Category Archives: General Posts

Sports, relationships, parenting, literature, education, and more. If it catches my interest that day, I’ll write about it.

General Posts

Friday Afternoon Ramblings

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I don’t expect most people to understand this, but Christmas just isn’t the same for me anymore.  In part, that’s because of what my ex-wife did to me on Christmas morning, but there’s more to it than that.  Of course, I miss my children more this time of year than any other, and maybe if they were with me, I’d feel differently, but I just feel like the spirit of the season has become distorted and perverted into something profane.  While I don’t consider myself a Christian, I always loved the idea of peace on earth and goodwill to all.

But that’s not the reality of Christmas in this country today.  Now, it’s about celebrating how much money you can spend and how many good deals you can find.  Peace on earth has been replaced by competitive shopping, and goodwill has been replaced by tension over long lines and parking spaces.  The whole charade played out in the name of holiness sickens me.  The yearly garbage from Fox News about the war on Christmas would be laughable if it weren’t so misplaced.

The real war on Christmas is waged when families compete over how much lighting they can install, which by the way is a holdover of a pagan tradition to ward away evil spirits during the winter solstice.  The real war on Christmas is waged when TV commercials mock Santa Claus to demonstrate how good their deals are.  Those are the things that undermine the spirit of giving and distort it into a materialistic competition that has no connection to the story of Christ, whose message was to give to the needy, shepherd the lost, heal the sick, and turn the other cheek.  The real war on Christmas is waged every time someone values the material object over the spirit of charity.

If you want to know where we’ve lost our way in this nation, look no further than that.  The message of Christ, one of love and compassion, has been distorted into hate and competition for political and economic advantage.  I know I’m not the first to point out this perversion, and I know I won’t be the last, but if I can send one message to my country this Christmas it would be to look closely at the teachings of Jesus Christ, not as told by the modern church, but as told by His disciples.  The road to happiness is through love and charity, not through 50% sales, cascade lighting, and an empty ceremonial exchanging of nonessential gifts.  Peace will come with tranquility and splendor.

General Posts

Thursday Morning Ramblings

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Well, yesterday, I had to trade vehicles.  The Cadillac, which had been a great car up until a month or so ago, started having some issues and was on the verge of becoming unreliable.  I didn’t really want to trade but felt like I had to move while the Cadillac still had decent trade value.  I’m now the proud owner of a 2008 Hyundai Santa Fe.  I was hoping for a Camry for the fuel mileage, but we couldn’t get close enough on numbers to keep me in my comfort zone.

The Santa Fe is my first ever SUV, and after the luxury of the Cadillac, it  will take some getting used to.  This isn’t my first Hyundai, however.  Back in 1990, when I started college, the first car I purchased on my own was an 88 Hyundai Excel, one of their first models.  My friends used to tease me mercilessly about that car (I’m looking at you Ferg), but I got nearly 200,000 miles out of it.  I’m hoping the Santa Fe is just as durable because I don’t want to trade again for a few years.

I also want to thank Heath Tatum at Rusty Wallace Toyota in Morristown for helping me find a decent vehicle that fit into my budget.  He went above and beyond for me, and I appreciate all the work he put into finding the right fit.  Heath’s a good friend and one of my favorite people in this world, even if he is a Kentucky Wildcat.  Thanks, Heath.  I appreciate you, brother.

General Posts

Wednesday Morning Ramblings

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I wanted to work outdoors today, but so far, the rain is making that impossible, so I’m sitting here thinking about my series.  Now that I’ve survived the fall semester, I want to get back to work on book four.  I’m a grinder, a slow-plodding writer who moves slowly through each scene.  In order for my process to flourish, I need to write at least 5-6 days a week.  Otherwise, the narrative becomes choppy and disharmonious.  With dual enrollment and the volume of grading involved, I simply can’t write on a book in the fall.  However, spring is more relaxed, so I plan on pouring a lot more energy into the book.

I’ve been thinking about success a lot lately.  My definition of success for me as a writer is to be able to earn a living solely from my books, and right now, I’m still a long way from achieving that goal.  My biggest frustration is feeling uncertain of how to expand my readership.  I’ve gotten a lot of support from the new publisher, and once they release their versions of books one and two, I’m confident there will be a boost in reviews and buzz, but right now, everything feels like limbo.  I don’t know what more I can do to get the word out there.

I feel like the books are solid, so I’ve got a reputable product.  Most of my readers respond with positive feedback, so I’m fairly certain the word-of-mouth is strong.  But I don’t know how to expand up to the next level.  I want to travel to more conventions, but right now, that’s not a viable option.  I feel like at this point, the internet is my most powerful ally, but how do I expand my readership through this medium?  How do I reach a broader audience?  I believe the central message of the series is compelling, that relationships and camaraderie should trump materialism and greed.  I believe the absence of profanity and adult content are strong selling points, but how do I get those messages out to more people?

I know my audience is out there.  I know there are people who have been craving the kind of adventure the series tells.  I know it because I feel it.  People still love to read, and people still love heroic tales.  I know there are readers out there who will love my books, but how do I reach them in this age?