Bart "J.B." Hopkins's Blog, page 18
July 18, 2016
I Know She Loves The Sunrise
The writing prompt this week over at THE FIGMENT isn’t a sentence or picture: it’s a song. “Flake” by Jack Johnson.
The song is fun to listen to and has an easy beat. It reminds me of a cross between three other songs/bands: Passenger’s “Let Her Go,” Dave Matthews’ “What Would You Say,” and … ha ha ha ha … no way! I just Googled “Curious George Movie Theme” and it turns out that it’s another song from Jack Johnson: “Upside Down.” Which is a great song from a movie we watched many, many times when my son was younger.
This is really too much. I was literally researching as I wrote this and it turns out to be the same person? No way. Yes way. No WONDER it sounded similar.
We’re fans of Curious George in this house, and I believe this all is conclusive evidence of the quality of the song.
I’ve been totally derailed. No idea what I was going to write about the actual song, but then again, writing prompts aren’t meant to give you a specific question you must answer … they’re just meant to get you writing.
Mission accomplished.
By the way … are you a writer? Are you looking for a place you can connect with other writers, have some fun, and play with words? Give THE FIGMENT a try. Princeton can use a guy like Joel, and The Figment can use someone like you!
July 7, 2016
Return to the Dirt
Creepy, Dark, and at all the right times … Funny
Return to the Dirt
By Geoff Sturtevant
There are few things I appreciate more than finding a new author that I enjoy, and having additional books from them to look forward to reading.
Return to the Dirt gives us three short stories to sink our teeth into, each dealing with work and death … easily relatable themes.
Each unique tale is laced with Sturtevant’s keen observations of humanity. He has a genuine knack for cultivating relatable characters and situations. Probably my favorite aspect of his writing is the subtle, dark humor that crops up periodically, at just the right moments.
The stories aren’t comedies; however, there were multiple times I laughed aloud and read passages to my wife. I do that sometimes when a book intrigues me and, in my simple way, is one of the highest compliments I can give a writer.
I was impressed with the flowing style of his writing, and the easy manner in which I slipped right into the landscape that his prose created. Sturtevant has real promise, and I look forward to his next book.
Five big stars for Return to the Dirt!
Favorite quotes:
“Maybe tomorrow I’ll try caring. That’s always the best time to turn over a new leaf, isn’t it—tomorrow.”
“You can’t talk in a vacuum, you can’t hear in a vacuum. You can’t breath in a vacuum.”
“The world, the universe, everything, it’s all bologna.”
You can pick up your copy on Amazon at the links below…
Ebook
Paperback
July 5, 2016
Fluke Cover Facelift
Fluke just got a facelift…
Same great story on the inside. Let us know what you think.
June 25, 2016
World Wide Gone
You can now grab a copy of my novella, World Wide Gone, on Amazon –> CLICK HERE.
If you’re interested in a free copy in exchange for a review, email me: bart@barthopkins.com.
THE COVER
THE BLURB
The Internet changed the world forever: information for anyone, anytime. Social media connected billions. Together, it was the coalescence of people and knowledge.
It’s the year 2071 and Simeon and Karina are about to find out firsthand what happens when the Internet disappears, when the World Wide Web becomes…
World Wide Gone
*Previously published in the anthology: Stardust: A Futuristic Romance Collection . While Stardust is an awesome anthology, World Wide Gone is somewhat light on the romance, and heavy on the science fiction and adventure.
June 21, 2016
Sh*t My Dad Says
So, I bought this book on a whim, since it was on sale. I love the Kindle and Kindle app, but I tend to buy sale ebooks (max $5) … I just keep it cheap if I can’t have a physical copy to hold and love and flip through. There are exceptions to that silly little personal rule, but not many.
All I can say is that I loved it! Halpern’s dad is a real character and his analogies and the lessons he teaches his son are colorful, to say the least. I laughed until I cried multiple times and my poor wife had to listen to me repeat quote after quote … out of earshot of my kids, of course. The book is definitely Rated R for the volume of cursing.
This doesn’t bother me, but I’m throwing it out there out of respect for those who it may turn off.
I really enjoyed getting to know the Halpern family. And, that’s really how I felt … as if I got to peek inside their lives. No family is perfect, and I enjoyed the honesty and quirkiness.
Kudos to Halpern–great book!
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June 19, 2016
Dead Ends is FREE
Dead Ends is Free for your Kindle reading app, June 19th & 20th:
Click here & grab your free copy: USA
Click here & grab your free copy: UK
Click here & grab your free copy: Canada
Happy Father’s Day! Don’t forget to show your father some love today. One fantastic way of doing that is through a free ebook. Just sayin’.
Take care,
~Bart~
June 15, 2016
BoyzNite Cover Reveal
Xane Fisher and I used to be part of the same local writing group in Germany, and so it is with sincere pleasure that I share the cover of his new work…
Pre-sale Date: July 3, 2016
Blog Tour: July 24-31, 2016
Release Date : August 1, 2016
Published by Royal James Publishing
ABOUT BOYZNITE:
Law school wonder student Ian Peters chronicles his first night home for the summer in Piedmont, Washington. What starts with a pleasant drive up the Pacific Northwest Coast leads him into a night of self discovery, contemplative self-assessment, and ultimately the question of what kind of man does he want to be? Along the way, he reconnects with friends, family, and an old flame who changes his world forever.
What started as a typical night of partying quickly becomes BoyzNite.
About Xane Fisher:
Originally from the Salt Lake City area, Xane Fisher has spent most of his life living out of a backpack or suitcase. Along his travels, he has been blessed with an amazing family, a college education, and the opportunity to see the world from the skyscrapers of Abu-Dhabi to the third world markets of Angola. From a young age, he has felt compelled to write and share experiences through a pen or keyboard. He is currently living in southwest Germany, serving in the United States Air Force with his wife Autumn and their son Judah. He hopes to have his first novel completed soon. To read more about Xane, you can visit him on his website.
June 9, 2016
Quicksand
Do you see those trees in the distance?
That’s where I’m going. Or, it’s where I was going … until my bike got stuck in the quicksand.
Now I’m wondering whether I should turn back. I’m enjoying a granola bar while I try to figure things out. Just snapped this picture with my super smart phone. See that totally boss bicycle? It used to be mine. Now, it belongs to the quicksand.
Luckily, I’m sitting on solid ground. Strange how the Earth’s surface can be so radically different across the six feet between my butt’s spot in this field and those tire treads.
What are they growing here? Is this farmland? Is it a quicksand farm?
Maybe I’ll stay right here for a while.
This splash & dash from my imagination was inspired by a writing prompt over at THE FIGMENT, an online community for writers: http://thefigment.freeforums.net.
~ Bart
May 24, 2016
My new pals
These guys bring some joy to an otherwise painful business trip.
I’m championing a new holiday: “Pet a Puppy Day.”
April 25, 2016
Life Up There
Life Up There
A Haiku jam from Bart the Magic Dragon
Small bird high above,
Winter sighs her frigid breath.
We fly together.
Inspired by the weekly writing prompt at The Figment writing community. You can learn more about it RIGHT HERE.
