Beem Weeks's Blog, page 7
December 16, 2013
My Review of Reflections of Soul
Reflections of Soul by Queen Of SpadesMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Reflections of Soul is a collection of wonderful poems from an amazingly talented author who writes under the pen name Queen of Spades. I received this book as a gift recently and discovered many gems within its pages. Queenie lays bare the human condition that anybody with a soul certainly experiences throughout the course of life. She exposes the raw nerves of anger, fear, joy, yearning, love, and hope. And she does this in a way that illustrates how these lines can so easily become blurred.
This book is an exercise in writing technique; Queenie's emotions seep from her soul onto the pages so effortlessly. You'll find yourself returning to these words over and over again, recalling lines the way the greats are often recalled.
If you're a fan of poetry, this is most definitely a must-have for your library. Even if you're not into poetry, the beauty and pain of this collection is not to be missed. There are only a few poets writing today that truly move my soul. Queen of Spades is one of those few.
View all my reviews
December 11, 2013
Can Words Influence Acts of Lawlessness and Evil?
Do words truly have the power to incite riots, lawlessness, and acts of evil? The police department in East Lansing, Michigan, USA, seems to believe so. This past Saturday night (December 7) the Michigan State Spartans football team (American football) defeated the previously unbeaten Ohio State Buckeyes in the Big Ten Conference championship game, earning the Spartans a trip to the Rose Bowl for the first time since 1988.
During the course of the game, a television camera, panning the crowd, captured a young man holding up a sign that read Burn The Couch. For those who are unfamiliar with Michigan State University celebration tactics: every time a Spartan team (basketball, football, hockey) wins a big game or loses a big game, idiot students—just a few, mind you—rush wildly into the streets of East Lansing, where they set fire to sofas and chairs and other assorted pieces of furniture. Where this furniture comes from is anybody’s guess.
Saturday’s big win saw this ritual unfold once again. Local authorities anticipated this ridiculous drunken reaction and called in extra police officers from neighboring jurisdictions—which did little to stem the loss of yet more helpless furniture.
Jump ahead to the next morning. There they are, on TV, on Facebook. Police officers were asking for help in identifying the above-mentioned sign bearer. Seems East Lansing’s finest are entertaining the notion that this young man, by simply hoisting a sign in a football stadium hundreds of miles away in another state, is somehow responsible for this latest round of couch immolation. The mere suggestion that a conspiracy is afoot is laughable.
I’m not going to argue against the stupidity behind such misguided “police” work. Nor will I address the obvious First Amendment freedom-of-speech issue. Instead, let’s discuss the idea that one person’s words, whether written or spoken, have the power to influence others to act in disregard to the law of the land.
Charles Manson claimed the Beatles were telling him through their music to commit atrocities. Mark David Chapman assigned partial blame for his murder of John Lennon to J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Others have used the Salinger novel as motivation for violent crimes as well. In the early 1980s, Canadian authorities briefly banned a music video of the Oingo Boingo song “Little Girls,” claiming the track influenced a serial child-rapist they had trouble capturing. There are dozens of examples scattered throughout history.
Do words really have that sort of control over individuals? Yes—if the person being influenced suffers from mental issues. These things do indeed happen. Should we ban or burn those created works that just might set off the unstable?
I recall, back in the 1980s, a couple of instances where distraught parents sought to blame heavy metal music for the suicides of their children. The members of Judas Priest found themselves in court over one such case. The story goes: Two boys claimed to hear Priest singer Rob Halford repeating the words “do it” over and over in a song that, at the time, was nearly ten years old. Just what did Mr. Halford intend for them to do? In the minds of these two boys, the obvious intention was suicide. The song itself? No mention of suicide. One boy succeeded, the other managed to blow his face off—though he eventually died of an infection several years later. Classmates of these kids claimed the boys had issues reaching beyond a Judas Priest song.
My point in writing this piece is simple: I am responsible for my own actions. I cannot blame Jimmy Buffet’s song “Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw” for cheating on my wife. (And no, I did not; it’s just an example.) Mark David Chapman chose to pull that trigger. Charles Manson chose to become a monster rather than a productive member of society. Suicide does not dawn on a person because of a song; its roots run much deeper than a recorded piece of music.
Should we get rid of The Catcher in the Rye before another misguided soul gets a hold of a wrong notion through its pages? There are some who will answer yes to that question. I am not one of them. Let that young man hold up his sign! Those couches would have burned with or without him.
During the course of the game, a television camera, panning the crowd, captured a young man holding up a sign that read Burn The Couch. For those who are unfamiliar with Michigan State University celebration tactics: every time a Spartan team (basketball, football, hockey) wins a big game or loses a big game, idiot students—just a few, mind you—rush wildly into the streets of East Lansing, where they set fire to sofas and chairs and other assorted pieces of furniture. Where this furniture comes from is anybody’s guess.
Saturday’s big win saw this ritual unfold once again. Local authorities anticipated this ridiculous drunken reaction and called in extra police officers from neighboring jurisdictions—which did little to stem the loss of yet more helpless furniture.
Jump ahead to the next morning. There they are, on TV, on Facebook. Police officers were asking for help in identifying the above-mentioned sign bearer. Seems East Lansing’s finest are entertaining the notion that this young man, by simply hoisting a sign in a football stadium hundreds of miles away in another state, is somehow responsible for this latest round of couch immolation. The mere suggestion that a conspiracy is afoot is laughable.
I’m not going to argue against the stupidity behind such misguided “police” work. Nor will I address the obvious First Amendment freedom-of-speech issue. Instead, let’s discuss the idea that one person’s words, whether written or spoken, have the power to influence others to act in disregard to the law of the land.
Charles Manson claimed the Beatles were telling him through their music to commit atrocities. Mark David Chapman assigned partial blame for his murder of John Lennon to J.D. Salinger’s The Catcher in the Rye. Others have used the Salinger novel as motivation for violent crimes as well. In the early 1980s, Canadian authorities briefly banned a music video of the Oingo Boingo song “Little Girls,” claiming the track influenced a serial child-rapist they had trouble capturing. There are dozens of examples scattered throughout history.
Do words really have that sort of control over individuals? Yes—if the person being influenced suffers from mental issues. These things do indeed happen. Should we ban or burn those created works that just might set off the unstable?
I recall, back in the 1980s, a couple of instances where distraught parents sought to blame heavy metal music for the suicides of their children. The members of Judas Priest found themselves in court over one such case. The story goes: Two boys claimed to hear Priest singer Rob Halford repeating the words “do it” over and over in a song that, at the time, was nearly ten years old. Just what did Mr. Halford intend for them to do? In the minds of these two boys, the obvious intention was suicide. The song itself? No mention of suicide. One boy succeeded, the other managed to blow his face off—though he eventually died of an infection several years later. Classmates of these kids claimed the boys had issues reaching beyond a Judas Priest song.
My point in writing this piece is simple: I am responsible for my own actions. I cannot blame Jimmy Buffet’s song “Why Don’t We Get Drunk and Screw” for cheating on my wife. (And no, I did not; it’s just an example.) Mark David Chapman chose to pull that trigger. Charles Manson chose to become a monster rather than a productive member of society. Suicide does not dawn on a person because of a song; its roots run much deeper than a recorded piece of music.
Should we get rid of The Catcher in the Rye before another misguided soul gets a hold of a wrong notion through its pages? There are some who will answer yes to that question. I am not one of them. Let that young man hold up his sign! Those couches would have burned with or without him.
December 4, 2013
A Lost Treasure
I am a garage sale junkie. I spend many summer mornings going through the stuff other people no longer want cluttering up their homes. I search primarily for music CDs. With the advent of digital downloads, MP3 players, and the like, CDs can be had for a dollar each--or less!
I also find books I've been meaning to read. Best sellers in near-perfect condition often go for a couple of dollars--compared to fifteen or twenty dollars the booksellers demand.
Every so often I'll find a gem that maybe didn't quite make anybody's best seller list. You know the ones: interesting cover, intriguing blurb on the back, a young author showing promise. This is how I came across a collection of short stories by a writer of whom I'd never heard. I found this book lying in a box with other books designated for sale to benefit a high school girl's senior trip to a place I no longer recall.
I picked the book from the box, thumbed through its pages, got a feel for style and content. But it was the author's short bio on the back cover that sealed the deal for me.
The book is called Downriver, and it's written by Jeanne M. Leiby. Not a household name, sure, but Miss Leiby grew up in my home state of Michigan. I have a soft spot for Michiganders, be they writers, actors, or musicians. I feel the need to at least give them a chance to show me they're worth supporting.
After purchasing the short story collection mid-summer 2013, I added it to the growing pile of books sitting in my closet. There it sat for several months, just waiting its turn to dazzle me. That turn finally arrived in early November.
To say Jeanne M. Leiby's work pulled me in is an understatement. She writes the way people talk. She adds little quirks to her characters that you would swear you've seen in people you've personally met. There is a realism in Leiby's work that makes readers appreciate her efforts.
I instantly became a fan. That she's a Michigander only made this discovery that much sweeter. I had to know more about this amazing author. Does she have other published works? Has she written any novels? Info in her bio on the reverse of Downriver indicates she graduated from the University of Michigan (a hated school in my part of Michigan). She also received degrees from The Bread Loaf School of English/Middlebury College and the University of Alabama. Her short stories have appeared in publications such as Fiction, New Orleans Review, The Greensboro Review, and Indiana Review, among others.
I went online and dug deeper, learning Jeanne Leiby became a teacher, sharing her talents with students at the University of Central Florida. She won the 2000 Poets and Writers Writer Exchange. She served as fiction editor of Black Warrior Review and Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Review. In 2008, Jeanne took over as editor of The Southern Review at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Oh, and if that's not impressive enough, while working as an intern at a publishing house, Jeanne Leiby became responsible for finding and publishing White Oleander by Janet Fitch--which just so happens to be one of my all-time favorite novels.
But then I saw it, there at the tail end of her Wikipedia page. On April 19, 2011, Jeanne M. Leiby was killed in an auto accident in Louisiana. According to police, Miss Leiby was driving a 2007 Saturn convertible with the top down. She was not wearing a seatbelt when she lost control of the vehicle, hitting a guardrail, before being ejected from the car. Doctors at a nearby hospital pronounced her dead on arrival.
That news kicked me in the stomach. I felt cheated. Here is this amazing talent from right down the road, and she's gone before I get the chance to discover her work. But I also feel cheated by Jeanne M. Leiby herself. Had she exercised a little common sense and worn her seatbelt, she just might still be here today, writing some brilliant prose that would make the rest of us writers jealous.
An amazing talent is gone from our midst, but her work remains with us. Do yourself a favor and invest in a copy of Downriver and see how good a short story can be.
I also find books I've been meaning to read. Best sellers in near-perfect condition often go for a couple of dollars--compared to fifteen or twenty dollars the booksellers demand.
Every so often I'll find a gem that maybe didn't quite make anybody's best seller list. You know the ones: interesting cover, intriguing blurb on the back, a young author showing promise. This is how I came across a collection of short stories by a writer of whom I'd never heard. I found this book lying in a box with other books designated for sale to benefit a high school girl's senior trip to a place I no longer recall.
I picked the book from the box, thumbed through its pages, got a feel for style and content. But it was the author's short bio on the back cover that sealed the deal for me.
The book is called Downriver, and it's written by Jeanne M. Leiby. Not a household name, sure, but Miss Leiby grew up in my home state of Michigan. I have a soft spot for Michiganders, be they writers, actors, or musicians. I feel the need to at least give them a chance to show me they're worth supporting.
After purchasing the short story collection mid-summer 2013, I added it to the growing pile of books sitting in my closet. There it sat for several months, just waiting its turn to dazzle me. That turn finally arrived in early November.
To say Jeanne M. Leiby's work pulled me in is an understatement. She writes the way people talk. She adds little quirks to her characters that you would swear you've seen in people you've personally met. There is a realism in Leiby's work that makes readers appreciate her efforts.
I instantly became a fan. That she's a Michigander only made this discovery that much sweeter. I had to know more about this amazing author. Does she have other published works? Has she written any novels? Info in her bio on the reverse of Downriver indicates she graduated from the University of Michigan (a hated school in my part of Michigan). She also received degrees from The Bread Loaf School of English/Middlebury College and the University of Alabama. Her short stories have appeared in publications such as Fiction, New Orleans Review, The Greensboro Review, and Indiana Review, among others.
I went online and dug deeper, learning Jeanne Leiby became a teacher, sharing her talents with students at the University of Central Florida. She won the 2000 Poets and Writers Writer Exchange. She served as fiction editor of Black Warrior Review and Editor-in-Chief of the Florida Review. In 2008, Jeanne took over as editor of The Southern Review at LSU in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Oh, and if that's not impressive enough, while working as an intern at a publishing house, Jeanne Leiby became responsible for finding and publishing White Oleander by Janet Fitch--which just so happens to be one of my all-time favorite novels.
But then I saw it, there at the tail end of her Wikipedia page. On April 19, 2011, Jeanne M. Leiby was killed in an auto accident in Louisiana. According to police, Miss Leiby was driving a 2007 Saturn convertible with the top down. She was not wearing a seatbelt when she lost control of the vehicle, hitting a guardrail, before being ejected from the car. Doctors at a nearby hospital pronounced her dead on arrival.
That news kicked me in the stomach. I felt cheated. Here is this amazing talent from right down the road, and she's gone before I get the chance to discover her work. But I also feel cheated by Jeanne M. Leiby herself. Had she exercised a little common sense and worn her seatbelt, she just might still be here today, writing some brilliant prose that would make the rest of us writers jealous.
An amazing talent is gone from our midst, but her work remains with us. Do yourself a favor and invest in a copy of Downriver and see how good a short story can be.
December 3, 2013
My Review of James & the Dragon
James & the Dragon - Farloft Chronicles Vol. 1 by Theresa SnyderMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
I had the pleasure of experiencing this story in its audio book format. James & the Dragon chronicles the tale of a ten-year-old boy, a dragon named Farloft, and other wonderfully written characters that inhabit the mind of author Theresa Snyder. I am so glad Ms. Snyder knows how to write and, more importantly, tell a story.
This is a children's book, to be sure, though there are mature themes, such as a plague that results in the deaths of many in this fictional kingdom. But even as a children's book, adults will certainly discover its wonderful charm and allure. Theresa Snyder paints vivid pictures that enter the mind the way a good read is supposed to. If you have children, I recommend this book. If you just enjoy a good story, I equally recommend this book.
View all my reviews
December 1, 2013
My Review of Downriver: Short Stories
Downriver: Short Stories by Jeanne M. LeibyMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
What an amazing collection of stories by a wonderfully talented writer. Jeanne M. Leiby has put together fifteen unique stories detailing the lives of children, women, mothers and fathers; characters which are so real and full of life, they threaten to jump off the pages and force the reader into their world.
Leiby is a brilliant storyteller, drawing up images and emotions with nothing more than well-chosen words and beautiful descriptions of life in and around my home state of Michigan. The content of her work touches on death, sexuality, family relationships, and the fears that children harbor about the world around them. There's a connection to these characters. They could be your family or the neighbors who lived next door when you were a kid. Leiby has captured us (human beings) on these pages, no matter where we call home. For readers and writers looking for examples of quality short stories, this is the book for you.
*Note: Jeanne Leiby was tragically killed in an auto accident in 2011.
View all my reviews
November 27, 2013
On My Soapbox...For A Moment
Okay. So normally I don’t use this blog for the purpose of preaching. That’s not why I write these posts. I’m a believer in the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; a follower of Jesus Christ. But I realize not everybody is. Those who read this blog usually log on for the book reviews, short stories, and my various missives concerning the art of writing. But tonight, well, I’m going to jump on my soapbox and get something off my chest.
I am a music fan. I prefer heavy metal, though I have a CD collection filled with all sorts of amazing artists. I say this only to explain why I watch the NBC program called The Voice. I watch this show faithfully each week. This talent show, above all the others, is stacked from top to bottom with incredible singers poised to become stars. Sure, I’ll pick a favorite or two; I’ll even phone in votes for those who really impress me.
Twenty years ago I would have scoffed at this idea. “If it’s not metal, it SUCKS!” That was my motto in my younger years. But I’m at an age where I can truly appreciate gifted individuals—regardless of the musical genre.
The other night (November 26, 2013) I witnessed something that irritated me, maybe even offended me. No, it wasn’t a contestant twerking during a performance. While twerking is cheap and classless, it really doesn’t bother me. Neither is the culprit bad language. I have some great punk music where the F-Bomb is prominently featured. It lends a certain charm to the rough edges of music.
So what is it that has me irritated? It’s song selection. More to the point, it’s the needless altering of a song’s lyrics, voiding its writer’s intent. The tune in question is a Christian hymn called “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” The cast of contestants sang this song as a group. There are several lines that reference the Lord. But the powers at NBC saw fit to substitute every mention of the word Lord with the meaningless oh. (“by and by, Lord, by and by” was rendered “by and by, oh, by and by.”)
Anybody who knows me knows I stand against all forms of censorship—unless it’s self-censorship. That means if there’s an F-bomb in the second verse, well, it stays there unless the one who wrote the song decides to make the change.
This isn’t an F-bomb, though; this is multiple mentions of the word Lord.
When did Lord become a dirty word? And who gave these people the right to alter Ada R. Habershon’s lyrics?
As mentioned above, I’m a believer. I’ve spent the last sixteen years studying the Bible. I know that Jesus Christ told of the days coming where the people of this world would push God out of their societies, out of their conscience, rejecting His word, his law, in favor of that which seems right to the individual. The book of Isaiah tells of the days when that which was once considered good will be seen as evil, and that which had once been deemed wicked by God will become acceptable behavior. Okay. I get it. We’re there. Anybody with eyes can see that the United States is steadily shoving God and religion out of the public space. We are rapidly becoming a secular nation.
That being said, I pose this question: Are we a better nation today for this move toward secularism? If secularism or atheism is the right way, we should be seeing the results in our society. Are we witnessing the germination of Utopia?
Let’s have a quick glance at a few recent news trends:
The Knockout Game: This is a “game” in which animals masquerading as humans punch unsuspecting victims in the face before running away into the shadows like cowards. At least one person has been murdered in this “game,” which chooses victims ranging in age from a 12-year-old boy to a 78-year-old woman. We never saw nor heard of such “games” in previous generations.
Mass Shootings: Schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, factories; it seems anybody can instantly become a casualty in this new America. The thing is, we’ve had guns in this nation since its founding. We’ve had mentally unstable individuals since the beginning of time. Yet, when I went to school, we never heard of mass shootings. I can remember the hunter safety courses being taught in the school gymnasium. It was a common sight to see students—boys and girls alike—carrying shotguns and rifles into school, leaving them in their lockers, so they could take the course after school let out for the day. Still, we never heard of mass shooting.
Political Corruption: Sure, we’ve got all sorts of prime examples of horrible people being elected to office in the past. Just look at the Nixon administration. But in generations past, the majority of our elected officials were true statesmen and stateswomen. If the stench of scandal came near to a senator, a governor, or a mayor, that person’s career was over. Today, the vast majority of politicians are parasites. They are the vilest of humans, capable of the worst offenses known to mankind. And not only are they not ashamed, they seldom have to answer for their misdeeds. A man or woman who lies is called a liar. Period. They didn’t mislead, they didn’t tell a white lie or a half-truth. This behavior is now accepted by the majority of Americans today.
Fiscal Mismanagement: Deficit is the norm today. It doesn’t matter that the federal government brings in more money than ever before in the history of this nation, the debt grows at staggering rates. The politicians’ answer is always more taxes. Tax this, tax that. We went from prosperity to poverty in just one generation. Factories are closed, major cities are filing bankruptcy, and the lying parasites continue to get “re-elected.”
There are so many other items appearing regularly in the news these days that just defy logic and common sense. Social media allows beatings, rapes, fights, and all manner of very real criminal acts to be posted and viewed as entertainment. And it’s only going to get worse.
So let me get back to my original intent in writing this article. Why did NBC feel the need to alter the lyrics of a Christian hymnal, rendering it a secular piece? Whatever the reason, it has me reconsidering whether or not I’m a loyal viewer. Some things you just don’t mess with, NBC. A Christian hymn is one of those things!
I am a music fan. I prefer heavy metal, though I have a CD collection filled with all sorts of amazing artists. I say this only to explain why I watch the NBC program called The Voice. I watch this show faithfully each week. This talent show, above all the others, is stacked from top to bottom with incredible singers poised to become stars. Sure, I’ll pick a favorite or two; I’ll even phone in votes for those who really impress me.
Twenty years ago I would have scoffed at this idea. “If it’s not metal, it SUCKS!” That was my motto in my younger years. But I’m at an age where I can truly appreciate gifted individuals—regardless of the musical genre.
The other night (November 26, 2013) I witnessed something that irritated me, maybe even offended me. No, it wasn’t a contestant twerking during a performance. While twerking is cheap and classless, it really doesn’t bother me. Neither is the culprit bad language. I have some great punk music where the F-Bomb is prominently featured. It lends a certain charm to the rough edges of music.
So what is it that has me irritated? It’s song selection. More to the point, it’s the needless altering of a song’s lyrics, voiding its writer’s intent. The tune in question is a Christian hymn called “Will The Circle Be Unbroken?” The cast of contestants sang this song as a group. There are several lines that reference the Lord. But the powers at NBC saw fit to substitute every mention of the word Lord with the meaningless oh. (“by and by, Lord, by and by” was rendered “by and by, oh, by and by.”)
Anybody who knows me knows I stand against all forms of censorship—unless it’s self-censorship. That means if there’s an F-bomb in the second verse, well, it stays there unless the one who wrote the song decides to make the change.
This isn’t an F-bomb, though; this is multiple mentions of the word Lord.
When did Lord become a dirty word? And who gave these people the right to alter Ada R. Habershon’s lyrics?
As mentioned above, I’m a believer. I’ve spent the last sixteen years studying the Bible. I know that Jesus Christ told of the days coming where the people of this world would push God out of their societies, out of their conscience, rejecting His word, his law, in favor of that which seems right to the individual. The book of Isaiah tells of the days when that which was once considered good will be seen as evil, and that which had once been deemed wicked by God will become acceptable behavior. Okay. I get it. We’re there. Anybody with eyes can see that the United States is steadily shoving God and religion out of the public space. We are rapidly becoming a secular nation.
That being said, I pose this question: Are we a better nation today for this move toward secularism? If secularism or atheism is the right way, we should be seeing the results in our society. Are we witnessing the germination of Utopia?
Let’s have a quick glance at a few recent news trends:
The Knockout Game: This is a “game” in which animals masquerading as humans punch unsuspecting victims in the face before running away into the shadows like cowards. At least one person has been murdered in this “game,” which chooses victims ranging in age from a 12-year-old boy to a 78-year-old woman. We never saw nor heard of such “games” in previous generations.
Mass Shootings: Schools, movie theaters, shopping malls, restaurants, factories; it seems anybody can instantly become a casualty in this new America. The thing is, we’ve had guns in this nation since its founding. We’ve had mentally unstable individuals since the beginning of time. Yet, when I went to school, we never heard of mass shootings. I can remember the hunter safety courses being taught in the school gymnasium. It was a common sight to see students—boys and girls alike—carrying shotguns and rifles into school, leaving them in their lockers, so they could take the course after school let out for the day. Still, we never heard of mass shooting.
Political Corruption: Sure, we’ve got all sorts of prime examples of horrible people being elected to office in the past. Just look at the Nixon administration. But in generations past, the majority of our elected officials were true statesmen and stateswomen. If the stench of scandal came near to a senator, a governor, or a mayor, that person’s career was over. Today, the vast majority of politicians are parasites. They are the vilest of humans, capable of the worst offenses known to mankind. And not only are they not ashamed, they seldom have to answer for their misdeeds. A man or woman who lies is called a liar. Period. They didn’t mislead, they didn’t tell a white lie or a half-truth. This behavior is now accepted by the majority of Americans today.
Fiscal Mismanagement: Deficit is the norm today. It doesn’t matter that the federal government brings in more money than ever before in the history of this nation, the debt grows at staggering rates. The politicians’ answer is always more taxes. Tax this, tax that. We went from prosperity to poverty in just one generation. Factories are closed, major cities are filing bankruptcy, and the lying parasites continue to get “re-elected.”
There are so many other items appearing regularly in the news these days that just defy logic and common sense. Social media allows beatings, rapes, fights, and all manner of very real criminal acts to be posted and viewed as entertainment. And it’s only going to get worse.
So let me get back to my original intent in writing this article. Why did NBC feel the need to alter the lyrics of a Christian hymnal, rendering it a secular piece? Whatever the reason, it has me reconsidering whether or not I’m a loyal viewer. Some things you just don’t mess with, NBC. A Christian hymn is one of those things!
November 21, 2013
Twitter As A Marketing Tool
Marketing in this modern world of indie publishing has afforded authors a wide array of options. Among these choices are blogs, Facebook, Google+, and LinkedIn. I personally prefer Twitter. Twitter allows for quick messages and immediate feedback. With generous retweets, the audience potential is virtually unlimited.
On Twitter, I’m known as @voiceofindie (though I've recently added @BeemWeeks). Those who follow me know this account isn’t just a self-promoting entity. I promote the work of others more so than my own. Writers, bloggers, musicians, artists, and photographers often benefit from shout-outs and retweets. But I don’t do this expecting retweets of my own stuff. I do this for one simple reason: A stronger indie movement is good for everyone treading this platform.
When we indie writers, musicians, and artists work together, we strengthen an up-and-coming industry. This tells the mainstream: Hey, we can do this without you. It lets the world know we exist, that our work is of the highest quality, and we’re only gaining in power.
I’ve discovered many new and talented writers through this process. I’ve also been turned on to great music from some seriously amazing musicians. Bands like Argentinian rockers Amoenus and Nashville-based The Bloody Nerve are reaching the world with music that, in most cases, sounds far superior to the auto-tuned nonsense seeping from the major labels these days.
@voiceofindie is growing each day. The only drawback is that I may not be able to get to every retweet every day. There are just so many wonderful participants involved in my little experiment. And that’s exactly what it is: an experiment. I set out to see if creative sorts from across the world would come together in the twitterverse to share what they’re reading or writing or listening to or recording. And it’s working. So why not join in and support indie! Tweet for tweet is the cheapest way to spread the word.
On Twitter, I’m known as @voiceofindie (though I've recently added @BeemWeeks). Those who follow me know this account isn’t just a self-promoting entity. I promote the work of others more so than my own. Writers, bloggers, musicians, artists, and photographers often benefit from shout-outs and retweets. But I don’t do this expecting retweets of my own stuff. I do this for one simple reason: A stronger indie movement is good for everyone treading this platform.
When we indie writers, musicians, and artists work together, we strengthen an up-and-coming industry. This tells the mainstream: Hey, we can do this without you. It lets the world know we exist, that our work is of the highest quality, and we’re only gaining in power.
I’ve discovered many new and talented writers through this process. I’ve also been turned on to great music from some seriously amazing musicians. Bands like Argentinian rockers Amoenus and Nashville-based The Bloody Nerve are reaching the world with music that, in most cases, sounds far superior to the auto-tuned nonsense seeping from the major labels these days.
@voiceofindie is growing each day. The only drawback is that I may not be able to get to every retweet every day. There are just so many wonderful participants involved in my little experiment. And that’s exactly what it is: an experiment. I set out to see if creative sorts from across the world would come together in the twitterverse to share what they’re reading or writing or listening to or recording. And it’s working. So why not join in and support indie! Tweet for tweet is the cheapest way to spread the word.
November 5, 2013
Censorship In The Writing Community
We all know the titles: Lolita, Lady Chatterley's Lover, Naked Lunch. Each of these books have, at times, been the banned by various governments around the world. Today, all three of these works are considered classics among literary scholars.
When first released, The Diary of Anne Frank found resistance in Lebanon due to it's favorable portrayal of Jews and Israel.
John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath met with a brief banning (in the region of California in which the story is set) for its unflattering portrayal of local residents.
It seems just about any book has the potential to offend someone somewhere in the world. These bans range from the silly (Alice's Adventures In Wonderland was banned in China for its depiction of talking animals), to the scary (A death sentence is still in effect against author Salmon Rushdie for his novel The Satanic Verses).
Let's take a look at some other notable victims of super zealous governmental overreach: Brave New World was banned in Ireland for references to sexual promiscuity; Green Eggs and Ham became forbidden literature in The People's Republic of China due to it's portrayal of early Marxism; Frankenstein was labeled "obscene" by the apartheid government of South Africa, rendering the classic horror tale banned.
We can look back at a multitude of other amazing works that were once forbidden in various parts of planet: All Quiet on the Western Front, Animal Farm, Uncle Tom's Cabin. But what about the world in which we live today? Are we still facing far-reaching governmental control over what we are or are not allowed to read? And who are these people making such decisions?
The war to keep smut or politically sensitive materials out of your hands is still being fought in virtually every nation on Earth.
I've read several articles online in recent weeks dealing with attacks on those books commonly known as erotic fiction. Oh, there aren't any outright bans on the works, but, with a growing list of e-retailers refusing to stock these titles, the result is the same: A book unavailable to the public is effectively banned.
But even in this there is the stench of hypocrisy. Where a book dealer will refuse to carry erotic titles by indie authors, they have no problem stocking a big money-maker like Fifty Shades of Gray. Some retailers are even equating shape-shifting werewolf romances with bestiality, thus refusing to carry these novels. Have they refused to sell any of the Twilight series? Not likely; there's too much money to be made.
I don't read erotic fiction. I'm just not a fan. But that doesn't mean I want to see these titles banned or ignored by retailers. These writers work hard to create and market their stories to an ever-growing market. It's a shame to hear about this retailer or that one refusing to sell books, which more often than not, are written by indie authors.
The only form of censorship I can ever agree with is self-censorship. Allow me the chance to check myself. I don't need some politician or religious figure or business person to determine what words will come from my pen.
If you're a fan of erotic fiction written by indie authors, stand up for your rights and the rights of said authors. Let those retailers know you won't be doing business with them as long as they refuse to give you a choice in what you will or will not purchase and read.
When first released, The Diary of Anne Frank found resistance in Lebanon due to it's favorable portrayal of Jews and Israel.
John Steinbeck's The Grapes of Wrath met with a brief banning (in the region of California in which the story is set) for its unflattering portrayal of local residents.
It seems just about any book has the potential to offend someone somewhere in the world. These bans range from the silly (Alice's Adventures In Wonderland was banned in China for its depiction of talking animals), to the scary (A death sentence is still in effect against author Salmon Rushdie for his novel The Satanic Verses).
Let's take a look at some other notable victims of super zealous governmental overreach: Brave New World was banned in Ireland for references to sexual promiscuity; Green Eggs and Ham became forbidden literature in The People's Republic of China due to it's portrayal of early Marxism; Frankenstein was labeled "obscene" by the apartheid government of South Africa, rendering the classic horror tale banned.
We can look back at a multitude of other amazing works that were once forbidden in various parts of planet: All Quiet on the Western Front, Animal Farm, Uncle Tom's Cabin. But what about the world in which we live today? Are we still facing far-reaching governmental control over what we are or are not allowed to read? And who are these people making such decisions?
The war to keep smut or politically sensitive materials out of your hands is still being fought in virtually every nation on Earth.
I've read several articles online in recent weeks dealing with attacks on those books commonly known as erotic fiction. Oh, there aren't any outright bans on the works, but, with a growing list of e-retailers refusing to stock these titles, the result is the same: A book unavailable to the public is effectively banned.
But even in this there is the stench of hypocrisy. Where a book dealer will refuse to carry erotic titles by indie authors, they have no problem stocking a big money-maker like Fifty Shades of Gray. Some retailers are even equating shape-shifting werewolf romances with bestiality, thus refusing to carry these novels. Have they refused to sell any of the Twilight series? Not likely; there's too much money to be made.
I don't read erotic fiction. I'm just not a fan. But that doesn't mean I want to see these titles banned or ignored by retailers. These writers work hard to create and market their stories to an ever-growing market. It's a shame to hear about this retailer or that one refusing to sell books, which more often than not, are written by indie authors.
The only form of censorship I can ever agree with is self-censorship. Allow me the chance to check myself. I don't need some politician or religious figure or business person to determine what words will come from my pen.
If you're a fan of erotic fiction written by indie authors, stand up for your rights and the rights of said authors. Let those retailers know you won't be doing business with them as long as they refuse to give you a choice in what you will or will not purchase and read.
October 24, 2013
The Bloody Nerve
I get them quite often—even though I’m an indie author. I’m talking about the tweets from indie musicians asking for a shout out, or if maybe I wouldn’t mind having a listen to a song or two from a recently released album, EP, or single. I always oblige. I can’t help it. I’m a massive music fan! I once—though briefly—played in a metal band way back in 1984. I sang lead vocals—though my first love was and still is guitar. My true calling, though, is writing. So I’ll gladly leave the music-making to those who actually know what they’re doing; which brings me to the most recent band to contact me via Twitter.
The Bloody Nerve is a duo currently based out of Nashville, TN. And the mere fact that I’m taking the time to write a blog post about them ought to let you know my opinion of this amazing pair. This doesn’t mean all of those other musicians that have contacted me for a shout out aren’t worthy of a blog post—several are, and may get their own if I can find time to squeeze them between work on my second novel and the myriad short stories I’m currently putting together.
The Bloody Nerve consists of singer/guitarist Stacey Blood and vocalist Laurie Ann Layne. The two came together after years of stumping through places as diverse as Dallas, TX; San Luis Obispo, CA; New York; and Miami. Blood arrived in Nashville first, back in 2004. Layne followed two years later. It was producer David Norris, a long-time friend to Blood, who steered the two into a working relationship that translates well into tight harmonies, stellar melodies, and poignant lyrics.
Both Blood and Layne are incredible singers. Their vocals complement each other in the same way an old married couple will finish one another’s sentences. The track that drew my attention is the haunting “Find Ya Love,” which can be viewed on their official website as well as on YouTube. This is one of those tracks that really puts the listener into a dreamy sort of mood, conjuring images of a stormy night somewhere deep in the American South. A second track, called “Place To Hide,” offers the true genius of simplicity: a guy, a girl, and an acoustic guitar.
These two serve up old-school rock and roll that sounds fresh and exciting in today’s often-stagnant music world. There’s no auto tune in this mix, just good old fashioned talent. Their newly-released EP entitled Red is available through their web site at http://www.thebloodynerve.com. I highly recommend this dynamic duo.
In case you need more convincing, have a listen and a look for yourselves:
“Place To Hide” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T7qtd...
“Find Ya Love” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cb-P9...
“Red” promo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px3vIf...
The Bloody Nerve is a duo currently based out of Nashville, TN. And the mere fact that I’m taking the time to write a blog post about them ought to let you know my opinion of this amazing pair. This doesn’t mean all of those other musicians that have contacted me for a shout out aren’t worthy of a blog post—several are, and may get their own if I can find time to squeeze them between work on my second novel and the myriad short stories I’m currently putting together.
The Bloody Nerve consists of singer/guitarist Stacey Blood and vocalist Laurie Ann Layne. The two came together after years of stumping through places as diverse as Dallas, TX; San Luis Obispo, CA; New York; and Miami. Blood arrived in Nashville first, back in 2004. Layne followed two years later. It was producer David Norris, a long-time friend to Blood, who steered the two into a working relationship that translates well into tight harmonies, stellar melodies, and poignant lyrics.
Both Blood and Layne are incredible singers. Their vocals complement each other in the same way an old married couple will finish one another’s sentences. The track that drew my attention is the haunting “Find Ya Love,” which can be viewed on their official website as well as on YouTube. This is one of those tracks that really puts the listener into a dreamy sort of mood, conjuring images of a stormy night somewhere deep in the American South. A second track, called “Place To Hide,” offers the true genius of simplicity: a guy, a girl, and an acoustic guitar.
These two serve up old-school rock and roll that sounds fresh and exciting in today’s often-stagnant music world. There’s no auto tune in this mix, just good old fashioned talent. Their newly-released EP entitled Red is available through their web site at http://www.thebloodynerve.com. I highly recommend this dynamic duo.
In case you need more convincing, have a listen and a look for yourselves:
“Place To Hide” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7T7qtd...
“Find Ya Love” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3cb-P9...
“Red” promo http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Px3vIf...
October 20, 2013
Joel Savage Writes A Must-Read Book
AIDS Doesn't Discriminate, So Why Do We? by Joel SavageMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
AIDS Doesn’t Discriminate, So Why Do We? isn’t a novel, though it certainly would make quite an interesting story. Neither is it a biography. What author Joel Savage has crafted is a very real look into the lives of victims of the AIDS epidemic that has plagued the world since before the dreaded disease was actually identified.
Savage introduces readers to Benta, a woman living on the outskirts of Aarhus, Denmark. When Benta is diagnosed with the AIDS virus, her family and friends desert her in the moment she needs them most.
We also meet young Nkosi Johnson, a boy of only twelve years when he loses his life to the disease. But Nkosi was unlike most children his age. This boy took his fight—and the fights of other victims—into the public arena, challenging politicians and others to step up and make a difference in this battle. Nkosi even went so far as to chide the president of his nation, Thabo Mbeki, before thousands attending the 13th International AIDS Conference in South Africa, for the politician’s mishandling of an epidemic already responsible for the loss of millions of lives across the African continent.
Author Savage tells the stories of other lives touched by the disease. He so powerfully exposes the bias of those who would turn their backs on loved ones and strangers alike, based solely on a doctor’s diagnosis. Had these individuals been told they had cancer, would they still be deserted by those who claimed to love them?
AIDS is a dark chapter in modern history. Joel Savage points out how this one disease seems to give permission to discriminate against its sufferers. This is a book that everybody should read. I recommend it highly.
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