Gun Control?...
The news is dominated recently with all the talk about gun control. Sparked by the recent mass killings in Newtown, Aurora... First, and certainly most important, let me say my heart is broken. I feel so much pain and sadness that innocent people going about their lives have been gunned down in cold blood. By deranged, psychopathic and diabolically evil killers. And if you consider that in the incident in Newtown twenty of those killed were children, you can't get much more evil than that. There's one mitigating thing we must consider though. I'm not defending anyone, don't get me wrong. But the perps in most of these mass shootings aren't just out and out evil people who aspire to kill for the joy of it, they're mentally deranged or incapacitated, to some extent. Not capable of making rational decisions. Except for a few people in society, literally a few, no one goes out and buys guns and ammo and makes elaborate, fastidious plans to kill innocent people going about their business. But if there is a screw loose, then the possibility for that opens up. Therein lies the problem, the real problem. Mental illness. If you've ever been close to someone with mental illness and been subjected to life with a mentally ill person then you understand. Unexpected, bizarre, irrational, insensitive and lots more adjectives like those can be used to describe their behavior. They can hurt themselves and they can hurt others without remorse. They can even do it without understanding what they have done. We are quick to call them evil and diabolical, and what they have done certainly is. A mentally ill person is not evil and diabolical but they are capable of doing horribly evil things, including killing. Keeping guns away from them obviously makes sense. Just like keeping knives and sharp objects away from them does. For some, even not allowing them to drive might be prudent. Guns need to be banned, FROM THEM. Banning guns or even controlling them from everyone else serves no purpose other than to deny citizens a constitutional right and just generally irritate most people. Fundamentally, guns need to be kept from those who are capable of killing other people. Period. The problem is identifying who that is. It's not easy, far from it. There are mentally ill people who are high functioning, they go about life almost indetectable. You cant tell them from everyone else. Are they capable of killing? Most of them aren't, no. But the line has to be drawn somewhere. Like everything else in our society, and our government, what ever we come up with wont be flawless or foolproof. We're humans after all, we're not capable of flawlees and foolproof. In the case of our government they're not even capable of, sorry I digress... But we need, must do something to control access to guns by the mentally ill. Our definition of mentally ill is going to have to be broadened and expanded. It's going to have to include a lot of people. Maybe we can call call it something else so a lot of people wont be offended. Hell, I might be one of them and I dont want to be called mentally ill. But I really dont want to kill someone unless I really mean it... That didnt come out like I really meant it but you get the message. It's not the guns, that's not the real problem. Why is it so hard to see that?... Maybe if we made lawmakers spend a week in an asylum... Then, they would 'get it'...
Violence for entertainment...
I'm reading a lot lately about removing violence from movies, video games and the like. Of course, a lot of movies are based on books. As a writer, I'd like to give my take on that.
In an ideal world, yes, of course we'd like to protect our kids from growing up in a culture that doesn't unilateraly condemn violence. Seeing violence in movies and video games, and there is a copious amount of it, at some point dulls our senses to the true effect of it. When we experience violence in our lives it is nothing short of traumatic. It can be and often is life-changing. It leaves many with disabling injuries and unfortunately lives are needlessly lost through unexpected and senseless violence.
Let's imagine for a few minutes that we woke up one day and there was no violence in movies, video games, on TV or in books. None. As the world acclimated to that utopia would violence cease to happen? Would all the kids who no longer saw violence as entertainment grow up to be peaceful, nonviolent adults? Some, maybe. All of them, no. Some of the kids who grew up in broken homes or had no family or someone who cared for them at all would still grow up mad at the world. Kids who grew up with parents who were drug addicts or were drug addicts themselves as kids would still kill for a fix. Kids that grow up to be violent more than likely didnt have XBoxes or Playstions or computers when they were kids. They couldnt afford them. They saw violence acted out on the stage of life. Their own life.
The problem isnt really taking violence out of movies and entertainment, it's taking violence out of life itself. It's taking mental illness, broken homes, broken families, drug addiction, desperation in life, out of life. It's like a cancer, you remove it from one place and it's back somewhere else, usually worse than before.
That begs the question, why are we entertained by violence? We dont want to experience it but we want to watch it happen to someone else. Are we all addicted to schadenfreude by nature? It sure looks that way. I mean, if you think about it, we are entertained by watching violence? I see it like this. We are not really entertained by violence per se. We are entertained by watching lives that are lived dangerously, out on the edge so to speak. We dont want to live our own lives dangerously and be caught in life-threatening predicaments, but we like to watch others do it. We like to watch good triumph over evil, we even like the scorn we feel when the good guys lose. We like stories that involve the things that inevitably happe in life, however tragic they may be. Then we like to go back to our own quiet and peaceful lives. We like to witness people living exciting, precarious lives without taking the risk ourselves. There is nothing wrong with being entertained like that. Those that create such stories are no more prone to violence than those who watch them. Tragic stories have been created since the creation of literature. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, F. Scott Fitzgerald, all told classic stories that involved tragedy and death. And have been enjoyed for centuries by many people. By reading, watching, learning through stories that contain tragedy, death and violence we are exposed to these things from a distance. We see others perspectives on them and are influenced by them. It gives us something to use in forming our own view of the world. Violence in a movie or a book doesnt make the world more violent. It doesnt make people in the world more violent. The seed of that particular tragedy is planted somewhere else...
In an ideal world, yes, of course we'd like to protect our kids from growing up in a culture that doesn't unilateraly condemn violence. Seeing violence in movies and video games, and there is a copious amount of it, at some point dulls our senses to the true effect of it. When we experience violence in our lives it is nothing short of traumatic. It can be and often is life-changing. It leaves many with disabling injuries and unfortunately lives are needlessly lost through unexpected and senseless violence.
Let's imagine for a few minutes that we woke up one day and there was no violence in movies, video games, on TV or in books. None. As the world acclimated to that utopia would violence cease to happen? Would all the kids who no longer saw violence as entertainment grow up to be peaceful, nonviolent adults? Some, maybe. All of them, no. Some of the kids who grew up in broken homes or had no family or someone who cared for them at all would still grow up mad at the world. Kids who grew up with parents who were drug addicts or were drug addicts themselves as kids would still kill for a fix. Kids that grow up to be violent more than likely didnt have XBoxes or Playstions or computers when they were kids. They couldnt afford them. They saw violence acted out on the stage of life. Their own life.
The problem isnt really taking violence out of movies and entertainment, it's taking violence out of life itself. It's taking mental illness, broken homes, broken families, drug addiction, desperation in life, out of life. It's like a cancer, you remove it from one place and it's back somewhere else, usually worse than before.
That begs the question, why are we entertained by violence? We dont want to experience it but we want to watch it happen to someone else. Are we all addicted to schadenfreude by nature? It sure looks that way. I mean, if you think about it, we are entertained by watching violence? I see it like this. We are not really entertained by violence per se. We are entertained by watching lives that are lived dangerously, out on the edge so to speak. We dont want to live our own lives dangerously and be caught in life-threatening predicaments, but we like to watch others do it. We like to watch good triumph over evil, we even like the scorn we feel when the good guys lose. We like stories that involve the things that inevitably happe in life, however tragic they may be. Then we like to go back to our own quiet and peaceful lives. We like to witness people living exciting, precarious lives without taking the risk ourselves. There is nothing wrong with being entertained like that. Those that create such stories are no more prone to violence than those who watch them. Tragic stories have been created since the creation of literature. Shakespeare, Chaucer, Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, F. Scott Fitzgerald, all told classic stories that involved tragedy and death. And have been enjoyed for centuries by many people. By reading, watching, learning through stories that contain tragedy, death and violence we are exposed to these things from a distance. We see others perspectives on them and are influenced by them. It gives us something to use in forming our own view of the world. Violence in a movie or a book doesnt make the world more violent. It doesnt make people in the world more violent. The seed of that particular tragedy is planted somewhere else...
A great place to get new ideas!
I've been on a business trip for the last two weeks in Europe. I started out in London then went on to Aberdeen Scotland. I've been to those two places so many times I can jump on the tube and go anywhere in London, almost like a local. Beautiful city, lots to see and do, not that I ever have time to do anything like that. Traveling around England and Scotland is fun, and ideas seem to flow much better with that kind of stimulation. This trip however, took a little different turn after about a week and a half. I had to divert and make a quick trip to Gibraltar, Spain then on to a not very well known town called Cadiz. Let me tell you, if you've never seen the Rock of Gibraltar, it is impressive. Very impressive. The countryside and terrain in this area is beautiful. To make the connections I needed, I am leaving Spain through Seville. Oh how I wish I had the time (and my wife with me...) to see Seville. A very intriguing place. I could spend a few months here and write a bestseller. The scenery, the people, the mystique, it doesn't get any better than this. Not for me anyway. And that's not to mention that the weather here this time of year is fabulous. A lot like Southern California.
However, I have this job that keeps getting in the way of fun. And writing. So I'm heading back to Houston and meetings. But if you ever have the chance to come to Spain and Seville, do not pass it up.
However, I have this job that keeps getting in the way of fun. And writing. So I'm heading back to Houston and meetings. But if you ever have the chance to come to Spain and Seville, do not pass it up.
I need reviews!
I have created a review page for my novel on Create Space. Click the link below and go and have a look. There's an excerpt to read, it'll only take you about ten to fifteen minutes. Then there are three questions at the end. The results will be seen by everyone who visits my title on Amazon. If you like the excerpt, pick yourself up a copy.
Thanks!
Thanks!
https://www.createspace.com/Preview/1091666
A new story...
Writing a novel is a long and arduous process. Especially when you have a full-time job to take care of, on the side. I've taken a short break from my second novel to write a short story. Short stories are a great American genre in literature. The author must accomplish what he does in a novel but he must get to the point with a lot fewer words. Read a few of Hemingway's short stories and you'll see exactly what I mean. Short stories are capable of poignancy and impact simply because the apex of the story comes around much sooner. They're challenging and fun, I'd thought I'd try my hand at it.
Regrettably, not everyone is into novels. I can only hope that my novels will change that for some of you...;) What I tried to do in my story is create a very interesting character. To take you into some of the deepest and darkest secrets of his life. And how he deals with a life and death situation. I think it might be the best half hour of your day. Go on, read it. I dare you...
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B73jH3UbazfMOTdhNGFlM2ItZmVhMi00MTBlLWFkMDEtMTllNTUyODU0NWM2&hl=en_US
Regrettably, not everyone is into novels. I can only hope that my novels will change that for some of you...;) What I tried to do in my story is create a very interesting character. To take you into some of the deepest and darkest secrets of his life. And how he deals with a life and death situation. I think it might be the best half hour of your day. Go on, read it. I dare you...
https://docs.google.com/leaf?id=0B73jH3UbazfMOTdhNGFlM2ItZmVhMi00MTBlLWFkMDEtMTllNTUyODU0NWM2&hl=en_US
Another Milestone!
I feel like I've hit a few major milestones recently. And now I can add another one to the list, and this is a big one. The El Morro Connection is now available for purchase in several places, mainly on Amazon.com in hardcopy print! Yes, my novel can be purchased in hardbound print. It's really well done, the interior is on good, heavy paper, nice and bright and the cover is absolutely beautiful. The fabulous cover art done by Tere Leger is on heavy stock paper and the color is gorgeous. I'm really happy it's out and quite proud of it. Now if I can just get more people to read it and write some reviews. For those of you who like action/thrillers I know you'll like it. If you like the genre and the stories from Baldacci, Koontz, Patterson, Clive Cussler, Vince Flynn, John Irving then I think you'll like mine. If you read it and like it, write a review, I'll sign your copy of the book and send it back to you.
Thanks for the compliments!
Recently I have been been given some very special compliments about The El Morro Connection. I have been told by a few who have bought and read the book that it is 'a real page turner'. They say they want to keep reading because there is so much action going on that they can't wait to know what happens next. These are the compliments that an action/thriller writer lives for. My goal is to write a story so engrossing,so captivating that you become addicted to it. So, according to some of you, I have done that. Thanks.
Now, what are the rest of you waiting for?...
Now, what are the rest of you waiting for?...
Magazine Feature Article
The company I work for has published in the company magazine a feature article on me and my first novel. I am humbled at the attention and very excited about it. Our company magazine is an impressive publication, full-color, glossy pages, nicer than a lot of magazines sold in bookstores. And the best part is it is distributed world-wide throughout our company to over sixty thousand employees. It is published both electronically over our intranet and in beautiful hard-copy. This is definetely what I would call a break. I don't think I could get my name out in front of so many people on Facebook. This is nothing less than outstanding, about the most a new author could ask for... I am so very fortunate to have this job and to work for Conoco Phillips.
Where the ideas come from...
In the last thirty-five years I have traveled a lot. I've been all over the world and to a lot of very interesting places. And some not so interesting. I work in the energy industry and we all know there's oil and gas almost everywhere. I started keeping a journal several years ago and I write about whatever's going on in these places at the time, whether it's politics, crime, corruption, anything and everything. I read their newspapers (when they're in English or Spanish). This is where the ideas come from. Of course, by the time I get through with them they don't resemble reality anymore. The places I go to and the things going on there can be very exciting but I'm not a journalist, I'm a novelist. I take it and twist it, stretch it, distort it and mangle it till it's a story that draws you in and won't let you go. I try to get you into the characters, so you can feel what they're feeling, like you're there with them.
In El Morro, the name of the town where most of the story takes place is made up, but it's a real place. It's a small seaside town on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. I've been there and I have some very good friends that live there. It's every bit as beautiful and idyllic as it's described in the book. I was there with my wife a couple of summers ago visiting on vacation. The tempranillo in Spain is outstanding!
We actually drove with them from their home in England to "this town" in Spain. We crossed the Channel, drove through France and saw and experienced some of the most beautiful and legendary regions of France, such as Bordeaux, Cognac and the Pyrenees. We even drove along some of the route that the Tour de France follows. We stopped at local sidewalk cafes and restaurants and ate local cuisine and drank wines that were made only a few miles from where we sat. Then we drove through the vineyards where the grapes came from.
If something like that doesn't inspire you to write, then nothing will...
In El Morro, the name of the town where most of the story takes place is made up, but it's a real place. It's a small seaside town on the Mediterranean coast of Spain. I've been there and I have some very good friends that live there. It's every bit as beautiful and idyllic as it's described in the book. I was there with my wife a couple of summers ago visiting on vacation. The tempranillo in Spain is outstanding!
We actually drove with them from their home in England to "this town" in Spain. We crossed the Channel, drove through France and saw and experienced some of the most beautiful and legendary regions of France, such as Bordeaux, Cognac and the Pyrenees. We even drove along some of the route that the Tour de France follows. We stopped at local sidewalk cafes and restaurants and ate local cuisine and drank wines that were made only a few miles from where we sat. Then we drove through the vineyards where the grapes came from.
If something like that doesn't inspire you to write, then nothing will...
Where did the idea come from?
Later today I'm going to talk about where the idea came from for The El Morro Connection.
You might be a little surprised...
You might be a little surprised...
I'm over the first hurdle...
At long last, The El Morro Connection has been published on Barnes and Noble.com. It was a long and winding road, and recent changes in the publishing industry and advances in technology helped make it possible. Never mind that, I'll take all the help I can get. The bottom line is it's out there now for sale. Now is where the rubber hits the road. I can blog and hype it from now till the cows come home, but the only thing that matters is if the book is good or not.
I believe that once it gets in people's hands and gets read, some reviews will start coming in. If it really is a good story, then we'll know. It's in your hands now.
Be kind though. It's not easy being a writer and holding down a day job. Especially a day job that has you traveling all over the world. It's sort of a catch-22. It's the travel to the out-of-the way places and meeting people all over the world that gives me the ideas to write about. But if the truth be known, I'd rather spend more time writing than traveling now. We gotta do what we gotta do, right...
Enjoy the book...
I believe that once it gets in people's hands and gets read, some reviews will start coming in. If it really is a good story, then we'll know. It's in your hands now.
Be kind though. It's not easy being a writer and holding down a day job. Especially a day job that has you traveling all over the world. It's sort of a catch-22. It's the travel to the out-of-the way places and meeting people all over the world that gives me the ideas to write about. But if the truth be known, I'd rather spend more time writing than traveling now. We gotta do what we gotta do, right...
Enjoy the book...
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