tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-84268194546776656222024-03-13T10:54:53.052-07:00Mark Young's Arresting FictionONE CHARACTER AT A TIMEAnonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-74902931883897717582015-10-15T05:00:00.000-07:002015-10-15T05:35:39.182-07:00Circle of Lies mystery novel released today: ‘Fat Louie’ character chats about Tom Kagan<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><b><span style="color: red;">By Mark Young</span></b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"><span style="color: orange;">[The latest Tom Kagan novel, </span><i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Circle-Lies-Tom-Kagan-Novel-ebook/dp/B015S1FRX0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1443282750&sr=1-1&keywords=Circle+of+Lies+%28A+Tom+Kagan+Novel%29"><span style="color: magenta;">Circle of Lies</span></a></i><span style="color: orange;"> will be released today in digital form through Amazon, Barnes &amp; Noble, Kobo, iBooks, Smashwords, and IngramSparks. Hardcover and paperback formats to follow very soon.]<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">I caught up to our <i><span style="color: magenta;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Circle-Lies-Tom-Kagan-Novel-ebook/dp/B015S1FRX0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1443282750&sr=1-1&keywords=Circle+of+Lies+%28A+Tom+Kagan+Novel%29">Circle of Lies</a> </span></i>character in California—Sergeant Art Crenshaw of the Santa Rosa Police Department’s Organized Crime and Intelligence Section (OCIS)…wow, that’s a mouthful. Anyway, Fat Louie—<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “—hey, buddy, that’s not my name. If you can’t be civil in this interview—“<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“—sorry, sergeant. That just slipped out. It won’t happen again.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Yeah, well, Tom Kagan came up to me later and apologized for calling me that behind my back. Just because I have aspirations to become a lieutenant, and my backside is a little…oh, just forget it. You can call me Art, Crenshaw, or sergeant, but just because you are the author doesn’t mean you can make a joke at my expense. After all, even supervisors have feelings.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Okay, okay, cool your jets, Artie. Like I said, it just slipped out.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Authors don’t make mistakes. They have to be very specific about the words they use. You just wanted to give readers a little laugh at my expense. Just because you have that power over us characters doesn’t mean you have to be mean.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Gee whiz, Artie, for a cop you have thin skin. Why can’t you be more like Kagan—tough, blunt, no nonsense.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “You’d be sensitive too, Mark, if you had to try and supervise a cop like Tom. I mean, the guy’s a supervisor’s worst nightmare. Never know what he is going to do or say; and the trouble he gets into is enough to make me lose what little hair I still have. He attracts trouble like a magnet. I never know what he is up to. And that gives me nightmares."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“But he always lands on his feet.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Yeah, one of these days he’s going to bite the big one and I won’t be able to protect him. He’s a good cop—none better—but he is the reason our department keeps re-writing our rules of conduct. He’s broken just about every one of them getting the case done, and I wind up having ton of paperwork trying to save his butt.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Okay, what about his last case in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Circle-Lies-Tom-Kagan-Novel-ebook/dp/B015S1FRX0/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1443282750&sr=1-1&keywords=Circle+of+Lies+%28A+Tom+Kagan+Novel%29"><span style="color: magenta;">Circle of Lies</span></a>?</i> Didn’t he do a fantastic job?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Crenshaw gives me a quizzical look before answering.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “For an author, you are some kind of stupid. You want me to tell your readers everything Tom did in this novel. If I do that, no one’s going to want to read the story.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“I didn’t mean to tell them everything Tom did. Just give them a hint of the trouble Tom faced."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Crenshaw shifted his ample behind in the chair as he thought about everything that had happened in the last few months.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Well, I would say that Tom came as close to dying as he has in any police action since he joined the department thirty years ago. For a moment there, I thought they were going to kill him. And if he survived those killers, I feared he might end up in prison for the rest of his life. Now, that’s what I call ‘high stakes.’”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“How did this all start?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Hey, writer-man, you can tell them better than I. After all, you made this all up in that twisted head of yours. You tell them.”<br /><br /><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Hey, Artie. Drop the attitude or I just may write you out of the next novel.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “See, that’s the attitude I was talking about. Now that is just down-right threatening. What? You going to get me killed in the next book?"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Worse! Maybe I will make you in charge of all internal affairs cases. Everyone will treat you like you have the plague.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “You think being a supervisor is much better. Always looking over everyone’s shoulder. Telling them all the things they can’t do. Being a supervisor is not a bed of roses. Always on the outside. Never being trusted. Never one of the guys.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Let me share a little secret with you, Artie. Kagan actually thinks you are an okay guy. He felt sorry for joining the other guys with that Fat Louie joke. He stopped calling you that after the <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLT2G00"><span style="color: magenta;">Broken Allegiance</span></a> novel</i>."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “He told you he likes me? Are you on the up-and-up, or is this one of your author’s lies you just came up with.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“No, I’m being straight with you. From my lips to God’s ears…it is the truth.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Crenshaw gave me a look like he was trying to figure out whether I was telling the truth, or I was setting him up. I think being the author is like being an internal affairs investigator—no one trusts you.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Okay. Here is how the case started. Tom got a call from a buddy of his up in Seattle about an armored-truck heist and a murder. The victim turned out to be Tom’s old partner at SRPD years ago. The guy was retired and he was working as a driver to make some extra coin. They shot him point-blank. Later they realize the shooting may have been about more than the robbery. It appeared to have been racially motivated. Jason—the dead guy—was black.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “So how did Kagan get involved?”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “The Seattle cop gave Tom a lead in our neck of the woods. Once Kagan got his teeth into the case, there was no turning him back. I tried several times to give it to the FBI—but that son-of-a-gun keeps finding ways to land in the middle of the investigation. I warned him. The FBI warned him. Even the bad guys tried to get him to stop. But like I said, there was no reasoning with that guy. Tom was going to do it his way. Even taking his gun and badge away—which the chief did at one point—Tom continued to search for the bad guys until…well, I can’t tell your reader that or it would give the story away. Let’s just say Tom got into a heap of trouble. And he had an IA lieutenant looking for anyway to bring him down. Inside the department and outside, Kagan had enough problems that a reasonable man would have just walked away."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “But not Tom?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Crenshaw ran a hand over his thinning hair, a look of frustration painted on his face.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Look, oh powerful one! I’ve played along here telling your readers about this novel since you have me over a barrel. But enough is enough. I’ve got a desk full of paper from Kagan’s latest fiasco. I’ve got to make sure that he doesn’t have to face off with that IA lieutenant again. So why don’t you run along and harass one of your other characters.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> <b>MARK:</b> “I thought we were developing a little connection here.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW: </span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">“Yeah, when pigs fly.” He started to rise, then sat back down. “Hey, I heard you are leaving town and heading back to Idaho, to the Nez Perce reservation. Does that mean you won’t be back for a while?” He shot me a look of hope.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">MARK:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “I’m going to drop in and check on Travis Mays and the gang up there. But I will be back soon, to monitor Tom and the rest of you. I don’t want to leave you guys to your own devices—without a little of my authoritarian supervision.” I gave him a big smile.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">Disappointment rained on Crenshaw’s features like thunderclouds, dark and foreboding.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">CRENSHAW:</span></b><span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;"> “Oh, joy.” He stood, looking down at me. “Next time, promote me to lieutenant and give Kagan another supervisor to harass. I’d like to sit the next one out on the sidelines.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Verdana","sans-serif"; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 18.4px;">I just shook my head. Crenshaw needs a little R and R; particularly since I have an idea what kind of trouble Kagan is going to get into next time. Crenshaw will have his hands full. Oh well, an author has got to do what an author has got to do. And I have all kind of ideas that will give Kagan and the others a run for their money.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-21586295367486416762014-07-12T11:30:00.002-07:002014-07-12T12:04:24.281-07:00Who Wins This War: You, Amazon or Hachette?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIlpZlPPld4_Joti7fhHnJzY4ikCT11hZXom_OZX0EZ12FsWeLxSaAToPRxsldSKrhGa11Pc-6P0ApO5FpZJC_NP8JQwtwN16Pigy_kieFTPgczGpyUZPT4-EzBNqeKwJfUGh2kWgyt1w/s1600/rubens_david_goliath_grt.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/AVvXsEgIlpZlPPld4_Joti7fhHnJzY4ikCT11hZXom_OZX0EZ12FsWeLxSaAToPRxsldSKrhGa11Pc-6P0ApO5FpZJC_NP8JQwtwN16Pigy_kieFTPgczGpyUZPT4-EzBNqeKwJfUGh2kWgyt1w/s1600/rubens_david_goliath_grt.jpg" height="320" width="262" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: large;">As this contract war—excuse me, negotiations— between Amazon and Hachette rolls on, what does this mean for you and me? For those of us who are merely readers and authors. Those of us who are not a part of the glittering heights of the publishing world. Many are characterizing this struggle as a battle between David and Goliath. I look at is as a struggle between two Goliaths.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Amazon fired another shot across the bow of the Hachette book publishing ship this week. While these two giants try to negotiate a contract—a heated contest which has drawn the interest of the entire publishing industry—Amazon suggested that both conglomerates give all Hachette authors 100% of the royalties from their digital sales until this dispute is resolved.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Hachette representatives called this suggestion financial “suicide.” Amazon counter that Hachette was full of “baloney,” claiming that Hachette’s $10 billion dollar annual revenue can easily afford this gesture.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Meanwhile, authors have been drawn into this fray. <i>The Washington Post </i>reported that best-selling Hachette author Scott Turow—former president of the Authors Guild—characterized the offer as “little more than a publicity stunt.” Turow cautioned authors from accepting this blood money, although acknowledging that publishers brought this on themselves for not giving authors a fairer cut of the profits.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Bestselling author Doug Preston penned a letter of support for Hachette and asked authors to sign, claiming Amazon targeted Hachette authors to force the publisher to come to terms. Successful indie authors Joe Konrath, Barry Eisler, and Hugh C. Howey countered with a petition of their own directed toward readers, explaining the intent of Amazon and Hachette, and claiming Hachette—not Amazon—are the real culprits. Some 7,000 authors have signed this letter at last count. Preston’s letter has garnered close to 600 signatures, many of them top-selling writers in the business. (In the interest of full disclosure, I did sign the petition from Konrath et al.)</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And so the war goes on.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Hachette was a co-defendant in the civil anti-trust suit, U.S. Department of Justice v. Apple Inc, that alleged Apple and five co-defendants entered into a conspiracy to raise eBook prices to consumers. The federal court slapped their hands, money was paid out, and now defendants like Hachette—free of the court ruling—must individually negotiate with Amazon and other eBooks retailers without the benefit of making a deal with Apple and other publishers that got them in hot water a few years ago.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Which brings us to today. The question I pose to you is who will win after the dust settles?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I imagine that Hachette and Amazon will enter into an agreement at some point that will benefit both parties. After all, it is a negotiation, right? And they are in the business to make money. Putting aside all the emotional terms being bantered back and forth—blood money, liberate, boycott, monopoly—it is all about the money and who stands to make the most.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Stating it simply, if Amazon wins, eBook prices will be lower and more consumers will save money on novels from bestselling authors. If Hachette wins, eBooks from their publishing house are expected to be kept high, and consumers will pay more for the same eBooks.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So what do readers and writers get out of this negotiation?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you are one of Hachette’s bestselling authors and your publisher wins, you will continue to make less—percentage wise—than indie authors and the price of your novel will remain high. But who cares if you are an author like James Patterson (garnering $94 million last year) making big bucks. If youu are another Patterson—and Amazon wins—you might make more or less, depending upon whether more first-time readers are willing to buy your novel at the lower price, or Hachette changes the percentage you make on eBooks in your favor. It all depends if Hachette might be a little more reasonable and give their writers a bigger cut of the royalties on eBooks, but I would not hold my breath.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">If you are a reader, you will most likely pay more for your eBooks if Hachette wins, and less for your eBooks if Amazon wins. As I see it, there might be a few variables that change this but the bottom line—readers win if Amazon wins.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Lastly, there are writers like myself—indie authors whose largest chunk of income is derived from eBook sales. If Amazon wins, it will be like the status quo of the last few years. Legacy publishers will offer some books at a lower price (more competition for indie writers) but considerably higher than authors like myself. If Hachette wins, eBook prices will remain high with little or no discounts and we will sell more books.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">As an indie author, I can’t seem to get too riled no matter who wins. In fact, if Hachette wins I think my odds of selling more books will rise. One of the key advantages of being an indie author is the ability to offer very competitive prices for your eBooks when legacy authors are stuck at the higher end. Wouldn’t you—the reader—be more tempted to buy five or six indie books and try them out for the same price of one Hachette’s bestselling author’s eBooks?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">No matter who comes out ahead in this contract war, Amazon will continue to afford indie authors a viable market to sell their books in an environment that is structured for customer satisfaction. Amazon will continue to offer a very reasonable and fair royalty payment that is much higher than Hachette allows its writers. They will allow indie authors to release their novels as quickly as the author’s manuscripts are finished without having writers wait a year or two before publication. They will let the market decide who to buy, not a gatekeeper working for one of the legacy publishers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Excuse me while I yawn as writers, Amazon & Hachette fired the next volley at each other. Some might think that I can not see the big picture. That I can't see where this will all lead. Give me a break! When this war is over, I will still be here, writing my next manuscript and reading a reasonably-priced novel from another indie author. Who knows, I might break down and buy an exorbitantly-priced novel from one of my favorite Hachette authors. In my world, when it comes down to it—nothing will have changed.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">What about your world? Will it change anything?</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-83251680276017024302014-04-16T16:35:00.001-07:002014-04-16T16:35:50.944-07:00Writer’s Dilemma—Finding And Keeping Readers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="color: red; font-size: large;">By Mark Young</span></b><br />
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<span style="color: #e06666; font-size: large;"><i>“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity…”</i>—Charles Dickens, <i>Tale of Two Cities.</i></span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">This classic opening line might well describe the current publishing world. It is a wonderful time to be a writer—getting published has never been easier unless you are trying to attract the attention of legacy publishers. And, at times, it seems almost daunting trying to get your novels recognized in a sea of new works that flood the market every day. Getting your book out there is getting easier. Attracting the attention of readers is not so easy. If fact, it might be describe as Mission Impossible.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Writers’ chances of getting a hefty number of new readers might seem less likely than winning the lottery or getting a majority of liberals to vote conservative. I gathered a few stats from the internet to illustrate what writers are up against. Did you know:</span><br />
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Besides feeding information to the CIA and NSA, Google gathers an assortment of stats including how many books are out there on the market. They claim there are at least 130 million books in the world at last count. This figure is rapidly climbing faster than Amazon’s share of the market.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">And speaking of Amazon, this tight-lipped conglomerate has millions of books—print and eBook—just a click away from customers across the globe. Their lending library alone boasts over 475,000 books available to their Prime members. That’s a lot of competition.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Another source of interesting book facts comes from Bowkers, the official ISBN Agency for the U.S., who gives authors and publishers that little number—called the International Standard Book Number (ISBN). They also keep stats. According to them, the number of self-published titles in 2012 reached more than 391,000, a 59 percent increase over the previous year and a 422 percent increase over 2007.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-size: large;">Americans buy approximately five million books a day, and it is believed that 125 new titles are published every twenty-four hours. And then there is the rest of the globe.</span></li>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">So how do writers and readers connect amidst this tidal wave of competitors?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Since I have not hit the NYT's bestseller list, I am still trying to figure that one out myself. As a writer and reader, I try to use a little common sense and figure what works in my small part of the reading world. From that, maybe you and I can figure out the bigger picture that would help us to understand how to reach new readers.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Since the advent of eBooks, as a reader I have been able to sample more books than I would have ever encountered by regular visits to the library. I can do this at all hours and with greater ease than ever before. So what makes readers like me choose one book over another, one writer over all those others? We have only a certain amount of time to settle on new writers that we might like to read. And we don’t like to feel our time has been wasted. So, how do we make these choices?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">First, word of mouth—whether it is face-to-face or online acquaintances—still remains one of the most</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;"> persuasive ways in my world to settle on the next book to read. I give a lot of credence to people whose opinion I respect. But I don’t generally buy a book solely on their opinions. Another way I zoom in on a book is to read a variety of blogs that I enjoy that focus on books, writers, and writing. An interesting interview with an author might persuade me to buy a particular book. Maybe. Then again, maybe I need more information. </span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Personally, I like to sample the wares. One of Amazon’s most effective tools allows potential customers to read a sample of the book they are considering buying. The Look Inside click and read function is a great way for readers to find out if the new author’s writing style interests them.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Another way to attract readers is the free or heavily-discounted promotions that are offered—particularly through Amazon’s Kindle Select program. These programs allow authors to promote their books to a larger audience than they might normally reach, particularly if it is pushed by Amazon’s secret matrix system that everyone is still trying to figure out. I am much more willing to take a chance on an unknown author if I can try out a free or heavily discounted book. More than once, after reading a novel I particularly enjoyed, I sought out and paid full price for other novels by the same author.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">A method I use to gather writing samples is to subscribe to a number of free web sites—like <a href="https://www.bookbub.com/home/"><span style="color: yellow;">Bookbub</span></a>—that showcase free or discounted novels each day. I can scroll through the list and click on any that seem to strike my fancy, particularly if they fall in the free-to-$.99 range.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Now let me slip over and wear my writer’s hat for a moment. Once I have attracted a reader who seems to like my novels, how can I ensure that that reader will keep looking for my next release or buy earlier works?</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">There are three ways that come to mind, although I am sure there are others. First and foremost, keep writing good books. Secondly, use social media tools to stay connected to readers. And lastly, encourage others to review your books so that new readers will find out about your novels.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">American author Fran Lebowitz is attributed with the quote: “You are only as good as your last haircut.” I’m not sure in which context she said this, but for most authors I would like to change this quote to say: <i>You are only as good as your last novel.</i> Writers need to strive to make their next novel even better. Readers deserve it, and I believe readers appreciate it. This goes into all aspects of making the novel, from the writing to the cover design and everything in between. Don’t get lazy. Do the best job you can and it will be reflected in the quality of your work. Readers will notice.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Before, during and after writing that novel, writers should consider developing and maintaining a web site, blogging, and using a variety of social media sites to stay in touch with readers. Develop email lists and consider using a good email service like <a href="https://www.constant-content.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">Constant Contact</span> </a>to stay in touch with interested readers. Don’t badger them, but send regular updates so they can stay updated. Let them know of upcoming releases or promotions. They have tight budgets also, so let them know when they can save a few bucks on one of your novels.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Lastly, consistently and faithfully market your books. Seek out bloggers who might review your book, offer an interview, or allow you to provide a guest blog on their site. Look for websites that allow you to post your latest novel for their viewers. Explore the ever-growing online radio and pod casts for opportunities to reach new readers. Look for book club groups that you might be able to connect with either in person, on line (Skype, Face-to-Face Live, etc.), or by phone.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">And do not give up. Take every day as it comes. Enjoy the little triumphs: a good review; the release of a new novel; a jump in sales on a particular day; and just the mere fact that you experience a good writing day. </span><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Enjoy the journey. And keep writing.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Readers and writer: How do you find new authors? What makes you stay in contact with that writer?</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-8290251747480775622014-03-18T16:20:00.000-07:002014-03-18T16:20:28.478-07:00BROKEN ALLEGIANCE (A Tom Kagan Novel) has been unleashed<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-size: large;">By Mark Young</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Stop the presses! I completely forget to share my latest bit of news. I have a new novel out!</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Can you believe I forget to tell you about this? I have been so busy working on my next novel, posting other authors’ new releases and other blog-related interviews—I completely forget to let you know.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">I apologize.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Release of<i><b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLT2G00"> <span style="color: yellow;">Broken Allegiance (A Tom Kagan Novel</span>)</a></b></i> may be known to those of you who pal around with me on other social media sites. However, I just realized that some of my reading friends might only cross paths here on <i>Mark Young's Arresting Fiction</i> blog. They may not know another of my mystery, suspense, police procedural novels has been let loose on the world.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Here is the down-and-dirty:</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Police gang detective Tom Kagan sought justice for more than ten years, leaving him a broken man. His only reason for living—the woman he loves and the badge he swore to uphold. When a man is brutally killed in a vineyard on the outskirts of Santa Rosa, California, it sparks a series of events that test what’s left of Kagan’s resolve to protect and serve. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Secrets from the past thwart Kagan’s efforts to unravel a series of killings sanctioned from within the walls of California’s highest security prison. From the lush vineyards of Sonoma County to the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe, the detective must outsmart a killer who is moving in for one epic killing spree. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Leaders of the notorious Nuestra Family prison gang are fighting for power, a struggle that spills out onto the streets of California. Kagan joins forces with Special Agent Hector Garcia, a feisty supervisor of the Special Services Unit for the California Department of Corrections; Diane Phillips, a beautiful and hard-charging prosecutor; and Mikio Sanchez, a former gang member marked for death. Through the eyes of cops and gangsters, readers are able to glimpse the seldom seen workings of the gangster underworld. </span></i><br />
<i><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></i>
<i><span style="font-size: large;">Broken Allegiance is about treacherous lies, broken promises, and shattered lives—about life, death and a man’s honor.</span></i><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Does this pique your interest? If so, you can find a copy of Broken Allegiance through Amazon’s Kindle Store<b><a href="http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00HLT2G00"> <span style="color: yellow;">here</span></a></b> or in print through Createspace <a href="https://www.createspace.com/4458108"><b><span style="color: yellow;">here</span></b></a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Grab a copy. A sequel will be coming out right on its heels. Next time, I will be a little quicker letting you know when the novel is released.</span><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-size: large;">Promise! Cross my heart and hope to… Huh, I think I’ll stop right there. After all, I do write crime novels.</span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-89770533138546666872014-01-28T16:19:00.000-08:002014-01-28T17:36:52.871-08:00A New Generation of Readers: Building A Reading BridgeThat Will Last A Lifetime<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>By Mark Young</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">“Dad, why do you want Katniss to marry Gale? I want her to choose Peeta.” My 12-year-old daughter is querying me on one of the hottest Young Adult (YA) trilogies—<i>The Hunger Games </i>by author Susanne Collins. These novels and the subsequent movies have captivated her imagination.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">[Skip the next paragraph if you already know who Katniss Everdeen, Gale Hawthorn, and Peeta Mellark are. If you’re uncertain, please continue:]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">In this dystopian thriller, these young people are trying to survive in the ruins of the nation of Panem (once known as North America) against a brutally repressive regime operated from the ruling Capital. Residents living in the twelve outlying districts must offer up two teenagers—one boy, one girl—each year to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. This tribute to those in power is so that all will remember the cost of rebellion that was squashed by the ruling government. This story focus around the main character—Katniss Everdeen, a teenager—who is emotionally drawn to two young males in her life as she struggles to stay alive. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">These two males are what my daughter is giving me the third degree about—Gale Hawthorn, Katness’s best friend and hunting partner; and Peeta Mellark, a baker’s son with a crush on the girl and who becomes her partner in the Hunger Game after they were <i>reaped</i> from District Twelve.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">My daughter thinks that Peeta is Katniss’ best choice to become more than friends with—um, you know, that yucky love stuff. I disagree with her (because I am a trouble maker) and this difference of opinion has sparked a running dialogue for several months.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What has all this to do with building a reading bridge with the young? Everything! We must use whatever catches the younger person’s interest to help fan that literary flame in their lives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This discussion between my daughter and I is just the tip of the literary iceberg. From here, we’ve launched into discussions about all of the characters: their strengths and weaknesses; conflict between protagonists and antagonist; and so forth. We moved on to talk about plot development; scenes of thematic importance; conflict resolution; and backstory. She may not use these specific terms to discuss the novel, but she has grown to understand the concepts, and throws around terms like backstory, demonstrating that she understands the rules of the writing game.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As a parent and author, this is sooo cool!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">When she was a little girl, we would read stories to her—as we did to our older daughters—for bedtime and any other excuse we could come up with to read. She has progressed beyond this phase, slowly developing her own reading interests. As parent know, persuading children to read is not always easy. School work—with all its required reading—can put a damper on a child’s desire to read during free time. And then we must compete with the temptations of TV and technology—smart phones, tablets, video games, and other digital distractions. Reading a novel—whether print or eBook—can slip down on the list of things a young person chooses to do.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">We found movies to be one way of developing a young person’s desire to read. I purchased a copy of <i>The Hunger Games</i> some time ago and tried to encourage my daughter to check it out. I could not get her interested. Then the movie was released. Our daughter enthusiastically agreed to see this PG-13 movie since she heard from others that it was a good movie (peer pressure was a positive thing in this instance). Once she saw the movie, she wanted to read the book. After reading the first novel she wanted to read the entire trilogy, saying the books are better than the movie.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Yes! She came to the realization—on her own—that a novel can take the reader deeply into many layers of a character which a movie just cannot reach.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Now, we want to continue to encourage her interest in </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">reading by searching out other YA novels that might strike her fancy. I just finished reading author Veronica Roth’s first novel, <i>Divergent</i>—first novel of another trilogy— which comes out as a movie in a couple of months. Great read! I am starting the second in the series, Insurgent, so that I’m positioned to discuss these novels with my daughter in case she becomes interested in reading them. After all, I don’t want to look like a dweeb (Urban dictionary: A dorky or nerdy person).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I am crossing my fingers. She does not want to finish Collin’s last novel, <i>Mockingjay</i>, because she does not want the story to end. She is already figuring out how to write a sequel series to <i>The Hunger Games</i> which clearly indicates to me that she is an author-in-training. (That’s a Super Bowl championship ‘Go Seattle’ yes!).</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">What could be better than having another author in the house?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Will this ploy—movies first, leading to the novel—work a second time? I hope so. If not, my wife and I will need to put our heads together and see what other strategies we can come up with. All this finagling is worth it if we can instill in her the desire to read for the rest of her life. What a gift that would be—to her and us.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This is what is working for us right now. Parents—what strategies have you successfully used in the past? Please share in case we need to come up with another game plan real quick.</span><br />
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-25559554067237397572013-12-24T22:15:00.001-08:002013-12-24T22:15:40.799-08:00MERRY CHRISTMAS & HAPPY NEW YEAR<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiOdInJpsZQn4pU9YkFlhk21AqGJdr9jWsUI7EzvXpLUZsj51zfIirE9nahyphenhyphenzyTCnmZJnOzFGBgHoeuF68wp7RAe_AowrW3WsTS-OfW7WVYyDjL-dI1WXlW4pWblDmu5VK4av__a4m38/s1600/bethlehem_planetarium.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhfiOdInJpsZQn4pU9YkFlhk21AqGJdr9jWsUI7EzvXpLUZsj51zfIirE9nahyphenhyphenzyTCnmZJnOzFGBgHoeuF68wp7RAe_AowrW3WsTS-OfW7WVYyDjL-dI1WXlW4pWblDmu5VK4av__a4m38/s400/bethlehem_planetarium.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the City of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” (Luke 2: 10-12)</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-58811532951361340562013-10-02T09:06:00.000-07:002013-10-02T09:07:49.549-07:00Amazon's Kindle Matchbook Program<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><b>By Mark Young</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amazon is about to launch another program geared to tempt readers to buy more books—print and digital. Sort of a two-for-one deal! Past, present or future print-book purchases from Amazon will qualify readers to purchase the Kindle version for less than 50 percent its current list price/ These Kindle novels must be listed at a price point of $2.99 or less under this new deal.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Here is how I understand the program works. If you buy a print book form Amazon, you can opt to enter the Matchbook program and select the Kindle version at a greatly reduced price. This digital versions will range in price from absolutely free to a maxim cost $2.99. One caveat: This program will only include books from authors and publishers who have chosen to participate in this program.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Amazon has made this offer retroactive to include books purchased through their company going back as far as 1995 when they first opened their online bookstore. It will include books currently released and those released in the future.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">On Amazon’s <a href="https://kdp.amazon.com/self-publishing/help?topicId=AVJCUBZXDNUM4"><span style="color: yellow;">Kindle Matchbook FAQ</span></a> page, the company tries to answer most of the questions that authors and publishers might have about the program.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One question that caught my attention had to do with how royalties would be calculated in this program. It appears the royalty is based upon the regular Digital List Price. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">For example, one of my Kindle novels is currently listed at $2.99, which allows me to earn 70 percent royalty. I have chosen to lower the digital price to .99-cents as a Promotional List Price. If I understand this formula correctly, I should expect to earn 70 percent of the Promotional List Price of .99-cents, rather than the normal 35 percent of books priced less than $2.99.(Amazon’s 70 percent royalty is only available for books price from $2.99-$9.99 in participating countries).</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Looking at the broader picture, will this Kindle Matchbook program interest readers to buy two versions of the same book? I asked this question on the Kindleboards (KB) site to see what other authors and readers might be thinking. Now, keep in mind that most of these KB viewers are biased toward the Kindle version. At last count, 2,337 viewers clicked on my question to read what others had to say about this program, and 62 people jumped into the conversation to record their thoughts. Here are some of their comments:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One woman wrote: “I don’t have that many print books I’ve bought through Amazon. And I seldom buy or read print anymore. But I might use it to get eBook versions of a few books I bought for hubby through Amazon…and if I buy a gift paper book for someone, I might get the eBook version for myself. It would be neat if the reverse were also true—buy the full price eBook and receive a discount on the print book so that the total price is the same.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">Another viewer wrote: “I am looking forward to it because of past print books (pre-kindle) I bought and never read; maybe now that I can get them on the Kindle for a low price, I will read them! “</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">One man write back: “I can certainly understand Amazon’s intentions for this program—to drive eBook consumption and thereby drive Kindle sales—but it would be nice if they offered the reciprocal arrangement with the possibility of getting a print book at a discount once the eBook was purchased. I know a lot of people who don’t buy DTBs except as gifts or souvenirs. Amazon has sold millions of eBooks; I am sure they could boost the print sales if DTB’s were offered at a discount to purchasers of their eBook versions.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">And lastly, this reader’s comments made me chuckle: “When is this program starting? I just ordered Nicholas Sparks new books for my MNL and would like it on Kindle so I wouldn’t have to wait for her to finish. She loves her Kindle but she has his whole collection so figured why stop now.”</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">I went ahead and started entering my novels onto the Matchbook program figuring it could not hurt to try it out. Who knows…maybe my novels will attract the attention of readers like the last person just quoted above who could not wait for MNL to finish reading the latest Nicholas Sparks novel. (Oh, in case you were wondering what ‘MNL’ mean, I looked it up. Apparently it means ‘My New Love,’ at least in the context in which it was used. Either that or they were talking about flying to NML, which is the airport code for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines.)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;">What are your thoughts about this new Amazon program?</span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-21898050023765175882013-07-29T15:29:00.001-07:002013-07-31T13:15:34.610-07:00Writing From Your Emotions: Old Dogs, Children, And Watermelon Wine<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5c_bIS-_3htnLbcCBEhb9N312w-Zjsui9kcLlUw1yRidqTD3vsG5glAq1v9oeAuptYumGorKGnCtaMWa7oDpKxJknMb3Cb10JtPLUupS149NmVIxQkPlwNgrtmsHrxLphbZEl3hEHp8/s1600/486377_dog_licks_girl.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/AVvXsEiM5c_bIS-_3htnLbcCBEhb9N312w-Zjsui9kcLlUw1yRidqTD3vsG5glAq1v9oeAuptYumGorKGnCtaMWa7oDpKxJknMb3Cb10JtPLUupS149NmVIxQkPlwNgrtmsHrxLphbZEl3hEHp8/s320/486377_dog_licks_girl.jpg" width="236" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Writing draws from a writer's emotions and experiences. I’m talking about that part of the brain that stores up memories and experiences like a sponge. That allows a writer to squeeze those memories onto the page and breathe life into a story. To weave words and memories together to create a world that is comprised of the fabric of our emotions and our life experiences.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">I grabbed this title—Old Dogs, Children, and Watermelon Wine—from a country song written and recorded by songwriter/singer Tom T Hall to help illustrate a point. I remember when this song came out years ago. It touched me. The words and the way Hall sang and played this song made me feel like I was there beside him in that bar listening to an older “grey black” gentleman telling him about the meaning of life. It resonated with me, particularly two lines of the song that summed up love and innocence:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b> <i>Old dogs care about you even when you make mistakes,</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b><i>God bless little children while they’re still too young to hate.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Now, I’ve never indulged in watermelon wine, but I love watermelon and I could imagine what watermelon wine might taste like. But, more importantly, I can feel and experience the other aspects of that song—a dog who loves you without question, without judgment, and children before they grow up in this fallen world and lose their ability to see everything through innocent eyes. I can close my eyes and picture that gentleman as “uninvited he sat down and opened up his mind” about life. I have been in places like that bar in Miami, and I can paint a picture in my mind just how the place would look.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">As a writer, I could sit down and write a scene about this song based upon sketches and wisps of memory from my own life. That is how Hall reached me because he touched that part of my memory that is filled with similar experiences and emotions. This is what writers must do: They must make that connection between their readers’ world and their own.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Hall did this masterfully. If you have ever had the joy and frustration of owning a dog, you know what Hall is writing about. You could be the most cantankerous person on this planet, but if you fed and cared for a canine with any semblance of compassion and love, that dog will reciprocate with love one hundred fold even if you are an ornery old cuss. A dog will love you without question, without judgment. Hall used that emotional tug—a dog’s unquestioning love and a child's innocence—to grab at your heart and play you like a fiddle.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Writers do the same in a story by using experiences and memories to create a connection between writer and reader, much like playwrights creating a connection between the actor and the audience using the spoken word and stage props, or as Hall did with lyrics and music to guide usinto that bar. Certain words, certain stage props are used to carry the audience into another place where the playwright/author/song writer lets our minds do the rest of the work</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">In my first published novel, <i>Revenge (A Travis Mays Novel)</i>, I</span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"> take the reader up into the Idaho Mountains and along the Clearwater and Lochsa rivers. The story is about an ex-cop-turned-professor, trying to hide from the world in his cabin, who reluctantly agrees to help a Native American river guide find her missing brother. Much of the story centers along the two rivers, federal lands, and the Nez Perce reservation. It is a place I like to go to fly fish, and I have many memories—and frustrations—searching for the elusive steelhead along those waterways.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">In my novel the land is as important as the crimes that the main character must investigate. I try to use my love of the mountains and rivers to create a world in which the reader sees and feels this place the way I do. Near the beginning of </span><i style="font-size: 21px;">Revenge</i><span style="font-size: 21px;">, Mays begins a journey down the river in which he sees something that his mind can’t seem to identify. He enjoys the river but he can’t shake that feeling that something or someone is out there in the forest watching him. The way he describes the river reflects his uneasiness:</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b><i>Fingers of sunlight painted the river’s canvas with shades of green and sandy yellow until overhanging trees cast a foreboding net of darkness across the water. Like a dividing line between the seen and unseen worlds, sun-flecked waves became pools of mystic gloom beneath these leafy behemoths.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Throughout this novel I tried to use my love and appreciation of the river—and, hopefully, the reader’s—to create a bond between the reader and the character. I attempt to use the river as an allegory to what is happening in Mays’ life, and by the end of the novel these ties to the river should draw from the reader the same emotions and feelings coursing through Mays. I guess you will just have to read it to find out if I was successful.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Another great example is Ernest Hemingway's <i>The Old Man and the Sea.</i> Hemingway used the sea as much as a character within that novel as he did the old man, Santiago.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b><i>He looked across the sea and knew how alone he was now. But he could see the prisms in the deep dark water and the line stretching ahead and the strange undulation of the calm. The clouds were building up now for the trade wind and he looked ahead and</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;"><b><i>saw a flight of wild ducks etching themselves against the sky over the water, then blurring, then etching again and he knew no man was ever alone on the sea.</i></b></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">As I read that novel, I could feel Hemingway’s love and respect for the sea. I grew up near the Pacific Ocean, and those pounding coasts, bays, and inlets became my playground. As a young man, I ventured out onto the ocean currents searching for that trophy fish and felt the vastness of God’s creation and—by comparison—my own finite being. These experiences in my youth allowed me to make the crossover into Hemingway’s world. Maybe a reader has never been out in a little boat like Santiago, but they can use similar experiences to draw parallels in their mind to what this old fisherman must have felt as he battled nature.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">This novel was Hemingway’s answer to all those critics who claimed he no longer could write, that he had somehow lost his edge to create another literary masterpiece. In </span><i style="font-size: 21px;">The Old Man and the Sea</i><span style="font-size: 21px;">, Hemingway drew from the deep reservoir of his emotions and experiences that he had stored up while living in Cuba and fishing the waters of the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean. Hemingway's joy and reverence for nature comes alive in his stories.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">Can you close your eyes and see the waters over which Santiago battled the great fish and the sharks? Can you smell the salty breeze and feel the parched lips of the fisherman as he struggle to stay alive? This novel was a culmination of all those experiences and emotions Hemingway soaked in and kept in his mental reservoir until he found the right time to put it down on paper.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 21px;">What experiences and emotions have you used to allow your story to touch a reader’s life? What authors have you read that skillfully used their experiences and emotions to make the story come alive?</span></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-76997491331660948812013-06-09T20:51:00.001-07:002013-06-09T20:51:57.770-07:00Disneyland Through The Eyes Of A Writer<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>By Mark Young</b><br />
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Disneyland looms just ahead in our family’s vacation plans. In a few weeks we will travel to that happy place where everyone goes to have fun and to put the cares of the world far behind. Over the years I have loved taking my three daughters there as a family. Now, I have only one daughter at home and in a few years she will be spreading her own wings in preparation to leave the nest. I don’t want to think about that right now. I just want us to have fun. To live in the moment.<br />
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Maybe I will always be a kid at heart. Maybe that is why I became a novelist.<br />
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One thing that Disneyland does well is to create an environment in which everyone’s imagination can be unleashed. There is nothing in this amusement park to detract people from reliving their favorite childhood memories, to spend time in places that bring back those special moments. And to create new ones.<br />
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I would imagine for many folks picking out which part of the park is their favorite can be hard. Some of the memories I share are of characters and movies that I enjoyed as a child. Peter Pan and the ride through Neverland, fighting Captain Hook and never growing old. Mickey Mouse and his friends in Toontown. And later, Raiders of the Lost Ark, once again wondering if that giant rolling rock is going to crush you or if those spiders will sap you with poison this time. How about walking through the New Orleans quarter, listening to the jazz quartet amidst the aroma of Cajun cooking.<br />
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Hard to pick your favorite, huh?<br />
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As each of my daughters grew up, I think back about certain experiences unique to each child. One was sort of a daredevil. Disneyland is filled with these experiences—and brings back memories from yesteryear.<br />
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Recently, I asked my youngest daughter which ride was her favorite. She just<br />
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shrugged her shoulders and said, “I dunno.” I know how she feels—I can’t pick my favorite either.<br />
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On one of the days at the park, we will get a special pass and go early—before most of the park is opened for the general public. We get to stroll through there before the sun rises up and heats up the place hotter than the gunfight in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride. In those early morning hours, we get to jump on rides that have no lines. It is like Christmas and birthdays all rolled into one. The park is cool and unhurried, and we can race from ride to ride without any long waits.<br />
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Can you spell ‘Heaven’?<br />
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The Disneyland experience for me is akin to writing novels. Back when I began writing my first draft of Broken Allegiance (A Tom Kagan Novel) due out later this year, I felt that Disneyland feeling about writing my new novel—or reading a new book. Anything can happen. Pare it down to one word—magic. An opportunity to let your imagination run wild, to let words and scenes run through my mind in unending possibilities. It is like being in the park early in the morning before crowds moved in. Before an unkind reader leaves a less-than-flattering comment about the novel I just penned. Before my editor—whose advice and suggestions I truly appreciate—can point out those areas where I really missed the boat and my Great American Novel runs head on into reality. Before that first blush comes off the rose, that first excitement of writing that very first draft begins to fade.<br />
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That is part of the Disneyland experience.<br />
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When I sit down to write, I like to pick places I have been to before—if at all possible. Sometime, I need to do research for places I've never visited, like the city of Baku, Azerbaijan on the Caspian Sea, and then try to imagine that place as it came alive in my novel, FATAL eMPULSE (A Gerrit O’Rourke Novel). And I find myself often creating mind picture characters who resembles actors I have seen on the big screen—at least at the beginning. Before these characters begin to take on a life, looks and attitudes all of their own.<br />
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It is all about imagination.<br />
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Disneyland is laid out like a novel as it sparks one’s imagination. The ‘Happiest<br />
Place on Earth’ is filled with all kinds of scenes—castles, rocket ships, mountains, and submarines. It is not bound by time. You can travel in the past, into the future, or in the here and now. You come across a variety of characters to fill these enchanting places. Some are good, some are evil and many fall somewhere in between.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_jlqozmx0jrLY1SsWol22bNFcUbMJpDCRuz3YI8olo8dybToViT2HTlfZcgWUjVmCW-Q0yVYCdcCjYVmZ4-dXbzhBi0wko6xFNPChFNS_r0hDLCy2hy3jiMfVpE2Rc3_fdNOvRHYyFg/s1600/IMGA0292.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjX_jlqozmx0jrLY1SsWol22bNFcUbMJpDCRuz3YI8olo8dybToViT2HTlfZcgWUjVmCW-Q0yVYCdcCjYVmZ4-dXbzhBi0wko6xFNPChFNS_r0hDLCy2hy3jiMfVpE2Rc3_fdNOvRHYyFg/s320/IMGA0292.JPG" width="320" /></a>Disneyland—like each novel—is divided into genres of entertainment—western, futuristic, medieval, and historical, to name but a few. You can choose which genre you would like to visit, or, you can sample them all. You are free to roam wherever you want until the place closes down. Morning turns to afternoon, and afternoon to dusk. As the hours slip by, so does the atmosphere of Disneyland. Places of mystery and intrigue during the day, seem to change as darkness sets, morphing into something entirely different at night. Lights become more intense, crowds seem to change, and at some point fatigue sets in as the hours wear you down.<br />
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It is like reaching a point in the novel, as you lie in bed, and start looking for a <br />
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bookmark to save your place for another day. You are too tired to continue, and your imagination needs to take break until tomorrow.<br />
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Which brings me to the question I asked my daughter: “What is your favorite ride?”<br />
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My favorite moment in Disneyland is not the rides or any of the entertainment. It is when you approach the front gate and see Mickey Mouse or one of his friends on the other side waving back. It is about the excitement I see in my family’s eyes—if those 'tween' girls who try to pretend that Disneyland is for kids, not almost teenagers like themselves. I enjoy that moment where we are about to cross over into the Land of Imagination where everything is possible. That little moment in time when everything about the day is still fresh and you feel anything is possible. That your imagination can go just about anywhere and unleash a whole new world.<br />
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Like when you pick up a new novel—particularly one written by one of your favorite authors—and you have no idea where this story is going to take you. You just know it is somewhere worth visiting. And you can’t wait to start the journey.<br />
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That is my favorite part of Disneyland. And I experience it every time I return with my family.<br />
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How about you? What is your favorite experience in the enchanted world of Disneyland or the enchanted world of books?</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-9220958427312001362013-05-25T10:59:00.000-07:002013-05-25T10:59:34.447-07:00FREE 3-Day Promo on Amazon: REVENGE (A Travis Mays Novel) Available through Wednesday, May 27, 2013<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When a trained killer threatens ex-cop Travis Mays—and those Travis loves—he finds a skilled adversary and an unexpected fight.<br />
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After a high stakes gamble ends in personal tragedy, Travis walks away from years of training and a highly successful law enforcement career. Determined never to look back, he starts a new life and a new career, teaching criminology at the university and building a cabin in the idyllic Idaho Mountains. He hires a beautiful river guide, Jessie White Eagle from the Nez Perce tribe, to guide him safely down the Lochsa. The turbulence of the whitewater, however, is just the beginning of his troubles. Travis finds himself in the crosshairs of a killer—calling himself Creasy—bent on revenge.<br />
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This fast-paced thriller takes readers on a wild ride down Idaho’s whitewater rivers, along the historic Lolo Trails once tread by the Nez Perce nation, and onto the city streets of California. Tighten your helmet. This ride never stops until the last shot is fired and the final body falls.<br />
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<span style="color: red;">Link for Free copy of REVENGE</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Travis-Mays-Novel-ebook/dp/B004NIFD0C/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1" target="_blank"><span style="color: yellow;">Amazon</span></a><br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Excerpt from Chapter 1, REVENGE (A Travis Mays Novel)</span><br />
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<b>Prologue</b></div>
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<b>Santa Rosa, California, December 2004</b><br />
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Raindrops splattered the windshield as Travis Mays raised his binoculars. Come on. Come on. Where are you? He squinted, trying to catch a glimpse of any movement near the building through this infernal darkness.<br />
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Nothing.<br />
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Travis flicked the glove box open and snatched a bottle of antacids, tossing a handful into his mouth. Jaw muscles ached from gritting his teeth. These tablets did little to ease the burning inside. He raised the glasses once again.<br />
Carlos shifted in the passenger’s seat. “She’s still inside, dude. Don’t get your shorts in a twist.”<br />
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Travis ignored his partner, straining to see through the windshield’s fogged-up glass. A two-story building loomed in the darkness fifty yards away. A black-grated fence circled the office complex. A droopy-eyed security guard—sheltered from pelting rain inside a lighted shack—sat twenty yards away, scanning all vehicles coming and going. No way to sneak inside to check on her safety.<br />
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He glanced at his watch. Ten o’clock.<br />
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Travis gripped his binoculars, searching for any signs of life in the darkened building. “Something’s wrong. I told Michelle to get out of there before everyone went home. Get in. Get the documents. Get out. This is taking way too long.”<br />
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“Chill out. Maybe she’s just waiting until everyone leaves. Then she can grab and run.” Carlos chuckled. “Michelle, is it? Sound like this is more than business. I saw you making eyes at her. She’s just a snitch, man. Business is business. Don’t let it get personal.”<br />
<br />
“That snitch is risking everything. She’s putting it all on the line. We get paid to take these risks. Not her. She gets nothing out of this.”<br />
<br />
“Okay, Okay. She’s a saint. What do you want from me?”<br />
<br />
“I want you to give her some respect. Michelle willingly came forward to tell us what she found out. No one forced her. And now, we’re about to nab one of the most ruthless traffickers we’ve ever hunted down—because of her bravery. Who knows how far this network reaches.” Travis lowered his voice. “She went back in there—knowing the danger—because I asked.”<br />
<br />
Carlos raised his hands. “Whoa, man. Lighten up. To set the record straight, the suits higher up the totem pole sent her back in. Not you. They forced your hand.”<br />
<br />
“I had a choice. I could’ve told them to take a hike.”<br />
<br />
A car emerged from the parking garage beneath the office building. Two on board. He scanned the car as it slowed at the guard shack. Two burly men, no one else. “I’m telling you something’s not kosher.”<br />
<br />
“Okay, maybe you’re right,” Carlos said. “What are we—“<br />
<br />
Travis’ cell phone emitted several sharp beeps. He glanced at the digital screen and grimaced. His sergeant, Timothy Heard, supervisor for Santa Rosa Police Department’s criminal intelligence unit, was calling. “Yeah, sarge.”<br />
<br />
“Need you to break away right now. We just received a call from the county. Their VCI dicks are working a homicide near Goat Rock. I need you and Carlos to eighty-seven with them.”<br />
<br />
“We’re still waiting for the CI to come out. Once we connect, we’ll head out—”<br />
“—I need you out there now. Your CI’s a no-show, right?” Heard barged ahead, not waiting for an answer. “Their victim is a female. Description matches your gal.”<br />
“No way. She is still—”<br />
“—I need you to get out there immediately, Travis. That’s an order. The victim matches your snitch, that’s all you need to know. We may have some damage control issues.”<br />
<br />
“It can’t ... what do you mean ‘damage control?”<br />
<br />
“I mean if your informant turns up dead, we’ve got to cover ourselves.”<br />
<br />
“You ordered me to send her back into that killer’s den. Damage control? You mean protect your sad —” He felt a hand squeeze his arm. Carlos leaned over, silently mouthing the words, “Be cool.”<br />
<br />
Travis snapped the cell phone shut, jamming it into his pocket. “The SO found a body out at the coast. They want us to check it out.”<br />
<br />
“The boss thinks the body might be our gal? And we’re just supposed to drive away? What if she’s still in there?”<br />
<br />
Grimacing, Travis fired up the engine. “Orders are orders. But if this victim is Michelle ...” He let the words dangle, not wanting to give them life.<br />
<br />
Only six hours ago he’d held her in his arms. They’d met in a motel room where he gave her final instructions. Get in, get out. Carlos stood guard outside. It had been eight exhilarating months since she breezed into his life, gave him a reason to get up in the morning. The way she teased and cajoled him into doing things he never tried before—ballroom dancing, or using a palate machine with her instead of going out for a beer with the guys. Michelle squeezed joy and excitement into every day they spent together. For once in his life, Travis began to think about the future, about spending his life with her. It had been a long time since he thought about anything other than police work. She changed all that. Before they parted ways today, she reached up and drew him close, almost like a premonition. Jasmine perfume still lingered on his clothing. A few moments later he followed Michelle to her car, watching her taillights disappear into the bowels of the garage across the street. The last time.<br />
<br />
Travis gunned the engine, cutting through the darkness. Rain and wind rocked the car as he slowed at the next intersection. He pressed the accelerator to the floor, activating emergency lights embedded in the grill of his car. It would be a long drive to the coast.<br />
<br />
<span style="color: red;">Bio.~Novelist Mark Young</span><br />
<span style="color: red;"><br /></span>
Mark Young is an Amazon bestselling author. Both his Travis Mays and Gerrit O'Rourke novels reached the top 100 list, and his debut novel, Revenge, hit #1 for bestselling mystery/suspense police procedurals. Mark worked as a police officer and sergeant with the Santa Rosa Police Department in California for twenty-six years after working as an award-winning journalist. He is a Vietnam combat veteran, honored to have served with Fox 2/5, 1st Marine Division, and later with Headquarters company. He worked on several law enforcement task force operations, including the presidential Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force targeting major drug traffickers, and the federal Organized Crime Task Force charged with identifying and prosecuting prison gang leaders. He lives in the Pacific Northwest with his family. You can find out more about Mark Young at his web site at MarkYoungBooks.com</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-46024791972685284472013-04-19T10:03:00.000-07:002013-04-19T10:03:28.844-07:00Helping Indie Authors In The Market Place<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">By Mark Young<o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><span style="color: yellow;">[Free eBook
giveaway contest. See details at the end of this article</span><b><span style="color: yellow;">.]</span><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4tVcYQMDLBkRYR-47mRk9h35dwmZB1U9uFElI2YfIx87nKfymqXL3QAx5jglvy7JMTV3mWA2z_tN5F5NOeUNT4fjrEQYr7Q7BXP1n1TTpxEebINYO5DQvEcsWe5yLERsN2dQvvTg6o0/s1600/1213571_gorilla_marketing.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="284" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ4tVcYQMDLBkRYR-47mRk9h35dwmZB1U9uFElI2YfIx87nKfymqXL3QAx5jglvy7JMTV3mWA2z_tN5F5NOeUNT4fjrEQYr7Q7BXP1n1TTpxEebINYO5DQvEcsWe5yLERsN2dQvvTg6o0/s320/1213571_gorilla_marketing.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Indie
authors must fight every day to gain <i>discoverablity</i>
in today’s challenging market. They must compete with well-financed traditional
publishers who have a strangle hold on how and where books are placed,
including advertising and marketing. Traditional publishers enjoy a near-monopoly
of their products in franchised and independent book store outlets because of the
deals they can make regarding return of product, discounted prices, and the fear
books store owners harbor over Amazon’s expanding influence.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">So how do
indie authors/publisher compete against such odds?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">One big
advantage is offering books at a price-point lower than what traditional
publishers can afford to offer. Traditional publishers, burdened with huge
operating costs and fix-asset expenditures, need to price their books to allow
for maximum profit. Even their eBook price point is equal to their hardback
novels in some box stores. There are a few other ways that indie authors can
compete—social networking, book review sites, and lower prices for production
to name a few.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But <i>discoverability</i> is where traditional
publishers generally overshadow indie authors. And this is where companies like
Amazon, B&N, and Kobo can step in to help indie authors compete in the
market place.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Barnes &
Noble released information last week that I believe was intended to help indie
authors publish their eBooks. It fizzled! All I heard from authors were comments
like these: “<i>Seriously?!?!?! This is
B&N’s big news???</i></span><i> You’re kidding</i>!” and a few other choice words I won’t put into
print.<i> </i>Let’s just say that it was a major
disappointment for many indie authors who were expecting more from B&N.</div>
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I think B&N really wants to provide
more assistance to self-publishing writers struggling to get their eBooks out
to readers. This was part of B&N’s message to authors:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<i>Our success is your success, and we've been
working hard to bring you a platform that takes our partnership—and
self-publishing—to the next level. Today, we're pleased to introduce to you
NOOK Press, our new and improved self-publishing platform!<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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The press release goes on to offer a
one-stop platform upon which authors can write, edit, format and publish their
eBooks on this new self-publishing Nook Press. This was a nice effort, but
B&N—as well as Amazon, Kobo, and other self-publishing services—can go a
lot further to aide indie authors to reach new readership. At the present time,
Amazon does the most for indie authors, but even this innovative marketer can
do more to help.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I don’t have all the answers. Like many
other indie authors/publishers, I am still trying to figure out this
ever-changing market place. In this article, I want to throw out a few ideas
that I think might help meet the needs of indie authors and their readers while
benefiting companies like B&N and Kobo—even
Amazon. <o:p></o:p></div>
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Right now, Amazon is winning the race.
Unless things change, this chasm will only widen—to the detriment of everyone. Here
are a few suggestions that might help even the playing field:<o:p></o:p></div>
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<ul style="text-align: left;">
<li>Allow self-publishing authors to offer
pre-release sales of their book just like traditional publishers.</li>
<li>Provide services like Amazon’s KDP’s
Select option—but without demanding exclusivity.</li>
<li>Allow POD print books, as well as
eBooks, from indie authors to be sold through each publisher’s site.</li>
<li>Generate email ads for all authors to
attract genre-specific, topic-specific, or price-conscious readers regardless
of whether the books are indie or traditionally published.</li>
</ul>
</div>
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<b>Pre-release sales: </b>Traditional publishers regularly offer readers
an opportunity to purchase a book that is not yet released. For example, one of
my favorite authors, Dean Koontz, has a novel coming out in May that is now
available to pre-order through Amazon and other locations. As part of a marketing
strategy, this allows the books to automatically reach fans the moment it is
available. The pre-release sale allows for the novel to begin gather ranking
status, publicity, and marketing traction.
It gives an opportunity for the author/publisher to generate a
pre-release buildup. As far as I know, this pre-release option is not available
to indie authors except for a limited few.<b><o:p></o:p></b></div>
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I know there might be some trepidation from
the Amazon/B&N/Kobo companies to offer this opportunity to everyone. What
if the authors/publishers failed to meet the release deadline? Customer
complaints would be pouring in and refunds would be pouring out. And companies
like B&N—who allow indie authors to sell eBook but not print books for fear
that indies might compete with the retail print sales and anger traditional
publishers clients—might be reluctant to do anything to improve the playing
field for independents. However, there are ways to minimize some of these fears.
For example, authors/publishers might agree to pay a fine for failure to meet
the publication deadline as an incentive to ensure the books are available on
time. There are many ways to make sure these problems are minimized, and appreciation
from indie authors and their customers would be evidenced through continued
customer support, loyalty, and increased sales.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Provide services like Amazon’s KDP’s Select
option but without demanding exclusivity: </b>As an indie author, I have greatly benefited from Amazon’s
KDP Select program by getting my novels in front of thousands of readers. Last
year, when I tried it for the first time, I was shocked at the results. For a
writer struggling to make a few sales a day, I saw my sales count soar into the
thousands in just a few days. Not only sales, but I saw hundreds of readers
make use of Amazon’s Prime lending option where readers get to down load new
books for a free read in this lending option. One caveat of this program: authors
must allow Amazon exclusivity for three months at a time. No other company can
offer that novel for sale. Later, the Amazon internal matrix changed to lessen
the results of the program, but I still participate on a novel-by-novel basis
because Amazon helps to promote each book that is in their program. This is
significant for writers like me.</div>
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If Amazon would relent and allow authors
to enter the KDP Select program without exclusivity, more books could be
offered through this program. In the long run, customers who pay the annual fee
to participate would be greatly served by gaining access to a greater variety
of novels. Authors would realize a larger reading market. And Amazon would
still financially benefit through increased sales and over-all customer and
author satisfaction. A win-win situation.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Taking this a step further, B&N,
Kobo and other platforms might consider offering similar programs—without
exclusivity. For all the reasons above, these companies would financially
benefit from serving the great reading market.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Allow POD print books, as well as eBooks, from
indie authors to be sold through each publisher’s site: </b>I know this is controversial topic, but I
think it is time for companies like B&N and Kobo, to recognize that the
market is shifting and that they need to come up with a different business
paradigm. I am still trying to figure out all the points of view on this
particular issue, but I do know that there is a market for indie authors print
books as well as eBook offerings. However, B&N and other companies—and most
brick-and-mortar bookstore—are shutting Amazon out. I understand this dilemma,
and I also recognize the fact that it is important that that Amazon not become
the only game in town. That is why B&N and other companies need to do a
little soul-searching to find a way to meet the needs of indie authors and
their readers while still making a profit.</div>
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Right now, my print books cannot be sold
through B&N, though that company will accept my eBooks. Only Amazon and its
subsidiary, CreateSpace, offers my print novels. Unless I can get a
brick-and-mortar store to order my books through Amazon (fat chance), my print
books will never be offered in physical bookstores. And—as I understand the
process—my novel sales will never be registered on Nielsen’s BookScan and
similar services that track print sales, even though I have sold a number of
print books online.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There are some changes underfoot. Some
indie authors have entered into contracts allowing traditional publishers to
retain the rights to print books, while the author retains all digital rights.
I know this is comparing apple to oranges—POD books to traditionally-published
prints—but the market and technology is changing. So must companies who want to
stay alive in this market.<o:p></o:p></div>
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There must be way for everyone to come
out ahead. Could B&N, for example, offer a similar online service for POD
books? Might they accept CreateSpace books with a different pricing arrangement
with the author? Unless there is a way to compromise—for the good of the
readers, authors, and publishers—writers like myself and readers will continue
to patronize Amazon to the exclusion of other companies.<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>Generate emails ads for all authors to attract
genre-specific, topic-specific, or price-conscious readers regardless of
whether the books are indie or traditionally published: </b>Again, Amazon does this best. Amazon will send
out massive ad campaigns by email to include all their authors, particular
those who have ranked well on Amazon’s bestselling lists. As soon as I see one
of my books appear on these lists, my sales take a jump. My eBooks have been on
Barnes & Noble for as long as I have been on Amazon, but not once has
B&N made an effort to promote my novels. Likewise, Kobo has never gone out
of their way to help promote my books, although they are still relatively new
to the business and seem to be looking for way to help authors.</div>
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More effort should be made by these
other companies to come alongside their indie authors and help get the word
out. <i>Discoverability</i> is the name of
the game. And right now, Amazon takes the lead. This translates into more
sales, more money for everyone—Amazon and indie authors. B&N, Kobo and
others: start thinking outside the box before you are left behind. Those of us
in the indie trade want to work with you, but the relationship must be a
two-way street.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Many of the topics I touched on in this
article are more complicated than I had space and space to comment on. I wanted to
present some ideas that all parties might consider—indie authors and companies
with publishing platforms like Amazon, B&N and Kobo. We need to work
together. The last thing you want to do is raise the expectations of indie
authors—like B&N’s announcement last week—and then not come through. It makes
for bad business.<o:p></o:p></div>
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I urge companies like Amazon, B&N
and Kobo to explore ways that they can further team up with indie authors to improve discoverablity for independents while giving readers a
wider selection of reading material to match their literary taste. What do you think?<o:p></o:p></div>
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<b>FREE EBOOK CONTEST</b>: <span style="color: yellow;">What ideas do you have to help bridge this
gap between indie authors, readers and companies like Amazon, B&N and Kobo?
I’ll take a look at any suggestions left in the comments section over the next
week and select which one was most unique. At least one or more of those who
leave comments will win copies of the Gerrit O’Rourke series—</span><i><a href="http://www.markyoungbooks.com/books/off-the-grid/"><span style="color: white;">Off the Grid</span></a></i> <span style="color: yellow;">and </span><i><a href="http://www.markyoungbooks.com/books/fatal-empulse/"><span style="color: white;">FATAL eMPULSE</span></a></i><span style="color: yellow;">—as a thank you for sharing your ideas with us. My
selection will be posted as a comment to today’s article in about a week.</span></div>
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*******<o:p></o:p></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal">
Mark Young is an Amazon bestselling author. Both his Travis
Mays and Gerrit O'Rourke novels reached the top 100 list, and his debut novel,
Revenge, hit #1 for bestselling mystery/suspense police procedurals. Mark
worked as a police officer and sergeant with the Santa Rosa Police Department
in California for twenty-six years after working as an award-winning
journalist. He is a Vietnam combat veteran, honored to have served with Fox
2/5, 1st Marine Division, and later with Headquarters company. He worked on
several law enforcement task force operations, including the presidential
Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force targeting major drug
traffickers, and the federal Organized Crime Task Force charged with
identifying and prosecuting prison gang leaders. He lives in the Pacific
Northwest with his family. You can find out more about Mark Young at his web
site at </div>
<a href="http://markyoungbooks.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">MarkYoungBooks.com</span></a><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><o:p></o:p></span>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-53221394113035221322013-03-28T14:46:00.001-07:002013-03-28T14:46:37.469-07:00Writing Crime Novels Without Getting Busted<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">By
Mark Young</span></b><span style="font-size: 12.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAVrAUYNrfHi0nxMFwEVxUDd5O2Ynd8kWBCuFTXqiDTLVE0Hs-jaJmunPuFCHQ_m610tLg1YROd7YM4VuNfq9nry4N6h7Q53IrIqatnaf2CZBsqyrJV8VkBuxZHrntmvYOTUyouuc2Ik/s1600/7524_slow_down.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjiAVrAUYNrfHi0nxMFwEVxUDd5O2Ynd8kWBCuFTXqiDTLVE0Hs-jaJmunPuFCHQ_m610tLg1YROd7YM4VuNfq9nry4N6h7Q53IrIqatnaf2CZBsqyrJV8VkBuxZHrntmvYOTUyouuc2Ik/s320/7524_slow_down.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">After chasing crooks for a number of
years as a cop, I forget that some writers might break out in hives trying to figure out
to write about the slimy side of life—interaction and investigation of the criminal
world. Some writers’ life experiences might not have afforded them the
opportunity to have a gangster in their face telling them what he’d like to do
“wid yo mudder.” Or what it smells like to enter a home where the deceased died
days ago.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Maybe aspiring crime writers wonder what
it’s like to face an antagonistic defense attorney in open court. Or how they’d
weather the withering attack from an attorney trying to expose their whole life
to the world so the defense can shift attention away from their law-breaking client. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">For example, in California, a Pitchess
motion can be filed when the defendant alleges in an affidavit that the
arresting officer used excessive force, or lied about the facts concerning the
defendant’s arrest. You can imagine where that might lead to. All based on the
word of a criminal bent on gaining his freedom? You’ve seen it on TV. Something like, “Yo’ Judge…that officer planted
that pound of weed in my car. And the <i>popo</i>
stashed the guns in my trunk and the blood on my shirt that matches my baby’s
momma. And the ten grand stuffed in my pants…they planted that, too, yo’ Honor.
I swear!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">It happens. Just picture yourself in
that officer’s shoes. How would you feel? Angry? Mad? Frustrated? Just put it
down on paper and you’ve got a great scene.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Now, you are writing a crime novel
and—deep down—you wonder whether you will be able to pull this off. Trying to write
about how a cop feels about a situation he faces and make it sound and feel
like the real thing. This might be about the time you gut clinches and you
think: <i>Am I about to be busted?</i> <i>Are readers are going to inherently feel
like I do not have a clue about what I are writing about?</i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Don’t throw in the towel. Let me throw
some tips your way to ease your mind. You’re
more of an expert than you might think.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: small;">First, use experiences in your own life
that you can draw upon to enhance your writing. Take the example of a gangster
‘getting in your face’ and how you might react. Maybe you have not had the joy of
facing a prison-tatted monster, straight from the pen, threatening to tear you
limb from limb. But somewhere in your past, I’d bet </span>you've<span style="font-size: small;"> dealt with bullies
or some kind of alpha-dog type of personality. Someone that tried to intimidate
you. Close your eyes and remember how you felt. Fear. Anger. Helplessness. Then
use those emotions to allow your character to feel these same feelings, harbor
these same thoughts and fears. Remember that guy who made a vulgar remark about
your girlfriend? Remember what you wanted to do to his face? Now, put those
feelings down on paper.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Television and movies are another way to
vicariously experience what a cop’s life might be like. One of the shows I love
to watch when my wife is not in the room is <i>Southland.</i>
Much of what the actors in <i>Southland</i>
do is so real that I have flashbacks to the job. And the gamut of emotions they
show and express are the real thing. Use these scenes to build your own.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Some of what you see on TV and the
movies might work—but be careful. How many times have you seen actor/cops
leading a suspect into an interview room, exposing their backside to the criminal?
Or watched shooting scene after shooting scene in one day. Never happens unless
a riot broke out. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">What about the actual crime scene?
Police procedures? Legal aspects of law enforcement?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Here is another tip. If you are too shy
to ask a cop or a prosecutor, then go to secondary sources. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Use books, blogs and web sites run by
former cops. I just searched Amazon for ‘police investigations’ a </span></div>
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXy9cwuqbdE8UVdDn2zZz_B-g4_5UVGiUzNHzL7nUtG7tf_lQ6MZlwoqnls6PH-I4rkJHgnIZ6Q-RGd8QQ7BfhmOE3e5NBHbty_5aEi0xDhptDG0kwq9x-9puxgF7L0ByBG3BkqJhxnoY/s1600/Lofland's+Police+Book.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXy9cwuqbdE8UVdDn2zZz_B-g4_5UVGiUzNHzL7nUtG7tf_lQ6MZlwoqnls6PH-I4rkJHgnIZ6Q-RGd8QQ7BfhmOE3e5NBHbty_5aEi0xDhptDG0kwq9x-9puxgF7L0ByBG3BkqJhxnoY/s320/Lofland's+Police+Book.JPG" width="244" /></a></div>
moment ago and
spotted this book by Lee Lofland: <a href="http://www.blogger.com/Howdunit%20Book%20of%20Police%20Procedure%20and%20Investigations:%20A%20Guide%20for%20Writers"><span style="color: yellow;">HowdunitBook of Police Procedure and Investigations: A Guide for Writers.</span></a> An
excellent handbook to add to your library. Lee also runs an great blog<i>, The Graveyard Shift,</i> about police work
and similar topics. In addition, he runs a police academy for writers where you
can get hands-on experience in traffic stops, crime scene investigations, and
even firing weapons. Lee has visited my other blog, Hook’em &
Book’em if you want to learn more about Lee and his work. And this is just one
secondary source.<o:p></o:p><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Reach out and contact these sources by
email or leave comments on their web and blog sites asking for direction and
information. I have found these cops-turn-writers to be very help to many
writers. All you have to do is ask!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Lastly, find out if your local law
enforcement agencies have a ride-along program. Make use of these services, and
in the process you just might make a friend. You might be surprised. Maybe that
person that you befriend might be willing to answer other questions down the
road when your scene is begging for answers and none are forthcoming. I have
read of other writers who joined their local police reserve unit. Excellent way
to get an inside look at how law enforcement functions and helping your community
to boot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">Use your own experiences to build upon
the emotional drive within your writing. Taste, touch, texture, fear—everything
you’ve experienced as a human being can be translated onto the page. You can
imagine how a suspect feels caged in the backseat of a patrol car with prison
bars in his future. You can imagine what it must feel like when someone pulls a
gun on you, that <i>oh-darn</i> feeling when
your world is about to go sideways. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-size: 12.0pt;">First, use your imagination. And
secondly, use the first and secondary sources I mentioned to help build a
believable crime novel. Now</span><span style="font-size: 16px;">—</span><span style="font-size: 12pt;">get to writing. See you on the page.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-3323521436546824312013-03-08T09:58:00.003-08:002013-03-08T09:58:59.625-08:00Blank Page Jitters: That In-between Time for Writers<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPO8uls0KbYypbT_Mhrd8siDKzuH-5sWaduvy8zIGcC0PDPpWcCZgWoKWYTaCsdHl8bQwkivX1AWHRmmBz1atVYd0BXmx2Xly_on14wVf8ptEIKFvnTdYJCeQuTXA5qSzb99eY5Vr3k_8/s1600/1178014_silhouette_running.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/AVvXsEhPO8uls0KbYypbT_Mhrd8siDKzuH-5sWaduvy8zIGcC0PDPpWcCZgWoKWYTaCsdHl8bQwkivX1AWHRmmBz1atVYd0BXmx2Xly_on14wVf8ptEIKFvnTdYJCeQuTXA5qSzb99eY5Vr3k_8/s320/1178014_silhouette_running.jpg" width="230" /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
have fallen into what I call that ‘in-between time’ for writers. That period of
uncertainty between the finished novel and the not-yet started one. It can be unsettling.
A time of doubts before you starting putting words down on paper.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Pestering
questions always surface as you wander through this literary morass: <i>Can I do this again? Will my next story idea
be a flop? Will readers finally see my flaws and failings that I have been
hiding? How can I possibly maintain this story idea through another 112,000-word
marathon? </i><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">This will be my sixth novel and I go through this little mind game every time. You
would think I’d learn. I have learned a few tricks from other authors, ways to
escape this momentary mental freeze. Let me share.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
try to fill this time by staying busy. For example, this week I am waiting for
my manuscript, <i>Broken Allegiance</i>, to
come back from my editor. As I wait, I began editing a previously completed
novel that will become a sequel to <i>Broken
Allegiance</i>. I play catch up by writing articles for my two blogs like this
one right now. All this time, however, my thoughts return to the next novel I
want to write. All I have at this moment is a great title and a vague concept
of what the story might be about. I know there are more than four-hundred blank
pages waiting for me to fill. So I freeze…momentarily.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">One
of my dilemmas is the desire to make the next novel better than the last.
Writing the same stuff just won’t cut it. I need to push myself to come up with
a novel that is leaner, better, deeper, and broader in scope than my last. A
novel that creates a relationship between readers and my characters closer than
Bogart and Bacall when they weren’t fighting. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">I
came across this statement from Ernest Hemingway from his Nobel Price
acceptance speech he wrote in 1954: <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“For a true
writer each book should be a new beginning where he tries again for something
that is beyond attainment. He should always try for something that has never
been done or that others have tried and failed. Then sometimes, with great
luck, he will succeed.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Just
add more pressure, Papa!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Really?
<i>Then sometimes, with great luck, he will
succeed!” </i> Give me a break. The word <i>might</i> does not promise success.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">All
kidding aside, I think Papa really does a good job of trying to explain what a
writer should be focusing on when they start the next novel. Make it better.
Push you limits. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">But
writers can become paralyzed by their own expectations. How can one push past
this and begin to write their novel. </span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">My
good friend, author James Scott Bell, in his great how-to book, </span><i style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><span style="color: yellow;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/The-Art-War-Writers-Strategies/dp/1582975906/ref=sr_1_cc_1?s=aps&ie=UTF8&qid=1362761552&sr=1-1-catcorr&keywords=the+art+of+war+for+writers+James+Scott+Bell"><span style="color: yellow;">The Art of War for Writers</span></a>,</span></i><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"> sums it up
this way:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">“<i>We all reach points in our writing that are
like ‘the wall’ marathon runners experience. It seems we can’t go on, and we
start to wonder if we ought to just scotch the whole writing thing. (To “scotch”
means either to [a] give it up; or [b] drink it into oblivion. I recommend
neither).<o:p></o:p></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">My first wall is that blank page.
Getting that first sentence down. Then a paragraph. A scene. E. L. Doctorow
wrote: “Writing</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"> a novel is like driving a car at night. You can only see as far
as your headlights, but you can make the whole trip that way.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">One sentence at
a time. Just get something down on paper. If your mind blanks, use any trick
you can think of. </span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Jim Bell
suggests that writers try opening a novel at random, look at the first complete
line on the left-hand page, and put that line in your novel. Start a scene with
it. When you finish, cut the first line and substitute one of your own. His
list of wall-breaking suggestion goes on. He summarizes this way: Do something,
anything, to help get words down on paper, to push past whatever wall you have
encountered.</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Lastly,
let me share a few ideas from other writers:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">Anton Chekhov: “</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you look at
anything long enough, say just that wall in front of you -- it will come out of
that wall.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">William
Faulkner: “Get it down. Take chances. It may be bad, but it's the only way you
can do anything really good.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">William Campbell
Gault: “If you haven't got an idea, start a story anyway. You can always throw
it away, and maybe by the time you get to the fourth page you <i>will</i> have
an idea, and you'll only have to throw away the first three pages.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">Somerset
Maugham: “All the words I use in my stories can be found in the dictionary --
it's just a matter of arranging them into the right sentences.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt 0.5in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">J. B. Priestly:
“Perhaps it would be better not to be a writer, but if you must, then write. If
all feels hopeless, if that famous 'inspiration' will not come, write. If you
are a genius, you'll make your own rules, but if not - and the odds are against
it - go to your desk no matter what your mood, face the icy challenge of the
paper - write.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">As a bit of encouragement, I like
this tongue-in-cheek advice from Sidney Sheldon: “</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">A blank piece
of paper is God's way of telling us how hard it to be God.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;">I don’t know
about other writers, but once I have a story in mind and I start living this
fictional life with my characters—words start to flow. For me it becomes an
exciting journey with a lot of highs and low before the final scene. I never
know exactly what is going to happen, but like</span><span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;"> E. L. Doctorow’s analogy of driving a car at
night, I take one scene at a time as we travel through this literary darkness,
letting the headlights of creativity carry me further down the road until my
journey ends.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "Cambria","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ascii-theme-font: major-latin; mso-hansi-theme-font: major-latin;">How do you break through the
wall?</span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: 12pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></div>
</div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-42544931600162911822013-01-25T21:00:00.000-08:002013-01-25T21:00:02.514-08:00Readers: A Quick Glance At the Year Ahead<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJn-HHtcJtja6G1b1TgYmRfK-2X_9mFKMwYDSC5w94CxdxhJ-QrzdSM7U-i9RCv88aIPywjRnt9AeRHsNxdzofvTtQp4TjBV4JScvJqgyLjiWZEqP0iRlQU1eRaVuz8NSUXpRUC1Unn4E/s1600/FatalePulse_MarkYoung_FullCover_1+(3).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/AVvXsEhJn-HHtcJtja6G1b1TgYmRfK-2X_9mFKMwYDSC5w94CxdxhJ-QrzdSM7U-i9RCv88aIPywjRnt9AeRHsNxdzofvTtQp4TjBV4JScvJqgyLjiWZEqP0iRlQU1eRaVuz8NSUXpRUC1Unn4E/s320/FatalePulse_MarkYoung_FullCover_1+(3).jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
Self-promotion might be a dirty word to some, but hey…if you don’t toot your own horn once in a while, who will? This post is geared toward those who have read my novels—and enjoyed them—and for those who are still sitting on the fence trying to decide whether to make such an investment. Come on! For something that cost less than a Starbuck’s Venti Mocha, you can have hours of enjoyment in the privacy of your own reading world with a click of the mouse.<br />
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Looking back at my three published novels, readers might scratch their heads trying to figure out where I am going with each series. Let me try to explain.
Last year ended with the release of<i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/FATAL-eMPULSE-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B00AQMA8HM/ref=pd_sim_kstore_2"> <span style="color: yellow;">Fatal eMpulse (A Gerrit O’Rourke Novel)</span></a></i>, the sequel to <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B006OD215O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324626724&sr=1-1"><span style="color: yellow;">Off the Grid</span></a> released the previous year. And, before I leave<a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B006OD215O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324626724&sr=1-1"> <span style="color: yellow;">Fatal eMpulse </span></a>behind, here is the synopsis and what one bestselling author had to say about this novel:<br />
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<i>“Taunt with drama and suspense, Fatal eMpulse is a must read!”—Aaron Patterson, Bestselling author of Sweet Dreams.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>A presidential edict hurls Gerrit O’Rourke and his international team deep into the heart of the Mid East to prevent an aerial attack threatening to start another world war. To make matters worse, a traitor close to the president alerts others of Gerrit’s mission. Only days away from the attack, the team must stay alive long enough to complete their mission and thwart whoever is trying to orchestrate their deaths.</i><br />
<i><br /></i>
<i>Racing from the blue waters of Florida’s Key West and California’s Lake Tahoe to the Persian Gulf and the Caspian Sea, everything comes down to this—who will survive? Gerrit’s past again rises to create conflict between himself, his Mossad-trained partner Alena Shapiro, and a flame from the past—CIA agent Shakeela Vaziri. Beyond romance, beyond survival, Gerrit and his team must race against the clock as attack planes launch. Every second counts.</i><br />
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Now for what 2013 might offer.<br />
<br />
I am coming out with a new series that should be released this summer. It is about a character—Sergeant Tom Kagan, an investigating supervisor with Santa Rosa PD’s Gang Crimes Investigations Team—in a novel titled <i>Broken Allegiance (A Tom Kagan Novel)</i>. Here, Tom is faced with unraveling a puzzling gang killing that starts in Santa Rosa, California, and leads him all over the state, finally culminating on the shores of beautiful Lake Tahoe. Sadness from his past forces Tom to confront an uncertain future as he tries to save his marriage and those he loves in a story that becomes a cop’s worst nightmare. A killer—unleashed from the bowels of the state’ highest security prison—has targeted Tom and his friends on a mission of terror.
A sequel to <i>Broken Allegiance</i> should be coming out later this year.<br />
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More on that novel in later posts. Suffice it to say, Tom gets into more trouble trying to do his job. If he does not move fast enough, Tom might lose his job, face prison or, worse, death.<br />
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Also in 2013, I intend to release the sequel to<span style="color: yellow;"> <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Travis-Mays-Novel-ebook/dp/B004NIFD0C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311231095&sr=8-1"><span style="color: yellow;">Revenge (A Travis Mays Novel</span>)</a></i></span>, titled <i>Blood Quantum</i>. Travis Mays and his girlfriend, Jessie White Eagle, and her father—Frank, chief of the Nez Perce Tribal Police—once again join forces over one of the hottest issues facing the Indian nations today, a concept called blood quantum. After two long years, I and my readers get to travel back to this beautiful Idaho reservation along the Clearwater River. Travis and his friends find themselves in trouble once again as tribal and BIA politics erupt in murder and deception. And, as part of my research, maybe I can get in a little fly-fishing. Oh, the trials and tribulations of a writer.<br />
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Notice I mentioned “intend” to publish in the previous paragraph. Three novels in one year is a tall order, and of course many factors will come into play. There is one whopper of a break—if it happens—surrounding the release of <i>Broken Allegiance</i>. If it materializes, you will be the first learn of it right here on this blog. Stay tuned!<br />
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There is one aspect of all my novels that intimately ties them together—characters! Though<span style="color: yellow;"> <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Travis-Mays-Novel-ebook/dp/B004NIFD0C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311231095&sr=8-1"><span style="color: yellow;">Revenge</span></a></span> (and later, <i>Broken Allegiance</i>), fall in the mystery/suspense genre, and the Gerrit O’Rourke novels are classified as thrillers, my characters could care less about what genre they fall in. For example, in <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Travis-Mays-Novel-ebook/dp/B004NIFD0C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311231095&sr=8-1"><i><span style="color: yellow;">Revenge</span></i>, </a>Travis Mays is visited by Tom Kagan, who doesn’t even have his own novel until this year. Later, Travis pops up in Gerrit O’Rourke’s first novels which are listed as international thrillers. And finally, FBI agent Beck Malloy, pops up in all three novels to help the main characters survive. Again, Malloy and the others could care less about the boundaries of genre. All they care about is solving the crime, getting out of trouble, saving those they love while fighting for God and country...and in some cases—getting the girl.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNcIuPm28-I-1mam_HFGSnD3A3tY-G66qRbIHyaGKK1oLW4tifdxr4xQc5oAG2wibNzcu_B-Bp-dinCRJNmrjdUwf2UQIt-wQ8hyAfXsQvfZXbrG9ykIXV9jxbdjD_5h4HzviE_me9DPY/s1600/OffTheGrid_MarkYoung_FullCover_Final_HR.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/AVvXsEjNcIuPm28-I-1mam_HFGSnD3A3tY-G66qRbIHyaGKK1oLW4tifdxr4xQc5oAG2wibNzcu_B-Bp-dinCRJNmrjdUwf2UQIt-wQ8hyAfXsQvfZXbrG9ykIXV9jxbdjD_5h4HzviE_me9DPY/s320/OffTheGrid_MarkYoung_FullCover_Final_HR.jpg" width="207" /></a></div>
I found during my twenty-six years in law enforcement that there is a tie that binds between all brothers and sisters who carry the badge. Not that we are always one happy family. Yes, at times this family might be a little dysfunctional. However, I’ve made friends and acquaintances in all levels and geographical locations of law enforcement. We share information and assistance whenever anyone asks. I asked and gave assistance to others throughout this nation and even foreign countries. And yes, I worked closely with the FBI, IRS, DEA, US Marshals and state agencies on a regular basis. We did this generally without stirring up any ‘us versus them’ squabbles often seen in novels and movies today. Not that there weren’t a few hiccups, but generally we play well together. I have carried this concept over to my characters. So, before anyone reads about my characters’ intradepartmental cooperation—like FBI Beck Malloy, Travis Mays and Tom Kagan—and scoffs at it as unrealistic, let me be the first to tell you—it works and it does exist inside and outside of fiction.<br />
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I appreciate every reader who gives me an opportunity to entertain them with the best fiction I can muster. And I appreciate your comments and thoughts about these novels.<br />
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Just a warning, though! Watch your back. You never know what is about to happen next. Trust me! Now begin reading.
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-5806273824715256932012-12-24T22:02:00.002-08:002012-12-24T22:02:54.284-08:00Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><i>But the angel said to them, “Do not be afraid; for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will be for all the people; for today in the City of David there has been born for you a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger.” </i>(Luke 2: 10-12)</b></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-66993072416989037772012-12-11T21:00:00.000-08:002012-12-11T09:47:46.398-08:00What Christmas Means To Me<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">By Mark Young</span></b></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr-tRBdMRL0i1FnoIhnVXgOaQ5OwO2DujAT9S04tvnHH7WtbD2ydqS_XzSRAu4uVHvosRib5F4hyphenhyphen-mXDNm_z4QahQ72KgzvRnEWmBM1jiDZrGHT0zpJYkmoW6VfYLXuHzEpoFCDfFIkzI/s1600/NativityScene+Stained+Glass.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/AVvXsEjr-tRBdMRL0i1FnoIhnVXgOaQ5OwO2DujAT9S04tvnHH7WtbD2ydqS_XzSRAu4uVHvosRib5F4hyphenhyphen-mXDNm_z4QahQ72KgzvRnEWmBM1jiDZrGHT0zpJYkmoW6VfYLXuHzEpoFCDfFIkzI/s320/NativityScene+Stained+Glass.jpg" width="213" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">The
meaning of Christmas can easily get lost to our annual holiday traditions. You
know the routine: searching for that perfect gift, trying to fit in every last
party, visiting every good friend, trying to make magic for children—memories
they’ll never forget. So much to do that
we might forget to stop, take a breath, and try to remember what Christmas
really means.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Perhaps
the best gift of all we can give ourselves, and those we love, is a moment of
reflection. About a moment in history when God reached down to earth and gave
us His most precious gift—His son, Jesus Christ. This precious baby, born in a
lowly stable to a virgin, would someday offer Himself as a sacrifice so that
you and I might be saved from eternal separation from God.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">God
provided this Christmas gift because He loves each one of us. Almighty God!
Creator of the universe! He loves you and me. He wants to have a personal
relationship with us. Hard to image? Yeah, me too. Time and time again, though,
God demonstrates this desire throughout history. He continues to beckon to us
today.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">How
important are you to God? He allowed his only Son, Jesus Christ, to come down
to earth and walk among us. Not as a rich and powerful man, but as a carpenter’s
adopted son, a God-man who chose to experience—along with us—what it means to
be human in all its frailties. And He did it without sin, so that someday he
might be the perfect offering on our behalf.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">We
live in a fallen world. We are in this condition because God allowed us free
will, a free choice. He did not want a relationship with robots or slaves. He
desired a relationship with those who are free to choose who they wish to serve.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<br /></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So
we must choose. Everyone must make up their own minds because He gave us that
freedom. Whom do you wish to follow? I choose this God of love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Looking
at the Christmas manger scene brings it all back to me. A symbolic image of just
how much God cares. That He desires that we know Him, that we talk with Him,
that we tell him about our hopes, fears, hurts, and concerns. That we tell Him
just how much He means to us. How much we appreciate what He has done.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">This
is what Christmas is about—God’s love.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">So,
I think I will take this moment and remember. And, my Christmas wish for you?
That you will find a moment, too. Enjoy the holidays.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt;">Merry
Christmas!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-83167789642676264102012-10-27T21:00:00.000-07:002012-10-28T17:12:55.848-07:00Saying Goodbye When It Hurts<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";">By Mark Young</span></b><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME59Pu384sM8yXhewgIdLn0ub9Nn_DvJ5wNCKefel9cheRvotINHPsDVKo6jAN6oMFsSZAEj6h7T1C1XLvHe1ayvHFsYByPRXzAG92FFoGZI5aGyujiDsOJv_4ZQreYQfpRetj0rdxgM/s1600/547043_4553868852366_96419404_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgME59Pu384sM8yXhewgIdLn0ub9Nn_DvJ5wNCKefel9cheRvotINHPsDVKo6jAN6oMFsSZAEj6h7T1C1XLvHe1ayvHFsYByPRXzAG92FFoGZI5aGyujiDsOJv_4ZQreYQfpRetj0rdxgM/s320/547043_4553868852366_96419404_n.jpg" width="248" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">My
mother went home to be with the Lord last week. For her, the journey is over
and she is in a better place. No more pain. No more sorrow. And she is going to
finally meet her Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, face to face. I can almost see
the joy in her beautiful eyes as she meets the One who she has loved above all
else. The One she has served since she was a teenager. But for me—and like all those
who must say goodbye to those they love—there is this big hole in my heart that
time will never erase.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">In
a way, I feel guilty for being sad. If she were still here, it would not be
good for her. Mom is in a better place. So, my internal conflict—between her
gain and my loss—seems selfish on my part. But I can’t help the way I feel. Mom
and I have been through so much in this world together, shared the joys and
hurts, the ups and downs, that her passing cuts me up inside like a shard of
glass.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">I
am not generally one to cry, but as I write this I’m fighting back tears. It is
hard to keep a stiff upper lip. My 11-year-old daughter burst out crying when
she learned of Mom’s passing and gave me a big hug. “I am so sorry, Dad. I
can’t imagine what it would be like to lose my Mom.” I almost lost it, but I
fought back and became the strength and stability she needed at that moment.
But in the stillness of the night, in those moments when no one else is around,
or as I try to pen these words, tears are hard to keep at bay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">I
was never a perfect son. But Mom, like her Lord, always saw the better side of
me. Always the mother, she understood—or tried too. When I went off to
war, I can remember the tears in her eyes as she said goodbye just before I
boarded the plane. Later, huddling down in muddy fox hole, I remember those
letters and chocolate-chip cookies that she and Dad sent in the mail. Those letters,
if not wet from the rain, were probably dampened by her tears. And those cookies—smashed
into small bits—tasted like heaven and reminded me of home. It would be years
later, when I became a father to three beautiful girls, that I would start to
realize what she must have endured.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">Upon
my return from war, after the hugs of gratefulness she gave me </span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;">midst</span><span style="font-family: Times New Roman, serif;"> more
tears, she patiently watched me act out my rage and bitterness that the war
bore down upon my shoulders. Through those difficult times, she remained a constant. Patient. Kind. Jutting out her chin when I said something that offended
her, trying to hold her tongue because she knew I must work out life on my own
terms. She bore all this as only a mother can, not knowing how to lessen my
pain.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Mom’s
faith kept her strong when all else seemed to fail. Her unquestioning faith
never wavered, never faltered, at least as far as I knew. She always let me
know that this was not our home, that we—like Pilgrim in John Bunyan’s
classic—were aliens in a foreign land, passing through on our way home to be
with Jesus. In those times when my faith wavered, when I lost my way, Mom stood
like a rock, like a beacon amidst life’s vicious storms. She led me to Jesus
while I was still young, before life, war and college filled me with doubts.
Years later, when I finally found my way back to God, when I finally discovered God was always there, I found Mom was still there—like God—watching
over my soul.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">Life
physically separated us many times, the last when I moved out of state with my
own family and left her with my siblings in California. Living so far away, it
seemed hard to stay in touch, to be there for her like she was there for me,
but she was always in my heart, in my prayers. She will remain in that special
place until I go home to see her someday.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">We
made a trip to visit her a few weeks ago, fearing the end might be near. It was
hard to see her in pain, in the frailty of age that we all must go through if
we live that long. I remember giving her one last hug and feeling how frail she
had become, wrapping my arms around a body that once was strong and vibrant.
She brought three sons and one daughter into this world, nurtured them, raised
them, and lovingly disciplined them. That strength was gone when I last hugged
her, but her love was as strong as ever. I saw it in her eyes, felt it in those
frail arms that returned my embrace.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">She
fought the good fight; brave to the last breath here on earth. She is heading
toward that mansion in the sky, but for Mom, it is much, much more than Heaven's glories. It
is anticipation of coming face to face with Jesus, to hear Him say, “Well done,
thou good and faithful servant.” Mom is finally home.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large;">And
this I write to you, Mom:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: large; line-height: 115%;">I must say goodbye
for now. I could never adequately tell you how much I loved you here on earth.
Words—just like these I scribble now—seem so frustratingly inadequate to
express all that you mean to me. To us!
To everyone you left behind. I will sorely miss you. I love you. Until we see
each other once again, all my love, your prodigal son, Mark.</span></div>
<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-55437172791686669402012-09-01T21:00:00.000-07:002012-09-01T21:00:01.551-07:00Burkas, Niqabs and Barbies: My Daughter's New World<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
<b><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt;">By Mark Young</span></b><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBDkRT6FMVRs3hbZYNebwceMLOBDZz_lxJ354wqUMugPFcjR3Xr15jcUbbpcg2yQcDIXDo5gtlk_G2crk0JLAeQmbpEtTsC13tEWEw2ZuyjKo89xOtJIvtcTiMoeTqB0qSuD68wmgvBM/s1600/Barbie+Mideastern+3.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVBDkRT6FMVRs3hbZYNebwceMLOBDZz_lxJ354wqUMugPFcjR3Xr15jcUbbpcg2yQcDIXDo5gtlk_G2crk0JLAeQmbpEtTsC13tEWEw2ZuyjKo89xOtJIvtcTiMoeTqB0qSuD68wmgvBM/s320/Barbie+Mideastern+3.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">A game my daughter played with her best friend brought home how our world impacts our children. She thrust a Barbie doll in my face. “What do
you think, Dad?” Most of Barbie’s face was hidden behind a cloth, and the doll wore
what looked like a hajib over her head, but with the face covered except the
eyes. A niqab.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Her friend
held up another Barbie doll, similarly dressed. In that one encounter I realized
how world events creep into our children’s lives. My daughter was born a month
after 9/11, the day our world changed forever. Travel on aircraft will never
be the same. Interaction with Muslim countries—sometimes for the better,
sometimes for the worse—will never be the same. It has become my daughter’s
world.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">My
daughter’s Barbie sparked a conversation about how cultures are different, how
religious beliefs and ethnic differences change even within our own country.
We live in a rural farming community, and the town has a population the size of
a large apartment complex. Very small! My girl’s exposure to larger city
populations is limited. When we go to the <i>Big City</i>, she soaks things up like a sponge and fires off enough
questions to fill an encyclopedia. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">The other
day, our family rushed through another busy airport back east. As we worked our
way through the crowd, I saw her spot a woman in a black burka, the woman
covered head to foot with a dark, heavy cloth. with a veiled grill across her eyes. The
tempature was in the high eighties, and humidity outside was oppressive. I
watched my daughter glance at this woman for a moment, and then turn toward me,
questions looming in her eyes which she was too polite to air until we were in
a more private setting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">She knew I
had been doing research on my new novel<i>,
FATAL eMPULSE: A Gerrit O’Rourke Novel</i>, (to be released before Christmas).
This thriller deals with an international crisis in which the U.S. and Israel
square off with several Arab countries. I had been doing research on Muslim
beliefs, differences between Shia and Sunni populations, and related cultural
differences.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">Looking over my shoulder as I researched this on the computer, she’d
ask me about this part of the world she’d never traveled—Iran, Syria, Israel,
Azerbaijan, and the city of Dubai located in the country of United Arab
Emirates. This conversation must have sparked the Barbie incident. I glossed over about the impact religious fanatics had on that
fateful September day—air travel, Gitmo, military
and civilian casualties, the and rainbow-colored threat levels issued by
our government. After all, she was just playing with her Barbie.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">As I
answered her questions, I realized that she has never known the way <i>things used to be</i> before the attack on
September 11. She entered this world a month later, and everything that
happened since that attack has become her reality, her world view without the
opportunity to measure it against <i>what used
to be</i>. Her innocence—and, in a way, all of ours—diminished that day when fanatical killers attacked
America and we were forced to live with the consequences.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">But there is
another side to this changing world that I am glad she has witnessed. She has watched this great nation come together,
men and women sacrificing their time and
lives to ensure that we can enjoy the freedoms that other countries can only
dream about. She has seen a nation pull together and face an uncertain future.
She has seen America rise from the ashes to fight back, to take this war to
those who try to fight from the shadows of tyranny, using the bodies of
innocent victims to shield them from the wrath of this great nation. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In one way,
I regret my daughter must live in this new world where these dangers exist. However, I am thankful that—if she must grow up in this new world— my
daughter has seen the hope our nation, and its allies, give us each new day. As
our brave military stand in the gap, shielding us from those who seek our coun</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="line-height: 14px;"><i>try's</i></span></span><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;"> demise, she knows what this
great nation can achieve as its people come together. As we near a presidential election, sometimes
we lose sight that we are <i>one nation under
God</i>. That we—at different times in history—have joined together as one
nation. I never want her to forget what our nation is capable of even as the
pettiness of politics emerges all around us</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">In her classroom, my daughter rises each morning with her classmates and utters these words:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<i><span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">I pledge allegiance to the Flag of
the United States of American, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all.<o:p></o:p></span></i></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">May she
never forget these words...and what they have cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 115%;">God bless
America!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-23406773672301450102012-05-25T09:03:00.000-07:002012-05-25T09:45:46.344-07:00What A U.S. Marine Taught My Daughter About Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">By Mark Young</span></b></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TofJYpJKOBM/Tv5ZSN4VAwI/AAAAAAAABcU/zwZWMb-jD-o/s1600/iwo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TofJYpJKOBM/Tv5ZSN4VAwI/AAAAAAAABcU/zwZWMb-jD-o/s320/iwo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">[<span style="color: red;">Editor's Note: This has been re-posted this Memorial weekend in memory of all those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our country</span>]</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">My nine-year-old daughter excitedly edged through the fair crowd, going from booth to booth collecting free stuff—toys, pens and pencils, candy, free bottles of water, and balloons. She was a walking advertisement for the Republicans and the Democrats, water softeners and water savers, tree huggers and tree cutters. Everyone had their stuff out for the taking—and she took. With a cute smile and a polite “thank you,” she shoveled her loot into free bags collected on the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">And she wasn’t the only one. There were a string of takers right behind her, of all ages and shapes. But she is a pro. This was her second fair this month, and she quickly learned the best places to grab free stuff. Forget the exhibits, animal barns, and the rodeo show. She was a girl on a mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">It was almost inspiring how she swooped in to clean house. And no one seemed to mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Then she came to a small booth wedged between the carnival lot and a performance stage, where a country western band rocked out. One man in a U.S. Marine uniform stood tall, his knowing smile and friendly eyes greeting all visitors. A small crowd of teenagers—boys and girls—gathered around the Marine and must have caught my daughter’s attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">As we drew closer, I saw the Marine sergeant holding a leather exercise ball and standing next to a convex sit up bench with a rack bar. One young man lay back on the bench, his head touching dry grass and his feet in the air, wrapped around a dumbbell bar. As the teenager raised himself, the Marine threw the ball at the young man’s midsection. With a straining red face, the teenager caught the ball and threw it back on his way up. I heard the Marine chant “fifteen” and the boy seemed to collapse.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">I heard the goal was twenty reps which the boy failed to achieve. He walked away dejected amidst smirks and jeers. Another young man took his place, and this guy reached his goal. He was given a U.S Marine poster, and walked away beaming as if he’d been given a pot of gold. I heard the Marine tell him and his companions something, but I couldn’t make it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">My daughter stood watching until all the teenagers had sauntered away. Then she bravely walked up to the Marine and asked if she could try. Without wavering, the Marine nodded and smiled. I watched with some trepidation. I knew the exercise ball would be too much for her to handle. Wisely, the uniformed sergeant modified the rules so that she only needed to do a complete sit up, hands clasped across her chest, twenty times or more to reach her goal. Still, this was a daunting task for a young girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">I watched her sit up, face taut, arms folded, as she grimaced to complete the first rep. Then she dropped back for another. And another. And another. She passed the twenty sit up mark and made it to 21. She surpassed most of the teenagers who proceeded her. I was one proud dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">As she finished, my daughter climbed off the bench and stood up. The Marine shook her hand, then reached into his pocket and removed a very nice silver pen with <i>Marines</i> and the logo inscribed on it. As he handed the pen to her, he quietly said, “Earned…not given.” She clasped the pen, pride showing in her expression. This was something my daughter worked hard for—something earned, not given.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Of all the things she gathered at the fairs this summer, this one pen meant more to her than all the free stuff combined. That Marine taught her a lot about life in just that one encounter.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Those words flashed in my mind as I traveled back to the first days of my Marine boot camp, and the subsequent training that finally led to Vietnam. To battles waged that cost the lives of my friends and fellow countrymen. That precious ground we fought for was “earned, not given.” I saw that look in the eyes of that Marine, as he handed her the pen, a look I’d seen in the faces of many other Marines. He knew the cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l-6IPmXkiY4/Tv5ZfktxYjI/AAAAAAAABcg/Aaw6OkElmwM/s1600/OTG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l-6IPmXkiY4/Tv5ZfktxYjI/AAAAAAAABcg/Aaw6OkElmwM/s320/OTG.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">As I wrote <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B006OD215O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324626724&sr=1-1"><span style="color: yellow;">Off the Grid</span></a></i>, I introduced my readers to the main chaacter, Gerrit O’Rourke, a Marine lieutenant, whose Recon unit is fighting for their lives in another war, in another time.Though this international thriller is not about that war, Gerrit brings the things he learned as a Marine into his experiences as a Seattle cop, and into his struggles to stay alive as he battles against forces bent on killing him and those he cares about. As I grew to know Gerrit, I saw a lot of him in the Marines I knew in times past, and I recognized the code he learned to live by. Life is not always easy. And the important things in life are earned, not given.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">There is a Christmas footnote to this story about the Marine. On Christmas morning, I unfolded the wrapping of a present from my daughter and saw the pen she had earned at the fair. As I wrote this article, I glanced at that pen next to me, a gift that I will always cherish. Later, I learned from my wife that my daughter—from the moment she earned that present—intended to give it to me for Christmas. She knew what the U.S. Marines meant to me. And she knew what the gift meant to her, a gift earned—not given.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Above the walkway at the San Diego marine recruit depot is written these words. “To be a Marine, you have to believe in: Yourself—Your fellow Marine—Your Corps—Your Country—Your God. Semper Fidelis.” <i>Always Faithful</i>. These words echoed in my mind as I wrote <i>Off the Grid</i>, a story about always being faithful. About the pride of earning your place in this world, about sacrifice and commitment.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">It is my hope that what my daughter learned from that Marine at the fair will stay with her forever. <i>Semper Fi</i>.</span></div>
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-2981918099171951762012-02-24T21:00:00.031-08:002012-04-29T05:28:01.158-07:00Creating Fictional Characters A Deadly Business (Part II)<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<b>By Mark Young<o:p></o:p></b></div>
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<span style="color: red;">[Editor’s note: Some readers may be joining us for the first time. In the last post, I was in my office—fuming over the fact that Gerrit O’Rourke failed to show up for an interview—when heavily armed bad guys kicked in my front door and tried to kill me. You may want to</span><span style="color: yellow;"> <a href="http://markyoungarrestingfiction.blogspot.com/"><span style="color: yellow;">hit the link here</span></a></span><span style="color: red;"> to catch up with the action before reading further. Here is what happened since we last met.]</span></div>
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I hear a metallic ping. </div>
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Grenade! </div>
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Someone hurls the widow maker up the stairway in my direction. I must have heard the metallic click as it was released. I backpedal into my office and leap behind a lumpy couch. Not sure how this might shield me from a fragmentation grenade, but it’s better than trying to stop shrapnel with my bare skin.</div>
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An explosion rocks the building. Oh, man. I can only imagine what that did to my walls. If these guys don’t waste me, my homeowners insurance fees will finish the job.</div>
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Gunfire erupts outside. I hear bad guys downstairs excitedly calling out to one another. “Incoming. One of our guys went down.” </div>
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Boots again clomping across the main floor. I hear another man scream. “Two down. We’ve got—”</div>
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Another explosion rips the building. This time there is a detonation near the front foyer. More screams. I run the length of the hallway and scramble down the stairwell. As I round the corner and peer across the living room, I see three men on the ground. </div>
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Dead!</div>
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More footsteps at the front door. I raise my handgun, finger on the trigger.</div>
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“Hey Writer Man. Stand down!” Gerrit O’Rourke’s voice booms out.</div>
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“Three down in here,” I yell back.</div>
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“Four outside eating dirt. Any more bad guys?”</div>
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“Don’t know,” I yell back. “Let me clear the rooms in here. Hold the perimeter.”</div>
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“Roger that.”</div>
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I slip from room to room. Each room—empty. “Main floor clear. Need to check the basement.”</div>
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“We’ll get that,” Gerrit yells back. “Cover our backs.”</div>
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I watch as Gerrit and Alena Shapiro move past my position, heading down the stairs. Alena, her long black hair tied back in a ponytail, taps Gerrit on the shoulder. You’ve got point, babe? I’ll cover your backside.” He nods, grinning, before moving down the stairway toward the basement. Alena shoots me a wink. “Glad to see you’re still kicking, Young. If they take you out, we’re in big trouble.”</div>
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I nod, watching them head down stairs. Man, I’m so glad I created these butt-kicking characters. Never thought they’d save my backside like this. A few minutes later, I hear Gerrit yelling up. “All clear. Everybody stand down.”</div>
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In a moment, Gerrit and Alena emerge, rifles slung over their shoulders. I hear sirens wailing in the distance. Someone must have dialed 9-1-1. “Cops are on the way, Gerrit. You’d better let me handle this.”</div>
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He nods, putting his arm around Alena. “For the record, I tried to make the interview, Gerrit. A Marine always keeps his word. But we found out you were about to have some nasty visitors and needed to make a detour for equipment.” He hefted his assault rifle the air. “Didn’t think you’d mind.”</div>
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I shake my head, looking around at the bodies and the holes in my walls. “You made it just in time. By the way, how did you guys know this crew was coming my way?”</div>
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Willy Williams, his caramel skin glistening from exertion, pops through the doorway. “I heard that, Mr. Why. You know us! We got to make sure our Number One writer stays healthy.”</div>
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I shoot him a scowl. “You got my house wired up?”</div>
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Willy grins “Audio and visual, baby. Perimeter covered, and every room but the bedrooms and the bathrooms. You gotta have some privacy, right?”</div>
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“You’ve been listening…<i>to me!”</i></div>
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Willie gives me a sheepish look. “Just kidding, Mr. Why. You remember from <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B006OD215O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324626724&sr=1-1"><span style="color: yellow;">OTG</span></a> </i>how I slipped a daemon file in their system, so I can monitor all those bad guys. Your house is flagged in the system, and we got wind that they were planning a surprise party here—hoping to catch Gerrit meeting with you.”</div>
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“You could have called. Given me a heads up.”</div>
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“And spoil the fun. Not on your life, Mr. Why.”</div>
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Gerrit kneels down and begins going through one of the dead guy’s pockets. “We have you covered, Writer Man!”</div>
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The sirens get louder. I tap Gerrit on the shoulder. “You guys better clear out. After all, you’re living off the grid. Don’t want the cops to show up and blow your cover. I’ll handle this.”</div>
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“We’ll be listening,” Willy said, as he moved toward the front door. </div>
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I shake my head as I watch them climbing into their van and taking off. A few minutes later the first police unit pulls into view<i>. </i>In the distance, I see Gerrit and the others crest a hill about a mile away as they pull onto the highway. My heroes moving on to the next chapter in their lives.</div>
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<i>Semper Fi, Gerrit. Semper Fi.<o:p></o:p></i></div>
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<b>**********</b></div>
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<b>Hey, Readers</b>. <span style="text-indent: 0in;">It’s really weird. I keep running into these characters—Gerrit, Alena, Travis Mays, Frank White Eagle, and others—in the strangest situations. In fact, there are a few instances in which I have to drop my pencil and pick up a gun to help out. If you regularly visit this site, I promise you some exiting—and sometimes, funny—scenes. All the character from</span><span style="color: yellow;"> <i>Off the Grid</i>,</span><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> </span><i style="text-indent: 0in;"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Travis-Mays-Novel-ebook/dp/B004NIFD0C/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1311231095&sr=8-1"><span style="color: yellow;">Revenge</span></a></i><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> and a new series beginning with </span><i style="text-indent: 0in;">Broken Allegiance (A Tom Kagan Novel)</i><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> will make brief appearances on any given day. So, don’t be a stranger. Drop by for a visit whenever time allows.</span></div>
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Oh, one more thing. If any of you spot one of my characters—please drop me a line. It’s hard keeping track of these people all by myself. I could use your help. But be careful! These guys always seem to invite trouble, so keep your head down. Thanks for your help. </div>
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Stay safe!<br />
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P.S. <span style="text-indent: 0in;">If you subscribed to this blog by email, you’re going to automatically get a notice to remind you the next post just came online. You can stay up with the action and not lose any sleep over it.</span></div>
</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-72188502898963137462012-02-10T21:00:00.000-08:002012-02-11T09:36:23.129-08:00Creating Fictional Characters A Deadly Business<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><b>By Mark Young<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgcErWg7I9qV2ioB7ibjHb8bFjO0HEWmnZHKLxZZfZ8TAlI681pHWYlMkftuyK47Cp_re1ykuyrZPBbtcMcBOEzaXO8hAWJ_1LmHxiJCv7M8Hi7-GeTDdCL4XOgBuYo3GxV90thn27z99c/s1600/Evil2.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/AVvXsEgcErWg7I9qV2ioB7ibjHb8bFjO0HEWmnZHKLxZZfZ8TAlI681pHWYlMkftuyK47Cp_re1ykuyrZPBbtcMcBOEzaXO8hAWJ_1LmHxiJCv7M8Hi7-GeTDdCL4XOgBuYo3GxV90thn27z99c/s320/Evil2.jpg" width="236" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Let me start out with a red-faced apology. Gerrit O’Rourke, my main character in <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B006OD215O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324626724&sr=1-1"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Off the Grid</span></a></i><span style="color: white;">,</span> failed to show up for an interview this morning. At the moment, my favorite U.S. Marine is AWOL. This really ticks me off because he knows I’m up against a deadline. Even worse, I promised readers that I’d interview him in the near future—those who read the novel and can’t wait until <i>OTG’</i>s sequel, <i>The Daemon File</i>, comes out later this year. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">So…I’ll just wing it. Let’s start with characters. How dependable—”</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">A door splinters downstairs. An explosion rocks my house; heavy boots pounding across Brazilian Cherry wood floors. I hear them fanning out throughout my sanctuary—my home.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">“Clear.” A stranger yells out below. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">“Clear.” Another voice, further away. At least three—maybe four—intruders methodically clearing the main floor like a SWAT team. <i>No knock and notice</i>. A black ops?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I dash to the window of my second-story office. Glancing outside, I spot a black Suburban idling at the edge of my property, its nose pointed toward the front door like a black leopard eying its prey. Its windows have been ominously tinted all around, doors left wide open. Two heavily-armed men—decked out in jungle-camouflaged fatigues—standing guard out front, one at each corner of my house. I can only assume others have moved to the rear to cut off any escape. No markings on their clothing. These are not cops. Not even angry neighbors. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Why are they here? Trying to steal my <i>The Daemon Files</i> manuscript before I release it later this year? Maybe I unwittingly released government secrets. I know I have a few outstanding parking tickets. What are they after?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Thank goodness, my better half and the rest of the family are gone. This is going to get messy.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Reaching for the telephone, I start dialing. The line is deader than John McCain’s jokes on the David Letterman show in the last election. Grabbing my cell phone, I see hackers have one upped my cell phone provider. I have no service instead of lousy service. Need to focus!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpJdB13jjY8KMI7D0P_QZiSr0rnywRHEJ7WrL2hRDsMuDFeMA6X4cD71CDGLiOXphHqX02uaBk4aqkxn6lNn8H_gccaoc6rGX5_aTLbUlz7r7nXStMK_wngRgLLCXuUAI6gk49au50kM/s1600/Typewriter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivpJdB13jjY8KMI7D0P_QZiSr0rnywRHEJ7WrL2hRDsMuDFeMA6X4cD71CDGLiOXphHqX02uaBk4aqkxn6lNn8H_gccaoc6rGX5_aTLbUlz7r7nXStMK_wngRgLLCXuUAI6gk49au50kM/s320/Typewriter.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">How the heck did they cut me off? Are they some kind of government-sponsored Blackwater mercenaries? Where’s Gerrit when I need him?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I recalled a conversation with Willy Williams, one of Gerrit’s teammates from <i>OTG</i>, telling me how they’re going to do this in one of the upcoming scenes of <i>The Daemon Files </i>novel. Willy—a former gangster-turned-hacker—learns his questionable skills from Gerrit’s uncle, Joe O’Rourke, aka Joe Costello and a string of other alias that’d make the CIA proud. Willy shoots me a big grin. “Simple as pie if you know what you’re doing, Mr. Y. I can cut your cell phone off faster than Obama can raise taxes.” Oh yeah. Willy likes to call people by the first letter of their last name. Just a peculiarity he picked up that we’ve learned to live with. Willy dubbed me <i>Mr. Why</i>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Getting back to the action: all my communications links have been hijacked. These guys—</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">whoever they are—are as serious as the IRS on tax day.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><i>I need a little firepower!<b> <o:p></o:p></b></i></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I dash to a secret compartment hidden in my office where my weapons are stored. My arsenal is stashed in a gun safe, well oiled and unused since I left the police department a few years back. It only takes a second to punch in the code and yank the door open. I grab my .40 caliber Glock 27 Subcompact handgun and wish I still had my department-issued .40 semi-auto S&W. Better yet, I wished I could get my hands on some of those lethal toys our SWAT guys play with. This little baby will have to do. I snatch up several loaded magazines that I leave in the safe…just in case. This is one of those situations I never dreamed would happen outside of my novels.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I can’t even begin to think about what this is little war is going to do to my homeowner’s insurance. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Right now, I need to figure a way out of here without getting dead. Analysis: Trapped on the top floor of the house, one stairway leading up, no other sane way out. I can smash one of the windows and leap outside, but then I face a twenty-foot drop. Defying gravity like that would cost me both knees—or worse. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Better try to fight my way out!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I angle toward the door leading from the office. Beyond the opening, a long hallway leads to the other end of the house where the stairway emerges. It will take a few minutes for these gunmen to clear the house below. Sounds like they searched the main floor first. Next, they’ll send a couple guys downstairs to clear the basement. Once that’s done, they’ll work their way toward my office. Even these morons know that if they control the two bottom floors, I’ll be caught like a rat in a trap up here. Okay, maybe that’s not a good metaphor since I’d don’t want to be likened to one of the most hated creatures on God’s green earth—but you get the picture.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Somehow, they must have learned I’d be home alone. That sounds like a movie! Oh, yeah, Macaulay Culkin when he was a kid. Focus on the target, Marine! Just a little history that Gerrit and I share in common—the Corps. And now you know another one of my little secrets. I talk to myself and my fiction characters all the time. Generally, no one can hear me. So, if I get out of this mess, maybe all you can just forget this little quirk of mine? I’d appreciate it.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Brakes squeak outside. Oh, no! More bad guys? I dash to the window and spot a van down the street. A woman and several men dart toward my house carrying assault weapons. Hey, they look familiar. Then it hits me and I smile to myself. Gerrit O’Rourke and the others are coming to my rescue. At that moment, I could have kissed them. Okay, maybe I’ll kiss Alena Shapiro and hug the guys. Then, I remember Alena and Gerrit have a thing going. Don’t what to tick Gerrit off, so I’ll just give her a hug, too. Boy did I create the right characters for my book. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">My heroes! Wait a minute! How’d they know I was in trouble?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I shove that thought aside as I hear intruders downstairs starting to regroup. They must have realized that I’m up here. One of the wooden steps leading to my office gives a loud squeak. The first gunmen must be moving my way. If I can just hold them off until Gerrit and the others get here. I edge toward the door. One good headshot is all I’m asking when the gunman makes that turn halfway up the stairs. He is probably wearing body armor. I wished I’d brought mine to the party. <i>Gotta work with what I have</i>.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">A shadow of a man looms across the far wall in the stairwell, cast by the point man coming up the carpeted steps. Bad mistake, fella.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><i>Here he comes</i>! </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I tighten my grip, interlock my fingers, and steady my breathing as I sight down the barrel. I know I’ll only get one clean shot. They’re carrying automatic weapons; I’ve got this little pea shooter. I calmly squeeze off one round as the gunmen’s head emerges. I reel back for cover, not waiting to see if I hit my target.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">I can hear the body falling backwards. One down. How many more to go?</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><b><span style="color: #cc0000; font-size: large;">(Continued on Friday, February 24, 2011)</span><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><b>**********<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><b>Hey, Readers</b>. Wish you had some information about your favorite characters between the release of my novels? Little tidbits to let you know they’re still alive and kicking? Well, now you you do that right here. If you subscribed to this blog by email (see top of right column), you’re going to automatically get a notice to remind you the next post just came onlinee. You can stay up with the action and not lse any sleep.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">It’s really weird. I keep running into these characters—Gerrit, Alena, Travis Mays, Frank White Eagle, and others—in the strangest situations. In fact, there are a few instances in which I have to drop my pencil and pick up a gun to help out. If you regularly visit this site, I promise you some exiting—and sometimes, funny—scenes. All the character from <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B006OD215O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324626724&sr=1-1"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Off the Grid</span></a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.com/Revenge-Travis-Mays-Novel-ebook/dp/B004NIFD0C/ref=pd_sim_kstore_1?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2"><span style="color: #f1c232;">Revenge</span></a>, including<span style="text-indent: 0in;"> </span><span style="text-indent: 0in;">a new series beginning with </span><i style="text-indent: 0in;">Broken Allegiance (A Tom Kagan Novel),</i><span style="text-indent: 0in;"> will make brief cameo appearances on any given day. So, don’t be a stranger. Drop by for a visit whenever time allows.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;">Oh, one more thing. If any of you spot one of my characters—please drop me a line. It’s hard keeping track of these people all by myself. I could use your help. But be careful! These characters always seem to invite trouble, so keep your head down. Thanks for your help. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 200%;">Stay safe!</span></div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8426819454677665622.post-59019865988818842592011-12-30T21:00:00.001-08:002011-12-31T00:48:36.445-08:00What A U.S. Marine Taught My Daughter About Life<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div style="text-align: left;"><b style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">By Mark Young</span></b></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TofJYpJKOBM/Tv5ZSN4VAwI/AAAAAAAABcU/zwZWMb-jD-o/s1600/iwo.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="257" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-TofJYpJKOBM/Tv5ZSN4VAwI/AAAAAAAABcU/zwZWMb-jD-o/s320/iwo.jpg" width="320" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">My nine-year-old daughter excitedly edged through the fair crowd, going from booth to booth collecting free stuff—toys, pens and pencils, candy, free bottles of water, and balloons. She was a walking advertisement for the Republicans and the Democrats, water softeners and water savers, tree huggers and tree cutters. Everyone had their stuff out for the taking—and she took. With a cute smile and a polite “thank you,” she shoveled her loot into free bags collected on the way.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">And she wasn’t the only one. There were a string of takers right behind her, of all ages and shapes. But she is a pro. This was her second fair this month, and she quickly learned the best places to grab free stuff. Forget the exhibits, animal barns, and the rodeo show. She was a girl on a mission.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">It was almost inspiring how she swooped in to clean house. And no one seemed to mind.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Then she came to a small booth wedged between the carnival lot and a performance stage, where a country western band rocked out. One man in a U.S. Marine uniform stood tall, his knowing smile and friendly eyes greeting all visitors. A small crowd of teenagers—boys and girls—gathered around the Marine and must have caught my daughter’s attention.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">As we drew closer, I saw the Marine sergeant holding a leather exercise ball and standing next to a convex sit up bench with a rack bar. One young man lay back on the bench, his head touching dry grass and his feet in the air, wrapped around a dumbbell bar. As the teenager raised himself, the Marine threw the ball at the young man’s midsection. With a straining red face, the teenager caught the ball and threw it back on his way up. I heard the Marine chant “fifteen” and the boy seemed to collapse.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">I heard the goal was twenty reps which the boy failed to achieve. He walked away dejected amidst smirks and jeers. Another young man took his place, and this guy reached his goal. He was given a U.S Marine poster, and walked away beaming as if he’d been given a pot of gold. I heard the Marine tell him and his companions something, but I couldn’t make it out.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">My daughter stood watching until all the teenagers had sauntered away. Then she bravely walked up to the Marine and asked if she could try. Without wavering, the Marine nodded and smiled. I watched with some trepidation. I knew the exercise ball would be too much for her to handle. Wisely, the uniformed sergeant modified the rules so that she only needed to do a complete sit up, hands clasped across her chest, twenty times or more to reach her goal. Still, this was a daunting task for a young girl.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">I watched her sit up, face taut, arms folded, as she grimaced to complete the first rep. Then she dropped back for another. And another. And another. She passed the twenty sit up mark and made it to 21. She surpassed most of the teenagers who proceeded her. I was one proud dad.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">As she finished, my daughter climbed off the bench and stood up. The Marine shook her hand, then reached into his pocket and removed a very nice silver pen with <i>Marines</i> and the logo inscribed on it. As he handed the pen to her, he quietly said, “Earned…not given.” She clasped the pen, pride showing in her expression. This was something my daughter worked hard for—something earned, not given.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Of all the things she gathered at the fairs this summer, this one pen meant more to her than all the free stuff combined. That Marine taught her a lot about life in just that one encounter.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Those words flashed in my mind as I traveled back to the first days of my Marine boot camp, and the subsequent training that finally led to Vietnam. To battles waged that cost the lives of my friends and fellow countrymen. That precious ground we fought for was “earned, not given.” I saw that look in the eyes of that Marine, as he handed her the pen, a look I’d seen in the faces of many other Marines. He knew the cost.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l-6IPmXkiY4/Tv5ZfktxYjI/AAAAAAAABcg/Aaw6OkElmwM/s1600/OTG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-l-6IPmXkiY4/Tv5ZfktxYjI/AAAAAAAABcg/Aaw6OkElmwM/s320/OTG.jpg" width="213" /></span></a></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">As I wrote <i><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Off-Grid-Gerrit-ORourke-ebook/dp/B006OD215O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1324626724&sr=1-1"><span style="color: yellow;">Off the Grid</span></a></i>, I introduced my readers to the main chaacter, Gerrit O’Rourke, a Marine lieutenant, whose Recon unit is fighting for their lives in another war, in another time.Though this international thriller is not about that war, Gerrit brings the things he learned as a Marine into his experiences as a Seattle cop, and into his struggles to stay alive as he battles against forces bent on killing him and those he cares about. As I grew to know Gerrit, I saw a lot of him in the Marines I knew in times past, and I recognized the code he learned to live by. Life is not always easy. And the important things in life are earned, not given. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">There is a Christmas footnote to this story about the Marine. On Christmas morning, I unfolded the wrapping of a present from my daughter and saw the pen she had earned at the fair. As I wrote this article, I glanced at that pen next to me, a gift that I will always cherish. Later, I learned from my wife that my daughter—from the moment she earned that present—intended to give it to me for Christmas. She knew what the U.S. Marines meant to me. And she knew what the gift meant to her, a gift earned—not given.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">Above the walkway at the San Diego marine recruit depot is written these words. “To be a Marine, you have to believe in: Yourself—Your fellow Marine—Your Corps—Your Country—Your God. Semper Fidelis.” <i>Always Faithful</i>. These words echoed in my mind as I wrote <i>Off the Grid</i>, a story about always being faithful. About the pride of earning your place in this world, about sacrifice and commitment. <o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">It is my hope that what my daughter learned from that Marine at the fair will stay with her forever. <i>Semper Fi</i>.</span></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify; text-indent: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center; text-indent: 0in;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;"><b>*******************</b></span></div></div></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: x-large;"><b>Free eBook Giveaway Contest</b></span></div></div></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif; font-size: large;">To start the New Year and this blog on the right foot, I'll be offering free<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span><i>Off The Grid<span class="apple-converted-space"> </span></i>eBooks to five, randomly selected participants on this blog. In order to throw your hat into the ring, just leave a comment here that you would like to be considered along with any other comments you'd like to leave. I will end the contest at midnight, January 14, 2012 after which five names will be selected by my youngest daughter. These winners will be contacted as to which format they'd like to receive their copy of <i>Off the Grid.</i></span><span style="font-family: Cambria, serif;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-indent: 0in;"><br />
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</div><div class="blogger-post-footer"><iframe src="http://www.kindlegraph.com/widgets/author/MarkYoungBooks" frameborder="0" style="border:none; overflow:hidden; width:180px; height:150px"></iframe></div>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16391660618856607784noreply@blogger.com24