Michael A. Pyle's Blog, page 174
April 27, 2014
Barnes and Noble Daytona Hosts Local Authors’ Afternoon
I was invited to participate in a Local Authors’ afternoon yesterday at the Daytona Beach Barnes and Noble. A few people came just because they had read that I’d be there, and wanted to buy a signed book. The other authors had the same experiences. It was great to learn about the other authors, all of whom had created exciting and important books.
At first I was a bit concerned that my book, with its bad words and negative lifestyle (before it gets to the inspirational / spiritual part :)) was between a book with the word “Church” and a book with the word “God,” but the mix of author styles was actually quite enlightening.
I met Chris Tozier, who writes young-reader fiction, for children in 4th to 6th grades. His books, the Olivia Brophie series, look very well-written and professional. http://www.oliviabrophie.blogspot.com
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/olivia-brophie?store=allproducts&keyword=olivia+brophie
I met Edward Rohs, who wrote Raised by the Church – Growing up in New York City’s Catholic Orphanages. This is a very interesting, inspirational memoir of a sad childhood. A friend of mine bought the book and read almost the entire book last night.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/raised-by-the-church-edward-rohs/1111444923?ean=9780823240227
Also present was Jeanine Jeanty, who wrote When God Steps In.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/when-god-steps-in-jeanine-jeanty/1117215008?ean=9781628710199
And then there was Sean Robbins, who I know well because we hang out at the same local Starbucks, with his non-fiction account of local serial murderer, Charlie Brandt, called Invisible Killer, The Monster Behind the Mask.
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/invisible-killer-diana-montane/1115858333?ean=9780988860513
If you want any of these books, go to the local Barnes and Noble instead of being them on line because all of us left signed copies in the store’s Local Author Section.
I am grateful that people came just to see me and get a signed copy of White Sugar, Brown Sugar, and I know the other authors were grateful for that as well.
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Halifax Historical Museum – Authors’ Event
Halifax Historical Museum held an Author’s event on Friday night. They gave us tables and allowed us to talk to attendees about our books. They have copies of White Sugar, Brown Sugar, as well as those of the other authors, for sale.
I had the good fortune of talking to Denny Bowden, who I see at every history event I attend, and who writes a great blog about local Daytona Beach area history,
http://volusiahistory.wordpress.com
and Skip Lowery who taught at Daytona Beach Community College when I was a student there in the early 70′s. I know I had at least one class with him, but I think I dropped out. Haha. He is well-known locally for his photography, and recently a mutual friend has been telling me I need to read his book, “Ormond Boy, a mid-century Memoir.”
Several people purchased copies of White Sugar, Brown Sugar, so I replenished the supply with signed copies.
Thanks to Fayn Leveille Director of the Museum, for inviting me.
There are several signed copies of White Sugar, Brown Sugar at the Museum.
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My Goodreads Review of Lisa Scottoline’s Accused
Lisa Scottoline brings back her all-female law firm of Rosato & Associates in “Accused.”
A thirteen-year-old genius hires the firm to figure out who really killed the girl’s sister six years earlier. The girl’s rich and powerful parents are strongly opposed to reviewing the case. A man is already in prison for having committed the crime.
I attended a week-long presentation by Lisa Scottoline several years ago, in which she and Stephen Horn taught a plethora of lawyers how to write legal fiction. She’s fun and intelligent, and a great writer. Her characters have her attitude, taking on important causes with a wit and light compassion that are compelling and entertaining.
This novel is no exception to her work. She weaves an entertaining, fun, thought-provoking tale in “Accused.”
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/769454045
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My Goodreads Review of Angel City by Patrick Smith
Five (5) Stars
Angel City is about a man who thinks he’s taking his family from financial ruin to new hope, in Florida, but ends up taking them into a labor camp from which there’s no escape. Most of us probably do not often think of such places, where one is required to pay rent and expenses, which always exceed the possibility of earning income.
This book set in the 60’s, near Homestead Florida, is based on Patrick Smith’s (Author of A Land Remembered and many other books) actually, intentionally placing himself into a camp like this. It’s not known whether the one he was in was really as bad as this, but apparently laws were enacted to improve conditions in these camps as a result of this book.
I have personally spoken to a man who described growing up in such conditions on a plantation in rural Georgia in the 30s.
I know that such places have been located near where I live in Florida even recently. This one, Angel City, is more extreme than the one my friend says he grew up in in rural Georgia in the 30s, and hopefully is more extreme than any now, because it has locks, fences, and other means of imprisonment. And the staff people beat and kill people who try to leave. But I’m not sure this situation is really non-existent now.
A movie was also made as the result of this book, which can be found on UTube, Amazon and other places.
One reviewer called it “depressing.” Well, one can concentrate only happy books, but there are a lot of important historical issues that it’s important to understand. It’s a well-written story about an issue that did, and probably does exist.
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/766135920
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April 21, 2014
Daytona Beach, Aerial With White Sugar, Brown Sugar Locations
Recently, I was asking for a photo that showed the entire area of the main theme of White Sugar, Brown Sugar. I used photographs in recent talks, but the best one I has was a little blurry and didn’t show Silver Beach east of the bridge, or much of Orange Avenue to the west. This one shows those, all the Daytona bridges, Ratte Island, City Island and the Halifax River Yacht Club as it was at the time of White Sugar, Brown Sugar, the novel (without the concrete parking lot).
Charles K. Wright posted it with a bunch of great postcards on the I Grew Up in Daytona Beach! Facebook page. 
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April 13, 2014
“Fighting a rat for the remnants of a corn dog”
NPR has published this article: My Journey From Homeless Drug Addict To Magna Cum Laude.
“I was fighting a rat for the remnants of a corn dog I’d salvaged from the trash. That’s when I realized I’d crossed the final line I had drawn. I had told myself, as long as I don’t shoot up, I’m OK. As long as I’m not homeless, I’m OK. But now I was shooting up and homeless, and there was nowhere left to draw. I had reached the bottom line of my existence.”
Gilbert King – Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys …
I had read a copy of Gilbert King’s book from the Volusia County Library, and waited until his talk to purchase one. The only hard-backs were sold out hours before the talk. I bought one for me and two more for friends who had met him at the reception.
“Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America”
I’ve updated my review of “Devil in the Grove: Thurgood Marshall, the Groveland Boys, and the Dawn of a New America” on Goodreads after listening to Gilbert King again. He returned to Daytona Beach this week. I spoke to him at a reception and listened to his talk. I think he had some different photos as part of his talk. This book is important!
http://www.amazon.com/Devil-Grove-Thurgood-Marshall-Groveland/dp/0061792268
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/732914753
Another Inspirational Book – “Promise Me You Will” by Valencia and Devon Robinson
A friend introduced me to Valencia Robinson the other night and suggested she read White Sugar, Brown Sugar. She also gave me her book, which which wrote with her young son, “Promise Me You Will.”
I read the book in one sitting. Their own description on their web site explains the book: ”In Promise Me You Will, [Valencia Robinson] and her thirteen year old son [Devon] masterfully describe the pain, the purpose, and the power her family finds as she battles breast cancer. They open up their lives and give an intimate look into Valencia’s race for survival and the joy she finds at the end of that very long road. Readers are shown the details to look for, the pitfalls to avoid, and the power of a determined spirit.”
The book is as their web site describes. It is inspirational and informative. If you would like to read something inspirational, if you need to be reminded how important it is to check for breast cancer or any other type of cancer, if you have or know somebody who has cancer, (especially breast cancer) if you want to learn about dealing with pain, fear, and the unknown, if you want to see how a family sticks together, if you want to see faith and spirituality’s role in dealing with these matters, read the book.
http://www.promisemeyouwill.com/Home.php
April 6, 2014
Heroin and Opiates Still Abused Today
I’ve said before that I am seeing and hearing stories of locals who are caught up in addiction to heroin and Dilaudid, in just the same way that kids of their age were caught up in the 60s and 70s, as depicted in White Sugar, Brown Sugar. Today, there were three AP Articles in our newspapers about this topic:
“Heroin Across America”
“Heroin Use, Deaths in Some States”
“Overdose Antidote Device Approved”
https://www.dailyherald.com/article/20140406/news/140409101/
Photo is from the AP Article – Brown Heroin
http://abcnews.go.com/Health/wireStory/heroin-deaths-us-states-23205959
Also, see this Teen Vogue article about “Heroin in our Schools”
http://www.teenvogue.com/my-life/2013-09/teen-heroin
