tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16802420952385057852024-03-05T05:15:30.677-05:00steve bargdill's blog...exploring life, literature, and writingAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.comBlogger67125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-51209876709875455622016-01-02T06:00:00.000-05:002016-01-02T06:00:00.801-05:00Curated Author Quotes<span style="font-size: large;">For some time now on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authorSteveBargdill" target="_blank">Facebook</a>, I have been sharing author quotes on Tuesdays. I try to match these quotes to my own ideology behind why I write. It's kind of like a subtle author's statement of purpose, maybe similar to a teacher's statement of purpose or teaching philosophy? I thought it would be nice now that 2015 is over to post the entire list in one place. So here it is. Enjoy!</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cormac McCarthy</span></u></b><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br />
</span><span style="font-size: large;">“I don’t know why I started writing. I don’t know why anybody does it.
Maybe they’re bored, or failures at something else.” </span><span style="font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Gloria E. Anzaldúa</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">“Why am I compelled to write? . . .
Because the world I create in the writing compensates for what the real world
does not give me. By writing I put order in the world, give it a handle so I
can grasp it. I write because life does not appease my appetites and anger . .
. To become more intimate with myself and you. To discover myself, to preserve
myself, to make myself, to achieve self-autonomy. To dispell the myths that I
am a mad prophet or a poor suffering soul. To convince myself that I am worthy
and that what I have to say is not a pile of shit . . . Finally I write because
I’m scared of writing, but I’m more scared of not writing.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Mark Haddon</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“I don’t remember deciding to become a writer.
You decide to become a dentist or a postman. For me, writing is like being gay. You finally admit that this is who you are,
you come out and hope that no one runs away.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Anaïs Nin</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“Why one writes is a question I can answer easily, having so often asked it of
myself. I believe one writes because one has to create a world in which one can
live. I could not live in any of the worlds offered to me — the world of my
parents, the world of war, the world of politics. I had to create a world of my
own, like a climate, a country, an atmosphere in which I could breathe, reign,
and recreate myself when destroyed by living. That, I believe, is the reason
for every work of art.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Alex Miller</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“I write because I love writing. I think I became a writer in order to explore
my ideas and responses to the world around me, which I often found it difficult
to share with others. Also I liked my autonomy, and a writer can choose his or
her own working hours – midnight to dawn or whenever. The difficulty of
becoming a writer never bothered me. I knew it was going to work for me sooner
or later. And if you’re a writer you don’t have to retire but can keep on doing
the thing you love till you drop off the chair.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">John Green</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“I believe there is hope for us all, even amid the suffering – and maybe even inside
the suffering. And that’s why I write fiction, probably. It’s my attempt to
keep that fragile strand of radical hope, to build a fire in the darkness.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Charles Bukowski</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“Writers are desperate people and when they stop being desperate they stop
being writers.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Sidonie-Gabrielle
Colette</span></u></b><span style="color: #002060;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“Put down everything that comes into your head and then you’re a writer. But an
author is one who can judge his own stuff’s worth, without pity, and destroy
most of it.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Cheryl Strayed</span></u></b><span style="color: #002060;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“The useless days will add up to something. The shitty waitressing jobs. The
hours writing in your journal. The long meandering walks. The hours reading
poetry and story collections and novels…. These things are your becoming.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Joe Bunting</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“No one is born a writer. You must become a writer. In fact, you never cease
becoming, because you never stop learning how to write. Even now, I am becoming
a writer. And so are you.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Anaïs Nin</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“If you do not breathe through writing, if you do not cry out in writing, or sing
in writing, then don’t write, because our culture has no use for it.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Henry Miller</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“One can be absolutely truthful and sincere even though admittedly the most
outrageous liar. Fiction and invention are of the very fabric of life.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Franz Kafka</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“Don’t bend; don’t water it down; don’t try to make it logical; don’t edit your
own soul according to the fashion. Rather, follow your most intense obsessions
mercilessly.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Ezra Pound</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“The artist is always beginning. Any work of art which is not a beginning, an
invention, a discovery is of little worth.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">David Foster Wallace</span></u></b><span style="color: #002060;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“The next real literary “rebels” in this country might well emerge as some
weird bunch of anti-rebels, born oglers who dare somehow to back away from
ironic watching, who have the childish gall actually to endorse and instantiate
single-entendre principles. Who treat of plain old untrendy human troubles and
emotions in U.S. life with reverence and conviction. Who eschew
self-consciousness and hip fatigue. These anti-rebels would be outdated, of
course, before they even started. Dead on the page. Too sincere. Clearly
repressed. Backward, quaint, naive, anachronistic. Maybe that’ll be the point.
Maybe that’s why they’ll be the next real rebels. Real rebels, as far as I can
see, risk disapproval. The old postmodern insurgents risked the gasp and
squeal: shock, disgust, outrage, censorship, accusations of socialism,
anarchism, nihilism. Today’s risks are different. The new rebels might be
artists willing to risk the yawn, the rolled eyes, the cool smile, the nudged
ribs, the parody of gifted ironists, the “Oh how banal.” To risk accusations of
sentimentality, melodrama. Of overcredulity. Of softness. Of willingness to be
suckered by a world of lurkers and starers who fear gaze and ridicule above
imprisonment without law. Who knows.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Stanley Schmidt</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
"Resist the temptation to try to use dazzling style to conceal weakness of
substance." </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Harlan Ellison</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
"People on the outside think there's something magical about writing, that
you go up in the attic at midnight and cast the bones and come down in the
morning with a story, but it isn't like that. You sit in back of the typewriter
and you work, and that's all there is to it." </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Melissa Scott</span></u></b><span style="color: #002060;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
"Writing isn't generally a lucrative source of income; only a few,
exceptional writers reach the income levels associated with the best-sellers.
Rather, most of us write because we can make a modest living, or even
supplement our day jobs, doing something about which we feel passionately. Even
at the worst of times, when nothing goes right, when the prose is clumsy and
the ideas feel stale, at least we're doing something that we genuinely love.
There's no other reason to work this hard, except that love." </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Maya Angelou</span></u></b><span style="color: #002060;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Allen Ginsberg</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“To gain your own voice, you have to forget about having it heard.”</span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Oscar Wilde</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“Those who find ugly meanings in beautiful things are corrupt without being
charming. This is a fault. Those who find beautiful meanings in beautiful
things are the cultivated. For these there is hope. They are the elect to whom
beautiful things mean only Beauty. There is no such thing as a moral or an
immoral book. Books are well written, or badly written. That is all.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><u><span style="color: #002060; font-size: 16.0pt; line-height: 115%;">William Faulkner</span></u></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;">
“A writer must teach himself that the basest of all things is to be afraid.” </span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-60272360688064380962015-09-27T12:05:00.000-04:002015-09-27T12:05:56.194-04:00The Executive Summary is a Private Affair<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What
I find interesting is a lot of authors talk about putting together an author
business plan, but at the same time I don't see concrete examples of what these
author business plans look like. I am a big proponent of writing by example,
and writing the executive summary has been difficult a difficult process.
Typical executive summaries highlight what's inside the entire business plan
and is written toward investors. The executive summary generates a buy-in, but
as an author you are not asking others to invest money; you are asking yourself
to invest in you. An author executive summary, to my way of thinking, is more
personal, more intimate. You don't have to share the executive summary publicly
because the executive summary is a private affair. Thus, also probably the
reason I don't see author's executive summaries posted online.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">If
you have written an author business plan, I want to know. Specifically, I would
like to see the executive summary. How did you write the summary? What was your
process? What was your thinking when you drafted the executive summary? You are
more than welcome to post your executive summary or business plan writing
adventures in the comments below. Or, if you want to be more private about the
affair, feel free to <a href="mailto:stevebargdill@gmail.com"><span style="text-decoration: none;"><span style="color: #6fa8dc;">email me</span></span></a>.
I promise not to spam you. :)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I
have found several online resources for the business plan's executive summary
from purely an entrepreneurial pursuit, a more traditionally aligned "Let's
make money by selling stuff and/or services" attitude. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Entrepreneur has <span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><a href="http://www.entrepreneur.com/formnet/form/653"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">a nice template</span></a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Mplans, which basically sells business
writing software, has <span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><a href="http://www.mplans.com/pasta_restaurant_marketing_plan/executive_summary_fc.php"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">a decent executive summary sample</span></a></span> that is reminiscent
of my pizza shop experience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Alxel Schultze, CEO of Society3 <span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;">posted <a href="https://www.quora.com/What-is-an-example-of-a-great-startup-executive-summary"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">a run down of a one pager</span></a></span>, which I really like.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0in;">
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";">●<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;">
</span></span><!--[endif]--><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">Amy Fontinelle wrote a piece on
Investopedia.com titled <span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2;"><a href="http://www.investopedia.com/university/business-plan/business-plan3.asp"><span style="color: #1f497d; mso-themecolor: text2; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Business Plan: Composing Your Executive Summary</span></a></span>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I've
used these sites to assist me in composing my own executive summary. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">What
I liked in particular about Fontinelle's piece was that she quoted William
Gregory O, an Illinois attorney and owner of the law firm Lex Scripta LLC and
Mike Coleman president of The Startup Garage, and these two dudes basically say
if the executive summary is not engaging, then potential investors won't look
beyond that page and won't bother investing. Because the investor in your
author career is you, the executive summary is written to grab your attention
and no one else matters. My executive summary is personal and fits only my
personal needs. It excites me to read my own executive summary. I want to buy
this guy lunch and a beer:<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">I am an author embracing the creative life and
helping other authors to do the same. I write mainstream literary fiction and
fantasy fiction. My audience includes independent authors, literary readers,
and fantasy readers. Currently, my audience resides on Amazon. Eventually, my
audience will also reside in brick and mortar bookstores. I sell stories. More
specifically, I sell stories that not only entertain but hopefully speak to a
greater truth in relation to the human experience. I also sell the author experience,
although not necessarily for monetary gain. I help people to succeed in their
writing endeavors. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;">This, of course, is only the first
paragraph of the executive summary. The rest of the piece needs to highlight
the entire author business plan. After the entire plan has been drafted, I will
be returning to the executive summary to include the plan's highlights—so as
this blog series continues, look forward to that future post. Next week: the
business description.</span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-2101374060295651572015-09-15T04:00:00.000-04:002015-09-19T07:35:54.147-04:00Write Another Book: Setting Goals<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://vector-magz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/football-goal-post-clip-art.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><img border="0" src="http://vector-magz.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/football-goal-post-clip-art.gif" height="153" width="200" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">Goals for me, personally, often are confused with what I want to happen in relation to events that I cannot control. My wife and I went over next year's summer budget. I want to take time off to hike <a href="http://stevebargdill.blogspot.com/2015/07/planning-pipe-dream.html" target="_blank">the Appalachian Trail</a>. She wants to spend time in Ohio with the extended family as well as take our kids on several day and weekend trips. Except for the Ohio bit, none of this will happen unless I am able to make $XX,XXX by late May 2016. In addition, <a href="http://stevebargdill.blogspot.com/2015/09/dealing-in-realities.html" target="_blank">last week's post</a> dealt with annual budgetary needs. So my immediate gut-level reaction is to set a goal that states I will make $XX,XXX off my writing by May 2, 2016.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;">That dollar amount end
goal will get me into trouble. I will experience complete, utter failure not
because I don't think my writing is worth $XX,XXX, but because I have zero
control over how many people decide to purchase my books. It's like saying,
"I will get 20,000 Twitter followers by December 31st 2015."</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.5in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">A
distinct difference lies between wants and goals. A goal moves you in the
direction of a want, but does not guarantee the want. A goal is an
actionable achievable that you have total control over. A goal is a choice. You
don't choose who follows you or how many people follow you on Twitter. How and
what you tweet, on the other hand, you do have complete control over. You can
choose to tweet or you can choose not to tweet. You can choose to tweet the
annoying "BUY MY BOOK" or you can choose to promote healthy online
relationships through your tweets. You can choose to tweet once a day or 50
times a day. You can choose to deliver pizzas or you can choose to write
another book.</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cccccc; font-size: x-small;">------------------------------------------------------CLICK TO TWEET--------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
</div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCC1qy2JxcWjyD-j30xQfyYPePzds9dwHU2prM-Zo7dK1bpEGh1khLMlYBWiFASNGafFc1eXP7DAcQJdI0-bBscaNTLB92p3dSRI4aOcxWpytPxsjQXpwwRJQZea7MIDpUNkaz5XsioHGj/s1600/tweetthislogo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="50" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCC1qy2JxcWjyD-j30xQfyYPePzds9dwHU2prM-Zo7dK1bpEGh1khLMlYBWiFASNGafFc1eXP7DAcQJdI0-bBscaNTLB92p3dSRI4aOcxWpytPxsjQXpwwRJQZea7MIDpUNkaz5XsioHGj/s200/tweetthislogo.png" width="75" /></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="http://ctt.ec/6NWgh"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: x-large;">A goal moves you in the direction of a want, but does not guarantee the want. </span></b></a></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<b><span style="color: black; font-size: x-small;"> <a href="http://ctt.ec/6NWgh">Via @SteveBargdill http://ctt.ec/035Qk+ #writetip</a></span></b></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="color: #cccccc;">------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------</span></div>
<div id="header" role="banner">
<div class="bar">
<br /></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">So,
first and foremost a goal is a choice to do something and to complete that
something. The goal should work toward what you want, but achieving the goal is
not the all-beat end result. The goal is relevant to what you want—to what you
are going after and chasing with passion.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">The
goal is specific. To continue with my Twitter analogy, I want 20,000 followers
and the only way to move toward that want is to tweet—but tweet what exactly,
and how many times? A specific goal moving toward 20,000 Twitter followers
might read like: "I will tweet at least 10 times a day for the next three
months." Better yet, the goal might read: "I will tweet at least 10
times a day for the next three months. 5 tweets will share a useful article I
found online. 3 tweets will be retweets, and two tweets will direct my current
followers to either my blog or my Facebook page. Additionally, on Mondays I
will participate in #FF."<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><sup><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></sup></a>
Notice the time component to the goal. The goal is an ongoing activity that
runs for three whole months. Goals, therefore, are linked to a time frame. Lastly,
goals are measurable. At the end of the time-frame that the goal is linked to,
you can look at whether the goal had been or had not been accomplished. You can
examine your Twitter feed and actually count how many times you tweeted over
the last three months; you can check to see if you actually followed the mix of
tweet-types. And lastly, you can examine whether that particular goal you set
brought you any closer to those 20,000 followers. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.25in;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large; text-indent: 0.25in;">In my
last post, <a href="http://stevebargdill.blogspot.com/2015/09/dealing-in-realities.html" target="_blank">Dealing with Realities</a>, I figured I need to publish 13 more titles
to begin to see more income from my writing. I also learned I need to write faster.
In my Vision Casting post, I mentioned that I want to see my novels sitting on
actual brick and mortar bookstore shelf. Lastly, I'm concerned with visibility,
marketing and sales. My goals need to chase after those wants. I've listed the
goals just below here. In addition, I've limited the goals to 30 days. At the
end of 30 days, I will measure my success and/or failure and change
accordingly.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;">I
will keep a writer’s log for 30 days. In this log, I will set daily
writing word count goals aimed at pushing my limitations beyond the
average 2000 words per day. At the end of each day, I will log the number
words I have written. If I fall short of the daily word count goal, I will
explain why. If I exceed my word count goal I will explain why.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;">For
additional accountability concerning the number of words I write per day,
I will tweet a word count before I go to bed. I will not comment in the
tweet whether I hit my target word count or not.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;">In
30 days, I will complete a rough draft of a grammar guide aimed at fiction
authors. I will use my Top 20 Grammar Error blog series as a template for
this grammar book.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;">In
30 days, I will complete the writing for the business plan for authors
blog series. Once the series is written, I will outline a book based upon
the posts.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;">By
the end of 30 days, I will begin a blog series on Scrivener Writing
software. I will have at least 3 posts completely drafted and the rest of
the series outlined. I will look forward to, but not yet work on,
converting this series of blog posts into book form as well.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;"> I will begin writing a five book series
in the neo-noir genre about newspaper reporter Jack Boomer. Each book must
be roughly 35,000 words. At the end of 30 days, I will have completed the
rough draft of the first book. Additionally, at the end of 30 days, I will
have outlined the rest of the series. When I write, my individual scenes
normally run at approximately 500 words. This means at the end of 30 days,
I will have outlined a total of 280 scenes. As these books are completed,
they will be posted on Amazon.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;">In
the next 30 days, I will send out 13 short stories to various literary
magazines for publication. These stories have already been written, so
only the queries need sent.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle"><span style="font-size: large;">I
will research literary agents. By the end of 30 days, I will have a list
of at least 10 literary agents who I think might be interested in my WIP
Breath: An American Story. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I
believe the above goals fit my needs. The first two goals are aimed at writing
more per day. Goals three and four address my blog, a place my presence is
visible online. Number seven also is directed toward visibility. Number eight
is aimed at that vision cast of seeing my books in an actual real-life
bookstore. Overall, the list aims towards another eight books, not including
Breath, which I plan to market toward traditional publishing as opposed to my
efforts through Amazon.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I
considered adding more goals for the next 30 days; however, eight began to seem
overwhelming. I think when you get to the point where you are starting to feel
overwhelmed, that's a good stopping point. Goals are meant to push you in the
direction of your wants. That doesn't mean stressing out about everything you
have to do, but it does mean stretching further out in a direction you have
previously thought you could not reach. Get that ladder out and start up some
goals!</span><o:p></o:p><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I'm of course not the only one talking about writing and setting goals. Check these sites out:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.writing-world.com/basics/goals.shtml" target="_blank">Setting Effective Writing Goals by Moira Allen</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.thebarefootwriter.com/map-your-book-blog/2-goal-setting-strategies-for-writers" target="_blank">Goal Setting Strategies for Writers by Mindy McHorse</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.writerstechnology.com/2008/07/how-to-set-smart-writing-goals" target="_blank">How to Set SMART Writing Goals by Dustin Wax</a></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/authors/pw-select/article/62760-self-publish-like-a-pro-setting-goals-for-your-book-and-career.html" target="_blank">Self-Publish Like a Pro: Setting Goals for Your Book and Career by Alexandra Fletcher</a></span><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b>Next Week:</b> The Executive Summary!</div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><span style="font-family: "Georgia","serif"; font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Palatino Linotype";">For those uninitiated, #FF stands
for "Follow Friday." You tweet the names of people that you think are
cool, that you think others should follow as well. Traditionally, this is done
on Fridays, but I am weird and do not follow the rules, so I tweet #FFs on
Mondays. </span><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-590141833580162172015-09-08T04:00:00.000-04:002015-09-08T04:00:00.114-04:00Dealing in Realities<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">With any business, the end result should be a focus on money. As I
stated in my <a href="http://goo.gl/Q4Ua1W">vision casting post</a>, for me
writing is not just a job but a lifestyle choice, and the writing has to
support that lifestyle. It does not have to necessarily support employees, but
it does have to first and foremost support my individual needs.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">My individual needs include paying out some money every month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Here's my monthly budget:<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<table border="1" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="MsoNormalTable" style="border-collapse: collapse; border: none; margin-left: 1.5pt; mso-padding-alt: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt;">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="border: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Rent<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-left: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Renter's Insurance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Cable/Internet<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Gas<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Auto maintenance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Auto Insurance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Groceries<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Dance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Karate<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Running Money<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Bus Pass<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Life Insurance<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Savings<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Total<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<u><span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnnn</span></u><span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td style="border-top: none; border: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">annual</span></b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
<td style="border-bottom: solid gray 1.0pt; border-left: none; border-right: solid gray 1.0pt; border-top: none; mso-border-left-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; mso-border-top-alt: solid gray 1.0pt; padding: 0in 1.5pt 0in 1.5pt; width: 200.0pt;" valign="top" width="267"><div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnnnn</span></b><span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</td>
</tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I have blacked out the numbers for, well, obvious reasons, but these
are the numbers I have to hit with my writing for me to be able to live
comfortably. Does not really include upcoming college loan payments, or my
daughter's soon to be a college expense. In fact, the budget above leaves a lot
of stuff out, but this quick and dirty monthly budget gives me a number to
shoot for. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Here's the kicker: every time I sell a book on Amazon, that brings in
$2.05. That royalty number is not a secret. Anyone can look it up. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">In my vision casting, I mentioned a part of this whole thing is
teaching writing at the university level. I'm doing that now, though it is not
creative writing but developmental writing and beginning college composition
and some writing center coaching/consulting. Not totally where I want to be,
but pretty dang close and on my way, so I'm going to include that income as writing
income. Teaching adjunct covers rent and gas.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">That leaves me with monthly expenses of $</span><span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">n</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">,</span><span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnn</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">, which means I need to sell on Amazon </span><span style="font-family: Dingbats; font-size: 14.0pt;">nnnn</span><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"> books a
month. I'll be honest: that number seems like an absolute impossibility to
achieve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="https://chrismcmullen.wordpress.com/2014/08/29/how-many-books-does-an-indie-author-sell/">Chris
Mullins</a> has something different to say, but I think he is over optimistic.
He suggests a committed author should sell way over between 300 and 700 per
title. For argument sake, that means a successful author should have 800 sales
per month per book. Which means, to hit that number a successful author needs
to have at minimum 2 ½ books published on Amazon. I actually do have that many
books on Amazon. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Mullins also suggests the book should be ranked in the top 10,000.
Actually, he uses an author ranking, and I'm not quite positive where he's
getting this number from. Amazon? Maybe? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">My novel Banana Sandwich hovers right around the 10,000 mark for its
genre. The novel is ranked 1,309,362 in the best sellers at the time of this
writing. Wasteland, Neighborhood Mums, Color of Hope, those rankings are much
more dismal than Banana Sandwich. I don't even want to talk about those
numbers.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">For 2014, I made seventeen dollars in royalty checks. Thus far this
year: eight dollars. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><a href="http://e-bookformattingfairies.blogspot.com/2013/04/author-know-thy-business-self.html">Maria
Force</a> published some harder 'soft' numbers not based on as much speculation
as Mullin's ideas on where an author should be rank-wise for sales. Force
reports 2012 sales figures per author per unit sold. The lowest number on that
list is 5 total unit sales in a single year, and the highest number on that
list is 646,908 unit sales in a single year. That means, one author sold over
fifty-three thousand books per month.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">More specifically, Force highlights Liliana Hart's success: 441,069
sales in one year, never been traditionally published. In 2010, Hart had zero
sales, and in 2011 she had 76,527 sales. By the way, I just liked Hart's <a href="https://www.facebook.com/lilianahart?fref=ts">Facebook page</a>. My
question has to do with what happened for Hart between 2010 and 2011.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Man, listen, I'm content with a starting point. Everyone needs a
starting point. The numbers Hart shares suggest overnight success. We all know
that's not true. Overnight success means sweat, blood, and tears that no one
ever sees. A closer examination of Force's post suggests authors didn't really
start hitting significant sales numbers until they had around 15 titles
available. For example, Laura Hunsaker has one title available and only 193
sales. Juliana Stone seems to be the exception in Force's list; Stone has three
titles and 19,000 unit sales.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Practically, that means I need 13 more titles available for purchase to
hit Mullin's magic number of the top 10,000 ranked authors.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Here's the bad news: on average it takes me about a year to write a novel.
To achieve 13 more titles, I'll be 55 years old.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Here's the immediate take away: I need to change.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<b><span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next week: Starting Point Goals<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-75383993621360234052015-09-01T05:00:00.000-04:002015-09-05T10:15:27.914-04:00Vision Casting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QdMh6gfXwZS1D4zjGlp1ZrtAdBMF6MURcpMjZofzxG4AiV5FmK-6YfA9TwIoYZyBxRwQk-jvY-i7X-h9eTk9KId0rL_3cULSqc4BOnKXS6DD3TZ3V0Yhr9oD2Eaf_IEKy4TGIPELxha7/s1600/visioncast.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5QdMh6gfXwZS1D4zjGlp1ZrtAdBMF6MURcpMjZofzxG4AiV5FmK-6YfA9TwIoYZyBxRwQk-jvY-i7X-h9eTk9KId0rL_3cULSqc4BOnKXS6DD3TZ3V0Yhr9oD2Eaf_IEKy4TGIPELxha7/s320/visioncast.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Last week, we discussed the epiphany of <a href="http://stevebargdill.blogspot.com/2015/08/success-in-failure.html">having
an author business plan</a>. Today is about vision casting,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><sup><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></sup></a>
and I've actually been avoiding writing this particular blog. What I'm writing
is not anything I haven't already thought of. There has been countless midnight
after the kids go to bed discussions with my wife where we have talked about
all of this stuff I'm going to share with you today. This is private stuff.
Soul-searing stuff—dreams and hopes of a not yet reality. A reality I am unsure
if will actually manifest. The following eleven points encapsulate my personal
vision cast.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
</div>
<ol>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want my novels
sitting on actual brick and mortar bookstore shelves.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want to publish
and work closely with, but not necessarily edit a well-respected literary
journal.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want a house
with two barns & a guest cottage</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want to provide
writer in residence programs and utilize the cottage on my property for this
purpose where an author can reside rent free and most meals provided while he
or she crafts art.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">One of the barns
I want to convert to a radio and video broadcast studio where I can produce
online training courses for writers.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">The other barn I
want to host writing conferences, workshops, and classes.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want to
purchase an Espresso Book Machine and publish independent titles that would be
distributed to indie bookstores only.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want to open my
own bookstore/coffee shop and host nationally known authors on live radio.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want to teach
fiction writing and literature at the university level.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want a personal
assistant.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: 14pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I want a team of
enthusiastic, passionate people around me</span></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Why eleven points? Why not ten or five or fifteen? I don't know. I
simply wrote down what I wanted my future to look like; what I wanted my career
to be. Who I wanted to be.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">I believe writing is not just a job; not just something one does in his
or her spare time as a hobby. I believe writing is a lifestyle. Writing is
about how I want to live my life. It's how I want to contribute to the greater
world around me. Coming from this perspective, my author business plan will
probably look considerably different than the plan I created for the pizza
shop.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Obviously, this vision is my vision and highly personal. You may not
relate to any of the stuff on the list. You might think I'm crazy. That's okay
because this blog is about the process of casting your vision. To create your
own vision cast, imagine yourself five, ten years out into the future. What do
you want that future to look like? Write it down.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-size: 14.0pt;">Next week, we'll look at some of my immediate realities. That is, what
I want need to accomplish now.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a>Vision
casting is normally done by church pastors. The pastor and his/her team
communicate their goals for the church to the congregation. Often times, vision
casting is couched in terms of what God wants for the church. The vision is
sometimes far flung into the future.<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
[2] Photo credit: <a href="http://xn3ctz.deviantart.com/gallery/">http://xn3ctz.deviantart.com/gallery/</a></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-38664746075605583752015-08-25T23:48:00.000-04:002015-08-25T23:48:11.971-04:00Success in Failure<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I have
this weird relationship with my writing. It's one of the reasons I disdain MFA
programs—they are full of people who believe they are artists.<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><sup><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></sup></a> I am
not an artist, and that statement is not true. Writing is an art form, and I
have to own that, but I also want to sell my art so I can eat and pay bills,
and that makes my writing a business. The question becomes, how one balances
those two very disparate pursuits: one of art and one of business. I will be
the first to tell you that I am not very good at the latter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Years
back, I attempted opening a pizza shop. The restaurant never opened,<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><sup><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-size: 11.0pt; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></sup></a> but
I did come out of the experience with a very thorough business plan. I had pepperoni
priced out to the ounce, and I knew who my competition was. I knew what the
restaurant's mission was, and yeah the restaurant did have a mission. The last
few days I've been thinking about the pizza shop—not about what went wrong, but
about what went right. I had, for example, catering contracts in place before I
was even anywhere near opening—before I even had the pizza oven. And speaking
of the pizza oven, I managed to get a local company to move a PS360 Middleby
Marshall conveyor belt oven weighing over a thousand pounds with a 90-inch
width through a 32-inch wide door for free. And oh, yeah. I didn't have to pay
rent on the restaurant until six months after opening. I knew how many
deliveries Domino's down the street made a night because I sat in my car across
the street and counted how many times their delivery drivers left. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">There
was a lot of success hidden away in the failure.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Now,
here I am today with two novels sitting on Amazon that in the three years the
books have been for sale, I have to account for their effort several very nice
reviews and a twenty-five dollar royalty check. I have a web page that I pay
twenty dollars per year on, and I have maintained that web page for three
years. I have made negative thirty-five dollars. By all accounts, this is a
much worse business venture than the pizza shop. But, you know: my writing is
an art and if you write a good book people on their own will find that good
book and that's all you have to do.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Because
it's writing, and because I've been told by so many people that writing is just
a hobby and you can't count on income from writing because it's art and no one
can make money at art, and I have even heard myself utter these words to myself….
because it's writing, I don't take what I do seriously enough for my writing to
make money. This attitude must change. I have to look at that 32-inch door and
stand beside my 90-inch oven and say, "This is not a problem."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What
was successful about my pizza shop was the business plan. What isn't successful
about my writing business is I have no plan.
I need to do some back-tracking. That doesn't mean removing my novels
from Amazon, but that does mean putting together an author business plan, and
following the plan. Business plans are normally a private ordeal—something very
few people see: the CEO, the banker, your landlord. One of the things I believe
though, being an author means giving. Over the next several weeks, I'll draft
my author business plan together. I'm going to share the plan and its writing
process right here on this blog. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">My
pizza shop plan had seven chapters: the executive summary, the business
description, market strategies, competitive analysis, design and development
plan, the operations and management plan, and financial factors. Those seven chapters
are pretty typical in a business plan. I'm not sure at this point whether I
need all of those chapters or if I need different chapters or exactly what I'm
getting myself into. I've done some initial research and have discovered that
business plans for authors are not unheard of. The following are links I've so
far found useful:</span><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<!--[endif]--><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="https://writersinthestorm.wordpress.com/2012/08/29/lining-up-the-ducks-writing-an-author-business-plan/" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Writers
in the Storm: Writing an Author Business Plan</a></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.molly-greene.com/business-plan-basics-for-authors-bloggers/" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Molly
Greene: Business Plan Basics </a></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://blog.janicehardy.com/2015/01/creating-author-business-plan-setting.html" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Fiction University: Creating An Author Business Plan</a></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.crayne.com/carrplan.html" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Career
Plan for Fiction Writers</a></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.authorems.com/business/creating-a-business-plan/why-go-indie/" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Author
E.M.S.: Why Go Indie?</a></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;">
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.inc.com/larry-kim/top-10-business-plan-templates-you-can-download-free.html" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Inc.:
Top 10 Business Plan Templates</a></span></li>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/sites/davelavinsky/2013/07/18/business-plan-template-what-to-include/" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">Forbes:
Business Plan Template</a></span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<span style="color: blue;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoListParagraph" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
</div>
<ul>
<li style="text-align: justify;"><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><a href="http://io9.com/5973921/how-to-write-fiction-for-money-without-selling-out-too-much" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">io9:
How to Write for Money Without Selling Out</a></span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--><span style="font-size: large;"><o:p></o:p><br /></span>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.25in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">What
I'm going to do next over the next few days is to study the above links a bit
more in depth. I am not going to comment on them outright. I'll leave it for
you to decide whether they were useful articles or not. My next post will be on
vision casting, and we'll see where that takes us.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><sup><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">I say this with
jealousy. I chose to do a MA. My wife was recently accepted to the University
of New Hampshire's MFA program. I spent a semester in the Iowa Writer's
Workshop as an undergraduate. I have dreams of applying to the low residency
program at Fairleigh Dickinson University after I attain a PhD.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><sup><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></sup><!--[endif]--></span></sup></a><span style="font-size: 10.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Let's just say
I didn't do my due diligence. The landlord went through a bankruptcy and the
repossessing bank decided I was one of the landlord's assets. It was a painful
moment.</span><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-1138195934415823682015-08-25T20:47:00.002-04:002015-08-25T20:47:38.065-04:00Some Flash Fiction Just Because<h2>
Cooking Pumpkins</h2>
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>Coffee is not enough.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>There is no day or night. Only periods of light. And dark. Sleep comes between kids and school and a third shift-job. Sleep apnea without the CPAP—multiple trips to the bathroom for no reason, smoking cigarettes in the back yard until the entire pack is gone, fits of gasping for oxygen. The wife upstairs. The couch is hard and never enough money. The two year old refuses to drink the powdered milk from the food bank. The food bank that you did not know your sister-in-law worked at. Your big-assed better than thou sister-in-law who sits in that small, cramped office with her government forms asking questions about nutrition, and handing recipes for pumpkin strudel pie. A week ago you bought three pumpkins and took the fucking time to carve three fucking jack-o-lanterns with your eight year old daughter. You took the pumpkin innards and made cookies and stew and bread and meatless pumpkin burgers and roasted the fucking damn seeds because you didn't really want to carve the jack-o-lanterns, but the pumpkins were the cheapest thing in the grocery store that week.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>What the hell does your sister-in-law know about cooking pumpkins?<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“How's the wife?” she asks.<br />
<span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space: pre;"> </span>“Fine,” you say. “Everything's fine.”<br />
<div>
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-9220349372435096882015-07-29T23:37:00.001-04:002015-07-29T23:48:06.988-04:00Planning a Pipe Dream<img border="0" src="http://www.couplands.net/at/atmap_cap2.gif" height="320" style="background-image: none; border-width: 0px; display: inline; float: left; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px; text-align: left;" width="242" /><span style="font-size: large;">Since I was seventeen, I have wanted to hike the Appalachian Trail from the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine, two thousand one hundred sixty eight miles. When I graduated from high school, I planned the trip for the summer before college, but my parents said if I went they would disown me and more importantly not support my educational goals financially. I stayed home and worked in the lumber yard that my father used to work at when he was eighteen. Soon, life got in the way as it always does, and I forgot about the AT, though the trip remained in the crevices of my mind as an unrequited ghost. One day, I always told myself. One day.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Then, approximately six years ago I was diagnosed with obstructive sleep apnea, a problem I’ve dealt with since a teenager, but not knowing what it was, a child of the seventies and eighties. As I got older, I simply got more tired, and I thought this was how things were supposed to be: your body wears out. The night I woke in the garage sitting in the car in my underwear, keys in hand, not knowing if I had just left and had come back or getting ready to leave, a trip to the doctor was in order. Whatever slim hope I had of hiking the AT straight through and unsupported were completely dashed. I was now tethered to a machine that required an electric power source.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><img align="right" border="0" src="http://www.cpapxchange.com/cpap-machines-bipap-machines/systemone-remstar-heated-tubing-humidifier.jpg" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: inline; float: right; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">The CPAP weighs a few pounds, is bulky, and comes with a hose that is attached to my nose at night. Even with carrying a solar charged battery, taking this machine with me on a 2000 mile plus hike is impractical. Heck, taking the machine through baggage at the airport is impractical, and people stare at you in the security lines for holding them up, because the TSA people take apart the machine to make certain it’s not a bomb.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Additionally, since graduating with my master’s, I’ve been filling out a ton of job applications. Each application has the same section asking if I am a disabled American. Sleep apnea is an official American with disabilities condition, but I have never considered myself disabled until I moved to New Hampshire and my home sits two hours from the AT. I can taste the dust and rocks, the humidity, the sweat involved, and I imagine the stoner Rastafarians I’d run into along the way. I’ve been marking on these job applications that I’d rather not discuss my medical issues, which is in effect saying I have a disability without really saying I have a disability. It’s like pleading the fifth in a trial. So I really don’t want to talk about the Appalachian Trail.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">Then I found these puppies:</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: medium;"> </span><span style="color: black; font-size: medium;"><img border="0" src="http://media.cleveland.com/health_impact/photo/proventjpg-59ea92e504d7a4a5.jpg" style="background-image: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; display: block; float: none; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">Yep. That’s a CPAP. You tape them to your nose like a Band-Aid, and throw them away in the morning. Thank you <a href="http://www.proventtherapy.com/index.php" target="_blank">Provent</a>! No power cord, no hose to the nose, no more delays in airport security lines.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large; font-weight: normal;">More importantly, I can ride the Greyhound down to Atlanta, Georgia in mid to late May 2016, hitch a ride to Dahlonega, and hike all the way back North.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">I’ve never let my disability, which I have never in the past considered to be a disability, stop me from doing anything. Now that I am labeled though, it is difficult to think otherwise—that I have to sleep in for those few extra hours, that I can’t have a normal job because I have to take naps, that insert <appropriate excuse>. Walking over two thousand miles is daunting for normal people, but then most people who walk the AT aren’t all that normal.</span><br />
<span style="color: black; font-size: large;">And there are amazing people out there like Rachelle Friedman. Though I doubt I’ll ever do a Victoria Secrets Lingerie photo shoot:</span><br />
Please read:On May 23, 2010 I was paralyzed in an awful accident that would not only change my life, but the lives of...<br />
<div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/rachelleandchris/posts/987929714603355:0" data-width="500">
<div class="fb-xfbml-parse-ignore">
<blockquote cite="https://www.facebook.com/rachelleandchris/posts/987929714603355:0">
Posted by <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rachelleandchris">Rachelle Friedman</a> on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/rachelleandchris/posts/987929714603355:0" target="_blank">Monday, July 27, 2015</a></blockquote>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-19498473132142004032015-06-21T11:43:00.002-04:002015-06-21T11:43:38.532-04:00The Last Wyoming Days<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I never imagined ever loving a place so much I
wouldn’t want to leave. I escaped Ohio with a velocity that stalled out many
times, always returning to that dismal state because that’s where I was from,
that’s where my family ate, worked, slept, played.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Four years ago, stuck in dead end jobs—gas station
clerk, pizza delivery driver, and trying to find people to pay me for web
design—I made a decision: to return to school, to get my master’s. I thought I’d
go to school in Ohio. Wright State, Ohio State, anywhere within driving
distance, and my wife looked at me one evening and said, “What about the
University of Wyoming?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">“What about the University of Wyoming?” I asked
back.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Years ago, my wife drove cross country in her red Cavalier
to a Jackson Hole lodge to work as a receptionist. On a day off work, she made
it to Laramie, visited the University, and fell in love. She said on that drive
out in her mid-twenties—an age really too old to work at a lodge and yet too
young to have a decent job—layers of stress peeled off her skin like peeling
onions down to their cores.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The return trip for her, how many years later, was
not as restorative, with two kids and after having sold everything we owned
except what we could manage to cram into a Ford Escort with a smashed front end
thanks to a deer and untreated sleep apnea, and the Ford Windstar van with a
cracked rear axle and a tail pipe attached with bailing wire neither of which
we knew anything about because the dealer said it had all been fixed for us. We
never looked underneath the van to really find out because we didn’t really
want to know. We were driving to an apartment we had never seen before, and
when we arrived the university housing felt like a hotel room, temporary and
demanding with crazy strict rules like no drinking alcoholic beverages outside,
no grills, no pets—never mind the cracked vinyl blinds, the crumbling dry wall,
the bedroom doors without locks. This place became home. I looked out my
kitchen window and saw mountains. I drove down the road to drop the kids off at
school or dance or any number of activities, and I saw mountains.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The people we met, we will never forget. The support
for what we were trying to accomplish out here, what we did accomplish out here
was amazing. My wife and I walked together at graduation. She received her
bachelor’s in English with a creative writing minor and a professional writing
minor. I got my master’s. She was accepted to the University of New Hampshire
MFA program, and in a few days we will drive across country one more time. It
feels like an exodus. We are packing through the night. We are rushing to leave
a place we do not want to leave.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-36814479075396831352015-06-20T10:29:00.000-04:002015-06-20T10:29:11.224-04:00Breathing and Unpublishing<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I unpublished a book.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">I had been avoiding this marketing move. It felt like to me
defeat, but the book wasn't selling. Either no one knew about the book, or it
was simply bad and there was something wrong with the writing. I am, of course,
the best writer there ever was, so that last bit certainly can't be true.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The book was difficult to write. My hometown featured in the
piece, and though I often find myself writing about Ohio, I write about the
cities--Dayton, Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland... I don't write about the
movie theater I had my first date at. I don't write about the restaurant I met
my wife at.</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Steve_2/Desktop/I%20unpublished%20a%20book.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">
These are emotionally charged, highly personal spaces for me. They don’t belong
in the public sphere, and that, of course, is the very reason light should be
shed on those privacies.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">The book was simply not ready for publication. I had not taken the
time to write it. I rushed through the story so I could be done. I’ve had more
than one industry pundit tell me to slow down, to not be in a hurry. My
internal response has always been that they don’t know; the problem is that
they do know. They’ve been at it longer than I have. They know more than I, and
I need to listen to them.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Self-publishing is hard because it is indeed so easy. You write
something and then you hit the publish button, and you are done. You have to
watch the temptation to publish before you are ready.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">Breathe a little bit once in a while. That’s kind of a life lesson
over a writing lesson. Charge in, but charge in prepared.</span> <span style="font-size: 13.5pt;">In my teens, I was enthralled with essayist
Robert Fulghum of </span><i style="font-size: 13.5pt;">All I Need to Know I
Learned in Kindergarten</i><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> fame. I owned all of his books. I imagined what it
would be like to be Robert Fulghum.</span><a href="file:///C:/Users/Steve_2/Desktop/I%20unpublished%20a%20book.docx#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="font-size: 13.5pt;"> In one untitled essay, I
continue to remember, Fulghum says he is a professional breather. Unpublishing a book was like that: breathing on the exhale.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Steve_2/Desktop/I%20unpublished%20a%20book.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Happy Humpty is now a parking lot. We met to discuss the local community
college’s newsletter. She wore the reddest, thickest lipstick I had ever seen
on a woman. She ordered coffee. I hated coffee but wanted to act grown-up and
ordered coffee. Years later she tells me she doesn’t know why she ordered
coffee—she hated coffee too. Now, of course, we slurp the stuff down by the
gallons.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Steve_2/Desktop/I%20unpublished%20a%20book.docx#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> I
just recently learned Fulghum’s on Twitter, and I immediately <s>stalked</s>
followed him.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-58681790794993966822015-06-16T12:21:00.004-04:002015-06-16T12:21:59.631-04:00Delete All the Words<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/finish_line.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/finish_line.png" height="122" width="400" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I used to run. Due to a leg I broke in seven places,
this activity is no longer enjoyable. It’s hard and it hurts. My foot falls
flat onto the ground and pain shoots up into my brain and I want to cry. I was
reminded of the pain last summer, when I tried once again to run. Every few years,
I tend to forget how much pain running causes me. I buy really good tennis
shoes, shorts, headbands, and load my phone up with Eye of the Tiger.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/btPJPFnesV4/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/btPJPFnesV4?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Running was a passion back in high school, and I was
an avid cross country enthusiast and track and field guy, though I was never
very good at either sport. I crossed the finish line last every time. I finally
lettered my senior year, but felt the school gave me the letter because they
had to.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I never quit. I just kept going. I am pretty proud
of that letter, and still have it. The letter proves I finished.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">As an author, I’v finished a lot of things</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">,
and I’ve written some good lines:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">I try to forever hold this visible
shape, my name.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Old blood seeping into the garden.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">She returned to become a sickness.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">I imagined him with death.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">She looked at everything in her mind and
took a breath.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">I crawled into the morning.</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">I’m being indulgent sharing with you because these
are all lines that have been deleted from my published work, and the list is
longer, stored in a Scrivener project titled The Great Big Idea File.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">
They are my darlings, but I have not murdered them.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> I
have saved them for future work. They may find a story home yet, although some
of the lines are as old as 1991.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">When you’ve written something well, but the line
doesn’t perfectly fit into the piece of writing you’re working on, don’t delete
the words. Don’t murder your darlings. Save them. Place them in a box for later.
Let them live and breathe. Go back to them for inspiration.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">Listen to your muse; not outdated Edwardianism writing
advice from World War I era modernism where real people were murdered across
continents. English author Sir Arthur Quiller-Couch invented the 1914 advice: “Murder
your darlings.”</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[4]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;">
Quiller-Couch’s choice in wording fascinates me. I think of Wendy Darling and
her brothers whimsically following Peter Pan through the night sky, second star
to the right and straight on ‘til morning. I think maybe there was some jealousy
there. Quiller-Couch rewrote four fairy tales: The Sleeping Beauty, Blue Beard,
Cinderella, and Beauty and the Beast. They weren’t that popular, yet J.M.
Barrie’s </span><i style="font-size: 12pt;">Peter Pan</i><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> was immensely popular,
and absolutely soared into the night sky, and, for a hundred fifty years more,
continues to be a success, an eternally indulgent, youthful tale. From this
perspective, “Murder your darlings” takes on dark connotations. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Authors are insanely jealous people. We always
compare ourselves to more successful writers; always wondering why people </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">aren't</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> reading our art. So we give each other bad advice, or continually perpetuate bad
advice not realizing it was bad advice to begin with. We turn our art into some
kind of bad competition, admiring and secretly hating at the same those ahead
of us.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The truth is though, no one is ahead of us. We’re
all running, but the finish line does not exist.</span></div>
<div>
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Neighborhood-Mums-Steve-Bargdill-ebook/dp/B00BEQEXDO/ref=sr_1_9?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434470875&sr=1-9&keywords=steve+bargdill"><span style="color: blue;">Neighborhood
Mums</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Breath-American-Story-Steve-Bargdill-ebook/dp/B00DT1BTPW/ref=sr_1_7?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434470875&sr=1-7&keywords=steve+bargdill"><span style="color: blue;">Breath:
An American Story</span></a>, <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wasteland-Steve-Bargdill-ebook/dp/B00GUMIIK6/ref=sr_1_5?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434470875&sr=1-5&keywords=steve+bargdill"><span style="color: blue;">Wasteland</span></a>,
and of course most recently<span style="color: blue;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Banana-Sandwich-Steve-Bargdill-ebook/dp/B00ZCBVBO6/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1434470875&sr=1-1&keywords=steve+bargdill"><span style="color: blue;">Banana
Sandwich</span></a></span>. <o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> For
a great article on Scrivener, check out Bryan Collins “<a href="http://becomeawritertoday.com/using-scrivener-blogging-ultimate-guide/"><span style="color: blue;">Using
Scrivener For Blogging: The Ulitmate How To Guide</span></a>.” I've tried writing
posts on Scrivener, but the software is so amazing I fall short of describing
its awesomeness. Bryan’s piece gives a down and dirty quick overview.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/browbeat/2013/10/18/_kill_your_darlings_writing_advice_what_writer_really_said_to_murder_your.html"><span style="color: blue;">Forrest
Wickman</span></a> wrote a great piece for Slate in 2013 that discusses where the “Kill
your Darlings” writing advice really came from. Please people, stop attributing
Stephen King.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
You can read Quiller-Couch’s entire Cambridge lectures on the art of writing at
<a href="http://www.bartleby.com/190/"><span style="color: blue;">Bartleby.com</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-65280385006329834762015-06-15T10:00:00.000-04:002015-06-15T11:42:18.104-04:0033 Chickens That Look Like Freddie Flintoff--Um, not really<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/b9/7d/38/b97d38fd697b48c7c8ceb7d625a9fe16.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/236x/b9/7d/38/b97d38fd697b48c7c8ceb7d625a9fe16.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">In junior high, I was infatuated with a girl. I
asked her out like fifteen thousand times, and she always said no, but was always
gracious to me. My best friend and I schemed about getting dates with her, and
I wrote love poems I never shared with her. When she went to boarding school, I
realized I’d never have a chance with her, and not for lack of trying but
simply because of sheer distance. I began writing seriously then, but not for
publication. I wrote stories that involved me saving her from school bullies,
house fires, and dragons. Then, something clicked in my brain and I just began
writing, and I knew then that that’s what I wanted to do for the rest of my
life—to tell stories. My grandmother purchased a year’s subscription to Writer’s
Digest. I poured over those magazines and kept them until my early twenties. I
purchased at the age of fifteen<i> Strunk and White’s Elements of Style</i> and I
still have that copy, taped up and dog-eared. At sixteen, I don’t think I
really knew what a fiction writing career looked like. It involved learning how
to type, being alone, smoking, wearing cardigan sweaters, and moving to New
England.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> I
imagined my future books on bookstore shelves. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">It was a very romantic idea of
the writing life.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Over the last few weeks, I’v been thinking about what
it means to be an author of the twenty-first century. I still want to tell stories.
I own a couple of cardigans and a few sweater vests.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">I've</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> been trying to quit smoking for years, I’m surrounded by people, and you can’t
find a single one of my novels in any brick and mortar store. You have to buy
my stuff on Amazon. I’m okay with these shattered high school illusions because
I’m still telling stories, but what I’v realized over the past few weeks is
that being an author is not just about writing stories.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">We have become what Internet marketing gurus call <i>Content Provders</i>. We’re like <i>BuzzFeed</i>
only more personal.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">What can get dangerous for the twenty-first century
content provider is turning into that 13 year old boy continually asking out the
pretty girl in the second row of morning home room. Facebook for a while, for
example, was inundated with clickbait:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">An Out of Work </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">Comedian</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> Tries to Purchase
a Bottle of Coke. The Reason Why Will Make You Cry.</span></span></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">Emojis That Would Upset an Amateur
Clown</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">15 Sex Tips That Londoners Won’t Believe
Actually Exist</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;">33 Chickens That Look Like Freddie
Flintoff</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%; text-indent: -0.25in;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[3]</span></span></span></span></a></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">Twitter still is inundated with authors screaming “Buy
My Book,” and, heck, sometimes I even fall into this trap.</span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">
</span></span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">What I </span><span style="line-height: 18.3999996185303px;">didn't</span><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> get when I was 13 is that girls don’t want to be bombarded everyday
with the same question over and over—Do you want to go out on a date—Do yo want
to buy my book—No. The answer is always no.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: 12pt;">At least when I was 13, the girl I was in love with
was always gracious. In the real world of the Internet, not so much. People
turn you off like a bad TV show.</span><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn5" title=""><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="color: black;">[</span>5]</span></a><span style="font-size: 12pt;"> Or move away to boarding school.</span></span></span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn5" style="font-size: 12pt;" title=""><!--[endif]--></a></span><span style="font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<br />
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Ironically, I’m moving to New Hampshire later this month, but by coincidence
only.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> I
own these items because I livein Wyoming and we have bitter cold winters that
get down into the negative twenties. Actually, this is not as bad as it sounds.
People automatically think frost bite, but I commuted to work on a bicycle in
that weather and have friends that do the same.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> To
be fair, according to an <a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/11/clickbait-what-is/382545/">Atlantic
Monthly article</a>, BuzzFeed never uses clickbait, and my clickbait headlines
were <a href="http://community.usvsth3m.com/generator/clickbait-headline-generator">generated</a>
because I’m not that boring creativewise.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Banana Sandwich is only $2.99 on Amazon today. Free for Prime members. ;p<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[5]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Like <i>Phyllis</i> becaue I’m pretty sure
no one remembers that TV show except me.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-89578404021190469162015-06-13T17:12:00.004-04:002015-06-13T17:12:31.004-04:00The Most Important Thing I Learned From My First Book Launch<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://images.clipartpanda.com/school-clipart-clip-art-school_1404142223.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://images.clipartpanda.com/school-clipart-clip-art-school_1404142223.jpg" height="200" width="196" /></a><span style="font-size: large;">I launched <i>Wasteland</i> two years ago. I spent four years writing the novel; longer if you factor in the idea for Jack began in an Iowa Writer’s Workshop as an undergrad. I poured my heart and soul into that book. I bled. It was the piece of writing that pushed me over the edge, made me realize I needed to not worry about what my mother would think if she read what I wrote about sex, drugs, and rock and roll. I shopped the novel around to different agents and publishers, and they all told me what I had written was really good, but that I had no audience for it. <i>Wasteland</i> would never sell. I felt like my authorial hopes were utterly dashed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">My wife several years back, when I attempted to write within the romance genre,</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> asked if I would ever consider self-publishing, and I summarily put down anybody and everybody that self-published. I think my exact words were, “People who self-publish aren’t real writers. They’re hacks. There’s no respect there.” I kept running into people online that were doing really well as independent authors, though: <a href="https://www.facebook.com/authormeggjensen?fref=ts"><span style="color: blue;">Megg Jensen</span></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/hughhowey?fref=ts"><span style="color: blue;">Hugh Howey</span></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/tlinse?fref=ts"><span style="color: blue;">Tamara Linse</span></a>, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ksenia.anske?fref=ts"><span style="color: blue;">Ksenia Anske</span></a>, and these are just a few of the people I’ve carried on conversations with via lots of social media. So these authors made me feel better about my decision to self-publish, which was originally an act of self-indulgent desperation.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">Today, <i>Wasteland</i> sells about a copy a month. That seems miserable to you—maybe. To me, that sales figure is absolutely marvelous. It means someone somewhere for the past two years has read my book, which means I have an audience, albeit a very tiny audience. As the months progressed though, what I didn’t understand was why my sales weren't exponentially increasing, or at least just increasing. I had read all the blogs that said above and beyond any marketing, the book had to simply be good, and people would find you. I never had dreams of grandeur. No fantasies of becoming rich and famous. I only wanted to pay the electric bill.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 16.8666667938232px;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[2]</span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-size: large;"> I figured, if I built it, they would come, you know the movie:</span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><iframe width="320" height="266" class="YOUTUBE-iframe-video" data-thumbnail-src="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/NZ1dZhh0_RQ/0.jpg" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/NZ1dZhh0_RQ?feature=player_embedded" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe></span></div>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">What I didn’t get was that nobody knew who I was. More
importantly, no one cares who I am. The publishing world has changed. Gone are
the days when one spent leisure amounts of time in bookstores browsing the shelves
for new authors. We now have algorithms and online reviews and social media and
Goodreads and Facebook. Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, the list goes on.</span><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">[3]</span></span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a><span style="font-size: large;">
This is how authors are found now, and no longer can they be the recluse they
used to be, hunched over their typewriter pounding out a novel in a night Jack
Kerouac style. And even Kerouac found publicity: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaBnIzY3R00" target="_blank"><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;">WilliamF. Buckley’s Firing Line, featuring a drunk Jack Kerouac</span></a></li>
<li><span style="color: blue; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LLpNKo09Xk" target="_blank">TheSteve Allen Show with a very uncomfortable Kerouac reading his own work </a></span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">It’s thought, by many too, that Hemingway’s tough guy
persona was all an act, an ongoing publicity stunt to push more novels. Indeed, when in Europe Hemingway followed
around famous authors like a lost puppy dog, latching onto the fame, looking up
to others that had gone before him.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-size: large;">I’m not suggesting you as author or me as author or you as
anyone selling anything (and we all sell something) put on a marketing campaign
to gain notoriety. I am suggesting we
say hello to each other, get to know each other, to be vulnerable and to let
each other into our very private lives.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span style="font-size: large;"><br clear="all" />
</span><hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Um, that didn't work out so well. I don’t care what anyone says, writing
romance is hard. Very very hard. And I can’t do it. I just can’t. I've tried.
Kudos to all you romance authors!<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
This is not true. Certainly I want to pay the electric bill, but I have dreams
of packed lecture halls while I droned on to aspiring writers about how to make
a book. This, at any given moment, is either a fantasy or a nightmare of mine. Either
way, I’m considering putting together a udemy course. <span style="font-family: Wingdings; mso-ascii-font-family: Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-char-type: symbol; mso-hansi-font-family: Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-symbol-font-family: Wingdings;">J</span><o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Bookstores are still a vital component to marketing a book, and I don’t think
actual brick and mortar bookstores will ever go away—in fact, I believe we’ll
actually in the long-run see a rise in the independent bookstores. Sorry Barnes
and Nobles, Hastings, Borders, Walden.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-29453191915652306832015-06-07T19:05:00.001-04:002015-06-07T19:05:25.193-04:00Can a Male Author Write a Sex Scene?<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Can a
male author write a sex scene in first person from a woman's perspective? You
be the judge; the scene already has my wife's approval!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">I stare at George. He is not the best of looking men. He
does not have a chiseled chin. His hair is never combed. His smile is a bit
crooked. He is thin and bony. He has taken to wearing glasses Clark Kent style.
But he takes care of me and loves me and he is mine. So I attack him. I undo
his belt buckle quickly and pull his pants to his knees. I grab a hold of his
penis and watch him grow. It is like magic watching him get hard, and like the
rest of his body, his dick is long and thin. He pulses slightly at my touch. He
makes no noise and lets me do what I want. I take him into my mouth. He tastes
of honey and salt, but I don’t let him cum. I sit up and take off my clothes. I
climb on top of him and he stares at me in disbelief, like he stares at me
every time we have sex, and at first I thought this was cute. A guy who didn't know what to do with a woman, but dammit I’m his woman and he should know by
now. He grabs my breasts and fiddles with my nipples like they are radio dials.
George I say, and he takes this as encouragement, and tunes in more radio
stations. This will have to be something I fix later. Now, I just want to fuck
him, so I pin his arms to the bed and keep them there. He smiles like he is
sixteen and cashing in his virginity card. I close my eyes. After, we lie next
to each other, me naked, him half naked. He is about to fall asleep. I place
his hand on my breasts. Relax I say. Like this I say. Slow and soft. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">In the morning, we wake, and he does it right. He nuzzles
up to my neck and gives me small kisses. I can feel his breathing, and he is
trying to control himself. I can feel his heart flutter. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">His hands tremble against my body. I tremble. He tugs at my
bottom lip with his teeth. His hands are at my hips. He lifts me up, pushes
himself into me. One two thrusts. I’m so close and he pulls out. He goes inside
me again, deeper than ever before. Deeper than I've ever had anyone. And I want
him to stay. I want him to stay with me forever. But he doesn't. He pulls out again and again. I claw at his back. I push him down. He goes in once more, and
he stays; he holds still, unmoving. His whole body wet with sweat against mine
and I can’t hold on any longer. And then he releases. He shudders, and I can
tell he wants to keep going, keep pushing, thrusting. He rolls off me, his
breathing—my breathing—erratic. We’re holding hands. The sun shines through the
cracks in the vinyl blinds. The dust flotsam dance suspended in midair.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Better? he asks.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Like slow jazz and dark chocolate I say.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOOmBwEPqQhelyDOZF3OK58d9gYTbjYQwQT9LrTadxqCP3ZsbZF_PGOuKc7slgB2NL8bJqpIjNTNbuUaFqVZQtbYihqOZcCnr-GCGA3VsexD6iANILIfZZL9FNHzDO23WXj0eB8cAE65Q/s1600/thunderclap+promotion.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="186" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlOOmBwEPqQhelyDOZF3OK58d9gYTbjYQwQT9LrTadxqCP3ZsbZF_PGOuKc7slgB2NL8bJqpIjNTNbuUaFqVZQtbYihqOZcCnr-GCGA3VsexD6iANILIfZZL9FNHzDO23WXj0eB8cAE65Q/s400/thunderclap+promotion.jpg" width="400" /></span></a></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">The above is an excerpt from my forthcoming novel Banana
Sandwich. If you liked it, consider downloading free on Amazon beginning June
10</span><sup style="text-indent: 0.5in;">th</sup><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;"> through the 15</span><sup style="text-indent: 0.5in;">th</sup><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">. And I’d also appreciate a
Thunderclap support at </span><a href="http://thndr.it/1PIuB1s">http://thndr.it/1PIuB1s</a><span style="text-indent: 0.5in;">. </span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-indent: .5in;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--><o:p></o:p></div>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .5in;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-44523895484771017772015-05-13T08:38:00.005-04:002015-05-13T08:38:57.229-04:00Ending in the Middle of a Sentence<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">
<a href="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Hoop_Dancer4.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/17/Hoop_Dancer4.jpg" height="250" width="320" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
Remembered Earth</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
is one of the first collections of American Native writings, and was published
in 1979. The anthology has a wide selection of readings: poetry, critical and
personal essays, short stories, drawings, and photographs. The book is
organized geographically, but without continually referring back to the table
of contents the reader has no real way to gauge where he or she is at. Chapter
one of a novel in progress by Opal Lee Popkes is presented (177). Essays are
left to hang. N. Scott Momaday’s “The Man Made of Words” ends without
concluding, and in mid-sentence: “I believe that there are implications which
point directly to the” (172).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Most anthologies
I have read have a clear construction, or an overall purpose—a theme. I have to
give credit to Geary Hobson. His curricula vitae is pretty impressive, but <i>The Remembered Earth</i> seems to have been
slapdashed together. The anthology is a disjointed collection. This idea of
disjointedness though, seems to be a theme I’m coming across in many of my
readings for this class. I did not like <i>Winter
in Blood</i> right away, for instance, because of its nonlinear narrative. <i>The Woman Who Owned the Shadows</i> also
contains a nonlinear narrative, sometimes bouncing all the way back to creation.
I believe suggesting that the nonlinear narratives found in American Indian
writings are somehow directly related to the moment of postcolonialism can only
partly explain the feeling of disjointedness in the writing. It seems to me the
American Native has a more holistic and circular idea in regards to the concept
of time.<a href="file:///C:/Users/Steve_2/Desktop/response%20paper%20four.docx#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Paula Gunn Allen’s poem “Hoop
Dancer” showcases this idea of circular time. She writes, “It’s hard to
enter/circling clockwise and counter/clockwise moving no regard for time,
metrics” (218). Here, the circle has no end and no beginning, and it does not
matter whether one moves clockwise or counterclockwise. The circle or hoop is a
complete whole, and she ends the poem, “…turning lines beyond the march of
years/ out of time, out of,/ time, out/ of time.” The concept of time seems
fluid in these lines, no beginning and no end.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Native American cultural
conception of cyclical time directly comes into conflict with the Western
linear concept, the simple turning of a calendar page or the monotony of
watching a clock tick away the seconds. The moments in the past, for the
Native, seem to be just as existent as the moments in the present.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">A typical
literature anthology is organized historically. <i>The Norton Anthology of American Literature</i>, for example,
begins with the Iroquois Creation Story,
moves forward in history to letters written by Christopher Columbus, and
continues moving forward historically until after World War II. <i>The Remembered Earth</i> is organized,
however, spatially, and although Hobson deals specifically with the time frame
of 1968-1970, Hobson writes how American Indian literature is “immeasurable”
(2) and “has to do with remembering, continuance, renewal.” I wonder how much my
own personal disconnect with the literature is connected with my own personal, Western
ideas of time.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The Remembered Earth</span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> is a long book.
Over four hundred pages, and thus able to showcase a wide breadth of Native American
literature. It was, however, published in 1979, and so a bit outdated. A new anthology
came out last year: <i>Great Short Stories by
Contemporary Native American Writers</i> edited by Bob Blaisdell, but the anthology
is only 144 pages long, is arranged chronologically, and Blaisdell’s introduction
describes the stories included in the anthology as “stereotypical.” Blaisdel lists
eleven anthologies published mainly in the 1980s and ’90’s in the introduction.
One is from as recent as 2008. The majority of these anthologies are edited by Native
Americans, and I think I will read those. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div>
<!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<!--[endif]-->
<div id="ftn1">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="file:///C:/Users/Steve_2/Desktop/response%20paper%20four.docx#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-ascii-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-bidi; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></a>
Dr. Means lectured on this in Native American Ethnohistory. I thought the
concept of cyclical time was interesting, but at the moment had not considered
trying to connect the idea to literary forms.<o:p></o:p></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-76631656670679283002015-05-08T15:34:00.000-04:002015-05-08T15:34:18.387-04:00Ignorance<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;">Wondering</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Cigarettes.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Falling<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Rain dust.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Explosions<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">In the brain.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Balleted<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Pink Elephants<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Cursing God<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">At 3 a.m.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Souless world<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Just doesn’t<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Understand<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Blue bombs,<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">And naked children<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Dead in beds<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Because<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">It’s cliquish<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Rural Americana<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Hidden in a hotel<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">With fake foliage<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">Falling off<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman",serif;">The World’s edge<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-62808922510979182682015-04-22T21:34:00.000-04:002015-04-22T21:34:07.004-04:00A Writer’s Baggage<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4tuAvgOgxj6wA_rxD24j-G1b24PDyWFz1Ez7n2wk_eBdaWm42vIxj_oXlj18g53z3zUf5l7Z-cmKXmvvhYFw8NYyGDYdRcumfQpDKr80aeGLTsPvxr5Vp7L47yk9LtHxzUZFKEu-Ftey/s1600/Untitled.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgw4tuAvgOgxj6wA_rxD24j-G1b24PDyWFz1Ez7n2wk_eBdaWm42vIxj_oXlj18g53z3zUf5l7Z-cmKXmvvhYFw8NYyGDYdRcumfQpDKr80aeGLTsPvxr5Vp7L47yk9LtHxzUZFKEu-Ftey/s1600/Untitled.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In
her essay <i>Teaching Writing Teachers
Writing</i>, Shelley Reid argues students of writing pedagogy should be
confronted with inherently difficult writing—that by struggling with hard
writing, future teachers will be able to better connect theory with practice
and empathize with their students. This all seems like a no-brainer. But then,
writing for me has always been a difficult process. This particular assignment
alone had three scrapped introductions. The assignment is connected to an
argument with my wife, my four-year-old with the flu, a pile of neglected
dishes, and my twelve-year-old slurping loudly on a grape Popsicle. It was hard
writing and a hard decision on what to write. I went through the entire
process—the prewriting, the rough draft, the revision, more revision, and then
the final product. I work this process every single time I sit down to write
anything. And I am a highly proficient writer, yet Reid says, “Highly
proficient writers in graduate pedagogy courses may see process steps and
composing strategies as crutches needed by less skilled writers.” Reid seems to
suggest the entire writing process is one many students haven't encountered,
have avoided, or at the least resisted. But why? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpLast">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Yesterday,
I picked up my daughter from her first ballet class of the academic year. One
of the other fathers, Rodney, stood outside waiting. He wore a shirt that read,
“Ask me about my book.” The book he had written was academic in nature, about
implementing community service projects—all of it above my head—but the one
salient comment he made struck me. Rodney said the review process was horrible.
“It [the peer review] really affected me. It was like a personal attack. I
didn't know I was that close to my writing.”
The writing process is fraught with emotion, and I believe Reid hints at
the emotional baggage associated with writing, but doesn't ever really address
the issue. We see this most clearly in the personal reflective accounts of
Reid's students:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="text-indent: -0.25in;">
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">It
really messes me up –Kelley</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I
felt a little silly –Faith</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Not
used to failure –Alicia</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">I
struggled so much –Gabrielle</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: 7pt; font-stretch: normal;"> </span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: -0.25in;">Is
that writer really me? –Elaine</span></li>
</ul>
<!--[if !supportLists]--></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">These writerly confessional
snippets are all loaded with distress and anxiety, and my argument is that any
writing is a personal matter and comes with emotional baggage; that difficult
writing assignments confront head on the emotional side of writing.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Per
example, this past June I published my novel <i>Wasteland</i>, loosely based off T.S. Elliot's poem of the same name.
The book took five years to write. <i>Wasteland</i>
contains a lot of controversial issues and topics one doesn't discuss around my
parents—BDSM, heroin, acid trips, drinking cat blood, depression, eating the
head off a live bird, suicide, war, religion, homosexuality, serial killers. I
was afraid—really afraid—my family would get a hold of <i>Wasteland</i> and decide that the book is worth reading, and then what
kind of repercussions would I face? When I was a teenager, my father worried I
was gay. In my twenties, my mother thought I was strung out on drugs. Everyone in
my family was concerned that I'd marry into an interracial relationship. I've
had, to no avail, lengthy discussions with my mother attempting to explain the difference
between fiction and non-fiction. Open-minded is still not a term used
successfully to describe my family. If Mom or Dad or one of my siblings read <i>Wasteland</i>, they'd think the book was
true, that what I wrote really happened. This fear of what others thought
impeded my writing. The emotionality I attached to <i>Wasteland</i> was more difficult to deal with than what Reid describes
as difficult writing: length requirements, taking a narrow stand, publication,
presentation, or peer review. I had to get over myself before I could be
successful at writing <i>Wasteland</i>. I
had to realize the problems and prejudices others had with what I write are
their problems and not mine.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Even
academic writing carries emotional baggage I must deal with. Every time I begin
an academic paper, I am confronted by my high school English teacher. My most
recent academic work, <i>“Howl” as Keen in
Form, Function, and Reaction</i>, is currently in the review process at <i>Essays in Criticism</i>. Sitting down to
write this behemoth of a topic—comparing an American Beat poem to a defunct
Irish cultural practice—had my high school English teacher sitting on my left
shoulder with a pitchfork yelling at me about dangling modifiers and vague
pronoun references. This internal editor construct of my subconscious sat on my
shoulder before I had even finalized the topic. The topic—let alone the thesis—hadn't
even begun with Ginsberg, but Mark Twain and then maybe Poe, and I waffled between
Hemingway and Faulkner, all the while Mrs. O. telling me I wasn't good enough.
As a junior in high school, I had signed onto the yearbook, and to this day I
remember, very clearly, an article I had written about the volleyball team. Mrs.
O. told me the article was too long for the space available in the yearbook.
Five hundred words too long. So I cut, and I cut and the process was painful,
and after I had finished the edit, the piece was still fifty words too long. I
turned in the assignment in tears. Mrs. O. then informed me I had completely
misunderstood her. She had told me, supposedly, that she'd do the edits, that I
didn't have to bother with the struggle, that cutting that much from an article
would have been too hard for me in the first place. At forty years old, a
father, a husband, a student who took twenty-two years to finish his undergrad,
every time I hand in an academic paper I fear the writing is too long or
somehow I misunderstood the directive for the paper. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Rodney,
the other ballet-dad, said he hadn't realized how close emotionally he was to
his writing, even though he only wrote the book to garner the prestige
associated with having written an academic text in his field. Rodney explained
how one of his blind peer reviewers took it upon themselves to list all of the
books better written and better informed. “That hurt,” Rodney said. Rodney's
experience echoes Reid's student Susan's experience: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Writing
[the first response] didn't feel hard to me…. What was difficult and
challenging was the peer workshop and
revision process…. I thought I had written a relatively well- organized and clear argument for my position,
and [my peers'] comments suggested I wasn't
quite as organized or systematic as I needed to be. The horror! I'm a writing
tutor!"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Susan's response is one of shock.
She quotes <i>Heart of Darkness</i> and ends
with surprise at how much revision was needed for her assignment, because,
after all, Susan is a writing tutor. She helps others with their writing. She
does not receive, or at least, she does not seek out assistance with her own
writing. The peer review and revision, for Susan, was an affront to her
identity as a writer, and our identity—who we see ourselves as—is tied together
with emotion and past life experiences such as how my family views the world
and how Mrs. O. was a bulldog of a teacher. Reid agrees with Lil Brannon
professor of English and Education at UNC and Gordon Pradl professor of English
education at NYU Steinhardt. Pedagogy classes should “extend beyond the notion
that writing teachers should demonstrate high competency in their filed,” but
also help teachers build an identity of “who they are as writers.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> In
my English Methods I class, a large portion of the class was dedicated to
developing future English teachers' identity as writers—to see themselves as
actual writers. I was appalled at the fact that some of the students could not
identify verbs from nouns and thought revision and peer review were unnecessary
for their writing. One fellow classmate, a senior and an A plus student,
admitted that she had never revised an academic paper and never reflected upon
her own writing. I am blown away by Reid's encounters of resistance to
difficult writing, though I shouldn't be considering my personal experience in
English Methods I. These fellow students in English Methods were confronted
with their emotional baggage connected to their writing. They were made to
realize their own prejudices and get over themselves. They were made to
struggle, and although I actively search out these opportunities to push my own
writing in directions I am not always comfortable with, many people do not seek
these moments of self-teaching, forgoing the idea of revision, keeping the
identity of, as Reid puts it, nonrevisionists. A class devoted to difficult
writing, for future teachers of writing, needs to not only address the basics
such as nouns versus verbs (although I'd hope graduate students would know the
difference); needs to not only complicate the assignments with publication,
word length, or structural constraints; but needs to deal with the personal and
emotional reasons for the resistance against difficult writing in the first
place, even if to only make the students aware of that emotional baggage, and
why the writing process, no matter the topic, is hard to begin with. The actual
process of writing is not difficult—it's butt in the chair, one word after the
another. However, the personal attachments and the closeness which is placed on
one's own writing make the process difficult. If we, as writing instructors,
are tasked with asking our students to write, then we must, as Reid says,
empathize with our students. We must become aware of what our students face as
new writers, and although I am not suggesting a pedagogy course become a
vehicle for psychoanalysis, I do suggest that we as students “know thyself” in
the Socratic tradition of long-established wisdom. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-21209830277785867282015-04-22T01:00:00.001-04:002015-04-22T01:00:27.397-04:00Big Mom Ideology<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="text-align: left;">
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5eDaoJKbbIGUnXkE2dOG1TnIJY1ULhQXYJUnre9dcNospLSb1NlvAQSQw_iL9EI1kiogKxetcyPUxQakfoKR1ymb-uF27JqGT3XT44OqkrAe6qRIuPjSfLKilcfjXwzxT7v6Jt-eSMaf/s1600/Guitar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="Photo Credit: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Guitar-6755608" border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL5eDaoJKbbIGUnXkE2dOG1TnIJY1ULhQXYJUnre9dcNospLSb1NlvAQSQw_iL9EI1kiogKxetcyPUxQakfoKR1ymb-uF27JqGT3XT44OqkrAe6qRIuPjSfLKilcfjXwzxT7v6Jt-eSMaf/s1600/Guitar.jpg" height="240" title="Photo Credit: http://www.deviantart.com/art/Guitar-6755608" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; text-indent: 0.5in;">If Sherman
Alexie reads this, he will probably never talk to me.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On January 23,
2000, Alexie wrote in the Los Angeles Times a scathing review of Ian Frazier’s
nonfiction travel log memoir <i>On the Rez</i>.
Alexie writes, “Frazier’s formal use of ‘the rez’ marks him as an outsider
eager to portray himself as an insider, as a writer with a supposedly original
story to tell and as a white man who is magically unlike all other white men in
his relationship to American Indians.” Alexie is probably more similar to
Frazier than Alexie would like to believe though. I thoroughly enjoyed Alexie’s
<i>Reservation Blues</i>. That being said, <i>Reservation Blues</i> is full of every
stereotype and American Indian trope one can imagine: poverty, magic, drunk
Indians, and sober Indians that are afraid to get drunk, and themes of loss.
Those stereotypes doesn’t make the book bad. Alexie adds flare—a talking
guitar, screaming horses, and nightmares—but certainly those stereotypes also
do not make the story unique or original; it makes it commercial genre.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Like a steamy
romance—you as the reader know the protagonist is going to eventually hook up
with the sexy dude that has his shirt off on the front cover because that’s the
pay-off, why you bought the book in the first place. And just as you can
predict what’s going to happen in a romance, you know <i>Reservation Blues</i> will end badly. You read enough Native American
literature, and come to expect this, but I’m also thinking of <i>The Woman Who Owned the Shadows</i> by Paula
Gunn Allen and <i>Winter in the Blood</i> by
James Welch that nicely complicate the American Indian stereotype. The
characters are not flat: they do not tell stories because that is what Indians
do; nor do they drink alcohol because that is what Indians do; nor are they
just poor because that is what Indians are. <i>The
Woman Who Owned</i>, an in-depth character study, is stream of consciousness at
its best, harkening back to Faulkner’s <i>As
I Lay Dying</i>, or perhaps Stein’s <i>Melanctha</i>.
<i>Winter in the Blood</i> is a wonderful
disjointed mess comparable to Quentin Tarantino’s <i>Pulp Fiction</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">And yeah, <i>Reservation Blues</i> is genre fiction.
This, I feel, is in no way an insult to Alexie or genre fiction, and especially
it is not an insult to Native American literature. Commercial genre fiction
serves a purpose, and how many people would not be exposed to Native American
thought without Alexie? I know I certainly would not have—the first Native
American writing I’ve ever read was in high school: <i>The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven</i>. And it was a funny
and sad story at sixteen. At forty-something, it’s still a funny, sad story.
And I’d read it again, and share it with friends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">***<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On occasion,
Alexie has quipped that his hydrocephalic causes him to walk erratically, “as
if he were carrying the burden of his race on his shoulders” (Konigsberg). I
know Alexie is joking, but he is not magically unlike all other Native
Americans in his relationship to American Indians or even American whites. I’ve
heard Alexie criticized in the past for leaving the reservation, abandoning his
culture and ethnicity, becoming in effect the physical and reality-based
embodiment of the rock band <i>Coyote
Springs</i>, making himself a kind of outsider. <i>On the Rez</i> seems to be a struggle to situate Frazier’s own
whiteness with his ambivalence toward the very existence of American Indians.
As I’ve said elsewhere, Frazier might be suffering from white guilt, unable to
admit as much, or at the least unaware of his attitudes, and after reading <i>Reservation Blues</i>, I’m left wondering
too how much of his own self Alexie is aware of. Many of Alexie’s characters in
<i>Reservation Blues</i> are unself-aware
until it’s too late: Junior who commits suicide, Victor who remains in a
drunken stupor, Father Arnold who is confused between his loyalties to God, the
Catholic Church, and Checkers, Betty and Veronica who repeat over and over like
a chorus line, “What are we doing here?” And Alexie seems to be asking that
same question, but I don’t believe that question is solely in relation to the
reservation, but to greater, wider concerns congruent with Big Mom’s ideology.
It’s your choice.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=stevbarg-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0802141900&asins=0802141900&linkId=6K4XZFUWTCSRM3G6&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-5001364383202559542015-04-18T12:47:00.005-04:002015-04-18T12:47:51.134-04:00Re Membering in The Woman Who Owned the Shadows<i><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The
Woman Who Owned the Shadows</span></span></i><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12pt;"> is one of the first Native American books to
feature a woman protagonist. Author Paula Gunn Allen has created a story mixed
with Southwestern Native American creation narrative and stream of
consciousness. The novel fluctuates between Spider Grandmother’s creation of
the world and Ephanie Atencio’s struggle with divorce, sexuality, and her
connection to her culture. Allen pushes a feminist view of Native American myth,
history, and today’s attitudes toward American society. In this way, Allen restores feminist power to
her culture. </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Browsing the
Goodreads reviews of <i>The Woman Who Owned
the Shadows</i>, many reviewers commented on how difficult the novel was to
read. They complained about the stream of consciousness narrative style or how
ambiguous the ending made them feel, and how they felt empty after reading the
book—that they had no sense of conclusion. Certainly, I don’t think Allen
intended <i>The Woman Who Owned</i> to be
easy, or necessarily fulfilling in the way many modern readers approach genre
books, that is for entertainment. So certainly entertaining, one wonders though
if Ephanie is totally sane, whether her struggles with homosexuality are even
normal, let alone her abandonment of her children, and her abandonment of her
self. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Allen
uses the word “re membering” throughout her work. At first, I thought this word
construction was odd—why would she separate the prefix? But “member” suggests a
part of something greater. The arm, for example, is a member of the physical
body. The arm is both separate from the body and belonging to the body at the
same moment. One is a member of a tribe. One is a member of a nation, or
belongs to a nation. And “re” is from the Latin prefix root meaning “again” or
“again and again.” By separating the prefix from the root word, Allen is able
to not completely remove the idea of memory from the word, and places emphasis
upon Ephanie’s becoming a member of a culture, again and again. The end of the
book, Ephanie falls into a new world, just as Sky Woman is pushed by her
husband through a hole in the ground to the earth. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="text-indent: 0.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Allen not only
connects Ephanie to a religious and historical Native America past but to the present
and future that includes the modern world and the European encroachment upon
the land. Neither world is presented in Allen’s novel as ideal. Both the past
and the present are depicted with their own fragilities. Everyone is broken:
Spider Grandmother, who is betrayed; Sky Woman, who is pushed to her death by
her husband and left alone; Elana, who is forced by her parents to stay away
from Ephanie; Stephen and Thomas, who unsuccessfully look toward women for
self-completion; and Teresa, who yearns for a spirituality that she cannot
fully possess. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> No
one seems to be able to possess anything in Allen’s novel, actually. It is a
struggle to figure out personal identity in relation to the rest of the world. Ephanie’s
name resembles “epiphany,” and the novel’s epiphany seems to suggest there is
no salvation in life, but that we must still look beyond the practicalities of
life to the spiritual for a fullness that cannot be fulfilled through
companionship, security, or family. We must then <i>re member</i>. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=stevbarg-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=1879960184&asins=1879960184&linkId=LEJQ2LWQIHCFOKGH&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-19718569904903190242015-03-05T17:34:00.001-05:002015-03-05T17:37:54.956-05:00Wasteland: End of Winter<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Bp_oYlrD5UHYAB6toXF3TyWn-2HMqodmX4IVWh3LcPoXTUvpryD51FEFldzEVC3nXI4p-b_4Zg-C8aUOJb7AZY6J4sJGaNKxVEn55jS93rGlHda2rqjszqC6BjpUoExoQbbEHQCEAdM/s1600/cover.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0Bp_oYlrD5UHYAB6toXF3TyWn-2HMqodmX4IVWh3LcPoXTUvpryD51FEFldzEVC3nXI4p-b_4Zg-C8aUOJb7AZY6J4sJGaNKxVEn55jS93rGlHda2rqjszqC6BjpUoExoQbbEHQCEAdM/s1600/cover.jpg" height="200" width="141" /></a><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">The</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">demon</span><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">sits
on my mind like so many people</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Staring
out the window we watch the last of summer</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> Dusk
is upon us like heavy sleep</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Black
Sumatra coffee sitting in front of us in flimsy paper cups, and</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">we dip
chocolate tipped almond cantuccini into the joe Taking small</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">bites as cars pass
by just outside the plate glass window which steams</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">from our combined breath </span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">On
the last day of winter she dies Ravished by cancer and chemo, doctors prodding
her with needles and pills and empty hope </span></div>
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span></b>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Bright","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Chapter
One</span><span style="font-family: "Lucida Bright","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">This
evening</span><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">,
before we knew, when trees were still bright green and not quite blooming mums
hung in planters from the coffee shop's awning, she took a huge gulp from her
coffee.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"April
is a terrible month," she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Really?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Everything
comes up out of the dead."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"What?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"In
the wintertime everything dies. And spring comes, and all those flowers bloom
out of what had died. April. Terrible, terrible month." She took some more
coffee. "And I know, you are going to say June is such a cliché."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"For
a wedding yes," I said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Why
not a June wedding though? We could go somewhere. Greece maybe. Just the two of
us. I've never been to Greece." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">But
she never saw Greece because she died on the last day of winter. March 20 in
1994 or 1992 or a year like that. But I remember the day we met…</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Velvet capes, Capitano hats, tunics,
leather doublets, tabards, Locksley pants, and medieval boots, the Bowling
Green chapter of the Society for Creative Anachronism moved through Myles Beer
and Pizza's thick cigarette smoke like history's ghosts. They carried crossbows
and horsewhips, claymore swords and kestrel daggers, all make-believe like in a
dream, like so many people Jack knew who were only made-up dreams too.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Myles
was a stronghold against Bowling Green winters. On the cold days when the dorm
room windows held in their corners the star-shaped pattern of frost, when the
rooms became tiny and claustrophobic with their cinder block walls, bunk beds,
and posters of half-naked women, when you couldn't stand your roommate for one
other minute, you walked out into the snow. Bundled in mittens and scarves and
a knit-cap hat, you made your way to Myles underneath the icicles hanging along
the walls and dangling from the bare trees. Inside the pub, pizzas slid onto
tables and beer spilled out into frosted mugs. Every Thursday night Jack
gathered with his SCA friends and visited Myles. They called the waitresses
their bar wenches. They stood on tables and quoted Tolkien. They smoked and
drank and ate and allowed themselves the one night a week to forget about
research papers and midterms. SCA and Myles was where Jack escaped into
imagination and hid from all of his troubles—or whatever Jack thought were
troubles back then.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
summer Thursday night though, when most of the college students had already
gone home to parents and only a remnant of SCA kept the medieval dream alive
during those quiet June-Julys, big blonde Taylor with a full scraggly beard wearing
his kilt in true Scottish tradition, drained another pitcher of beer, and he
yelled out to the nearest waitress, "Wench! Fill my beer." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christine
brought another pitcher, and Taylor slapped her full on the bottom. She spun
around and slapped him hard across the face. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Oh,
a shrew we have," shouted Taylor and stepped onto his chair and lifted his
kilt. Her dark eyes did not shy away. She smiled and said something Jack did
not quite hear but made Taylor drop his kilt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
stayed until close. He watched her wipe down the tables as her raven hair fell
into her eyes. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"You've
got to go," she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
nodded. "What's your name?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
smiled again, but not the same smile she had given Taylor. This small smile held
hope. "Christine," she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I'm
Jack."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"So
what's the deal with you and your friends?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"What
do you mean?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"All
the medieval costumes."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
shrugged.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"You
know, we're closed."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
nodded.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Do
I need to walk you home?" she asked.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
laughed. "You don't need to."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Everyone
else is gone," she said. "Just you and the bar manager in the back waiting
to cash me out."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
could walk you home."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Ha!
You and every other guy in here tonight wants to walk me home."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christine
was the most beautiful creature he had ever seen. He imagined a perfect future
life with her. Love at first sight, he thought. "It is rather dark
outside," he said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Yes
it is," she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"And
a lonely walk in the cold."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
laughed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Maybe
I would like you to walk me home," he said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Instead
of returning to their rooms, they went to The Galley, a fast food burger joint
that made its home in Harshman Quad's basement without windows, making due with
badly designed track lighting. The tables were heavy and old, thick with
varnish and rich with carvings. Julie loves Chad, Chad loves Brad, Call 4-2445
for a good time. The Galley served burgers wrapped in wax paper and saturated
with grease. Hand speared potatoes dipped in batter and deep-fried. Deep-fried
pickles and cauliflower. Huge onion rings with lots of ranch and blue cheese.
Hot dogs smothered in chili and cheese, bacon melts with slabs of tomato, fried
peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, grilled cheese with bacon, fried bologna. Anything
close to a salad came with something fried. Open late and good for milkshakes
served in stainless steel malt cups, they shared a chocolate one with two
straws, and after the milkshake, she and Jack followed three of The Galley's
employees through the tunnels that connected the four different dormitory
halls. The employees pushed a vat of used grease. They took the freight
elevator to the shipping dock. Snow fell through the lamppost's light; the
steam floated off of the grease and burned their eyes. She and Jack shivered,
smoking a couple of cigarettes. When the butts were close to their lips, they
threw the cigarettes into the grease and watched them sizzle out.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
adored Christine. Her dark midnight hair. Her love of a good, aged red wine.
The way, when relaxed, her big toes curled inward. How she preferred the Berber
carpet to the classical halo sofa with pillow-top back. She drove Jack crazy
with how meticulous she chose the artwork for the cottage—replica pieces by
British artist Solomon Joseph Solomon, depicting everyday boring events from
the late eighteen hundreds, portraits of supposedly famous people who Jack did
not know. The frames were imported, antique gold toned hardwood with floral
detailing and solid brass museum plate etching.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
leaned against that couch, lounging on the floor, drinking wine, reading
American hard-boiled mysteries filled with gritty settings, deceit, nihilism,
paranoia and unspeakable crimes. She once bought me a sable Lawton fedora that
Jack wore around the cottage a lot, but never outside. She said, "You look
dashing." </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
look like I escaped from one of your mysteries."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
giggled.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her
giggle was exquisite like champagne bubbles or butterflies.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>"My noir detective. My Sam Spade. My
Phillip Marlowe," she said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Yeah,
right."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
took off the hat and sat down beside her on the floor. I remember it was winter.
The lake had iced over and dotted by fishing shacks with slender streams of
smoke emerging from their aluminum stacks making marks against the full moon.
She pulled the heavy fleece blanket from the couch and covered her legs. A
small log crackled in the fireplace. She read. Jack watched a movie. Jack stole
some of the blanket and moved closer to her. She spilled her wine on the couch.
"There'll be a stain," she said. Jack shrugged. She stood. Jack
noticed she wasn't wearing much.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A navy
blue t-shirt with her midriff exposed. Her cut-off gray sweats showed a good
amount of hip. She went to the kitchen and dropped off her wine glass. She came
back and snuggled deep into the blanket and beside Jack. She opened her book
and continued reading. Jack felt her breathing. He thought about those legs
that walked in front of him.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">They
kept a bottle of infused oil on the mantle. Jack got the bottle and opened it.
He lifted the blanket from her legs and poured out the strong scent of jasmine,
overtones of sandalwood. One leg at a time, his thumbs ran the course from the
tops of her calves to her knees. She put down her book. He moved up the thigh
with the heels of his hands and glided back down to the ankle. She turned over
and Jack poured oil from the hip to the ankle. From the back of her knees to the
hip joint. Somewhere in that, the movie ended with the blue screen of the TV,
the dying fire, and her legs.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">All
of that is destroyed: the boorish British paintings, the stained couch, the
books, the blanket, the fedora, the antique gold frames all locked in storage
somewhere.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
city is gray now. Tall buildings reach past the sky, blocking out the sun,
killing the green trees, allowing the grass to go brown and rot into the earth
with the rest of humanity. Few people are left who remember. Columbus once a
long time ago used to be beautiful. Christine and I—Jack—used to drive the two
hours into the city from our lake front cottage in mid-Octobers when the trees
hit the back end of their autumn color-change—bright reds and vibrant yellows
beginning to creep into dull browns. They always took their time driving. Where
Highway 33 suddenly jogged east outside of Wapakoneta, she and Jack stopped.
There used to be—and I don't know if it is even still there or not, probably
not. Probably it has been swept away. But maybe, if we are lucky, The Orange
Barn still stands. Made from large white-washed planks, the building kept
inside huge refrigerated bins of oranges, and you picked out your navel or a
few tangerines, and they were so cold you wanted to wear gloves when you picked
one out. After you paid for the orange, the cashier handed you a small green
piece of plastic. You jammed this plastic into the orange and you sucked all of
its juice out of that small piece of green plastic. You could get deli fresh
chipped beef too, Swiss and Mozzarella cheese made somewhere in the back, and
generic old fashioned flavored sodas.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christine
and Jack stopped at the Orange Barn for lunch every mid-October on their way to
the downtown Columbus city mall. They watched children frolic in the pumpkin
patch. They watched men tap maples in anticipation of the winter season's
syrup. They drank hot, mulled cider and discussed their future. How she wanted
to open an art studio and gallery. How Jack wanted to—well, he didn't know what
he wanted to do. He had a crazy idea to invent heated insoles for shoes, or blue
jeans that felt like pajamas on the inside. It didn't matter. Hopes and dreams
were high for Christine and Jack. Anything good was possible, and after The
Orange Barn the two made their way to the mall. Christine obsessed over this
mint scented foot spray The Body Shop sold. She liked the oils you could scent
yourself. She pulled Jack into Victoria's Secret and pulled him into the
dressing room. He would go in and come back out grinning. And whether Christine
had picked out lingerie that looked good or not, he didn't care. Looking at a half-naked
female body made him happy—his reward for being dragged along on those shopping
trips. The Germans had a word for them—Pacheselen. After Victoria's, Christine
and Jack trolled the bookstore, Old Navy, Kohl's, JCPenny's, and Maurice's. On
their way out, they stopped at the Chocolatier. They savored dark demitasses,
cappuccino truffles, <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>double chocolate
raspberry truffles, Mochacinno mousse dessert chocolats.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">That
was all before the world went to shit. The plague came. Christine died. The
aliens arrived. I met God, and demons loitered around in coffee shops and
grocery stores. They sat in the back pews of churches waiting. Few people can
remember the before though. Before the government broke apart the freeways and
installed the high speed mono-rails you can only ride if you are properly ID'd.
Before the alien ship came, hovering above our planet, promising new
technologies, a cure, a rescue from our own self-destructive wars. (You see
them sometimes. Glimpses of them. Talking to the mayor or a congressman. They
are taller than us, and hairless with yellowish-gray skin stretched taught
across their faces, never smiling because they don't have the muscles for it, and
their never blinking green eyes, their lion-flat noses. They put things in our
food and our soap and the air we breathe. They wear clothes like Roman
Emperors, and I think, maybe, sometimes, they got some of their information
about us wrong—the tiny details, like our fashion. And They—whoever They are,
whoever used to be in power: the government, black-ops, the Illuminati—they
track you. They do this for your own protection they say—to protect you from
the aliens, to keep the public calm. You can't get out of the city. You can't
escape Columbus. They keep you where you are at. The police stand on the street
corners in riot gear like the Salvation Army with their little buckets. They
watch you move from your Assigned Living Domicile to your assigned job duty.
They watch you move back and forth from the UDFs grabbing packs of cigarettes
and forty ounce malt liqueurs. They make sure you are not where you aren't
supposed to be. Jack doesn't even remember the last time he tasted chocolate.
Something as simple as Milky Way or a Hershey's is rationed. You need a level
three ration card to get chocolate. I have a level one ration card. Cigarettes
are hard enough to come by, but at least they are in walking distance. A United
Dairy Farmers sits three blocks down from my ALD. At noon, the sidewalk lights
pale blue and you can follow the pale blue all the way down to UDF; get
yourself cigarettes and milk all in the same trip. If you have enough rations
left, maybe some beef jerky. You have twenty minutes to do all of this, though
the sidewalk lights turn back on at five, but then you only have ten minutes
cause it's getting late and it gets darker earlier these days. Some say, the
sun is going out, and what the fuck because it's bad enough the stars are
already gone.)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Years
before this, when Christine and Jack were married, when she was still alive, on
warm comfortable evenings, she and Jack sat on their back deck of their cottage
in their Adirondack chairs and watched the stars fall into the lake. No one, of
course, knew that was the first sign of the end of the world. They just
whispered to each other, "Beautiful."</span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"><br clear="all" style="mso-special-character: line-break; page-break-before: always;" />
</span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Lucida Bright","serif"; font-size: 16.0pt;">Chapter
Two</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 14.0pt;">Patients
are given an injection</span><span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">
of a chemical tagged with boron-10.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
chemical binds to tumor cells. The patients are placed on a machine resembling a
simple CAT scan, only it's not. Instead, the tubing is only big enough for the
patients' heads, and a gun is attached to a nuclear reactor. The gun is called
a beam collimator, and this shapes the neutrons shot into human tissue. As the
neutrons pass through the brain, they are slowed by collisions and become low
energy thermal neutrons. The LETNs react with boron-10 and form the compound
boron-11, or excited boron. Boron-11 does not last long in the brain. It
quickly disintegrates into lithium-7 and an alpha particle. The lithium and the
alpha particle produce ionizations, or in layman's terms—tiny little explosions
in the brain. The doctor assured Christine the explosions were only within five
to nine micrometers, or about the size of a single human cell. If all of this
does not work, if the Boron Neutron Capture Therapy totally fails, then and
only then do the doctors repeat the process with uranium-235, which is almost
always lethal. But if the BNCT didn't work, you are probably dead anyway, or at
least soon will be. I refuse to remember Christine like that. Her head shaved;
her lying down on that machine; uranium-235 shot into her brain; her whole body
thin and malnourished. Jack saw the white of her bones through her skin so leathery
and stretched tight across her framework. There was something dark in her eyes
too. She had become the sickness. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Who
goes to the doctor for a headache? You go to the store and buy aspirin or
ibuprofen. In the more severe cases of a migraine, you buy potassium. Maybe you
complain to someone, or try to increase or decrease the blood flow to your
brain or whatever. You hang upside down, smoke a cigarette, eat, drink a cup of
coffee. Some say sex takes care of a headache. Whatever it is, you do it, but
you don't go to the doctor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
looked beautiful in the early autumn. The trees had lost most of their leaves,
though some pinks and reds remained. The sky whited with cold clouds. A few
fallen leaves littered the pine porch overhanging the lake. You smelled the
acidity in the air of the later to come rain. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
left Christine in bed that morning. She complained of weekly headaches, so he
let her sleep. And at this point, Jack also begged her to see a doctor. Whatever
doctor she saw though, never found anything wrong with her. Told her the pain
was all in her head.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
began his morning with a cup of black coffee, a cigarette, and out on the porch
watching the water lap at the shore. He sat in his favorite chair and took time
with what used to be his favorite part of the day. He went into the cottage,
vacuumed, dusted, did the dishes, and left for the market. He picked up fruits
and vegetables and some luncheon meat for the day. This was his morning
routine. When he returned home, rain came down in cool, sloppy sheets. He put
the groceries down on the kitchen table, looked out the French doors to the porch,
and saw Christine standing in the rain. She had her hair pulled back in a tight
pony tail. She sucked on her right hand fingers, and smiled. She wore this
clingy flesh peach color dress with a low, wide V-neck, her breasts almost all
showing through the cloth. Her eyes were low, her eyebrows raised in
mischievousness. She looked more than sexy. She looked like Eve.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
joined her. The rain felt cool, refreshing. Jack grasped her hand, which
slipped away from him as she collapsed. "I can't get up," she
whispered. "I can't feel my arms or legs." Jack carried her to the
car, and drove fast to the hospital.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
was not the only one with a loved one in their arms. People straddled across waiting
chairs. Some were on the floor, convulsing and foaming at the mouth. Others conscience,
but limp without bodily control. One woman fought the Coke machine, slamming it
with her fist and shouting, "You goddamn bitch of a whore! Move your
fucking ass! You goddamn bitch of a whore!" Then she fell to the floor,
clinging to the Coke machine, sobbing, "You goddamn bitch of a whore. You
goddamn bitch of a whore." Nurses and doctors performed triage like in a war.
</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christine
finally died late March. Snow dusted the ground. Not enough to cover the browned
grass, but enough to whiten the earth, to make the yard bright. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
went to the kitchen and made strong coffee. He drank the coffee in the
briskness of the cold morning air out on the back deck. The ice on the lake had
begun to melt with big left over ice chunks floating helplessly around in icy
water. The sunrise, almost grayish hinted at orange on the horizon. He made
breakfast for her: eggs and toast, brown sugar maple oatmeal—nothing fancy—her usual
cannabis tea so she could at least keep some of the food down. He brought the
food to her in bed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">She
looked like an angel without wings. Her long black hair done up behind her head
with a few strands dropping down across her forehead and left eye. Her mouth
slightly parted. She wore her gold pendant. Her arms were crossed at her
breasts. She was naked, the night before complaining of being hot. She had even
opened the bedroom window and grabbed out the summertime fan. Her skin was golden—not
a sickish yellow—but golden. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
tried to wake her. She was cool to the touch. He lay down beside her naked body,
trying to warm her, but her body only grew colder. Jack turned up the heat. But
the increased heat made no difference. She stayed cold, and after three hours,
her body, underneath her skin, she stiffened. Like her bones moved into her
skin. Her lips, when Jack kissed them, were bricks. Her breasts, when Jack
caressed them, stones. Late into the evening, her back and lower sides, the
backs of her thighs, her heels, her triceps had turned purplish. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Two
days he laid beside her naked body. He called no one. Went nowhere. Ate
nothing. Drank nothing. Kept the doors locked and shut the windows. On the third
morning, someone pounded on the door. Christine had begun to soften—she started
to come out of her rigor mortis, and maybe, Jack hoped, she was coming back. So
he held Christine tighter. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
cottage front door cracked open. "Jack?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
did not answer.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"What
the hell is that smell?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
intruder opened windows as he made his way to the bedroom. Jack whispered into
Christine's ear over and over, "I love you, I love you. Come back. Please
come back. I love you."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Jack?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
love you, I love you."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Jack?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Come
back. Please come back."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Jack."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Neil,"
Jack said. "What are you doing here?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
think you need to get out of bed."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Why?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"She's
dead."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"No.
No, she's sick. That's all." Jack covered Christine’s naked body.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Neil
approached the bedside. He whispered, "Where are your clothes?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Jack
pointed at the dresser.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Neil
pulled out socks, underwear, jeans, a shirt. He laid the clothes beside Jack
and left for a minute. He returned with shoes. He sat Jack up and dressed him,
though Jack kept clawing for Christine, trying to return to her. Neil kept
pulling Jack away.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Once
Jack was dressed, Neil stood him up and led him out of the bedroom into the
green shag carpeting of the living area. Jack stared blankly at the old
blackish, grayish wood burning stove, with its big flat feet on the piece of
oddly placed loose linoleum covering the carpet, where the beast sat, the
handles sharp, and pointing upwards, the round smokestack poking through the
ceiling, the slight red rust around its edges, the stink of wood and rolled
newspapers, the smell like sulfur and brimstone. A cool March breeze whipped
into the room. Jack saw into the kitchen. He saw the dishes piled in the sink—the
ones he had used to make Christine breakfast three days ago. Eggs and toast,
brown sugar and maple oatmeal. Nothing fancy. Her usual cannabis tea so she
could at least keep some of the food down.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Come
on," Neil said. "Let's go outside."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"I
had made her breakfast."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"She
was sick," said Neil. "She had been sick for a very long time. It's
good she's gone. She isn't in anymore pain."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"She
isn't gone!" Jack screamed. "She isn't gone! She's sleeping. Just
sleeping!" Jack moved quickly back toward the bedroom. Neil blocked him
and held him tight. "Let me the fuck go! Let me the fuck go! Get away, get
away, get away!" Jack pushed Neil. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Neil
fell against the stove. He caught himself by the hand on the corner of the stove.
"Fuck," he said, but somehow, managed to keep calm while Jack moved
toward the bedroom. "No," Neil said, very quietly, like a whisper,
like a command, like a dirge. He held out his burned hand and stopped Jack at
his chest. "She's gone."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"No,"
Jack said. "No."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">#</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On a hot July night, Jack laid awake in his
bed. He woke from a dream of Christine when she was a girl. Five or six years
old. In the nightmare, her hair was longer than when Jack had known her. She
held a pair of small scissors, open and underneath her chin, poised to cut. She
wore white lace around her head and shoulders. Upon her lips was a small blue
butterfly. A black zipper line of staples and stitches ran across her forehead.
The dress was torn and ragged. Her shoes had holes. Her hair stuck to her face.
There was the smell of old, ancient blood seeping into a garden. She reached
out for Jack and took his hand and asked him to play. He opened a box for toys,
but the box was empty.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christine
cried. Jack tried to comfort her, but she cried louder as if she was in pain.
Jack found blood on his hands. He had a headache, and looked at his feet, and
they were covered in black blood. Jack lied and told Christine she would be
safe with him, but she still said she was scared and she still wouldn't stop
crying. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Her
voice. Her adult voice in this silent dream came out of her child-body. "Something
is after me," she said. "Something dark. Something evil. Something
brooding."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Where
are you from?"</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christine
pointed to the mirror in Jack's room. "I come from there," she said.
She grabbed Jack's hand and pulled him into the mirror, back to where she had
come from—her childhood house, a house Jack had been to many times and knew
well. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Christine
took Jack to her bedroom. She showed him her adult body lying on the cold
hardwood floor. Her head leaked out onto the floor.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">...and
Jack screamed. He screamed and screamed and screamed but no sound came from his
mouth, just more blood from his hands and feet and around his forehead, the
back of his head, blood coming down like thorns had been thrust deep into his
skin. And the dream seemed like hours, but Jack simply woke in his bed sweat covered,
and someone knocking on his door asking him if he was alright.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">"Yeah,"
Jack said, his voice scratchy and strained. "I just have no voice." And
he reached for his cigarettes.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: justify; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<br /></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><<<<>>>> </span></div>
<div align="center" class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-align: center; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Palatino Linotype","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wasteland-Steve-Bargdill-ebook/dp/B00GUMIIK6/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1425594438&sr=8-1&keywords=bargdill+wasteland" target="_blank">BUY THE BOOK</a><br /><a href="mailto:stevebargdill@gmail.com" target="_blank">EMAIL STEVE TO GET THE BOOK FREE</a></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-53246911495026101042015-03-05T09:27:00.003-05:002015-03-05T09:27:33.458-05:00Save Steve's Teeth<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWop-C_jGwr8G52rS0QCRAdndmk0d_tZsi0VRTgOKBGSGdSWLuKx6PO0VDSNLrw2O0In6kthDkL07x3_p3Zd0faQ_hOTRHpahT-8ZG1gF0jGDMYccP-dcOu5lj3GVYRucXiIleUoHXFLQ/s1600/funny_animals_with_human_teeth-1-206x300.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWop-C_jGwr8G52rS0QCRAdndmk0d_tZsi0VRTgOKBGSGdSWLuKx6PO0VDSNLrw2O0In6kthDkL07x3_p3Zd0faQ_hOTRHpahT-8ZG1gF0jGDMYccP-dcOu5lj3GVYRucXiIleUoHXFLQ/s1600/funny_animals_with_human_teeth-1-206x300.gif" height="200" width="136" /></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I need to sell 731 novels. By April 9<sup>th</sup>.<br />
<br />
Last week February, I woke up to extremely painful teeth. The following day, I
smiled in the mirror and noticed a portion of my gum line had disappeared. I
made an immediate appointment with a dentist. I hadn’t been to a dentist for
years. I have told myself that I haven’t gone to see a dentist because of the
inhibitive cost—especially being without dental insurance. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in truth, I hate dentists. Not themselves
as people. As people, they are fine individuals. But I was scared. I have
always been scared.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">My health insurance still does not cover
dental work, but my dentist sent me to a specialist, and I am in a position to
lose my teeth. I am also in a position to save all of my teeth. To save all my
teeth, I need an additional $1500 in my pocket. That’s 731 novels I have to
sell, because my job is more of a labor of love than any kind of money-maker.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So I need your help; I need your help
selling my book.<br /> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">First and foremost, if you’ve read my Wasteland Series, and you enjoyed the
book, I urge you to post a review online. You can <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wasteland-Steve-Bargdill-ebook/dp/B00GUMIIK6/ref=sr_1_43?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425563437&sr=1-43&keywords=wasteland">post
a review on Amazon</a>, and you don’t even have to have purchased the book. In
fact, if you want to post a review and haven’t read Wasteland, I will give you
my book free. Just send me <a href="mailto:stevebargdill@gmail.com">an email</a>.
Tell me you want to write a review.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I’ll also offer Wasteland for free to
you <a href="http://www.paywithatweet.com/pay?id=dc513ad6-efc4-47f5-b242-1ddc33011360">for
a tweet</a>. If you post or share on Facebook, <a href="https://www.facebook.com/steve.bargdill">friend me on Facebook</a>, and
tag me in the post, I will offer you Wasteland for free as well<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></a>. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Maybe this seems counter-intuitive: I
have a need to sell books, so I’m offering books instead for free. I believe my
novel is awesome though. The few reviews I’ve received bear this out. My
problem, the problem with so many talented self-published authors, is that I
languish in obscurity. No one knows who I am. No one knows I’ve published a
book. No one cares. I’m perfectly fine with this existence, but now I *need* to
sell 731 books. I need to save my teeth.<br />
<br />
And I will say this too. If you feel moved to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Wasteland-Steve-Bargdill-ebook/dp/B00GUMIIK6/ref=sr_1_43?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1425563437&sr=1-43&keywords=wasteland">purchase
Wasteland</a>, send me <a href="mailto:stevebargdill@gmail.com">an email</a>.
Tell me who you are. Let’s get to know each other. Tell me what you thought of
the book. Then, when my next novel is complete, I’ll send you that book for
free.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoFootnoteText">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-latin;">[1]</span></span></span></span></span></a><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"> Of course, Pay with a Tweet
doesn’t work with Facebook. Facebook blocks the service, so if you tag me in
the post, I’ll private message you with a link.</span></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-45739327865083055482015-02-03T17:32:00.002-05:002015-02-03T17:32:46.322-05:00Reservation Seatbelts<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:DoNotShowPropertyChanges/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://www.nmeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/seatbelt.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://www.nmeda.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/seatbelt.jpg" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Ian Frazier's <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">On the Rez</i> is an apologetic text, and
Frazier does not tell the story he wants. An Indian-wannabe, he writes "I
kind of resent the term 'wannabe'" (4). Frazier's problem lies with his
yearning to be Indian without all of the baggage that comes along with the
ethnicity. He admires the American Native and yet at the same time keeps the
Indian at an arm's length.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Frazier
divides his book in two: that of his friendship with Le War Lance and that of
his fascination with SuAnne Big Crow. The two stories seem polar opposites, and
both individuals stand in, if not for all of American Indians then at least,
for the Ogala.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Le seems to represent the
"white-trash" Indian, not necessarily everything that is wrong or
destructive within Indian culture, but at least the darker, more desperate side
of Ogala life on the reservation. Le is a failure, but Frazier portrays Le as a
successful failure. Several times, for example, Le has brushes with death, but
survives. SuAnne, on the opposite side, represents the success of Indian
culture and reservation life and exactly what everyone should aspire to
be—Indian or not. SuAnne's ultimate death suggests success on the reservation
and as an Indian comes at a high cost. Her death, in Frazier's eyes I believe,
is an example of Indian failure—the Big Crow Center only a shadow of what
SuAnne could have possibly accomplished if she had survived the car crash. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Frazier
seems connected to Le in a haphazard way. The relationship always plays out in
Le's favor as opposed to Frazier's favor. In this way, it is a lopsided
friendship. Le is needy, often asking for money. Frazier's gifts of money seem
to go beyond the simple and complex wopila tradition. Le sometimes threatens to
end their friendship when Frazier denies the request, and sometimes Frazier
feigns an empty wallet to get out of handing cash over to Le. Frazier is asked
over and over to respect tradition when he enters Le's world, but Le does not
respect Frazier's tradition when the situation is reversed. A prime example of
Le not respecting Frazier's culture is when Le shows up to Frazier's house
unannounced and drunk. It is not Le that is racked with guilt over the event
though—which included spilling hot coffee on Frazier's daughter—but it is
instead Frazier who feels guilty, and then blames his car accident on his own
behavior toward Le.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>After
Frazier's car accident, the narrative soon switches to SuAnne. Here, Frazier is
outright apologetic: "Reader," he writes, "books are long, and I
know that even the faithful reader tries. But I hope a few of you are still
with me here. As much as I have wanted to tell you anything, I want to tell you
about SuAnne" (199). Frazier's connection to SuAnne is tremulous at best.
He did not even know SuAnne. He happens to only drive past the Big Crow Center,
and later finds out SuAnne died in a car crash. Though Frazier does not say
directly that his auto accident is related to SuAnne, he certainly implies the
possibility. The two car accidents make Frazier the same as SuAnne, but what
keeps him still separated from a fully developed Native American identity is a
seatbelt—a 19<sup>th</sup> Century English invention that was patented in New
York City, an invention, that according to Frazier, Native Americans don't use.
Despite SuAnne's car accident, despite Frazier's car accident and his walking
the place where SuAnne had wrecked, despite his dreaming of a historical
marker, Frazier is still left white, and Le seemingly walks off into the
sunset, never to be seen again—or at least, never to be seen again in this
particular narrative.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Having
in the past read <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Natives and Academics</i>,
edited by Devon Abbott Mihesuah,</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am appreciative that Frazier
does not offer any hard conclusions on the Native American way of
life—especially on reservation life—but I wish he had been more decisive or
concrete on how this experience had affected him personally, and I believe this
is the story he wanted to tell as opposed to the polar opposite stories he did
tell of Le War Lance and SuAnne Big Crow. Frazier seems ambivalent, yet
unwilling to admit in a bold statement his ambivalence. He seems to be
suffering from a case of white guilt, yet is either unaware or also unwilling
to admit this as well.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>Frazier's
account has led me to examine my own motives for taking up the American Indian
minor. In the beginning, I told myself an American Indian minor would look good
on my CV, especially one from the University of Wyoming where four hours away
sits Wind River Reservation, a place I have never been.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>I
have been told all my life that on my father's side, there is Indian blood in
our family. Upon later investigation, my great-great-great grandfather worked
on the railroad and had babies with lots of women who all happened to be
Indian. I do not know who these relatives are, and if I did I doubt seriously
they'd want to speak with me. More recently, it was discovered on my mother's
side of the family that a Frey may have been involved in the founding of an
Indian school for the sole purposes of making money. The family connection to
an Indian school is difficult to prove at this point, but around Thanksgiving
the family sits around the table and brags about how they helped Indians learn
English. I have wondered from time to time how much of my interest in Native
Americans is tied to "white guilt." I am certain, unlike Frazier, I
am not a wannabe. I like that seatbelt—that space in between that keeps a
certain amount of distance. That being said, I too, like Frazier, have
cultivated friendships with people living on reservations, and it is a messy
thing, those relationships, but then all relationships are messy and can never
be reduced to a line on a CV.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpMiddle" style="line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
<center>
<iframe frameborder="0" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" scrolling="no" src="//ws-na.amazon-adsystem.com/widgets/q?ServiceVersion=20070822&OneJS=1&Operation=GetAdHtml&MarketPlace=US&source=ss&ref=ss_til&ad_type=product_link&tracking_id=stevbarg-20&marketplace=amazon&region=US&placement=0312278594&asins=0312278594&linkId=HMPS2JQQ6A7TMHBT&show_border=true&link_opens_in_new_window=true" style="height: 240px; width: 120px;">
</iframe></center>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-72045121093767356982015-01-12T09:00:00.000-05:002015-01-12T09:00:08.046-05:00The Seduction of Story<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://fc06.deviantart.net/images3/i/2004/164/a/4/Lips.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://fc06.deviantart.net/images3/i/2004/164/a/4/Lips.jpg" height="320" width="147" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Photo by <a href="http://partsofmybody.deviantart.com/" target="_blank">partsofmybody</a></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">What is it about a story that seduces us? What is the je ne sais quoi that keeps us up past our bedtimes reading late into the night? </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">What makes us turn the page?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">What makes us want to be with any particular story, novel, or movie?</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">As a literary critic/scholar and author both, these are questions that I seek to answer on a daily basis. Definite, hard reasons are hard to come by. Story is as elusive as it is concrete.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I have begun my spring semester reading assignments early. I read <i>The Gates Ajar</i> by Elizabeth Stuart Phelps, and I thought, "This novel can not end soon enough." Yet, during the book's time of publication (shortly after the Civil War), Phelps was a bestselling author. The story of a woman whose brother died, and then her aunt resonated with thousands of people across the nation. People were looking for a connection to the afterlife and Phelps gave them a reasonable answer.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">I was glad the novel can be crossed off my list, so to speak, and I moved on to Incidents in the <i>Life of a Slave Girl</i> by Harriet Jacobs, and this story is so much different than Phelps. The novel is only about 230 pages, and it should be something I could chomp off in an afternoon pretty easily, yet I cannot. I'm two weeks in and still reading. I cannot bare the content, so tragic and awful. I could not imagine that life on my own, and I want to know more about Linda. I want to know what happens to her. If she survives. If her children survive. But, the story is so tragic, I can only handle small doses.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">This, I believe, is the key: I can imagine Linda's life because Jacobs experienced that life first-hand and wrote about it, and shared, and I am now a part of this woman's life who died in 1897.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">The other day, I read the following tweet from Sarah-Jan Murray:</span></span><br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Stories invite us into another world and to see our own with renewed eyes. They open a gap so that we <br />
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" lang="en">
Stories invite us into another world and to see our own with renewed eyes. They open a gap so that we might observe ourselves. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amwriting?src=hash">#amwriting</a><br />
— Sarah-Jane Murray (@SJ_Murray) <a href="https://twitter.com/SJ_Murray/status/553964276277207040">January 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>might observe ourselves. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/amwriting?src=hash">#amwriting</a><br />
— Sarah-Jane Murray (@SJ_Murray) <a href="https://twitter.com/SJ_Murray/status/553964276277207040">January 10, 2015</a></blockquote>
<script async="" charset="utf-8" src="//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js"></script>
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">If you’re interested (and you should be), I’ve posted her TEDxSanAntonio talk at the end of this post. Murray makes an amazing point in her succinct tweet. Stories allow us inside worlds we would normally not ever have access to. Reading old manuscripts—the original brick and mortar books and folios places us in communion with readers—people—across the ages. We are able to relate in a human way. Like a physical touch of the skin. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">Story is intimate, like the breathy whisper of a lover in our ear. </span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times,"Times New Roman",serif;">That connection is ingrained, hardwired into our heads, says Murray, and I agree with her. </span></span><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/BrtTyEmDLKQ?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-47324622100025305882015-01-08T08:31:00.001-05:002015-01-08T08:31:56.412-05:00A Menu of Simplicities<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]-->
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";">Coming
home at the end of the school day, having taught and learned, my wife having
done the same, and looking forward to an evening chauffeuring our kids around
town, a frozen chicken breast in the freezer seems overwhelming. In an ever
evolving effort to continually simplify my life, to cut out as much fat as
possible, I often create monthly menu plans. I post the menus for the current
week on our refrigerator. Last semester, I did not do this, and spent way too
much money driving through McDonald</span><span style="mso-bookmark: Life_Simplification_copy;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s or a Chinese fast food
joint, ordering pizza and ordering more pizza. The amount of work it takes to
put one of these semester long menu plans together is considerable and more
stressful than working on a thesis. The pay-out, however, are easy meals and
twenty minute grocery shopping trips.</span></span><span style="mso-bookmark: Life_Simplification_copy;"></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">I have a few rules for my menus. One, the meals have to be
cheap. I</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’m
really happy if I can feed the family on $50 for the week. Two, the meals have
to be quick. Rachel Ray’s thirty minute meals be damned. I’m talking ten
minutes flat prep, cook, and serve. Third, one meal a week is crock pot night.
I will say that this last rule is more of a rule of thumb. Hopefully it
happens. Grad school, for some reason, tends to be filled with evening classes.
A crock pot meal is nice to come home to. The kids and the wife have already
eaten. The pot is still simmering, and it’s just plop on your plate, eat, and
go to bed. My cousin runs a crock pot </span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/CrockPotLadies"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: accent1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Facebook page,</span></a></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"> though I am a little ticked off at the page because it</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s called “Crock-pot
Ladies.”</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Other sites I follow:</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">●<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><a href="http://thepioneerwoman.com/"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: accent1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">The
Pioneer Woman</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: 0in;">
<span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">●<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-themecolor: accent1;"><a href="http://www.grocerybudget101.com/"><span style="color: #4f81bd; font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-themecolor: accent1; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;">Grocery
Budget 101</span></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">And then at that point, I am at a loss, and my menu planning
consists of crazy and desperate Google searches. Then recipes get lost never to
be repeated in our household again. I wish I could find an app that I like that
would allow me to collect this stuff. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">When my wife and I were first married, one of our wedding gifts
was the 1991 edition of the Betty Crocker</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s Cookbook. We still have this book, but
the cover has been replaced with duct tape. Pages are falling out. Other pages
have huge tears down the center and repaired with Scotch tape. There are oil
stains, and the pages are yellowed at the edges. We do not use this book any
longer. It sits on our bookshelf beside our wedding album, a testament of
almost seventeen years of marriage, two kids, and several moves across the
country.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Here</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s
a recipe:<br />
<br />
Boil spaghetti noodles al dente.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">In a frying pan, slice up a kielbasa, add red onions, sliced
zucchini, yellow squash, and some Kraft Italian Tuscany dressing. While this is
all cooking, strip baby spinach from their stems, and cut in half several grape
tomatoes. Drain the noodles, add the spinach to the drained noodles, toss, and
put take the pan stuff and add to the noodles, toss again. Put the tomatoes on
top, then lid the noodles. Let sit for a bit, so the tomatoes can sweat and the
spinach can wilt. Serve topped with feta cheese.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Do you have a favorite recipe? A menu app that you</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’d like to share?
Shopping tips?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<br /></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1680242095238505785.post-71829632308662898182015-01-05T09:00:00.000-05:002015-01-05T09:00:00.098-05:00The Power of Story<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
<o:AllowPNG/>
</o:OfficeDocumentSettings>
</xml><![endif]--><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:WordDocument>
<w:View>Normal</w:View>
<w:Zoom>0</w:Zoom>
<w:TrackMoves/>
<w:TrackFormatting/>
<w:DoNotShowComments/>
<w:PunctuationKerning/>
<w:ValidateAgainstSchemas/>
<w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>false</w:SaveIfXMLInvalid>
<w:IgnoreMixedContent>false</w:IgnoreMixedContent>
<w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>false</w:AlwaysShowPlaceholderText>
<w:DoNotPromoteQF/>
<w:LidThemeOther>EN-US</w:LidThemeOther>
<w:LidThemeAsian>X-NONE</w:LidThemeAsian>
<w:LidThemeComplexScript>X-NONE</w:LidThemeComplexScript>
<w:Compatibility>
<w:BreakWrappedTables/>
<w:SnapToGridInCell/>
<w:WrapTextWithPunct/>
<w:UseAsianBreakRules/>
<w:DontGrowAutofit/>
<w:SplitPgBreakAndParaMark/>
<w:EnableOpenTypeKerning/>
<w:DontFlipMirrorIndents/>
<w:OverrideTableStyleHps/>
<w:UseFELayout/>
</w:Compatibility>
<m:mathPr>
<m:mathFont m:val="Cambria Math"/>
<m:brkBin m:val="before"/>
<m:brkBinSub m:val="--"/>
<m:smallFrac m:val="off"/>
<m:dispDef/>
<m:lMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:rMargin m:val="0"/>
<m:defJc m:val="centerGroup"/>
<m:wrapIndent m:val="1440"/>
<m:intLim m:val="subSup"/>
<m:naryLim m:val="undOvr"/>
</m:mathPr></w:WordDocument>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<w:LatentStyles DefLockedState="false" DefUnhideWhenUsed="true"
DefSemiHidden="true" DefQFormat="false" DefPriority="99"
LatentStyleCount="267">
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="0" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Normal"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="heading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="9" QFormat="true" Name="heading 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 7"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 8"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" Name="toc 9"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="35" QFormat="true" Name="caption"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="10" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" Name="Default Paragraph Font"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="11" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtitle"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="22" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Strong"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="20" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="59" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Table Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Placeholder Text"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="1" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="No Spacing"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Revision"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="34" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="List Paragraph"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="29" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="30" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Quote"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 1"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 2"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 3"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 4"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 5"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="60" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="61" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="62" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Light Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="63" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="64" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Shading 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="65" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="66" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium List 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="67" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 1 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="68" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 2 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="69" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Medium Grid 3 Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="70" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Dark List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="71" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Shading Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="72" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful List Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="73" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" Name="Colorful Grid Accent 6"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="19" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="21" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Emphasis"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="31" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Subtle Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="32" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Intense Reference"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="33" SemiHidden="false"
UnhideWhenUsed="false" QFormat="true" Name="Book Title"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="37" Name="Bibliography"/>
<w:LsdException Locked="false" Priority="39" QFormat="true" Name="TOC Heading"/>
</w:LatentStyles>
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 10]>
<style>
/* Style Definitions */
table.MsoNormalTable
{mso-style-name:"Table Normal";
mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0;
mso-tstyle-colband-size:0;
mso-style-noshow:yes;
mso-style-priority:99;
mso-style-parent:"";
mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt;
mso-para-margin-top:0in;
mso-para-margin-right:0in;
mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt;
mso-para-margin-left:0in;
line-height:115%;
mso-pagination:widow-orphan;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";
mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri;
mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin;
mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri;
mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin;}
</style>
<![endif]--><b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">The power of story.</span><span></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New";"></span></span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"> <br /><br />I believe in this.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /><br />Stories tell us who we are. They tell us
who we aspire to be. Stories make us better. And I don</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’t just mean highfalutin
literature, but I mean everything from the dime detective novel to flash
fiction and genre. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br />Look, I tried to write a romance novel
once. Dismal failure, really. I had this long, convoluted, outline, stock
characters, and followed formula to a T. Really, I had the hope to make money.
Lots and lots of money. Because, well, I was broke. When I finished the draft,
I sent the novel to publisher after publisher. After the first thirty pages,
they always wanted to see the complete novel, and I</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’d send them the whole
enchilada, and they’d write back and tell me that, though the story was good, I
hadn’t written a romance. Well, what do you mean? There was kissing and some
sex scenes, and even a fight to win the honor of the woman. I mean, riveting
stuff. Nobody wanted to publish </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">it.<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn1" name="_ftnref1" title=""><sup><span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">[1]</span></sup></span></sup></a></span> What
I didn</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’t
understand was the nature of story. Why it mattered, and why people who read
romance read romance. The romance genre is about </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">empowerment<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn2" name="_ftnref2" title=""><sup><span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">[2]</span></sup></span></sup></a></span>. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br /><br />I</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’ve tried my hand at
fantasy fiction as well because I’ve always admired authors such </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">Patricia Wrede<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn3" name="_ftnref3" title=""><sup><span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">[3]</span></sup></span></sup></a></span>,
Ursula K. Le Guin, and I grew up on Dungeons and Dragons without my parents</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’ knowledge. Again
though, I didn’t really understand why I was trying to write these stories
about elves and dragons or why the fantasy genre was even important.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span style="color: blue;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="http://mythicscribes.com/inspiration/the-power-of-the-genre-why-write-fantasy/"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; text-decoration: none;">Dave Robison</span></a></span></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"> writes on his <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Mythic
Scribe</i>s blog that, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“With
a few rare exceptions, genre [fantasy/science-fiction/speculative] fiction is
generally dismissed—even disdained—by ‘serious’ authors and critical reviewers
alike.” Yet, many people, such as I once did, miss the point of fantasy. The
genre opens to possibilities.<br /></span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";">I could
go through the entire list of genres: western, mystery, erotica,<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>whatever. Not really my point though. My
point is the power of the story, and how that power has erupted across the
Western World, thanks to new technologies and cutting edge companies such as
Amazon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s like a new Renaissance really, giving
people from all walks of life the opportunity to tell their stories. The best
invention since the printing press.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br />Self-publishing seems to get a bad rap
though, especially from, well, </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">“serious” authors and critical reviewers. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br />But if reading even the so-called junk—the
romance, the mystery, the fantasy—if even that kind of reading works to empower
with possibilities, how much more so does the actual act of writing empower
possibility within the individual and society at large? Self-publishing, of
course, is not a new endeavor, just the delivery method is new, easier,
quicker, and more subversive to the vanguard publishers and gate-keepers.
Marcel Proust, James Joyce, Deepak Chopra, Gertrude Stein, Zane Grey, Upton
Sinclair, Virginia Wolff, Rudyard Kipling, Henry David Thoreau, Benjamin
Franklin, Walt Whitman, Beatrix Potter</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">…..<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>those are the footsteps of far greater authors that I walk behind and
into. And that’s pretty exciting. Pretty scary power. </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none; text-indent: .5in;">
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><br />So Shakespeare be damned<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn4" name="_ftnref4" title=""><sup><span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">[4]</span></sup></span></sup></a></span>. Let</span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s dig into all that </span><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";">indie stuff<span style="font-size: xx-small;"><a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftn5" name="_ftnref5" title=""><sup><span><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; line-height: 115%;">[5]</span></sup></span></sup></a></span>!
Write something today.</span></div>
<div style="mso-element: footnote-list;">
<br clear="all" />
<hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" />
<div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[1]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";">And now that I have the
opportunity to publish myself, the thing will still never see the light of day.
It has been shoved into a drawer, and should probably be burned.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[2]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";">Check out Anne Browning
Walker</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s
article on Huffington Post; it’s from 2012, but still a really good read.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[3]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";">I met Ms. Wrede on a now, I
am pretty positive now defunct electronic buliten board, if you remember what
those are you have a pretty good idea of how old I am. Wrede encouraged me to
attend the University of Iowa and learn more about creative writing. If I had
known what I was getting myself into, I would have never taken her advice at
the time, but I am so glad I did. I should probably get back in touch with her,
though I doubt she even remembers me. I was just another fan I am sure. Another
electronic blip that came across the screen in the late 90</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’s. Maybe she has a
Twitter account?</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[4]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";">Um. Not really. A canon of
literature exists that tells us where we</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’ve been and where we should head. The
canon, of course, has been traditionally associated with the British, but that
mindset is slowly changing. A way more liberal, global approach needs to be
still more fully embraced, but then that raises some amazing issues, like how
the heck do you catalog all that information, how do begin to study a world
literature. More to the point, when do you stop reading?</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</div>
<div id="ftn5" style="mso-element: footnote;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=1680242095238505785#_ftnref5" name="_ftn5" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn5;" title=""><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><sup><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US; mso-fareast-theme-font: minor-fareast;">[5]</span></sup></span></span></sup></a><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-hansi-font-family: "Courier New";">Maybe I</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Courier New"; mso-bidi-font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman";">’m saying this because I
myself am an indie author.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have an
alterior motive. Buy my book. No. Actually, don’t do that unless you think you’ll
like my book(s). Heck, I’ll give you a free copy if you want. Just email me at
stevebargdill@gmail.com with FREE BOOK as the subject heading.</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New"; font-size: 12.0pt;"></span></div>
</div>
</div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00657575749719636037noreply@blogger.com0