M. Joseph Murphy's Blog, page 8

Freedom of Speech - Why Duck Dynasty Star Phil Robertson Is Not a Victim or a Hero

Cast of Duck DynastyI'll be honest. I don't watch Duck Dynasty. I also have no idea what the appeal of the show is. I've seen it promoted in several Christian stores and Christian gift areas which makes even less sense to me.

Now this idiot, Phil Robertson, is making nation news because he was fired for saying controversial things on a TV show. He compared homosexuality to bestiality and said things were better under segregation.

Why is this even news? Dan Rather was fired for questioning President Bush's war record and providing proof that Osama Bin Laden was in an American hospital on Sept 11, 2001. That means he proved that Americans knew where Bin Laden was immediate after the attacks and could have captured him at any time.
Dan Rather Fired by CBS for Telling the Truth
To me, that's a much bigger story that got nowhere near as much press as this.

Earlier this year, pundits rallied behind Orson Scott Card claiming he was exercising his freedom of speech when he said all homosexuals were sex addicts incapable of being Christians. (The Hypocrites of Homosexuality). Those who disagreed with his statements called for a boycott of Ender's Game. Many saw this as an attack on free speech.
Orson Scott CardSo does this mean we do not have Free Speech? Are the constitutional rights of Americans being stripped.

Hardly. This is just another case of people loudly boasting opinions on issues of which they have little or no knowledge. People are also routinely fired for blasting their employers on social media. Here's what the actual freedom of speech law protects:

AMENDMENT ICongress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.Source: Cornell University Law SchoolThe First Amendment specifically addresses the role between government and the people, not interpersonal relationships. In every day speak, it guarantees that people will not be put in jail by the government for speaking freely.

Every one with a brain knows your words have power. Saying the wrong words to the wrong person at the wrong time will have a consequence. Phil Robertson is not in jail. No one is stopping him from spreading his hateful, ignorant words. All that happened is his employers fired him, just like they did when Paula Deen made racist comments earlier this year. Last time I checked, he wasn't in jail either.
Paula DeenPaul Deen Fired for Using N-Word
Some say that Phil Robertson is a victim. Bull. All he's proven, along with Card, Rather, and Deen, is that actions have consequences. Thankfully, because of free speech laws in Canada and America, people are not imprisoned for stating their opinions. However, saying stupid things at work can still get your fired. And this is not news at all.

Additional Links:'Duck Dynasty' star's free speech rights weren't violated

Cover Art Reveal - A Fallen Hero Rises

I'm excited to finally share with you the cover of my upcoming novel, A Fallen Hero Rises. It's been out to beta readers since September. I'm sending it off for a final proofread later this month with a scheduled publication date of late December, early January.

I created the cover myself. The stock photos purchased come from Fotalia and Pixabay.

Synopsis: 
Tadgh Dooley wakes up on the planet Maghe Sihre with no memory of how he got there. He’s wounded, near death, in the care of a monastic group called the Brotherhood of Tyche. But he has more than that to worry about. The way he came to Maghe Sihre created a crack in an interdimensional prison called the Void. And something fell out of the Void: a powerful artifact called The Sword of Kassandra.

Tadgh is also more powerful than he suspects. He is fod sel-onde, born with the ability to warp the fabric of reality.  Every time he uses his ability, the Void cracks open further.  If it cracks too much, the prisoners will slip out.  The results could be catastrophic.
Can Tadgh gain control over his power before it's too late? And what does the appearance of the Sword of Kassandra mean for the people of Maghe Sihre? 

Thomas Rydder Blogger Book Blitz - Restless Souls and The Clearing

Thomas Rydder's newest release, Restless Souls, is available now. To help him celebrate, I'm taking part in his blogger book blitz.
Restless Souls 1. "Do Unto Others" (short story ) - Jeremy is a street hood, lawless and unchained. When he is wronged by a local businessman, it becomes his mission to seek revenge. But his new enemy has friends - ones that don't take kindly to intruders.

2. "Colors" (short story) - Harrison Street. attorney, biker wannabe, coward. When he finds the bike of his dreams, it seems too good to be true. It is.

3. "Simona Says" (novella) - Simona has had it rough. Death, disenchantment, and disappointment are all part of her life. She wants to be happy for a change, and she's willing to do just about anything to find some. Anything.

Restless Souls Available Now: Smashwords or Amazon for Kindle
The ClearingA small town in western Pennsylvania – quaint, simple, peaceful. That is, until The Elder takes up residence. He has an agenda – one that is 1,000 years old, and cannot be denied. One that will change the lives of many – and end the lives of any who interfere.

The Clearing Available Now: Amazon

Bio I was born in 1957 in a small town in Western Pennsylvania that had - and still has - one traffic light. There wasn't a whole lot to do there, and we had few neighbors, so I learned to play quite a bit of make-believe - soldiers, cowboys and Indians, that kind of thing. At the same time, I loved to read and watch old movies. On Saturdays, my dad played in a country western band, and I stayed up to wait for him. It was during that stretch that I discovered the horror movie. You know the ones I mean. Karloff, Chaney, Lee. The masters, right?

Fast forward 40 years. I'm now the project manager for a small civil engineering firm in picturesque Charleston, South Carolina with my lovely wife and four rescue pets, two dogs, two cats. Oh - and eight feral cats outside that put up with us because we give them two squares a day.
Anyway, since childhood, I've loved to create. I played trumpet, sang, even dabbled in genealogy. Nothing quite did it for me. Over the years, I'd composed quite a few term papers and theses (there are a few ex-teenagers in this world who owe their English grades to yours truly), and unfailingly earned an "A". My wife knew this, and one day just suggested that I try writing.
What the hey, I thought. So I sat down and found a writing site called Hubpages. Nice little site, and I started getting the basics of writing a little from some of the inhabitants. I wrote a short story, and everyone liked it. So, I wrote another one. Except it kept growing, and I kept getting more ideas, and it lengthened to 20 thousand words, then 30, then 40. By the time I sat back, I had the rough draft of my first novel, except back then it was called "Werewolves and Flapjacks". Somewhere along the way I decided to submit my work (now called "The Clearing) to three publishers. I was turned down twice, and miraculously was accepted by the gentleman who gently rules this site, Mr. Tim Taylor. And the rest, as they say, is history. By the way, you need to like Tim...he's a great guy, and I owe him much, which can never be repaid.
I now have a second book available - “Restless Souls: 3 dark fables” - an anthology (novella and two short stories) of ghost stories, and life is grand. 
Even though I make wise cracks about all of it, this is all like living a dream - and I don't plan on waking up for a very long time.

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9 Ways the Tomorrow People Premier Mirrored the Matrix - And Why That's a Good Thing

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. What the first episode of Tomorrow People did last night was show how the strength of the same story structure as The Matrix.

You may be asking yourself what the two things have to do with each other. Before you get in a huff and think I'm claiming Tomorrow People ripped off or stole material from the Matrix, relax. That isn't even close to what I'm saying. I'm well aware Tomorrow People is based on a much-beloved series from the 1970's. There is not an ounce of copyright infringement here. There is, however, masterful storytelling.

Let's look at the story arches side by side.

1. Start with a troubled youth (like pretty much all fiction aimed at young adults)

2. Next scene is a break in, a chase by police officers and a "jump" off the roof

3. Fighting with "agents" in the subway station

4. The first meeting with Kara and Stephen is very similar to the first time Neo and Trinity meet. At first it's not in person (either mind link or the computer). Then it's followed by a "I know why you..." speech.

5. They break into a high security building to rescue someone from the "agents".

6. Stephen and Neo stop bullets with a raised hand . In Tomorrow People and The Matrix someone says "How are you doing this?" after the hero does the impossible.


7. Jedikiah is Agent Smith. In fact, the room in which Jedikiah does the questioning feels very much like an updated in which Neo was questioned by Agent Smith.  Also, compare when Jedikiah is questioning Stephen with Agent Smith questioning Morpheus.



8.The "you are a plague" element. In the Matrix, it's humans while in this show it's the Tomorrow People.
9.The messiah element. Both Neo and Stephen are "the One" who will save everyone from the evil forces.
Bonus. I call this the trinity pose

So what does this say about Tomorrow People? Are the writers' lazy hacks?

Completely the opposite.

Ten minutes into the premier I realize the writers brilliantly updating a tried and true mythological structure to make the series relevant for a modern audience . The series is not without its flaws (e.g. the whole "can't kill" thing is super lame and made me want to throw something at the television). However, after the way they've handled the premiere I can tell the series is in excellent hands.

I look forward to see what they do next.

Classic Epic Fantasy with a Touch of Romance - Confronting the Demon by Ciara Ballintyne

SYNPOSISThe gates to hell are thrown wide when Alloran is betrayed by his best friend, Ladanyon, and framed for forbidden magic. He is hunted by the guards and the wizards both, tormented by the gruesome murder of his friends and loved ones, and crippled by fear for the living. Now Alloran must face his demons, or damn the woman he loves.

WHAT WORKSLots. Worldbuilding is handled perfectly giving the reader a sense of a complex, well-thought-out world. Confronting the Demon creates a world that is instantly familiar but completely unique. The magic system described simply through observations and actions rather than rambling exposition. There is just enough mystery and tension to pull the reader forward making it very difficult to stop reading at one point in the story.

The romance never devolves into cheesiness, nor does it overshadow the classic epic fantasy elements that would make Robert E. Howard happy. Dialogue and character development are handled well. Pacing it tight making this a quick, enjoyable read.

WHAT DOESN'T WORKI'm not a fan of the cover. If I saw it on the shelf, I would assume it was a Harlequin Romance and not pick it up. Thankfully, I agreed to read it based on the story line. If you can get past the cover, there is a great story here that will appeal to fantasy readers.

CONCLUSIONIf you like your fantasy filled with sorcery, demons, and a touch of romance, I strongly recommend Confronting the Demon by Ciara Ballintyne. There's never been a better time to get on board, either. Take part in the book blast this Saturday (Oct 12th) and pick up Confronting the Demon for only $0.99. It's well worth the price.

LINKS:Confronting the Demon on Amazon.com
Confronting the Demon on Amazon.ca
Confronting the Demon on Amazon.co.uk

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/CiaraBallintyne  Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/CiaraBallintyne Website: http://www.ciaraballintyne.com Blog: http://www.fantasyblog.ciaraballintyne.comGoodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/6591156.Ciara_Ballintyne

About the Author Ciara Ballintyne was born in 1981 in Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, one masochistic cat, and one cat with a god complex. She holds degrees in law and accounting, and has been a practising financial services lawyer since 2004. She is both an idealist and a cynic.She started reading epic fantasy at the age of nine, when she kidnapped Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings from her father. Another two years passed before she began her first attempts at the craft of writing. Confronting the Demon is her debut book.  She enjoys horse-riding, and speculation about taking over the world. If she could choose to be anything it would be a dragon, but instead she shares more in common with Dr. Gregory House of House. M.D.

Demons, Sorcery and Romance - Confronting the Demon by Ciara Ballintyne

The gates to hell are thrown wide when Alloran is betrayed by his best friend, Ladanyon, and framed for forbidden magic. He is hunted by the guards and the wizards both, tormented by the gruesome murder of his friends and loved ones, and crippled by fear for the living.Now Alloran must face his demons, or damn the woman he loves.Also featuring bonus short story 'A Magical Melody'Genre - High Fantasy (17+)Length - 110 pagesPublished - September 24th

October 12th Indie-Vengeance Day Special!Amazon Kindle - US $2.99 99¢ | UK £1.93 £0.77Trade Paperback - Amazon US | Amazon UK

What early readers are saying about the novella

"Ballintyne gives wonderful descriptions and I found myself becoming lost in the magic of her words in a picturesque world with every turned page" Bella Doerres"The power-packed action will leave you breathless and the eerie suspense will make you chomp on your own nails, beware!" Satarupa"With imagination and detail that paints a full scene for the mind’s eye, Ciara takes us on a short but exciting journey into a world of magic, love and demons from hell." Miranda Wood of DustyKatt's Stuff Reviews"I actually enjoyed a good fantasy novel that didn’t take days and days to read, but still offered the opportunity to get caught up in its world and story." - Tracy Riva Global eBook Awards Judge In honour of Indie-Vengeance Day Ciara Ballintyne is offering up “Confronting a Demon” for the sale price of 99¢ On October 12th after more than a year of planning, more than a dozen bestselling indie authors from around the globe (seriously!) will gather in Dallas, Texas for an once-in-a-lifetime signing and meet-the-author event; Indie-Vengeance Day. Come join authors from the U.S, Canada and Australia and meet some of the most notable and recognized writers in the indie author movement.

JOIN THE FACEBOOK PARTY!  
Alloran huddled in the shadows of the alley mouth across from the west gate, watching the guards search every man and woman leaving the city of Ehsan. He sweltered within the confines of his light dust cloak. The hood concealed his face, and a few days worth of stubble blurred the shape of his jaw. Anything to make him that much harder to recognise. Unfortunately, he couldn’t hide his indigo wizard eyes from another wizard or a sorceress, though a spell concealed their colour from normal vision.A queue of backed-up traffic wound out of sight along the Avenue of Falling Stars. Travelers, merchants, and farmers waited with resigned patience. Seven hells, after three months, the delays were normal. Surely, they’d give up soon. Will they? For such a heinous crime…. It was not a thought he liked to dwell on. He slouched to hide his unusual height, and squinted at the mailed guards. They represented a minor inconvenience. The quartet of three wizards and one sorceress, though, were entirely different. There’d be no escaping their notice, even though the soldiers might be fooled. Almost involuntarily, his gaze flicked to the castle–not the king’s castle in the central district but the wizards’. Perched atop the mountain overshadowing the city, its turrets clawed the sky. Home, once. Now he hid from it like a beetle scuttling away from the sun. Only enough luck to fill the seven celestial levels kept him safe. The wizards stood as the guards inspected each traveler and allowed passage. One, in linen shirt and leather pants with a sword on his hip, spoke companionably to the guard nearest him. The silk-swathed sorceress gazed down the street towards Alloran, or perhaps past him, with eyes that were yellow or purple, the mark of a woman of power. Easing back into the shadows slowly enough to avoid attracting attention, he headed to the square where Dek and the unfinished statue would be waiting. A peaceful lassitude crept over Alloran at the thought of the statue. Three months ago, the notion of hacking a statue out of a lump of rock would have been distasteful, to say the least. Now, the act of creation gave him a refuge that he couldn’t find anywhere else. Stripping off the cloak, he tramped through the back alleys, his boots squelching through something he didn’t care to examine too closely. Summer heat left the narrow streets ripe with the stench of rotting garbage. The muck would take weeks to clean from his boots, assuming he wouldn't have to traipse through the same decomposing food tomorrow. But he knew better. He heaved a sigh for the soft leather half-boots he’d favoured in another life. Of course, they’d be ruined even faster than the heavy work boots. Oh for a clean street. In the past, he’d waded knee-deep through any kind of muck as long as an answer lay on the other side. Two lives ago, that had been. Now, he did it in the hope of prolonging his pathetic existence one more day. A tangled pile of crates blocked most of the alley. When he squeezed between the stack and the alley wall, the splintered wood scratched the stiff canvas of his smock and snagged his stonemason’s mallet. It was impossible to avoid the rubbish piled between wall and crates, and he wrinkled his nose at the stench. If only he could take the main streets, kept clean by an army of royal sweepers, but they’d be watching for him there and at the gates. No one at the citadel would expect to find him in this stinking back alley. No, not him. Not the man of silks and velvets. As he slipped through the narrowest point, the crates shifted, allowing him a glimpse into the middle of the pile. An eye stared back at him. A fixed and glazed eye.   Ciara Ballintyne was born in 1981 in Sydney, Australia, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, one masochistic cat, and one cat with a god complex.She holds degrees in law and accounting, and has been a practicing financial services lawyer since 2004. She is both an idealist and a cynic.She started reading epic fantasy at the age of nine, when she kidnapped Castle of Wizardry by David Eddings from her father. Another two years passed before she began her first attempts at the craft of writing. Confronting the Demon is her debut book.She enjoys horse-riding, and speculation about taking over the world. If she could choose to be anything it would be a dragon, but instead she shares more in common with Dr. Gregory House of House. M.D.Website | Goodreads | Facebook | Twitter | Pinterest a Rafflecopter giveaway     The Finishing Fairies is hosting a full two-week virtual book tour for " Confronting the Demon " by Ciara Ballintye is now accepting tour hosts. We are looking for Reviews, Guest Posts, Interviews and a few limited special spots available.The tour will be taking place on Monday through Friday; 12-3 through 12-13, just in time to fill those Christmas e-socks ;)If you are interested in participating please GO HERE and FILL THE FORM .Hosted By:  

A Book Every Man Should Read - eLoves me eLoves Me Not by L.A. Johannesson

You know you've read a good book when it changes the way you look at the world. I don't think that was L.A. Johannesson's purpose for writing this book. In fact, I'm fairly certain I'm not even her target demographic. Nonetheless, I feel I am a slightly different person now that I've read this book.

SYNPOSISThe synopsis is simple. Kayte is a successful business women married to her job rather than a man. She decides it's time to change that and, at the prodding of a friend, tries online dating. From this starting point, the novel takes on a journey of personal discovery as Kayte discovers what she wants and doesn't want in her life.

At it’s heart eLoves me Eloves me not is a simple “chick flick” in book form. Think of it like Bridget Jones Diary (one of my personal all-time favorites). A strong successful woman looking for love in all the wrong places discovers what is truly important in life and happens to find love along the way.

WHY IT WORKSWhat eloves me, eloves me not does so well is put you completely in the mind of lead character Kayte. I felt I was inside a woman's mind. For that reason alone, this is a book every man should read.

Johannesson has a crystal-clear writing voice that helps the reader live inside Kayte's mind. There are no car chases nor are they any alien invasions. What rests at the center of eloves me, eloves me not is a journey to connect in a digital age. Kayte also learns online dating is not magic.  She comes to realize that the mystery of how we find the love of our lives remains that: a mystery. There is something beyond our control, an element that shows up with it is ready, not when it is summoned.



Kayte is a wonderful character, instantly likable and relatable. She is a wizard at her job. She excels under pressure and helps others do the same. Her only issue in life is that she’s alone. She wants to have success in romance the way she’s had success in business. And that is actually the problem. She deals with finding a romantic partner the same way she deals with a business problem. She puts a plan in place and executes it. She tries to “fix” the problem of being single.

One of my favorite part is this section where she talks herself into an impossible relationship:

When I read this my first thought was “Dear lord, she’s insane.” Then I realized that, in my youth, I had similar delusions. Kayte's real growth starts when she realizes this.

How does it end? Read and find out.

THE AUTHORI’ve been fortunate enough to meet L.A. Johannesson. Months ago, while looking for an editor for Council of Peacocks, she popped out of nowhere. She offered affordable assistance and some wonderful insights that strengthened the novel considerably. We’ve communicated several times since then. I also met her in Toronto for Word on the Street (see video). She radiates warmth and joy like few people I’ve met, truly the sort of person I’d love to sit and have a glass (or two) of wine with.

LINKS:L.A. Johannesson's Official Website
L.A. Johannesson on Goodreads
eLoves Me eLoves Me Not on Amazon.com
eLoves Me eLoves Me Not on Amazon.ca
eLoves Me eLoves Me Not on Amazon.co.uk

The Shepherd by Travis Luedke Offers Hope to Weary Horror Fans

The Shepherd by Travis Luedke
Travis Luedke's The Shepherd offers hope to horror fans weary of the pale, recycled horror populating the current market.

One of the coolest things as a reader is finding a new author and watching him grow. In the 80's, I was was lucky enough to discover Dean Koontz before he hit it big. I watched as he improved with each novel until he became the household name he is today.

I get the sense that Travis Luedke is on the same path.

The Shepherd is his newest novel and it is definitely his strongest. The plot is tightly woven, wasting no space on unnecessary filler.

The lead character, Mike Evans, has a crystal clear voice. Readers will get a sense of his personality from the first page. He's 16 from a less-than-ideal home who meets a mysterious young girl named Nadia who changes his life. There is more to Nadia than meets the eye. There is a twist in the middle which I won't spoil for you. Thankfully, unlike so many other writers, Luedke does not bash you over the head with clues. The secret is fun and completely obvious only upon reflection. Much like the twist in The Sixth Sense, I was expecting the story to go one way. Then it went somewhere completely different.

I couldn't be happier.

A word of caution, the book has a warning about mature subject matter. Luedke has chosen to write Mike Evans in a very realistic way. There are copious amounts of profanity, violence, and sexual situations. Many may be offended by the language even though it is realistic based on the character. Though classified as Young Adult, this book has nothing in common with Harry Potter, Twilight, or Hunger Games. The Shepherd is not appropriate for young children (although many could argue that Hunger Games isn't appropriate for young children, either).

I chose to read The Shepherd as a straight horror story. It reminds me very much of a good Richard Laymon story. If you're a horror fan and not familiar with Richard Laymon, I strongly recommend you check him out.

Richard Laymon - Author of The Beast HouseLaymon was called "Stephen King without a conscious" (Dan Marlowe). Dean Koontz said of Laymon "No one writes like Laymon, and you're going to have a good time with anything he writes." When Richard Laymon was at his best, he mixed sexuality, tension, and the supernatural better than anyone else.

Travis Luedke is a fine successor to Laymon although he never devolves in to the pure pornography Laymon was prone to.

This is Luedke's 5th publisher novel. If he continues to improve his craft at this pace, I'm very interested to see where he will take us in the future.




Links:
The Shepard on Goodreads
The Shepard on Amazon.com
The Shepard on Amazon.ca
The Shepard on Amazon.co.uk

Richard Laymon Official Website: Richard Laymon Kills

Echo's Song - Song Lyrics Based on a Character in Council of Peacocks by Aaron Gillis

I was able to coerce some good friends of mine, musicians, to write a song based on one of my favorite characters in my novel Council of Peacocks. They're still ironing out the music but I thought I would share the lyrics with you.

Working Title - Echo's Song
And it's hard to keep your head up
To keep your lips from trembling near the cup
To know that your love won't be returned
To live your life preparing to be burned

She thinks about when she was young
Slow of mind and quick of tongue
She should have known better than this
Life can't be based on a kiss

Chorus
Wishes are made on stars
And love is built on scars
Sometimes those stars are sateliites
Sometimes scars make love right

The places she's seen have changed her
And her memories become a blur
She's worried she remembers things wrong
The blurriness makes her feel less strong

Repeat Chorus

Bridge

Regrets come packaged with love
They are not something to be disposed of
They help make us the people we are
We need to accept the people we are

Repeat Chorus

Outro: Repeat X 8
Wishes made on satellites still make me feel alright

Copyright 2013 Aaron Gillis.
Follow him on twitter here: Aaron Gillis

In my dream cast of a movie, Emelia Clarke would play Echo. I would love to see her a bit more kick ass on Game of Thrones. I also think she's a much better brunette than a blonde. But what do I know.

Emelia Clarke

Celebrating Small Victories: Council of Peacocks Free Oct 2-5

Yesterday I received a wonderful surprise. A wonderful review that made me giddy from someone I didn't know.

Here's a summary of what she said.

"If the reader isn't willing to invest time and pay close attention to details, this probably isn't the tale for you. It is definitely your loss if you don't want to invest that initial bit of patience, because the book is definitely a winner once the pieces start to fall into place.

Joseph Murphy is an author worth watching. Council of Peacocks is an original story in a genre begging for a taste of originality. Murphy writes in a vein similar to the older works of Stephen King. His writing is intense, creative, and imaginative. It has themes of fantasy, horror, mystery, and romance all commingled in a delightful smorgasbord of literary genius."

Review by Michelle S. Willms Sept 26, 2013

To celebrate this awesome review and the end of enrollment in KDP Select, I'm making Council of Peacocks free for the rest of this week, from Oct 2-5.