Michael A. Pyle's Blog, page 177

White Sugar, Brown Sugar For Sale in Daytona

Three locations in Daytona Beach have autographed copies of White Sugar, Brown Sugar for sale.

1. Barnes and Noble on the Local Authors Shelves.

2. Halifax Historical Society Museum on Beach Street, half a block north of Orange Avenue.

3. From the author, by clicking on the purchase link in this web site or writing to mikepylewriter@gmail.com.  (Note, the link on this site includes postage.  If you arrange to purchase it in person from the author, there is no postage.)

Local Author Event

Barnes and Noble Daytona Beach will be hosting a local author event October 19th from 1 – 4 pm.  I will be there along with 9 other local authors.  The full line up includes:

NY Times best selling author David Hagberg – “Gridlock” a face past political thriller
Sergeant First Class Dillard Johnson – “Carnivore” a memoir of a remarkable American soldier
Michael Pyle – “White Sugar, Brown Sugar” a novel set in Daytona Beach in the 1960′s
Sharon Diane Roberts – “Happy Birthday Caylee” a children’s book of love
Booker T. Williams, Jr. – “Ugly Color of Race in America” a meaningful discourse on the subject of race
David Archer – “Through a Slanted Window” on the Golden Age of Radio into the first decade of rock and roll
Timothy Glass – “Just This Side of Heaven” and the “Sleepy Town Beagles” series for children
Linda Tuck Jenkins (AKA Mary Clay) – “Bike Week Blues” and other works in her Daffodils Mystery series
Sean Roberts and Diane Montane – “Invisible Killers” a true crime drama that took place in Orlando
Kait Ballenger – “Twilight Hunter” a paranormal romance and the first full length novel in her “Execution Underground” series.

Atlanta Friends of the Library Connection

We were out driving around in Atlanta looking at where Michelle works as a Spanish interpreter / translator in a medical clinic.  I told her she needed to wash her car, and we saw some guys washing cars at Krystal.

We stopped and it turned out it was a full, excellent interior and exterior wash for $8, for Atlanta-Fulton Friends of the Library http://afpls.org/friends, to support buying flash drives for customers of the regional libraries.

We sat down with the woman who handled the money, and talked about the programs. Michelle told her about White Sugar, Brown Sugar. I gave her a card.  She asked if I’d come to Atlanta to speak.  I said sure.

She got all excited, so I’m expecting to come back for a visit and give a talk.

Michelle said, the Krystal was an important part of your book, and here you are at Krystal with the Friends of the Library, so she took a photo.

Ashlee Roberson’s review on GoodReads

Ashlee Roberson‘s review on GoodReeds
Sep 26, 13

5 of 5 stars


At first I was completely taken aback by the nonchalant manner in which Michael Pyle described the unfolding events in the book. Jude and Red alike went through the motions of non drug user, straight to casual drug user, and right into selling and addiction with a a fluidity that he made seem natural. I got this kind of hazy picture of these boys just floating through scenario after unbelievable scenario like it was a completely normal progression, that what they were seeing wasn’t at all shocking. Every time I thought I knew where the book was going and knew that surely THIS would be the boys rock bottom, a new facet of the drug world was revealed, a new option for their involvement, a new flight of stairs down into addiction. Instead, the author chose to describe in better detail the results of their use and the constant struggle of sobriety. So many issues were addressed in White Sugar, Brown Sugar. From parental drug and alcohol abuse, finding a god to light the way to recovery, the mistrust of family towards a user, the ease in which children are exposed, racism, the struggles of a parent of a user, the struggles of a child of a user- it’s all here. Historically accurate to my very own hometown, informative in the quickly escalating and destructive cycle that is addiction, and a hopeful glimpse into recovery- this book encompassed every aspect of the dark side of drugs. It isn’t always a party, it isn’t always harmless, and these boys were blessed to have made it out alive.

I have reviewed and rewritten this review ten times now. I don’t think I’ve quite relayed how important this book is. All I can say is it is a must read and I look forward to witnessing its huge success that I am sure is to come.

http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/728599185

“I Want To Write A Book, Now What?”

Donna Gray-Banks put on an inspiring writing program, called “I Want To Write A Book, Now What?” tonight, Setember 26, in Daytona Beach. Donna, the writer of the Ila’s Diamonds erotic book series, and Dr. Evelyn Bethune, author of several books in different genres and more genres to come, provided excellent insight into publishing, editing, marketing, and writing itself.  Twyla Prindle, author of children’s books and president of Prindle House Publishing Company in Jacksonville presented how she began writing and publishing, and offered great suggestions as well and displayed the beautiful. An enthusiastic crowd of about 40 aspiring writers received great information.

Also present was Theresa Berger, author of “Me and My Boy, Skippy …Living Life with Autism”, who encouraged members to attend the Deltona Authors Book Fair Saturday, September 28 at the Deltona Regional Library, at which a great number of local authors, including Donna Gray-Banks and Dr. Evelyn Bethune will participate.

Many other upcoming writers’ seminars were promoted, including Donna Gray-Banks’ Fresh Book Festival to be held on Friday, January 3, 2014 and Saturday, January 4, 2014, featuring the energetic and inspiring Omar Tyree.

It was an inspiring evening for attendees who haven’t published yet, as well as those who have.

Nice Story About Motivation and Success

The writer of Eat, Pray, Love was only following the advice her mother gave her when she pushed her way into becoming an overwhelming success.   Lessons learned:

1. Mother is always right.

2. Promote your work with fervor.

3. Don’t give up.

A quote from the story, and I’m not telling you what the grinder sale reference is all about.  You’ll have to read it.

“The lesson was obvious. Life was just a big grinder sale. Your job was to knock on the door and not to leave until your ambitions were met.”

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/09/22/magazine/eat-pray-love-get-rich-write-a-novel-no-one-expects.html?_r=0

The Business Sense of Omar Tyree

Omar Tyree is a New York Times best-selling author, winner of multiple awards and frequent speaker on university and corporate circuits. His talks today, September 12, 2013, at Stetson University were well-attended by students. He is a dynamic speaker, who engages his audience.

His daytime talks were about the Business of Writing.  He proposed unique and intriguing techniques for multiplying the value of what artists and authors produce, using the names, support and social media contacts of already famous people.

His evening talk was about his business book, The Equation: Applying the 4 Indisputable Components of Business Success, with its equation, L/A*S = B. You’ll have to read the book to learn what the equation means. J. He chose students from the crowd with different color shirts and drove home the concept of his equation.  The audience was very enthusiastic about his presentation.

He has produced an interesting array of books, including his new traveler series, his business books, a children’s book, a poetry book, etc., etc. I bought one of his books, and he now has a copy of White Sugar, Brown Sugar.

I have read a couple of his books, and now have another. I wholeheartedly promote and support Omar Tyree’s work.

 http://www.omartyree.com/business.html

 

Zeitoun by Dave Eggers – My Review

A vitally important, and excellently written book.

When Hurricane Katrina struck New Orleans, Abdulrahman Zeitoun, a hard-working and successful Syrian-American, chose to stay through the storm to protect his family’s home and contracting business. As the water rose after the storm, Zeitoun paddled a canoe through the streets, saving people, reporting people in need to authorities, helping stranded animals, and safeguarding property to the extent possible. His pleas to authorities to assist others were unheeded. Then, he was arrested, in his own home, with friends, and incarcerated by the U.S. government, without charges, defense, or ability to contact his wife and family. He was accused of looting, but also of being a suspected terrorist. It appears that FEMA, our federal agency, had developed theories that terrorists could infiltrate during a major disaster. Because of his ethnic background, the color of his skin, and his nationality, our government as a whole, and individual contracted police and National Guard, determined the worst, with no proof. No proof was presented to anybody. He was simply kept in jail.

The book is non-fiction, but written in a fictional style. It is detailed, and slowly paced. A few times, I felt maybe it was a little too slow and detailed, but I’ve decided that every detail was necessary.

The author frequently jumps back in time to Zeitoun’s and his wife’s memories of the past. These flashbacks and the story itself offer a perfect development of character.

The author shows that Zeitoun is a good, caring person. Even when he takes abandoned food and drink, he does so for other stranded people, because no authorities are present to evacuate people or provide them food.

The legal situation in which Zeitoun finds himself is hard to believe, but at the same time, easy to understand. The government was not prepared for the disaster. The government brought police, National Guardsmen and others from all over the country. These people had little or no training, and were given ludicrous instruction as to what to do. Those who are in charge, also have little communication.

Prejudice and discrimination, on the institutional level and on the individual level, caused a travesty of justice to occur. This book shows that discrimination can and does occur, and it’s not just based on race. In this case, it’s race, but also based on ethnic background and nationality. He’s presumed to be a looter because of the color of his skin. He’s presumed to be a terrorist because of his Syrian nationality.

This book is the most important book I have read in a long time. Everybody should read it and learn from its lessons.

Review of WSBS by The Midwest Book Review

We received a surprise letter in the mail today, from Midwest Book Review.  Its website says, “Established in 1976, the Midwest Book Review is an organization committed to promoting literacy, library usage, and small press publishing. The MBR publishes [several] monthly book review magazines specifically designed for community and academic librarians, booksellers, and the general reading public.

The review consists of a synopsis and a final paragraph critique:

““White Sugar, Brown Sugar” is a superbly crafted novel replete with historically accurate details of a racially charged decade in the American South. As thoughtful and thought provoking as it is grittily accurate and engaging from beginning to end, “White Sugar, Brown Sugar” is highly recommended reading and would prove to be a welcome addition to community library Contemporary Fiction collections.”

Another View of Halifax River Yacht Club

This photo is a bit older than the 60′s Yacht Club photo previously posted here.  This shows the “Islanders” ball field on City Island in the foreground, as it looks north to south. This is the same baseball field where Jackie Robinson played.  The fire station, which still exists today, is on the corner.  The Yacht Club is to the south of the fire station, extending into the water.

In early years, and through the 50s and 60s, there was no parking area easterly of the sidewalk.  The Club was entirely built on pilings. There were enclosed docks for small boats on the north side of the dock walkway out to the club.

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