Paul Michael Peters's Blog, page 8

New Book New Cover

Vote Here for New Book New Cover

Observations over coffee - June 2017

This summer will mark the fifth year of spending my weekends at the same coffeehouse to write. Each Saturday and Sunday, barring exceptions, I arrive about the same time, order the same drinks, and write until the battery dies on the laptop or my mind turns mushy. For me, it’s the golden hours. I have written so much in these five years sticking to this cadence. Much you will never read.

During those same hours, I am keeping an eye on the patrons. Yes, I am not alone in this. Many of the same people come in most weeks and do the same thing. There are teams of people who come in after an exercise class, running, church, or the students at some local college down the road.

I may start to sound creepy at this point…but a lot of what I do in life is based on observation. There are things I see at airports that span from hilarious to gross. People live their lives in public, and I get to see these snapshots. Many, most… no one thinks that another person saw them do it.

It saddens me to say that I think one of my favorite patrons may have lost the coffee house in a divorce. At first, five years ago, I noticed this couple because I thought she was someone I worked with in another life time. She wasn’t. The couple would come in each week, I would notice her (because I am a guy) in her cute outfit and wonder why she is with him. For years they always picked a similar table, ordered the same drinks, and stayed about 30 minutes before leaving. Pretty normal stuff.

They were friends with the “dad jokes guy”. Yes, not a catchy name, but descriptive. He has a few daughters, they come in and have sugar drinks, he gives them a few dollars to get baked good down the row, everyone knows him, and he tells lots of dad jokes.

I have seen the couple around the neighborhood, at different bars, and watched them hang out with “dad jokes guy” and others. It’s all a great time.

About two months ago, I noticed that out of the couple, she started to come in alone. She would get her drink, stay about 30 minutes and head out. I noticed that she wasn’t wearing a ring. And after a few weeks of this, I thought the worst, she may have become a widow. Her sadness was just under her normal smile.

That changed two weeks ago. The he in the couple came in with “dad jokes guy” and the two spent two hours talking. I am not one to listen in on conversations, but from the demeanor I will say it was a pep talk, other fish in the sea, you will be alright, I am here for you buddy, call me when you are feeling bad, lets remove all the sharp object from the house. He came in the next day, on his own. And that was the last time I saw him. She has been back regularly.

It’s not easy. Looking for that right person, trusting them, living with them, and putting another’s needs in front of yours; I can’t image. Lose the house, I understand. One of you gets the kids full time and other has visitation rights, lived it. You get your friends and the Beatles White Album, take it, Abby Road is superior and all I need… and this lamp. But to lose the coffee house in addition to that? Et tu, Brute??? That must be the hardest part. You can’t get coffee this good anywhere else.  

Strategies for Successful Travel

I have been going to the same dry cleaners for about 17 years. I have helped her three beautiful daughters get through university, and she has jokingly thanked me for helping pay for tuition. In those 17 years I can name the two times I have had the slightest of problems. Things so small I fear that even mentioning them gives them more focus than they deserve.

Today, picking up my folded shirts that I forgot to pick up last week, there was the mention of a slight price increase. I had not noticed. During my time in Chicago or living in Toronto, I would still drop my dry cleaning off at this location when passing through, because in those cities, dry cleaning was both more than double her price and untrustworthy in the state of each items return.

“You don’t realize,” I explained. “Dry cleaning, your service, is one of those things in life I just don’t have to worry about any more.”

I like that concept. I want more of that in my life. More people like my dry cleaner. Someone with such a great consideration for care and quality, I just don’t worry about that any more.

Could you imagine? A company that has such great luggage, I know that I will always buy that make and model when it one day, long in the future won’t keep up with me. A computer bag with the capacity and comfort I need that didn’t fall apart after six months on the road. A car rental agency that provided a car without sticky gooey grossness, didn’t smell like the combination of foot with a smokers remorse.

Maybe it’s me, but when I find someone or something no longer needing my worry and has my full trust, it is worth the small cost increase. Value is not always about price, but combines time and care. I wish I had more people like my dry cleaner in my life. I will tell you my secret, if you share with me yours

Would you buy this book?

Title: The Devil’s Laughter

Summary: Harriett wants Rick to tell her story to the world in his next book. There are three problems, she only has a short time to live, Rick is a drunken mess who hasn’t been published in a decade, and Harriett is a serial killer. The two must sort through the dental records and body count before the FBI or Grim Reaper catch her.

That title and description is something I would pay money to read.


Strongly Disagree




Disagree




Neutral




Agree




Strongly Agree





I enjoy books about serial killers.


Strongly Disagree




Disagree




Neutral




Agree




Strongly Agree



















Thank you!

First Drafts

"First Drafts" is a page on my website where I post early unedited and unshaped content. Some are novels, others short stories, and a few unfinished in the works.

There are a few reasons I do this.

First, the integrity of the work. I like to keep and save copies, even bad ones, because you never know what will happen to a file or a laptop. This way there is always a version that I can go back to if the worst were to happen.

Second, is process. Some people ask about, or think about the process of writing. Each person has their own. This is a clear way to show what I go through. I look back and can see the evolution of thoughts ideas and skills.

Third, is legal copyright. There are several works that will never go past my laptop because I see something or read something that is so similar. I am not saying that it is stolen, good lord no... but ideas are often in the air, there are several takes on it, and this way, I can put a date with the progress. I look back and go, "yeah, that is my take on that concept, but now that this other medium has produced the work, I might not spend more time on my version. The best example was a year I spent writing a story about a man who is trapped living in an airport after reading an article about a true life situation that was similar. Then, Tom Hanks starred in a movie about something very similar. My version will go unseen to anyone else, but involved a stolen fortune, and two retired police officers from Florida.... I may... now thinking about that... post it on "First Drafts"  

Forth, share with the readers. So many nice and kind things have been said about the books I have self published, that I hope to give back to the readers the same kindness. Often I am just so humbled that anyone would buy and read my work, let alone say nice things about it. The least I could do for those who are interested, is share an extra level of value if they are interested.

It is not regularly updated, but full of goodness, and free reading if you are interested and can look past the errors: http://paulmichaelpeters.com/first-drafts/  

It was the paperwork that broke the system

It’s good to know one’s limits. Going camping without preparations is no fun. Thinking you can make it up Kilimanjaro without stopping to acclimate to altitude can be deadly. Betting on the underdog with money you don’t have will likely get you beat up in certain circles.

I have discovered a new limit of mine; Postal forms for international service. After years of doing drawings and giveaways for my books, open to global markets, I have to pause and reconsider these due to the number of forms I have to fill out.

Looking at the USPS website, the policy has not changed, and the quick form for copies of The Symmetry of Snowflakes fall within the parameters provided. However, in going to my local post office, complete with President Eisenhower brass plaque, they agents explain to me the changes. It is no longer the short form, it is the long form, and this is no longer a weight based metric. Every piece of mail needs it.

In my first attempt, I had no time after the 30-minute line to spend on the forms. So in my second visit, in a short line, I tried my luck again to see if the instructions were consistent. They were. So I left the line, grabbed the pen adhered to the counter, and started to fill these forms in. After my return visit to the line, at the counter, and processing the first package, it turns out that the staff hates the new system too. The seven-page form, top discarded for instructions, gets a print on demand sticker for each page (one for the sender, one for the agent, and the rest in a baggie attached to the envelope. In addition, there is a postage stamp printed, and the printed form sticker after the details are hand typed into the computer.

What a bad system.

I should not be surprised. Government agencies love paperwork. Stamps and stickers in septuplet seem the pinnacle of the USPS.

So, with disappointment and regret, I am sorry to inform you all that I will not be doing paperback drawings for international countries. Readers in the UK, EU, the Outback, and Canada, as important as you are to me, I will need to find a way to send you digital winnings. It wasn’t the prices that have gone up twice in the last four years, the long lines I have waited in, the machines of automation that nearly fractured my finger tips on pressing hard enough to register, it was the paperwork, I just wasn’t built to fill it out in septuplet.

“All you have to depend on is yourself and your luggage”

This year my schedule will put me at about 40 weeks on the road for travel. Luggage is one of the most important things to consider when you are away from home. One of my favorite movies Joe vs the Volcano empresses it in one quick and unforgettable scene YouTube Video

LUGGAGE SALESMAN

    Have you thought much about luggage, Mr. Banks?

 

JOE

    No, I never really have.

 

LUGGAGE SALESMAN

    It's the central preoccupation

    of my life.  You travel the

    world, you're away from home,

    perhaps away from your family,

    all you have to depend on is

    yourself and your luggage.

Over the last four years the bag I have been carrying looked more like a briefcase. Two handles, sturdy build, lots of pockets, and a tremendous amount of space called The Empire Builder by Tom Bihn. This bag is indestructible and carries everything I need and more. There are so many great things about this bag, but it is heavy. So I have been looking for an lighter alternative.

A pleasant discovery on Kickstarter, Bobby Anti-Theft backpack by XD Design, came to my attention as watched a different Kickstarter investment I made almost two years ago was fail miserably. Bobby looked very promising.

The look of Bobby was handsome, very professional and considerate of the needs of a traveler. So I ordered one in gray. XD Design was the ideal business partner you want to find on Kickstarter. They communicated frequently, remained transparent about the process, and delivered what they promised on time.

This last week I took Bobby with me to see if he could keep up. Monday I traveled to Boston, Tuesday to Detroit, Wednesday was to Richmond Virginia, Thursday I flew to Atlanta, and Friday I came back home.

Bobby feels light. In my hand by the handle, or strapped on to my back, I often forget that I have a backpack on. This with all the items I carry inside. Designers have made Bobby with the items travelers carry in consideration. There is a pocket for my laptop, padded for safety, and straps to hold it in place. There is a pocket for my iPad with the same design, that also fits my book. Small storage spaces hold my wires, battery, small utility box of plugs and wires, with a pocket at the top for easy access smaller items. Each side includes hidden pockets that hold my passport, keys, wallet, iPod, ear buds, cleaning cloth for eyeglasses, 3oz hand sanitizer, and car park tickets so as not to get lost. And then, in additional all that, there is another deep pocket that is in the padding of the back. This holds all those bits of paper and receipts that one picks up for expenses.

I found that the design of all these pockets and placement allowed for very easy access while I was traveling in cars and in planes. I could not reach them while wearing it, but sliding it off quickly, everything was available and secure. There was no spillage.

[image error]

Bobby opens up fully and flat when you need to pack or unpack. Bobby opens up a little for a hand to reach in and quickly grab what is needed. What a brilliant idea! It works wonderfully.

On the side the rests against your back is a wide strap. This strap and the bag handle are in perfect alignment that when you don’t want to carry the Bobby you can secure it on the bars of your roller/drag bag in complete harmony.

There were several positive comments during my travel on Bobby. In waiting areas and airport lounge people asked, “who makes that?” and “where can I get one?” It would have been a good marketing place for XD Design to include a few business cards to hand out with compliments.

At first I was concerned that Bobby might be too small for the amount of things I carry with me during the week. But everything fits right into place with much less weight.

The one minor point I am keeping my eye on are the zippers, and how long they will last. With the change in humidity, there was a relaxing in the fabric around the zippers near the bottom one day, but it wasn’t much to correct for – just a point to note for consideration.

I highly recommend Bobby Anti-Theft backpack by XD Design It something I can depend on.

National Geographic traces the adventures the Ponthieva (by chance)

There is this strange cycle of interests and ideas that churn through the culture. I will think, "oh yeah, that is a good idea", write half of it, then discover someone else beat me to it.

Inspiration comes from many sources, articles, books, blogs, shows, movies, that it can be difficult to find something new and unique. Just recently I am reminded of Stephen King Under the Dome had several questions about how it related to The Simpsons Movie

So it was with great pleasure last week that in reading my digital copy of National Geographic there was a story called In Search of the Lost Empire of the Maya. Quickly scrolling through the images here I found them very familiar. They looked like the location in my mind when writing the adventure of the crew of the Ponthieva. There were the steps that were climbed above the tree line to find the hidden treasure room, the white stone of the pyramid, haunting faces of lost gods, and even a map that shows the near proximity of the rivers forged with other possible locations of adventure nearby.

Two things leapt to mind seeing these. First, how fortunate I am to have a cover designer like Nicole Ray (see more of her work here) She did an excellent job in capturing this lost city. Second, what a nice change it is to be ahead of the idea churn for the first time, by nearly 18 months. 

Links

National Geographic In Search of the Lost Empire of the Maya http://www.nationalgeographic.com/mag...

Nicole Ray on Etsy https://www.etsy.com/people/sloeginfizz

AV Club "Yes, CBS's Under the Dome is aware they did that in The Simpsons Movie http://www.avclub.com/article/yes-cbs...

 

End of Summer Gift

One last holiday weekend and the summer of 2016 is over. What will you be reading in the car, on the train, or flight? What can keep you entertained but is easy to pick up between distractions?

Between now and September 6, 2016 the novella “Peter in Flight” and collection of short stories “Mr. Memory and Other Stories of Wonder” are available for free download to you.

Simply go to the author site and select the version which fits your needs best, then go to checkout. You will need to fill out the form, but no credit card is needed for the free offering.

AUTHOR SITE: http://paulmichaelpeters.com/promotio... 

Already an avid fan of the author? Read draft versions of the next works before release: http://paulmichaelpeters.com/first-dr...

The Long Hard Kick

Recently I’ve returned from the United Kingdom. My time in Dublin Ireland was delightful, I would go back there or consider moving for a few years in an instant. London was good, but a little too large for my pace. 

Any black cab or taxi greeted me with the same question, “Who is going to be the next President? Hillary? Or Trump?”

This is what I’ve learned during my recent trip abroad...

In America, Detroit, we are really good at building fast cars. If you want a car that has horse power, goes really fast, in a straight line, your best options are going to be found by an American brand. If you want to have a feeling of tight handling and control, sharp in the turns, and stops on a dime when sheep sit in the middle of the lane through rolling pastures and hills between hamlets, there are several great options on that side of the pond.

In America, soccer (or football to the rest of the world) is an activity where mom’s and dad’s drive their kids to for practice and play. Vast tracts of land with several regulation sized, chalked out, well-equipped soccer fields sit side by side of one another with some of the greenest grass that have ever stained white socks. American kids kick long, straight, and hard to cover these distances between the goals. Soccer/football in other parts of the world are on single fields that are well worn. Having a ball is pretty special. Small spaces for practice like an alley, back court yard, or empty lot is where the children of the UK learn juggling, control, and short game skills.

There is more than a common language between good friends. There is an understanding that 2016 is turning out to be one odd year. As a fan of history, I think it is similar to 1913 in many ways… Who will win? I am an American. I kick long and hard, drive fast and straight, optimistic that things will be better, and willing to put in extra hours to get the job done. Not really something that comes across well in a 15-minute ride, but I certainly have a better perspective on the Briexit.