Frank L. Cole's Blog, page 9
December 28, 2010
ABC4 Good Things Utah
I was fortunate enough to have a great opportunity to appear on ABC4 Good Things Utah today to talk about my Hashbrown books. I owe a big thank you to Amanda Summers (the producer) and Suzanne Houghton for making it all happen. I was a nervous wreck, but I think it went rather smoothly. I guess you can be the judge of that...
December 23, 2010
Winner of the Nutha Contest and More Christmas Memories
I plugged in all of your entries and the winner was number 14....
Hurray for Jennifer! You won! I'm not sure I even know who you are. Are you my sister Jennifer? Are you Jennifer Love Hewitt?
Any whoooo... e-mail me with your address and the book is yours.
Now, in response to some of your comments:
PaigeE - I feel your pain. Most of the time I can't stand radio Christmas music, but I do like the occasional newer stuff.
Jeana - Christmas Shoes? Deeeeepressing. But, I really do appreciate your support of my blog. It makes me feel all good.
AJDub - Ditto on the blog support. And, I love the muppets too.
Kristen - Who's Johnny Mathis?
Tia - Were you listing a song or just making a statement?
Michael - I love you man. Maple syrup eh?
Now, here is another one of my Christmas memories.
A couple of years ago, I was at Target with Heidi, Jackson, and Gavin. Gavin was a little tyke and at that point in his life, he really couldn't stand me. To him, I was a nuisance. Someone who just got in the way of mom. On several occasions, I vividly recall him wishing on the first star in the sky for me to disappear. Okay, that's a little harsh and made up, but seriously, he didn't like me until he was like 3 years old. Ask Heidi. I was ready to start therapy sessions.
Well, since it was Christmas and there was the prospect of gifts from Santa in the works, Gavin began acting more cordial to me. We didn't share long conversations by any means, but at least he wasn't whispering I hate your face under his breath. As we were leaving Target and crossing through the parking lot, Jackson sat inside the cart while Gavin stood hanging off the back staring at me. So, I decided to have a little fun and steer the cart wildly for my sons' enjoyment. They laughed and all seemed right with the world. That was until I hit a pocket of icy snow and Gavin was catapulted through the air landing on his back in a puddle of sludge. I raced to his safety, because we were still in a parking lot and there were cars zooming around everywhere. As I fished him from the puddle, Gavin narrowed his eyes at me and growled in a very sinister voice, "Ah! Look what you did!"
Therapy sessions began shortly after.
Hurray for Jennifer! You won! I'm not sure I even know who you are. Are you my sister Jennifer? Are you Jennifer Love Hewitt?
Any whoooo... e-mail me with your address and the book is yours.
Now, in response to some of your comments:
PaigeE - I feel your pain. Most of the time I can't stand radio Christmas music, but I do like the occasional newer stuff.
Jeana - Christmas Shoes? Deeeeepressing. But, I really do appreciate your support of my blog. It makes me feel all good.
AJDub - Ditto on the blog support. And, I love the muppets too.
Kristen - Who's Johnny Mathis?
Tia - Were you listing a song or just making a statement?
Michael - I love you man. Maple syrup eh?
Now, here is another one of my Christmas memories.
A couple of years ago, I was at Target with Heidi, Jackson, and Gavin. Gavin was a little tyke and at that point in his life, he really couldn't stand me. To him, I was a nuisance. Someone who just got in the way of mom. On several occasions, I vividly recall him wishing on the first star in the sky for me to disappear. Okay, that's a little harsh and made up, but seriously, he didn't like me until he was like 3 years old. Ask Heidi. I was ready to start therapy sessions.Well, since it was Christmas and there was the prospect of gifts from Santa in the works, Gavin began acting more cordial to me. We didn't share long conversations by any means, but at least he wasn't whispering I hate your face under his breath. As we were leaving Target and crossing through the parking lot, Jackson sat inside the cart while Gavin stood hanging off the back staring at me. So, I decided to have a little fun and steer the cart wildly for my sons' enjoyment. They laughed and all seemed right with the world. That was until I hit a pocket of icy snow and Gavin was catapulted through the air landing on his back in a puddle of sludge. I raced to his safety, because we were still in a parking lot and there were cars zooming around everywhere. As I fished him from the puddle, Gavin narrowed his eyes at me and growled in a very sinister voice, "Ah! Look what you did!"
Therapy sessions began shortly after.
December 20, 2010
Nutha Contest
I Still have a couple of ARCS of The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter left in my office and they need to go. I need people to read this book and get the word out early.So here's another contest. Simple and easy.
Put a comment about your favorite Christmas song. One that when it's on the radio you have to listen and it puts you in the holiday mood. Comment as many times as you like or just once. I'll do a random drawing on Wednesday and the winner will get a signed Advanced Copy of The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter. So, naturally, the more times you comment the more chances you have of winning. If you've already won (Jeana) and you happen to win again, I'll give you the choice of an ARC of Guardians, or Hashbrown Winters and the Phantom of Pordunce.
I personally love the Christmas Song by the Dave Matthews Band. If you haven't heard it, go download it or listen to it or something. I just think it's cool.
On another note, I don't get the 12 days of Christmas song. At all. Yeah, it was great as a kid. We'd all get excited because I think there were numbers in the song and it sounded like the singer was going to get a whole bunch of cool stuff for Christmas as they rattled off their list.
But it's all about birds. Did the author of that song work at an aviary? Birds?
What would I do with turtle doves, a partridge, french hens, calling birds, swans...
I know what birds do. They do it all over my car all year round.
December 16, 2010
Winner of the Contest and Christmas Memory #11
Wow! Those were some great movies and I was pleased to see such good participation and from some new commenters I might add. All right, I plugged every one into a spreadsheet and gave each person that posted more than once an entry for each comment and I used a random number selector. And the winner is...
Jeana!
It was actually your second comment that won. Not that it mattered what you commented about, but I just thought you'd like to know. I'm excited for you to read this one. E-mail me with your address and I'll drop it in the mail first thing. You've got to promise me to read it soon and then post feedback on what you thought about it.
That was fun! I think I'll do another contest before the week is up for another copy of my book. Maybe tomorrow.
And here's #11 of my cherished Christmas memories...
I was younger and dating my wife, Heidi, out at college. It was getting close to the end of the semester and the Christmas Break and we had plans to go to some school play later that Friday evening. I remember not being that excited about the play because it had been a requirement for one of our classes, Heidi and I shared. While we waited, we snuggled on the couch in my apartment and watched T.V. I really don't know how or why we started dancing, but we did and soon we were jumping around the living room like real dorks. Suddenly, because I wanted to show off my strength to impress Heidi, I hoisted her into the air and started spinning her around as fast as I could. What fun! I remember laughing and smiling up until the point I lost my balance and sent Heidi crashing, head-first, into the windowsill. She ended up with a rather large goose egg and a concussion. Delirious, confused, and probably suffering from a bout of amnesia, Heidi was in poor shape. I was devastated. How could I have done this to her? What was I to do? Well, I did the only reasonable thing I could think to do at the time.
I immediately proposed. The rest is history.
That really didn't happen that way, but most of it did. Actually, it may have happened sometime after Christmas for all I know, but it WAS really cold and snowy. And no, I didn't really propose right after braining her on the windowsill, but for those that know my wife and know me, you'd have to agree she had to have hit her head to marry me. Right?
Anyways. That's a made up Christmas memory, but as long as it lingers in my mind, I claim it as truth.
I know. Lame huh? #11 on my fondest Christmas memories is of a time when I nearly knocked my wife unconscious? Well... yes. It just wouldn't be Christmas without Heidi by my side and I consider all holiday memories with her as cherished. Gabwuf. Sorry, I may have just barfed a little. And if I didn't, I'm pretty sure some of you did.
Jeana!
It was actually your second comment that won. Not that it mattered what you commented about, but I just thought you'd like to know. I'm excited for you to read this one. E-mail me with your address and I'll drop it in the mail first thing. You've got to promise me to read it soon and then post feedback on what you thought about it.
That was fun! I think I'll do another contest before the week is up for another copy of my book. Maybe tomorrow.
And here's #11 of my cherished Christmas memories...I was younger and dating my wife, Heidi, out at college. It was getting close to the end of the semester and the Christmas Break and we had plans to go to some school play later that Friday evening. I remember not being that excited about the play because it had been a requirement for one of our classes, Heidi and I shared. While we waited, we snuggled on the couch in my apartment and watched T.V. I really don't know how or why we started dancing, but we did and soon we were jumping around the living room like real dorks. Suddenly, because I wanted to show off my strength to impress Heidi, I hoisted her into the air and started spinning her around as fast as I could. What fun! I remember laughing and smiling up until the point I lost my balance and sent Heidi crashing, head-first, into the windowsill. She ended up with a rather large goose egg and a concussion. Delirious, confused, and probably suffering from a bout of amnesia, Heidi was in poor shape. I was devastated. How could I have done this to her? What was I to do? Well, I did the only reasonable thing I could think to do at the time.
I immediately proposed. The rest is history.
That really didn't happen that way, but most of it did. Actually, it may have happened sometime after Christmas for all I know, but it WAS really cold and snowy. And no, I didn't really propose right after braining her on the windowsill, but for those that know my wife and know me, you'd have to agree she had to have hit her head to marry me. Right?
Anyways. That's a made up Christmas memory, but as long as it lingers in my mind, I claim it as truth.
I know. Lame huh? #11 on my fondest Christmas memories is of a time when I nearly knocked my wife unconscious? Well... yes. It just wouldn't be Christmas without Heidi by my side and I consider all holiday memories with her as cherished. Gabwuf. Sorry, I may have just barfed a little. And if I didn't, I'm pretty sure some of you did.
December 14, 2010
Quick Christmas Contest
I've got these advanced copies of the Guardians of the Hidden Scepter just sitting here, staring at me and I need to give them away. So here's a quickie contest just to keep us in the holiday spirit:
Post a comment that tells your favorite Christmas movie. I'll do a drawing on Thursday from all those that commented. The winner will get an advanced reading copy of The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter which comes out in March. Easy peasy!
You can comment as many times as you want and I'll increase your entries by that many times as well. And if I only get one comment from one person, you win! How's that for holiday cheer? Know any kids ages 9-16 looking for a book that no one's read yet? Got it here!
My favorite Christmas movie? The Christmas Story! Not a finga!!!
Post a comment that tells your favorite Christmas movie. I'll do a drawing on Thursday from all those that commented. The winner will get an advanced reading copy of The Guardians of the Hidden Scepter which comes out in March. Easy peasy!
You can comment as many times as you want and I'll increase your entries by that many times as well. And if I only get one comment from one person, you win! How's that for holiday cheer? Know any kids ages 9-16 looking for a book that no one's read yet? Got it here!
My favorite Christmas movie? The Christmas Story! Not a finga!!!
December 7, 2010
Nostalgic Moments of Christmas #12
For fun, I'm going to post one of my most favorite Christmas memories randomly from now until Christmas. I've been becoming quite Scrooge as of late and I need something to put me in the holiday spirit. Most of these will be funny, but a few may or may not be sentimental. There may be 12 of them or not.... I don't know and I really don't know the pattern. Heck, I might post 2 or 3 in a day, but that's unlikely. I'll probably post something in between a memory, like a contest or a writing update or a rant about something. The point is... I don't have a point to this other than creating the Christmas mood on my blog. And here we go...
#12 - I've blogged about this before, so for those stalwart followers of my website, this will be a repeat post. But for you others (recent joinees and random looker-inners) this will be a treat.
It was Christmas eve 2001. Heidi and I stayed the night with her family and slept on the couch with her brothers and sister as we eagerly awaited the arrival of Christmas morning. Heidi was pregnant with my first son, Jackson, and on the verge of popping (he arrived in February.) We had spent the evening playing games and watching movies, and if I recall correctly, I had fallen asleep in the middle of the movie on the couch. It was warm and peaceful and I dreamed of sugar plums (which by-the-way I've never had one, but they sound exquisite.)
Soon, all of us older kids were nestled snug on the enormous family room couch, snoozing. Suddenly, sometime past midnight, my dreams of sugar plums changed into a horrifying spectacle. There I sat in a warehouse in front of a bay door with Heidi sitting next to me holding our son. Although, I can't remember exactly what he looked like, I'll wager Jackson looked a little like a baby Bob Costas in my dream (that's for you cousin John). When all of a sudden, a tractor-trailer began to back towards us. Why we were sitting there, I have no clue. And why we didn't move when the reverse beep of the truck sounded off, baffles me. It was a dream, people. Needless to say, we were in trouble. The truck continued to back and we sat frozen to the floor. I knew I needed to do some drastic, so I sat straight up and shouted at the top of my lungs.
"HEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!"
Meanwhile, in ma and pa Hickok's basement, the scene unfolded in real life. Their downstairs doesn't have any windows and the room was cloaked in total darkness. I must have shouted for a solid minute. Everyone woke up, disturbed, confused, and wondering why I was still shouting.
Keri, my sister-in-law, took the startling wake-up call the worst and I remember hearing her desperately ask Heidi what the heck I was doing. My mind still hovered somewhere in between the dream world and reality, but I managed to shout, in my best Gollum impersonation,
"My Precioussssssssss."
To which Keri started bawling.
Feliz Navidad!
#12 - I've blogged about this before, so for those stalwart followers of my website, this will be a repeat post. But for you others (recent joinees and random looker-inners) this will be a treat.
It was Christmas eve 2001. Heidi and I stayed the night with her family and slept on the couch with her brothers and sister as we eagerly awaited the arrival of Christmas morning. Heidi was pregnant with my first son, Jackson, and on the verge of popping (he arrived in February.) We had spent the evening playing games and watching movies, and if I recall correctly, I had fallen asleep in the middle of the movie on the couch. It was warm and peaceful and I dreamed of sugar plums (which by-the-way I've never had one, but they sound exquisite.)
Soon, all of us older kids were nestled snug on the enormous family room couch, snoozing. Suddenly, sometime past midnight, my dreams of sugar plums changed into a horrifying spectacle. There I sat in a warehouse in front of a bay door with Heidi sitting next to me holding our son. Although, I can't remember exactly what he looked like, I'll wager Jackson looked a little like a baby Bob Costas in my dream (that's for you cousin John). When all of a sudden, a tractor-trailer began to back towards us. Why we were sitting there, I have no clue. And why we didn't move when the reverse beep of the truck sounded off, baffles me. It was a dream, people. Needless to say, we were in trouble. The truck continued to back and we sat frozen to the floor. I knew I needed to do some drastic, so I sat straight up and shouted at the top of my lungs.
"HEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!!!!!"
Meanwhile, in ma and pa Hickok's basement, the scene unfolded in real life. Their downstairs doesn't have any windows and the room was cloaked in total darkness. I must have shouted for a solid minute. Everyone woke up, disturbed, confused, and wondering why I was still shouting.
Keri, my sister-in-law, took the startling wake-up call the worst and I remember hearing her desperately ask Heidi what the heck I was doing. My mind still hovered somewhere in between the dream world and reality, but I managed to shout, in my best Gollum impersonation,
"My Precioussssssssss."
To which Keri started bawling.
Feliz Navidad!
