R. Frederick Riddle's Blog, page 25

Monday News & Comments 08 10 20

Today’s Issue: Church & State

Welcome to Monday News. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays I share tips while on Friday and Monday I report the news.

By now you are aware of the State of California trying to impose its will on a church. Let’s take a quick look.

The Bible is our authority first and foremost. Second is the Constitution. We will look at both.

The Bible says:

Ephesians 1:22 – “And hath put all things under his feet, and gave him to be the head over all things to the church.”

Colossians 1:18 – “And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.”

God is the head of the Church.

Ephesians 1:21 – “Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come.”

Christ is not some pagan god that exists in wood, stone, or our imaginations. He is the only God! And His rule is over all governments whether they believe it or not.

God is over government.

Acts 4:18-19 – “And they called them, and commanded them not to speak at all or teach in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered and said unto them, Whether it be right in the sight of God to hearken unto you more than unto God, judge ye.”

God commands us to speak (preach and sing); man has no authority to say no.

The Constitution says:

Amendment 1: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof;”

California has ordered churches not to sing or chant. This is clearly contrary to the Bible which regards singing as part of worship. I am not surprised that California which is, in my opinion, an anti-Christian government, would attack churches. I don’t identify with all the beliefs of Grace Community Church, but I stand with them in this.

Where do you stand?

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For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle, Editor of TR Writing Services, provides help struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He also authors Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus he is co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Friday News & Commentary 08 07 20

Today’s Issue: Biden & Trump

Welcome to Friday News. On Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays I share tips while on Friday and Monday I report the news.

Biden vs. Trump Polling

We’re approaching the Democratic Convention and, as might be predicted, the media has Biden well ahead of President Trump in the polls. Are they right?

Good question. I’m not a fan of polls, but I do watch them. In my opinion the Rasmussen poll is the most accurate because it is the only poll that is based on Likely registered voters.

In it, Biden leads by single digits with a +/- 5%, essentially a tie. But it is way too early in the campaign. We will have a clearer picture after the conventions.

Why is Biden hiding in his basement?

It’s his strategy. And to some extent it is working at least as far as fundraising is concerned. But there is an old saying that ‘you can’t hide forever’. When the convention takes place, he is going to be saddled with an extreme left agenda which he will have to come out and explain.

He can’t expect his Vice-Presidential candidate to hold the water. He will have to speak up. That is problematic.

Is Trump in Trouble?

The media says yes, but a more realistic answer is probably no. With over 90% approval from Republicans and his poll numbers in other areas surging, he seems to be in a strong position. The worst of the virus and the riots seem to be past. The truth regarding the Trump Administration regarding Covid-19 or anything else lags behind the lies and innuendoes, but it will come out.

My own forthcoming book due out late August or early September details much of his administration’s history regarding Covid-19 and it is different from the news media’s view. I include daily reports, a monthly chart on death rate, and a comparison between the U.S. and World death rates.

Note: Death Rates are generally not reported by the media; they report deaths. But the death rate is the most important data.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle, Editor of TR Writing Services, provides help struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He also authors Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus he is co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Mystery

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays I will share a tip with you. Today I am looking at Mystery.

To clarify I am not talking about the genre mystery.

That is somewhat related, but I am talking about all books need a little mystery. And I am not necessarily talking about who killed who. Rather, I am talking about mystery surrounding a character or place or event.

Could you explain that?

Yes. I believe that authors today tell the readers too much. I’ve mentioned it before, but the reader’s imagination is a tool that we should use more often.

For example, instead of saying, Jim was in love, why not show it? Perhaps he decides to send Alice a bouquet of flowers. The word ‘love’ doesn’t have to appear because the action displays it. The beauty of this approach is that you the writer can convey the fact Jim is in love with Alice by describing how meticulous he is in selecting just the right flowers.

Another example could be instead of saying Tom can’t swim, you write a scene where Tom is in the water desperately trying to stay afloat. He experiences panic, swallows’ water, and is alone in the sea.

The idea is to let the story or character convey the action rather than you the author telling the reader what happens.

Does that mean I don’t describe anything?

No. You want to strike for balance. Sometimes prose is needful, sometimes letting the character experience the action or view is better. You as the author make that choice. Hopefully, your character or the story itself will naturally communicate which is better and when.

Where is the Mystery?

When the character doesn’t know what is going to happen next, your readers shouldn’t know either, in most cases. You don’t need the reader to know the future unless that is important to your story. A little mystery can add to the reader’s expectations.

Tip of the Day: Add mystery by not telling all.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Dictionaries

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays I will share a tip with you. Today I am looking at Dictionaries.

Seems like such a simple subject. You need a dictionary. End of story.

Not so fast.

Dictionaries change. Sometimes they change for the better, but all to often the changes are only reflective of modern opinion.

I use older dictionaries for historical novels.

The society we live in changes the meaning of words because of politics or social change rather than the actual meaning. For example, the word gay used to mean a happy person, but today it is in reference to a lifestyle. If you want the words to reflect historically accurate then you need a historically accurate dictionary.

On the other hand, I want a modern dictionary for my Speculative books. Try finding anything to do with spaceships in an older dictionary.

Why do Dictionaries change?

Because of profits. They compete with one another. Also, new words and terms are always appearing, so they want to be up to date. I believe newer dictionaries are influenced by political correctness. That last item is a good reason to use an older dictionary.

Also, word meanings do naturally change over time. This is important to recognize. Some dictionaries will show the newest meaning and the older or archaic meaning.

What Should an Author do?

I think you need both an older dictionary and a modern dictionary. Wouldn’t it be funny if someone wrote a time-travel novel in which the time-traveler uses words with modern meanings when speaking to someone back in the 19th century or before. That could be hilarious.

Tip of the Day: Get both older and modern dictionaries as resources.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Reviews

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Throughout the week I will share a tip with you. Today I am looking at Reviews.

It is very important to get reviews. Over the years I’ve learned that having a great book cover, a great story, and a website are simply not enough. We live in a competitive world vying with thousands of writers for the readers’ attention.

But knowing it and doing it are quite different.

There are it seems as many methods of gaining reviews as there are authors trying to get them. It’s not quite that bad, but sometimes it feels like it. Have I been able to get reviews? Yes, but not nearly as much as I would like. Some people recommend hundreds of reviews.

Complicating the issue is that Amazon constantly changes their algorithms. So, what worked yesterday may not work today. So, it is necessary to update your information on reviews at least once a year.

Are there any Constants?”

I am happy to say yes. But even they need updated. One constant is Key Words. This is an area that I’ve been delving into more of late. Some key words may not work and need to be replaced. Other key words work but you may need to drill down and look for similar key words.

Categories are very important.

When you first publish your book, you choose the categories you think are best suited for your book. But as time goes on there may be additional categories. Or you may change your mind about the existing ones. Kindlepreneur Blog is a good source of information on categories and keywords.

One on One.

This involves people you know. It is best if they buy your book on Amazon, but you can also give them copies. Amazon purchased books are Amazon Verified and carry more weight.

Tip of the Day: Get Reviewed!

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Covid-19 Death Rate

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Throughout the week I will share a tip with you. Today is Friday News Day and I am looking at Covid-19 Death Rate.

Surging numbers, Record high deaths, Alarming rise in deaths

Do these statements sound familiar to you? They should. You read and hear about them daily in your newspapers and television. It is in essence classic misinformation.

Aren’t the Numbers Accurate?

Yes. But when you state the number 140,000 deaths that sounds like an awful lot. It brings pictures of body bags to mind. But is that a fair and accurate presentation?

The Picture Presented does not Agree with the Facts

The truth is that the death of one person for any reason is a tragedy. But we need more truth in reporting.

During the same time period (over 8 weeks) that deaths have been described as surging the death rate has been plunging. That’s right, plunging!

At the end of May the U.S. death rate stood at 5.8%, its highest point for the year. But as of July 31, the death rate had plunged to a low 3.4%.

But the Death Rate lags the Rise in Cases

That is true. But we are talking over 8 weeks! Originally you heard talk about 2 weeks delay, then 4 weeks, and now even higher. Every day we hear about new highs in deaths and yet a lower death rate. So far, the death rate has not leveled off but is still plunging. There is no evidence that it will go up. Yet the media is in panic mode.

What Does That Mean?

It means that the focus on the number of cases and deaths is misleading. When dealing with large numbers you need to keep things in perspective. Thus, the need to take a serious look at the death rate. We need to mourn the loss of life but operate using common sense.

Tip of the Day: It is time for common sense .

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Politics of Fear

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Throughout the week I will share a tip with you. Today is Friday News Day and I am looking at Politics of Fear.

It is unfortunate but fear is a commodity that has taken over the political landscape. It doesn’t matter if the fear is genuine or manufactured if it helps the person(s) agenda who is pushing it.

When I was a child there was genuine fear of a nuclear war with the Soviet Union. But they are gone now. In previous elections we have seen the Democratic party, perhaps the worst user of political fear, use fear as part of their campaigns. In some instances, Republicans have used fear, usually of the politics of the opponent.

That kind of fear is fine if it is moderate. But these days the Left uses fear to drive demonstrations and riots. Interestingly it creates fear in others who are innocent and watching.

Fear is manipulative. Not too long ago we had protests about the death of George Floyd. Based on the expressed reasons for the protests the fears were genuine. But the protestors fear opened them up to the Black Lives Matter Movement and the rest is history.

These days the Democrats are fearful of becoming irrelevant. Often their statements are out of contact with everyday life. Even the rank and file have become incoherent because of their fear. They don’t mention their fear; instead they use lies, ridicule, and mockery. And they raise new fears to persuade people to vote them into office though it would be a tragedy for America.

The Politics of Fear is the weapon of choice for the Left. It has been effective in the past so why not use it now? The fear of Covid-19, though the death rate has plunged to 3.4%, is a big winner for them. But there are other fears as well.

The Politics of Fear must be resisted.

Tip of the Day: Don’t let fear overwhelm you.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Writing Guides

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Throughout the week I will share a tip with you. Today I am looking at Writing Guides.

We give away a free Writing Guide whenever someone inquires about our services or expresses interest to us in writing. Why?

To encourage people to write

There are a great many people who want to write and only need a little encouragement. Why not give them something that will help them get a jump start on their career. It both encourages them and gives them the tools they need.

To help people learn the basics of writing

Writing isn’t rocket science but if you don’t know the basics it might as well be. Putting a Guide to Writing book in their hands gives them the opportunity to learn the basics and get started. It not only equips them but alleviates fear.

To give people the knowledge they need

Think of knowledge as a key. Knowledge opens up the world of writing to the fledgling writer. Writing guides gives them newfound power. They learn how to craft a scene, express a thought, describe a person, and create an interesting story.

To light a fire

A writing guide inspires the new author to press forward. They are no longer held back by ignorance or the feeling of being ignorant. It lights a fire under them, and they realize, I can do this!

It also shines a light on potential problems and shows how to press onward. Even if you have been writing a long time, a writing guide can illuminate bad habits and help you forget them. In my opinion, a writing guide is a necessary tool that all writers should have access too.

Tip of the Day: Do you have a writing guide?

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Custom Books

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Throughout the week I will share a tip with you. Today I am looking at Custom Books.

Custom Books (a definition): Ranging from Flash fiction to Short Story (or less than 750 words to 7,500 words).

Although TR Writing Services has plans for books of 17,000 words or more, we are especially interested in Custom Books. Our basic plans take care of Novelettes (17,000 to 40,000 words), Novellas or Short Books (30,000 to 60,000), and Novels (40,000 to above 100,000). But what about books that are considerably shorter?

 Our custom plans (Custom 120 and Custom 150) are designed for the author who wants to write, but books of 40,000 words or more seem daunting.

The answer is Custom Books. Our Custom 120 is ideal for the writer who will be writing a book of 120 pages (30,000 words) or less. For example, you may want to write a non-fiction book, say a ‘how to’ book, that only covers 20 pages. The Custom 120 allows you that freedom and provides the professional help you need and want.

The only drawback is finding affordable printers. We provide you information to help you select your own printer in your local community.

Custom 150 is the same as the custom 120 but allows for more pages. Essentially it offers the same services as the 120. The truth is we offer many of the same services as the bigger plans.

Are these plans expensive?

In designing these plans, we have intentionally kept the prices low, less than $100 $86 for Custom 150!

Each writer needs to do their research and find the best plan that fits their needs. We are not afraid of such comparisons because we know what we offer. Whether you choose us or someone else isn’t the most important thing. The most important thing is that you choose to become a writer. Don’t let the unknown stop you!

Tip of the Day: TR Writing Services Custom Plans are designed with you in mind.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.

Ron’s Tip of the Day Want to Write?

Welcome to Ron’s Tip of the Day. Throughout the week I will share a tip with you. Today I am looking at Want to Write?

I Can’t Write

Ever said that? If you did, you probably used one of the following excuses:

I don’t know howI can’t afford to get helpI’m brokeI don’t have time

These are all common excuses. But let’s take a closer look.

I don’t know how

Neither did I when I first picked up a pen to write as a teenager. The simple solution is to learn to write. You can learn a lot about almost anything through books. And there are a lot of books out there that can help you. We at TR Writing Services have produced a Guide to Writing that is not available elsewhere. But you can get it free just by requesting a copy.

I Can’t afford to get help

There was a time when that was true. Back when I was a young man desiring to write, help was hard to come by. But it was available for a low monthly price. I subscribed to one until I couldn’t afford it anymore. And I did learn some basics.

But now there are people on the internet willing to help you. TR Writing Services is one such service. Our service helps people like you, even retirees.

I’m Broke

Can’t help you there if it is true. But if you tighten your budget and go without a pack of cigarettes for a while, or cut back on the drinks, or eat out less often, or a host of other actions you can afford it if you really want it.

I don’t have time

If you want to write you will make time. We humans sometimes just like to dream and don’t really intend to make an effort to achieve. Instead, make time to learn and do.

Tip of the Day: contact TR Writing Services at address below.

Get free Guide to Writing at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com.

For information about us (“we edit, proof, and publish the book within you”)  contact us at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com and get our Free Brochure which tells you about our services.

AUTHOR’S PAGE: amazon.com/author/rfrederickriddle.

ARE YOU A BOOK REVIEWER? Want to review our books? Contact me at marketing@tr-indbkstore.com with the subject line indicating that desire. Such as, ‘Seek to review [book Title].’ Be sure to indicate your email address and your name.

 – – – – – – –

R Frederick Riddle is the Editor of TR Writing Services providing help to struggling and/or new authors to write and publish their books. He is also an author of Historical, Speculative, and Mystery fiction, plus co-founder and Vice President of T&R Independent Books. To reply to any blog you can comment on a blog and/or send an email to marketing@tr-indbkstore.com. His Facebook page is at RFrederickRiddlesWorld.