Bill Conrad's Blog, page 16
December 21, 2022
Different Values
Last week, I was riding my mountain bike and stopped to ask a fellow bike rider if he needed help. The innertube had blown, and he was replacing it. So, I balanced the bike as he completed the repair. After pumping it up, he tossed the old tube far into the brush (plants), thanked me, and rode off.
I thought, “What the heck? Don’t litter, you jerk!” But, of course, my calm attitude prevented me from verbalizing such brash statements. Yet, this attitude did not inspire me to trudge into the bush, pick up the old tube, and properly dispose of it.
The guy seemed nice and probably had outstanding qualities, but a flaw in his values makes littering acceptable. Does this make him good, bad, or equal to the other people who litter? Hard to say. Alright, truth. I think he is a bad person because we all know that littering is wrong.
Our society comprises all kinds of people with values that span the rainbow. When we encounter people who contradict our moral code, it’s challenging to interact with them. Often, the law gets involved. After all, we make laws to uphold the general values we all agree on. Littering is one such law.
Of course, my four regular blog readers know this and are now wondering what this has to do with writing. Wow, this is really turning into a common theme. My topic of the day is about creating characters. The bad guy always has poor values, and the good guy has outstanding values.
Yet… What if my “good values” are not that great? I have read several books where the author’s values differ from mine. A good example is when an author uses uncomplimentary descriptions (like racial slurs) or excessive profanity.
What do I do about such material? Simple, I stop reading. Readers gravitate to the books they like, and this choice relates to their values. Yet, sometimes an author will hook us, and we accept the poor character values.
However, I have a dilemma, and I suspect other authors have this same issue. It is challenging to create characters with values that are outside their own. For example, “Sam threw his trash on the street.” I hated writing this sentence because it required me to break my moral code. What about an anti-hero who is good but litters? Yeah… No. As a result, my characters have a limited range. This is a problem because I can only take the story too far. How about a deep dive into a character addicted to heroin? That is not going to happen.
I suppose it is good to push our boundaries, and perhaps the best writers can put their morals far aside. However, I am not there yet, and setting aside my morals is a low priority. Maybe that is a good problem? At least I keep my blogs clean. I mean, they are not full of litter.
I thought, “What the heck? Don’t litter, you jerk!” But, of course, my calm attitude prevented me from verbalizing such brash statements. Yet, this attitude did not inspire me to trudge into the bush, pick up the old tube, and properly dispose of it.
The guy seemed nice and probably had outstanding qualities, but a flaw in his values makes littering acceptable. Does this make him good, bad, or equal to the other people who litter? Hard to say. Alright, truth. I think he is a bad person because we all know that littering is wrong.
Our society comprises all kinds of people with values that span the rainbow. When we encounter people who contradict our moral code, it’s challenging to interact with them. Often, the law gets involved. After all, we make laws to uphold the general values we all agree on. Littering is one such law.
Of course, my four regular blog readers know this and are now wondering what this has to do with writing. Wow, this is really turning into a common theme. My topic of the day is about creating characters. The bad guy always has poor values, and the good guy has outstanding values.
Yet… What if my “good values” are not that great? I have read several books where the author’s values differ from mine. A good example is when an author uses uncomplimentary descriptions (like racial slurs) or excessive profanity.
What do I do about such material? Simple, I stop reading. Readers gravitate to the books they like, and this choice relates to their values. Yet, sometimes an author will hook us, and we accept the poor character values.
However, I have a dilemma, and I suspect other authors have this same issue. It is challenging to create characters with values that are outside their own. For example, “Sam threw his trash on the street.” I hated writing this sentence because it required me to break my moral code. What about an anti-hero who is good but litters? Yeah… No. As a result, my characters have a limited range. This is a problem because I can only take the story too far. How about a deep dive into a character addicted to heroin? That is not going to happen.
I suppose it is good to push our boundaries, and perhaps the best writers can put their morals far aside. However, I am not there yet, and setting aside my morals is a low priority. Maybe that is a good problem? At least I keep my blogs clean. I mean, they are not full of litter.
December 14, 2022
My Yearbook
I graduated from high school in 1988, which was 34 years ago. Has it really been that long? So, a discussion recently came up about students who died at my high school. I recalled that three kids died in my senior year. To aid my recall, I looked through my yearbook dedication page, and it turns out… My memory was all wrong. Well, not quite.
Three kids died the year before, and nobody died in my senior year. Two kids hit a bus on their way to school, and a third died in a late-night car accident. One of their relatives was in my English class, but I did not know him. Their names were in the 1987 yearbook, along with a picture for each and a heartwarming message from friends or family.
The kids looked so young and alive, just like all the other yearbook pictures. These positive, outgoing images got me thinking about all the events the three kids missed since 1987. So, I listed a few.
Bad: 911, Gulf wars, Ukraine war, Tiananmen Square massacre, Rodney King, George Floyd, hurricane Katrina, Tohoku (in Japan) earthquake/tsunami, the opioid epidemic, Cider fire, spam/robocalls, Honey Boo Boo, and covid 19.
Good: The fall of the Soviet Union, Y2K celebration, the rise of the internet (Facebook, YouTube, eBay, Google, Wikipedia, MP3 music), the cell phone revolution (apps, maps, text, FaceTime, iPhone, Pokémon Go, emojis), electric cars that work, houses with solar panels, working from home, The Matrix, reality television, cutting the cord (cable/phone), South Park, Gangnam Style, and the ice bucket challenge.
Good/Bad: Brexit, Kardashians, Royal Family, bitcoins, Linux, and legalized marijuana.
And then there is my life. I got married, have a wonderful daughter, met great people, and had amazing experiences. Unfortunately, I also had surgery, a few poor relationships, people I cared about passed away, and I failed five times to start a business.
Those three kids did not get to experience any events like I listed. But what does this have to do with writing? Let’s consider the most minor topic, cutting the telephone cord. One (typical) day, I ended the telephone service, stopped paying a monthly bill, and donated my telephone to Goodwill. I thought little about this mundane moment other than the effort to call the phone company and tell them to stop billing me.
This uneventful act represented the end of a tremendous era, starting with the invention of the telephone. “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.” And just like that, I abandoned this fantastic technology that spanned the globe and connected billions of homes. I could have never predicted that one day, I would voluntarily give up a “home telephone.”
As I wrote this blog, I understood that I filled my mundane life with epic adventures. Unfortunately, those three kids did not get to “cut the cord.” As I looked at their pictures, I wanted to say, “See, this is what you missed. You should have taken driving more seriously.” Something to think about next time I am behind the wheel.
This topic has become all too familiar to my four blog readers, “But what does this have to do with writing?” I am glad you asked. Since 1987, a lot has happened, and most events were not predictable. Even the inventors of the cell phone would not have predicted in their wildest dreams that so many people would “cut the cord.”
However, there is a flip side. Where is my flying car? All future stories have flying cars. Zipping around from city to city without accidents. And then there are the big misses. Not a lot of time travel or flying off to distant planets going on these days. It would seem like fiction writers got a lot wrong.
It is challenging to carve out a space for fiction in this modern world, and nearly impossible to predict the future. Do we really need another WWII book, one about a kid who goes to magic school or “person from the wrong side of town falling in love,” the ten secrets of X, hardcore lust with a vulgar picture on the cover, or a kid's book written by somebody famous?
This brings me back to those three kids. I wonder if they would have become authors, fighter pilots, invented an app, or done something fantastic with their lives. Would they like to read my books? I would have never predicted that I would become a fiction author or even a blogger. Heck, in 1987, the term “blog” did not exist.
I took one last look at those kids’ pictures before ending this blog. We were so young and full of life in our senior year of high school. The things that mattered so much have so little meaning now. I spent so much effort picking out a backpack. However, these three kids can still teach us a lesson. Drive safe, my four blog readers.
Three kids died the year before, and nobody died in my senior year. Two kids hit a bus on their way to school, and a third died in a late-night car accident. One of their relatives was in my English class, but I did not know him. Their names were in the 1987 yearbook, along with a picture for each and a heartwarming message from friends or family.
The kids looked so young and alive, just like all the other yearbook pictures. These positive, outgoing images got me thinking about all the events the three kids missed since 1987. So, I listed a few.
Bad: 911, Gulf wars, Ukraine war, Tiananmen Square massacre, Rodney King, George Floyd, hurricane Katrina, Tohoku (in Japan) earthquake/tsunami, the opioid epidemic, Cider fire, spam/robocalls, Honey Boo Boo, and covid 19.
Good: The fall of the Soviet Union, Y2K celebration, the rise of the internet (Facebook, YouTube, eBay, Google, Wikipedia, MP3 music), the cell phone revolution (apps, maps, text, FaceTime, iPhone, Pokémon Go, emojis), electric cars that work, houses with solar panels, working from home, The Matrix, reality television, cutting the cord (cable/phone), South Park, Gangnam Style, and the ice bucket challenge.
Good/Bad: Brexit, Kardashians, Royal Family, bitcoins, Linux, and legalized marijuana.
And then there is my life. I got married, have a wonderful daughter, met great people, and had amazing experiences. Unfortunately, I also had surgery, a few poor relationships, people I cared about passed away, and I failed five times to start a business.
Those three kids did not get to experience any events like I listed. But what does this have to do with writing? Let’s consider the most minor topic, cutting the telephone cord. One (typical) day, I ended the telephone service, stopped paying a monthly bill, and donated my telephone to Goodwill. I thought little about this mundane moment other than the effort to call the phone company and tell them to stop billing me.
This uneventful act represented the end of a tremendous era, starting with the invention of the telephone. “Mr. Watson, come here. I want to see you.” And just like that, I abandoned this fantastic technology that spanned the globe and connected billions of homes. I could have never predicted that one day, I would voluntarily give up a “home telephone.”
As I wrote this blog, I understood that I filled my mundane life with epic adventures. Unfortunately, those three kids did not get to “cut the cord.” As I looked at their pictures, I wanted to say, “See, this is what you missed. You should have taken driving more seriously.” Something to think about next time I am behind the wheel.
This topic has become all too familiar to my four blog readers, “But what does this have to do with writing?” I am glad you asked. Since 1987, a lot has happened, and most events were not predictable. Even the inventors of the cell phone would not have predicted in their wildest dreams that so many people would “cut the cord.”
However, there is a flip side. Where is my flying car? All future stories have flying cars. Zipping around from city to city without accidents. And then there are the big misses. Not a lot of time travel or flying off to distant planets going on these days. It would seem like fiction writers got a lot wrong.
It is challenging to carve out a space for fiction in this modern world, and nearly impossible to predict the future. Do we really need another WWII book, one about a kid who goes to magic school or “person from the wrong side of town falling in love,” the ten secrets of X, hardcore lust with a vulgar picture on the cover, or a kid's book written by somebody famous?
This brings me back to those three kids. I wonder if they would have become authors, fighter pilots, invented an app, or done something fantastic with their lives. Would they like to read my books? I would have never predicted that I would become a fiction author or even a blogger. Heck, in 1987, the term “blog” did not exist.
I took one last look at those kids’ pictures before ending this blog. We were so young and full of life in our senior year of high school. The things that mattered so much have so little meaning now. I spent so much effort picking out a backpack. However, these three kids can still teach us a lesson. Drive safe, my four blog readers.
December 7, 2022
Keeping Up
I admit that I have a quirky sense of what I appreciate, but that is the thing about this modern world. There are endless entertainment options, and we can quickly satisfy our specific desires. For example, do you enjoy unicorn rap stars who solve mysteries in the 1800s? I am sure many esoteric stories are available to fill your unicorn desires. Did I mention my three published books? Hey, check them out.
One of my quirks is enjoying learning about old technology, and I recently watched a YouTube video about camcorders. These are video cameras with built-in tape recorders. This particular one was about expensive professional models, and the YouTube video described a specific camera's history, features, benefits, and faults. I found it all very interesting and then let my mind drift. “Hey, it would be fun to get one of these older professional cameras and start making videos.”
As this warm thought rattled around in my bonkers head, I searched eBay and found that these older professional cameras were available but expensive. Why? Collectors like them and old technology is still used for its original function. Meaning people still use professional low-resolution cameras for business applications.
However, my four astute blog readers would ask, “Why?! There are so many better cameras available. Even my cell phone is 100 times better!” And my four readers are correct. But… some people are comfortable with older technology and do not want to learn new systems. So they would point out features no longer available and new confusing/unnecessary features.
There is certainly a lot of truth to this preference. For example, driving an old car is fun. Put in the key and go! Navigation systems, ABS brakes, airbags, theft protection, remote door locks, excellent sound system, and adjustable seats? Who needs that junk?!
To these people who cling to old technology for productivity, I would advise them to move on. For example, YouTube viewers demand high-quality (resolution) video. If a content provider releases an inferior video, there will be negative comments and limited views.
The same is true of writing. Authors must use modern tools or face harsh criticism along with low sales. For example, such tools prevent misspellings. Readers also use these tools and will not stand for misspelled words. But, a few writers cling to their outdated technology, and therefore misspelled words get published.
For this very blog, I used six computer-assisted spelling and grammar checks. (1) The latest version of Microsoft Word has an automated grammar and spell check function. So, as I am typing, mistakes are automatically corrected. (2) Microsoft Word also highlights words with a red line for spelling and a blue line for grammar. So, as I am typing, I can see mistakes and immeadiatly correct them. Look at that. It just identified a misspelled word, “immediately.”
When I have finished my blog, I use two programs, (3) Grammarly and (4) ProWritingAid, to check for spelling, grammar, and improved readability. Afterward, I publish the blog to (5) Goodreads, and their software highlights misspelled words. (6) Facebook does the same when I publish it there.
There are many modern tools to aid writers. For example, I use random name generators to improve my characters. Jane Smith? Boring! How about Cristina Mclaughlin, Ruby Newman, or Ida Beck? That only took 20 seconds to come up with unique names.
The idea of only needing a pen has gone the way of the telephone booth. But what if I wanted nostalgia? “Pen something extraordinary?” The only place for that activity is writing a nostalgia piece. “Hey blog readers, I wrote this entire blog using a text editor. How cool is that?”
I suppose such a poorly written example would be interesting for a future blog. But who wants to read a confusing mess?
One of my quirks is enjoying learning about old technology, and I recently watched a YouTube video about camcorders. These are video cameras with built-in tape recorders. This particular one was about expensive professional models, and the YouTube video described a specific camera's history, features, benefits, and faults. I found it all very interesting and then let my mind drift. “Hey, it would be fun to get one of these older professional cameras and start making videos.”
As this warm thought rattled around in my bonkers head, I searched eBay and found that these older professional cameras were available but expensive. Why? Collectors like them and old technology is still used for its original function. Meaning people still use professional low-resolution cameras for business applications.
However, my four astute blog readers would ask, “Why?! There are so many better cameras available. Even my cell phone is 100 times better!” And my four readers are correct. But… some people are comfortable with older technology and do not want to learn new systems. So they would point out features no longer available and new confusing/unnecessary features.
There is certainly a lot of truth to this preference. For example, driving an old car is fun. Put in the key and go! Navigation systems, ABS brakes, airbags, theft protection, remote door locks, excellent sound system, and adjustable seats? Who needs that junk?!
To these people who cling to old technology for productivity, I would advise them to move on. For example, YouTube viewers demand high-quality (resolution) video. If a content provider releases an inferior video, there will be negative comments and limited views.
The same is true of writing. Authors must use modern tools or face harsh criticism along with low sales. For example, such tools prevent misspellings. Readers also use these tools and will not stand for misspelled words. But, a few writers cling to their outdated technology, and therefore misspelled words get published.
For this very blog, I used six computer-assisted spelling and grammar checks. (1) The latest version of Microsoft Word has an automated grammar and spell check function. So, as I am typing, mistakes are automatically corrected. (2) Microsoft Word also highlights words with a red line for spelling and a blue line for grammar. So, as I am typing, I can see mistakes and immeadiatly correct them. Look at that. It just identified a misspelled word, “immediately.”
When I have finished my blog, I use two programs, (3) Grammarly and (4) ProWritingAid, to check for spelling, grammar, and improved readability. Afterward, I publish the blog to (5) Goodreads, and their software highlights misspelled words. (6) Facebook does the same when I publish it there.
There are many modern tools to aid writers. For example, I use random name generators to improve my characters. Jane Smith? Boring! How about Cristina Mclaughlin, Ruby Newman, or Ida Beck? That only took 20 seconds to come up with unique names.
The idea of only needing a pen has gone the way of the telephone booth. But what if I wanted nostalgia? “Pen something extraordinary?” The only place for that activity is writing a nostalgia piece. “Hey blog readers, I wrote this entire blog using a text editor. How cool is that?”
I suppose such a poorly written example would be interesting for a future blog. But who wants to read a confusing mess?
November 30, 2022
Consistency
Everybody desires to be accepted, not rock the boat and live an uncomplicated life. We call this practice consistent, meaning that we try not to deviate from our standard path because there is a potential for unwanted drama in our lives. But… Boring!
To be noticed, writing must be BOLD, ~!unExpEctEd!~, and creative. Break every mold, rule, or paradigm! That’s how an author achieves a great story, many readers, and tremendous praise. Yet, there is one area in writing that needs to be very consistent. The style and format must remain the same thought the document.
One of my four blog readers might instantly challenge, “But what if style or content is wrong?” No writer is perfect, and mistakes are bound to creep in. To be a good person, we must recognize our flaws and try to correct them. The problem occurs when a writer only corrects some of the often-occurring mistakes. Readers feel this partial effort is far worse than not applying any corrective effort.
Allow me to expound. The word mistress can be misspelled “misstress.” Oops. However, after reading misstress ten times, readers begrudgingly accept the misspelling. Let's consider another example. A few years ago, I read a book where the author “chose not to use quotations” for the dialog. It was annoying, but I was over their poor decision by the third chapter and enjoyed the story. But what if one chapter had “quotation marks” and the rest did not? It would tick me off! “You clearly know what a quotation mark is. Pick a side!”
Why is it so ingrained in a reader’s mind that a document must be consistent? Our minds are quirky. One would think the reaction would be, “Hey, thanks for adding a few quotation marks. I know life is busy for an author, and good dialog takes a lot of effort.” Yeah, no.
I have found the most inconsistency in group documents. Everybody has their own style, resulting in a mix of different formats, grammar, and spelling. Over the years, I have been on the team that developed group documents and spent hours cleaning them up, only to have some bonehead change half of my edits right before they released the document. Very annoying.
Of course, the most common inconsistency is the tab spacing and font selection. This inconsistent effort leaves Readers wondering, “What’ the deal? Who indented one paragraph and not the others?” “Why is the font suddenly blocky?” “Why is this sentence bold?” “Does this mean something?”
Well, why not ignore this issue? We have so much information in our lives. Who cares if we see the legitimately spelled colour appears a few times? The answer is simple. People now expect much more. It only takes me five seconds to scan this entire document to see if I lined the tabs up and if the font is the same. Readers write documents too, which means they expect the best that an author or publisher can produce.
What about consistent themes, settings, and characters? Umm… That’s a complex topic for future blogs.
To be noticed, writing must be BOLD, ~!unExpEctEd!~, and creative. Break every mold, rule, or paradigm! That’s how an author achieves a great story, many readers, and tremendous praise. Yet, there is one area in writing that needs to be very consistent. The style and format must remain the same thought the document.
One of my four blog readers might instantly challenge, “But what if style or content is wrong?” No writer is perfect, and mistakes are bound to creep in. To be a good person, we must recognize our flaws and try to correct them. The problem occurs when a writer only corrects some of the often-occurring mistakes. Readers feel this partial effort is far worse than not applying any corrective effort.
Allow me to expound. The word mistress can be misspelled “misstress.” Oops. However, after reading misstress ten times, readers begrudgingly accept the misspelling. Let's consider another example. A few years ago, I read a book where the author “chose not to use quotations” for the dialog. It was annoying, but I was over their poor decision by the third chapter and enjoyed the story. But what if one chapter had “quotation marks” and the rest did not? It would tick me off! “You clearly know what a quotation mark is. Pick a side!”
Why is it so ingrained in a reader’s mind that a document must be consistent? Our minds are quirky. One would think the reaction would be, “Hey, thanks for adding a few quotation marks. I know life is busy for an author, and good dialog takes a lot of effort.” Yeah, no.
I have found the most inconsistency in group documents. Everybody has their own style, resulting in a mix of different formats, grammar, and spelling. Over the years, I have been on the team that developed group documents and spent hours cleaning them up, only to have some bonehead change half of my edits right before they released the document. Very annoying.
Of course, the most common inconsistency is the tab spacing and font selection. This inconsistent effort leaves Readers wondering, “What’ the deal? Who indented one paragraph and not the others?” “Why is the font suddenly blocky?” “Why is this sentence bold?” “Does this mean something?”
Well, why not ignore this issue? We have so much information in our lives. Who cares if we see the legitimately spelled colour appears a few times? The answer is simple. People now expect much more. It only takes me five seconds to scan this entire document to see if I lined the tabs up and if the font is the same. Readers write documents too, which means they expect the best that an author or publisher can produce.
What about consistent themes, settings, and characters? Umm… That’s a complex topic for future blogs.
November 23, 2022
Press Release
The following is an important press release:
“LENEXA, Kan., Nov. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hostess Brands is serving up four deliciously sweet holiday snacks this winter to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Hostess® fans can enjoy some of their favorite festive treats in holiday and winter-wonderland-inspired selections of the brand’s classic snacks when they reach store shelves this month…”
See the full release here:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...
What is a press release? It is a document intended for public reading. Often these are available on the company’s website and get emailed to news organizations, customers, and investors.
There are three basic types of press releases. An attempt to generate media buzz is the first. The above example is a perfect example. The third is an apology or explanation for something that happened in the news.
My four regular blog readers are now familiar with my format, and this is the time that I ask, “But what does this have to do with writing?” I’m glad you asked. Press releases contain some of the worst (or best, depending on your perspective) writing. They are always written in the awkward third-person, contain unrealistic uplifting statements, and leave the reader skeptical or confused. However, if a reader can place this awkward style aside, they are funny to read.
Who cares what new products Hostess came out with?! If this high-calorie junk is in the store and looks good, I will buy it. Other than my four blog readers looking for a laugh, who would intentionally read such a foolish document? Hard to say.
Yet, I would hate to write one of these awful statements. It must be tricky putting a bold spin on a boring topic. Sugary snacks? I don’t care one bit. However, some writer in a dark corner of the corporate world spent hours on this document. “Winter-wonderland-inspired selections of the brand’s classic snacks.” Wow, that is some lofty writing.
And that awkward third-person positive writing? A writer would probably break their arm after giving themselves such a pat on the back. Well, let me give it a try. “Acclaimed author Bill created a new sentence in his latest blog. Our four-person team is proud of his tremendous accomplishment.” What team? Oh, that’s you.
“LENEXA, Kan., Nov. 3, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Hostess Brands is serving up four deliciously sweet holiday snacks this winter to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year. Hostess® fans can enjoy some of their favorite festive treats in holiday and winter-wonderland-inspired selections of the brand’s classic snacks when they reach store shelves this month…”
See the full release here:
https://www.prnewswire.com/news-relea...
What is a press release? It is a document intended for public reading. Often these are available on the company’s website and get emailed to news organizations, customers, and investors.
There are three basic types of press releases. An attempt to generate media buzz is the first. The above example is a perfect example. The third is an apology or explanation for something that happened in the news.
My four regular blog readers are now familiar with my format, and this is the time that I ask, “But what does this have to do with writing?” I’m glad you asked. Press releases contain some of the worst (or best, depending on your perspective) writing. They are always written in the awkward third-person, contain unrealistic uplifting statements, and leave the reader skeptical or confused. However, if a reader can place this awkward style aside, they are funny to read.
Who cares what new products Hostess came out with?! If this high-calorie junk is in the store and looks good, I will buy it. Other than my four blog readers looking for a laugh, who would intentionally read such a foolish document? Hard to say.
Yet, I would hate to write one of these awful statements. It must be tricky putting a bold spin on a boring topic. Sugary snacks? I don’t care one bit. However, some writer in a dark corner of the corporate world spent hours on this document. “Winter-wonderland-inspired selections of the brand’s classic snacks.” Wow, that is some lofty writing.
And that awkward third-person positive writing? A writer would probably break their arm after giving themselves such a pat on the back. Well, let me give it a try. “Acclaimed author Bill created a new sentence in his latest blog. Our four-person team is proud of his tremendous accomplishment.” What team? Oh, that’s you.
November 16, 2022
Last Laugh
Last week, I spent an entire day painting my deck and pergola. (Pergola is a fancy word for an area with a freestanding roof.) The task was exhausting, but the results were worth the effort. During my delightful task, I let my thoughts drift.
At one point, I got upset while applying masking tape to hold up the protective plastic. Unfortunately, my body angle was in an awkward position, and the tape did not stick to the wall. As my tumultuous thoughts swirled, they centered on a former girlfriend. I enjoyed being around her, but she had many issues. The central problem was that she hated her specialized medical job and had no hope of a different job because she spent years in school and needed to work to pay off massive loans.
One day, she ended our relationship. In the conversation, she confessed to requiring a man that “could take me away from all this.” The loss saddened and confused me.
This event happened years ago, and I am now married to a wonderful woman. While struggling with the tape, I began thinking how great my life is and how fortunate it was that this prior relationship had ended when it did.
However, the positive mental image was insufficient to get me out of my funk. Suddenly I smiled through my protective face mask (for paint fumes and not covid). I began thinking that the guy who ended up with my former girlfriend was probably miserable at that very moment. I felt great because I had the last laugh. Yay!
Are such “immoral thoughts” good, ethical, or wise? Who cares! Our thoughts are our thoughts. People’s actions make them good or bad. We do what in our own mind to get through the day only belongs to us. In my case, the painting became a little less difficult by adding an “immoral” thought.
Enough! What’s really going on? Do we secretly desire to watch people who have hurt us fail? Umm, sometimes. What about a great person? Can they think about revenge? For a mentally healthy person, exploring all aspects of a topic and using any thoughts to mentally balance ourselves is essential. Granted, it is unhealthy to dwell on the negatives.
But what about my former girlfriend? Am I being fair to her because I made a “mean gesture?” No, I only had a “mean thought.” Well… It was until this blog.
What does petty mental revenge have to do with writing? Ahh, there is another aspect to this incident. Confronting my sadness allowed me to close the loop. Each time I think about my sad feelings of the past, I can lessen their impact (hold over my positive life). However, in writing, we must close this loop quickly. How quick? Things better get resolved before the end of the book!
Characters have a compressed timeline, meaning they must immediately confront their issues. Why? Readers dislike unresolved elements of the plot or characters. So, in almost every case, the characters get the last laugh.
If my example was in a book, the character would find somebody else immediately after the breakup and begin dating a cheerful person. As a result, their pain would disappear, allowing them to have the last laugh. “I am happy now.” They might even remark, “Hey, I bet the guy who ends up with her will be miserable!” And that is how the character closes the emotional loop and satisfies readers. Hey, this allows one more thing. Now, my four blog readers can have the last laugh.
At one point, I got upset while applying masking tape to hold up the protective plastic. Unfortunately, my body angle was in an awkward position, and the tape did not stick to the wall. As my tumultuous thoughts swirled, they centered on a former girlfriend. I enjoyed being around her, but she had many issues. The central problem was that she hated her specialized medical job and had no hope of a different job because she spent years in school and needed to work to pay off massive loans.
One day, she ended our relationship. In the conversation, she confessed to requiring a man that “could take me away from all this.” The loss saddened and confused me.
This event happened years ago, and I am now married to a wonderful woman. While struggling with the tape, I began thinking how great my life is and how fortunate it was that this prior relationship had ended when it did.
However, the positive mental image was insufficient to get me out of my funk. Suddenly I smiled through my protective face mask (for paint fumes and not covid). I began thinking that the guy who ended up with my former girlfriend was probably miserable at that very moment. I felt great because I had the last laugh. Yay!
Are such “immoral thoughts” good, ethical, or wise? Who cares! Our thoughts are our thoughts. People’s actions make them good or bad. We do what in our own mind to get through the day only belongs to us. In my case, the painting became a little less difficult by adding an “immoral” thought.
Enough! What’s really going on? Do we secretly desire to watch people who have hurt us fail? Umm, sometimes. What about a great person? Can they think about revenge? For a mentally healthy person, exploring all aspects of a topic and using any thoughts to mentally balance ourselves is essential. Granted, it is unhealthy to dwell on the negatives.
But what about my former girlfriend? Am I being fair to her because I made a “mean gesture?” No, I only had a “mean thought.” Well… It was until this blog.
What does petty mental revenge have to do with writing? Ahh, there is another aspect to this incident. Confronting my sadness allowed me to close the loop. Each time I think about my sad feelings of the past, I can lessen their impact (hold over my positive life). However, in writing, we must close this loop quickly. How quick? Things better get resolved before the end of the book!
Characters have a compressed timeline, meaning they must immediately confront their issues. Why? Readers dislike unresolved elements of the plot or characters. So, in almost every case, the characters get the last laugh.
If my example was in a book, the character would find somebody else immediately after the breakup and begin dating a cheerful person. As a result, their pain would disappear, allowing them to have the last laugh. “I am happy now.” They might even remark, “Hey, I bet the guy who ends up with her will be miserable!” And that is how the character closes the emotional loop and satisfies readers. Hey, this allows one more thing. Now, my four blog readers can have the last laugh.
November 9, 2022
Oxford Commas
I have battled commas since first holding a pencil. Their entire purpose is to help the speaker (the person reading words and verbalizing them) sound great by indicating where to pause.
Commas also help the reader by breaking the sentence into parts, making it easier to understand. “There are powerboats, sailboats, and watercraft at the marina.” As opposed to: “There are powerboats sailboats and watercraft at the marina.” The reader might think that “powerboats sailboats” is one thing. Meaning that “powerboats” is a verb like a “blue sailboat.” We can also see that the comma is helpful for the speaker. “There are powerboats. (Short pause) Sailboats. (Short pause) And watercraft at the marina.”
But there is a problem. Readers and speakers naturally pause at the word “and.” A comma is unnecessary, but we place a comma there for no logical reason. It turns out that these specific commas have a name, “Oxford commas.” During my education, I knew that sometimes we needed to have a comma after “and,” but not always. I never understood why until I recently came across this article:
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/oxfo...
It turns out that other people also feel this punctuation is redundant. Do I agree with this article? You bet! Get rid of all commas! Tear that key off the keyboard! Well, that will not happen. But it would be nice to stop using Oxford commas because we understand how to use the word “and.”
Is there hope? Umm… Our language has evolved, and an example is that we have the new term “googled.” Imagine saying this word in 1980? People would think you were talking about google eyeglasses. (Those glasses that have silly springs around the lens holes.)
It is now becoming acceptable to eliminate Oxford commas. This follows the trend of having one space after a period instead of two. However, grammar monsters still require Oxford commas and will leave endless bad reviews if they are not present.
Usually, society grows in a positive direction, and I hope the Oxford comma becomes a footnote in literary history. I hope this happens in my lifetime, and my four readers will read a liberated blog.
Commas also help the reader by breaking the sentence into parts, making it easier to understand. “There are powerboats, sailboats, and watercraft at the marina.” As opposed to: “There are powerboats sailboats and watercraft at the marina.” The reader might think that “powerboats sailboats” is one thing. Meaning that “powerboats” is a verb like a “blue sailboat.” We can also see that the comma is helpful for the speaker. “There are powerboats. (Short pause) Sailboats. (Short pause) And watercraft at the marina.”
But there is a problem. Readers and speakers naturally pause at the word “and.” A comma is unnecessary, but we place a comma there for no logical reason. It turns out that these specific commas have a name, “Oxford commas.” During my education, I knew that sometimes we needed to have a comma after “and,” but not always. I never understood why until I recently came across this article:
https://www.inquirer.com/opinion/oxfo...
It turns out that other people also feel this punctuation is redundant. Do I agree with this article? You bet! Get rid of all commas! Tear that key off the keyboard! Well, that will not happen. But it would be nice to stop using Oxford commas because we understand how to use the word “and.”
Is there hope? Umm… Our language has evolved, and an example is that we have the new term “googled.” Imagine saying this word in 1980? People would think you were talking about google eyeglasses. (Those glasses that have silly springs around the lens holes.)
It is now becoming acceptable to eliminate Oxford commas. This follows the trend of having one space after a period instead of two. However, grammar monsters still require Oxford commas and will leave endless bad reviews if they are not present.
Usually, society grows in a positive direction, and I hope the Oxford comma becomes a footnote in literary history. I hope this happens in my lifetime, and my four readers will read a liberated blog.
November 2, 2022
Why I Publish
Why do I write books? My first blog answered this question on September 10, 2017.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
The answer is that I enjoy reading my made-up stories. However, that does not answer the question of why publish these thoughts. I knew that publishing would not make me much money from the beginning. My economic goal is to break even with my editing costs and other expenses. If there is no money in it, then why bother? Why not write up an excellent story and then read it to myself? If I require fame, glory, or kinship, there are free sites that will satisfy this need.
The answer is that I feel a story comes alive when published. “My story is now real. See, I have an ISBN number, and people can click on the ‘buy it now’ link.”
Umm, that makes little sense. The difference is that a book is “a book.” This stand-alone entity can be held, talked about, and re-sold. A single gem that may be placed on a bookshelf so that people can read the title on the spine. A person is then judged by what is on their bookshelf.
An analogy is that an architect can endlessly create plans or drawings for their entire life, but until they build a building, they are not architects. The same is true with a car mechanic. They can study manuals, take classes, pass tests and get repair certifications. But until they actually repair a car, they are not a mechanic.
Yet, authors have entered a new age. We can whip something up in 15 minutes on our phone and post it on the Internet. We can write a novel and “publish” it on many free sites. Alternatively, an author can create an ebook and sell it on Amazon. There are even audiobooks that make printed books unnecessary in the modern world. Society has moved on. Yet, I persevere.
Does this mean I look down at other authors who choose this easier path? Am I a snooty, high-browed, stuck-up, condescending, and pretentious jerk? Umm, well. Yeah, sort of.
Why do I aspire to such a lofty goal? I blame my mentors like Mark Twain. He wrote books with a pen, and the result was printed. When he wrote, there was no such thing as an audiobook or the Internet. And what did people do with his books? They read, cherished, and passed these valuable books along to other readers. I aspire to be like Mark Twain.
Yet… I admit ebooks are my primary market, and I see the near future when printed books will disappear. They waste paper, take up space, are hard to read without reading glasses, and are very difficult to convert to audio.
Still, I feel a story can only come to life when printed. This is like the final chapter in a book. “After spending months writing, editing, and formatting, Bill held the ultimate result in his hand. He gingerly pressed the book close to his heart and basked in its glory.”
Well, that sort of makes sense. But… What about this blog? Should it be printed and put on sale? There are no “buy it now” icons. Does this mean that I consider my blogs to be worthless? By my logic, the answer should be yes, but one could argue that “blogs are not supposed to be printed.” True, but my mind contains a secret contradiction. I am arguing (in my own twisted head) that “someday, somebody will include these blogs in a printed book.” is this true? I was about to write “no,” but I had a re-think. After some soul searching, I squeaked out a “well, yeah, I kind of do have that secret wish.”
It would seem that I have an unrealistically high opinion of myself. Well, not really. I have many “life goals.” It is no secret that I had little confidence as a child. Life slowly changed, and around the ninth grade, I gained some confidence. However, that is not the whole story. This improvement was an intentional choice. I WOULD be confident and WOULD apply maximum effort to accomplish my goals. Well… To the best of my abilities.
I knew from the start that I would not become a spectacular writer, but I made it a goal to BE a writer. So I took the leap and published my best effort in printed format.
As part of this ongoing goal to be confident, I still try hard with everything I do. For example, if I see some litter in front of my house, I pick it up. I did not create the litter, but it is still my responsibility. I even pick up litter around my neighbor’s house. Why? Because I actively try to be a good person.
To achieve “life goals,” one must take personal accountability and have pride in their creation. So, yes, I believe this blog is worthy of being printed in book format. Otherwise, I must admit that I am writing a blog for an invalid reason. So perhaps in some alternate reality, this blog is being printed for posterity and my ten dedicated blog readers. Yes, in that alternate reality, there are at least ten blog readers.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
The answer is that I enjoy reading my made-up stories. However, that does not answer the question of why publish these thoughts. I knew that publishing would not make me much money from the beginning. My economic goal is to break even with my editing costs and other expenses. If there is no money in it, then why bother? Why not write up an excellent story and then read it to myself? If I require fame, glory, or kinship, there are free sites that will satisfy this need.
The answer is that I feel a story comes alive when published. “My story is now real. See, I have an ISBN number, and people can click on the ‘buy it now’ link.”
Umm, that makes little sense. The difference is that a book is “a book.” This stand-alone entity can be held, talked about, and re-sold. A single gem that may be placed on a bookshelf so that people can read the title on the spine. A person is then judged by what is on their bookshelf.
An analogy is that an architect can endlessly create plans or drawings for their entire life, but until they build a building, they are not architects. The same is true with a car mechanic. They can study manuals, take classes, pass tests and get repair certifications. But until they actually repair a car, they are not a mechanic.
Yet, authors have entered a new age. We can whip something up in 15 minutes on our phone and post it on the Internet. We can write a novel and “publish” it on many free sites. Alternatively, an author can create an ebook and sell it on Amazon. There are even audiobooks that make printed books unnecessary in the modern world. Society has moved on. Yet, I persevere.
Does this mean I look down at other authors who choose this easier path? Am I a snooty, high-browed, stuck-up, condescending, and pretentious jerk? Umm, well. Yeah, sort of.
Why do I aspire to such a lofty goal? I blame my mentors like Mark Twain. He wrote books with a pen, and the result was printed. When he wrote, there was no such thing as an audiobook or the Internet. And what did people do with his books? They read, cherished, and passed these valuable books along to other readers. I aspire to be like Mark Twain.
Yet… I admit ebooks are my primary market, and I see the near future when printed books will disappear. They waste paper, take up space, are hard to read without reading glasses, and are very difficult to convert to audio.
Still, I feel a story can only come to life when printed. This is like the final chapter in a book. “After spending months writing, editing, and formatting, Bill held the ultimate result in his hand. He gingerly pressed the book close to his heart and basked in its glory.”
Well, that sort of makes sense. But… What about this blog? Should it be printed and put on sale? There are no “buy it now” icons. Does this mean that I consider my blogs to be worthless? By my logic, the answer should be yes, but one could argue that “blogs are not supposed to be printed.” True, but my mind contains a secret contradiction. I am arguing (in my own twisted head) that “someday, somebody will include these blogs in a printed book.” is this true? I was about to write “no,” but I had a re-think. After some soul searching, I squeaked out a “well, yeah, I kind of do have that secret wish.”
It would seem that I have an unrealistically high opinion of myself. Well, not really. I have many “life goals.” It is no secret that I had little confidence as a child. Life slowly changed, and around the ninth grade, I gained some confidence. However, that is not the whole story. This improvement was an intentional choice. I WOULD be confident and WOULD apply maximum effort to accomplish my goals. Well… To the best of my abilities.
I knew from the start that I would not become a spectacular writer, but I made it a goal to BE a writer. So I took the leap and published my best effort in printed format.
As part of this ongoing goal to be confident, I still try hard with everything I do. For example, if I see some litter in front of my house, I pick it up. I did not create the litter, but it is still my responsibility. I even pick up litter around my neighbor’s house. Why? Because I actively try to be a good person.
To achieve “life goals,” one must take personal accountability and have pride in their creation. So, yes, I believe this blog is worthy of being printed in book format. Otherwise, I must admit that I am writing a blog for an invalid reason. So perhaps in some alternate reality, this blog is being printed for posterity and my ten dedicated blog readers. Yes, in that alternate reality, there are at least ten blog readers.
October 26, 2022
Light Touch
We all remember the book or movie scene where the master applies minimal effort to accomplish an arduous task. They make it seem so easy, and the student spends hours attempting to replicate the same technique. Often, the student messes things up with comedic consequences.
Real life also contains masters. I remember learning arithmetic and watching my teacher add three-digit numbers in her head. 100+100 = 200? Wow! Pure magic! It took months of practice to accomplish such amazing feats of mathematical wizardry.
Who is this master, and what makes them so great? This person spent years mastering their craft, takes great pride in their creation, and is not too keen on immediately sharing their knowledge. We look up to these people, try to understand their wisdom, and replicate their superior techniques.
We can sum the traits of a master up in two words: light touch. Only they know precisely where to apply effort and what method to use. For example, the skilled artist only paints TWO trees in the background. This is a forest! Why not 50 trees? No, only two are required, and the result looks stunning, bold, and thoughtful. In a word, their painting is perfect.
The skilled race car driver rapidly maneuvers their car around the track, and their wheels do not slide one inch from the intended path. If a passenger were present, they would see the driver applying slight steering, brake, gear, and throttle changes. Yet, the speed and control are astounding. The terrified passenger does not know how the driver can operate the car with such ease.
Seasoned writers also have this zen-like ability, and I now have enough confidence to offer tidbits of wisdom. Want some proof? I could fill this blog up with amazing quotes from astounding writers. Perhaps I could include my favorite paragraph? Actually, that would not make my point. Alright, truth. I do not feel my writing is a “perfect example of superior technique.” Bummer.
Here is what I can show you! Umm, why the exclamation point? That punctuation did not seem necessary, but it was grammatically correct and perhaps appropriate. Yet, we all see that this exclamation point was unnecessary. Its presence looks out of place and detracts from an “excellent read.”
Writers have many tools at their disposal to convey their thoughts. “They can use quotes and exclamation points!” Plus, there are commas to break up sentences. Even the semi-colon; yes, it can connect thoughts like glue. Why, even the humble colon can: connect concepts, break down thoughts, and separate ideas for easy understanding. Even CAPITOL LETTERS can STRONGLY EMPHASIZE our words.
Clearly, I am attempting to point out that “quotes” and other sentence aids are not always appropriate, even if they are technically correct. A talented writer will know exactly when to use extra punctuation and, more importantly, when not to. As an example, in the above description, I could have talked about {brackets} & other |punctuation|, but I chose not to. I felt I had made my point, and taking a deep dive into sentence mechanics would detract from this blog’s intent.
A stilled wordsmith should treat each sentence like a perfect gem. It is polished, yet it fits in perfectly with the other story jewelry. This light touch applies the ideal amount of punctuation and leaves the reader satisfied they know the sentence meanings. The ending of this blog is a perfect example. I could have rambled on, but…
Real life also contains masters. I remember learning arithmetic and watching my teacher add three-digit numbers in her head. 100+100 = 200? Wow! Pure magic! It took months of practice to accomplish such amazing feats of mathematical wizardry.
Who is this master, and what makes them so great? This person spent years mastering their craft, takes great pride in their creation, and is not too keen on immediately sharing their knowledge. We look up to these people, try to understand their wisdom, and replicate their superior techniques.
We can sum the traits of a master up in two words: light touch. Only they know precisely where to apply effort and what method to use. For example, the skilled artist only paints TWO trees in the background. This is a forest! Why not 50 trees? No, only two are required, and the result looks stunning, bold, and thoughtful. In a word, their painting is perfect.
The skilled race car driver rapidly maneuvers their car around the track, and their wheels do not slide one inch from the intended path. If a passenger were present, they would see the driver applying slight steering, brake, gear, and throttle changes. Yet, the speed and control are astounding. The terrified passenger does not know how the driver can operate the car with such ease.
Seasoned writers also have this zen-like ability, and I now have enough confidence to offer tidbits of wisdom. Want some proof? I could fill this blog up with amazing quotes from astounding writers. Perhaps I could include my favorite paragraph? Actually, that would not make my point. Alright, truth. I do not feel my writing is a “perfect example of superior technique.” Bummer.
Here is what I can show you! Umm, why the exclamation point? That punctuation did not seem necessary, but it was grammatically correct and perhaps appropriate. Yet, we all see that this exclamation point was unnecessary. Its presence looks out of place and detracts from an “excellent read.”
Writers have many tools at their disposal to convey their thoughts. “They can use quotes and exclamation points!” Plus, there are commas to break up sentences. Even the semi-colon; yes, it can connect thoughts like glue. Why, even the humble colon can: connect concepts, break down thoughts, and separate ideas for easy understanding. Even CAPITOL LETTERS can STRONGLY EMPHASIZE our words.
Clearly, I am attempting to point out that “quotes” and other sentence aids are not always appropriate, even if they are technically correct. A talented writer will know exactly when to use extra punctuation and, more importantly, when not to. As an example, in the above description, I could have talked about {brackets} & other |punctuation|, but I chose not to. I felt I had made my point, and taking a deep dive into sentence mechanics would detract from this blog’s intent.
A stilled wordsmith should treat each sentence like a perfect gem. It is polished, yet it fits in perfectly with the other story jewelry. This light touch applies the ideal amount of punctuation and leaves the reader satisfied they know the sentence meanings. The ending of this blog is a perfect example. I could have rambled on, but…
October 19, 2022
This Was Important
Unfortunately, not all characters, scenes, and descriptions make it into the final version of books or movies. It is a fun activity to watch the deleted scenes on a DVD. This lets viewers see the editing process, plot side tangents, and added insight. However, readers rarely see deleted material from books. I touched on this topic in a previous blog:
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
When a book gets edited, writers make many choices about what to include. Sometimes great material must get deleted to maintain story or flow. Another reason is if the material is deemed inappropriate or inconsequential. In a recent blog, I discussed deleting such material, and I thought it would be fun to show this impressive description that did not make it into my third book. It described how insurance companies work and how they can launder money. This is when illegally obtained money (like from selling drugs) and make it look legal (such as profit from a business). So here is a “deleted scene.” Note: I chose not to “freshen” this text with my updated editing skills to give my four blog readers some insight into my past abilities.
In a legal insurance company, investors build a capital pool. By law, this capital pool utilizes low-risk investments with a few high-risk investments. Different districts have different rules on the proportions and types of investments. With the capital pool established, the insurance company may then issue policies. The amount of capital available limits the size and a number of policies. As the capital grows, the number and size of policies increases. If they pay a minor claim, it comes out of the profit. If they pay a major claim or several minor claims, the money comes out of the capital pool.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/r...
Using an insurance company to channel [launder] illegally obtained money follows a basic pattern. An insurance company investor provides the money an illegal enterprise. The insurance company uses this illegal money to supplement the legal capital pool, and this allows the insurance company to issue more insurance policies. The insurance company is then able to generate more legal profit and this profit in the form of a dividend is given to the investor. Many governments fail to regulate the source of capital investment for an insurance company. This allows the insurance company to invest or loan money into a legal enterprise owned by the illegal investor. In this way, illegal money may profit the criminal in two legal ways.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/r...
I deleted this scene on 8/15/2020 because it brought the story to a dead stop. Fortunately, I could correct the issue before publishing. Yet, I am still proud of my creation. Very few people (like myself) know the inner world of money laundering. I did not know how insurance companies could become money-laundering entities and when I learned about this gem of an idea, I wanted to share the concept in a book. Surely readers would get entertained and ignore that this description stopped the action. Right? Oh well. But on a side note. Why doesn’t the government check insurance companies to locate such frauds?
My second book also had an impressive scene that I was going to present in this blog. It described a “spark gap radio transmitter.” Unless my reader was a super geek, average readers would not understand what I was talking about, and I had to yank it out.
There are two reasons why I did not put it in this blog. The first is that it was far shorter than I remembered. I thought it was an extensive two-page description and not a single paragraph. The second reason is that the paragraph was far too complicated (detailed) than I remember. So, it will remain in my memory. I end this blog hoping that my four readers now know a bit more about the underbelly of insurance companies.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/b...
When a book gets edited, writers make many choices about what to include. Sometimes great material must get deleted to maintain story or flow. Another reason is if the material is deemed inappropriate or inconsequential. In a recent blog, I discussed deleting such material, and I thought it would be fun to show this impressive description that did not make it into my third book. It described how insurance companies work and how they can launder money. This is when illegally obtained money (like from selling drugs) and make it look legal (such as profit from a business). So here is a “deleted scene.” Note: I chose not to “freshen” this text with my updated editing skills to give my four blog readers some insight into my past abilities.
In a legal insurance company, investors build a capital pool. By law, this capital pool utilizes low-risk investments with a few high-risk investments. Different districts have different rules on the proportions and types of investments. With the capital pool established, the insurance company may then issue policies. The amount of capital available limits the size and a number of policies. As the capital grows, the number and size of policies increases. If they pay a minor claim, it comes out of the profit. If they pay a major claim or several minor claims, the money comes out of the capital pool.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/r...
Using an insurance company to channel [launder] illegally obtained money follows a basic pattern. An insurance company investor provides the money an illegal enterprise. The insurance company uses this illegal money to supplement the legal capital pool, and this allows the insurance company to issue more insurance policies. The insurance company is then able to generate more legal profit and this profit in the form of a dividend is given to the investor. Many governments fail to regulate the source of capital investment for an insurance company. This allows the insurance company to invest or loan money into a legal enterprise owned by the illegal investor. In this way, illegal money may profit the criminal in two legal ways.
https://interviewingimmortality.com/r...
I deleted this scene on 8/15/2020 because it brought the story to a dead stop. Fortunately, I could correct the issue before publishing. Yet, I am still proud of my creation. Very few people (like myself) know the inner world of money laundering. I did not know how insurance companies could become money-laundering entities and when I learned about this gem of an idea, I wanted to share the concept in a book. Surely readers would get entertained and ignore that this description stopped the action. Right? Oh well. But on a side note. Why doesn’t the government check insurance companies to locate such frauds?
My second book also had an impressive scene that I was going to present in this blog. It described a “spark gap radio transmitter.” Unless my reader was a super geek, average readers would not understand what I was talking about, and I had to yank it out.
There are two reasons why I did not put it in this blog. The first is that it was far shorter than I remembered. I thought it was an extensive two-page description and not a single paragraph. The second reason is that the paragraph was far too complicated (detailed) than I remember. So, it will remain in my memory. I end this blog hoping that my four readers now know a bit more about the underbelly of insurance companies.
