E.D. Martin's Blog, page 28

The stories veterans tell

I’ve come across a lot of veterans in my life: family members, friends, classmates, clients, students.

My great-grandfather (left) with his brother and sister, taken around 1918.

My grandfather during WWII

Each person has a unique story but shares similarities across the ages, the wars, the bases, the experiences back home.

I try to capture these in the eleven stories in my short story collection, The Futility of Loving a Soldier.

A girlfriend explains why she knew her boyfriend wouldn’t come back from the front.
A stranger reminds a veteran what matters in life.
A wife struggles to trust her husband with their baby after he returns from deployment.
Old friends search for a way to reclaim the dreams and plans of their childhood.
A woman haunted by her experiences finds an unlikely ally.
One man’s enlistment creates ripple effects for generations as four sons seek to make sense of what they and their fathers are fighting for.

The book also has a list of resources for helping veterans with physical or mental issues, as well as places that provide support for families.

What stories do your veterans and their families tell?

Weekend Writing Warrior 11/8/15 #8Sunday

In honor of Veterans’ Day on Wednesday, this week’s snippet is from my short story collection, The Futility of Loving a Soldier, which has a print edition is coming out later this month.

Today’s excerpt is from “Gone But Not Forgotten.” Carolyn is going through boxes belonging to her ex-husband when she finds a medal that triggers some memories.

* * * * * * * * * * *

She was going out to lunch with her mom, followed by a trip to the grocery store—gone three hours, tops. She had reservations leaving Shanna with Bryce, but he reassured her they’d be fine.

“It’s my own daughter, for God’s sake; you think I’d hurt my own daughter?”

Not intentionally, she wanted to retort, but she swallowed her words and misgivings, handed him the baby, and said, “I’ll be back in a few hours. Her bottle’s in the fridge. She likes it when you sing her to sleep, and she sleeps with her teddy bear, on her back.”

Bryce tensed, and Carolyn stopped offering the same laundry list of details she gave teenage babysitters. This was her husband, Shanna’s father, and he didn’t need this; they’d be fine.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Read more about Carolyn and Bryce in The Futility of Loving a Soldier, then post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.

Weekend Writing Warrior 11/1/15 #8Sunday

It’s a new month, so I’m shifting focus back to my short story collection, The Futility of Loving a Soldier, because a print edition is coming out later this month!

Today’s excerpt is from “Gone But Not Forgotten.” Carolyn is going through boxes belonging to her ex-husband when she finds a medal.

* * * * * * * * * * *

A simple bronze medallion dangled on a silver chain, the raised image and engraved words worn away by constant contact. Bryce’s medal had been awarded for bravery or good conduct or something along those lines; she couldn’t remember anymore. She closed her eyes and heard his voice as he’d told her of the honors he’d be receiving for his combat experience. She couldn’t recall the exact words, just the tone: happy, proud, and relieved to be coming back home.

Even then, however, there’d been a touch of bitterness underneath it all, an impotent anger festering beneath the surface of his personality. He hadn’t been okay, of course; he’d changed over there.

Yet she’d been so happy to get him back, and for him to finally meet their daughter, she’d overlooked the sudden mood swings and the sullen drinking.

Until she couldn’t ignore it any longer.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Read more about Carolyn and Bryce in The Futility of Loving a Soldier, then post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.

To celebrate the print edition, I’m giving away a $25 Amazon gift card, as well as some copies of my books. Make sure you enter!

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Weekend Writing Warrior 10/25/15 #8Sunday

This month’s excerpts are from my short story, “A Place to Die.”

When Libby spends a summer helping out at her mom’s bed and breakfast-turned-hospice, she doesn’t expect to spend her time babysitting someone like Mr. Calloway – a young, vibrant financial planner with a mischievous streak. But Mr. Calloway is sicker than he seems, something neither he nor his family want to acknowledge. Can Libby help him accept his fate without losing her heart?

In this scene, Libby and Mr. Calloway have just met. He’s going for a walk, and she tags along.

* * * * * * * * * *

I studied the shoreline beneath us; the path wasn’t steep, but it was too rugged for most of the guests, and no one was down there tonight. “You feel up to it?”

“I’m not dead yet.”

I knew the path like the back of my hand, having used it daily practically since I could walk, but he still beat me down to the beach. He loped over to a log and sat down on it, facing the lake.

I plopped down next to him, breathing heavily, and said, “You take that path that fast too many times, you’ll be dead before you know it.”

He chuckled, and I winced. For all I knew, he might be dead tomorrow.

* * * * * * * * * *

Get the rest of my story FREE when you sign up for my mailing list. Then post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.

Friday Five: Emma Woods

Today’s Friday Five focus is Emma Woods, author of young adult novels.

Emma lives in a small town in the Midwest with her husband, daughter, and dog. She vaguely remembers winning a Young Authors award in the fourth grade, and has a bachelor’s degree in Language Arts Education. As a child, she played imagination games all the time and was certain that the neighbors were hiding a roller coaster in their backyard. As an adult, she tries to keep her imagination on the pages of her books, but fun make believe games still happen at her house.

Her novel, Beasts and Savages, is about Lea, who lives where girls hunt boys. When Lea’s prey becomes her captor, she learns more about their lives and herself. In the end, Lea must choose between two worlds, in which neither she belongs.

* * * * * * * * * * *

1. Why do you write in the genre you listed above?

I got sucked in to the Young Adult realm in college. As an assignment, I had to read The Giver. I loved it and had a heated discussion with a college professor about the open ending. Since then, I read every YA novel I could get my hands on. When I began writing, I decided to write what I love.

2. If you could pick just one book to read for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?

This is hard. Just one book? I’m not sure which series I’d pick, but I would definitely pick the end of a series book. Because I would already know the characters from the first books, I could relive the first stories and keep the ending fresh in my mind.

3. What are some of your favorite words and why?

My favorite word is scoot. Like “scoot over here and sit by me.” I have no idea why. I also like trousers, which isn’t used very often in the US. Maybe that’s why I like it.

4. Is there a certain type of scene that’s harder for you to write than others? How do you deal with this?

Any scene that isn’t dialogue or full of action is hard for me. Describing does not come natural to me and I feel cheesy doing it most of the time.

5. What are three things on your bucket list?

To ride in a hot air balloon. Someone near where I work has one and in the summer I watch them take off on my way in. I think it would be so fun.

Meet Jimmy Fallon or John Oliver. Both are smart, funny, and adorable men.

Watch my daughter grow up and become an illustrator/artist. There is nothing I could imagine better that watching your child fulfill her dream.

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Beasts and Savages is available through Amazon.

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Weekend Writing Warrior 10/18/15 #8Sunday

This month’s excerpts are from my short story, “A Place to Die.”

When Libby spends a summer helping out at her mom’s bed and breakfast-turned-hospice, she doesn’t expect to spend her time babysitting someone like Mr. Calloway – a young, vibrant financial planner with a mischievous streak. But Mr. Calloway is sicker than he seems, something neither he nor his family want to acknowledge. Can Libby help him accept his fate without losing her heart?

This continues from last week’s excerpt, when Libby’s mom told her to help with one of the guests. Libby’s looking for him in the dining room.

* * * * * * * * * *

Mrs. Nielson started serving dinner at five pm sharp, but there was never much of a crowd early, or at all; I didn’t suppose dying people had much of an appetite.

Tonight was no exception: a handful of older women sat at a table with a guy about a decade older than me, several couples ate by themselves, and a table by the door was occupied by three old men. As I looked around, I realized I had no idea what my charge looked like.

I ducked into the kitchen, where Mrs. Nielson was yelling at a couple cooks, and asked, “Sorry to bother you, but do you know a Mr. Calloway?”

She turned to me with narrowed eyes and asked, “What’s he done now?”

“Nothing,” I quickly responded, “ it’s just that I’m supposed to keep an eye on him, but I don’t know what he looks like.”

“He’s in the dining room.” She’d already turned back to the stove in front of her, but as I left, she called over her shoulder, “Better keep two eyes on him.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Get the rest of my story FREE when you sign up for my mailing list. Then post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.

Writing as a career vs writing as a hobby

I just started a PhD program this fall, and I love it.

When it comes to my career goals – eventually, I intend to be a research analyst at a national thinktank, looking at education policy as it pertains to low socioeconomic status and minority students – I don’t mess around. I’m strategic. I know what I want to do, and I evaluate every class I take, every relationship I form within the school, every decision, with respect to whether it’ll get me closer to my goals. If it doesn’t, I don’t do it.

Since classes started this fall, I’ve identified three possible research organizations I could work with next year AND talked to people involved about getting on with them. I’ve narrowed down faculty I could do research with, both for my research practicum next fall and for a research assistantship. I’ve made a list of classes I plan to take, as well as how they’ll fit into the generic schedule given to me by my advisor (not surprisingly, I’ll be taking extra classes because at this point, I definitely know what kind of courseload I’m capable of). I’ve looked at the job qualifications at places I’d love to work someday and compared my skills to the list. I’ve gotten the go-ahead to do my own research projects and I’m in the process of putting together a team of master’s students to help me.

In short, I’m focused.

When it comes to writing, however, not so much. I know what I want to do – I have a list of goals for the year – but I don’t do much to reach this goals.

For example, I set myself the goal of writing at least two hours a day while I’ve been on fall break from my school social work internship. I’ve probably spent two hours total over the last two weeks.

I know a lot of writers who are very focused on their writing. They treat it as a career – and I think that’s the reason I’m not putting as much time into it as others, because for me, writing isn’t a career. I love what I do, in the field I’ve chosen (not to mention the huge cost in terms of dollars and time in getting several advanced degrees). I have no intention of quitting my day job to be a full-time writer.

At the same time, I want writing to be more than just a hobby.

If you’re a writer, is it a hobby or a career for you? If you’re like me and love your career, how do you balance time for writing as well?

Weekend Writing Warrior 10/11/15 #8Sunday

This month’s excerpts are from my short story, “A Place to Die.”

When Libby spends a summer helping out at her mom’s bed and breakfast-turned-hospice, she doesn’t expect to spend her time babysitting someone like Mr. Calloway – a young, vibrant financial planner with a mischievous streak. But Mr. Calloway is sicker than he seems, something neither he nor his family want to acknowledge. Can Libby help him accept his fate without losing her heart?

This continues from last week’s description of the farm/hospice.

* * * * * * * * * *

I was in college by this point, not too far a drive in Madison but far enough that I didn’t make it home very often. And honestly, it was too depressing to be there; I’d get to know a guest, only to have him not return.

The summer after my junior year, I couldn’t come up with an excuse to stay away for three months; a job in Madison had fallen through and I ended up back at the farm until I could line something else up.

“Good,” Mom told me when I managed to track her down in the kitchen and hold her attention for a couple minutes. “You can help out with Mr. Calloway, starting at dinner tonight.”

“Mom, I’d not good with the guests anymore, not when they’re like this,” I  said, pointing out the window at a woman being pushed in a wheelchair. Though the day was warm, she was bundled up in several blankets, and an oxygen tank hung at her side.

“Nonsense, Libby, they’re still people – just treat them like anyone else.”

* * * * * * * * * *

Get the rest of my story FREE when you sign up for my mailing list. Then post a link to your eight sentences blog entry, or join the fun at the Weekend Writing Warriors website.

Friday Five: Jonathan Brookes

Today’s Friday Focus is Jonathan Brookes, author of sci-fi, techno-thriller, and espionage novels and novellas.

Jonathan has been “on the run” for some time, after exposing a covert and ethically questionable military project to breed super soldiers.

The facts behind the fiction of this project are revealed in the first novella, Relic. Disturbingly close to the truth, Relic describes a world in which human soldiers are replaced with something much deadlier, and much more uncontrollable, with consequences that could spell the end of humanity as we know it.

Jonathan Brookes is known to have spent the last thirty years weaving his way through one high tech company after another, leaving a trail of cancelled projects, failed mergers and corporate bankruptcies. He was last seen on a wooded trail between the Melville Nauheim Shelter and The Greenwood Lodge and Campsite on Route 9, near Big Pond, Woodford, VT.

His current whereabouts are unknown….

His latest book, Relic II: Resurrection, is a twisted tale of lust, greed, psychosis, and delusion. A child is born, and its mother dies during childbirth. The race is on to claim guardianship of this orphan, whose genetics are a relic of a lost race. In a perverse twist of evolution, this one child could unravel 30,000 years of Homo sapiens dominance of the Earth. Fact and fiction collide in this high-tension, fast-paced sequel to Relic.

* * * * * * * * * * *

1. What was your attitude towards reading when you were a kid?

Books! Couldn’t get enough of ‘em!

2. What do you want your readers to take away from your works?

I want them to think. To consider other possibilities. To consider their own potential, and act upon that.

3. What’s the weirdest thing you’ve ever researched for your works or biggest/most out-of-the-ordinary thing you’ve done while researching?

Whether or not Neanderthals had a baculum (penile bone). All male primates except humans have one. It allows a male primate to instantly have an erection to get the deed done quickly and move on. None of that huggy-kissy foreplay required. Just in, out, then off to play with the boys.

4. If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?

The ability to make up my mind when confronted with existential questions like “If you could have any superpower, what would it be and why?”

5. Why should people read YOUR stuff? Who’s your target audience and why?

Convincing people to read my stuff is your job. That’s why I’m doing this interview.

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Relic and Relic II: Resurrection are both available through Amazon.

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