Clancy Tucker's Blog, page 97
December 9, 2019
10 December 2019 - A COLLECTION OF INSPIRING QUOTES
A COLLECTION OF INSPIRING QUOTES
G'day folks,
We all need to be inspired. Let's hope some of these do just that.
Clancy's comment: Pass them on. There must be someone you know who needs these.
I'm ...
December 8, 2019
9 December 2019 - DAVID ARDUSER - GUEST AUTHOR & PUBLISHER
DAVID ARDUSER - GUEST AUTHOR & PUBLISHER -
G'day folks,
Today, I interview an interesting multi-genre author and publisher.
Welcome, David ...
1. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT YOURSELF AND YOUR WRITING JOURNEY.
I began writing my first novel when I was fourteen. When most kids were outside playing, I was writing on my novel. I've finally published this novel (which is my third publish, called SilverForged: Crucible), though it has one through several rewrites since then. I wrote through high school, and stopped through college. A few years ago, I took up writing again, and after dozens and dozens of rejections from querying agents, I decided to self-publish.
2. WHEN AND HOW DID YOU BECOME A WRITER?
As stated above, I started writing when I was fourteen. I just had a story I had to tell, and knew what I wanted to write about.
3. WHAT TYPE OF PREPARATION DO YOU DO FOR A MANUSCRIPT? DO YOU PLAN EVERYTHING FIRST OR JUST SHOOT FROM THE HIP?
I definitely shoot from the hip. I have an idea of what I want to write about, and just start doing it.
4. WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
The creation of a story. I love fleshing out characters and details and exploring the worlds I create. My next favorite part of being a writer is discussing my book with a reader.
5. WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT BEING A WRITER?
For me, it's waiting for someone to want to discuss the book. I love to know what they think, and what parts they liked or didn't like. I put in a lot of metaphors, polarities, nods, 'Easter eggs', etc. And I love when people discover them. Waiting for those people is definitely the hardest part.
6. WHAT WERE YOU IN A PAST LIFE, BEFORE YOU BECAME A WRITER?
To this day, I am a painter at a John Deere factory that makes hay and forage equipment (think balers). It is my hope to some day become successful enough as a writer, that I can leave the factory and pursue a full-time career as an author.
7. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST WRITING ACHIEVEMENT?
The greatest achievement as a writer has to be the fact that I have 3 published books in my name.
As far as achievements with my novels themself; my best-selling novel is my first published novel, Broadcasting From Heaven. My personal favorite book, however, is my second novel, A.Solution.
8. WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON AT THE MOMENT?
A sequel to my first published book, Broadcasting From Heaven. I have several other books queued up to be written, however. I just need more time!
9. WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
From within. I'm not really sure, otherwise. An idea comes to me, and I feel compelled to write it out.
10. WHAT GENRE DO YOU WRITE?
I have written Inspirational, Thriller, and Fantasy. I don't plan to ever stick to one specific genre.
11. DO YOU HAVE ANY TIPS FOR NEW WRITERS?
Persistence is key! Don't give up! Don't make excuses!
12. DO YOU SUFFER FROM WRITER’S BLOCK?
Absolutely not. I have tons of ideas. Time is what I need!
13. DO YOU HAVE A PREFERRED WRITING SCHEDULE?
No. I just write when I have time. I can write on the fly.
14. DO YOU HAVE A FAVOURITE WRITING PLACE?
Somewhere dark and secluded. A little white noise is perfect. (Sounds like a good way to fall asleep...)
15. WHAT IS YOUR GREATEST JOY IN WRITING?
Probably completing my story and hitting that 'publish' button—or holding the book in my hand. After that, it would be putting in the little, specific details (like little secret gems) in the story that I hope someone else appreciates.
16. WHO IS YOUR FAVOURITE AUTHOR AND WHY?
I don't have a specific favorite, but I enjoy Richard Elliot, Paul Thigpen, Larry Burkett, Steven King, Dan Brown, and several others.
17. WHAT’S THE GREATEST COMPLIMENT YOU EVER RECEIVED FROM A READER?
When a woman said, "What you've written; people are looking for that...", speaking of my book, Broadcasting From Heaven, and the message of hope it has within, and the answers to questions people are asking.
18. WHAT WAS THE WORST COMMENT FROM A READER?
I don't think I've sold enough books, yet, to have gotten a bad compliment. That, or people are being too nice.
19. WRITERS ARE SOMETIMES INFLUENCED BY THINGS THAT HAPPEN IN THEIR OWN LIVES. ARE YOU?
Absolutely. The basis for my first novel was inspired by real life events. Though my life, far from tragic, has had some grueling times, it's easily the most fun to fit the experiences into the stories in small amounts.
20. OTHER THAN WRITING, WHAT ELSE DO YOU LOVE?
Jesus, my Savior, and my wife and kids.
I love collecting coins, reading, and researching.
21. DID YOU HAVE YOUR BOOK / BOOKS PROFESSIONALLY EDITED BEFORE PUBLICATION?
No. I did all my own editing.
22. DESCRIBE YOUR PERFECT DAY.
A well-balanced day with activities, relaxation, and recreation, maybe a little work, and definitely some reading and writing.
23. IF YOU WERE STUCK ON A DESERT ISLAND WITH ONE PERSON, WHO WOULD IT BE? WHY?
Jesus Christ. He would be a wealth of knowledge and love.
24. WHAT WOULD YOU SAY IF YOU HAD THE CHANCE TO SPEAK TO WORLD LEADERS?
Jesus is the only way to Heaven.
25. WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR THE FUTURE?
Continue writing and hope to someday become successful enough to leave the factory life.
26. WHAT ARE YOUR VIEWS ON BOOK TRAILERS? DO THEY SELL BOOKS?
I think it's certainly a perfectly acceptable marketing vehicle to use to sell books. Diverse marketing is the best strategy in my opinion.
27. DO YOU SEE YOURSELF IN ANY OF YOUR CHARACTERS?
I manifest myself in almost every character I write about. I would say the character who is most like me in my books is Aric in A.Solution.
28. DOES THE PUBLISHING INDUSTRY FRUSTRATE YOU?
The publishing industry does not. The literary agents, aka, 'The Gate Keepers' don't either, but what they're looking for is an emerging niche that's hard to compete with in this day and age.
29. DID YOU EVER THINK OF QUITTING?
Absolutely not. Though I have taken a few hiatuses.
30. WHAT WAS YOUR FAVOURITE MANUSCRIPT TO WRITE? WHY?
Without question, A.Solution. The idea is so original. I identity with the main character. The plot is intriguing, and has a great twist in the middle. I've packed hidden gems or Easter eggs inside (there are a ton just in the Table of Contents alone!) I just can't say enough about this book. I'm very, very pleased with the way it turned out.
31. HOW WOULD YOU DEFINE ‘SUCCESS’ AS A WRITER?
Success comes in many forms. Publishing that first (and subsequent) novels is a success of its own, but really, success to me would be selling enough books to be able to support my family and write full time.
32. WHAT SHOULD READERS WALK AWAY FROM YOUR BOOKS KNOWING? HOW SHOULD THEY FEEL?
Each one has a message. My first book, they should feel inspired and rejuvenated and hopeful.
In the second book, they should remember not to forget the past. To honor it, but look forward.
The third book, the read is an escape to a different world. It's about personal growth and overcoming the odds (as cliché as that sounds)
33. WOULD YOU LIKE TO HAVE YOUR BOOKS MADE INTO MOVIES? EVER WRITTEN A SCREENPLAY?
Yes! All three, I would love to see as movies! In my third book, I always imagined the main character as Liam Neeson.
34. HOW MUCH THOUGHT GOES INTO DESIGNING A BOOK COVER?
It varies. My second book took the most thought. It's symbolic of the story.
35. WHAT’S YOUR ULTIMATE DREAM?
Again, where I sell enough books to be ale to leave my factory job.
36. WRITING IS ONE THING. WHAT ABOUT MARKETING YOU, YOUR BOOKS AND YOUR BRAND? ANY THOUGHTS?
Marketing is a challenge. I enjoy the idea, but I'm not having much luck! I've sold most of my books by one on one conversations. My books are not exactly flying of the digital shelves of Amazon.
37. ARE YOUR BOOKS SELF-PUBLISHED?
Yes! Through Amazon. My publishing company, a subsidiary of SilverForged Enterprises is called SilverForged Publishing.
38. DESCRIBE YOURSELF IN FIVE WORDS.
Detail-oriented. Introvert. Christian. Polymath.
39. WHAT PISSES YOU OFF MOST?
Hitting my head on something. Pure, unbridled rage.
40. WHAT IS THE TITLE OF THE LAST BOOK YOU READ? GOOD ONE?
My Whorizontal Life by Sephe Haven. Good book!
41. WHAT WOULD BE THE VERY LAST SENTENCE YOU’D WRITE?
Ever? I don't know...that's a tough one. Pass?
42. WHAT WOULD MAKE YOU HAPPIER THAN YOU ARE NOW? CARE TO SHARE?
Got a few more minutes?
43. ANYTHING YOU’D LIKE TO ADD?
Thank you for reading this far! And thank you for your time!
AMAZON
Clancy's comment: Thank you, David. Keep going. Best wishes.
I'm ...
December 7, 2019
8 December 2019 - VISIT GORGEOUS ITALY
VISIT GORGEOUS ITALY
G'day folks,
Yes, Italy is one of my all time favourites, but like all major cities in the world, you only find the real people and traditional lifestyle when you get out into the smaller towns and villages. For many years I've packed my cameras, hopped on a motorbike and taken off. The results were always sensational.
Get out of the traditional tourist hot spots and step into some of Italy's most spectacular villages. These small towns may not have the grandeur that well-known cities have, but they do make up for it with their stunning views and picture-perfect medieval fortresses. Here are some examples of small towns in Italy.
Clancy's comment: Absolutely enchanting. The people are awesome and the food is magnificent.I'm ...
December 6, 2019
7 December 2019 - PERSONAL INSIGHTS INTO WAR
PERSONAL INSIGHTS INTO WAR
G'day folks,
I'm not a person who speaks about wars, other than the futility of them. However, here are some personal insights into war, and life on the battlefields.
Clancy's comment: We can only imagine ...
I'm ...
December 5, 2019
6 December 2019 - EL JEM AMPHITHEATRE IN TUNISIA
EL JEM AMPHITHEATRE IN TUNISIA
G'day folks,
Today, massive sports stadiums are known all over the world, especially here in Australia. However, check out this extraordinary amphitheatre, supposedly built in the year 238. It's the largest and best-preserved Roman amphitheater in Africa and was designed to seat 35,000 people.
The Amphitheatre of El Jem is one of the largest Roman amphitheaters ever built. Indeed (depending on how you measure it) El Jem may be considered to be the third-largest ever, after the Colosseum in Rome and the destroyed amphitheater in Capua. Designed to seat a whopping crowd of 35,000 people, today El Jem is both the largest and the best-preserved Roman amphitheater in Africa.
Located in the city of El Jem (or El Djem), which was known back in Roman times as Thysdrus, El Jem Amphitheatre was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage in 1979. Hence, if you make it to the town of El Jem, you’re probably not going to miss this dramatic attraction. Although far from secret, the backstory of the construction, and the modern-day misconceptions of El Jem Ampitheatre, are little known.
The precise construction date is debated, but most historians believe the building of El Jem Ampitheatre began in the year 238. Not exactly an auspicious year for the Roman Empire, 238 came to be known historically as the “Year of the Six Emperors.” In just one year, six different people were proclaimed Emperors of Rome.
Locally, the year 238 was particularly tumultuous, as it included a revolt by the population of Thysdrus (El Jem), who opposed the enormous taxation amounts being levied by the Emperor Maximinius’s local procurator. As with all good taxation revolts, riots ensued, and the procurator was assassinated. However, even the assassination wasn’t enough to satisfy the locals, and they pleaded for a new ruler of the Roman Empire.
Soon after the North African uprising, Goridan the First was appointed Emperor, along with Goridan the Second, his son, to co-serve as Roman leaders. Although their rule was brief—they only ruled for about 20 days—it was long enough to start the construction of the imposing amphitheater in El Jem.
In more contemporary times, perhaps it’s the enormous size and uniqueness of the El Jem Amiptheatre that leads to many misattributions (on behalf of both movie fans and local guides). Some people say the Oscar-winning movie Gladiator was filmed here (it wasn’t, a fake “Colosseum” was built on the relatively nearby island nation of Malta). There are also many attributions to the Monty Python film Life of Brian being filmed at this location. But though Monty Python did film in Tunisia, they used the Roman theater in Carthage near the capital city of Tunis.
Clancy's comment: Some of these ancient constructions leave me gob smacked. How smart were they?I'm ...
December 4, 2019
5 December 2019 - THE BEAUTIFUL DOORS OF LONDON
THE BEAUTIFUL DOORS OF LONDON
G'day folks,
Bella Foxwell is a photographer who has been capturing the beauty of London's doors, which most people would rarely ever take any notice of.
However, if you had to take a look at her Instagram page, appropriately titled, The Doors of London, you will see a rainbow of quirky facades. She started this account about two-and-a-half years ago as a challenge. Doors have long held a fascination for Bella for a couple of reasons.
She says, "It's partly that I admire people who put so much pride into their front door, particularly those that are very daring, with a strong shade of paint or extravagant door knocker, and it's partly that doors are very symbolic. Whether it's because they represent new opportunities, or because they remind us of home. There's something special about them." Through practice, she has come to learn what engages people and what doesn't. Unsurprisingly, the brighter, more colorful doors framed by foliage tend to get more engagement. So, from the streets of Notting Hill to the lively district of Brixton, take a look at Foxwell's stunning collection of doors:
Clancy's comment: Amazing, eh? Absolutely charming.
I'm ...
December 3, 2019
4 December 2019 - PARIS APARTMENT DISCOVERED AFTER MANY DECADES
PARIS APARTMENT DISCOVERED AFTER MANY DECADES
G'day folks,
Imagine stepping into a place that's been locked up for decades and finding it adorned with period furniture and artifacts - all completely untouched. This is precisely what happened recently in Paris when an auctioneer walked into an apartment that had been abandoned for an unbelievable 70+ years. What he found was a treasure from the past, complete with well-preserved paintings and precious ornaments that tell a long, curious story of history and romance.
The sumptuous apartment belonged to a certain Madame Marthe de Florian, a French socialite, and actress who was born in 1864. She passed away in this very apartment in 1939. Her daughter, Solange Beaugiron (1919-2010), inherited the property but fled to the south of France in fear of Nazi persecution when World War II broke out, never to return. She left this gem behind, and it remained undiscovered until her death just a few years ago.
The untouched objects found in the apartment are all highly representative of early 20th Century Parisian life, making this time capsule all the more special to walk into. They include paintings by the 19th-Century Italian painter Giovanni Boldini, as well as period-correct furniture. Everything was found exactly as it had been left by the apartment's last inhabitant.
Marthe de Florian is known to have had several lovers, who were quite famous, during her lifetime. These include Paul Deschanel, who was the 11th President of France, Pierre Waldeck-Rousseau, who was the 68th Prime Minister of France, as well as the aforementioned artist, Giovanni Boldini.
It was discovered that Solange Beaugiron, Marthe de Florian's daughter, and the home's last known owner, was an aspiring playwright when she was a teenager. At age 17, she wrote her first manuscript, entitled Miss Mary. There are also individuals who believe that this woman could have been the writer Solange Bellegarde. However, this hasn't yet been proven to be true.
Clancy's comment: Wow. Unbelievable find, eh? The auctioneer would have been gob smacked when he walked into this apartment.I'm ...
December 2, 2019
3 December 2019 - A HEAP OF PICTURES THAT MOVE
A HEAP OF PICTURES THAT MOVE
G'day folks,
Welcome to some of those pictures that rock and roll.
Clancy's comment: Love the cat and the piglet. So cute.
I'm ...
December 1, 2019
2 December 2019 - A BUNCH OF LOST WORDS
A BUNCH OF LOST WORDS
G'day folks,
Welcome to a bunch of words that seem to have fallen by the wayside.
assectation n 1656 -1656 act of following after something else She stood in the on-deck circle, her assectation virtually guaranteed.
austerulous adj 1731 -1731 somewhat or slightly harsh The austerulous monks were rarely lenient with their pupils.
autexousious adj 1678 -1678 exercising or possessing free will If we are truly autexousious, then why do we so often feel powerless?
auturgy n 1651 -1656 self-action; independent activity The film director's legendary auturgy frustrated editors and producers alike.
avunculize v 1662 -1662 to act as an uncle; to behave like an uncle I often avunculize to my younger friends, which no doubt annoys them.
bajulate v 1613 -1662 to bear a heavy burden Their Sherpa aides were vexed by the demand that they bajulate as well as guide.
bimarian adj 1731 -1731 pertaining to two seas Some think that America needs to improve its bimarian naval defenses.
binoternary adj 1817 -1817 combining binary and trinary aspects The dots on the '6' face of a die are arranged in a binoternary fashion.
blateration n 1656 -1864 chatter; babbling I've had just about enough of your garrulous blateration, you clod!
bonifate adj 1656 -1656 lucky; fortunate The gambler was too bonifate, and attracted the casino manager's attention.
boreism n 1833 -1839 behaviour of a boring person The professor, while brilliant, was afflicted by boreism when lecturing.
boscaresque adj 1734 -1734 picturesque; scenically wooded Despite northern England's industrial pollution, parts of it remain boscaresque.
brabeum n 1675 -1675 reward or prize Without some brabeum, the students will have no incentive to work harder.
brephophagist n 1731 -1875 one who eats babies The character Fat Bastard is a disgustingly obese Scottish brephophagist.
brochity n 1623 -1678 projecting or crooked quality of teeth His parents later regretted that they did not correct his brochity in his youth.
bromography n 1860 -1860 a treatise on food It's not enough to write a bromography - today's celebrity chefs need to be on TV!
Clancy's comment: Man, who invented these damn words?
I'm ...
November 30, 2019
1 December 2019 - National Geographic Photography Winners
National Geographic Photography WinnersG'day folks,National Geographic has escorted me all my life. It has, for over a century, been responsible for spreading the most wonderful photos of our planet and its nature, vistas, animals and human civilizations. Every time I see their photos I think nothing can surprise me, and every time I am taken by surprise with these incredible photos coming to life. Indeed, their photographers are top notch, and bring something sublime right to our monitors. Enjoy these contest winners and runner ups of the NG's Traveling Photography Competition.
Clancy's comment: Mm ... Pretty damn good, eh?I'm ...
