Stan R. Mitchell's Blog, page 59

Gen. Zinni and I go way back…

Wow! Just saw this link below!!!

Yes, yours truly is being quoted as part of the editorial reviews for this hardcover book that was just published out of New York. If you flatter me enough to look, click on the link and scroll down to “Editorial Reviews” and I’m the fifth one down. And for those keeping track, that’s only:

[ ] Three down from Gen Anthony Zinni, former CENTCOM Commander.

[ ] Two down from Small Wars Journal.

[ ] One down below War on the Rocks, an influential magazine for analysis, commentary, and debate on foreign policy and national security issues.

Then, there’s me. Yes, little ole’ me. They quoted from a book review I wrote a couple months ago.

Now, I could pretend they asked me to quote that, or orchestrated the words I wrote, or even, well, even just informed me they were going to use it because I mattered that much! lol : )

But the truth is they didn’t. So, I’m not like VIP, big shot yet, but man, quoted on the same page as Gen. Zinni?

Or, even quoted at all as if I matter?

I’ll take it!!!!!

And in all seriousness, I owe you guys.

My book sales have set an all-time record this month, and there’s still like five days left to go and I haven’t even dropped my next novel Mexican Heat down yet. So, a super huge (SUPER, SUPER HUGE) thank you to all those who have believed in me, supported me, read me, touted me, and shared me!

Thankfully, my sales and fiction career continue to climb nicely and I’m as hungry and motivated as ever. Look out fiction world! The little engine that could is about to bust out onto the scene big time!

Thanks again everyone for letting me jabber on about this. And I apologize for being so dad-gone excited about it! I feel as excited as the time I talked back and forth with a Three-Star General in January of last year!

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

How to beat stress and boost happiness

Here’s a great visual chart on beating stress and boosting happiness that’s a quick read. (It’ll take you just two or three minutes, most likely.)

How to beat stress and boost happiness.

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

“Little Man, and the Dixon County War” earns a sweet write-up/review

Western Fiction Review wrote up a sweet review of “Little Man, and the Dixon County War.”

The website wrote:

“If it’s action you want in a western then this book should be on your too read list. Descriptions of places and people are kept to a minimum so the story moves swiftly from one fight to the next. With the hero Paul, Little Man, Zachary going up against one hundred adversaries you don’t need me to tell you that this book contains an impressive death toll.

“… taking on such a large number of gunhands does force him to round up a very small number of men to ride with him and these men are great characters in themselves.

“The story is gritty and held my attention well and on reaching the end I was left hoping Stan R. Mitchell will write a sequel soon.”

You can read the full review here: Western Fiction Review’s of Little Man and the Dixon County War.

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

U.S. Special Forces struggle with record number of suicides

I wasn’t happy to see this story come across my radar.

U.S. Special Forces struggle with record number of suicides.

The U.S. has almost 60,000 service members across the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps special operations commands and the article lists two primary reasons the suicides are so high:

“Members of the closely knit special operations community often fear that disclosing their symptoms will end their careers.”
“Additionally, the shrinking size of the U.S. armed forces has put additional pressure on soldiers, whose sense of community and self-identity is often closely tied to their military service.”

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

Need some motivation? Take some motivation.

You guys know I’m always trying to share motivational stuff. Probably a few of you have become cynical. Frankly, I fight that feeling at least once a week.

But I’m here to tell you that I strongly believe we must exercise our minds (and our belief systems) as much as we should exercise our bodies.

So, if you need some motivation? Take some motivation. If you don’t need any motivation. Or think it’s not worth believing all things are possible, then pass on taking some motivation.

I just finished watching this, and it helped. I have it saved and I’ve watched it at least a dozen times (along with many others).

And every, single, time, it, helps.

Motivation. Faith. Belief systems. These are like exercises that must be practiced. Watching this video is like doing a set. You need to do sets and just like when you exercise in the gym, you don’t just do bench press one time in your life. You revisit it. Often.

So, watch the video. Often.

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

Epic Rap Battles: Special Forces vs MARSOC

Okay, if you’re a Marine or spent some time in the Army or military and care about the various special forces units, then you’ll love this video. It’s epic.

But if you’re a civilian and have no knowledge about the fierce competition between the elite units of our armed forces, and if you don’t know any of the hundreds of military acronyms, and if you’re easily offended by profanity or the fact that we still train amazingly talented killers, then just go ahead and skip this. Trust me. You’ll hate it or wonder what the big deal is.

With all the warnings out of the way, I present to you:

Epic Rap Battles: Army Special Forces vs MARSOC

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

An update on my life and some motivation

Hey guys!

First, I just wanted to give you all a quick update. I managed to get super lucky and land a great job, which I’m really loving. Needless to say — as evidenced by the lack of posts of late — I’ve been running 90 mph trying to wrap up closing my company and throwing myself hard into a major project that I was hired for in my new company.

But I love the job, it’s an important effort that could help a lot of people, and I’m working with a great company. Best of all, I’m getting to work with some very talented people and it’s so nice to try to keep up and learn from people who are smarter than you. (I know that’s all vague, but I’m not sure what I’m allowed to post about the company or effort, so that’s the way it’s going to have to be for a while. Just know that I’m happy and being well taken care of.)

Secondly, who couldn’t use some awesome motivation, right?

Check this guy out: ’Age is nothing but a state of mind’: The 70-year-old body builder whose abs put men half his age to shame.

This man, and his philosophy on life, on work, and on exercise, is just motivating beyond belief. Just read his story if you get just a couple of minutes. It will motivate you and feed your soul, your heart, and your mind. We all need that, so read it and then go get some.

Finally, I wanted to say that I appreciate every single one of you — even those of you who are far smarter than me and leave comments that constantly remind me of my quite average IQ and very limited world knowledge! : )

But, seriously, your friendship, your encouragement, and your wisdom that you’ve shared on so many of my posts have meant a lot to me.

I’ll get back to throwing myself into Mexican Heat soon, and those final edits will get done. These whole “major life transitions” are a bit hard. : )

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

Some impressive writing from Robert B. Parker

One thing I’ve been meaning to do for a while is post some impressive writing that I come across. You know, the kind that makes you go, wo-ah, and yank out an ink pen and start underlining.

These posts on great writing will come in no particular order, and just because this is first, doesn’t mean I’m saying it’s the best. But, a man’s got to start somewhere and I have no idea what the best passage I’ve ever read is anyway…

Anyway, here’s one from a couple of weeks ago that I had meant to post when I read it. It’s from Robert B. Parker’s book ”Night Passage.” This scene is of the main character, Jesse Stone, driving across the country to his new job, following his divorce. Thus, he’s nostalgic and thinking too much as he leaves California and heads east.

“It was impossible to drive across the country without imagining Indians and cavalry and wagon trains and mountain men, and Wells Fargo and the Union Pacific. Deerskin trousers and coats made of buffalo hide and long rifles and traps and whiskey and Indians. Bowie knives. Beaver traps. Buffalo as far as you could look. White-faced cattle. Chuck wagons. Six-guns with smooth handles. Horse and man seemingly like one animal as they moved across the landscape. Hats and kerchiefs and Winchester rifles and the creak of saddles and the smell of bacon and coffee.”

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

17 Og Mandino quotes to move and inspire you

Mondays are always tough, and I believe we must work out our minds as much as we must work out our bodies.

So, here are 17 Og Mandino quotes to move and inspire you.

Have a favorite quote you live by and think of often? Add it below, please!

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.

This map shows what the loss of Crimea really means for Ukraine

I don’t intend to post much more about the Ukrainian situation, unless something major happens, but this map/illustration below is an absolute must see if you’re interested in the value, size, and make up of Crimea/Ukraine. (The map is even super-imposed over America to help give you an idea of the size of the place.)

Here’s the map, and believe me it sums up weeks of reading or watching of news: What the loss of Crimea really means for Ukraine.

Keep the faith,

Stan R. Mitchell

Oak Ridge, Tenn.

P.S. 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 surviving three years of war only to find 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.