Charles A. Turek's Blog: It All Spills Over Onto Goodreads, page 4
August 25, 2013
Current Book News
New Charlie Komensky mystery almost here! T he full version of The Steam Locomotive Murders is with our printer on demand, and it looks like we will be scheduling a hard release date by the end of August! This means the release date will probably be before October 1. Watch for it! If you'd like me to send you an email with the release date, please go to EASY CONTACT to enter your info. Thank you.
Re-Release of The Flat Tire Murders - A new updated 2nd Edition of the first in the Charlie K series is now with our printer on demand. This will be released concurrent with The Steam Locomotive Murders and a free download of the Charlie Komensky short story, Wheel Deadly. You can download the review copy of Wheel Deadly for your eReader here.
August 9, 2013
News & Info
New Charlie Komensky mystery almost here! The full version is with our printer on demand, and we will soon be scheduling a hard release date for the second in this series! In the works: A new updated second edition of the first in the series along with a free download of a Charlie Komensky short story.
Charlie Gets His Own Website - My main fictional detective, Charlie Komensky, has finally entered the 21st century with a Website for his detective agency. Check it out [here]. Charlie's site will mainly serve as an adjunct to my site, and as a way to promote the Charlie Komensky series. So put your tongue firmly in cheek and make a visit to Charlie Komensky Private Eye.
All eBook Titles reduced to $0.99 - N ow you can read all of my eBook titles listed below for $0.99 on any platform**.
August 2, 2013
No Worse and No Better
[This link] is to a Fox News article that reports the horrible time recently had by some Amtrak passengers on a disabled train. The reason I'm blogging it is that I've had similar experiences. What makes this remarkable to me is not that I had the bad experience, but that I had it so long ago, and nothing has changed. I won't bore you with the details, but suffice it to say that a lack of power and of light on board a mid-winter train is just as horrifying as on board one in the middle of a summer heat wave.
This happened to me well over a decade ago, and I can't say that I was uncomfortable as this Fox article depicts, but I've known the media to exaggerate - Tell me it isn't so! - and I think Fox would have described it in similar terms. What I can't understand it that the organization that supposedly provides the most energy-efficient form of transportation to our nation hasn't gotten it right yet. Yes, attitudes and habits in the railroad industry are hard to change, but the freight railroads have generally, over the past decade, been successful in changing them. What (pick a place) has Amtrak's head been in all these years. People want to ride the train! Please, oh, please don't give them a reason not to!
Then I think about a train trip I took in the early 1960s. The Baltimore & Ohio still ran passenger trains back then, although they probably didn't want to. They did everything short of substitute cattle cars - What are those, Geezer? - to discourage ridership so that the feds would let them abandon passenger trains. My trip was in early spring: cold cars, failed water systems, leaky windows, etc. ad infinitum. The whole attitude of the crew was, "So what?" and at that time was only a few years short of causing Amtrak to happen. (Some congressman laid an egg and the sun hatched it.)
What I'm getting at is this: Is there a real or hidden agenda in Amtrak that just wants people to stay away so the feds can put it out of its misery? I sincerely hope not, but that's not what it looks like from here.
© 2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com
This happened to me well over a decade ago, and I can't say that I was uncomfortable as this Fox article depicts, but I've known the media to exaggerate - Tell me it isn't so! - and I think Fox would have described it in similar terms. What I can't understand it that the organization that supposedly provides the most energy-efficient form of transportation to our nation hasn't gotten it right yet. Yes, attitudes and habits in the railroad industry are hard to change, but the freight railroads have generally, over the past decade, been successful in changing them. What (pick a place) has Amtrak's head been in all these years. People want to ride the train! Please, oh, please don't give them a reason not to!
Then I think about a train trip I took in the early 1960s. The Baltimore & Ohio still ran passenger trains back then, although they probably didn't want to. They did everything short of substitute cattle cars - What are those, Geezer? - to discourage ridership so that the feds would let them abandon passenger trains. My trip was in early spring: cold cars, failed water systems, leaky windows, etc. ad infinitum. The whole attitude of the crew was, "So what?" and at that time was only a few years short of causing Amtrak to happen. (Some congressman laid an egg and the sun hatched it.)
What I'm getting at is this: Is there a real or hidden agenda in Amtrak that just wants people to stay away so the feds can put it out of its misery? I sincerely hope not, but that's not what it looks like from here.
© 2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com
July 16, 2013
New Release Coming Soon
We are entering into the start of the publishing cycle for the next Charlie Komensky crime novel titled The Steam Locomotive Murders. The official publication date will be announced soon. We will concurrently issue a second edition of both the eBook and the paperback for the first Charlie Komensky crime novel, The Flat Tire Murders, as well as a short story that will be available to anyone who visits the author website and follows links to download. Downloads will be available in formats for Nook, Kindle, and other popular readers, as well as .PDF for those readers who use an Adobe Reader™. We are excited about the new look covers we are applying to the Charlie Komensky stories.
WATCH FOR THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF OUR PUBLICATION DATE SOON
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July 9, 2013
Recently Posted on Trains Forums re: Megantic Oil Tanker Derailment
The idea of posting a security guard at the location of the stopped train was the first thing that came to mind when I heard about this runaway. But there are just so many different versions coming out right now, that it is hard to understand exactly what happened. Bottom line: The railroad is the source of the disaster, if not the cause, and will get blamed for any damage done to life and property.Even with the "fire on the locomotive" scenario that seems to be emerging, it appears that somebody had to have uncoupled the tank cars from the locomotives. If so, and at that point, an appropriate number of cars' handbrakes should have been set.
And . . . YES . . . on my railroad, the crew would have had to be sure the entire train was secure from ALL hazards before packing it in for the night.
mistertrains@gmail.com. . . blogging at railroadpassengers.blogspot.com
While this has mostly nothing to do with Passenger Rail, it kinda sorta does when you think about how many routes today that are hosting passengers are also hosting oil tank trains. With the uptick in this kind of business, safety must be at the top of everyone's list.
General content ©2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com
And . . . YES . . . on my railroad, the crew would have had to be sure the entire train was secure from ALL hazards before packing it in for the night.
mistertrains@gmail.com. . . blogging at railroadpassengers.blogspot.com
While this has mostly nothing to do with Passenger Rail, it kinda sorta does when you think about how many routes today that are hosting passengers are also hosting oil tank trains. With the uptick in this kind of business, safety must be at the top of everyone's list.
General content ©2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com
June 25, 2013
Charlie Gets His Website!
Charlie Gets His Own Website - My main fictional detective, Charlie Komensky, has finally entered the 21st century with a Website for his detective agency. Check it out [here]. Charlie's site will mainly serve as an adjunct to my site, and as a way to promote the Charlie Komensky series. So put your tongue firmly in cheek and make a visit to Charlie Komensky Private Eye.
June 21, 2013
Trainsforming America
Despite the appearance of, ugh, politicians in the trailer, this may be a worthwhile film.
You may also want to visit the website.
Or read this article.
Look for my future posts.
Any commentary © 2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com. No copyright is claimed or intended for content to which this blog post is linked.
You may also want to visit the website.
Or read this article.
Look for my future posts.
Any commentary © 2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com. No copyright is claimed or intended for content to which this blog post is linked.
June 4, 2013
How Long Is Short?
I have dived into the short story format with a new detective short. Although I've read short stories since I learned to read - I think Dick and Jane was actually a short story - I realized I knew very little about the format overall.
For instance: How long is short? More importantly: How long is too long?
I did an Internet survey of writing blogs on the subject, so let's start with the second question first. Writers posting generally believe that a word count of 10,000 is long, but 20,000 is acceptable. If you are hitting 50,000, it's not a novel yet, it's that elusive "novella." Over 50,000, it's either a novel or it's damn boring!
So how long is short? The most common answer: It depends. I guess this makes sense if you're writing to order for a magazine submission, or if your publisher wants X number of short stories but the book can't go over Y words. Then it's obvious. But the answer, "It depends," is also the easy way out. For a writer to answer this way is indicative of a need to assert the writer's position, often taken with an editor, that the length is what it is because it makes the story work out. It's also another way of saying that - oops! - I may have gone over a few times more than I want to admit.
Getting back to short and shortness: The gist I get is that, if it's 2000 words, it's either a children's book and you need an illustrator, or it's just not a good enough story to give it more bulk.
So when I finish my short story (a Charlie Komensky mystery tentatively titled The Case of The Pyrophoric Pathfinder ), I'll let you know.
For instance: How long is short? More importantly: How long is too long?
I did an Internet survey of writing blogs on the subject, so let's start with the second question first. Writers posting generally believe that a word count of 10,000 is long, but 20,000 is acceptable. If you are hitting 50,000, it's not a novel yet, it's that elusive "novella." Over 50,000, it's either a novel or it's damn boring!
So how long is short? The most common answer: It depends. I guess this makes sense if you're writing to order for a magazine submission, or if your publisher wants X number of short stories but the book can't go over Y words. Then it's obvious. But the answer, "It depends," is also the easy way out. For a writer to answer this way is indicative of a need to assert the writer's position, often taken with an editor, that the length is what it is because it makes the story work out. It's also another way of saying that - oops! - I may have gone over a few times more than I want to admit.
Getting back to short and shortness: The gist I get is that, if it's 2000 words, it's either a children's book and you need an illustrator, or it's just not a good enough story to give it more bulk.
So when I finish my short story (a Charlie Komensky mystery tentatively titled The Case of The Pyrophoric Pathfinder ), I'll let you know.
May 30, 2013
Father's Day Specials
Father's Day is coming!
Buy Dad a gangster yarn or a detective thriller.
Through June 20, 2013, order The Flat Tire Murders detective novel in paperback and receive a 10% discount. Enter code WFNFC4X8 at checkout.
Through June 20, 2013, order A Tunnel Too Far depression era gangster novel in paperback and receive a 15% discount. Enter code C9WDMA6Q at checkout.
Buy Dad a gangster yarn or a detective thriller.
Through June 20, 2013, order The Flat Tire Murders detective novel in paperback and receive a 10% discount. Enter code WFNFC4X8 at checkout.
Through June 20, 2013, order A Tunnel Too Far depression era gangster novel in paperback and receive a 15% discount. Enter code C9WDMA6Q at checkout.
May 27, 2013
Fighting Dogs and Cats
I've read with interest and not a little horror about Amtrak possibly allowing passengers to travel with their pets. Congress would have to authorize this, and there is apparently a move afoot for Amtrak to designate at least one car in each train where passengers could travel with their pets.
First, let me note that I am extremely allergic to cats and some dogs. I mean life and death allergic. I have never been around other mammalia that much that I have learned of, or developed an allergy to, any others. So perhaps I would also be allergic to hamsters. So you know that I am coming from the position of having a deep love for passenger rail travel on the one hand and an urgent need not to be embalmed on the other.
I find so many societal things wrong with pets in certain places, including supermarkets, restaurants and, yes, public transportation, that I will not list them all. Just let me say that, from a societal standpoint, I believe that the need to take pets everywhere evidences a narcissism that borders on neurosis and a degradation, if not a total rift, in the social fabric. (I exclude from this criticism all people who need service animals, though even that definition suffers from the pressures of a liberal interpretation for almost everything. Service chicken? Come on!)
But the biggest thing wrong with pets on Amtrak is cost to the American taxpayer. Knowing railroad operations as I do, I guarantee increased costs to Amtrak (which is cost to us) as; (a) maintaining a pool of designated pet cars in the proper place, time and order, (b) cleaning and deodorizing cars, (c) policing the situation such that riders obey the "pet rules," and (d) paying for alternate transportation in case of breakdown and emergency for passengers, like me, who absolutely cannot ride in the same air supply as dog or cat dander.
As far as the cars are concerned - and I've seen this in hotels - they won't ever be exclusively used for no-dogs-allowed. In a pinch, a car used yesterday for pet friendly service will be shunted onto a train that needs a car for just regular non-pet passengers. Once a pet has slept on a bed, I guarantee you that it's dander will remain in the bedding until the bedding is sterilized or burned!
And given the sorry state of society today, are you going to arm conductors to enforce a pet moving from car to car or settling down in the galley waiting for food scraps? You may have to!
Until or unless Amtrak has such a large pool of cars that it can afford to pick another "clean of pets" car from the unused stock of cars to account for emergencies or just increased ridership, this whole pets on Amtrak thing is a bad, bad, BAD, idea! (ALLERGISTS PLEASE COMMENT!)
©2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com
First, let me note that I am extremely allergic to cats and some dogs. I mean life and death allergic. I have never been around other mammalia that much that I have learned of, or developed an allergy to, any others. So perhaps I would also be allergic to hamsters. So you know that I am coming from the position of having a deep love for passenger rail travel on the one hand and an urgent need not to be embalmed on the other.
I find so many societal things wrong with pets in certain places, including supermarkets, restaurants and, yes, public transportation, that I will not list them all. Just let me say that, from a societal standpoint, I believe that the need to take pets everywhere evidences a narcissism that borders on neurosis and a degradation, if not a total rift, in the social fabric. (I exclude from this criticism all people who need service animals, though even that definition suffers from the pressures of a liberal interpretation for almost everything. Service chicken? Come on!)
But the biggest thing wrong with pets on Amtrak is cost to the American taxpayer. Knowing railroad operations as I do, I guarantee increased costs to Amtrak (which is cost to us) as; (a) maintaining a pool of designated pet cars in the proper place, time and order, (b) cleaning and deodorizing cars, (c) policing the situation such that riders obey the "pet rules," and (d) paying for alternate transportation in case of breakdown and emergency for passengers, like me, who absolutely cannot ride in the same air supply as dog or cat dander.
As far as the cars are concerned - and I've seen this in hotels - they won't ever be exclusively used for no-dogs-allowed. In a pinch, a car used yesterday for pet friendly service will be shunted onto a train that needs a car for just regular non-pet passengers. Once a pet has slept on a bed, I guarantee you that it's dander will remain in the bedding until the bedding is sterilized or burned!
And given the sorry state of society today, are you going to arm conductors to enforce a pet moving from car to car or settling down in the galley waiting for food scraps? You may have to!
Until or unless Amtrak has such a large pool of cars that it can afford to pick another "clean of pets" car from the unused stock of cars to account for emergencies or just increased ridership, this whole pets on Amtrak thing is a bad, bad, BAD, idea! (ALLERGISTS PLEASE COMMENT!)
©2013 - C. A. Turek - mistertrains@gmail.com
It All Spills Over Onto Goodreads
I've tried several titles for this blog, and this is the one that seems most pertinent at present. I write and blog about many things, and manage many sites to the end that it helps market my books. T
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