Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Out With the Old and in With the BOLD

People who know me will tell you that I can be a bit, let's be gentle, intense, to say the least.

I have little time and less than enough patience for the routine, much less dull in life. Which is why I chafe at the amount of time and effort it takes to get an agent or a publisher for my writing work.

To say that dealing with the old school version of the publishing world is tedious would be polite on my part. I know that it has good reason to be the way it is. Truly there are many who would want to be published so as to reap fortunes and fame. Myself, I just want to write.

After years of doing other jobs, some of which I was good at, I realized that living your life while doing something you don't love is not a life. It's a job.

So, on into the new year.

Where I will rev up the marketing campaign.

You've been warned.

Have a Happy Holidays, for whatever reason you celebrate this season.

 

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The Write Life

The write life is the only life.

How can you not communicate once you learn the form?

I spend many hours per week writing and researching my books, screenplays and other expressions of my thoughts.

Now I have to do that which I do not enjoy, but is a necessity.

Marketing my work.

I've been researching agents, agencies, publishers and the various new forms of publishing available to anyone with the urge to write. Then get it out to the public and hope for it's acceptance as viable entertainment.

To paraphrase Elvis, "Too much talk and not enough action, I can't get no satisfaction."

Wait, there might be a touch of Rolling Stones in there...or did they copy Elvis?

Either way, it's time to take action.

Wednesday, August 6, 2014

Variety is the spice of Life

And trying to decipher what people are doing in Hollywood or any of the other entertainment capitals of the world is a job in itself.

I've been to the Big Apple, tried on Tinsel Town, worked in Europe and came back here to the hills.

Why?

No matter what, your life is only as good or bad as you make it.

I've done a variety of jobs in my life. All to the best of my ability. Why do shoddy work?

When working for companies or even doing odd jobs for local people, I keep one thing in mind.

If we make a deal, then I will keep it. Sure there are times when circumstances intervene and projects are delayed or outright cancelled. These can be adjusted for and arrangements changed to meet the problem.

It's when I do a job, then get short-changed by someone who thinks that they're conning me that I try to politely deal with the situation.

It could be something as simple as finding out why they think like they do or as complex as trying to enforce a written contract.

If you take my time or my work, that's theft.

No matter how you do it.



Saturday, July 19, 2014

Return of Thor (not the movie)

Thor, as in the dog, has returned.

Which to most people doesn't matter, but it's a big deal with my friends and his friends.

He's a popular dog. If allowed to run for political office, he'd win.

Thanks to all the folks at Hardin County animal shelter, Hardin Animal Rescue Transition Team, J&J Tractor Supply and all the good people out there who helped me look for him.

There's nothing worse than a German Shepherd who hates thunderstorms and runs like hell trying to avoid them.

He's calmed down now that's he's back home.

I guess I'll have to put bars on the windows, otherwise, he goes right through them.

We all have our fears, storms are his.

Wednesday, June 18, 2014

Mark Twain aka Samuel Clemens on Slavery of all types

It's amazing what is written in some books.
Hidden away to jump out at you.
Literary ambush.

I expect to find a sci-fi tale of time travel into the past (A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court) but discover that Mr. Clemens has hidden discourses on the stock market, employment, social attitudes and military matters in the book.

Would you be surprised that he's spent many pages on the various forms of slavery?

Mr. Clemens would be disappointed to see our current conditions.

In which slavery has been taken to a new level.

Economic bondage for the majority.

Can I get you a loan for that bauble you desire?

You'll just love the arrangements and it'll only leave you indebted for life.

Slavery without the chains is still bondage.

Thursday, June 12, 2014

Colbert Nation vs Amazon Bezos

Oh boy, now they've done it.

Amazon has picked a fight with known authors, like J.K. Rowling and Stephen Colbert.

What were they thinking?

It was OK when they were not recognizing (and paying royalties to)  minor players or even lesser authors like yours' truly, but going after a major power player like J.K. Rowling?

Woe unto thee Mr. Bezos.

Have you crossed the line into territory where you'll not win?

This is going to be interesting, to say the least.

Too bad we can't get the poor workers at Amazon to realize just how bad they're being treated and do something about it.

Mr. Bezos and company may have bitten off more than they can chew this time.

Wednesday, May 21, 2014

Don't Tread on Me

Life is full of surprises.

I try to be polite when dealing with people I don't know. You never know who they might be or what they're up to.

Unfortunately, we have a few people on this planet who haven't adjusted their attitudes to calm, they're too busy bullying others. It's obvious in the current relationships that some countries have with the USA. Everyone is jockeying for position, trying to be the controlling factor.

Power is an elusive quantity. it comes in many forms, from economic to military to spiritual. Money, might and doing right. All can be corrupted.

At this time, money has been a defining factor for many groups to use to wield power. It's a fluid item, able to be flowed where the most good, from the point of view of those using it, can be done. The most good for their agenda, not necessarily the good of the rest of the community, be it local or worldwide.

Down through the ages, there has been a much more powerful force that money. It's been a factor in shaping the world we now have because it's timeless.

That's the power of the word.

I found that out yesterday when someone tried to pick a fight with me.

He evidently felt that he could threaten to beat me up and I'd just cower and fold.

I told him one thing, to get the point across.

"No."

He was surprised, but he backed off and left the property.


"No"

It's what we need to tell the people who've manipulated the news, the government and information outlets that they're now using to further agendas for their personal power groups.

We had a flag in this country many years ago. It had a simple motto:

Don't Tread on Me"

Any questions?



Wednesday, May 14, 2014

There always is never enough time

So many of my previous posts gave start dates for various projects. Like most people, some got done, others are in limbo and some will never get finished.

I've just gone through a very difficult period of my life. It won't be recounted here. Let it be said that it's given me a new perspective on what I want to do for the rest of the time I have on this planet.

My writing work is getting done.

Now it's time to get it out to readers.

Meanwhile, in lieu of death

It's been an interesting year. Too much to relate in this blog. It will be available later, when I've time to comment on the various incidents, organizations and personalities who've recently impacted my life.

You've heard the old phrase, "That which does not kill me, makes me stronger."

Believe it. I've recovered and am feeling fine.

I'm in better shape now than I've been in years.

Updates on "Going Dutch, Trials of a Wage Slave" and my other books, including the new one, which a kick-off for a 'New Adult' series will be posted in the coming weeks.