need to be aware of their child's potential. If they don't believe in their kids who will? Studies have shown that college graduates make more money than those without a degree. It is a combination of the specialized training received along with the fact that graduates have a higher level of self confidence.
Always talk to kids as if they are smart because they all possess an inner potential which tends to be overlooked by many adults.

Glass Trees

2008-02-25T10:36:00.000-08:00

My world has been a crystal fantasy. Everything was coated in an icy splendor. It also carried with it a chilling reverence. Every step had to be calculated. Driving was reduced to a snail-like pace, at least at first. Subsequently, the ice melted causing icicle daggers to come crashing down. I drove home, cautiously avoiding the trees full of the abominable icicles. The trees seemed to be waiting patiently for the passing cars before releasing their daggers of ice. I could hear the dreaded crack and thud as a melting icicle struck the car in front of me. I could almost sense the tree's evil laugh as it hit its target. I zig zagged and eventually arrived safely home, or so I thought. As I opened my front door an ice dagger from the gutter swiftly struck the ground only centimeters from where I was standing. One slight move to the left could have left me with a pierced sternum. The sad part would have been the fact that the icicle would have melted away leaving my lifeless body and no one would be the wiser. The only evidence would have been a mere puddle. By the next day, however, it was all but a dream as the sun shone brightly across the muddy lawn.
Unfortunately, mother nature was given a second chance. The following week the fearsome ice returned in full force. Fortunately, the city was armed and ready. The streets managed to throw off much of the ice leaving a city of clear frosty trees. It was a sight to behold. All of the trees looked as if they were made of glass. When the light hit the ice, everything took on a surreal effect. I took pictures in order to remember how it all looked. Of course, no photo can capture adequately what the eye can see. On the final day of ice, we woke to snow. It was a light snow, but enough to cover all of the ice, turning everything white. Again, the camera came out in a feeble attempt to recreated the colorless world of white and gray.
I again drove near the evil tree that released its icy daggers the week before. However, this time revenge dealt an awful blow. The tree had split in half. Its limbs could no longer bear the weight of the thick, heavy ice. Crews were quickly sawing it into logs. It was almost as if it had a look of shock on its trunk.
Once more, the world has melted. It has been a unusual winter thus far. Despite the treacherous driving conditions we all have had to endure, we also, if only for a few days, lived in a crystal world of icy wonderment.

A Four Letter Word for Valentine's day.

2008-02-14T05:29:00.000-08:00

A collection of new fiction exploring the fascination and allure of the classic love letter. It is written by some of todays most notable writers including Margaret Atwood, David Bezmozgis, Douglas Coupland, Michel Faber, A.L. Kennedy, and Jeanette Winterson.
Amazon included a sample letter, one that I found quite intriguing. It is a love letter to Earth from Mars, written by Jonathon Lethem Here's an excerpt of the excerpt..
"No, I'm an edifice, an enigma; to one such as you my science is like magic. Don't delay, act now, give up. You have been selected by a higher being from another realm to be siphoned from among your impoverished species to join me, to be seated in the empty throne beside me (only because I'd never troubled to glance to one side before to notice a seat existed there - not, somehow, until my gaze lit on you) where none of your lowly cringing fellows has ever resided. You're unworthy but you'll be made worthy by the acclaim of my notice. I say again, I'm superior to you. You're tinsel, static, a daisy, a bubble of champagne that went to my head and popped, and I don't even know why I want you and you'd better not give me the chance to think twice."

So, in effect, Mars is enamored with our own blue planet? That isn't too difficult to envision. Yet, this imaginary love letter clearly shows Mars' superiority complex towards Earth. I would think that such a love letter would put the object of affection off a bit. I mean, would Earth really love one so callous and egotistical? It does have its historical precedents, though. Josephine, for whatever reason, fell in love with the narcissistic Napoleon. Look where that got her. Or, for that matter, what in the world did Anne Boleyn see in the egotistical Henry the VIII? That "love" ended quite grizzly, did it not? I would tell the Earth not to listen to Mars.
If Mars truly loved you, Mars would put you on a pedestal, not look down upon you! Wake up dear Earth and see through Mars' self serving adoration. It is you, dear Earth, who supports life, not Mars. Sure Mars is a pure planet of limited diversity. It is unique unto itself, as far as planets go, but superior? I think not. Maybe Saturn, who's to say? No, dear Earth, tell Mars to keep to its orbit and leave you to yours. It most definitely has competition for your affections. There are 6,650,524,661 souls at last count who compete with Mars' adoration. Surely this cannot go unnoticed. The Earth should say, "Mars, thank you very much, but no thanks. I posses quite enough love for all the planets combined. Maybe, dear Mars, you could turn around a see your beloved companion, Venus watching you from afar. Yes, Venus has long since envied your superiority. Venus, named after the goddess of love and beauty, is obviously enamored by your red terrain. She gazes upon you without judgment. Her unconditional adoration is quite obvious to the rest of the solar system. Wake up Mars and see what has been right next to you all along. A mysterious, clouded orb of deep affection. Affection for you, my misguided companion, YOU!
Accost me no more, for I may implore my oversized sentinel, Jupiter, to come to my aid. You wouldn't want to go up against the fearless Jupiter. No, I didn't think so."
Sincerely yours, the venerable Earth

Keyboards: Avant- garde

2008-02-08T16:27:00.001-08:00

I stumbled upon the best keyboards I've yet to see. For a writer, they're nostalgic. For a computer tech, they're really cool. For an artist, they're masterpieces in metal. They remind me of a cross between an old time typewriter and an H.P. Lovecraft work. To keep them in the leagues of the true artistic creations they are, these keyboards are not for the low funded individual. Put it this way, if you have to ask... Are they worth it? Probably. There's always something that sets a person apart from the rest. If I had one of these keyboards, I wouldn't keep it tucked away in my keyboard drawer. It would have to be sitting on my beautiful new desk for all to see. I mean, I couldn't exactly put once on my old computer desk. I would have to shell out the money for a dark, carved wooden desk worthy of such a keyboard. Now, why don't they make computers that look like this? Hmmmm, I'll get right on that.
Oh wait...check out their Steampunk Laptop. It defies description.

We are all time travelers

2008-02-06T11:36:00.000-08:00

It seems that we are all time travelers. As we sit at our desks, tapping on the keyboard, time is traveling around us. The future is constantly being transformed into the past with the present only lasting for a fleeting moment (if at all). Everything that we are doing right now is quickly moving into the past, which means we continue to move through time.

Ideas of time travel have existed for centuries, but when Albert Einstein released his theory of special relativity, he laid the foundation for the theoretical possibility of time travel. Now, we may wonder, if time travel were possible, why haven't we met a time traveler from the future? Physicists such as Michio Kaku who wrote a book on Parallel Worlds believe that the universe is full of parallel universes. We are but a tiny atom within the whole cosmic reality. As such, we see the universe from our tiny perspective.
Imagine, like Alice in Wonderland, we could eat something that would make us grow bigger. Now imagine that there was no limit to how big we could become. Think of a tiny ant who became bigger and bigger. This ant would be amazed at what he saw. The world appeared alien the farther away his perspective became. So, let's imagine that we grew larger than the planet (let's assume air is not an issue). We became obsessive and decided to see how large we could become. If our hypothetical ant was amazed at the sight of civilization, he would be totally confused at the sight of the planet earth. The larger we made ourselves the more amazed we would be. That is, until we became so large that we no longer recognized the cosmos. Once we became larger than the viewable universe in which we live, we would see exactly where good 'ol planet Earth fits into the whole scheme of things. I assume we would, like the ant, become downright confused at what we saw. We can imagine that this huge person saw multiple universes existing within some some astronomic something. Maybe this person saw the universe explode, implode over and over. Would he see what runs it all? Would he see the beginning of something? Becoming larger and larger would he see the face of God? Maybe he already did and didn't know it. Is God a deity, an energy or force or maybe all of the above. Does God exist? It all depends on your definition of God. Does it matter? To each individual it does.
Out of fear, this bombastic person would then eat the "get smaller" food, like Alice did. Again, this person being driven by anxiety may get carried away and shrink down to the size of an atom and beyond. And, once again, he would become confused, disoriented and possible afraid. He would see an alien world before him. He would see the energy which makes up our known universe. What would he see? Would he see the face of God?
It all comes down to perspective. Einstein understood that perspective was everything. So, basically, our world is our world and no one else's world. That is because we see it in a way no one else sees it. Does it matter? Yes, it does!