Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 57
June 23, 2014
My wife may outsell me…
As an artist — or certainly a writer — one of the most vulnerable and hardest things you can do is share your work. And especially sharing it that first time.
Tonight, my wife Danah completely made my night — maybe my year?! — by showing me her fiction work in progress!!! Oh my word was it good! And it so made my day that she would open herself up to showing me this…
It was truly special that she trusted me enough to show me this. As evidence, consider this: Even Stephen King threw away half of his first book “Carrie,” which his wife discovered discarded in the trash. That book would go on to earn Stephen King $200,000 when its paperback rights were sold.
Danah and I have an amazing marriage, relationship, and friendship, and while I’ve known for a while that she was writing something, to finally get to share that thing that we both love so much — storytelling — I just can’t even put it into words. (And it’s nice to know that not all the pressure to make it big is on Stan-o’s shoulders!)
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
Vince Flynn’s Mitch Rapp series will continue
Big news for all the Vince Flynn fans out there.
It was just announced his Mitch Rapp series will be continued.
Full announcement:
VINCE FLYNN’S MITCH RAPP SERIES WILL CONTINUE;
THE SURVIVOR TENTATIVELY SCHEDULED FOR 2015
Monday, June 23, 2014
The Vince Flynn Estate, along with Emily Bestler, Senior VP and Editor-in-Chief of Emily Bestler Books are excited to announce the decision to continue the Mitch Rapp series.
Bestler, who was Vince Flynn’s only editor throughout his entire career and whose imprint is a division of Simon & Schuster’s Atria Books, signed a three book deal with 47-year-old New York Times bestselling author Kyle Mills.
Mills was first published in 1997 and has penned 13 thrillers, most notably Fade and The Ares Decision.
Mills will complete The Survivor, the book Flynn was writing at the time of his death on June 19, 2013, and then write two additional Mitch Rapp novels. The Survivor is tentatively scheduled to release in the fall of 2015.
“I’m really honored to have been asked to continue the Mitch Rapp series,” Mills said, “Vince was a great guy who helped me out in my career and as a diehard Rapp fan, I know how devastated his readers are. They’re big shoes to fill, but I’m looking forward to the challenge of continuing an iconic thriller character.”
“Vince and Mitch Rapp are so beloved by readers,” Bestler said, “It’s wonderful that we’ve found just the right partner to uphold the legacy of both.”
“To Vince’s wonderful fans, thank you for your love, support and patience, ” Vince’s widow, Lysa Flynn said, ” Vince was very proud of his team and we are confident that Kyle Mills will be a great addition. God bless and keep the faith!”
Pocket Books will be the paperback publisher of all three books, which will also be available from Simon & Schuster Audio and from Simon & Schuster UK in the UK, Australia, India and New Zealand.
For those who don’t know, Vince Flynn is by far one of my favorite authors.
And I haven’t read any books by Kyle Mills yet. Have any of you?
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 20, 2014
Single-tasking Is the New Multitasking
Oh, my, was this video made for me… (Hat tip @johngerzema)
https://twitter.com/johngerzema/status/479694196614627328
So, my fellow members of Mitchell’s Militia… Who’s going to admit they have a similar problem? And what’s your best example? (I was going to name a great example myself, but can’t think of a perfect one off the top of my head. There are sooo many. For example, I just counted and I currently have 13 tabs open right now, so I definitely have a problem…)
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 18, 2014
ISIS: This too shall pass
Interesting argument below by the Director of Global Security Studies at Johns Hopkins University. He states we don’t need to worry too much about the ISIS in Iraq.
I’ve got to say, he makes some great points and pulls together a pretty compelling case, in my opinion.
What do you guys think? (And let’s keep the Bush and Obama bashing as limited — and respectful — as possible.)
Keep the faith, my fellow members of Mitchell’s Militia,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 17, 2014
Ray Lewis inspirational speech
I needed this video below, badly.
I got two friends in tough circumstances. I got more burdens on me than I feel like even dealing with — you know what it’s like when you have so many things to do that they just overwhelm you and you usually fail to even do one of them…
And I was feeling tired and lethargic and soft and stuck and lame — like this really lame sentence.
I watched the video below about thirty minutes ago and I’ve been attacking the push ups, the pull up bar, and the heavy bag ever since.
It’s easy to mock motivational videos. It’s even easier to say your situation will never change. But we can all affect our destiny at any given moment. No, we can’t all become Michael Jordan or Ray Lewis. But we can all reach for that extra ten percent. For that extra inch right in front of our face.
Do it for your family. Do it for friends. Do it for yourself.
Keep the faith, my fellow members of Mitchell’s Militia,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 16, 2014
Sometimes we crash — Two important life lessons
Fellow blogger Britt Skrabanek shared a beautiful story a couple of weeks back that ended with two of the most important life lessons that I can think of.
Make sure you check it out if you get a moment.
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 13, 2014
A Marine veteran of Iraq shares his views of the current situation
As the ISIS moves closer and closer to Baghdad, Iraq descends faster and faster toward all-out civil war.
There have been lots of opinions (or takes) on the situation. From some wanting America to being airstrikes against the ISIS to others wanting us to stay out of it, the rhetoric has been hot and wide-ranging.
I wanted to share parts of a Marine’s perspective on it. (Keep in mind, this Marine served two tours in Iraq…)
“I’ve had my share of anger and disillusionment over the events that have unfolded in Iraq this week. There’s so much to be said about it that I don’t really even know how to express it. I never went to Afghanistan, but between my two deployments, I spent a year of my life in Iraq. Like many Marines and Soldiers that found themselves in that tumultuous little country over the last decade, a small piece of me will forever remain there.”
…
“I’ve seen a lot of Iraq veterans express remorse over their lost brethren in the country, given the current state of affairs. Many of them feel like it was all for naught at this point.”
…
“It was the bad war. It was the war that no one wants to take credit for. It’s the war everyone tries to forget.
“Yet myself and thousands of others were there, and we can’t forget.
“I feel disappointment on many levels in these recent events. On one hand, I want to blame ourselves for pulling out too early. On the other, the country of Iraq has simply been mismanaged. It also disturbs me that the Iraqi army and security forces are simply laying down their arms, tossing their uniforms and giving up. It’s a troubling situation all around. Still, at the end of the day and politics aside, it is really the people that are suffering. The ISIS forces have been brutal, and up to 500,000 Iraqis have been displaced from their homes in Mosul alone.”
“… the President just announced that we will not be putting any boots on the ground. More than likely for the best.”
You can read his full thoughts on the matter at: Terminal Lance “Operation Iraqi Shitstorm.”
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 12, 2014
A small reminder about our elected officials
Earlier today, I noticed on my Twitter feed the following post by CNN reporter Jake Tapper:
https://twitter.com/jaketapper/status/477158775166869504
So, I see this tweet of his, and I immediately think, “Wonder what these blowhards think about the situation?”
Given that I didn’t recognize either of the names, I clicked to see their Twitter profiles.
What I saw stunned me.
Go ahead and do so. I’ll wait.
Click: https://twitter.com/TulsiGabbard. Read her bio on the left, under the picture.
And now click: https://twitter.com/RepKinzinger. Same thing: Read his bio.
Pretty amazing, huh?
Two veterans of the Iraq war, who completely don’t fit my profile of a member of Congress. (A surfer? An Air National Guard pilot?)
And seeing these two atypical members gives me great hope. I don’t know their voting backgrounds. I don’t know their beliefs. But it’s nice to see that we have a couple of war veterans who appear real and down to earth. COMPLETELY, so. (Go ahead, read some of their tweets. Glance at the pics they’ve posted.)
This entire exercise reminds me that we need to balance out our negative thoughts of Congress. I know we’re all totally inundated 24/7 with talk about what losers and dirtbags we have serving. And this is usually followed by some horrendous portrayal of a few extreme members of the right or left.
And this view, reinforced day in and day out, can cause us all to grow concerned. Or angry. Or uncaring, because it all seems so impossible to fix.
But I try to hold to the idea that America has always found young leaders (or old leaders pulled out of retirement) who have stepped up and helped our country in its darkest days.
Seeing these two profiles, I’m reminded that our future crop of leaders is out there. (Or maybe it’s time a tried and true one returned to the fray.)
And this feeling of hope is a good feeling to have.
That’s my positive thought for the day. Dismiss it if you choose.
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 9, 2014
Sgt Major of Parris Island resigns following altercation with protester
Dear faithful members of Mitchell’s Militia,
This entire story makes me sad: Sergeant Major of Parris Island recruit depot resigns following altercation with protester.
I can remember getting pissed at Staff NCOs when I was in, who were enforcing — at times — ridiculous civilian attire standards even while off base.
But it breaks my heart to know this Sgt Major will soon no longer have a Corps to serve. And having myself gone through the brutal adjustment required to become a civilian, I can assure you that this man is headed for at least two to five years of serious pain and hell. (And honestly, I believe people who serve 20+ years and make a career of it have it even harder making that adjustment.)
Sergeant Major, thank you for your years of incredible service. You may have over-reacted, as even some Marines are saying, but your passion and love for the Corps motivate me to no end. And if that were my base and someone had been doing the same thing right out front of it — especially after I called them at their home the night prior — I would have done the same thing or much worse.
I might be wrong — I frequently am — but I’ll bet you in ten or fifteen years, that former DI feels bad about this entire episode. I understand why he was protesting the trade made by Obama, and I’ll bet he’s still super angry at the Sgt Major, but with about ten years and some distance from the event, I’m betting he’ll wish things had gone down differently.
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
June 8, 2014
On this day in 1995, Marines rescued Captain Scott O’Grady
This was such a big day in modern Marine Corps history.
On this day in 1995, Marines rescued downed U.S. Air Force Pilot Captain Scott O’Grady.
Bosnian Serbs shot down O’Grady, who was part of a peacekeeping mission over Bosnia, nearly a week earlier.
O’Grady spent six days hiding, eating leaves and bugs.
I remember this time well, as by that point, CNN was in probably its apex of power (following the Gulf War in ’91).
And Americans were riveted to the news, worried to death about O’Grady. (Two years later, I’d get the pleasure of sitting off the Bosnian coast for 45 days before later flying into Albania. But that’s just a footnote to this story that matters greatly to me, and absolutely none at all to others.)
I’ll never forget O’Grady returning, the photos and video shots, and the interviews. He was considered such a hero and it’s just one of those iconic things I’ll probably remember forty years from now…
Keep the faith,
Stan R. Mitchell
Oak Ridge, Tenn.
P.S. Please consider subscribing for email alerts of new posts.
If you enjoy fast-paced books, you just might like my works. “Sold Out” tracks the life of a legendary Marine Sniper after a CIA unit decides to kill him for reasons of national security. “Little Man, and the Dixon County War” tells the uphill fight a young deputy faces after finding himself in the sights of a mighty cattle baron. And “Soldier On,” a short novel, follows the lives of several German soldiers in a depleted infantry company trying to make it through the final, miserable months of World War II.
