Biff Price's Blog, page 3

My Most Embarrassing Moment!

My Most Embarrassing Moment!


I have been asked if I ever had an embarrassing experience and what I learned from it. Who hasn’t? Whether we said something inappropriate, stumbled when we would have preferred to be graceful, slipped and fallen down in front of others, had something in our teeth when we smiled, or done a hundred other things that made us look foolish, it’s normal for human beings.

Face it. To be human is to be subject to embarrassment. Looking back, perhaps the most embarrassing moment in my life was not witnessed by anyone. It occurred in the dark. It was physical, painful, and even mortifying. It was also very dumb.

I was in high school. I was the master of ceremonies for our annual musical show, which was a really big deal every year. I had to wear a tuxedo for the show, and I arrived at the high school early. In fact, I was there before anyone else. I opened the door and discovered that the auditorium was in total darkness. No one was there. Instead of waiting until someone showed up to turn on the lights, I went into the auditorium, inching my way along the wall to the front of the huge room. In the darkness, I carefully mounted the steps at the side of the stage, only to discover that the curtain was closed.

My objective was to feel my way in the dark along the curtain until I found the center of it, pass through it, and carefully make my way backstage to the light controls. My intentions were good, but my sense of direction was terrible. I walked right off the center of the stage into the orchestra pit, falling headlong and smashing into chairs and musical instruments.
There is nothing more terrifying than falling in total darkness. When I had collected myself and determined that I had not broken any bones, I crawled up on the stage, dipped beneath the curtain, and made my way to the lights. Once I found them and turned them on, I went back and picked up chairs and instruments, placed things back where I thought they belonged, and then went backstage to the dressing area. I was limping a bit, but I never told anyone what had happened to me.The show had to go on. That’s show business folks! 

What did I learn from this experience? Always wait until the lights are on. Don’t do stupid things. Stepping off a stage in the dark isn’t cool, and you can get hurt. In retrospect, staying in the light is a wise thing to do throughout one’s life. It’s important to clearly see where your next step will take you in all circumstances. 

A Plane to Anywhere

I’ve been asked about where I would go, and why I would go there, if someone gave me an airplane ticket to anywhere in the world. First, I’d have to ask for two tickets because my wife would have to be on the trip with me!

If that problem were solved, I would choose Israel as my destination. I consider Israel the key to all of human history. I believe its people, having been chosen by the Creator Himself, are the nation through which everything of substance came into being in this world. The Greatest Act of Love in the history of mankind was performed by Jesus 2,000 years ago on a cross just outside of Jerusalem. His sacrifice alone makes it possible to come to the Kingdom. Though millions deny that statement, for me the argument has been settled.

So, Israel is my choice. I would walk its streets and hike its countryside. I would walk where Jesus walked and see the things that still exist from the time He lived among men on the earth. I would do so with a happy heart, because I am eternally grateful for what He has done for all who have chosen to follow Him. The most learned atheist doesn't possess the intellectual ability to convince me otherwise. For me, the argument has been settled.

C.S. Lewis, one of the most brilliant atheists of the last century became a believer even as he was doing his best to run away from the love of God. The books he wrote following his conversion prove on every reasonable level the truth about Jesus, the Son of God. One of his books, Mere Christianity, destroys every argument posited by the opposition. A note to atheists and so-called agnostics: I have seen that those who would argue against the Son avoid those things that make them uncomfortable. If you doubt the deity of Jesus, whatever you do, don’t read Mere Christianity! If you dare to read it, then do so at your own peril. You see, even an intellectual giant the likes of C.S. Lewis could not outrun the truth of God. I know. I read his book. Though many people would rather wander through life in ignorance than travel the path of the truth, I believe the path of truth and life runs through Israel. For me, the argument has been settled. 

A Conversation With Guido

Join me for a tongue-in-cheek interview with one of my favorite characters, Detective Guido Angelista, a character from my forthcoming novel, “Child of Emptiness.”

Of all the characters I have created in my books, my favorite is Italian police detective Guido Angelista. A pivotal character in “Child of Emptiness,” Angelista is nicknamed “The Fox” because of his striking red-gold hair and his amazing psychic ability to sense the presence of evil and solve crimes. 

In the novel, Guido becomes the guardian of priest Anthony Rosario. A visual and literal “Angel of Fire,” he defends Rosario time and again in confrontations with the forces of darkness. Guido’s enigmatic power and strange psychic abilities are both a burden and a gift. The sweeping story of the war between good and evil covers a span of thirty years, and Guido is an integral figure throughout, standing ready to make the ultimate sacrifice—or to exact the ultimate price from Rosario’s adversaries.

Should “Child of Emptiness” make the big or small screen, the actor chosen to play Guido will have his hands full and his talents stretched. Read on for a taste of the streetwise Guido Angelista’s personality in the conversation I’ve conjured up between him and me.


Biff: “Where do you think this psychic “gift” you have comes from?”

Guido: “You ask me such a question? You wrote the story. It’s you!”

Biff: “Hey, this is fiction! Guido, help me here! I’m serious.” 

Guido: “You Americans need all the answers to everything. I don’t know. Wherever it comes from, it’s hard to deal with at times. If you ever feel true evil like I have on too many occasions, well, it can be overwhelming. I am both blessed and burdened with the ability to see our enemy for what he truly is—evil beyond words!”

Biff: “Are you ever afraid?”

Guido: “Only idiots and madmen aren’t afraid. However, Father Anthony Rosario faithfully serves the most loving and powerful force in the universe. I am privileged to protect him, and in doing so I must overcome any fear that would prevent me.”

Biff: “Did you really kill the three Mafia men who murdered your brother?”

Guido: “Who told you that?”

Biff: “I wrote the story.”

Guido: “Now, you’re the one who is being the smart guy!”

Biff: “Sorry. I’m simply trying to find out more about you.”

Guido: “There’s an easy answer to your problem.”

Biff: “What is it?”

Guido: “Read the book!”

Biff: “Now who is being the smart guy?”

Guido: “Bravo!”

Are There Stories I Secretly Long to Write?

Are There Stories I Secretly Long to Write?
Truthfully, I can’t think of any genre that I secretly want to tackle. In the non-fiction world, I have written on almost every subject that would interest most people. I have also written political thrillers, children’s fantasy, and a major novel about the end of the world and the war between good and evil. 
The old maxim, “Stick with what you are good at,” is a bit of wisdom worth remembering. Few of us are good at everything. I saw a list of genres online that included 70 different types of fiction writing. Wow! This is not to say that we should not challenge ourselves and stretch our abilities, but most writers have a niche they fill, and if it is working for them and their readers, that’s fine.

In my case, I have written nine books, seven of which are fiction and cover three genres, which for me is more than enough variety. The non-fiction books aren’t being published because they are not relevant to the present time, and I don’t want to confuse my readers as to what kind of writer I am. 

I do have one other work of what I’ll loosely call fiction that I began years ago. I may or may not finish it. Let me add that it is “Biblical” in theme and deals with the Adversary of mankind. If this sounds a bit cryptic, so be it. If I have the time to finish this particular book it will make a striking screenplay.

Ultimately, I write because I have always enjoyed telling stories. When someone says, “I really enjoyed your book,” it tells me that I’ve done well. Reader approval is the greatest reward of all in any genre.

My Goals for the YearWe all have goals. I’d like to share...

My Goals for the Year
We all have goals. I’d like to share some of mine, and I hope to inspire you to do the same. As a writer, my goal is to finish the third book in the Michael Stonebreaker series. The Revolutionists is already in the world, and it’s sequel The Reconstructionists is coming this spring. The final book in the series, The Revisionists is about one-third complete. I’m also working to see my first major novel, Child of Emptiness published, along with my children’s trilogy, which titles areThe Forest at the End of the World, The Ocean at the Edge of Forever, and The Mountain of the King. So as an author, I’d love to publish all seven of my novels.



My blogger goals are more modest: I’d just like to write stuff you’ll want to read and share with others. Blogging is personal. If I take a position on any subject that you disagree with that’s perfectly okay. We really can respect each other and be friends without having to agree on everything. 



My goals as a man in 2016 are straightforward. I hope to be as good a man as I can be, and to learn patience. Patience can lead to wisdom. We should be patient with each other. We don’t need to tolerate evil, but we need to seek truth and patiently wait for it to work its virtue. 

Where is Michael Stonebreaker When We Need Him?

Where is Michael Stonebreaker When We Need Him?

English poet Alexander Pope (1688-1744) wrote:

“Hope springs eternal in the human breast: Man never is, but always to be blest.”

If there was ever a time in America when we needed to be blest, the time is now. 

Our people are being divided and conquered from within by political parties and a complicit media.

Our Judeo-Christian faith is being ridiculed, mocked, scorned and marginalized.

Our Constitution has been eviscerated by the very people who have sworn to protect it: our Supreme Court.

Our flag is ripped and burned with impunity by hate-filled people at home and abroad.

Mad men, who cut the heads off Christians and Jews, burn them in cages, slaughter children, and torture and rape girls and women, are roaming free in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, Europe and America.

58 million of the most helpless and vulnerable among us, our unborn children, have been ripped from their mother’s wombs and murdered, thanks to the Supreme Court and people who proclaim, “It’s a women’s health issue!” Try justifying this to an Almighty God!

Finally, our fearless leaders posture and promise us a world that will never exist if we will just give them all our money and follow them willingly over the cliff to oblivion. 

Where is Michael Stonebreaker when we need him? You’ll find him in the pages of The Revolutionists by Biff Price. Straight from today’s headlines, The Revolutionists presents an uncanny, almost surreal picture of America today, and it offers solutions to all our problems. It’s only fiction of course, but what if there were actually people in America as dedicated as the members of The Movement are in the book? What if there really is a man like Michael Stonebreaker somewhere in this great country? What then?

Get your copy of The Revolutionists by Biff Price today. Go to www.biffprice.com to find out more about The Revolutionists, and watch for its sequel: The Reconstructionists, coming this spring. The sequel solves the problems on our southern border. 

Of course these books are only fiction, but what if…? Isn’t it time we began to have hope—real hope—again?

Some of My Favorite Quotes from this Past Year!

Some of My Favorite Quotes from this Past Year!

Favorite Quotes by Our Forefathers

 Favorite Quotes by Our Forefathers

Biff Price Character and Author Quotes

Biff Price Character and Author Quotes

My West Coast Adventure

     It has always been one of my goals to travel the Pacific highway and see the sights along the way. Last month my wife and I eagerly embarked on our nearly 7,000 mile journey by flying to Seattle, Washington. We had never been to the states of Washington and Oregon, nor to the redwoods of northern California.      Seattle is a bust city in a magnificent setting. We stayed just outside and took the light rail train in so we could enjoy the ride and not have to pay to park. Pike’s marketplace on the waterfront was a treat; the workers have great fun in the fish market laughing, joking and tossing huge salmon back and forth like beach balls. We rode the monorail to the Space Needle, where the sight of Mount Rainer -14,400 feet high- sticking up through the clouds    was truly awe-inspiring. 

We took the ferry to Bainbridge Island and back, and spent a couple days amid the beauty and excitement of Seattle before beginning our motoring trip. 
   
The best route from Seattle is traveling from north to south because you drive along the Pacific side of the road, and most views are breathtaking --and some are scary!) Don’t be in a hurry. Your average speed will be 35-40 miles per hour.      We drove through the pine forests of Washington to the coast, and then took the coast road (Route 101) south to the Astoria-Megler bridge, entering the state of Oregon. We spent days driving along the Oregon coast, seeing some of the most spectacular scenery in the world. The towns along the coast are fun to visit, and we heartily recommend whale watching, light house visits, and the Cheese Factory in Tillamook, America's second largest maker of cheddar cheese. They make 168,000 pounds of cheese a day out of 1.7 million gallons of fresh milk.   



     Next, we made our way to Crescent City, California and the beginning of the coastal redwoods. Want to feel small? Stand and look up at 250 – 300 foot tall trees that live to be 2,000 years old while visiting the Trees of Mystery and the Avenue of the Giants. California’s northern coast also has incredible vistas. The view of the Pacific is so vast, driving on the highway high above it you can see the curvature of the Earth much easier than you can by looking at the Atlantic from sea level.    Leaving the redwoods behind, we made our way to Sonoma, California, and then on to San Francisco. We had been there before, but we really enjoyed Fisherman’s Wharf, riding the cable cars, the famous twisted Lombard Street, Alcatraz, and the food all over again! 
     










   From there it was time to come home. Our two weeks were just right. We drove a thousand miles on our journey, and flew roughly 5,800 miles. Best advice? If you decide to drive the Pacific Northwest coast, allow yourself enough time to enjoy the sights along the way.