Today is World Storytelling Day. I hope that does not apply to politicians, as most of what they do is storytelling. I will assume we are speaking about writers and playwrights, etc. The people who really tell stories.

My first comment goes to everyone who has planned to write a story but never finished it. I learned this long ago, but happened to see a Facebook meme online two days ago that is all new writers need to know. You already know the author.

I cannot recall where I saw or heard that before, but it is golden information. Others have told me they tried to write a book, but constantly went back to tweak this or that. That never works. You will end up in a spiral of rewrites long before you write THE END. The end then never comes. I think it is a shame, but then again, there is less competition for eyeballs if others quit. Obviously, there are so many writers out there who have published that we do not immediately stand out.

I have another dear friend whose father started a very successful personal protective device company. He asked me if I would help write his story. Of course I said yes. I still have not heard or seen any information for me to start with. That is another issue with new writers. You wait to gather all the information before you start. Then, you never get all the data you want, and the project goes cold. I know both the father and the son very well. The father is now 82 and I do not know if it will ever happen. That’s a shame, as I worked for that company for fourteen years (through multiple acquirers). They completely changed the earplug market.

Perhaps I am specially blessed. I never seem to run out of ideas for the next book. Too often, I stall somewhere in the middle. If the muse does not guide me, those shells of stories sit helplessly on my laptop. As I have mentioned before, I am working to resurrect some of them now. In my case, sometimes the story takes control and I lose track of where I was originally headed. Maybe that happens to you too.

I also recall a book file from a woman in Spain (I think). She hired a translator, who was terrible. I could not understand half of what was going on. I let the author know the problem, but never heard back.

Perhaps the writers in the Rave Reviews Book Club are especially blessed. There are always new stories to read and review. Still, part of me goes back to those others who tried, but could not complete what had been their dream. Imagine the incredible stories we have missed. If you know other writers, give them a pat on the back, and Stephen King’s advice. Truer words have never been said. I wish you all the best.

Thank you for reading my post. I hope something I wrote can help you write your next great novel or nonfiction book. In your free moments, please check out the posts by the other authors taking part in this 30 Day Blogging Challenge. You will be overjoyed. To go there now, just click the link below.

Today turns out to be National Let’s Laugh Day. I did not know that. The good side for today is that I can binge watch my set of Mel Brooks movies. I watched Robin Hood- Men in Tights just a couple days ago. One I do not intend to watch today is To Be Or Not To Be. While the movie had plenty of laughs, the theme behind it was not at all funny. It occurs in Germany during World War II. The hero (Mel) wants to rescue Jews from Germany before they get taken away. My all time favorite continues to be History of the World- Part 1. Many others prefer Blazing Saddles, which was hilarious too. While that movie focuses on the Old West, History of the World lambasts all of human life from the beginning. A favorite scene is when Mel is a waiter at the Last Supper. Just after Jesus says that one of his disciples will betray him, Mel shouts, “Judas, what did you want to drink?”, or something similar. The French Revolution segment was amazingly funny. Cloris Leachman plays a leader of the mob that wants to depose the king. At one point, she laments that the poor had no language of their own, but instead only had the silly accent. Priceless.

Laughter is the best medicine. I wish some of the programs I watched on TV years ago were still available to see. F Troop was wonderful, as were Happy Days, Three’s Company, and of course, Mork and Mindy. I also have the set of Naked Gun movies, the complete Three Stooges, and many other choices. I was into British TV years ago. I even have the full run of Are You Being Served. The younger generation probably would not understand the humor, but I loved it none the less.

We all know that sometimes life is not fair. We can deal with the disappointments in many ways, but I prefer to put my feelings aside and watch something funny. It is also upsetting that comedy is being pushed aside for political correctness. I loved every episode of Blue Collar Comedy. I grew up watching Red Skelton, Jack Benny, Johnny Carson, and so many more. Honestly, we have lost a lot by giving up on our funny bones. I never will.

So, to heck with those who want to stop comedy. That tiny group on social media does not have the power they think they have. Life will go on, and hopefully, it will be filled with laughter. I wish you all the best.

Please take a moment to check out the wonderful Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are working their way through this thirty day blog fest. The link to below will take you where you can find everyone’s posts. Enjoy!

Today is National Awkward Moments Day. Whew! That is a tough one. I imagine that we have all done things we later regret. In fact, it happened to me last night. My ex came over for a glass of wine. Eventually, the conversation moved to housing values in San Diego County. She has a very nice and large home less than a mile from where I live. I said that in my opinion, a million dollars for the average house in the city of San Diego is unsustainable. She assumed I was telling her that her house will collapse in value. She does not live in the city of San Diego, by the way. Today, I mentioned that the average single family house in the city has 1,500 square feet of space. Her house is quite a bit larger. The houses in the city also tend to be squished together on small lots. In her neighborhood, each house has a quarter or third of an acre for property around the house. I am hopeful this unfortunate event is now over. We will see.

A second awkward moment happened several years ago when I was returning from business in Europe. I changed planes in Boston onto a 757. There were two seats on the left side of the aisle and three on the right side. I had the aisle seat on the right side. My row mates were too rather large people, a couple I believe. My neighbor was using the armrest and part of him overhung it. I twisted to my left and put my right hand on my left upper arm to make myself smaller. A male flight attendant asked if I was okay. I think he thought I might be having a heart attack. I was a bit embarrassed, but assured him I was okay. Needless to say, the six hour flight from Boston to San Diego was quite uncomfortable.

In the current chapter of my life, I feel no need to travel. If you have traveled for business, you know it is not fun. My boss and I once traveled to Paris for a budget review (scheduled for one hour) with the CEO and CFO. When meeting time came (the next morning), the CEO was out sick and the CFO was very late. The review was very top level, and I later wondered why we made that trip. Well, my boss was COO of the company and he flew business or first class. I was in coach most of the time. The only business trips I always enjoyed were to Brazil even though the flights seemed never to end. Life has a different rhythm there. Travel lanes on the street were merely informative, and the beer and food were always present. Someday I must tell you how to make a Caipirinha cocktail. They are truly mind-blowing, and not at all awkward.

I am certain that I have had MANY more awkward experiences, but this has been a good start. Please take a few minutes to check out the blog posts by my fellow Rave Reviews Book Club 30-Day Blogging Challenge competitors. Click the link below for the bullet train to everyone’s posts. I wish you all the best. A bien tot!

As you already know, today is St. Patrick’s Day. Frankly, I have never been a fan of the holiday. It turns out that I have no Irish ancestry. As a child in school, all the talk about pinching people who don’t wear green this day really upset me. I have always been introverted and shy. The thought of someone pinching me was terrifying, although I cannot recall if anyone ever did.

I completely agree that the day should be celebrated by those who have Irish heritage or live on the Emerald Isle. The green beer thing is another tradition I cannot get into. Don’t take me wrong, when I was in college, the drinking age was 18, and yes, I did imbibe. Other than the color of the brew, that day was no different from most weekends for college students. Interestingly, now that the drinking age in most places is 21, nothing seems to have changed.

The other pseudo-Irish thing I enjoyed was Lucky Charms cereal. You know, they were magically delicious (being candy marshmallows in your breakfast). Just what every young child needs in the morning: another sugar rush. I have not had cereal for breakfast in more years that I can remember.

To be totally honest, I do enjoy Irish whiskey although I do not drink it regularly. While on a business trip in Dublin years ago, we went to a whiskey tasting event where the Irish hosts showed how much better Irish whiskey is compared to Scotch. It was not a fair contest. They compared Irish whiskey to the cheaper Scotch whiskeys. Although I have not had it in years, I have a warm spot in my heart for Lagavullen Scotch. It is VERY peaty, so beware. My favorite Irish whiskey is Tullamore Dew.

I believe that is the sum total of my thoughts on St. Patrick’s Day. Celebrate any way you choose, but be careful about drinking too much. Tomorrow is a Monday, so if that means back to work, take it easy.

While I have your attention, please check out the posts by the other wonderful Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are doing the 30-Day Blogging Challenge. You can click the link below to see what we have all said so far. I wish you all the best.

Today I get to post about anything I choose. I will avoid politics, religion, and anything else contentious. I hope it is not too boring.

Since I am a novelist, let’s talk about some of the plots I am including in my next tales. The working title of the first one is Land of Lost Souls. I should have already sent it to my editor, but there is a kernel of my brain that is keeping me from sending it. No need to waste further time. I will send it in the next day or two. This story is about the souls that avoid or are kept from finding their way to Heaven. My protagonist is the key to rescuing the lost souls from Limbo or worse.

The next story is one I am very excited to finish. The hero of the tale is a load handler for a spaceship that takes supplies to other planets in our solar system. He is told that a bomb has been hidden in the hold. He is the only person available to find the bomb. He also finds ambassadors from other worlds. Until that moment, no one on Earth knew about the visitors. Our hero eventually learns that Earth is the original home of all sentient species in the universe. Until I write it, I am not certain what happens next. I do not have a tentative title yet.

The tentative title for the next book is M Primus, which is the name of a supercomputer that takes over Earth and seeks to eliminate mankind. The salvation comes from a woman who has another M Primus stuffed inside her abdomen. The robots are no match for her power.

All three of those stories are at least half complete. Earlier drafts tended to take on lives of their own, but I am working to bring them back into line. It has been quite a while since I published a new novel. I look forward to getting back up to speed. My last job really sucked the ambition out of me. I believe my mojo is coming back!

Please check out the posts by the other amazing Rave Reviews Book Club authors who are participating in this 30 Day Challenge. Trust me. They are awesome! I wish you all the best.

Today is World Sleep Day. While sleep is awesome, to me, March 15 will always be the Ides of March, the day Julius Caesar was assassinated by the Roman Senate. I fixate on that because I have always been a fan of the Bard, William Shakespeare. I still have my hardcover book of all his plays: The Illustrated Stratford Shakespeare. I recall the line by Augustus Caesar upon arrival at the scene: “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him“. Immediately thereafter, he spoke of the horrendous action by the Senate. That speech was one of the Bard’s finest. That actual events thereafter were pivotal in Rome’s change from Senate rule to Empire.

If I may opine on a similar subject, my favorite Shakespeare play is Hamlet. “To die, to sleep no more. Perchance to dream.” Many years later, I worked for a personal protection equipment company. We had a factory just outside of Helsingborg, Sweden. One time, I had to take the ferry from Denmark to Sweden. It left Denmark at Helsingor (Elsinore in the play) and landed in Helsingborg. Coincidences like that always amaze me. The hotel I stayed at was in the center city. Through my window, I could see a church that dated from 1366. I knew Sweden has been around a lot longer than the USA, but to American eyes, it was astonishing.

Now, don’t get me wrong. I love sleeping. As I have mentioned, I have never taken naps. My mind is always buzzing with trifles and real issues (like what to say on this page). If everyone on the planet could just sleep for a day or two, perhaps some of our problems would disappear. Unfortunately, too many people believe they are responsible for saving the rest of us. Those folks really need to relax. As I have mentioned before, in Lao Tzu’s Tao de Ching, he said the best government is one you never hear from. Our political classes have the mistaken opinion that we hang on their every word. Ninety-nine percent of us could not care less. No Taoists in our governments, federal, state, or local, and that’s a shame.

I thank all of you who loved the picture of my dog, Akiva. Here’s a picture of Aida’s dog, our beloved Zelda. She is fourteen and still as sweet as ever.

Please check out the blog posts from the other wonderful Rave Reviews Book Club authors participating in this challenge. Just click the link below. Thanks, and I wish you all the best!

I am a bit confused today. It is National Write Your Story Day, but I always thought of 3/14 as PI Day. You know, the ratio of a circle’s circumference to its diameter. As an accountant, finance guy, and all around number-lover, it is a difficult choice to make. To compound matters, I am also a writer, although I rarely write about my own life. I have always preferred the science fiction and fantasy genres. As you can guess, I have a very active imagination. The other books I have penned have also provided me with concepts and stories for the next books. Perhaps that is why my books often become series. My brain gives me more and more fodder for the coming chapters. I suppose you could say I do not know when to shut up.

My novelist self is very different from my day-to-day life. For a lot of reasons, I have been an introvert for a very long time. At times it was a curse, but most often, it is a blessing. Being single again, I have no fear of being alone. The quiet time gives me the opportunity to continue my writing or at least to imagine what I will write next.

Mathematics is also a curse. That is unfortunate since most science relies on mathematical equations. Not long ago, the scientific community decided the universe is twice as old as they thought it was. A thirteen or fourteen billion year error seems like a bit deal. But no! It was just one of those things, like when you think you have a billion dollars in the bank, and when you check you only have $1.50. Just a simple math error. Nothing to see here.

The writer in me sees this as a fantastic opportunity, which I am already incorporating into one of my next books. If the universe is now 26 or 28 billion years old, then perhaps our planet is twice as old too. What an opportunity to rewrite history, even if it is fiction.

I do like the concept of each person writing their own story. If I did that, I imagine I would come apart at the seams. Too much angst and too many tears to hold onto. Many of us had troubled childhoods. While there is some benefit from writing it all down, the risk of bringing back terrible moments may be enough to cancel the whole idea. I look at it this way. I know what happened to me. I know what caused my mother to lose hope. Writing it down is not going to change anything. Those feelings will follow me for the rest of my life.

I do encourage you to write. Perhaps you can change the story to make it amazing. As a fantasy or fiction, it does not have to be about you. If you write it, your truth will shine through, and that’s enough.

Please take some time to check out the posts by the other great writers who are participating in this challenge. Now you know more about me, so why not learn more about them. I wish you all the best!

Today is National Good Samaritan Day. The key word is Good. I have always tried to be a good and respectful person. For those who may have read some of my books, like Demonic or 2125: Home of the Brave, you may think differently. Of course, those were only fantasy novels.

There is my first reveal: I ran accounting departments for most of my career, and yet, I never fired anyone. I worked with each person to make them better at their job. I felt that was the right way to treat people. Unfortunately, my bosses were not of the same mind.

Here is an example: I worked for several years for Sherwood Medical Company, which had been acquired by American Home Products, a major US corporation headquartered in New York. One of the locations wanted to relocate an HR manager to another site where help was needed. Ultimately, the CEO of the parent company said to give her a 6% raise and let her pay her own relocation. So, the top executive of a billion-dollar corporation involved himself in this action.

I wish that was the only example I have witnessed, but it was not. I could list more, but if you worked in Corporate America, you already know what it’s like.

Rather than focus on the exceptions, let’s focus on the larger issue. I believe most people want to do the right thing, in spite of the significant number of others who care only about themselves and their immediate gratification.

Our political class only makes the problems worse. While we have different ideas on what our country and our world needs, most know that being kind, just, and fair matters most. Some believe the political hyper-partisanship is to blame. I think they are correct.

I have read the Tao de Ching, the first book by Lao Tzu, the ancient Chinese philosopher and creator of Taoism. He said the best government is the one the people never hear from. Wouldn’t that be great?

That is why I focus on what is around me. If I give money to one party or the other, it matters little to them. They are grateful for the cash, but that’s it. If I care for the people around me, I have done my duty of our Lord. I cannot change the world, but if I help one person, that good will compound. Perhaps some day, that good will cause real change. That is about all one person can do.

Please take a few minutes out of your day to check out the posts by the other authors who are participating in this 30-day Challenge. They are much smarter than I. You can click the link below to see what they have posted every day. All the best!

Welcome back to my humble website. In case you did not know, today is National Organize Your Home Day. I certainly do appreciate the reminder. When I moved into my current residence, I brought a huge amount of stuff with me. At the time, everything seems precious and vital to my happiness. Those times are long over.

At this stage of my life, I want to simplify everything. For those who did not know, during my working years I carried a lot of excess weight around with me. I blame the corporate culture. When I worked for Sperian International, I traveled a lot. The corporate headquarters was in Paris, France. As any of you who have been there, Paris is a magical place, at least during the times I was there. I also traveled to Sweden, Norway, Austria, Slovakia, and Brazil. When you are traveling on company business, you always end up eating at great restaurants. You swallow a lot of that culture and it shows.

That adventure ended abruptly when Honeywell acquired Sperian. If you know anyone who worked at that company, you know most former employees say it’s a great to company to have worked for. Being there isn’t so great.

Yes, I know I changed the subject, but I wanted to share the context of the situation. For two years or so, I was at home. My ex (wife at the time) eats like a bird. I spent so much time with her that my eating habits changed and I lost a lot of weight. I feel great by the way.

Still, I was encumbered by a lot of other stuff. Recently, I realized that most of it has to go. Much of my extra large clothing is already gone. But I still have a ton of things to go through. Most will end up in the trash or given to charity. My goal is to lighten the load before I decide to move to Florida, or wherever. It does not make sense to carry my junk around forever. If I do decide to move, I will also be saving money on the move.

I mentioned before a failed deal I had with Barnes & Noble Nook Press. I ended up with a slew of copies of my earlier books. I mean a LOT of BOOKS. I have already set aside enough copies to keep. The rest is truly trash. At first, it bothered me to throw them away. After I got rid of the first batch, I felt relieved. All the books are still available online, so nothing is really lost. Plus, the ever-present memory of the Nook Press fiasco still grates on me. Once those copies are gone, I will be able to let that go.

I have mentioned before that I now lead a very simple life. That suits me just fine. All the old clothes and books are just in the way. I also have a large number of hardcover books that I purchased over the years. While I feel a connection to them, I know they will be better used by others or in a library. I will likely keep the few cookbooks I still have, and my Hitchhiker’s Guide books. Those were always my favorites. One of these days, I will announce my success. Then I will have more time to focus on what is really important in my life. I wish you all the best!

Please take some time to review the posts by the other awesome RRBC authors who are participating in this challenge with me. I know you will love their stories, probably better than mine. You can click the link below to check them out.

Today is National Napping Day. I am not sure how to deal with that. First, I have never been a person who takes naps. My brain is too active with crazy nonsense to allow me to rest during the day. I have a hard time staying asleep all night. I do remember my brother Kent took a lot of naps. He would put the hood from our mother’s hair dryer over his face with the heat off. I could not understand how anyone could sleep during the day. If you are one of the lucky ones who can, I congratulate you!

Do not get me wrong on this. Every one of us is different. When I consider my ex, her children, their spouses, or grandchildren, I am amazed at how different each person is from the rest. My daughter’s two girls could not be more different from each other. The elder is very thoughtful and devoted to her schoolwork. She is also good at fencing and water polo. The younger is all about sports. She is a phenomenal soccer player, generating most of the team’s goals. At school, she just gets along. My son’s children are equally different from any of the others. Unfortunately, they live in New York, so I do not have much opportunity to connect with them. For all of them, I am reminded that our physical traits come from our parents. Our souls come from God.

While sometimes our differences can cause issues, ultimately those differences are what makes each of us unique and special in this crazy world. When I think about the world my grandchildren will inherit, I know everything will be okay. Perhaps today we can argue about politics, but those differences are temporary. It is the youth who will decide what happens to America, and every other country on Earth. Today’s divisive policies will fade away. Hopefully, new unity will ultimately conquer the bad we see today.

In other words, all is well in the Kingdom of God. I hope you all have a wonderful day. If you are one of the lucky ones, go ahead and take that nap. I wish you all the best.

Please take some time to check out the blog posts by the other authors competing in this 30-day Blogging Challenge. You can get there easily by clicking the link below.