Michael J. Roueche's Blog, page 10

“The Denver Post” Highlights “Beyond the Wood”

To keep the gratitude going even after the holiday:

I’m thankful this week to the folks at The Denver Post. They gave Beyond the Wood a “shout-out” with a picture of the book cover in their Sunday, November 25th “Hitting the Shelves” feature: “War, romance and mystery collide in this deeply researched Civil War novel by Parker author Roueche.”

Thanks to renowned Denver indie book store The Tattered Cover for highlighting the book in their stores as well.

Finally, we continue to be thankful to Vesta House Publishing for doing a great job on the book and to Nick Zelinger at NZ Graphics for a wonderful cover design.

“Civil War News” Announces “Beyond the Wood” as Cooke Fiction Award Winner

The printed version of the November 2012 issue of Civil War News carried an article on Beyond the Wood receiving the John Esten Cooke Fiction Award. The magazine doesn’t post all content on the web, so a copy of the article follows:

“Poor People” and Black Friday

Gearing up for the big Black Friday hunt for things?

Last week I heard a fascinating BBC report on the president of Uruguay’s lifestyle choice, and that lifestyle doesn’t include Black Friday. Reportedly, Jose Mujica, dubbed “the world’s ‘poorest’ president” makes $12,000 a month and has access to a presidential palace, but chooses to live on his wife’s rustic rural farm and donates 90 percent of his salary to charity. My favorite quote from the report:

“I’m called ‘the poorest president’, but I don’t feel poor. Poor people are those who only work to try to keep an expensive lifestyle, and always want more and more,” he says.

“This is a matter of freedom. If you don’t have many possessions then you don’t need to work all your life like a slave to sustain them, and therefore you have more time for yourself,” he says.

“I may appear to be an eccentric old man… But this is a free choice.”

You may not like his politics (more than half of Uruguayans polled no longer do), we probably won’t choose his lifestyle, and we may even be offended by his take on the modern world, but his perspective is worth a little thought at Thanksgiving.

Spam on the Thanksgiving Table

Happy Thanksgiving.

What am I thankful for this year? Spam?

I get loads of spam on this website, and I’ll still dumbfounded that they bother, as no one could ever believe these messages real. Generally I don’t read them, but I did read one earlier this week, and it reminded me how entertaining spam can be.

Entertaining because it almost makes sense, it’s almost English (automatic translation–no couldn’t be!), it’s almost even elegant; and it has–like all spam–nothing to do with what it’s really peddling: boots in this case (or malware). Also like all spam, it has nothing to do with the post it responds to–in this case my blog about Civil War News reviewing Beyond the Wood. In fairness, some spam always applies because it’s purposefully so general (e.g.,  ”My cousin and I love your post.”)

For all you boot and malware lovers, here’s the spam message:

I intended to compose you this tiny remark to be able to thank you so much yet again about the unique secrets you’ve shown on this site. It was simply strangely generous with you in giving easily exactly what a lot of folks would’ve distributed for an e book to earn some bucks for their own end, chiefly given that you could have done it if you desired. The tips in addition acted to become easy way to comprehend the rest have similar eagerness really like mine to figure out good deal more in regard to this issue. Certainly there are lots of more fun moments in the future for folks who go through your site.

I just love being “strangely generous,” but I can’t stop to think about that: I’m too busy deleting spam already sent in anticipation of this post.

Looking forward to all those “lots of more fun moments in the future.”

Actually, I am looking forward to reviewing and giving gratitude for the things for which I am truly grateful.

Have a great Thanksgiving.

“All’s Well that Ends Well”: Keep telling yourself that When Things Look Hopeless.

I just finished All’s Well that Ends Well, and if I remember accurately, this play wins the prize so far for the most mentions of the title in the actual play with Heroine Helena repeating it several times—I suppose to keep her spirits up when things weren’t working out well.

This was my 11th comedy, with three more to go. I’m wearing out on comedies, and look anxiously forward to tragedy–first time I’ve ever said that. (If I had to do it over again, I would rotate through the three types of plays–comedy, tragedy, history–but I’ve only got three more comedies, so I’ll stick with the plan.)

Themes and words that came to mind as I read it were agency and choice (We like it best when we can do our own choosing.); coercion creates an equal resistance (direct or indirect); thwarted evil intent—so it can be a comedy; a virtuous, capable woman using her cunning and wisdom can get what is “rightfully” hers; and most importantly, I was reminded that we don’t really control the ends, so the means are the only part we can choose—so chose well; then if it ends poorly, at least you have your self-respect.

What I liked best about this play was I found a quote that I will probably use at the end of the sequel to Beyond the Wood. At this point, I think the quote’s perfect. Since Beyond the Wood ends with a Shakespeare quote, I thought it’s sequel should as well.

All’s Well that Ends Well earns a middling three Bards:

 

 

 

Quotes that appealed to me for various reasons:

Lafeu: Moderate lamentation is the right of the dead; excessive grief the enemy to the living.

Countess of Rousillon: Love all, trust few, do wrong to none: be able for thine enemy rather in power than use; and keep they friend under thy own life’s key: be check’d for silence, but never tax’d for speech.

Helena: He that of greatest works is finisher oft does them by the weakest minister.

Helena: …It is presumption in us when the help of heaven we count the act of men.

King of France: …Honours thrive, when rather from our acts we them derive….

Lafeu: The soul of this man is his clothes; trust him not in matter of heavy consequence….

Mariana: The honour of a maid is her name; and no legacy is so rich as honesty.

Diana: I would he lov’d his wife: if he were honester he were much goodlier…. (great reminder for all husbands as we continue to hear of news of marriage infidelity at high levels of the military.)

Diana: ‘Tis not the many oaths that make the truth, but the plain single vow that is vow’d true.

1 Lord: …What things are we! 2 Lord: Merely our own traitors. And as in the common course of all treasons, we still see them reveal themselves, till they attain to their abhorred ends; so he that in this action contrives against his own nobility, in his proper stream o’erflows himself.

Parolles: Who knows himself a braggart, let him fear this; for it will come to pass that every braggart shall be found an ass.

Helena: O strange men! That can such sweet use make of what they hate, when saucy trusting of the cozen’d thoughts defiles the pitchy night! So lust doth play with what it loathes.

King of France: Our rash faults make trivial price of serious things we have, not knowing them until we know their grave….

Lafeu: Mine eyes smell onions; I shall weep anon…

Next Up (if you’re reading along): The Taming of the Shrew

Civil War News Magazine Reviews “Beyond the Wood”

Over the weekend, I was grateful to see the November issue of Civil War News–monthly newspaper covering “current news and happenings in the Civil War preservation and reenacting communities”–review Beyond the Wood.

After a partial plot summary, the review concludes,

Although events involving the 19th Indiana Infantry as a regiment appear historically accurate, some of the plot points involve dramatic license by the author. …Beyond the Wood is an interesting and different Civil War novel.

I like “interesting and different.” It reminds me of an earlier review from Midwest Book Review which called it “a unique brand of romance,” and feedback received from readers/reviewers who begin by saying they didn’t know what to expect when they picked up a copy of Beyond the Wood. I hope readers do find it unusual and unexpected and that it delivers romance and adventure against an accurate Civil War historical context.

Thanks, Civil War News, a premier reviewer of Civil books–fiction and nonfiction. Thanks also to the reviewer Joseph A. Derie. Mr. Derie is “a VMI graduate and a long time Civil War buff and military book reviewer. A retired Coast Guard officer and licensed officer of the Merchant Marine, he is a Certified Marine Investigator and marine surveyor.”

Applying the Lesson May be Harder than Winning the Tour de France

I saw a blog this afternoon that was entertaining, and disgusting. Titled Despite a troubling end, Lance Armstrong’s PR Offers Lessons, it was written by a guy in Denver who specializes in crisis communications.

He made the claim, “Without taking sides, those of us in the crisis communications field can learn from Armstrong’s Public Relations campaign tactics, fully acknowledging that he crossed the line from offering balance to powering up a turbo-charged spin machine.” Balance?–Maybe my understanding of the word is a bit different than that espoused in the article.

The article identified five principles learned:

Less is more
Taking responses to the masses
Coordination and consistency
Staying on point
The big picture

I’m not going to take the time to outline what each means, because they all miss the point by such a wide margin that they might as well have been arrows shot in exactly the wrong direction. I’m left wondering how anyone can look at the allegations against Armstrong and not learn two more fundamental lessons.

First, don’t cheat, and don’t force and bully others into cheating for you. Whatever you think is so important isn’t.
Second, if you do make a mistake and choose to cheat, admit it; take the consequences and try to undo the harm you’ve done to yourself (in terms of character damage) and to others.

It doesn’t even matter if the allegations against Armstrong are correct or not, these lessons are still far more fundamental and important than anything presented in the article.

Being good at PR is probably a good talent or skill to have, but far more important is having a character of integrity and a desire to do real good to fellow humans (and animals). History is littered with flawed men and women who thought their public image and success–power, money, fame, etc–was more important than the costs borne by the innocent people whom they cheated, coerced, assaulted or persecuted.

Anyone who ignores this point is essentially supporting the next I’m-more-important-than-everyone-else-and-thus-the-means-justify-the-end scandal. Haven’t we had enough of those.

Of course, the real challenge is not finding the lessons, it’s applying them; and that’s harder than winning the Tour de France.

As You Like it: But I Didn’t . . . not much.

I finished As you Like It over the weekend in my effort to read all of Shakespeare by his 450th birthday, and while it started out being interesting–I thought it was going to be a favorite–it fizzled. It began with lots of good stuff: wrestling action between brothers, then with a “professional”—unlike our professional wrestling matches, this pro wrestler was out to kill and maim. Then there was the fabulously evil uncle; and cousins knit to one another in love. But the play faded into the woods, as fast and as much as the evil uncle.

I usually write words that capture themes I find interesting in the plays, but I got to the end of this one without a single word. I didn’t even find many quotes I liked—although there are some good and famous quotes in the play. Not all was loss, however, as I enjoyed throughout As You Like It the relationship between fair (and tall) Rosalind and her more diminutive and compulsively loyal cousin Celia. The only words, after thinking about the play for a while, that come to mind are Conflict Between Brothers.

Unfortunately, As You Like It earns one lowly Bard, because it was surprisingly disappointing:

 

 

 

Quotes that appealed to me for various reasons:

Celia: “…Those that she [Fortune] makes fair she scarce makes honest.”

Duke: “Sweet are the uses of adversity.”

Orlando: “Thou art not for the fashion of these times, where none will sweat but for promotion.”

Duke: “Thou seest we are not all alone unhappy; this wide and universal theatre present more woeful pageants than the scene wherein we play in.” Jaques: “All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players; they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts.”

Corvin: “…A great cause of the night is lack of the sun.”

Corvin: “I am a true labourer: I earn that I eat, get that I wear; owe no man hate, envy no man’s happiness; glad of other men’s good, content with my harm; and the greatest of my pride is, to see my ewes graze and my lambs such.”

Rosalind: “Time travels in divers paces with divers persons.”

Celia: “Was is not is…”

Celia: “O, that’s a brave man! He writes brave verses, speaks brave words, swears brave oaths and breaks them bravely.”

Touchstone: “’The fool doth think he is wise, but the wise man knows himself to be a fool.’”

Orlando: “But O, how bitter a thing it is to look into happiness through another man’s eyes!”

Next Up: All’s Well that Ends Well (four more comedies to go, before we take on Shakespeare’s history plays)

Exclusive Non-Biased Presidential Poll

With all the biased polling going on related to the current presidential campaign, we wanted to add a neutral voice to the research. We’re pleased to announce our inaugural “The Sign Survey.” (We have trademarked it, so if you’re even going to mention its name or make any reference to it, please send money to us first and quickly. We’ve contacted the Romney campaign for instructions on how to set up an-offshore bank account and hope to have it set up soon so you can wire the money directly.)

Methodology

Our neighborhood is built around a circular road that is 1.1 miles long. We have carefully counted and double counted the number of signs for each candidate along the road and meticulously analyzed the results, sure that it’s an accurate indication of current sentiment.

To make it more meaningful for any national pollsters or media who might want to pick up the findings, we took the survey before the vice presidential debate and afterwards, hoping to capture any change caused by that debacle debate. (Just thinking about it makes me want to smile irrationally.)

In the coming days, we’ll be re-surveying the sample to capture any shift in sentiment that may follow tomorrow’s presidential debate.

Results:

Before Vice Presidential Debate:

4 yard signs for Governor Romney
2 yard signs for President Obama

After Vice Presidential Debate:

4 yard signs for Governor Romney
2 yard signs for President Obama

 Analysis:

If the election were held today, our research shows that there would be only six people in the entire country who would not be completely worn out by the election and would still have the strength to actually vote. Four of them would vote for Romney; two for Obama. We’re not sure how this works with the Electoral College (EC) or if Obama could still win with the EC even while losing the popular vote.

The important question that comes out of this research is who are the two extra voters. We assume that following four years in the White house that President and Michelle Obama will be two of the Romney votes, and we assume that after years of campaigning the Governor and Ann Romney have learned their lesson and will be the two Obama votes, but who are the other two Romney votes?

There is no sign that the VP debate affected anything, except perhaps the Vice President’s self-esteem.

Disclaimer: This is not a prediction of the outcome of the election, merely an indication of exactly how it would turn out if the election were held today.

Diluting our Most Basic (Censored)

I read a disturbing column by George Washington University Professor Jonathan Turley in the Washington Post last week that described how western nations are slowly curbing free speech, what he calls “the very right that laid the foundation for Western civilization.” The disturbing aspect of his allegations is that proof of each is obvious, and we’re silently acquiescing to it.

The impulse to limit what others can say about us or about something we feel strongly is, I would suspect, a deeply seeded instinct—embedded in our animal nature. But my trying to control the speech of others results, eventually, in someone being able to control mine. But we’re not talking here about my trying to control speech of others, we’re talking about governments, with all their coercive and punitive powers. One of  the most difficult responsibilities in all democracies is to defend freedom for others even when it’s extremely distasteful. It reminds me of John Adams’ court-room defense of the soldiers who killed colonists during the Boston Massacre. Already deeply and publicly opposed to their cause, Adams defended them at personal and career risk primarily because he felt they had the right to counsel. Although the trial was not about freedom of speech, Adams’ courage in defense of the rights of others, is a challenge to all of us as the West attempts to move further on the road to restricting speech.

Turley described several areas where governments in the West are apparently responding to our natural instinct to control others. But it’s gift wrapped in a way that it’s hard, even impolite, to reject: It’s all about protecting the feelings of others. But regardless of the packaging and the good will of those who seek these limitations and the sensitive natures of those who would be protected, such limits erode freedom for all of us.

Turley identified four areas:

1) ”Speech is blasphemous”

He argues that, “This is the oldest threat to free speech, but it has experienced something of a comeback in the 21st century.”

2) “Speech is hateful”

“In the United States, hate speech is presumably protected under the First Amendment. However, hate-crime laws often redefine hateful expression as a criminal act.”

3) “Speech is discriminatory”

“Perhaps the most rapidly expanding limitation on speech is found in anti-discrimination laws. Many Western countries have extended such laws to public statements deemed insulting or derogatory to any group, race or gender.”

4) “Speech is deceitful”

“While we have always prosecuted people who lie to achieve financial or other benefits, some argue that the government can outlaw any lie, regardless of whether the liar secured any economic gain.” (I am particularly frightened by this one as I worry that if this were ever enacted in the US, we would have no politicians “free” to serve in the government.)

Turley again, “Whether speech is deemed imflammatory (sic) or hateful or discriminatory or simply false, society is denying speech rights in the name of tolerance, enforcing mutual respect through categorical censorship.”

While it is wonderful to think about a world where there is no blasphemous, hateful, discriminatory or deceitful speech, the only legitimate way to get there is to change the hearts of men and women so they don’t want to use such speech. Any rules that we create to control speech, threaten all of our freedoms.

Something to talk about, while (and if) we still can.