Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 42

Quick update, and some news

Hey guys, 

Hope everyone is doing well! It’s been too long since I last posted something on here, so there’s no time like the present to get back on track.

First, a quick update on me. I’m nearing the end of my latest work. It’s a book about two Marine NCOs in Afghanistan. I think it’s pretty good. Fast-paced, loaded with action, and extremely realistic. 

I’ll keep you posted on this as I get closer to releasing it, but it shouldn’t take too long. I’m hoping to have it done in a month or so.

On Memorial Day, remember this fact

As you celebrate this great day in our land, I hope most of you have the day off. And I hope you also take at least a moment to remember all those who died so that we could live in such peace and prosperity in this incredible country.

But I wanted to make one other point that I think often gets forgotten. Yes, we do a decent job of remembering those who died in battle. But I think we forget those who died in peacetime. In regular ole’ training — almost NONE of which is safe.

I probably came closer to dying during a couple of different training exercises than I actually did in harm’s way. Matter of fact, my battalion went into harm’s way in 1997 and returned without any losses. But . (Lance Corporal Andre Foster.)

If you read one story on Memorial Day, make it this one: A Marine’s crazy, four-day courtship, and the ring he’ll never get to deliver.

Our freedom isn’t free, even when there are no bullets flying at us from some enemy bent upon our destruction.

And if you want to mention below in the comments a loved one who died defending this country, in either peacetime or war, I’d be honored.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

The dreamer’s lament

“Last ball,” the man says. He drops the ball into the pitching machine and it flies faster than seems possible to hit. But the hitter knocks down the moment of panic, swings as he’s done a million times, and crushes the ball deep and hard. The batting cage nabs the ball without effort and it falls to the ground, bouncing harmlessly along the ground.

“That was a great one,” the man behind the pitching machine says. “Good one to end on.”

The man with the bat looks away, out through the squares of the cage, at his truck. Only two vehicles remain in the parking lot: his truck and the old, used car that the man feeding the balls drives.

It’s growing dark, and the sun dropped fifteen minutes ago. Official team practice ended two hours ago. Quite a few players stayed afterward, but they’ve all drifted away.

Only the hitter and his long-time friend, whose dreams of playing baseball professionally ended five years ago, remain.

“Let’s do another bucket,” the hitter says. He swings the bat tentatively. He’s got a shoulder that ails him from an old injury, and a wrist that creaks and is almost shot. His friend eyes him as he swings the bat.

“You sure that’s a good idea? Don’t mess up that shoulder again by pushing too hard.”

The hitter nods. He’s unsure as to whether he should do more. Push too hard and you set yourself back. But a clock is ticking, and it’s not just his wife’s anger because he’s running late again for dinner. The hitter is 27. He’s still in the minors. He’s still barely earning any money.

“Load the balls up,” the hitter says, his voice strong and defiant.

Across town, a writer hurries up the steps to his desk. He’s worked a full day at a job he doesn’t enjoy. He’s eaten dinner with his family and mostly paid attention, burying an idea he has for his next chapter. He’s even gone the extra mile, and after helping the eight-year-old girl with homework, and the wife with laundry, he’s sacrificing personal time to chase his dream.

Game of Thrones is on TV, and his wife has begged him to watch it with her. He defers. Everyone will be talking about it tomorrow, and he’ll yet again be the guy who’s not cool. Who’s not in the know. Who’s still the delusional dreamer.

He made twenty dollars in royalties last month and he hasn’t had a new review on his books in more than a month. But he knows they’re good. More importantly, he knows he can be great.

Hell, he’d read part of a best-seller during lunch, and yet again cursed the fact that the book was average at best. He knows he can do better. He knows he can make it big. If he just doesn’t give up. If he can just keep believing.

But he sits down and his forearms and wrists immediately start to hurt. How many words has he written in his lifetime? How bad is the carpal tunnel syndrome?

He hears his wife gasp from the living room below. Game of Thrones must be really good tonight. He starts writing out his idea, but it doesn’t seem as good as it did earlier. Nonetheless, he knows the rule: “writer’s write.” He ridicules his weakness and doubts. He starts writing. He puts a few lines down, but they miss the mark.

He looks away, stares out the window, then buries his head in his hands.

Four blocks away, it’s now grown dark. A lady laces up her gloves. It’s heavy bag time. She’s already done forty-five minutes of running for cardio, then an hour and a half of jujitsu. She’s rolled around the floor, escaped hundreds of holds, and applied some great chokes and mock “ground and pound” during the session. Now it’s time to work on her kicks and punches.

She’s full-time now. Doesn’t have to work the day job anymore, which is great. But she’s only earned twenty thousand this year from a single fight, and the debt is starting to grow. Worse yet, she hurt her knee in that fight, but can’t afford the surgery. Either the cost, or the time away from the ring, the only place she gets paid.

Almost no one that she knows — other than her fellow fighters — supports what she’s doing. Her friends and family say women shouldn’t fight. It’s too barbaric. She’ll get hurt. Shouldn’t she be getting married and having kids?

She’s thirty. Wonders if maybe they’re right. Then pushes down the thought.

She steps up to the bag and begins throwing combinations. Punches and kicks. An elbow. A step back to dodge an imaginary opponent’s strike. Then she’s back in on the bag, landing powerful shots. But is she as good as the champ? Or as even as good as those ranked fighters in the Top 10?

She thinks so. But she’d gotten a bit scared in her last fight. Only barely won it, really. Had just squeaked by.

Just need to train harder, she thinks. But she thinks about that debt. And about the knee that needs that surgery and that won’t let her kick at full power.

All three people — the baseball player, the writer, and the fighter — face their demons every single day. On some days, almost every single hour. They are so close, yet so far away.

They’ve already pushed far beyond their peers, most of whom started with the same dream but have already fallen away and given up.

What keeps these three going? What fuels their belief?

We admire them. We envy them. And often we laugh at them.

But still they push on. At least on this day.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

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[image error]Stan R. Mitchell, author and prior Marine, is best known for a writing style that is “sharp, snappy, cinematic, and impacts with all the blunt force trauma of a hollowpoint to the head,” says Author Mark Allen.

A former newspaper journalist, Mitchell used to have to cram long stories into short sections of newsprint. He learned more than ten years ago how to cut the fat off a story, and he still to this day doesn’t believe in wasting time or space. (Not your time. And certainly not his time.)

Most people say his books read like movies, and even people who say they don’t “like to read” usually find themselves hooked on his books.

Pick up one of the works below and see if you don’t agree.

Stolen Daughter. Dolan has a ton of problems on his plate, but when the case of a missing seventeen-year-old girl falls in his lap, he answers the call. Dolan, a private investigator and former Army Ranger, is just the kind of guy to volunteer for such a thing. But he soon learns, as he races to the secluded mountains of North Carolina, that he’s in over his head. There’s a dirty cop involved. The mob, too. They want Dolan in the ground.

Take Down. Danny Acuff, a detective and former Force Recon Marine, uncovers a massive drug operation in the small, quaint town of Akin, Tennessee. And none of these locals are happy about a big-city cop from Memphis barging into their hometown. They want Danny gone, and they want him gone soon. Danny soon finds himself tangling with murderers, big boys from the hills sent to run him off, and even a dangerous couple of Special Forces men. A lot of people are going to die before this one finishes unwinding.

Sold Out (Nick Woods, No. 1). Nick Woods used to be one of our country’s greatest snipers. A Marine who completed a bloody, top-secret mission behind enemy lines years ago, he now just wants to live in peace with his wife. But the past is about to return in this tight sniper/CIA thriller.

Mexican Heat (Nick Woods, No. 2). The entire economy of Mexico is on the verge of collapse, dying under the crushing pressure of all the country’s drug cartels united under a single man. America doesn’t want to send troops, and the Mexican government is powerless to defend itself. That leaves one option: Find Nick Woods, let him hand-pick some men, and unleash him yet again.

Afghan Storm (Nick Woods, No.3). Time is ticking down on a deadly plot for the Taliban to overthrow the government of Afghanistan.  Time to send in Nick Woods and his private, military security company (Shield, Safeguard, and Shelter, or “S3”).

Nigerian Terror (Nick Woods, No.4). Nick Woods and his elite band of shooters from Shield, Safeguard, and Shelter (S3) deploy to Africa on their next mission to deal with an out-of-control terrorist group that now holds more than 20,000 square miles of land. This terrorist group, called the Boko Haram, has finally gotten the attention of America’s leaders. But what starts as a routine mission turns into something far more.

Little Man, and the Dixon County War. This book is an incredible story about a man too young to be wearing a badge, and too small to be enforcing the law. But the twenty-seven-year old Paul Zachary has been written up as a hero and he’s got some people who want him dead.

Soldier On. This short novel (approximately 70 pages long) is a moving story of World War II. As the war nears its end, the last elements of the German Army on the ground struggle to survive. The men know the war is lost and for the soldiers, it is pure hell. It is tough for the men, and tougher for the leaders. Hemmed in by Nazi SS units waiting to arrest or shoot retreating troops on one side, while advancing American troops advance mercilessly on the other, the men pray they must only endure the freezing weather of the last days. And that their supplies won’t run out. And that they won’t lose the honor and dignity they’ve spent years creating. Soldier On explores the mental struggles faced by every man who’s ever carried a rifle.

Russia on the march

Time Magazine published an incredible article about the resurgence of Russia in its April 15th edition.

While we in America have been focused on investigations into the President and savaging whoever isn’t on our political side, Russia has been on the move. Reaching across multiple continents, Russia has been deploying financial aid, military support, and diplomatic protection to a host of pretty awful leaders. “Tyrants,” as Time calls them. I agree.

The article (How Putin Built a Ragtag Empire of Tyrants and Failing States) is a must read, and a scary diagnosis of just how much power Russia has gained while we as a country have been focused on our own divided arguments and world-wide retraction as a stabilizing force for good.

Long-time readers of mine will know that I’ve been wary of (and fatigued by) America’s multiple commitments (and wars) across the globe since launching this website back in 2012. Long wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A military that’s been stretched too thin. A national budget increasingly running higher into the red, and a national debt that’s grown just sickeningly high.

This commitment to worldwide stability in the past has cost us greatly as a country in dollars. And as a population, the costs of these wars have been mostly borne by a very small percentage of our population. (About one or two percent.)

I’ve been a frustrated citizen in the past decade or so over the high price of being the world’s policeman, but Russia’s moves the past few years (as brilliantly explained in the article above) shows there’s an uglier — and higher — cost to pulling back to our own borders. From stabilizing Syria, propping up Venezuela’s Maduro, and supporting cruel African dictators, Russia is showing it’s energetically ready to fill the void left by America.

Read the article and then tell me your thoughts. I’d love to have some high-level dialogue below. Where are you on the spectrum of worldwide engagement or retraction? And why?

(Please keep your commentary at a high level. Nasty political attacks — and know-it-all statements that sound like they were made by a ten-year-old who doesn’t want to listen to others —  will be immediately deleted.)

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell

—————————————-

[image error]Stan R. Mitchell, author and prior Marine, is best known for a writing style that is “sharp, snappy, cinematic, and impacts with all the blunt force trauma of a hollowpoint to the head,” says Author Mark Allen.

A former newspaper journalist, Mitchell used to have to cram long stories into short sections of newsprint. He learned more than ten years ago how to cut the fat off a story, and he still to this day doesn’t believe in wasting time or space. (Not your time. And certainly not his time.)

Most people say his books read like movies, and even people who say they don’t “like to read” usually find themselves hooked on his books.

Pick up one of the works below and see if you don’t agree.

Stolen Daughter. Dolan has a ton of problems on his plate, but when the case of a missing seventeen-year-old girl falls in his lap, he answers the call. Dolan, a private investigator and former Army Ranger, is just the kind of guy to volunteer for such a thing. But he soon learns, as he races to the secluded mountains of North Carolina, that he’s in over his head. There’s a dirty cop involved. The mob, too. They want Dolan in the ground.

Take Down. Danny Acuff, a detective and former Force Recon Marine, uncovers a massive drug operation in the small, quaint town of Akin, Tennessee. And none of these locals are happy about a big-city cop from Memphis barging into their hometown. They want Danny gone, and they want him gone soon. Danny soon finds himself tangling with murderers, big boys from the hills sent to run him off, and even a dangerous couple of Special Forces men. A lot of people are going to die before this one finishes unwinding.

Sold Out (Nick Woods, No. 1). Nick Woods used to be one of our country’s greatest snipers. A Marine who completed a bloody, top-secret mission behind enemy lines years ago, he now just wants to live in peace with his wife. But the past is about to return in this tight sniper/CIA thriller.

Mexican Heat (Nick Woods, No. 2). The entire economy of Mexico is on the verge of collapse, dying under the crushing pressure of all the country’s drug cartels united under a single man. America doesn’t want to send troops, and the Mexican government is powerless to defend itself. That leaves one option: Find Nick Woods, let him hand-pick some men, and unleash him yet again.

Afghan Storm (Nick Woods, No.3). Time is ticking down on a deadly plot for the Taliban to overthrow the government of Afghanistan.  Time to send in Nick Woods and his private, military security company (Shield, Safeguard, and Shelter, or “S3”).

Nigerian Terror (Nick Woods, No.4). Nick Woods and his elite band of shooters from Shield, Safeguard, and Shelter (S3) deploy to Africa on their next mission to deal with an out-of-control terrorist group that now holds more than 20,000 square miles of land. This terrorist group, called the Boko Haram, has finally gotten the attention of America’s leaders. But what starts as a routine mission turns into something far more.

Little Man, and the Dixon County War. This book is an incredible story about a man too young to be wearing a badge, and too small to be enforcing the law. But the twenty-seven-year old Paul Zachary has been written up as a hero and he’s got some people who want him dead.

Soldier On. This short novel (approximately 70 pages long) is a moving story of World War II. As the war nears its end, the last elements of the German Army on the ground struggle to survive. The men know the war is lost and for the soldiers, it is pure hell. It is tough for the men, and tougher for the leaders. Hemmed in by Nazi SS units waiting to arrest or shoot retreating troops on one side, while advancing American troops advance mercilessly on the other, the men pray they must only endure the freezing weather of the last days. And that their supplies won’t run out. And that they won’t lose the honor and dignity they’ve spent years creating. Soldier On explores the mental struggles faced by every man who’s ever carried a rifle.

Stolen Daughter completely revamped, on sale for half price for just three days

Hey guys,

I’m excited to announce that I’ve recently almost completely revamped my private investigator novel “Stolen Daughter.”

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The book wasn’t selling as well as I expected and several months ago, I got one of those awesome emails you get from readers like once in a year. (Or is it a lifetime?)

Anyway, he just flat out told me the book was “close,” but not quite a grand slam. And instead of just complaining about it, he actually had some suggestions. I’ve incorporated some of his suggestions and torn the book apart since hearing the feedback. I’ve also come up with quite a few of my own changes with the benefit of hindsight and a year’s worth of distance from the book.

Bottom line, the book is much better. If you’ve read it, tell your friends it was pretty good but even better now. If you haven’t read it, I’d be honored it you gave it a shot.

Below is the spill on the book, and since you guys are my readers/fans, I’m letting you know that I’ll keep the book on sale for $2.99 for the next three days. Then I’m moving it back to $4.99.

So, go grab a copy if you haven’t already. And here’s the book info:

Dolan has more problems on his plate than you can list on a single page of single-spaced paper, but when the case of a missing seventeen-year-old girl falls in his lap, he answers the call.

Dolan, as a former Army Ranger, is just the kind of guy to volunteer for such a thing.

But he soon learns, as he races to the secluded mountains of North Carolina, that he’s in over his head. There’s a dirty cop involved. The mob, too.

They don’t appreciate a private investigator from Tennessee nosing around in their business. And they’re definitely not going to give up a girl they went to a lot of effort to abduct. So they order a hit on Dolan.

These guys are pro’s and they’ve killed plenty of men in their day. They’re not going to stop until they’ve put Dolan in the ground.

Love you guys.

Semper Fidelis,

Stan R. Mitchell, author and prior Marine, is best known for his Nick Woods Marine Sniper series, which remained in the Top 100 on Amazon for more than three years. The series was also picked up by Audible.com for a multi-book audio deal. Additional works include a detective series, private investigator series, Western thriller, and World War II story. Learn more at http://stanrmitchell.com.

Chase your dreams!

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That’s a whole lot of edits for one day!

I’ve been killing myself today, working on some edits for one of my books. (Look at that pic over there! lol) This is something I’ve spent probably the last month or two on.

A question you might ask yourself is what have you done to chase your dreams? Either today or this week?

Fortune is not something that just happens to us. We have to chase our dreams. We have to work hard on them.

I’m literally re-editing Sold Out, my first book that I published in 2012. I had worked on for ten years prior to publishing it. I’ve re-edited the entire thing probably five or six times since. And I’ve literally reprinted the entire thing out in paper version and I’m doing some re-writes and pretty serious revisions on it.

This is in preparation for Book 5 of the series, which I’ve started. But it’s also because I know I’ve grown as a writer and the new me is WAY better than the old me.

But more than anything else, it’s because I haven’t reached my dreams. I’m guessing you probably haven’t either.

Let’s work hard, people, and get after them! We can achieve our dreams if we just believe in them, work hard, and never give up!

More chi! Train harder!

Stan R. Mitchell

P.S. Please accept the greatest gift I can give, a book I believe to be worth $10,000.

Stan R. Mitchell, author and prior Marine, is best known for his Nick Woods Marine Sniper series, which remained in the Top 100 on Amazon for more than three years. The series was also picked up by Audible.com for a multi-book audio deal. Additional works include a detective series, private investigator series, Western thriller, and World War II story. Learn more at http://stanrmitchell.com.

The Power of Now

It’s dawned on me of late that I’m increasingly the perfect balance (or collision?) between east versus west.

I grew up in a disciplined household with lots of structure. I went into the Marine Corps and got even more structure!!

I followed that with years of extreme ambition. Of starting a company. Of working insane 18-hour days and going nine years with basically just a couple of vacations. I was chasing success and I never really caught it.

And after the exhaustion and burnout finally overtook me, I began moving toward the Eastern mindset. I’ve read dozens (if not a hundred plus) books on Eastern Philosophy.

These days, I’m big-time into mindfulness, living in the moment, and Shaolin Kung Fu. Into smiling, taking deep breaths, and living as if I have less than five minutes remaining in my life.

I know that many people in the West are very familiar with the typical advice and motivation seen in self-help books around here, but I think Eastern Philosophy hasn’t spread (or caught on) as well.

As such, I’ve decided to start a string of blog videos about some of the things I’ve learned, and the things that have really helped me.

Here’s the first video in which I talk about the book called The Power of Now. It’s a book that has really made a huge impact on me. I’ve already uploaded the second video to the series, which helps explain the last point I make in video 1, which I bungle a bit.

Hope you enjoy! And don’t forget to watch Part 2 if you enjoy it! Thanks!

Stan R. Mitchell

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Stan R. Mitchell, author and prior Marine, is best known for his Nick Woods Marine Sniper series, which remained in the Top 100 on Amazon for more than three years. The series was also picked up by Audible.com for a multi-book audio deal. Additional works include a Western thriller, detective series, and World War II story. Learn more at http://stanrmitchell.com.

‘Stolen Daughter’ getting stellar reviews so far

The reviews and feedback that I’ve been getting on my new book “Stolen Daughter” have been great so far! I wanted to thank everyone for all their support to date.

[image error]I also wanted to post about the book one last time as one sharp reader reminded me that I launched the book at about the worst time possible. She told me that I should have been more strategic and delayed the release, since it was the end of summer, school was starting back, and people were too busy to be buying a book.

I’ll admit I never even considered the timing. Hahaha. I also should probably hire her to handle my marketing.

Stolen Daughter is now available for purchase

It’s official! The book is out!

“Stolen Daughter” is now available on Amazon. As a reminder, here’s the book description.

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Ummm… The book is amazing. Buy it. lol

“Stolen Daughter” is a fast-paced private investigator book, about a man named Dolan, who used to serve as a distinguished detective in the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Unfortunately for Dolan, he came home early one day and caught a man in bed with his wife. Dolan, being a former Army Ranger and long-time boxer, didn’t react well to that situation. He beat the man about half to death and in the process, lost his job, his pension, and even custody of his daughter.

Now, he’s moved from Nashville to Knoxville, and he’s trying to get a new private investigator firm off the ground. This is proving far more difficult than he expected because he lacks any contacts in Knoxville and faces several well-established local firms. Worse, he spent his life savings trying (unsuccessfully) to win back custody of his daughter.

This is all bad enough, but things turn worse for him when the case of a missing girl​, who’s likely been abducted,​ falls in his lap. ​

The local cops in the girl’s hometown have already given up on the case and Dolan’s her only chance. But for Dolan, money’s tight. And the aunt of the missing girl is dangerously beautiful.

Dolan begins investigating the case and races to North Carolina to try to save the girl, but soon realizes he’s in over his head. Evidence indicates that he’s up against an organized criminal element that stretches all the way to Las Vegas. And worst of all, they’ve put a hit out on him and even have a dirty cop on their payroll.

Dolan is about to be in the fight of his life.

Two quick administrative points.

First, the book is currently only available as an ebook. That means you can read it on Kindle devices or eReaders, of course, but you can also read it on your phone, tablet, or desktop computer. Just click the image below the price of the book on the right side of the page that says, “READ ON ANY DEVICE.” That will explain how to make it happen. (It’s easy and simple to do, as Amazon makes everything.)

Secondly, there are still a few, small grammatical errors in the book. We’ve had a couple of people with their hands on the book, so those happen. They’re not significant and don’t affect the story in any way, but if grammatical errors bother you, then give me a couple more days to iron all those out.

I’m just, as usual, too excited to get this announced. And I’ve got — thankfully!! — some friends and readers bugging me, asking me when it’ll “finally” be out. So, it’s out.

New book, “Stolen Daughter,” to release soon!!

Hey guys!

[image error]I’m super pumped to announce I’ll soon be releasing a new book! When, you ask?! Soon. (My wife made me swear I wouldn’t give you a date, but soon, I tell you. Soon!)

The book is called “Stolen Daughter,” and here’s the dope on it.

“Stolen Daughter” is a fast-paced private investigator book, about a man named Dolan, who used to serve as a distinguished detective in the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation.

Unfortunately for Dolan, he came home early one day and caught a man in bed with his wife. Dolan, being a former Army Ranger and long-time boxer, didn’t react well to that situation. He beat the man about half to death and in the process, lost his job, his pension, and even custody of his daughter.

Now, he’s moved from Nashville to Knoxville​, and he’s trying to get a new private investigator firm off the ground. This is proving far more difficult than he expected because he lacks any contacts in Knoxville and faces several well-established local firms. Worse, he spent his life savings trying to win back custody of his daughter.

This is all bad enough, but things turn worse for him when the case of a missing girl​, who’s likely been abducted,​ falls in his lap. ​

The local cops have already given up on the case and Dolan’s her only chance. But money’s tight. And the aunt of the missing girl is dangerously beautiful.

Dolan begins investigating the case and races to North Carolina to try to save the girl, but soon realizes he’s in over his head. Evidence points out that he’s up against an organized criminal element that stretches all the way to Las Vegas. And worst of all, they’ve put a hit out on him and even have a dirty cop on their payroll.

Dolan is about to be in the fight of his life.

Stan R. Mitchell

—————————

Stan R. Mitchell, author and prior Marine, is best known for his Nick Woods Marine Sniper series, which remained in the Top 100 on Amazon for more than three years. The series was also picked up by Audible.com for a multi-book audio deal. Additional works include a Western thriller, detective series, and World War II story. Learn more at http://stanrmitchell.com.