I wrote a book!

It's a horror action/adventure novel. I wrote it during Nov. for NaNoWriMo.org.  I published it "as is." Meaning, I didn't edited it. Check it out here:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00HEQHQSM/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?qid=1387395079&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX110_SY165_QL70

Book Review - Story Engineering by Larry Brooks

"From story concept to character development to scene construction and beyond, this blueprint for dynamic storytelling makes putting together a strong novel, memoir, or screenplay easier than ever."

Pretty strong words.

I have read many books on writing from technical to "organic."  While one can find a nugget of info among the many pages, most tend to be a waste of time.

Of the select few that don't waste your time: this is one of them.

I purposely selected this book, thinking that I might get to blast it for it's all talk - no show (as many "how-to's" on writing are), but I was taken by surprise.  Believe me, I wanted to be able to rip this book apart; thinking this was just another book geared toward taking money from your wallet with "vague" ideas, such as create great characters, rather than truly trying to help you.

I don't that chance.  Brooks has provided us writers, and hopefuls, with a valuable book.

Despite how you write (technical vs. organic) there is much to be learned from this book.  Brooks talks about six core competencies that EVERY writer needs to know and incorporate in their novel if they are looking to publish.

And while on a couple we might say, "Duh," it's more than knowing, and Brooks reveals - it's about application and execution of these competencies.

Some may balk at his "blueprint" for writing, claiming it stifles creativity, but as Brooks points out we all have a skeleton and similar make up (blueprint) yet we are all unique.  Thus it can be for a story.

I highly recommend this book as it goes beyond what you should write but how it needs to be written.

(I received this book free from the publisher through the BookSneeze®.com book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.)

Faith and Risk

I was reading a book on creativity (Julia Cameron’s “Vein of Gold”).

I have been hunting and pecking at this book, of the series it is admittedly not my favorite – but it still has nuggets of information.

One such nugget came under the chapter “Courage.”

The chapter was dealing with the courage to embark on creative endeavor, especially when we do not know the outcome. Such as writing a book and not knowing if it will ever be published.

We tend to wait until we are comfortable and “sure” before we attempt to do something that will take up a good part of our time and energy…feeling of course that if it doesn’t pan out the way we want it to, we have wasted our time.

Julia went on to say: “without the freedom to fail real creative success is impossible. The work that avoids failure, avoids risk, and safe work is dull by definition.”

It dawned on me: this too, works with faith.

The faith that avoids failure, stumbling, hurt, etc. avoids risk…and “safe” faith, is dull faith.

If it’s new to us, it might be exciting at first…as all new things usually are, but then it becomes comfortable and safe.

Safe is comforting, but it also runs the risk of becoming boring.

Sure, we need our safety and comfort from time to time, but if our faith is to grow, to increase, to get closer to God, we need to step out of that safe zone…

We need to take a risk of faith…

My humble case for a Creator...

Not that I feel that I need to argue this point...but it was something that I have thought about. Especially during times of doubt.

We pretty much take it that Leonardo Da Vinci painted this painting...we would even say we KNOW he did.

Do we?

How do we really know that he painted this? Truth is, we don't. We, in a way, take it on faith.

Oh, there's A LOT of circumstantial evidence pointing to the fact he did...there is no 100% proof!

In fact, there is no proof that ANYONE painted this painting.

Sure, it would be hard to believe that the painting JUST HAPPENED...yet, that is what we tend to believe about life.

Because, why, science says so?

What does science say about life?

Almost everything, but how it started, how life was CREATED.

Funny...all that science CAN PROVE...

...it CAN'T PROVE Da Vinci painted "The Last Supper."

Sure, science can tell us what paints were used, what the paints were made of, the canvass, the brushes used, the period of time it was painted, etc...

But science can't tell us WHO painted it.

Now, I may not be able to paint a picture like "The Last Supper"...but I KNOW I can't create life...not with all the practice in the world.

Couldn't the painting just have happened? By accident?

After all it is just a bunch of paint on a canvass that appears to LOOK like the last supper...The Virgin Mary has "appeared" in a grilled cheese sandwich hasn't she?

No...I believe the painting was created. I believe that Da Vinci DID created it too! (Even if because books written by "man" told me so - AND I also LOVE science by the way - and Science Fiction!)

It's when I see paintings, or hear music, or a drawing, or a books...it's THEN that I regain my faith.

If we can create something so simple...something, someone HAD to have created us.

101 Ways to Get your Prayers Answered!

Naw, just kidding...

I’ve never been good with prayers…by that I mean, I’m not sure that I exactly know what I’m doing when I pray.

Sure, I used to ask for stuff: health, safety, etc. for myself and for friends and family.

But that started to feel…I don’t know, silly in a way.

More less, sure I don’t want friends and family to suffer, but I’m also asking for their health and safety for selfish reason as well.

I still do on occasion, but I’ve turned toward a few things with my prayers (such as they are.)

1) Being thankful what I have and have been given. Blessing of all sorts, from health, safety, financial, and of course friends and family!
2) How I can help others, or to use my blessings to bless others.
3) Guidance in various areas that I feel need help.

Then the issue becomes…HOW does one pray.

Kneel?

Close the eyes?

Raise hands in the air?

The best way that I feel I pray is writing it down. Like a letter to God. All other ways don’t give me the same feeling…though I figure God already knows.

Sometimes I just talk to him too…

Then there are times when no prayer seems right, so I pray The Lord’s Prayer, sometimes a few times in a row…

But I think that the problems is: I think it should be harder, more complicated, than it is…no sacrifice is required, no priest, no action, no nothing…God knows my heart, God knows what’s on my mind, what I am seeking, I just need to relax and be…and talk…pray…or write…

A stab at poetry...

This came to me as I was reading the Ortberg book and saw the phrase: Banquet of Bitterness.

Banquet of Bitterness

Come and sit,
For here is a grand feast!
Fit for a king,
But served by a beast.

The courses are many,
But you’ll never be full.
Your guests will be few,
But they’ll never be dull.

You’ll eat of pain
And drink of sorrow
The menu’s of yesterday,
forget tomorrow.

You’ll slurp up every wrong,
Served on your plate.
It’s a buffet of anger,
Sadness and hate.

This banquet of bitterness,
toward everyone you’ve known.
devours the heart,
But only your own.

Shel Silverstein I ain't!

But I was inspired to write so here it is:

Untitled

Hey kids, don’t be so quick
To grow up, slow down and stick

Around and be the age you are at
For before too long, you will notice that

You will think, of the past
And wish you hadn’t grown up so fast…

3 years...

Little did I know that today is my 3-year anniversary with my current company.

While, three years isn't a very long time, it did get me to thinking about what else I COULD'VE accomplished in those three years.

1) written a book
2) saved more money
3) given more money
4) and on...
5) ...and on...

So, naturally, I got to thinking what CAN I do in the next three years? Or however long I'm around.

Go figure, the list is about the same.

Many are easy, and don’t take too much effort. They shouldn’t either. Helping others doesn’t have to be painful for us too!

We don’t have to give ‘til it hurts, because eventually we might not have anything left to give.

Heck, just one dollar makes a difference – even in times like these!

As for the book…well, we’ll see about that. I have many story ideas (there is never a shortage of those) but many of them don’t lend themselves to book length.

Maybe God will provide me with the Great American Novel idea…or the next “See Spot Run.”