Sadie is (Always) there

  Been thinking more and more about trust and character. It’s been in the news lately so maybe it’s trickling through my subconscious to my thoughts.

I’m surprised by how few people I can truly count on anymore. So many people say “I promise” but mean "maybe" . . . or “always” and mean "sometimes" . . . worse . . . they say this then completely blow off that thing they said "I promise" or "always" about within mere days. I remember I had this difficulty when I first got out of the military. In our unit if you were ordered to do something or if you said you would do something you had to do it. It was not even a question. It got done.

Cutting Edge

 I used to read for fun often and compiled this great list of first lines (here) and last (see here). Somewhere in that list (probably here) is a post on the importance of first lines. 

Regardless, thanks to these classes I've been involved in, there isn't as much time to focus on novels or first lines in novels. Who wants to read the first line in APA's 7th edition of their Style Manual? Right! No one. 

I did get a chance to start a novel last month, and I'm working through it slowly. Here is the first line:

The second time he died was more difficult than the first. More difficult because he saw it coming. 

He stirred to consciousness between the two events, twin sources of light above him seeming like a pair of struggling midday suns behind thick layers of cloud. He was flat on his back, that much he knew, and beneath him were sheets that had been washed too many times and stretched tight over a thin mattress. 

The voices were every bit as opaque as the light, a man and a woman, neither familiar. He could make out most of their words, a disjointed back-and-forth that seemed to arrive through a soup can. 

How long had he been awake? A minute? Two? Long enough. 

A shadow blocked out the suns, and again he willed his eyes to open. There was no response. All voluntary movement had ceased. Then a brush of warm breath came across his face, moist and without scent.

Larsen, Ward - Cutting Edge 

It's not bad. It's intriguing and a bit so out of the norm that it leaves the reader wondering what the hell the author is talking about. 

I Warned Ya

I said I wasn't going to stop posting these. Here's another couple. This one though I want to show how so many different people can see different things in the same book. 

The first is from Botkin. 

I love the fact that she said the ending would be a surprise. This more than any of the other novels I've written I wanted to be a break in form and completely stun the reader at the end. I think hearing that Botkin was surprised is a great thing to read from a review. 

Then we get Alex's review.

First, I'd like to think that 4 stars aint bad, and being called a typical conspiracy theory writer, isn't that bad a thing to hear. There are some really good typical conspiracy theory books out there. I think it's interesting that Alex thought the story was predictable, but Botkin thought the ending of the story was a complete surprise. 

Finally, there is Samantha, and I can't get enough of this one. "Created a depth that many books are missing" and "really makes you think" . . . Can't think of higher praise.

Again, if you'd like to read one of my novels for free (see here) just let me know and I'll send it to you. Already, I've sent out three since the last time I made this offer (see here). Also, if you'd like to see any or all of my reviews, take a look! (see here).

When They Stop Making Me Feel So Good . . . I'll Stop Posting These Reviews

For some reason my book has had a spate of reviews (see here) lately and thankfully a spate of great ones. I got another two last night and I love what they've said.

"It's always good to find a book by an author who shows real talent through their writing" and "I felt enthralled by this book by the amazing narrator voice and realistic portrayals of danger" are two phrases that any author would love to hear. 

The only thing that would be better? Well, if someone yells at your book. "I actually screamed at my book a few times. It was nail-biting suspense from beginning to end!"

Can't think of a better way to wake up! 

If you haven't read and reviewed Vapor Trail (see here) and want to. I would love to send whoever writes to me a free copy in exchange for that review. Go ahead and email me using the contact form below to get in touch with me!

Not Just Knowledgeable but Compelling to Read as Well

 I waded into Rex Bonds Shredded Secrets: 7 Cutting Edge Nutrition Secrets You Need Even If You Are Over 50 with some degree of trepidation, but I was happy to see that not only was it well written, deep, and well organized, but is in line with what I've read so many times over the years.

I have a deep history of diets both with and without success. As child I was over weight. I have been working out in gyms since 4th grade. my first fun run was in 5th grade. In high school I was able to lose 80 lbs in one year by diet alone. When I got too skinny, protein and supplements helped me get into shape enough to be an athlete in college. Years in the Army as a SpecOps warrior also helped me learn how to workout, lift weights, and diet. For years after my time in the military I worked out with a Navy Seal PT bootcamp and helped others workout and counseled them on how to stay in shape. I've bulked up, slimmed down, run, jogged, lifted, and cross fitted all through the years. Now that I'm approaching 50, I was drawn to this book due to the tag line " . . . even over 50."

Unlike many fad diet books I've read over the years, Shredded Secrets is down to earth, solid, firm, and terrific advice. It's not easy, it's not fast, it's not even guaranteed for everyone, . . . getting shredded. But as someone who may never achieve it but always tries, I can say that if I followed all the advice in this book, as diligently as Rex Bonds advocates, I would be successful. 

A great book for anyone taking dieting seriously. 

More of the Same, and I Couldn't Be More Excited

I'm sure many who read this blog regularly get tired of these types of posts (see here and here), but I can't get enough of em, especially this most recent one. 

This first one is particularly noteworthy, as any review might be that is titled, "Unbelievably Beautiful."

The only other review that I might have enjoyed more is this one (here) that I got for On the Edge. Anytime you read a reviewer write "any reader would feel like the characters are real people" then the author has had a really good day. 

This second one is nice as well. Also five stars. "Plenty of twists and turns kept me engaged right to the end of the story." Again, I can't get enough of these awesome positive reviews. 

A Bit of Vaingloriousness

It might be a bit too much self pride, but I love getting these reviews and posting them here (see here). They have two affects. First, they're fun to read. It's interesting to see how others view and process my writing. I didn't realize that my writing was detailed or that I was at all like Hemingway or Heller (see here). Secondly, it inspires me to write more. I know that this morning I should be getting homework done. I should be reading articles about what chemicals are produced by the amygdala via emotional responses to create more resilient long-term memories. Instead, I wrote about elephants in my eastern-Africa thriller novel. 

This first one is from a reader who read my book of short stories, Stories from the Day (see here). I love that chuckled. That's exactly what I was hoping for! 

This second review comes from someone who read On the Edge (see here). Like some of the other reviews she mentions characterization positively, which is awesome for a writer to hear, and the fact that she "devoured" the book. Several others have said the same things. One person wrote that they read my novel in just a few hours and that she couldn't put it down. 

Again, love getting them and reading them. These are two of the best, there were a couple of others that earned me 5 stars but weren't so detailed. Looking forward to more. 

Short Story about Bataan

I spend an inordinate amount of time driving and commuting for work. My office is about an hour away from my home. When I took a job about 12 years ago, it was in an area nearer to my house. Since the company merged with it's largest competitor, the office moved 30 miles to the east, away from my home. Now I'm stuck in an industry that's a significant distance from my home. This leaves alot of time for listening to music, podcasts and sports radio. 

At the moment I've been listening to Dan Carlin's Hardcore History (see here). I started trying to listen to this a year or two ago and gave up. Apparently my barrier for entry is lower on my commute as I got into it and now I love em. 

The first one I listed to was called Supernova in the East. It's a terrific series on how and why Japan fought in WWII and why the war fleshed out the way it did. During one segment Dan discusses McArthur's pull out from Bataan and the troops that were trapped on the peninsula and the fighting that took place there. Although I've never fought in the jungle, we as a unit did a ton of training in jungle warfare and when Dan was discussing the rigor and hardships of fighting in the jungle it sure made me think about my time in Panama. 

As a part of that segment Dan asks the listener to imagine themselves in a fox hole, in the middle of the night, with just your buddy in the fox hole with you, and the next fox hole out of visual reach and perhaps due to the forced silence you can't hear them either. All around you there are jungle noises and mixed in there, with the total blackness of the triple canopy jungle, are suspicious noises of Japanese soldiers getting through the defensive perimeter (something they routinely did) and killing soldiers in their fox holes silently. 

It's a terrific word picture and I was thinking of writing a short story about a guy who gets stuck in his fox hole alone and doesn't know what to do next. I've been that guy in the fox hole in the middle of the night not sure what to do. I've been that guy in the jungle all night. I can't add the combat experience, but I can add the stress, the fear, the uncertainty. 

It would be a fun short story to write. 

Now that I'm spending so much time working on papers for my PhD, I don't have the time to write my novels, perhaps short stories can be my milieu for a while. 

Another Great Review (and a less than stellar one)

 I love getting these reviews . . . well . . . some of them. 

I say, some, because of this first one I got. 

I guess my response to this review, if I was going to write to Ariana is:

Why did you decide to buy, read and review my book if you admit upfront that "you don't like action stories"?

There are many other reviewers who have said the exact opposite of what you said about there not being enough in the beginning to grab the reader's attention. Other reviewers have said "fast paced", "page turner", "wild ride" and "action from the get-go!" 

I kinda think this was a revenge post rather than an actual reader, but whatcha gonna do?

This second review is one that I would much rather focus on. Amazing detail! An engaging book! and the perfect length! I'll take all of those reviews happily! 

Storytelling for Engagement

Storytelling is key to engagement in so many ways when it comes to teaching classes. I try to use storytelling as an aspect of my teaching often. I think there are few things that help bring a class together than being able to know the history and the background of the teacher and maybe more importantly, vice versa. 

One thing I try to encourage all of my instructors to do is to reach out and promote that the class they are teaching tell their own stories. When I taught field technicians how to work large pieces of equipment I showed up with a wealth of book knowledge and 8 hours to fill. The classes I taught were to field personnel with hours and hours and weeks and years of time in the field on the very equipment that I was trying to train on. I learned quickly that not only should I step back and allow the class to teach themselves, but also to encourage the use of their telling their own stories. 

Quickly we found that the younger technicians really honored and enjoyed hearing the stories from their more senior supervisors. By that same token, the senior supervisors, when hearing the stories and anecdotes from their teams, we're able to add to them, address their issues, and help them. Encouraging the use of having the class tell us their stories really helped make the class more powerful and worthwhile for the class as a whole.