Michael Embry's Blog, page 45
July 9, 2013
Story Songs: Man in Black
The late, great Johnny Cash was sometimes referred to as the man in black because of the black outfits he wore at his concerts.
Cash identified with the common man, beginning from his years growing up on a cotton farm in Arkansas during the Great Depression. He understood the hardships families faced trying to get by, and carried those feelings throughout his life.
That was symbolized in the black attire, which he addressed in the song, "Man in Black," released in 1971 in an album of the same title. The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard country charts and No. 58 on the pop charts.
And he gave the reasons "for the things I have on."
We learn it's:
"for the poor, and the beaten down..."for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime..."for those who've never read or listened to the words that Jesus said..."for the sick and lonely old..."for the thousands who have died believin' that the Lord was on their side..."for another hundred thousand who have died believin' that we all were on their side...Cash closes the song with this verse:
"Ah, I love to wear a rainbow every dayAnd tell the world that everything's okayBut I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my backTill things are brighter, I'm the Man in Black."
I think it would be interesting if people wore black to symbolically protest the wrongs in towns, cities, states, country, and world. Maybe it would attract attention, and perhaps create some change for the good, much like the Man in Black did in his lifetime.
"Man in Black" lyrics
Until the next time...
Cash identified with the common man, beginning from his years growing up on a cotton farm in Arkansas during the Great Depression. He understood the hardships families faced trying to get by, and carried those feelings throughout his life.
That was symbolized in the black attire, which he addressed in the song, "Man in Black," released in 1971 in an album of the same title. The song reached No. 3 on the Billboard country charts and No. 58 on the pop charts.
And he gave the reasons "for the things I have on."
We learn it's:
"for the poor, and the beaten down..."for the prisoner who is long paid for his crime..."for those who've never read or listened to the words that Jesus said..."for the sick and lonely old..."for the thousands who have died believin' that the Lord was on their side..."for another hundred thousand who have died believin' that we all were on their side...Cash closes the song with this verse:
"Ah, I love to wear a rainbow every dayAnd tell the world that everything's okayBut I'll try to carry off a little darkness on my backTill things are brighter, I'm the Man in Black."
I think it would be interesting if people wore black to symbolically protest the wrongs in towns, cities, states, country, and world. Maybe it would attract attention, and perhaps create some change for the good, much like the Man in Black did in his lifetime.
"Man in Black" lyrics
Until the next time...
July 7, 2013
Traumatic Brain Injury
I recently read Bob Greene's book, "When We Get to Surf City: A Journey Through America in Pursuit of Rock and Roll, Friendship, and Dreams."
Greene, the noted author and journalist, spent several years with Jan and Dean, touring with their band as he worked on the book.
Jan Berry, if you don't know, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1966 in a horrific car accident. Ironically, two years earlier the duo had recorded, "Dead Man's Curve."
Doctors didn't think Jan would live. In fact, police thought he was dead when they arrived at the scene of the accident. But Jan survived, miraculously, and returned to performing.
But it wasn't easy. From the book I learned that on the morning of each performance, Jan would be holed up in his motel room relearning the lyrics to the songs he would sing, some that he had written.
Jan was left with partial paralysis, but through personal dedication and countless hours in rehab, he was able to move on both legs. But it wasn't easy. One leg dragged when he walked. Greene relates in the book an occasion when some callous person hollered "Igor" at Jan while band members were walking back to their motel after a concert. I'm amazed people can be so cruel.
Another time, in Kansas City, Jan fell off the stage and had to be taken to a hospital. Through sheer determination, Jan bounced back and performed at the next concert. He was truly an inspiration, right up until he died in 2004 at the age of 62.
I'm writing this post because I hope people will be more understanding and caring of those who have suffered TBI.
According to the Brain Injury Association:
1.7 million people, including 475,000 children are diagnosed with TBI each year; and 3.1 million people live with a life-long disability.52,000 people die each year from TBI.About 75 percent of TBIs each year are from concussions or other forms of mild traumatic brain injury.TBI is a contributing factor to 30.5 percent of all injury-related deaths in the United States.We know TBI can happen in many ways -- car accidents, falls, sports injuries, assaults, etc. -- to anyone.
And we've seen our military men and women return from foreign countries with TBI. From 2000-2012, according to data from the Defense Medical Surveillance System, there have been 194,561 mild, 42,063 moderate, and 6,476 severe cases of TBI.
I sincerely hope people will show more compassion to those who have suffered from TBI.
Until the next time...
Greene, the noted author and journalist, spent several years with Jan and Dean, touring with their band as he worked on the book. Jan Berry, if you don't know, suffered a traumatic brain injury in 1966 in a horrific car accident. Ironically, two years earlier the duo had recorded, "Dead Man's Curve."
Doctors didn't think Jan would live. In fact, police thought he was dead when they arrived at the scene of the accident. But Jan survived, miraculously, and returned to performing.
But it wasn't easy. From the book I learned that on the morning of each performance, Jan would be holed up in his motel room relearning the lyrics to the songs he would sing, some that he had written.
Jan was left with partial paralysis, but through personal dedication and countless hours in rehab, he was able to move on both legs. But it wasn't easy. One leg dragged when he walked. Greene relates in the book an occasion when some callous person hollered "Igor" at Jan while band members were walking back to their motel after a concert. I'm amazed people can be so cruel.
Another time, in Kansas City, Jan fell off the stage and had to be taken to a hospital. Through sheer determination, Jan bounced back and performed at the next concert. He was truly an inspiration, right up until he died in 2004 at the age of 62.
I'm writing this post because I hope people will be more understanding and caring of those who have suffered TBI.
According to the Brain Injury Association:
1.7 million people, including 475,000 children are diagnosed with TBI each year; and 3.1 million people live with a life-long disability.52,000 people die each year from TBI.About 75 percent of TBIs each year are from concussions or other forms of mild traumatic brain injury.TBI is a contributing factor to 30.5 percent of all injury-related deaths in the United States.We know TBI can happen in many ways -- car accidents, falls, sports injuries, assaults, etc. -- to anyone.And we've seen our military men and women return from foreign countries with TBI. From 2000-2012, according to data from the Defense Medical Surveillance System, there have been 194,561 mild, 42,063 moderate, and 6,476 severe cases of TBI.
I sincerely hope people will show more compassion to those who have suffered from TBI.
Until the next time...
July 2, 2013
Story Songs: Surf City
While The Beatles and the British bands may have ruled most of the 1960s, it was American surf musicians who, pardon the pun, established the first beachhead in that wonderful decade of music.
With the likes of The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, The Trashmen, The Surfaris, and many others, surf music was the rage of American teens, even those like me who lived in Kentucky. They presented us with a world of sun-kissed beaches, endless blue waves, and bikini-clad babes that most of us could only dream about back then.
One of my all-time favorite groups is Jan and Dean, who had the first No. 1 surf song with "Surf City" in 1963. It was written by Jan Berry and Brian Wilson, with some input from Dean Torrence.
The song opens with a spirited, "Two girls for every boy."
It's no wonder that we landlocked guys wanted to head to the West Coast in a woodie and buy a surf board, if only to look cool strutting on the beach.
"You see they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'(Surf City, here we come)You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'(Surf City, here we come)Well, with two swingin' honeys for every guyAnd all you gotta do is just wink your eye"
There's no stopping the guys heading to Surf City, even if their woodie breaks down and they have to hitch a ride. Why?
"...we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to oneYou know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some funYou know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to oneYou know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Because there's:
"Two girls for every boy."
Some folks remember only Jan and Dean's "Dead Man's Curve," recorded nearly two years before Jan's near-fatal car accident in which he suffered severe head injuries, of which he never fully recovered. Jan passed away in 2004 at the age of 62; Dean still performs on occasion with a surf-music group.
The duo had several top-selling songs such as "Linda," "The New Girl in School," "Ride the Wild Surf," "Sidewalk Surfin'," "Little Old Lady From Pasadena," "Drag City," and "Honolulu Lulu." I believe they're another group that has been overlooked, and underrated, by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
If you're ever want to go to "Surf City," the city of Huntington Beach, Calif., is nationally recognized as the official, "Surf City USA."
"Surf City" lyrics
With the likes of The Beach Boys, Dick Dale, The Trashmen, The Surfaris, and many others, surf music was the rage of American teens, even those like me who lived in Kentucky. They presented us with a world of sun-kissed beaches, endless blue waves, and bikini-clad babes that most of us could only dream about back then.
One of my all-time favorite groups is Jan and Dean, who had the first No. 1 surf song with "Surf City" in 1963. It was written by Jan Berry and Brian Wilson, with some input from Dean Torrence.
The song opens with a spirited, "Two girls for every boy."
It's no wonder that we landlocked guys wanted to head to the West Coast in a woodie and buy a surf board, if only to look cool strutting on the beach.
"You see they never roll the streets up 'cause there's always somethin' goin'(Surf City, here we come)You know they're either out surfin' or they got a party growin'(Surf City, here we come)Well, with two swingin' honeys for every guyAnd all you gotta do is just wink your eye"
There's no stopping the guys heading to Surf City, even if their woodie breaks down and they have to hitch a ride. Why?
"...we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to oneYou know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some funYou know we're goin' to Surf City, 'cause it's two to oneYou know we're goin' to Surf City, gonna have some fun, now
Because there's:
"Two girls for every boy."
Some folks remember only Jan and Dean's "Dead Man's Curve," recorded nearly two years before Jan's near-fatal car accident in which he suffered severe head injuries, of which he never fully recovered. Jan passed away in 2004 at the age of 62; Dean still performs on occasion with a surf-music group.
The duo had several top-selling songs such as "Linda," "The New Girl in School," "Ride the Wild Surf," "Sidewalk Surfin'," "Little Old Lady From Pasadena," "Drag City," and "Honolulu Lulu." I believe they're another group that has been overlooked, and underrated, by Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
If you're ever want to go to "Surf City," the city of Huntington Beach, Calif., is nationally recognized as the official, "Surf City USA."
"Surf City" lyrics
July 1, 2013
Moving Forward To Publication
I finished my manuscript on Sunday afternoon and sent it off to my publisher. I gave it a final proofread and made some minor changes, and then formatted it to the publisher's specifications.
Am I completely satisfied with the manuscript? Of course not. I believe most, if not all, writers will tell you that they could tinker with their manuscript for years and never be totally satisfied.
But there comes a time when you simply have to let it go and move on to other things. That's not to say I'm not pleased with the story. If I wasn't, then I wouldn't be writing this post.
The editing process isn't over. The manuscript will go through another reader and then I'll work with an editor in finalizing it for publication.
Along the way I'll work with a graphic artist on a cover and complete other items such as the dedication, acknowledgments, and biographical information. In addition, there will be pre-publication promotion and a book trailer.
As you can see, there is more work to be done. At least I can take a breather for a few weeks.
Until the next time...
Am I completely satisfied with the manuscript? Of course not. I believe most, if not all, writers will tell you that they could tinker with their manuscript for years and never be totally satisfied.
But there comes a time when you simply have to let it go and move on to other things. That's not to say I'm not pleased with the story. If I wasn't, then I wouldn't be writing this post.
The editing process isn't over. The manuscript will go through another reader and then I'll work with an editor in finalizing it for publication.
Along the way I'll work with a graphic artist on a cover and complete other items such as the dedication, acknowledgments, and biographical information. In addition, there will be pre-publication promotion and a book trailer.
As you can see, there is more work to be done. At least I can take a breather for a few weeks.
Until the next time...
June 27, 2013
Five Rewrites and Nearing the End
I just completed the fifth rewrite on my young-adult novel. I plan to submit the manuscript to my publisher this weekend.
But before I put it in the required format, I've got one more thing to do. Read it again.
Yes, I'll go over the manuscript one more time.
The latest rewrite came after I printed the manuscript. A writer gains a different perspective seeing the words on paper rather than a computer screen. And my red pen got a workout.I'm sure there will be some minor (please no major!) changes on my final read. I'll be looking more for transition and flow.
I was also reminded from the last rewrite that spell check isn't infallible. Yes, it'll note misspelled words but it won't let you know if it's the incorrect word. I came across several words that altered the meaning, or made sentences nonsensical. So be sure and read every word closely.
Will this finish the editing process? No. An editor will go through the manuscript, make corrections, and perhaps offer suggestions.
Until the next time...
June 21, 2013
Summer Songs
Ah, summer has finally arrived!
I really love summer unless it gets horribly hot, drastically dry, or relentlessly rainy. Other than that, it's the time of the year to spend time at the beach, hiking, camping, travel, golf, tennis and all sorts of things. Or doing nothing at all!
For me nothing brings back memories of past summers than music. And the summer tunes from my teen-age years -- the time when life was somewhat carefree and I thought I'd live forever (so far, so good!) -- are the best.
There are many great summer songs. I thought I'd share some that I really enjoyed long ago and still do:
"Summertime Blues" was originally made famous by Eddie Cochran in the late '50s but I like the cover by Blue Cheer from my heavy metal days. It topped at No. 14 on the charts in 1968.
"Summer in the City" by The Lovin' Spoonful, a No. 1 hit in '66. This song really captured how sweltering the heat can be in big cities.
"Hot Fun in the Summertime" by Sly and the Family Stone reached No. 3 in 1969. I think Sly knew how to have fun.
The Jamies' "Summertime, Summertime," had an infectious melody that really sets the mood for summer days. The song reached No. 26 in 1958.
Chad & Jeremy defined soft rock in the '60s with songs such as "A Summer Song," a No. 7 song during the first wave of the British Invasion in 1964.
Bobby Goldsboro sang about "cougar" love in "Summer (The First Time)" in '73. The song reached No. 21 on the pop charts.
"In The Summertime," by British group Mungo Jerry, captured the careful days of summer. It reached No. 3 in the United States in '70.
A little known summer song I liked was by the Dave Clark 5 called "Here Comes Summer" released in '70. It was a bigger hit for Jerry Keller, who also wrote the tune, reaching No. 14 in '59.
One more song, Johnny Rivers' "Summer Rain," released in '67 and reached No. 14.
For more songs of summer, visit these sites:
100 Greatest Summer Songs
Billboard Songs of the Summer
Entertainment Weekly's 100 Greatest Summer Songs
What is your favorite song(s) of summer?
Until the next time...
I really love summer unless it gets horribly hot, drastically dry, or relentlessly rainy. Other than that, it's the time of the year to spend time at the beach, hiking, camping, travel, golf, tennis and all sorts of things. Or doing nothing at all!
For me nothing brings back memories of past summers than music. And the summer tunes from my teen-age years -- the time when life was somewhat carefree and I thought I'd live forever (so far, so good!) -- are the best.
There are many great summer songs. I thought I'd share some that I really enjoyed long ago and still do:
"Summertime Blues" was originally made famous by Eddie Cochran in the late '50s but I like the cover by Blue Cheer from my heavy metal days. It topped at No. 14 on the charts in 1968.
"Summer in the City" by The Lovin' Spoonful, a No. 1 hit in '66. This song really captured how sweltering the heat can be in big cities.
"Hot Fun in the Summertime" by Sly and the Family Stone reached No. 3 in 1969. I think Sly knew how to have fun.
The Jamies' "Summertime, Summertime," had an infectious melody that really sets the mood for summer days. The song reached No. 26 in 1958.
Chad & Jeremy defined soft rock in the '60s with songs such as "A Summer Song," a No. 7 song during the first wave of the British Invasion in 1964.
Bobby Goldsboro sang about "cougar" love in "Summer (The First Time)" in '73. The song reached No. 21 on the pop charts.
"In The Summertime," by British group Mungo Jerry, captured the careful days of summer. It reached No. 3 in the United States in '70.
A little known summer song I liked was by the Dave Clark 5 called "Here Comes Summer" released in '70. It was a bigger hit for Jerry Keller, who also wrote the tune, reaching No. 14 in '59.
One more song, Johnny Rivers' "Summer Rain," released in '67 and reached No. 14.
For more songs of summer, visit these sites:
100 Greatest Summer Songs
Billboard Songs of the Summer
Entertainment Weekly's 100 Greatest Summer Songs
What is your favorite song(s) of summer?
Until the next time...
June 16, 2013
Four Rewrites and Seeing the Proverbial Light at the End of the Tunnel
I've completed the fourth rewrite on my manuscript this weekend. I printed it and will go back over the hard copy with a red pen to make final changes before submitting it to my publisher, hopefully before the end of the month.
For those who haven't followed this post, the manuscript began last November. I decided to National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, so see if I could produce the workings of a novel in a month's time.
Generally it takes me a minimum of six weeks to write a first draft (my first novel, The Touch, was written in 30 days). The others have taken two to three months. My longest novel was Foolish is the Heart, at about 100k.
This manuscript, which is for young adults, clocked in at 52,500 words today. The first draft was about 51k. My last young-adult novel, Shooting Star, was about 66k.
After I finish fifth edit, and sign a contract with a publisher, I'll let you know the title.
Until the next time...
For those who haven't followed this post, the manuscript began last November. I decided to National Novel Writing Month, or NaNoWriMo, so see if I could produce the workings of a novel in a month's time.
Generally it takes me a minimum of six weeks to write a first draft (my first novel, The Touch, was written in 30 days). The others have taken two to three months. My longest novel was Foolish is the Heart, at about 100k.
This manuscript, which is for young adults, clocked in at 52,500 words today. The first draft was about 51k. My last young-adult novel, Shooting Star, was about 66k. After I finish fifth edit, and sign a contract with a publisher, I'll let you know the title.
Until the next time...
June 11, 2013
Blessings Count Both Ways
My wife and I were at the local Cracker Barrel last weekend, about finished with our dinner when a family came in and sat at a table next to us.
The family included two children with special needs -- one sitting in a wheelchair who appeared to be blind and the other with some kind of developmental disability.
The children were probably from Stewart Home School, a "community dedicated to the education and enrichment of students with special needs." It is a home away from home for students of all ages. The facility is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year.
The school believes in inclusiveness and the residents participate in activities in and around Frankfort. They also go on trips to zoos, amusement parks, sporting events, and other interesting places.
I often see their students at stores, restaurants and other places in Frankfort, accompanied by Stewart Home staff, family, or friends. They fit beautifully into the community and help contribute to the rich diversity of the place I call home.
Yes, I was almost moved to tears by seeing that family when we left Cracker Barrel. I was thinking about how "normal" folks should count their blessings.
But later, I thought about how blessed those children are to have loving and caring parents/guardians and to live in a secure and nurturing environment that provides for their emotional and physical needs.
This family reminded me that blessings can be found in many situations -- if we just look for them.
Watch this video and you'll know what I'm trying to put into words:
Until the next time...
The family included two children with special needs -- one sitting in a wheelchair who appeared to be blind and the other with some kind of developmental disability.
The children were probably from Stewart Home School, a "community dedicated to the education and enrichment of students with special needs." It is a home away from home for students of all ages. The facility is celebrating its 120th anniversary this year.
The school believes in inclusiveness and the residents participate in activities in and around Frankfort. They also go on trips to zoos, amusement parks, sporting events, and other interesting places.
I often see their students at stores, restaurants and other places in Frankfort, accompanied by Stewart Home staff, family, or friends. They fit beautifully into the community and help contribute to the rich diversity of the place I call home.
Yes, I was almost moved to tears by seeing that family when we left Cracker Barrel. I was thinking about how "normal" folks should count their blessings.
But later, I thought about how blessed those children are to have loving and caring parents/guardians and to live in a secure and nurturing environment that provides for their emotional and physical needs.
This family reminded me that blessings can be found in many situations -- if we just look for them.
Watch this video and you'll know what I'm trying to put into words:
Until the next time...
June 6, 2013
Story Songs: Wasted on the Way
I've been a fan of Crosby, Stills & Nash for many years and own all their albums (a time before CDs, MP3 players and whatever else is out there) from the 1960s and '70s.
One of their songs that really resonated with me was "Wasted on the Way," written by Graham Nash. The tune was released in 1982 and was their first Top 10 hit in about five years. I enjoy the song now more than I did when it was released.
To me, it's a song about reflecting on life as one grows older. And for many folks -- myself included -- there are always questions about things I could have or should have done, or perhaps, shouldn't have done.
The narrator begins by looking at his current life:
"I am older nowI have more than what I wantedBut I wish that I had started long before I did"
And he turns to his past:
"And there's so much time to make up everywhere you turnTime we have wasted on the waySo much water moving underneath the bridgeLet the water come and carry us away"
The narrator asks if you questioned what you were told:
"Oh, when you were youngDid you question all the answersDid you envy all the dancers who had all the nerve"
That last line, to me, means those folks who had the courage to step out and do their own thing rather than follow the crowd.
"Look around you knowYou must go for what you wantedLook at all my friends who did and got what they deserved"
I've had my regrets along the way, but that's life. Sometimes I made decisions that seemed good at the time, but looking back, they weren't.
But there've been some good decisions I've made, just not enough of them.
I've regretted more decisions as I've grown older because I realize the sand in the top of the hourglass is slipping away.
Do you have time you have "wasted on the way?"
Maybe that's a reason life is often considered a journey that has many pathways to reach the end.
"Wasted on the Way" lyrics
One of their songs that really resonated with me was "Wasted on the Way," written by Graham Nash. The tune was released in 1982 and was their first Top 10 hit in about five years. I enjoy the song now more than I did when it was released.To me, it's a song about reflecting on life as one grows older. And for many folks -- myself included -- there are always questions about things I could have or should have done, or perhaps, shouldn't have done.
The narrator begins by looking at his current life:
"I am older nowI have more than what I wantedBut I wish that I had started long before I did"
And he turns to his past:
"And there's so much time to make up everywhere you turnTime we have wasted on the waySo much water moving underneath the bridgeLet the water come and carry us away"
The narrator asks if you questioned what you were told:
"Oh, when you were youngDid you question all the answersDid you envy all the dancers who had all the nerve"
That last line, to me, means those folks who had the courage to step out and do their own thing rather than follow the crowd.
"Look around you knowYou must go for what you wantedLook at all my friends who did and got what they deserved"
I've had my regrets along the way, but that's life. Sometimes I made decisions that seemed good at the time, but looking back, they weren't.But there've been some good decisions I've made, just not enough of them.
I've regretted more decisions as I've grown older because I realize the sand in the top of the hourglass is slipping away.
Do you have time you have "wasted on the way?"
Maybe that's a reason life is often considered a journey that has many pathways to reach the end.
"Wasted on the Way" lyrics
June 4, 2013
Authors for Libraries
One of my favorite places in the world is a library because, for the most part, when I'm there I have the whole world at my fingertips.
It's easy for me to get lost in a library. Once I step inside and start exploring, I lose track of time going from one thing to another.
It's wise for me to have a "to-do" list so I can stay somewhat focused on my initial purpose for venturing down those hallowed shelves.
Of course, much of the excitement for me in going to the library is to have no purpose at all except to explore the books, music, magazines, newspapers, movies and anything else I stumble upon in my journey.
The other day I was in a hurry and returned books that were due that day. On my way out, I couldn't help but take a look at some of the books and media being offered at the used book store, operated by the Friends of the Library group. I ended up purchasing four books and three CDs.
I recently joined Authors for Libraries, which is part of United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association.
Why did I join? Well, some of the reasons are mentioned above. I believe libraries are vital to communities by what they have to offer. And they're free (with support from tax dollars)for anyone to use.
And because I'm an author, I feel it's important to offer support for places that house my works as well as those of thousands of other writers. Furthermore, it's somewhat of paying back since I've done research for my books at libraries.
And the benefit will be mutual since it will connect me with libraries and vice versa for presentations, speaking engagements, and ways to promote writing and reading.
So my message to all those authors out there: Support your local library!
It's easy for me to get lost in a library. Once I step inside and start exploring, I lose track of time going from one thing to another.
It's wise for me to have a "to-do" list so I can stay somewhat focused on my initial purpose for venturing down those hallowed shelves.
Of course, much of the excitement for me in going to the library is to have no purpose at all except to explore the books, music, magazines, newspapers, movies and anything else I stumble upon in my journey.
The other day I was in a hurry and returned books that were due that day. On my way out, I couldn't help but take a look at some of the books and media being offered at the used book store, operated by the Friends of the Library group. I ended up purchasing four books and three CDs.
I recently joined Authors for Libraries, which is part of United for Libraries, a division of the American Library Association.
Why did I join? Well, some of the reasons are mentioned above. I believe libraries are vital to communities by what they have to offer. And they're free (with support from tax dollars)for anyone to use.
And because I'm an author, I feel it's important to offer support for places that house my works as well as those of thousands of other writers. Furthermore, it's somewhat of paying back since I've done research for my books at libraries.
And the benefit will be mutual since it will connect me with libraries and vice versa for presentations, speaking engagements, and ways to promote writing and reading.
So my message to all those authors out there: Support your local library!
