Timothy H. Cook's Blog, page 6
April 27, 2016
Abstract vs Concrete
This has been quite a time for me. There have been some dramatic changes at work, which have gotten me thinking about a lot of what is important to me. I won't bore you with details, but these past two weeks have left me feeling emotionally a bit ragged.
And what have I been thinking about? That is difficult to put into words, so I thought that I would use the nonverbal part of my thinking to illustrate. I'll give you an example.
Here is a photo which I took a while ago, while we were in Utah, at Zion National Park. The photo is all right, but what is it a photograph OF? Well, there are trees, rocks, mountains and sky. But it is not actually a photo of anything in particular. Because it is actually a photo which incorporates all the elements into a design, which is truly nonverbal. If you look at the colors, and the design, without thinking of those particulars, then you get what I got, as I looked into the viewfinder, and snapped the picture.
Now here is another example of what I have been doing of late.
This is a painting which I recently finished, and you would definitely not be asking what it is a painting OF. As such, it is purely and simply a design. There may be recognizable elements in the painting, but it would be missing the point to ask what it represents, apart from its color and design. Now, it is of some interest that both the photograph and the painting are somewhat similar in design. But more to the point, how do each make you feel? What is it about the color schemes that draw your eye?
Which brings me around to my original point about thoughts, and to the nonverbal or more abstract ways of thinking. And it often to those deep places in music and space where I retire when the very verbal and structural world around me begins to make little sense.
Just a thought, eh?
And what have I been thinking about? That is difficult to put into words, so I thought that I would use the nonverbal part of my thinking to illustrate. I'll give you an example.
Here is a photo which I took a while ago, while we were in Utah, at Zion National Park. The photo is all right, but what is it a photograph OF? Well, there are trees, rocks, mountains and sky. But it is not actually a photo of anything in particular. Because it is actually a photo which incorporates all the elements into a design, which is truly nonverbal. If you look at the colors, and the design, without thinking of those particulars, then you get what I got, as I looked into the viewfinder, and snapped the picture.Now here is another example of what I have been doing of late.
This is a painting which I recently finished, and you would definitely not be asking what it is a painting OF. As such, it is purely and simply a design. There may be recognizable elements in the painting, but it would be missing the point to ask what it represents, apart from its color and design. Now, it is of some interest that both the photograph and the painting are somewhat similar in design. But more to the point, how do each make you feel? What is it about the color schemes that draw your eye?Which brings me around to my original point about thoughts, and to the nonverbal or more abstract ways of thinking. And it often to those deep places in music and space where I retire when the very verbal and structural world around me begins to make little sense.
Just a thought, eh?
April 19, 2016
Here's a little taste of what's coming up.
For those of you who may be wondering just what I've been up to all this time, well here's a brief sample of what Center Game (Heir of Drachma, Book Two) contains. This is from Chapter One:
Heir of Drachma Book Two Center Game
Chapter One
Even to the alchemist, the underground enclosure reeked – of all the years of foul things, done in the name of captivity. It was almost too much, with the stench and nausea increasing the stress of his own captivity. He was down here, as was the lass. He couldn’t even imagine why the men brought her down here. The only light that reached them came from a torch which was close to the entrance to the underground cavern. Gently, he spoke to her.
“Lassie,” he said, “What is your name?”
The girl turned her head toward the tall man who was sitting down on the lone piece of furniture, an old wine cask.
“Me name’s Lisa,” she uttered, her voice hoarse from crying.
“Now Lisa, can ye tell me who your parents be?”
“Me Mum’s named Sylvie, an’ we’re stayin’ at the big house up by the castle.”
“And yer Papa…?”
“Don’ know me Papa.”
“Then who be the man you’re staying with at the mansion?”
“Name’s Patronis… Emile Patronis.”
That name stung him. And he had no way of conveying that information to Craycroft.
“Now I’m not goin’ to be in trouble, am I? Me Mum said I was not to tell…”
“Ah, nay, m’lass. You’re not going to get into trouble – not any more trouble than we’re both in right now. My name’s Melchior. And I’m an alchemist… do you know what an alchemist is?”
Melchior could tell that Lisa was relaxing her guard.
“Nay, I know not. What is an al… alche…?”
“An alchemist. What I do is to mix potions – ye know, if ye’re sick and such. These potions help ye heal.”
“D’ye make magic?”
“Nay, lassie, not magic”
“Too bad…”
“Well, I shall try to keep you safe, even though I have no magic.”
Over the next hour, Melchior found out that Lisa and her mother had been in the village of Armaugh, and had tried to find work. Ever since the inn burned down, and they were left destitute, they had been trying anything and everything, and then along came this Patronis fellow, with a plan. If they would pretend to be his wife and daughter, he could find work for them, and they agreed.
She could tell that he was an educated man, by the way he talked, but he pretended to be a simpleton, from the country, and the work they found was at the mansion. There were two men, a Master Guarneri, and a Master LeGace who set them up in their work, and were their employers. It all seemed to go along just fine, until those men just burst into the house, and took her away from her Mum. And then she discovered that it was Master LeGace who was in charge, and brought her over here. She just couldn’t understand what Master LeGace would want with her.
Anyway, here they were, at least for now. With the possibility of escape highly unlikely, they seemed to be at the mercy of their captors. They were on Dunnigan’s Isle – that much Melchior knew - but more than that he could not tell. This underground place had obviously been used over the years to ply the trades of trappers, hunters, and obviously tanners. There were some things from which the smells never seemed to disappear, and tanning hides was one of them.
Lisa and Melchior had been brought to the island, just as dawn was breaking, and then they were marched through the forest to this place. The house looked no more than a small, unkempt cottage. And there were but a handful of men guarding the premises. But they were taken into the back of the house, where there was a small entryway, which led down into the earth. They were each given a small, stale roll, and a bowl of porridge, and then the doorway was sealed. It seemed hours ago, but who could tell, as there was no light, beyond the torch.
Melchior could do nothing, except talk to the girl, to keep her safe, but he was not at all certain if he could even do that. This was so like the Antoine LeGace he remembered, a man evil to the core, who thought nothing of treating his subjects with utter disdain. If there were anything at all he could do, but there seemed to be nothing. The time dragged on and on.
Eventually, the door opened, and a couple of burly men came down the walkway, and brought with them a fairly large container of water, with a single metal cup. They set the vessel down in their midst. While one of the men replaced the sputtering torch, the other informed them of the rules the two of them were to obey.
“Now ye’ll be here as our prisoners as long as Master LeGace wants. And, as prisoners, ye’ll have no access to the outside, for any reason. We’ll be feedin’ ye twice a day. And any attempt at escape, shall be met with death. Is that understood?”
“Oh, aye,” answered Melchior. But he was thinking of what he could do. For the boredom alone would be a sentence as stiff as any other he could think about.
“Very well,” said their captor, as he turned to leave. The doorway shut again with a reverberating thud.
For a while afterward, Melchior and Lisa just sat, and eventually Melchior got up, and went over to the water vessel, and got a cup full of water, and took it over to Lisa, who was crying again, and said, “Here, Lisa. Take some of the water. I know that you must ache from thirst.”
She took the cup of water, and between sobs, drank it down.
And Melchior silently prayed. He prayed for the safety of Lisa, and he prayed for his own wife and child. And also for himself, that he be granted some semblance of grace to withstand what appeared to be this mind-numbing imprisonment.
Heir of Drachma Book Two Center Game
Chapter One
Even to the alchemist, the underground enclosure reeked – of all the years of foul things, done in the name of captivity. It was almost too much, with the stench and nausea increasing the stress of his own captivity. He was down here, as was the lass. He couldn’t even imagine why the men brought her down here. The only light that reached them came from a torch which was close to the entrance to the underground cavern. Gently, he spoke to her.
“Lassie,” he said, “What is your name?”
The girl turned her head toward the tall man who was sitting down on the lone piece of furniture, an old wine cask.
“Me name’s Lisa,” she uttered, her voice hoarse from crying.
“Now Lisa, can ye tell me who your parents be?”
“Me Mum’s named Sylvie, an’ we’re stayin’ at the big house up by the castle.”
“And yer Papa…?”
“Don’ know me Papa.”
“Then who be the man you’re staying with at the mansion?”
“Name’s Patronis… Emile Patronis.”
That name stung him. And he had no way of conveying that information to Craycroft.
“Now I’m not goin’ to be in trouble, am I? Me Mum said I was not to tell…”
“Ah, nay, m’lass. You’re not going to get into trouble – not any more trouble than we’re both in right now. My name’s Melchior. And I’m an alchemist… do you know what an alchemist is?”
Melchior could tell that Lisa was relaxing her guard.
“Nay, I know not. What is an al… alche…?”
“An alchemist. What I do is to mix potions – ye know, if ye’re sick and such. These potions help ye heal.”
“D’ye make magic?”
“Nay, lassie, not magic”
“Too bad…”
“Well, I shall try to keep you safe, even though I have no magic.”
Over the next hour, Melchior found out that Lisa and her mother had been in the village of Armaugh, and had tried to find work. Ever since the inn burned down, and they were left destitute, they had been trying anything and everything, and then along came this Patronis fellow, with a plan. If they would pretend to be his wife and daughter, he could find work for them, and they agreed.
She could tell that he was an educated man, by the way he talked, but he pretended to be a simpleton, from the country, and the work they found was at the mansion. There were two men, a Master Guarneri, and a Master LeGace who set them up in their work, and were their employers. It all seemed to go along just fine, until those men just burst into the house, and took her away from her Mum. And then she discovered that it was Master LeGace who was in charge, and brought her over here. She just couldn’t understand what Master LeGace would want with her.
Anyway, here they were, at least for now. With the possibility of escape highly unlikely, they seemed to be at the mercy of their captors. They were on Dunnigan’s Isle – that much Melchior knew - but more than that he could not tell. This underground place had obviously been used over the years to ply the trades of trappers, hunters, and obviously tanners. There were some things from which the smells never seemed to disappear, and tanning hides was one of them.
Lisa and Melchior had been brought to the island, just as dawn was breaking, and then they were marched through the forest to this place. The house looked no more than a small, unkempt cottage. And there were but a handful of men guarding the premises. But they were taken into the back of the house, where there was a small entryway, which led down into the earth. They were each given a small, stale roll, and a bowl of porridge, and then the doorway was sealed. It seemed hours ago, but who could tell, as there was no light, beyond the torch.
Melchior could do nothing, except talk to the girl, to keep her safe, but he was not at all certain if he could even do that. This was so like the Antoine LeGace he remembered, a man evil to the core, who thought nothing of treating his subjects with utter disdain. If there were anything at all he could do, but there seemed to be nothing. The time dragged on and on.
Eventually, the door opened, and a couple of burly men came down the walkway, and brought with them a fairly large container of water, with a single metal cup. They set the vessel down in their midst. While one of the men replaced the sputtering torch, the other informed them of the rules the two of them were to obey.
“Now ye’ll be here as our prisoners as long as Master LeGace wants. And, as prisoners, ye’ll have no access to the outside, for any reason. We’ll be feedin’ ye twice a day. And any attempt at escape, shall be met with death. Is that understood?”
“Oh, aye,” answered Melchior. But he was thinking of what he could do. For the boredom alone would be a sentence as stiff as any other he could think about.
“Very well,” said their captor, as he turned to leave. The doorway shut again with a reverberating thud.
For a while afterward, Melchior and Lisa just sat, and eventually Melchior got up, and went over to the water vessel, and got a cup full of water, and took it over to Lisa, who was crying again, and said, “Here, Lisa. Take some of the water. I know that you must ache from thirst.”
She took the cup of water, and between sobs, drank it down.
And Melchior silently prayed. He prayed for the safety of Lisa, and he prayed for his own wife and child. And also for himself, that he be granted some semblance of grace to withstand what appeared to be this mind-numbing imprisonment.
March 13, 2016
Fans vs patients - what is the distinction?
As I'm getting ready to go back to my day job (as a physician), and getting ready to leave my avocation (as a writer), some thoughts occurred to me. And the thoughts had to do with a couple of rather distinct groups of people, who share some similarities, and rather profound differences.
Now let me make myself clear - this is my own thinking, and others have some definite differences of opinion. First let me tell you about my patients. It used to be, when I first started in medicine, that I "grew" a group of people whom I considered my patients, and who in turn, considered me their own doctor. These people were extremely highly regarded, and I would do anything at all for them, which included getting up at all hours of the night to see to their needs. These persons were, in turn, extremely loyal, and remarkably forgiving. I did get paid to take care of them, and they were by and large willing to pay for my services. I did get to know them and their families, and together we weathered some remarkable times.
That was then - and now things are quite different. Somewhere along the way, it got to be apparent that things were going to have to change. The reasons for the change were subtle at first, and became much less so as time went by. I found myself an employee of a hospital, and as such, the payment for my services became very indirect and extremely impersonal. Yet I was still putting in very long hours, and getting paid less each year for doing so. And I had to make a decision as to whether I wanted to continue to practice office-based medicine (and as such retain my long -term relationship with my patients), or whether to go to strictly a hospital only practice, and to give up the long-term relationships I had so assiduously developed. Well, I made the leap to hospital-based medicine, and in doing so the fact of being "my patient" became a remarkably evanescent thing. And now, it is even more evanescent, as I'm working shifts, and I "hand off" my patients to another hospitalist coming on. This has some good things going for it - mainly that there is always a physician on site to care for the patient's needs. But it also has some definite drawbacks in terms of relationships.
Now I just came back from the national meeting of The Society of Hospital Medicine, and it turns out that there are now roughly 52,000 + hospital-based medical practitioners (how I despise that term) in the USA. And one of the things that was stressed repeatedly is how we now practice evidence-based medicine, and how this will improve patient outcomes, and lead to more satisfied "consumers." Now, thinking back to when I got started, people were much more satisfied then with their medical care, and if they, for some reason or other, did not get along with their doctor, they could find another. Contrast that with the sick patient who is hospitalized today, and finds that "his or her doctor" does not admit patients to the hospital, and that he or she will be at the mercy of someone who very likely has never seen them before, and they have essentially no say in the matter.
Contrast that with my other vocation as a writer. Here we have a multitude of people who have an alarming number of choices, and a few of them become "my fans." This is purely a matter of choice, and if I continue to produce printed material that they like, they will continue to be my fans. It was refreshing to go to a book signing event this past weekend at which several persons identified themselves as my fans, and eagerly bought my next book. And I was thinking, perhaps it was this which I had been seeking since embarking on this road trip I like to refer to as becoming an author.
Oddly, it felt somewhat the same as it did when I first left residency, and developed my own patient base. Very strange...
Now let me make myself clear - this is my own thinking, and others have some definite differences of opinion. First let me tell you about my patients. It used to be, when I first started in medicine, that I "grew" a group of people whom I considered my patients, and who in turn, considered me their own doctor. These people were extremely highly regarded, and I would do anything at all for them, which included getting up at all hours of the night to see to their needs. These persons were, in turn, extremely loyal, and remarkably forgiving. I did get paid to take care of them, and they were by and large willing to pay for my services. I did get to know them and their families, and together we weathered some remarkable times.
That was then - and now things are quite different. Somewhere along the way, it got to be apparent that things were going to have to change. The reasons for the change were subtle at first, and became much less so as time went by. I found myself an employee of a hospital, and as such, the payment for my services became very indirect and extremely impersonal. Yet I was still putting in very long hours, and getting paid less each year for doing so. And I had to make a decision as to whether I wanted to continue to practice office-based medicine (and as such retain my long -term relationship with my patients), or whether to go to strictly a hospital only practice, and to give up the long-term relationships I had so assiduously developed. Well, I made the leap to hospital-based medicine, and in doing so the fact of being "my patient" became a remarkably evanescent thing. And now, it is even more evanescent, as I'm working shifts, and I "hand off" my patients to another hospitalist coming on. This has some good things going for it - mainly that there is always a physician on site to care for the patient's needs. But it also has some definite drawbacks in terms of relationships.
Now I just came back from the national meeting of The Society of Hospital Medicine, and it turns out that there are now roughly 52,000 + hospital-based medical practitioners (how I despise that term) in the USA. And one of the things that was stressed repeatedly is how we now practice evidence-based medicine, and how this will improve patient outcomes, and lead to more satisfied "consumers." Now, thinking back to when I got started, people were much more satisfied then with their medical care, and if they, for some reason or other, did not get along with their doctor, they could find another. Contrast that with the sick patient who is hospitalized today, and finds that "his or her doctor" does not admit patients to the hospital, and that he or she will be at the mercy of someone who very likely has never seen them before, and they have essentially no say in the matter.
Contrast that with my other vocation as a writer. Here we have a multitude of people who have an alarming number of choices, and a few of them become "my fans." This is purely a matter of choice, and if I continue to produce printed material that they like, they will continue to be my fans. It was refreshing to go to a book signing event this past weekend at which several persons identified themselves as my fans, and eagerly bought my next book. And I was thinking, perhaps it was this which I had been seeking since embarking on this road trip I like to refer to as becoming an author.
Oddly, it felt somewhat the same as it did when I first left residency, and developed my own patient base. Very strange...
February 18, 2016
Guido Sarducci, where are you?
Sometimes the things I've got to do are the cause of sleepless nights and enough daytime stress to ruin my week.
Just this week, I had to let one of my colleagues go. And what made things worse was that he 's a really nice guy. I kept telling myself that if he were a real obnoxious dirtbag, things would be easier. But then I was reminded of other occasions where I've had to let go of some other folks who were either not so nice, or truly incompetent, and still it was never easy. It seems that I'm just not one of those Donald Trump or Godfather types, who have no compunction about telling someone that they're fired, or to just let Guido take care of it.
And this whole thing got me thinking again about medicine, and what it has become. Back when I first went into the practice of medicine (in 1981), I remember that I was astonished, having just come from a University training program, that I was respected, just by being a doctor. I will admit, that I did go through a long program of training, and I was now 30 years old. But I was actually incredulous that nurses, lab techs, X-ray techs, and administrators (there were only one or two per hospital in those days) actually listened to what I had to say, and trusted my judgment in medical matters. This had not been true of residency at all, where we were the butt of nursing jokes, and generally looked down upon by any and all persons in the hospital setting, and especially by the attending physicians, who would make their thrice weekly appearances on the wards. There existed a hierarchy of respect, where the attending physicians were the top dogs, and all the other persons were scrambling about in their respective niches, trying to establish themselves. And at the bottom of that pile of humanity were the very lowly residents and interns.
Then when I stepped out into the world of medicine outside of the University, I was an attending physician, suddenly on top of the pile. It took some time for me to adjust.
But what about today? How has that all changed, and why? Now at the top of the hierarchy sit the CEO, the CFO, the CNO and the other occupants of the C-suite. Below them are the "midlevel managers," which include the directors of Quality, Safety, Coding, Billing, Medical records, Computer systems, and the innumerable persons whose job it is to determine whether the actions of physicians meet national standards of quality. Below them are the nurses, who may not realize it (based on salaries), but whose position is that above doctors. And I would note that nurses have their own hierarchy. With the ICU nurses on top, then the OR and ER nurses, and the run-of-the-mill floor nurses.
Now, down near the bottom are the doctors - there among the dietary staff, the environmental (housekeeping) crew, the maintenance staff, and the secretarial staff. And as physicians, we typically have to answer to all those above us in this mad food chain which we call hospital medicine. Nothing really changed as far as physicians themselves (other than residencies have now become too bland), but the world of medicine has changed dramatically. Gone are the days when a physician could just "hang up a shingle" and begin the practice of medicine. Faced with seemingly endless protocols for certain diagnostic entities, as well as the increasing pressure to produce a record of unyielding and unreadable stuff on every patient admitted, which is really only intelligible to medical record clerks and lawyers; physicians have become another cog in this great wheel of managed, scrutinized and frustrating "medical care."
So lies my dilemma. What do you do with a physician who has been deemed (mostly by the nursing staff) to be practicing medicine that is "not up to par?" It seems that there is no wiggle room any more. A physician can no longer have a "bad day." He can no longer be too tired, too stressed, or too fed up with all this. He must practice only elite medicine, be perpetually up, permanently smiling, and pleasant in the extreme.
I do have some thoughts on the origin of all this, but that will be for a later blog post. Right now
I'm looking for Guido Sarducci. I've got a task or two for him to carry out...
Just this week, I had to let one of my colleagues go. And what made things worse was that he 's a really nice guy. I kept telling myself that if he were a real obnoxious dirtbag, things would be easier. But then I was reminded of other occasions where I've had to let go of some other folks who were either not so nice, or truly incompetent, and still it was never easy. It seems that I'm just not one of those Donald Trump or Godfather types, who have no compunction about telling someone that they're fired, or to just let Guido take care of it.
And this whole thing got me thinking again about medicine, and what it has become. Back when I first went into the practice of medicine (in 1981), I remember that I was astonished, having just come from a University training program, that I was respected, just by being a doctor. I will admit, that I did go through a long program of training, and I was now 30 years old. But I was actually incredulous that nurses, lab techs, X-ray techs, and administrators (there were only one or two per hospital in those days) actually listened to what I had to say, and trusted my judgment in medical matters. This had not been true of residency at all, where we were the butt of nursing jokes, and generally looked down upon by any and all persons in the hospital setting, and especially by the attending physicians, who would make their thrice weekly appearances on the wards. There existed a hierarchy of respect, where the attending physicians were the top dogs, and all the other persons were scrambling about in their respective niches, trying to establish themselves. And at the bottom of that pile of humanity were the very lowly residents and interns.
Then when I stepped out into the world of medicine outside of the University, I was an attending physician, suddenly on top of the pile. It took some time for me to adjust.
But what about today? How has that all changed, and why? Now at the top of the hierarchy sit the CEO, the CFO, the CNO and the other occupants of the C-suite. Below them are the "midlevel managers," which include the directors of Quality, Safety, Coding, Billing, Medical records, Computer systems, and the innumerable persons whose job it is to determine whether the actions of physicians meet national standards of quality. Below them are the nurses, who may not realize it (based on salaries), but whose position is that above doctors. And I would note that nurses have their own hierarchy. With the ICU nurses on top, then the OR and ER nurses, and the run-of-the-mill floor nurses.
Now, down near the bottom are the doctors - there among the dietary staff, the environmental (housekeeping) crew, the maintenance staff, and the secretarial staff. And as physicians, we typically have to answer to all those above us in this mad food chain which we call hospital medicine. Nothing really changed as far as physicians themselves (other than residencies have now become too bland), but the world of medicine has changed dramatically. Gone are the days when a physician could just "hang up a shingle" and begin the practice of medicine. Faced with seemingly endless protocols for certain diagnostic entities, as well as the increasing pressure to produce a record of unyielding and unreadable stuff on every patient admitted, which is really only intelligible to medical record clerks and lawyers; physicians have become another cog in this great wheel of managed, scrutinized and frustrating "medical care."
So lies my dilemma. What do you do with a physician who has been deemed (mostly by the nursing staff) to be practicing medicine that is "not up to par?" It seems that there is no wiggle room any more. A physician can no longer have a "bad day." He can no longer be too tired, too stressed, or too fed up with all this. He must practice only elite medicine, be perpetually up, permanently smiling, and pleasant in the extreme.
I do have some thoughts on the origin of all this, but that will be for a later blog post. Right now
I'm looking for Guido Sarducci. I've got a task or two for him to carry out...
January 23, 2016
Some decisions I've got to make.
What I've been doing of late (besides my day job, which is quite time consuming, and my writing the fifth book in the Drachma Trilogy) is working with a producer to prepare my work for a possible television series. This has been a bit of an emotional ride for me. And let me tell you why.
The whole idea of my medical/fantasy novel began with a vision, back in 1989. At that time I had envisioned a fairly large-scale epic story, unlike anything that was out there (albeit the idea of a time-traveling physician was not new). But what would set this story apart was its medical accuracy, and its realistic portrayal of the emotions and reactions of its protagonists. So I began to write it down, using my new Amiga computer with its word processor. I did work rather feverishly and obsessively on this project, and the first portion of the story (what eventually became the first book in the series) was completed. By now I had developed attachments to my characters and to their worlds.
But then my own world intervened, and in the process of moving, changing computer systems, and changing jobs, my novel just sat in my office, in a folder labeled "Tim's Novel" from 1990 until 2009. It was not forgotten, and the characters remained real in my own mind at least, when I casually mentioned to one of the women who worked in my office that I had written the beginnings of a novel, and was thinking of incorporating into a blog. She offered to transcribe it into a word-compatible system - and so it was resurrected. And now under the name of The Book of Drachma, the words and emotions of this whole experience again took on new and vivid imagery.
The first trilogy next became a printed reality (the publisher insisted that it should be a trilogy), as The Book of Drachma (Laminar Flow, Coaptation, Turbulence and Restoration) developed something of its own following. But for me (and apparently others out there), the characters became real, and as one person said "they have become family." So, I have now published the first volume of the second trilogy (Heir of Drachma, Book One - The Healer's Defense), and am in the midst of the next book (Center Game), which will be published sometime this year.
Now, along the way, multiple people have asked, "When is the movie coming out?" And my own response (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) has been that I would rather see it as a television series than as a movie. And now, through a series of circumstances, I do have the opportunity to present to "Hollywood" my proposal for a TV series. I have been working with a producer on this project, and she has some suggestions to make it more appealing to the television world. And these suggestions included changes in the character and temperament of some of "my own children." As well as the change in "the present" to be more current (to include cell phones and texting). Well, my own "compromiseometer" only goes so far, and I'm having some trouble with this.
Well, we haven't reached full agreement yet - and I guess that I'll keep you all posted!
The whole idea of my medical/fantasy novel began with a vision, back in 1989. At that time I had envisioned a fairly large-scale epic story, unlike anything that was out there (albeit the idea of a time-traveling physician was not new). But what would set this story apart was its medical accuracy, and its realistic portrayal of the emotions and reactions of its protagonists. So I began to write it down, using my new Amiga computer with its word processor. I did work rather feverishly and obsessively on this project, and the first portion of the story (what eventually became the first book in the series) was completed. By now I had developed attachments to my characters and to their worlds.
But then my own world intervened, and in the process of moving, changing computer systems, and changing jobs, my novel just sat in my office, in a folder labeled "Tim's Novel" from 1990 until 2009. It was not forgotten, and the characters remained real in my own mind at least, when I casually mentioned to one of the women who worked in my office that I had written the beginnings of a novel, and was thinking of incorporating into a blog. She offered to transcribe it into a word-compatible system - and so it was resurrected. And now under the name of The Book of Drachma, the words and emotions of this whole experience again took on new and vivid imagery.
The first trilogy next became a printed reality (the publisher insisted that it should be a trilogy), as The Book of Drachma (Laminar Flow, Coaptation, Turbulence and Restoration) developed something of its own following. But for me (and apparently others out there), the characters became real, and as one person said "they have become family." So, I have now published the first volume of the second trilogy (Heir of Drachma, Book One - The Healer's Defense), and am in the midst of the next book (Center Game), which will be published sometime this year.
Now, along the way, multiple people have asked, "When is the movie coming out?" And my own response (somewhat tongue-in-cheek) has been that I would rather see it as a television series than as a movie. And now, through a series of circumstances, I do have the opportunity to present to "Hollywood" my proposal for a TV series. I have been working with a producer on this project, and she has some suggestions to make it more appealing to the television world. And these suggestions included changes in the character and temperament of some of "my own children." As well as the change in "the present" to be more current (to include cell phones and texting). Well, my own "compromiseometer" only goes so far, and I'm having some trouble with this.
Well, we haven't reached full agreement yet - and I guess that I'll keep you all posted!
January 5, 2016
Another couple of opportunities
January, it seems to me, is the month of getting back into the grind. That month when the weather is awful, and so you might as well just buck it up and do.
And so, that's what I have done as well. Now, this year (as in most years), I have not made any new year's resolutions - and so I've got nothing to be disappointed about. But what I have done is to start back at a somewhat feverish pace, that which I have already started. And that is my writing. And why? Well two obvious reasons: one is that I've already gotten a contract to produce two more books in the Drachma series (and I'm in the middle of the second book in the second series). And the second is more significant, in that I have created this fantasy island in the fifteenth century, and populated the story with a whole lot of characters whose stories are clamoring around in my head, and I need to put them "on paper." And, as some of you have told me - how are you going to get out of this one? You've sent Marilyn Gilsen back to the time and place where her husband now lives. And he is married, with a child on the way! And what about Antoine LeGace? He is still very much around, and up to his nefarious schemes. Ah, yes - there are those questions and more, which I do need to resolve.
So, I'm back at it with a fresh load of whatever...
And so, what kind of a timetable are we looking at? Based upon my present pace, I should have the second book of the second trilogy done in a couple of months. Then it's off to the publisher for them to decide. However, based on my prior experience with them, I would say that Heir of Drachma, Book Two - Center Game, may become available six months from the time the publisher gets it. And trying to hurry up the process doesn't work.
But I do have some news for you that might just pick up your spirits. I've so far gotten a couple more book signings lined up for this month. The first is in Bentonville, at the new Onyx Coffee Lab at 100 2nd St. And this one is scheduled for the 16th of January (less than two weeks away), and will be from 9:30 AM - 12:00 Noon. If you really want to find out what extraordinary coffee is like, I recommend the pour-over Ethiopian, but you may decide - they do have wonderful coffee! And if you do come on over to the book signings, I'll have all four books at a discount, hand signed for all my friends.
The other book signing is going to be on Jan 23rd at Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville (across the highway from the mall), and I'll be part of a group of local authors, who will also have their own books for sale. This will be from about 1 - 4 PM.
So, come on down, get in out of the cold, have some terrific coffee, something to much on, and some wonderful books to read...
PS The other thing that I'm doing is painting, See the above example.
And so, that's what I have done as well. Now, this year (as in most years), I have not made any new year's resolutions - and so I've got nothing to be disappointed about. But what I have done is to start back at a somewhat feverish pace, that which I have already started. And that is my writing. And why? Well two obvious reasons: one is that I've already gotten a contract to produce two more books in the Drachma series (and I'm in the middle of the second book in the second series). And the second is more significant, in that I have created this fantasy island in the fifteenth century, and populated the story with a whole lot of characters whose stories are clamoring around in my head, and I need to put them "on paper." And, as some of you have told me - how are you going to get out of this one? You've sent Marilyn Gilsen back to the time and place where her husband now lives. And he is married, with a child on the way! And what about Antoine LeGace? He is still very much around, and up to his nefarious schemes. Ah, yes - there are those questions and more, which I do need to resolve.
So, I'm back at it with a fresh load of whatever...
And so, what kind of a timetable are we looking at? Based upon my present pace, I should have the second book of the second trilogy done in a couple of months. Then it's off to the publisher for them to decide. However, based on my prior experience with them, I would say that Heir of Drachma, Book Two - Center Game, may become available six months from the time the publisher gets it. And trying to hurry up the process doesn't work.
But I do have some news for you that might just pick up your spirits. I've so far gotten a couple more book signings lined up for this month. The first is in Bentonville, at the new Onyx Coffee Lab at 100 2nd St. And this one is scheduled for the 16th of January (less than two weeks away), and will be from 9:30 AM - 12:00 Noon. If you really want to find out what extraordinary coffee is like, I recommend the pour-over Ethiopian, but you may decide - they do have wonderful coffee! And if you do come on over to the book signings, I'll have all four books at a discount, hand signed for all my friends.
The other book signing is going to be on Jan 23rd at Barnes & Noble in Fayetteville (across the highway from the mall), and I'll be part of a group of local authors, who will also have their own books for sale. This will be from about 1 - 4 PM.
So, come on down, get in out of the cold, have some terrific coffee, something to much on, and some wonderful books to read...
PS The other thing that I'm doing is painting, See the above example.
November 22, 2015
TV or not...
Now I find myself in something of a quandary. As with so much in the world of writing, publishing and being "out there", I find myself ever at the mercy of forces which I do not understand (nor do I really want to).
What I am facing is the prospect of turning my trilogy over to those who make decisions for the masses - yes, Hollywood, and specifically, television. I do know that I've talked with a number of you out there who have said that they would like to see it made into a movie. But to be honest with you, I have always thought that, like Game of Thrones, it would do better as a TV series. And if you think about it, there has never been anything remotely like it produced for television - ever. And so I would ask you what do you think of the prospect of The Book of Drachma as a TV series? Kind of Michael Crichton meets the Highlander, eh?
And this brings up several concerns, not the least of which is that, even if they like it, and decide to make a TV series (or even a TV pilot episode) of it, just what would it look like? Would I even be able to recognize it? It has been said that even if the Hollywood big guys muck it up terribly, the money that you make from such a contract would be worth it.
Personally, I don't think so. And I say this for a couple of reasons. The first is that I still have myself to live with, and if someone is using my name, and I can't stand what they have done to my "offspring", what good is the money? And the second reason is that I've seen what they can do to books that I have loved, and generally it is not nice. Also, I've been witness to what Hollywood does when given free reign. Think about the series Saint Elsewhere. It started out pretty good, and most of the nitpicking that I could do was of a minor sort. But then they got rid of their medical advisor (OK, it was only a dermatology resident from California), and the show quickly sank into oblivion. In fact, it was St Elsewhere, and what happened to it, that provided some of the impetus for my own novel.
So think about it. I know I will... And I would really like your feedback on this one.
What I am facing is the prospect of turning my trilogy over to those who make decisions for the masses - yes, Hollywood, and specifically, television. I do know that I've talked with a number of you out there who have said that they would like to see it made into a movie. But to be honest with you, I have always thought that, like Game of Thrones, it would do better as a TV series. And if you think about it, there has never been anything remotely like it produced for television - ever. And so I would ask you what do you think of the prospect of The Book of Drachma as a TV series? Kind of Michael Crichton meets the Highlander, eh?
And this brings up several concerns, not the least of which is that, even if they like it, and decide to make a TV series (or even a TV pilot episode) of it, just what would it look like? Would I even be able to recognize it? It has been said that even if the Hollywood big guys muck it up terribly, the money that you make from such a contract would be worth it.
Personally, I don't think so. And I say this for a couple of reasons. The first is that I still have myself to live with, and if someone is using my name, and I can't stand what they have done to my "offspring", what good is the money? And the second reason is that I've seen what they can do to books that I have loved, and generally it is not nice. Also, I've been witness to what Hollywood does when given free reign. Think about the series Saint Elsewhere. It started out pretty good, and most of the nitpicking that I could do was of a minor sort. But then they got rid of their medical advisor (OK, it was only a dermatology resident from California), and the show quickly sank into oblivion. In fact, it was St Elsewhere, and what happened to it, that provided some of the impetus for my own novel.
So think about it. I know I will... And I would really like your feedback on this one.
November 10, 2015
Thoughts on the great circus
I just got back from a weekend trip to NewYork City, put together by my publisher, Tate Publishing and Enterprises, LLC. And what did I think of it? Well, I thought it was not a total waste of time.
Huh?!!
To be honest, it was a lot less than it could have been. For all the money spent, I believe that Tate could have, should have come up with something more than what they did. The whole event was poorly planned, and executed. Now to give them some leeway, it was their first ever such venture. And it was put together quickly. What was originally going to be a December outing to NYC, with two book signing events, instead was a quickly thrown together November event, with just one "book signing" (which, it turns out, was just a publicity stunt, and not a real book signing). And ironically, I was talked out of going to the event in December, and into the one in November.
But then why do I say it was not a total waste? Well, I did come away with a couple of good things from the weekend. The first thing is that the tourist things we did were quite a bit of fun, and especially my wife and I going on a walking tour to ground zero, and seeing the memorial (which I understand was in large part designed by the daughter of one of my great friends and fellow physicians). It was remarkable for its understated eloquence. And one more thing that I got out of the trip was a chance to interact with someone in the know about how Hollywood works, and a subsequent chance to "pitch" my project to a producer. Now, just what will come of that I don't yet know, for there is considerable work to be done.
But to tell the truth, most of the time in New York I felt more like I was in some kind of circus-type event, and it was not my circus.
But speaking of such things, I do plan on being a part of an event called "Geek the Library" this coming weekend at the Rogers Public Library. But this will be quite different, for I will be in control of what I plan to sell (my books). This is some sort of "Geekfest" held annually at the Rogers Public Library in Rogers, AR (711 South Dixieland Rd, November 14th, from 10 or 11 in the morning till whenever). And with geeks being some of my favorite people, even if I don't sell many books, I plan to have a great time!
If you do happen to have any geekiness in you, or if you just want to come on by, you know where I'll be on November 14th - just hangin' with my friends at the circus!
Huh?!!
To be honest, it was a lot less than it could have been. For all the money spent, I believe that Tate could have, should have come up with something more than what they did. The whole event was poorly planned, and executed. Now to give them some leeway, it was their first ever such venture. And it was put together quickly. What was originally going to be a December outing to NYC, with two book signing events, instead was a quickly thrown together November event, with just one "book signing" (which, it turns out, was just a publicity stunt, and not a real book signing). And ironically, I was talked out of going to the event in December, and into the one in November.
But then why do I say it was not a total waste? Well, I did come away with a couple of good things from the weekend. The first thing is that the tourist things we did were quite a bit of fun, and especially my wife and I going on a walking tour to ground zero, and seeing the memorial (which I understand was in large part designed by the daughter of one of my great friends and fellow physicians). It was remarkable for its understated eloquence. And one more thing that I got out of the trip was a chance to interact with someone in the know about how Hollywood works, and a subsequent chance to "pitch" my project to a producer. Now, just what will come of that I don't yet know, for there is considerable work to be done.
But to tell the truth, most of the time in New York I felt more like I was in some kind of circus-type event, and it was not my circus.
But speaking of such things, I do plan on being a part of an event called "Geek the Library" this coming weekend at the Rogers Public Library. But this will be quite different, for I will be in control of what I plan to sell (my books). This is some sort of "Geekfest" held annually at the Rogers Public Library in Rogers, AR (711 South Dixieland Rd, November 14th, from 10 or 11 in the morning till whenever). And with geeks being some of my favorite people, even if I don't sell many books, I plan to have a great time!
If you do happen to have any geekiness in you, or if you just want to come on by, you know where I'll be on November 14th - just hangin' with my friends at the circus!
October 19, 2015
Girl scouts vs our smart phones
Some reactions, and an update for you.
I just this week completed my three book signings in the Rogers, Arkansas area. It became yet another learning experience for me. And what did I learn?
The first thing I learned was that advertising my doings on Facebook turned out to be a big waste. You see, of all the effort of self promoting on Facebook, with all of my posts and descriptions of upcoming events and such, the number of persons who actually came as a result (counting all three events) was a very small number (3), who showed up at the first event. I find what is far more effective, is actually talking to people about the events that are coming up. There is still the person-to-person thing that can truly make a difference. This is not really such a surprise to me after all. I've always been under the suspicion that people respond in some visceral way to other people, as opposed to their representation on media - such as electronic gadgetry. To this day, if I've got something truly important that I wish to tell someone, I would much rather see them in person, than to transmit the information via the media (and I include telephone conversations in this). It seems to me that if you want to make an impression that people remember, you become much more memorable if you show up at their doorstep than if you call them up. I truly think that humans respond to meeting other humans face-to-face.
I'll give you an example of what I mean. For years, I read Ray Bradbury's stories, and I developed a true love of his quirky stylistic pranks which his stories represented. But then, I had the opportunity to meet the man (at a book signing event), and I can recall very fondly how that bookstore (Border's in Ann Arbor, Michigan) smelled, how it felt, and what it looked like, and to this day, I recall what he said to me. And it was all because of his personality actually being present. And so, Ray Bradbury came to mean so much more after I had actually met the man.
The second thing I learned was that you cannot believe what people "tell" you. What they often say is what they think or expect you to believe, and not what really comes from the heart. And this is a reflection of how they have been trained to say/do/react, and is ingrained in their own psyche. This is, I believe, a real result of growing up with media in place of real human interaction. It's so much easier to lie to a piece of machinery than to a real human being. And it is so much easier to just put it down if it has no feelings. For example, it becomes so much harder to say no to the girl scout at your door than to the phone solicitor. For the girl scout has also seen you!
But the third thing I learned was that people are full of surprises. They are not what you would expect - not in this lifetime, anyway. I'll give you an example. One of the persons at my third book signing was someone named Alessa, who came to buy my fourth book. She was already a fan of mine, as was her daughter, and they had read my first three books, and wanted the fourth book, but then, Alessa ended up getting the complete set of books (so she could have her own signed copies). I can't really tell you how thrilling it was for me. This made me all the more ready to get the next book finished, and off to the publisher! And so, Alessa, I've been working on it...
And what about some updates - well, for one thing, I got invited to go to the library's event dedicated to geeks. And this I'll try to do, for how could I resist being there in front of 900 actual geeks - what fun!
And lastly, one more update - my wife and I will be going to NYC for a couple of book signing events November 6 - 8. This is an event that my publisher is arranging, and we'll also get to do some tourist things while there. Also fun!
I just this week completed my three book signings in the Rogers, Arkansas area. It became yet another learning experience for me. And what did I learn?
The first thing I learned was that advertising my doings on Facebook turned out to be a big waste. You see, of all the effort of self promoting on Facebook, with all of my posts and descriptions of upcoming events and such, the number of persons who actually came as a result (counting all three events) was a very small number (3), who showed up at the first event. I find what is far more effective, is actually talking to people about the events that are coming up. There is still the person-to-person thing that can truly make a difference. This is not really such a surprise to me after all. I've always been under the suspicion that people respond in some visceral way to other people, as opposed to their representation on media - such as electronic gadgetry. To this day, if I've got something truly important that I wish to tell someone, I would much rather see them in person, than to transmit the information via the media (and I include telephone conversations in this). It seems to me that if you want to make an impression that people remember, you become much more memorable if you show up at their doorstep than if you call them up. I truly think that humans respond to meeting other humans face-to-face.
I'll give you an example of what I mean. For years, I read Ray Bradbury's stories, and I developed a true love of his quirky stylistic pranks which his stories represented. But then, I had the opportunity to meet the man (at a book signing event), and I can recall very fondly how that bookstore (Border's in Ann Arbor, Michigan) smelled, how it felt, and what it looked like, and to this day, I recall what he said to me. And it was all because of his personality actually being present. And so, Ray Bradbury came to mean so much more after I had actually met the man.
The second thing I learned was that you cannot believe what people "tell" you. What they often say is what they think or expect you to believe, and not what really comes from the heart. And this is a reflection of how they have been trained to say/do/react, and is ingrained in their own psyche. This is, I believe, a real result of growing up with media in place of real human interaction. It's so much easier to lie to a piece of machinery than to a real human being. And it is so much easier to just put it down if it has no feelings. For example, it becomes so much harder to say no to the girl scout at your door than to the phone solicitor. For the girl scout has also seen you!
But the third thing I learned was that people are full of surprises. They are not what you would expect - not in this lifetime, anyway. I'll give you an example. One of the persons at my third book signing was someone named Alessa, who came to buy my fourth book. She was already a fan of mine, as was her daughter, and they had read my first three books, and wanted the fourth book, but then, Alessa ended up getting the complete set of books (so she could have her own signed copies). I can't really tell you how thrilling it was for me. This made me all the more ready to get the next book finished, and off to the publisher! And so, Alessa, I've been working on it...
And what about some updates - well, for one thing, I got invited to go to the library's event dedicated to geeks. And this I'll try to do, for how could I resist being there in front of 900 actual geeks - what fun!
And lastly, one more update - my wife and I will be going to NYC for a couple of book signing events November 6 - 8. This is an event that my publisher is arranging, and we'll also get to do some tourist things while there. Also fun!
October 14, 2015
Still in competition with teenage vampires...
It's almost here! It's that time when I play the dutiful author, and remind you all again of my upcoming book signing. It will be this coming Saturday, August 17th, from 1 - 3 PM at the Rogers Public Library. And I'm really looking forward to seeing a bunch of you there. And to make it more interesting, I'll let you know that the books will be HUGELY discounted. I do know the full price at Amazon.com and other sites is a bit steep for many of you, so be prepared to spend a whole lot less this Saturday. It has been rumored that you might even be able to get the whole trilogy for less that the cost of a single book online. Also, I've got some hardcovers of the three books of the trilogy, which I'll also be selling at ridiculously low prices. And I'm also going to have contest - the details of which you'll just have to come by to see!
How're the books selling these days? Well, to be perfectly honest with you, not well at all. It seems that my own niche does not seem to be catching on with the great readership out there. I find myself competing (still) with teenage vampires and zombies, as well as the boatload of books out there with covers dedicated to hunks with hard abs.
Now, for those of you who might not know, my books are designed for the minority,
who really like to settle down with a good story, with interesting characters, and whose own adventures are unlike anything you could experience. Yes, they're fantasy, but with a difference - described by more than one reader as fantasy for those who don't like fantasy. But I'll let you draw your own conclusions. Big hint - I'm a doctor in my day job.
And so, what else is going on? Well, for one thing, I'm in the middle of writing the fifth book in the series (of six books total). It's actually the second book of the second Drachma trilogy, and believe me when I tell you that it's getting even more interesting as I go along. To get a taste of what is coming, I'd refer you to the review of my fourth book by Kelly Smith (you can find what she says at Amazon.com, also on Goodreads, or you can go to her own book reviews (Kelly Smith Reviews).
And one more thing - we're going to be going to NYC next month for book signings (plus tourist things), with the publisher (Tate Publishing). It's a potentially great opportunity. I'll write more about that later.
How're the books selling these days? Well, to be perfectly honest with you, not well at all. It seems that my own niche does not seem to be catching on with the great readership out there. I find myself competing (still) with teenage vampires and zombies, as well as the boatload of books out there with covers dedicated to hunks with hard abs.
Now, for those of you who might not know, my books are designed for the minority,
who really like to settle down with a good story, with interesting characters, and whose own adventures are unlike anything you could experience. Yes, they're fantasy, but with a difference - described by more than one reader as fantasy for those who don't like fantasy. But I'll let you draw your own conclusions. Big hint - I'm a doctor in my day job.And so, what else is going on? Well, for one thing, I'm in the middle of writing the fifth book in the series (of six books total). It's actually the second book of the second Drachma trilogy, and believe me when I tell you that it's getting even more interesting as I go along. To get a taste of what is coming, I'd refer you to the review of my fourth book by Kelly Smith (you can find what she says at Amazon.com, also on Goodreads, or you can go to her own book reviews (Kelly Smith Reviews).
And one more thing - we're going to be going to NYC next month for book signings (plus tourist things), with the publisher (Tate Publishing). It's a potentially great opportunity. I'll write more about that later.
