Eddie Whitlock's Blog: Reader and Writer, page 4
June 16, 2012
Fathers
Well.
The Old Man died a little over seven years ago. It's cliche to say that it doesn't seem so long ago, but it doesn't.
I miss him still in odd ways that I didn't expect. I miss all that he knew that I will never know. I read an alleged African proverb that said "When an old man dies, a library is lost." Ain't it the truth.
When I wrote my book, I gave some of my father's attributes to the father in the story. Certainly, he is more brutal than father ever was or every could have been.
But we are all products of our times. My father was born to sharecroppers during the Depression. He ran moonshine and worked in the mills.
He evolved, which we all do. He made sure that my sister and I were better off than he was. He was adamant about having good credit. He was my guide on so many things, leading me to be the person I became.
He was not always pleased with me. I was sometimes if not often ashamed of him. And I regret that more than anything.
The last few years of his life we had lunch together every Thursday. It was not always perfect, but we learned what not to talk about and which jokes would still make us both laugh.
I don't believe in an afterlife anymore. I think my father is just gone and that is a sad thought.
Someday I will be gone, too. I guess I wish the Old Man could help me along that path, too.
The Old Man died a little over seven years ago. It's cliche to say that it doesn't seem so long ago, but it doesn't.
I miss him still in odd ways that I didn't expect. I miss all that he knew that I will never know. I read an alleged African proverb that said "When an old man dies, a library is lost." Ain't it the truth.
When I wrote my book, I gave some of my father's attributes to the father in the story. Certainly, he is more brutal than father ever was or every could have been.
But we are all products of our times. My father was born to sharecroppers during the Depression. He ran moonshine and worked in the mills.
He evolved, which we all do. He made sure that my sister and I were better off than he was. He was adamant about having good credit. He was my guide on so many things, leading me to be the person I became.
He was not always pleased with me. I was sometimes if not often ashamed of him. And I regret that more than anything.
The last few years of his life we had lunch together every Thursday. It was not always perfect, but we learned what not to talk about and which jokes would still make us both laugh.
I don't believe in an afterlife anymore. I think my father is just gone and that is a sad thought.
Someday I will be gone, too. I guess I wish the Old Man could help me along that path, too.
June 13, 2012
Some Literary Trivia for You
This week I was honored to be the host of "Between the Covers" Book Trivia at the Athens-Clarke County Library. Below are the questions used in the event.
See how you do!
AUTHORS
1. Time magazine listed this author as one of the 100 most influential people in the world last year. His book series A Song of Fire and Ice began in 1996 with the book A Game of Thrones. Who is this New Jersey-born author?
A. George R. R. Martin
B. Clive Barker
C. Harry Turtledove
D. John Sandford
2. She is a Pulitzer-prize winning author and biographer as well as being an often-seen political commentator. Her works have included Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream; The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga; No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt (which won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1995); and her most recent book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Who is this American writer?
A. Joyce Carol Oates
B. Doris Kearns Goodwin
C. J. K. Rowling
D. Eleanor Clift
3. Her novels often center on mother-daughter relationships. The Joy Luck Club is her best-known work, having been made into a very successful film. Her other works include The Kitchen God’s Wife and The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Who is this California-born author?
A. Jade Snow Wong
B. Virginia Lee
C. Amy Tan
D. Kathy Reichs
4. This 80-year-old author has written or co-authored more than 50 books, many of which have made the best-seller list. His works include Raise the Titanic, Cyclops and Crescent Dawn. In addition to being an author, he is the founder the National Underwater and Marine Agency, which has located more than 60 shipwreck sites. Who is this well-known author?
A. Michael Crichton
B. Timothy LaHay
C. Vin Packer
D. Clive Cussler
5. Using strong female protagonists, this author came to national attention with her third novel Waiting to Exhale in 1992. She has become a regular on the best-seller list with How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Getting to Happy. Who is this author from Michigan?
A. Gwendolyn Brooks
B. Octavia Butler
C. J. J. Nance
D. Terry McMillan
CHARACTERS
1. This character is one of the great villains of literature. Described as pasty white, sweaty, filthy, and smelly, this person repeatedly threatens to beat his son to death if he doesn’t stop trying to be polite. Although the character is found dead mid-novel, his death isn’t revealed until the end—and it’s a relief. Who is this villain?
A. Bill Sykes from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist
B. Pap Finn from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
C. Iago from William Shakespeare’s Othello
D. Police Inspector Javert from Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables
2. Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2010 hit novel turned a respected American President into a hero who slays vampires in secret. Into which Commander in Chief’s hands did Grahame-Smith put wooden stakes and mallets for a story that will soon be turned into a major motion picture?
A. George Washington
B. Abraham Lincoln
C. Woodrow Wilson
D. Ronald Reagan
3. Everyone knows the name of the heroine of the novel Gone With the Wind. Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlett O’Hara has become one of the best-known characters in literature. Her name, though, wasn’t originally Scarlett O’Hara. What did Mitchell originally call the feisty Miss O’Hara?
A. Prissy
B. Pansy
C. Penelope
D. Phoebe
4. Old Gringo is a 1985 novel written by Carlos Fuentes. The novel took Fuentes twenty years to write before it was published. It was inspired by historic events surrounding a famous American who went to Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. The English version of the book became the first novel by a Mexican Author to become a US bestseller. Who is the famous American Fuentes used for the central character of the book Old Gringo?
A. Teddy Roosevelt
B. Samuel Clemmons
C. Ambrose Bierce
D. William Randolph Hearst
5. Author Thomas Harris created one
of the great villains of all time. He used this evil fellow as a character in the novel Red Dragon in 1981 and again in Silence of the Lambs in 1988. Two other Harris novels subsequently focused on this wicked criminal. What is his name?
A. Hannibal Lector
B. Archibald Dumont
C. Harrison Bergeron
D. Thomas Hayden Church
TITLES
1. Author E. L. James has scored a literary hit this year with a trilogy of books about a recent college graduate and her relationship with a manipulative billionaire. Begun as fan fiction based on the Twilight series characters, the books have already sold over ten million copies. What is the name of the first book in this series?
A. The Lady and the Tramp
B. Biting Back
C. Fifty Shades of Grey
D. Anna and the King of Wall Street
2. Ralph Ellison’s 1953 novel about the anonymous life of a black man living in New York City has been hailed as one of the greatest works of American literature. Ellison himself didn’t think much of the book, calling it “an attempt at a novel.” What was Ralph Ellison’s famous literary one-hit wonder?
A. The Souls of Black Folk
B. Invisible Man
C. Black Like Me
D. Native Son
3. I recently finished reading Phillip Roth’s controversial 1969 novel in which patient Alexander rambles on to his psychoanalyst, Dr. Spielvogel. I was both shocked and amused at Alexander’s discussion of sexual matters as well as his religious comments. What was the title of this Roth novel?
A. The Quartzsite Trip
B. Goodbye, Columbus
C. Catch-22
D. Portnoy’s Complaint
4. L. Divine was a Los Angeles school teacher concerned about declining literacy among youth. To address that matter, she began writing a series of books in April of 2001. L. Divine began work on her series of books for young adults that would simply inspire them to read for pleasure. With titles like Pushin’, The Fight and Keep It Movin’, the series has succeeded at reaching teens who have made it a best seller. What is the name of this series?
A. Drama High
B. L.A. Times
C. Up Straight
D. Straight Up
5. Khalid Hosseini’s first novel, released in 2003, was the third best-selling work of fiction of the decade. About-dot-com described the book as “a page turner with complex characters and situations that will make you think hard about friendship, good and evil, betrayal, and redemption.” What is the title of this novel that begins in Afghanistan and ends in the United States?
A. Gilead
B. The Kite Runner
C. The White Tiger
D. A Fraction of the Whole
FINAL QUESTION
It should come as no surprise to you that the best-selling fiction writer of all time is William Shakespeare. Which of the following authors is the second best-selling fiction author of all time? (Sales estimated between 2 and 4 BILLION books!)
A. Agatha Christie
B. Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
C. Danielle Steele
D. Sidney Sheldon
See how you do!
AUTHORS
1. Time magazine listed this author as one of the 100 most influential people in the world last year. His book series A Song of Fire and Ice began in 1996 with the book A Game of Thrones. Who is this New Jersey-born author?
A. George R. R. Martin
B. Clive Barker
C. Harry Turtledove
D. John Sandford
2. She is a Pulitzer-prize winning author and biographer as well as being an often-seen political commentator. Her works have included Lyndon Johnson and the American Dream; The Fitzgeralds and the Kennedys: An American Saga; No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt (which won the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1995); and her most recent book, Team of Rivals: The Political Genius of Abraham Lincoln. Who is this American writer?
A. Joyce Carol Oates
B. Doris Kearns Goodwin
C. J. K. Rowling
D. Eleanor Clift
3. Her novels often center on mother-daughter relationships. The Joy Luck Club is her best-known work, having been made into a very successful film. Her other works include The Kitchen God’s Wife and The Bonesetter’s Daughter. Who is this California-born author?
A. Jade Snow Wong
B. Virginia Lee
C. Amy Tan
D. Kathy Reichs
4. This 80-year-old author has written or co-authored more than 50 books, many of which have made the best-seller list. His works include Raise the Titanic, Cyclops and Crescent Dawn. In addition to being an author, he is the founder the National Underwater and Marine Agency, which has located more than 60 shipwreck sites. Who is this well-known author?
A. Michael Crichton
B. Timothy LaHay
C. Vin Packer
D. Clive Cussler
5. Using strong female protagonists, this author came to national attention with her third novel Waiting to Exhale in 1992. She has become a regular on the best-seller list with How Stella Got Her Groove Back and Getting to Happy. Who is this author from Michigan?
A. Gwendolyn Brooks
B. Octavia Butler
C. J. J. Nance
D. Terry McMillan
CHARACTERS
1. This character is one of the great villains of literature. Described as pasty white, sweaty, filthy, and smelly, this person repeatedly threatens to beat his son to death if he doesn’t stop trying to be polite. Although the character is found dead mid-novel, his death isn’t revealed until the end—and it’s a relief. Who is this villain?
A. Bill Sykes from Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist
B. Pap Finn from Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn
C. Iago from William Shakespeare’s Othello
D. Police Inspector Javert from Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables
2. Seth Grahame-Smith’s 2010 hit novel turned a respected American President into a hero who slays vampires in secret. Into which Commander in Chief’s hands did Grahame-Smith put wooden stakes and mallets for a story that will soon be turned into a major motion picture?
A. George Washington
B. Abraham Lincoln
C. Woodrow Wilson
D. Ronald Reagan
3. Everyone knows the name of the heroine of the novel Gone With the Wind. Margaret Mitchell’s Scarlett O’Hara has become one of the best-known characters in literature. Her name, though, wasn’t originally Scarlett O’Hara. What did Mitchell originally call the feisty Miss O’Hara?
A. Prissy
B. Pansy
C. Penelope
D. Phoebe
4. Old Gringo is a 1985 novel written by Carlos Fuentes. The novel took Fuentes twenty years to write before it was published. It was inspired by historic events surrounding a famous American who went to Mexico during the Mexican Revolution. The English version of the book became the first novel by a Mexican Author to become a US bestseller. Who is the famous American Fuentes used for the central character of the book Old Gringo?
A. Teddy Roosevelt
B. Samuel Clemmons
C. Ambrose Bierce
D. William Randolph Hearst
5. Author Thomas Harris created one
of the great villains of all time. He used this evil fellow as a character in the novel Red Dragon in 1981 and again in Silence of the Lambs in 1988. Two other Harris novels subsequently focused on this wicked criminal. What is his name?
A. Hannibal Lector
B. Archibald Dumont
C. Harrison Bergeron
D. Thomas Hayden Church
TITLES
1. Author E. L. James has scored a literary hit this year with a trilogy of books about a recent college graduate and her relationship with a manipulative billionaire. Begun as fan fiction based on the Twilight series characters, the books have already sold over ten million copies. What is the name of the first book in this series?
A. The Lady and the Tramp
B. Biting Back
C. Fifty Shades of Grey
D. Anna and the King of Wall Street
2. Ralph Ellison’s 1953 novel about the anonymous life of a black man living in New York City has been hailed as one of the greatest works of American literature. Ellison himself didn’t think much of the book, calling it “an attempt at a novel.” What was Ralph Ellison’s famous literary one-hit wonder?
A. The Souls of Black Folk
B. Invisible Man
C. Black Like Me
D. Native Son
3. I recently finished reading Phillip Roth’s controversial 1969 novel in which patient Alexander rambles on to his psychoanalyst, Dr. Spielvogel. I was both shocked and amused at Alexander’s discussion of sexual matters as well as his religious comments. What was the title of this Roth novel?
A. The Quartzsite Trip
B. Goodbye, Columbus
C. Catch-22
D. Portnoy’s Complaint
4. L. Divine was a Los Angeles school teacher concerned about declining literacy among youth. To address that matter, she began writing a series of books in April of 2001. L. Divine began work on her series of books for young adults that would simply inspire them to read for pleasure. With titles like Pushin’, The Fight and Keep It Movin’, the series has succeeded at reaching teens who have made it a best seller. What is the name of this series?
A. Drama High
B. L.A. Times
C. Up Straight
D. Straight Up
5. Khalid Hosseini’s first novel, released in 2003, was the third best-selling work of fiction of the decade. About-dot-com described the book as “a page turner with complex characters and situations that will make you think hard about friendship, good and evil, betrayal, and redemption.” What is the title of this novel that begins in Afghanistan and ends in the United States?
A. Gilead
B. The Kite Runner
C. The White Tiger
D. A Fraction of the Whole
FINAL QUESTION
It should come as no surprise to you that the best-selling fiction writer of all time is William Shakespeare. Which of the following authors is the second best-selling fiction author of all time? (Sales estimated between 2 and 4 BILLION books!)
A. Agatha Christie
B. Theodore Geisel (Dr. Seuss)
C. Danielle Steele
D. Sidney Sheldon
June 4, 2012
Mr. Maddox
For some reason, I thought of one of my high school teachers this morning, someone I hadn't thought of in quite a while.
My father insisted that I take Business Math and Business Law in high school. Both were lower level classes, designed for folks who weren't likely to go to college. Too bad. I learned a lot from both classes that would help any person transition into adulthood.
The teacher for these classes was a fellow named Henry Maddox.
Mr. Maddox was too old to be teaching, I think. I say that now as someone who is 53 and has come to realize that teaching is a high-energy job. I don't know what had happened to Mr. Maddox to make him have to be a classroom teacher at his age.
He was a good teacher, though. I remember that he struggled to find someone in our class who could read aloud. Since I could, he called on me a lot. He would laugh when I did my fake news anchor voice.
I didn't really give him another thought after the classes were over.
My grandmother lived in Senoia, Georgia. She told me that Mr. Maddox had been the mayor there at some point. I think she told me that when she told me that he had committed suicide.
He had driven to his parents' grave site in Senoia and killed himself.
I found myself thinking about him this morning though I don't know why. He was a bald old man with thick glasses and a sweater and not a lot of energy, but he did what he needed to do for as long as he could.
I guess that's what we all do.
My father insisted that I take Business Math and Business Law in high school. Both were lower level classes, designed for folks who weren't likely to go to college. Too bad. I learned a lot from both classes that would help any person transition into adulthood.
The teacher for these classes was a fellow named Henry Maddox.
Mr. Maddox was too old to be teaching, I think. I say that now as someone who is 53 and has come to realize that teaching is a high-energy job. I don't know what had happened to Mr. Maddox to make him have to be a classroom teacher at his age.
He was a good teacher, though. I remember that he struggled to find someone in our class who could read aloud. Since I could, he called on me a lot. He would laugh when I did my fake news anchor voice.
I didn't really give him another thought after the classes were over.
My grandmother lived in Senoia, Georgia. She told me that Mr. Maddox had been the mayor there at some point. I think she told me that when she told me that he had committed suicide.
He had driven to his parents' grave site in Senoia and killed himself.
I found myself thinking about him this morning though I don't know why. He was a bald old man with thick glasses and a sweater and not a lot of energy, but he did what he needed to do for as long as he could.
I guess that's what we all do.
May 28, 2012
Good Reviews
I am really happy with the reviews that have been posted so far for my book. There are several on Amazon and several here on Goodreads. I appreciate that folks have taken the time to write them.
I have had a few friends tell me that they bought the book, but haven't read it. I appreciate them, too, but I really appreciate the ones who have read it. I mean, that's why I wrote it after all.
So far, I know most of the folks who have posted reviews, though the connections grow more distant.
I'm using the feedback of the reviews as I look toward a sequel. A recently posted review spoke of the narrator's moral status at the end of the story. I like that comment.
Right now, I have several scenes for the sequel finished, but I don't anticipate using them all. I'm still looking for the driving strand that will pull the other strings along.
Those reviews are helping me in a way that I can only describe as letting me see my story from the vantage points of other people.
I have had a few friends tell me that they bought the book, but haven't read it. I appreciate them, too, but I really appreciate the ones who have read it. I mean, that's why I wrote it after all.
So far, I know most of the folks who have posted reviews, though the connections grow more distant.
I'm using the feedback of the reviews as I look toward a sequel. A recently posted review spoke of the narrator's moral status at the end of the story. I like that comment.
Right now, I have several scenes for the sequel finished, but I don't anticipate using them all. I'm still looking for the driving strand that will pull the other strings along.
Those reviews are helping me in a way that I can only describe as letting me see my story from the vantage points of other people.
May 18, 2012
Survivalists
A few years back, I had a particularly disturbing dream in which there had been some sort of world-changing disaster. In the dream, people were walking the roads, trying to get to better places.
The neighborhood in which we lived at the time was the Cumberland Road Subdivision in Griffin, Georgia. In the dream, folks there were getting ready for this new situation.
In the dream, I found myself going to a neighbor's home and talking my way inside. Once I got inside, I killed the neighbor and casually took all his food back to my house for me and my family.
It was a cold, cruel dream, but a pretty darned cool inciting incident for a story. I've leaned on that dream a few times to write unpublished and incomplete stories about the much-anticipated event that changes the world for this generation.
I anticipate we'll see a lot of people behaving as badly as I did in my dream, though I am hoping that I am not one of them. I'd like to think that I'll be one of the cooler heads that prevails. But. Things don't always go as planned.
Like most folks, I keep thinking that I really ought to stock up on canned goods and ammo. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. The folks who have -- and who make a big deal about it -- kind of scare me.
One thing is for sure: I'd much rather write about the apocalypse than live through it. But. Just in case you and I do manage to experience it, I hope you don't mind if I drop by your place for a short visit. It should only take a few minutes
The neighborhood in which we lived at the time was the Cumberland Road Subdivision in Griffin, Georgia. In the dream, folks there were getting ready for this new situation.
In the dream, I found myself going to a neighbor's home and talking my way inside. Once I got inside, I killed the neighbor and casually took all his food back to my house for me and my family.
It was a cold, cruel dream, but a pretty darned cool inciting incident for a story. I've leaned on that dream a few times to write unpublished and incomplete stories about the much-anticipated event that changes the world for this generation.
I anticipate we'll see a lot of people behaving as badly as I did in my dream, though I am hoping that I am not one of them. I'd like to think that I'll be one of the cooler heads that prevails. But. Things don't always go as planned.
Like most folks, I keep thinking that I really ought to stock up on canned goods and ammo. I just haven't gotten around to it yet. The folks who have -- and who make a big deal about it -- kind of scare me.
One thing is for sure: I'd much rather write about the apocalypse than live through it. But. Just in case you and I do manage to experience it, I hope you don't mind if I drop by your place for a short visit. It should only take a few minutes
May 12, 2012
Dark Stories
On a good day, I'm a pessimist. I'm not sure what the difference is between "pessimist" and "cynic," but cynic is what I am on the days I'm not a pessimist.
A personal crisis recently brought home the benefit of this stance. An event that was terrible was not fatal, so I was relieved. While others consoled me on the event, I was happy about it: "Not as bad as it could have been!"
This is most certainly a coping mechanism for me. Put away the Psych 101 textbook. If there's more to it than "coping mechanism," I don't care.
The point here is that the pessimism really taints most of what I write. Even when the story is funny (my George W. Bush vs. the zombies story, for example,) I still manage to work in quite a few negative outcomes.
"No matter how cynical I get, it's hard to keep up," Lily Tomlin said a couple of decades ago. She could have been referring to the cynical attitude of others, but I'd like to think that she was thinking about competing with reality.
I'm working on a couple of stories right now that really need to be different from Evil is Always Human. I am finding it hard to write something that is both upbeat and plausible. To help me with this, my lovely wife Beth has done some research. She's come up with one real-life story on which I can model a plot twist so that it is indeed plausible.
Last night I dreamed that I was working as a psychologist, under the mentorship of a more seasoned psychologist. I was conducting a session for a lesbian couple who were having a tough time. I was trying to help them when one of them physically attacked the other and the other psychologist and I had to separate them.
Afterwards, the psychologist told me, "You shouldn't talk so much. Let them talk. Our job is to love them until they sort out the answers for themselves."
I thought that was a pretty cool thing as a philosophy for faux psychologists, but I doubt that it would be well-recieved by real psychologists.
I find myself applying the idea to my characters, though. I see them as choosing their own actions, actions that often - like in real life - don't turn out very well.
Dark? Yeah, you could say that. But I'm shooting for realistic. For me, that's just the way life is.
A personal crisis recently brought home the benefit of this stance. An event that was terrible was not fatal, so I was relieved. While others consoled me on the event, I was happy about it: "Not as bad as it could have been!"
This is most certainly a coping mechanism for me. Put away the Psych 101 textbook. If there's more to it than "coping mechanism," I don't care.
The point here is that the pessimism really taints most of what I write. Even when the story is funny (my George W. Bush vs. the zombies story, for example,) I still manage to work in quite a few negative outcomes.
"No matter how cynical I get, it's hard to keep up," Lily Tomlin said a couple of decades ago. She could have been referring to the cynical attitude of others, but I'd like to think that she was thinking about competing with reality.
I'm working on a couple of stories right now that really need to be different from Evil is Always Human. I am finding it hard to write something that is both upbeat and plausible. To help me with this, my lovely wife Beth has done some research. She's come up with one real-life story on which I can model a plot twist so that it is indeed plausible.
Last night I dreamed that I was working as a psychologist, under the mentorship of a more seasoned psychologist. I was conducting a session for a lesbian couple who were having a tough time. I was trying to help them when one of them physically attacked the other and the other psychologist and I had to separate them.
Afterwards, the psychologist told me, "You shouldn't talk so much. Let them talk. Our job is to love them until they sort out the answers for themselves."
I thought that was a pretty cool thing as a philosophy for faux psychologists, but I doubt that it would be well-recieved by real psychologists.
I find myself applying the idea to my characters, though. I see them as choosing their own actions, actions that often - like in real life - don't turn out very well.
Dark? Yeah, you could say that. But I'm shooting for realistic. For me, that's just the way life is.
April 14, 2012
Trivial Matters
I do love trivia. This morning, I served as trivia host for an event held by the Boomers In Athens group.
The main event for the event was a coffee roasting demonstration put on by the Jittery Joe's folks. The demonstration was fascinating. Charlie Mustard walked us through the process.
Next to alcohol, I suppose coffee is the drink of choice for writers. Maybe for everybody.
My trivia portion of the program came after the coffee demonstration and was done on the porch/deck of the facility. We were limited on time so I went with just three sets of questions rather than the usual six sets.
The topic was movies, something about which most people can claim at least a little knowledge. The winner was a lady named Carol who finished the game with the highest number of points after correctly answering a question about the movie "The King's Speech."
Madeline Darden, who runs the Boomers group, offered what she called "a vast selection of crappy prizes" for those who took part.
I love making up trivia questions because I try to draw on areas of common interest yet focusing on minutia of which we may or may not be aware.
Writing trivia questions involves doing meandering research, which is a great mind-cleaner.
Today's trivia event went well and I am hoping they ask me to do it again.
The main event for the event was a coffee roasting demonstration put on by the Jittery Joe's folks. The demonstration was fascinating. Charlie Mustard walked us through the process.
Next to alcohol, I suppose coffee is the drink of choice for writers. Maybe for everybody.
My trivia portion of the program came after the coffee demonstration and was done on the porch/deck of the facility. We were limited on time so I went with just three sets of questions rather than the usual six sets.
The topic was movies, something about which most people can claim at least a little knowledge. The winner was a lady named Carol who finished the game with the highest number of points after correctly answering a question about the movie "The King's Speech."
Madeline Darden, who runs the Boomers group, offered what she called "a vast selection of crappy prizes" for those who took part.
I love making up trivia questions because I try to draw on areas of common interest yet focusing on minutia of which we may or may not be aware.
Writing trivia questions involves doing meandering research, which is a great mind-cleaner.
Today's trivia event went well and I am hoping they ask me to do it again.
April 3, 2012
Something in your eyes
...and it's not pollen!
A young lady came up to the check-out desk yesterday and I asked her if she had ever considered writing a book.
Now, every now and then, I ask a patron this question. There's a certain look in the eye of some reader that is not pure enjoyment. It's judgement. They are reading with the hovering thought, "I think I could co this."
As is often the case, this young lady had indeed thought of writing a book. She had even written it. Wow!
It's an urban fantasy, she told me.
An urban fantasy.
A what?
Well. Long story short, an urban fantasy is a fantasy in an urban setting. Hers includes a dimwitted protagonist and flawed mythological creatures.
Cool.
I hope she gets it published and, yeah, I gave her my publisher's contact info. I'm encouraging like that.
So.
You ever thought about writing a book?
I saw it in your eyes.
A young lady came up to the check-out desk yesterday and I asked her if she had ever considered writing a book.
Now, every now and then, I ask a patron this question. There's a certain look in the eye of some reader that is not pure enjoyment. It's judgement. They are reading with the hovering thought, "I think I could co this."
As is often the case, this young lady had indeed thought of writing a book. She had even written it. Wow!
It's an urban fantasy, she told me.
An urban fantasy.
A what?
Well. Long story short, an urban fantasy is a fantasy in an urban setting. Hers includes a dimwitted protagonist and flawed mythological creatures.
Cool.
I hope she gets it published and, yeah, I gave her my publisher's contact info. I'm encouraging like that.
So.
You ever thought about writing a book?
I saw it in your eyes.
April 2, 2012
If that dog could talk
It's come up twice today. Early on, I read a Facebook Post about movie cliches on which someone had noted that talking animals never go out of style. Later, my lovely wife Beth said she wished Marvin could talk so that he could tell her what he wanted rather than just whimpering in the night.
There are times that I, too, wish Marvin could talk. He's a good dog and I figure he would only say kind and supportive things:
"It's going to get better, Dad."
"You look like you could use a belly rub."
"Your book sounds great. I'm going to get someone who can read to read it to me."
Is that what he would say? Probably not. It would probably be more like
"Why are you doing that?"
"Feed me."
"Feed me stuff I like, not this crap."
Maybe it's better, therefore, that I just look into his big brown eyes and imagine supportive and kind statements.
If only I could do that with people.
There are times that I, too, wish Marvin could talk. He's a good dog and I figure he would only say kind and supportive things:
"It's going to get better, Dad."
"You look like you could use a belly rub."
"Your book sounds great. I'm going to get someone who can read to read it to me."
Is that what he would say? Probably not. It would probably be more like
"Why are you doing that?"
"Feed me."
"Feed me stuff I like, not this crap."
Maybe it's better, therefore, that I just look into his big brown eyes and imagine supportive and kind statements.
If only I could do that with people.
March 30, 2012
The Lottery of Life
The big jackpot for the Mega Millions lottery is making the news tonight. Yeah, I bought a ticket. I think this increases my odds only slightly over last week, when I did not buy one.
I've read that the lottery is considered an investment for people who are bad at math. Maybe so.
My daughter went through her undergraduate college years thanks to the Hope Scholarship, funded by the Georgia Lottery. I respect it for that.
As for winning, well.
I think doing things is the way to improve your life. If you don't do things, nothing changes.
I had always wanted to write a book. I don't know that the book is going to be financially rewarding, but it is certainly being rewarding in other ways.
Tonight, I had a friend sit and tell me how much he liked it, how the language reminded him of the language of his childhood, how he wanted a sequel so he could find out what happened to the characters. It was pretty cool.
I probably won't win the lottery tonight or ever. But I've won in a different way. I did it by doing something.
I've read that the lottery is considered an investment for people who are bad at math. Maybe so.
My daughter went through her undergraduate college years thanks to the Hope Scholarship, funded by the Georgia Lottery. I respect it for that.
As for winning, well.
I think doing things is the way to improve your life. If you don't do things, nothing changes.
I had always wanted to write a book. I don't know that the book is going to be financially rewarding, but it is certainly being rewarding in other ways.
Tonight, I had a friend sit and tell me how much he liked it, how the language reminded him of the language of his childhood, how he wanted a sequel so he could find out what happened to the characters. It was pretty cool.
I probably won't win the lottery tonight or ever. But I've won in a different way. I did it by doing something.
Reader and Writer
I began to write because it seemed to be a realm in which one could exercise omnipotence. It's not.
My characters demand to make their own decisions and often the outcomes are wildly different from wha ...more
My characters demand to make their own decisions and often the outcomes are wildly different from wha ...more
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