R.C. O'Leary's Blog, page 4
March 2, 2014
Two Updates: A New Goodreads Giveway and Chapters 4 and 5 now Available for Free Download Sample
20 Book Giveaway on GoodReads and Additional chapters Now Part of the sample I'm excited to announce that Haywood Street Press (the company I set up to publish and distribute Hallways in the Night) is doing a 20 book Giveaway through Goodreads. (Widget added to site soon)
I'm doing this to try and generate more exposure and increased discoverability for Hallways in the Night. Thus far, reader reception has been as good as I could have imagined (even better in some cases) so my thinking is that the more people who read the book the more likely it will increase the word of mouth exposure.
For those of you who have recommended the book after reading it, I cannot thank you enough. It's the ultimate compliment to a writer and the best long-term marketing and sales strategy. As those who know me or follow this blog, you'll know I did not do any pre-release publicity. Some might argue that was a mistake, but it was a by-product of focusing all my efforts on finishing, proofing and editing the book, which took a lot longer than I expected.
In addition to the Goodreads giveaway, I've also added Chapters 4 and 5 to the sample. What I like about these chapters is that they show how the story widens out and how other characters become involved in the novel after the confrontation between Dave and Remo in the parking lot.
If you're a member of Goodreads and found this blog through the giveaway, let me say welcome and good luck if you enter. If you're not a member of Goodreads it is a great site that brings readers together and will help you find some great books, reviews and fellow readers.
Any questions, please let me know. Best Regards as Always,
I'm doing this to try and generate more exposure and increased discoverability for Hallways in the Night. Thus far, reader reception has been as good as I could have imagined (even better in some cases) so my thinking is that the more people who read the book the more likely it will increase the word of mouth exposure.
For those of you who have recommended the book after reading it, I cannot thank you enough. It's the ultimate compliment to a writer and the best long-term marketing and sales strategy. As those who know me or follow this blog, you'll know I did not do any pre-release publicity. Some might argue that was a mistake, but it was a by-product of focusing all my efforts on finishing, proofing and editing the book, which took a lot longer than I expected.
In addition to the Goodreads giveaway, I've also added Chapters 4 and 5 to the sample. What I like about these chapters is that they show how the story widens out and how other characters become involved in the novel after the confrontation between Dave and Remo in the parking lot.
If you're a member of Goodreads and found this blog through the giveaway, let me say welcome and good luck if you enter. If you're not a member of Goodreads it is a great site that brings readers together and will help you find some great books, reviews and fellow readers.
Any questions, please let me know. Best Regards as Always,
March 1, 2014
Some Thoughts for the Weekend Book-Related and Otherwise
Race Relations in America are much better than the media depicts. Living in Florida, we are fortunate to belong to a great YMCA that takes up a big part of our free time. What is so great about this Y is that it is truly a melting pot of races and a real mix of black and white players, coaches, refs, etc. My kids who play basketball there have had a chance to see the real-world and develop what I hope is a color-blind perspective on life. Unlike the national media that likes to make everything a racial story, I have not seen even one incident where race has played any role or been a factor. It makes me very encouraged as I think about the next generations of Americans.A few people who have read Hallways in the Night have brought up some of the parallels between Remo Centrella and Richie Incognito's behavior, especially with regard to the fact that he attacked his Ferrari with a baseball bat. To be candid, before the Jonathan Martin situation, I had a very negative opinion of Incognito. I thought he was a complete ass who played dirty. Subsequent to the Martin situation, though, I have come to reconsider him as an intelligent, even likeable guy who obviously has a lot of personal demons and anger issues that might be exacerbated if he uses steroids or testosterone. And let's be honest, the fact the NFL doesn't test for Testosterone is, to use one of Adam Schein's favorite quotes "an Absolute Joke." I would bet close to 80% of NFL players use testosterone among other substances. The end result if players who are getting too big, too strong and too dangerous. As the "arms race" to bulk up in the NFL continues, the problem is they simply end up doing damage to each other. As far as Incognito, he is a young guy with a lot of life ahead of him, and I hope he gets the help he needs with his temper and anger issues. They are obviously deep-seated and it was good to read he is getting some professional help. I certainly pray the scenario in Hallways in the Night between Remo Centrella and Dave ever becomes a reality, although I do fear it someday might.I'm excited to report I'm close to striking a deal with a professional voice actor to bring Hallways in the Night to audible format. We will be going through Amazon's ACX platform and I think the book is going to translate very well. I really enjoyed (and spent a lot of very long hours working on) writing dialogue and I can't wait to eventually listen to the book.I have a blog post scheduled to run Tuesday on Twenty in Paris blog that talks about some of the regrets I have in not studying abroad in college. The post was very honest and I think you will enjoy reading it.I'm running a big Goodreads Giveaway next week for the book. Some of you may remember I ran one back in December with three books offered. Unfortunately, the giveaway, thus far, resulted in no reviews. This time, based upon several articles I read, including a slideshare presentation on "What Makes a Book Go Viral" I'm going to up the number up to 20 books. If GR's averages hold true, that should result in 12 reviews of the book and hopefully some more buzz for it. I am trying to build buzz for the book each week and feel like I'm getting a foundation in place that can be leveraged into the future. Lastly, I read a very interesting (and enjoyable) book by Tony Vanderwarker called Writing with the Master that is about his experience of writing a legal thriller while being mentored by John Grisham. I'm a big Grisham fan and that was the reason I was initially interested but by the end the story flows more into a great memoir than a writing book. Having written Hallways in the Night with my own process, I don't think I would want to be mentored by Grisham or anyone else. I'll post the review mid-week. Stay tuned!
February 25, 2014
Trying to Write a Book Worthy of the Boss, Bruce Springsteen.
The below was previously published as a guestpost I wrote on Ashley Farley's blog Chronicles. Ashley is the author of a gripping book Saving Ben which has 98 5 star reviews. I hope you enjoy my post and I'm confident you will enjoy Ashley's book.
Anyone who reads Hallways in the Night can probably tell I’m a serious Bruce Springsteen fan based upon some of the references I drop throughout the book. As a matter of fact, I use a Bruce reference early on in the story to portray the extent of a heat wave in Atlanta by saying that my protagonist, Dave Mackno, “had been trying to kill time by listening to some Springsteen tapes, but the batteries in his Walkman were almost dead, which made it sound like even the Boss was beginning to wilt in the summer heat.”
I thought the image would resonate with readers because of Bruce’s well-earned reputation for seemingly limitless energy. It’s one of the things I admire most about “the Boss.” He is a performer who leaves everything he has onstage every single night.
I don’t think anyone who has ever attended a Bruce Springsteen concert ever left without feeling they got their full money’s worth. That’s because of the respect Bruce has for his fans. It’s a compact with them that he seems to treat as sacred.
One of the things that makes Bruce special is he doesn’t just have this attitude when playing in front of thousands of fans in Wembley Stadium or Madison Square Garden. He brings the same level of passion and commitment no matter how many fans are in the audience or where he is playing. It’s an approach he has used since he first began to perform.
Whether playing in front of 10 or 10,000 fans, Bruce always put on the best possible show he could. Of the thousands of shows Bruce has played, I don’t think he ever once “phoned it in.” It would go against everything he believes in and the work ethic for which he is known. A work ethic and commitment to his audience that I wanted to emulate when I wrote Hallways in the Night.
When I began Hallways in the Night, I was determined to make it the best possible book I could write, no matter it if was to be read solely read by friends and family, or if it was eventually read by thousands of readers. The truth is, while writing it, I didn’t spend much time thinking about how many books I might sell. Instead, like Bruce, I tried to focus on delivering the best product possible so that every reader would know I respected their investment and commitment to the book.
And by “investment,” I’m not just referring to the cost of the book. In the big scheme of things, the monetary cost of a book is a secondary consideration to the real investment readers make. That investment is of the one resource they can never get back once spent: their time.
When writing Hallways in the Night, I never forgot that I would be asking readers to invest approximately 10 to 20 hours of their life reading my book. It’s a big commitment on the part of a reader and it’s one I was determined to honor.
That’s why I cut my book down from over 400 pages to a little over 300 pages. I was aggressive in my editing because I wanted the novel to have a steady pace without any slow parts. And that’s why I also proofread and edited the book dozens of times. I wanted the final product to be reflect how serious I took my responsibility to readers.
Now that my book is published, I’m glad I made the choice to treat my book the way Bruce has always treated his music and his concerts. I’m glad I gave the process everything I had because I know I don’t have enough talent or ability to give less than 100% and expect to write a book worthy of a readers’ time.
Perhaps that’s the same reason Bruce always gave everything he had to his work, too. Perhaps, as amazingly talented as he is, he thought he needed to put everything he had into every song and every concert if he wanted to achieve his dreams.
Or maybe Bruce did it because he didn’t want to have any regrets. That’s an attitude to which I can completely relate: “no regrets.”
Because I put my absolute best into writing Hallways in the Night, I will have no regrets no matter what happens. I will never have to look back and wonder “what if” in regard to having tried or worked harder on the book.
Like the Boss, in some ways because of the Boss, I gave Hallways in the Night my all, and I will always be grateful to Bruce for setting an example that I tried to follow.
Anyone who reads Hallways in the Night can probably tell I’m a serious Bruce Springsteen fan based upon some of the references I drop throughout the book. As a matter of fact, I use a Bruce reference early on in the story to portray the extent of a heat wave in Atlanta by saying that my protagonist, Dave Mackno, “had been trying to kill time by listening to some Springsteen tapes, but the batteries in his Walkman were almost dead, which made it sound like even the Boss was beginning to wilt in the summer heat.”
I thought the image would resonate with readers because of Bruce’s well-earned reputation for seemingly limitless energy. It’s one of the things I admire most about “the Boss.” He is a performer who leaves everything he has onstage every single night.
I don’t think anyone who has ever attended a Bruce Springsteen concert ever left without feeling they got their full money’s worth. That’s because of the respect Bruce has for his fans. It’s a compact with them that he seems to treat as sacred.
One of the things that makes Bruce special is he doesn’t just have this attitude when playing in front of thousands of fans in Wembley Stadium or Madison Square Garden. He brings the same level of passion and commitment no matter how many fans are in the audience or where he is playing. It’s an approach he has used since he first began to perform.
Whether playing in front of 10 or 10,000 fans, Bruce always put on the best possible show he could. Of the thousands of shows Bruce has played, I don’t think he ever once “phoned it in.” It would go against everything he believes in and the work ethic for which he is known. A work ethic and commitment to his audience that I wanted to emulate when I wrote Hallways in the Night.
When I began Hallways in the Night, I was determined to make it the best possible book I could write, no matter it if was to be read solely read by friends and family, or if it was eventually read by thousands of readers. The truth is, while writing it, I didn’t spend much time thinking about how many books I might sell. Instead, like Bruce, I tried to focus on delivering the best product possible so that every reader would know I respected their investment and commitment to the book.
And by “investment,” I’m not just referring to the cost of the book. In the big scheme of things, the monetary cost of a book is a secondary consideration to the real investment readers make. That investment is of the one resource they can never get back once spent: their time.
When writing Hallways in the Night, I never forgot that I would be asking readers to invest approximately 10 to 20 hours of their life reading my book. It’s a big commitment on the part of a reader and it’s one I was determined to honor.
That’s why I cut my book down from over 400 pages to a little over 300 pages. I was aggressive in my editing because I wanted the novel to have a steady pace without any slow parts. And that’s why I also proofread and edited the book dozens of times. I wanted the final product to be reflect how serious I took my responsibility to readers.
Now that my book is published, I’m glad I made the choice to treat my book the way Bruce has always treated his music and his concerts. I’m glad I gave the process everything I had because I know I don’t have enough talent or ability to give less than 100% and expect to write a book worthy of a readers’ time.
Perhaps that’s the same reason Bruce always gave everything he had to his work, too. Perhaps, as amazingly talented as he is, he thought he needed to put everything he had into every song and every concert if he wanted to achieve his dreams.
Or maybe Bruce did it because he didn’t want to have any regrets. That’s an attitude to which I can completely relate: “no regrets.”
Because I put my absolute best into writing Hallways in the Night, I will have no regrets no matter what happens. I will never have to look back and wonder “what if” in regard to having tried or worked harder on the book.
Like the Boss, in some ways because of the Boss, I gave Hallways in the Night my all, and I will always be grateful to Bruce for setting an example that I tried to follow.
February 21, 2014
Very Proud to Be Partnering with Cannonball Read 6 (@cannonballread) to Donate book Royalties the week of 2/21 t0 2/28 to the American Cancer Society
The Below Post was Copied and Pasted from the Cannonball Read site. Mswas's Review No: 2
This Isn’t a Book Review, but It’s Still Awesome
Hallways in the Night by R. C. O'Leary(Buy Hallways in the Night on Amazon.com)
We’ve had thrilling interactions with authors on social media and this blog already this year, but I must tell you, R. C. O’Leary is no ordinary author. R.C. O’Leary has put his money where his mouth is! Author of Hallways in the Night , O’Leary has not only offered free books but has generously pledged that he will donate all royalties of his books sold February 21-28, 2014 to our cause – with a guaranteed a minimum donation of $25.00, no less!
Hallways in the Night , a legal thriller, is his 2013 debut novel. From Bookstory:
When Dave Mackno, a veteran cop, leaves his stake-out in pursuit of a speeding car, it leads to a confrontation with Remo Centrella, baseball’s home run king. When the confrontation turns deadly, the worlds of professional sports, politics and the criminal justice system collide.
To get more of a feel for the novel, you can find reviews of it on these sites:
The Tampa Tribune The Book Story BlogSports Book GuyYou can also read sample chapters at his website, or follow O’Leary on Twitter at @rcoleary or onhis Facebook page.
This year, we’ve doubled down on our mission to raise money for the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink’s name. O’Leary’s efforts will be a welcome addition to our donations, which include all revenue from our amazon.com links, Google Ads, and CBR Merchandise.
Cannonball Read 6 participants may respond to my email to try for the free book offer, which should be in inboxes around the world by now. If you miss out on a free copy, I hope you’ll purchase his book and spread the word, far and wide. Tell the world how we, and R. C. O’Leary, are sticking it to cancer, one book at a time!
This Isn’t a Book Review, but It’s Still Awesome
Hallways in the Night by R. C. O'Leary(Buy Hallways in the Night on Amazon.com)
We’ve had thrilling interactions with authors on social media and this blog already this year, but I must tell you, R. C. O’Leary is no ordinary author. R.C. O’Leary has put his money where his mouth is! Author of Hallways in the Night , O’Leary has not only offered free books but has generously pledged that he will donate all royalties of his books sold February 21-28, 2014 to our cause – with a guaranteed a minimum donation of $25.00, no less!
Hallways in the Night , a legal thriller, is his 2013 debut novel. From Bookstory:
When Dave Mackno, a veteran cop, leaves his stake-out in pursuit of a speeding car, it leads to a confrontation with Remo Centrella, baseball’s home run king. When the confrontation turns deadly, the worlds of professional sports, politics and the criminal justice system collide.
To get more of a feel for the novel, you can find reviews of it on these sites:
The Tampa Tribune The Book Story BlogSports Book GuyYou can also read sample chapters at his website, or follow O’Leary on Twitter at @rcoleary or onhis Facebook page.
This year, we’ve doubled down on our mission to raise money for the American Cancer Society in AlabamaPink’s name. O’Leary’s efforts will be a welcome addition to our donations, which include all revenue from our amazon.com links, Google Ads, and CBR Merchandise.
Cannonball Read 6 participants may respond to my email to try for the free book offer, which should be in inboxes around the world by now. If you miss out on a free copy, I hope you’ll purchase his book and spread the word, far and wide. Tell the world how we, and R. C. O’Leary, are sticking it to cancer, one book at a time!
February 20, 2014
New Book Review Site Lets Authors and Writers Post Reviews
I recently came across a new website where readers and authors can post book reviews. It was set up by Carolyn Howard Johnson and the link to it is here.
Here is a description of the review site in her words:
This review spot is NEW because it embodies the new idea that a book should not be judged by its cover or its press. If a reviewer thinks a book is great, The New Book Review lets readers know about it. Please submit your own favorite review. It makes no difference whether you're an author, reviewer or reader, I want to post your favorite reviews. See guidelines for submission on the left of this blog. And please note: It was named to Online Unversties' 101 Best Blogs for Readers.
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
I personally like the fact that the site hosts one book review at a time and each review gets is own post. I also like that it's a good location for writers to share reviews that they have received. My guess is the newreview site will get increasingly popular.
Here is a description of the review site in her words:
This review spot is NEW because it embodies the new idea that a book should not be judged by its cover or its press. If a reviewer thinks a book is great, The New Book Review lets readers know about it. Please submit your own favorite review. It makes no difference whether you're an author, reviewer or reader, I want to post your favorite reviews. See guidelines for submission on the left of this blog. And please note: It was named to Online Unversties' 101 Best Blogs for Readers.
The New Book Review is blogged by Carolyn Howard-Johnson, author of the multi award-winning HowToDoItFrugally series of books for writers. It is a free service offered to those who want to encourage the reading of books they love. That includes authors who want to share their favorite reviews, reviewers who'd like to see their reviews get more exposure, and readers who want to shout out praise of books they've read. Please see submission guidelines on the left of this page. Reviews and essays are indexed by genre, reviewer names, and review sites. Writers will find the search engine handy for gleaning the names of small publishers. Find other writer-related blogs at Sharing with Writers and The Frugal, Smart and Tuned-In Editor.
I personally like the fact that the site hosts one book review at a time and each review gets is own post. I also like that it's a good location for writers to share reviews that they have received. My guess is the newreview site will get increasingly popular.
February 19, 2014
What Impact will Maria Bartiromo Have when she begins Anchoring Opening Bell on Fox Business Channel?
I have a feeling the "Money Honey" still has what it takes This morning while watching a segment on Imus in the Morning I saw the news that Maria Bartiromo was going to begin hosting her now show this Monday February 24th on the Business Channel. TV Newser has the full news here.
As a long-time fan of CNBC I was trying to think what the impact was going to be. Was Maria simply looking for a nice payday as she winds down her legendary career (anyone who has a song written for them by Joey Ramone is a legend) or is she going to try and put Fox Business on the map like she did with CNBC when she became the first reporter to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
My guess is that Maria is going to bring her A-game to Fox and that she’s going to have a big impact on Fox News ratings. What’s ironic is that she will be going head to head with CNBC’s franchise Jim Cramer. That will make it a real battle and it will be interesting to watch how they do in the ratings because they seem to be long-time friends. I believe Maria was one of the people, along with the great Mark Haines, who first helped bring Jim to national attention.
In 2014 it’s easy to forget just how big of a star Maria was in the late 90s. That was the time when people talked about stocks more than they did fantasy football. A time when the internet was still in its infancy and stocks were in a manic phase. Maria would be down on the Floor, back before computers replaced the specialists, standing her ground in a sea of predominantly men who were running back and forth between their stations. It was back in the time when a simple mention on CNBC could boost a stock ten percent. When animal spirits weren’t just in the air, but had taken control of America.
After the first crash and subsequent quasi-cold war between average Americans and the stock market, Maria moved into the afternoon role where she was paired for a while with Dylan Ratigan in a combination that I thought had a lot of chemistry. It was a time when Dylan had decided to stop conforming to what he thought he should be on television and simply acted like himself—a very compelling talent who I hope will soon resurface in a show that takes advantage of his talent. No disrespect to NBC news, but Dylan would be a much better prime time host than 80% of the current on-air talent.
Dylan eventually left CNBC and Maria seemed to ease into the final years of her contract. She still got the big gets and was still a charismatic presence on television, but she had lost the edge that had helped her become one of the top female anchors in all of news. An anchor who probably should have been given the co-host position on the Today Show.
Now that Maria has landed on Fox Business Channel, I think she is going to be re-energized. I think being around Fox stable of tier 1 talents is going to bring out the same competitive drive that led her to the top of CNBC. I think you’ll see her (at least if FNC is smart that is) and her brand be leveraged through appearances on the Big Channel to bring more viewers to the business channel.
The bottom line is that Maria Bartiromo is one of the most well-known TV personalities of the past twenty years. She came on the scene at exactly the right time and rode the investing boom to become a household name. I think she may well do the same at Fox. I think a new show and new company is going to result in a re-energized Maria who is going to make a bigger impact on cable news ratings than many people expect.
Cramer vs. the Money Honey---two great TV personalities in a battle in which the biggest winners will likely be the viewers.
As a long-time fan of CNBC I was trying to think what the impact was going to be. Was Maria simply looking for a nice payday as she winds down her legendary career (anyone who has a song written for them by Joey Ramone is a legend) or is she going to try and put Fox Business on the map like she did with CNBC when she became the first reporter to report live from the floor of the New York Stock Exchange.
My guess is that Maria is going to bring her A-game to Fox and that she’s going to have a big impact on Fox News ratings. What’s ironic is that she will be going head to head with CNBC’s franchise Jim Cramer. That will make it a real battle and it will be interesting to watch how they do in the ratings because they seem to be long-time friends. I believe Maria was one of the people, along with the great Mark Haines, who first helped bring Jim to national attention.
In 2014 it’s easy to forget just how big of a star Maria was in the late 90s. That was the time when people talked about stocks more than they did fantasy football. A time when the internet was still in its infancy and stocks were in a manic phase. Maria would be down on the Floor, back before computers replaced the specialists, standing her ground in a sea of predominantly men who were running back and forth between their stations. It was back in the time when a simple mention on CNBC could boost a stock ten percent. When animal spirits weren’t just in the air, but had taken control of America.
After the first crash and subsequent quasi-cold war between average Americans and the stock market, Maria moved into the afternoon role where she was paired for a while with Dylan Ratigan in a combination that I thought had a lot of chemistry. It was a time when Dylan had decided to stop conforming to what he thought he should be on television and simply acted like himself—a very compelling talent who I hope will soon resurface in a show that takes advantage of his talent. No disrespect to NBC news, but Dylan would be a much better prime time host than 80% of the current on-air talent.
Dylan eventually left CNBC and Maria seemed to ease into the final years of her contract. She still got the big gets and was still a charismatic presence on television, but she had lost the edge that had helped her become one of the top female anchors in all of news. An anchor who probably should have been given the co-host position on the Today Show.
Now that Maria has landed on Fox Business Channel, I think she is going to be re-energized. I think being around Fox stable of tier 1 talents is going to bring out the same competitive drive that led her to the top of CNBC. I think you’ll see her (at least if FNC is smart that is) and her brand be leveraged through appearances on the Big Channel to bring more viewers to the business channel.
The bottom line is that Maria Bartiromo is one of the most well-known TV personalities of the past twenty years. She came on the scene at exactly the right time and rode the investing boom to become a household name. I think she may well do the same at Fox. I think a new show and new company is going to result in a re-energized Maria who is going to make a bigger impact on cable news ratings than many people expect.
Cramer vs. the Money Honey---two great TV personalities in a battle in which the biggest winners will likely be the viewers.
February 16, 2014
"A totally unputdownable book. Looking forward to the sequel." --the Bookstory Blog
Another very Positive Review For Hallways in the Night AnaMika of Bookstory blogspot read Hallways in the Night this weekend and was kind enough to tweet me a link to the review which I saw just before calling it a night tonight. If you check out her review, you'll see she is reading 52 books this year, so she is a power reader. Please drop by her blog and check out her review. RC
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February 13, 2014
5 Bad Valentine's Day Gifts I regret Giving to My Wife
This October will mark my 14th year of marriage, which seems hard to believe. I don't know where the time has gone, but it has made me a strong believer in the adage that "the days are long, but the years are short."
I truly enjoy being married and I could not imagine my life without my beautiful wife and our three children. (At least I can't imagine it 99% of the time. 1% of the time I do actively imagine a more high-octane “care-free” life where I'm hanging out and partying like a rock star with famous rappers, celebrities, and pro athletes like Young MC, Brian Austin Green, and John Kruk.)
But those are just passing dreams. Hopefully, I will remain married to my wife for another 40 years so I can atone for some of the bad Valentine's Day gift choices I haved made in the past. Gifts that were given out of love, but that were not as well received as hoped. Gifts like:
1) Last year's $50 gift card to Publix. This was a Valentines’ Day gift I truly thought was going to be a homerun. How nice would it be, I thought, for my wife to not have to pay cash for one-third of our week's grocery shopping? I figured maybe she could treat herself to something she enjoys like a bag of Hershey’s dark chocolate or maybe even some flowers if that was what she so desired. The way I saw the gift card, I was giving her whatever her heart might desire. Unfortunately, the grocery store gift card did not get the warm reception I expected.
2) New floor mats for the mini-van: This was one, given three years back, that I truly thought was a winner. With three kids who are unable to exit the car while carrying anything, our mini-van can get a little smudgy. And the truth is, my wife had said on at least six occasions that she would love some new car mats. She said it enough times that I actually thought she was hinting that she wanted them as a Valentine's Day gift. Suffice it to say she wasn’t.
3) Oil change gift certificate: This is one where I have to put part of the blame on the guy working at Pennzoil. As anyone who gets their oil changed at one of the major chains knows, it no longer seems to be just about a change of oil and a filter. Whereas the quick oil shops used to be staffed by mechanics, nowadays they seem to be run by salesmen who got their training selling timeshare units in Orlando and Las Vegas.
I literally dread getting my oil changed nowadays because I know I’m going to have to listen to a high pressure sales pitch for products that would never even cross my mind. That’s why what is often marketed as a $29.99 process usually ends up in the $180 range by the time I leave and they lay out the little piece of red AstroTurf that they insist on calling the "red carpet" treatment.
It was in January a couple of years ago when the Pennzoil sales manager (the one with the new Rolex) convinced me to buy the oil change coupons for my wife. It was the standard M.O.: the one they make you listen to their entire sales pitch before they will allow you to take repossession of your car keys.
As part of their interrogation, the manager asked me if I was married. I naively said "yes," which led him to display a poster-sized chart showing that 95% of women reported they would feel loved, protected, and cared for if their husband brought home pre-paid oil change certificates. Well either the study was flawed or I'm married to the 5% of women for whom the oil change gift card did not make her feel loved, protected, and cared for. That gift, while eventually used by me during an 18 month period, was a definite dud.
4) Artificial Hydrangea wreath: For me, this one is still a major head scratcher. My wife has told me dozens of times that she loves hydrangea bushes. So when I saw the florist had a couple of wreaths on clearance, I decided to ditch the roses and get a wreath. To me it was a no-brainer, especially since it was artificial and wouldn't wither away over time. A gift that would last.
I truly thought it might be something my wife would want to hang in our family room. Let's just say, the wreath spent a day in a trash can before I rescued it and put it up on my office wall. I refuse to discard it and am hopeful it will eventually achieve heirloom status. I’m already talking in up to my kids in the hopes that it will be something they fight over after I die.
5) Spanx--the biggest mistake of all and another example for husbands that you cannot base your buying decisions based upon what you happen to overhear your wife say to a couple of her friends. Just because your wife said she would "love" something doesn't mean it should be a Valentine's Day gift. Suffice it to say, as happy as my wife might have been when she saw the box from Nordstrom, it ended up being the most costly Valentine's day of my life.
Fortunately, with Valentine's Day tomorrow I think I have found the perfect gift--the six foot Teddy Bear from Vermont Teddy Bear. Based upon the reaction of the wives' in the commercial, I think my wife is going to be ecstatic when she finds out that is what I bought her for this special occassion. Hopefully it will be such a great gift that it makes up for mistakes in the past and ushers in a new era where I find the perfect gift for Valentine's Day.
February 11, 2014
Another Positive Book Review for Hallways in the Night from the Tampa Tribune's Bob D'Angelo on his TBO book Review Blog
Bob D'Angelo of the Tampa Tribune Suggests Alternative title for Book: Bob Seger's "Turn the Page" because he Considers the book to be a Page Turner.
Here's a link to one of the best reviews of Hallway in the Night yet, largely because of the way Mr. D'Angelo personalizes the review and incorporates several aspects of my current life into the review. The full review is on Mr. D'Angelo's blog called The Sports Bookie that can be found by clicking here. Mr. D'Angelo has a wonderful blog upon which he reviews books, as well as baseball cards.
It' always exciting and gratifying when readers enjoy the book and Mr. D'Angelo's review captured a lot of the backstory that went into writing Hallways in the Ngiht
Here is a small excerpt from the review, but I do encourage anyone interested to read the whole article which I think is extremely well-written and does a great job telling its own story:
Perhaps “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger is more appropriate, because this legal thriller by the 44-year-old Lithia author is certainly hard to put down. Major-league baseball is peripheral to the main story, but O’Leary has stitched together a very readable, fast-paced book with good character development and some surprising plot twists. - See more at: http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/spo...
Here's a link to one of the best reviews of Hallway in the Night yet, largely because of the way Mr. D'Angelo personalizes the review and incorporates several aspects of my current life into the review. The full review is on Mr. D'Angelo's blog called The Sports Bookie that can be found by clicking here. Mr. D'Angelo has a wonderful blog upon which he reviews books, as well as baseball cards.
It' always exciting and gratifying when readers enjoy the book and Mr. D'Angelo's review captured a lot of the backstory that went into writing Hallways in the Ngiht
Here is a small excerpt from the review, but I do encourage anyone interested to read the whole article which I think is extremely well-written and does a great job telling its own story:
Perhaps “Turn the Page” by Bob Seger is more appropriate, because this legal thriller by the 44-year-old Lithia author is certainly hard to put down. Major-league baseball is peripheral to the main story, but O’Leary has stitched together a very readable, fast-paced book with good character development and some surprising plot twists. - See more at: http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/spo...
February 10, 2014
Bruce Springsteen Announces 15 US Tour Dates for This Summer Time
Great News--Bruce Springsteen & the E Street Band has added US dates starting April 8 in Cincinnati I just penned a guest post about Bruce that is scheduled to run on AshleyFarley.net this Wednesday, so I was thrilled to see the news that Bruce has added 15 new US tour dates. I have been following his recent performances on Backstreets.com and been feeling a combination of pride and envy. I've also been enjoying Bruce's new album. I love the new versions of The Ghost of Tom Joad and 41 Shots. What has really stood out to me is Bruce's new song called the Wall.
The Wall is about the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington DC and it captures the Wall's haunting nature perfectly.
For anyone who has been to a Bruce show this is a time to celebrate. It's been over a years since he did a U.S. tour so I'm sure the demand will be pent up and everyone in the Springsteen nation will be ecstatic.
For anyone who has never been to a Bruce Springsteen show, I sincerely encourage you to try and see one on this tour. Not only is the music great, not only is Bruce and the band's energy something that needs to be seen in person to be believed, but there is something downright inspiring about seeing a soon to be 64 year old man rock like he was in his twenties.
I personally use Bruce as an example and motivation to try and stay in shape. Bruce Springsteen is a prime example that lifting weights, working out and attacking life with passion definitely can slow down, almost suspend, the aging process.
I also use Bruce Springsteen as a teaching example for my kids. Although they would rather listen to whatever Hot 101.5 might be playing, I often turn Bruce on in my car through my Ipad or SiriusXM. When I do, and especially when I play a DVD or youtube video of Bruce for them, I always try to reinforce that Bruce Springsteen is in such good shape because he respects his body, exercises, and has never done drugs. "That should be the way you want to look when you're in your 60s I tell them. Healthy choices now lead to healthy lives later."
I guarantee anyone who attends one of Bruce's concerts will come away completely inspired, happy and worn out. His U.S. dates promise 3 plus hours of feeling completely alive with so many great songs and such positive energy from the crowd. Click the Read More for the full list of dates. 4/8 – Cincinnati, OH – U.S. Bank ArenaOn-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/12 – Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/15 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/17 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
4/19 – Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Arena
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
4/24 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/26 – Atlanta, GA – Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
4/29 – Sunrise, FL – BB&T Center
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
5/1 – Tampa, FL – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
5/3 – New Orleans, LA – Jazz & Heritage Festival
On-sale now – nojazzfest.com
5/6 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
On-sale 10am February 28 – ticketmaster.com
5/13 – Albany, NY – Times Union Center
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
5/14 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
5/17 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
5/18 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
The Wall is about the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington DC and it captures the Wall's haunting nature perfectly.
For anyone who has been to a Bruce show this is a time to celebrate. It's been over a years since he did a U.S. tour so I'm sure the demand will be pent up and everyone in the Springsteen nation will be ecstatic.
For anyone who has never been to a Bruce Springsteen show, I sincerely encourage you to try and see one on this tour. Not only is the music great, not only is Bruce and the band's energy something that needs to be seen in person to be believed, but there is something downright inspiring about seeing a soon to be 64 year old man rock like he was in his twenties.
I personally use Bruce as an example and motivation to try and stay in shape. Bruce Springsteen is a prime example that lifting weights, working out and attacking life with passion definitely can slow down, almost suspend, the aging process.
I also use Bruce Springsteen as a teaching example for my kids. Although they would rather listen to whatever Hot 101.5 might be playing, I often turn Bruce on in my car through my Ipad or SiriusXM. When I do, and especially when I play a DVD or youtube video of Bruce for them, I always try to reinforce that Bruce Springsteen is in such good shape because he respects his body, exercises, and has never done drugs. "That should be the way you want to look when you're in your 60s I tell them. Healthy choices now lead to healthy lives later."
I guarantee anyone who attends one of Bruce's concerts will come away completely inspired, happy and worn out. His U.S. dates promise 3 plus hours of feeling completely alive with so many great songs and such positive energy from the crowd. Click the Read More for the full list of dates. 4/8 – Cincinnati, OH – U.S. Bank ArenaOn-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/12 – Virginia Beach, VA – Farm Bureau Live at Virginia Beach
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/15 – Columbus, OH – Nationwide Arena
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/17 – Nashville, TN – Bridgestone Arena
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
4/19 – Charlotte, NC – Time Warner Cable Arena
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/22 – Pittsburgh, PA – Consol Energy Center
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
4/24 – Raleigh, NC – PNC Arena
On-sale 10am February 21 – ticketmaster.com
4/26 – Atlanta, GA – Aaron’s Amphitheatre at Lakewood
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
4/29 – Sunrise, FL – BB&T Center
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
5/1 – Tampa, FL – MidFlorida Credit Union Amphitheatre
On-sale 10am February 15 – ticketmaster.com
5/3 – New Orleans, LA – Jazz & Heritage Festival
On-sale now – nojazzfest.com
5/6 – Houston, TX – Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
On-sale 10am February 28 – ticketmaster.com
5/13 – Albany, NY – Times Union Center
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
5/14 – Hershey, PA – Hersheypark Stadium
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
5/17 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
5/18 – Uncasville, CT – Mohegan Sun
On-sale 10am February 14 – ticketmaster.com
