Rants, Raves, & Random Thoughts

Here I am

2012-01-09T13:12:00.000-08:00

Hello world!
I can see it's been awhile since I posted. Alot has happened, but I am still around. I am just busy as all get out. I am still frequenting a few online haunts, but I spend more time on Facebook than anywhere else. If you are really missing my posts, feel free to visit me there. :D

I hope all is well with all of you.

Rock Out!

2010-06-21T16:41:00.000-07:00

I just wanted to take a few minutes to talk about one of the bands I saw out at Rocklahoma over Memorial Day. Pedal Point is a local band that has really caught my attention, so much so, I went to see them again last Saturday.

These guys are raw, edgy, heartfelt and very very talented. Whether they are singing originals or belting out some amazing covers, their sound is sure to move you. If you ever have an opportunity to catch one of their shows, I highly recommend you don’t let it slip by. Click on their page in the link above to hear some samples of their music.

Catching Up...

2010-06-07T06:55:00.001-07:00

Wow, it has been a long time. So long in fact, I think I would be wise in just touching on a few highlights to catch up.

I finally finished my project down in Baton Rouge. My wife flew down to help me clear out my apartment and we turned it into a long weekend. We spent time with friends made at the plant and trekked down to New Orleans before making our way back home.

We attended Rocklahoma again this year, staying from Friday morning until Monday afternoon over the Memorial Day weekend. It was insane, three stages, fifty bands and a whole lotta partying. Click Here to see the amazing lineup.

This last weekend, we finally had a chance to knock the dust off our wakeboards and put them to good use. I caught my first big air of the season and I’m looking forward to adding some new tricks to my repertoire over the summer.

After the lake we attended a pool party at a friend’s and enjoyed some more sun and fun as well as great food and even better conversations.

Other than that, I’ve just been working on wrapping up old projects, setting up new ones and trying to find enough time to squeeze in a few thousand words a week worth of writing. Needless to say, I remember sleep fondly and have high hopes of getting reacquainted with her in the near future.

So what have you been up to?

Friday 55

2010-03-19T05:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Slipping, sliding, elusive, time dances at the edges of my reach. I must speed up if I am to catch it as it is far quicker than the pace I prefer. Time is my enemy and yet, I would love to have more of it. Am I confused you ask… no, I am merely tired.

Read all about it!!!!

2010-03-17T05:53:00.000-07:00

Happy St. Patrick’s Day to one and all. May your day be filled with merriment and good company.
I’ve been interviewed by the witty, talented and downright charming Brynn Paulin. Please swing by and check it out if you get a chance. Be sure to leave a comment. :D

Thanks for the support!

Wash it Away

2010-03-16T05:05:00.001-07:00

The sweet sensation of water cascading down the back of a man oppressed gives off the fragrance of freedom. For that one glorious moment he forgets where he is as the rain pounds out a steady rhythm that beats his mind into a trance. He is free to ponder the plights of his life. The rolling thunder instills the feeling that the rain will eventually wash away the sins of the world, making it a new place, a safe place, a place of opportunity. Freedom is a fragile thing. Never do anything that will allow someone take it away from you.

Hello Again

2010-03-03T17:27:00.000-08:00

Hey, there you are. I was beginning to think you had pulled a major Houdini, then I remembered that it was in point of fact me who waved my wand and disappeared. I’ve been on grand adventures, attended some awesome concerts, survived soul crushing events, and basically rode the many highs and lows on this little rollercoaster we call life.

Before I go much further, I would like to point out that I haven’t completely isolated myself from the online community, I just haven’t had the time to sit down and right a full-fledged blog. I’ve been caught up a bit in the whole Face Book epidemic and I do post occasional updates There.

It’s not that I’ve grown bored with blogging. On the contrary, I miss it greatly. It’s just that I’ve been working in excess of 80 hours per week for far too long and I just don’t have the time to devote to it yet. Fear not, though, loyal reader. I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. The project that is eating up so much of my time, should be letting up by the middle of May.

I will try to post at least once a month and hope for at least once a week until then.

Here’s a brief rundown of how February went:
Snow, lots and lots of effing white stuff causi
ng me grief with my weekly travels. I’ve had to get rental cars and drive from airports on several occasions, because they cancelled my flights. One of these trips caused me to boycott Avis, because they gouged me for nearly a thousand dollars to rent a car to get home and made me drive it all the way back to the airport I rented it from or it would be reported stolen. Nice folks, huh? I called and complained and they explained that all of the extra charges were justified. I just told them I was sorry to hear that. I didn’t mention that I was the owner of my company and not only will I not be using them anymore. No one who works for me will be using them either…

You wanna hear the real kicker here? I had finally made it to DFW after several delays out of Baton Rouge. I was put on standby because I missed my connecting flight due to the delay in BR, but as luck would have it, they loaded me on a plane about three hours after I landed. They closed the door and we waited and waited and I said, “They’re about to tell us this flight’s cancelled too.”

There was a soldier sitting behind me that said I had to be wrong. He was taking 15 days of leave from a tour in Iraq and really wanted to get to Tulsa. Sure enough, they pulled us back off the plane and I told him, we’d rent a 4 wheel drive and I’d give him a lift home. We made as far as a point between Denison and Sherman, when hit some fairly major ice on the roads.

Apparently Texans, have never seen the slick stuff before, because they were still driving 90 to nothing. As a bridge crept into sight, a semi lost control and sent cars careening everywhere. There was a cement divider running down the middle of the highway and several of them crunched into it. We narrowly avoided several vehicles spinning out of control, made it to the shoulder, jumped out and rendered aid to the injured until police and EMTs could arrive. We eventually made it home safe and sound, but when I returned the rental, I was reminded that no good deed goes unpunished, and if you do two of them, well prepare to be punished thoroughly. I was charged nearly double what the estimate said it would be (which was outrageous to begin with, but I didn’t really see any other choice, because the airline said they couldn’t get me home until Saturday night and I had to fly back out again on Sunday).

But enough about that…
My wife flew out to Baton Rouge (she was delayed nearly thirty hours before she actually arrived because of the snow) and we attended our first ever Mardi Gras in New Orleans. It was… an experience. Good times, crazy times, probably the only time, but I’m glad we went.

Soul crushing events? I’m not even going to give them any more of my sanity by committing them to paper.

I had another flight cancelled, this time due to rain and I had to drive from Dallas to Baton Rouge. That was a fun day. I set the cruise at 90, cranked up the radio and just let my mind wander for about seven hours.

But, I still get to come home every weekend and I even get to fly out on Thursday nights instead of Friday, so that helps. We are still playing lots of Guitar Hero 5 (my wife loves to play them drums) and trying to push as much fun into our time together as possible.

I’ve also managed to see a few great bands last month. Some memorable ones were Suckerpunch, Three Days Grace, Breaking Benjamin and a rather uncanny Elvis impersonator.

So, what have you been up to?

Weekend (Monthly) Recap

2010-01-25T05:01:00.000-08:00

Well, we are nearing the end of January and I am still balancing a rather grueling schedule down in lovely Baton Rouge. I had hoped to be wrapping up loose ends by now, but I’ve been asked to extend my current contract until the middle of April and I am trying to figure out a way to accommodate. I’ve been juggling my projects to the point, it looks like I can commit until the end of March. After that… well, hopefully we will have corrected enough of the problems that I can sneak away quietly and not worry about them being able to bring the plant to completion.

Other than that, I’m still getting to come home every weekend, but they seem to be getting shorter and shorter. I miss being home during the week. I miss getting a kiss to send me off to work and a kiss to send me off to sleep. I miss helping my son with his homework (other than on the phone). The list goes on and on, but the thing I miss the most? Companionship. There is something utterly depressing about going back to a hotel room at night, working on various projects until I start nodding off and then going to bed alone. This project was a real boon for my company and the proceeds will do wonders for putting other phases into motion ahead of schedule, but it is definitely take a toll on me.

On the plus side, between my working multiple projects at once and the scheduling problems we’ve run into with my wife’s job, we found ourselves in a position where my wife was able to go back to her employer and have her schedule adjusted. They negotiated a deal to where she no longer works nights, weekends nor holidays. She also can work as little as 24 hours in a given week depending on her workload.

On the writing side, I have high hopes of finishing up the sequel to The Dance by the end of summer and have it ready for release in the fall. I’ve woefully neglected my book promotions over the last year and have high hopes of doing more to try to find readers for them this year.

Well, that pretty much sums up the last month.

So, what have you been up to while I was away?

Weekend (Monthly) Recap

2009-12-14T05:04:00.000-08:00

What’s that saying about the road to hell and best intentions? Well, I had the best of intentions to get back to some serious blogging, but obviously that just hasn’t happened. Quite frankly I’ve been so swamped, I haven’t even been able to read any blogs, let alone write any. So, what has been eating up so much of my time?

As many of you know, I started my own company a few months ago. I had one client right off the bat, but it was only enough work to occupy a couple of days a week, not bad in the big scheme of things, but definitely not enough to keep in business long. The excess free time lasted all of two weeks. I picked up a second client, then a third, then a fourth and so on.

I’m currently sitting in Baton Rouge, Louisiana on the largest of my current projects. I work twelve hours a day at a plant, go back to the hotel room and work for another two to four hours (depending on the needs of the week) on deliverables for my other clients and dedicate ever Saturday and every other Friday to other projects, but I get to do them back in Oklahoma, so at least I am home with my family every weekend. It could be worse… Sundays are mostly for relaxing and spending time with my wife and son, but I have to hop on a plane on during the afternoon and fly back to BR to get ready and start the cycle again.

How long can a man hold up with such a grueling schedule? Hopefully, I can last until the end of January, because that is when I am projected to get back on track with a pseudo-normal routine. I have other projects going then, but it should only be two to juggle and I will have a few employees who can help me with those.

I’ve never had a large stockpile of sanity as it is, but keep your fingers crossed that what little bit I do have outlasts these trying times. It should be interesting to say the least.

So, what have you been up to while I was away?

Tribute to Word Slingers

2009-11-09T05:18:00.001-08:00

A Writer's Journey
I answer the call
From my inner voice.
When the muse tickles my ear,
I have no choice,
But to put pen to paper, fingers to keys.

And so, the journey begins
With eyes so bright.
Innocence abounds
As my imagination takes flight.

The masterpiece takes shape
And my mind reaches for the stars.
I envision interviews with Leno
And my prose read in bars.

The book is complete.
I hold it up with trembling hands.
The only thing left
Is for it to find its way to the fans.

I drop queries in the mail
And hope for the best.
My patience and resolve,
Will soon be put to the test.

Still the fantasy remains.
I will be the next big thing.
My fame will surpass
Anne Rice or even Stephen King.

Days, weeks, and months go by
Without so much as a word.
At last, I receive a letter
Address, written in my hand.
It is addressed to dear author
And they're not buying.

Well, what do they know?
Perhaps an agent is what I need.
I answer an ad in a magazine.
They like my work and for a small fee,
I will be published in no time,
Just you wait and see.

They had the speed,
I will give them that.
I had a dozen rejections,
In no time flat.

Don't let it get you down kid,
You've written a best seller.
We just have to find it a home,
Get it in front of the right feller.

Just send me more money
And we will be on our way.
I have a question or two
Before we proceed.
I've read through your list of publishers,
And I have to say,
You, sir, are a hack, a swindler, and a cheat.
If I had more than P.O. Box
With which to find you,
Your ass, I would beat.

My innocence has been replaced
With apprehension.
My sleep is still filled,
With the first timers dreams.
My words will be read
And hearts will be moved,
Emotions will be stirred.
With a single book,
I could change the world.
Someone, somewhere will read my words
And will be inspired to do great things.

I dream of a series of books,
crossing all genres.
I dream of books on CD
And book signings,
With throngs of people waiting
For a signature or at least a glimpse.
I dream of an adoring public
That falls so hard for my characters,
They become a household name.

All of this and more I dream.
No matter what happens,
I will always have my dreams.
My dreams are not goals,
They are fantasies and as such,
They will never be crushed.

I am a slave to the muse,
A whore for her voice.
I am a man that hears voices.
I argue with myself
And put it on paper.
I am a visionary,
A dreamer,
A fiend for the written word.

I am a writer.

Dar-Wednesday

2009-11-04T04:58:00.000-08:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(3 June 2009, North Carolina) Greensboro was innundated with four inches of pouring rain in two hours leading to standing water, and stranding cars on several roads. Rosanne Tippett, 50, was not deterred. She hopped on her moped and drove to a convenience store where she possibly had a beer, according to her mother, before deciding to blunder home through the storm. She phoned home to share her intentions, saying, "My moped has two rubber wheels, Mom, I'll be fine."

North Carolina does not require a license to own a moped.
Ms. Tippett had acquired hers two years previously after a DUI conviction.

The Highway Patrol had blocked off several roads that were inundated with water, including Ms. Tippett's path home. But Ms. Tippett rode right past the officer and the barriers, lost control of her vehicle, and fell into the swollen creek below. The officer retrieved rope from his vehicle and proceeded to haul her from the water.

He then interviewed Ms. Tippett, probably inquiring about her motivation for speeding through a roadblock during a flash flood. The officer began to suspect that she had been drinking. When he briefly returned to his patrol car, Ms. Tippett took the opportunity to confirm his suspicions. She escaped--by jumping back into the creek!

The Highway Patrol officer attempted to rescue her again, but alas, it was too late. The victim's mother speculated that her daughter's motivation for jumping into a flooded creek was to rescue her drowning moped. "She loved that thing."

Weekend Recap

2009-11-02T05:44:00.001-08:00

As I’m sure you know, Halloween was last weekend. My son went trick or treating and I handed out candy. Here are a few pictures of our costumes:

My son decided to be Jason Voorhees. I thought he did a wonderful job with his costume. I know he scared me. :D

I on the other hand decided to emulate an 80s rocker. My wife said it was scary because it looked like I could play the part a little too well.

After the trick or treating we had a few friends over and played various games. Of course, given my costume we did spend the majority of the time playing Guitar Hero World Tour. It was a hoot.

So how did you celebrate the holiday?

Friday 55

2009-10-30T04:22:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Clouds roll in, a storm on the hunt. It will not rest until it can release its pent up energy. Shadows spread, chewing up streets, marking its territory as the power builds. Darkness rules, the sun turns away, unable to bear witness. With a mighty roar, it unleashes it’s fury, cleansing the world once more.

Book Review: Darkness on the Plains: The Beginning

2009-10-27T05:50:00.000-07:00

I am conflicted, downright unsure of everything I previously held as gospel. My world is officially topsy-turvy. You see, I read Darkness on the Plains The Beginning by fellow RP author Jayme Malvagio and I really enjoyed it. Why is that so weird? Because it is an Erotic Paranormal novel. I don’t read erotica. Not that I’m a prude or anything, but when I sit down to read, I want to be thrilled, scared, and/or entranced. There is more than enough sex and sensuality in my life, I don’t need to read about it to boot.

Then I read DOPTB. From the first paragraph this book drew me in. It was intense. It was dark. It was full of wild adventures, death, love, beauty and… vampires. And yes, it was full of sex. The funny thing is, that the sex scenes all seemed to be pertinent to the storyline. The vampire is a sensual creature in the most popular of folklores, but this book merged sex and violence in such a skillful way, I didn’t even blush as I read through M/M/F threesome. It may seem like a strange comment, but of all the odd sexual fantasies out there, this one probably repels me the most. James doesn’t share women and he damn sure doesn’t get into rolling around with other naked men.

When I finished reading the entire story, I realized something rather profound, for me anyways: This is a great book that happens to be erotic.

I recommend this book to fans of, Romance, Horror, Thrillers, Suspense, Mysteries, Erotica and well… anyone who enjoys a good fast-paced read.

Blurb

When Native American myth collides with the world of vampires, the fate o the entire tribe could hang in the balance…

A storm brews in the Indian Territory. Nightfall is coming, and something lurks in the darkness that is as beautiful as it is terrifying. There is a new hunter on the plains and his prey is… human.

Reunited with his people, Kanati has the love of the most beautiful woman he ever met, and is leading the life he always dreamed of, but a chance encounter with a charismatic vampire will launch him down a path wrought with peril and suprises. Will Kanati be able to preserve the life he loves?

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Weekend Recap

2009-10-26T06:23:00.001-07:00

Okay, this weekend was as low key as it gets, almost to the point of ridiculous. My wife worked twelve hour days all weekend and my son was grounded. I had no one to play with. So, I decided we should spend Saturday getting a jump on a science project my son has that is due on November 23rd.

He brought home a piece of paper that said “Engineering Project” at the top. I just so happen to know an engineer. My wife, who is a chemist, is usually the self-designated helper with all things science related, but this one clearly fell into my realm.

Friday evening we sat down and discussed the parameters of the project. The gist of which was, build a ping pong ball launcher to launch a ping pong twelve and have it land inside an empty 3lb coffee cup. We put together a Hypothesis and a list of steps needed to carry the launcher from idea to completion.

We developed a rough materials list and though I led him with gentle nudges here and there, he came up with the items needed on his own.

A mousetrap to be the launch mechanism.
A spoon to hold the ball
Duct tape to hold the spoon to the arm of the trap
An angle bracket to keep the trap from closing all the way.
A piece of wire to be able to trigger the trap without having his hands in the way.
A block of wood to stabilize the trap when it is triggered.
Screws and wood glue to hold the trap to the block of wood.
A means to “sight in” the trap for accurate launches into the can.
Paint to decorate it.

Saturday morning, I got up early and worked up a series of parabolic equations to calculate the angle of launch necessary to give the ball the proper trajectory. You see it is not enough that the ball goes twelve feet, but the arc of its path has to be such that it is coming almost straight down when it lands so that when it is used on test day, the height of both tables and the height of the coffee can would not be a factor.

By the time my son was ready to begin construction, I knew what he needed to be done, I just had to figure out how to help him without giving him the answers. It is HIS project after all. You would be surprised (I know I was) at how easy it turned out to be.

I calculated the force exerted by the arm of the trap, the weight of trap and used it to determine the best means of stabilizing the launcher was to attach it to a block of wood. Using a two by four, I determined that we needed about ten inches of the two by four to keep the trap from moving when it was triggered.

I asked my son how big he thought the base should be. He promptly placed a large chunk of wood on our work bench, placed the mousetrap on it and rested the spoon up against the spring. He grabbed a tape measure and looked up at me and said, “We should probably leave an inch up front to put the sights on. He moved the trap back and measured from the end of the wood to the end of the spoon. Guess what… it was just shy of ten inches, so he decided to round up for good measure.

We continued on in this fashion until the entire thing was constructed. My only interference came when I asked if I could set the angle of the restraint used to keep the trap from closing all the way. I set it at “X” angle (I’m not revealing that one in case someone else googles this to do their project).

We prepared to launch and though the trap was vertically stable, it moved from side to side on the table as he tried to pull the trigger. I suggested putting Velcro on the bottom, but my son had a better idea. He grabbed the tip of a broken skateboard deck, used a hacksaw to shorten it to the right length and attached it to the bottom. Worked like a charm.

He was read for his first test launch. We measured out twelve feet, put a coffee cup on one end and the trap at the other. He pulled the trigger and it went right into the center of the coffee can and stayed…

I think he may just get an “A” on this thing and I was shocked at just how little I actually had to help. I wonder if this means my boy is a chip off the ol’ block. I guess time will tell.

So, how was your weekend?

Friday 55

2009-10-23T04:34:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Economy sucks. Jobs are scarce. So why did I quit mine? Timing plays a key. If not now, then when? If not me, then… well, someone else will get all the money for my blood, sweat and tears. Unfortunately, now I have a real asshole for a boss and I have only myself to blame…

Movie Review: Zombieland

2009-10-22T05:42:00.000-07:00

We are defiantly getting into the spirit of the season. My family and I made a rare visit to the theaters and watched Zombieland. We laughed ourselves silly. Even my wife who is in no way a fan of the zombie really enjoyed this movie. It was a wonderful escape from reality, full of twists and turns, plots and subplots and the underlying message that no matter how bad the world gets, there is always time to laugh. Though, I must say it has an excellent example of product placement. Despite the gore and carnage that accompanied the guffaws, I did indeed go out and buy a Twinkie in honor of the Tallahassee. I will definitely own this movie when it comes out on DVD.

Synopsis

In the horror comedy Zombieland focuses on two men who have found a way to survive a world overrun by zombies. Columbus is a big wuss -- but when you're afraid of being eaten by zombies, fear can keep you alive. Tallahassee is an AK-toting, zombie-slaying' bad ass whose single determination is to get the last Twinkie on earth. As they join forces with Wichita and Little Rock, who have also found unique ways to survive the zombie mayhem, they will have to determine which is worse: relying on each other or succumbing to the zombies.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Book Review: Peacemaker

2009-10-20T06:09:00.001-07:00

Some of you may remember my reveiew of Unholy Domain by Dan Ronco. I’ve since had an opportunity to read the prequel to this fine tome. Peacemaker is another fast paced techno-thriller detailing the epic struggle between good and evil, though things aren’t really so black and white. In a world ruled by technology, he who has the ability to stop the flow of data has the power to bring down the entire house of cards. With gritty real world lingo and believable characters, Mr. Ronco gives us a glimpse into the not so distant future and his vision is as frightening as it is vivid. The story will suck you in and refuse to let you go until you’ve turned the last page. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a good thriller.

Blurb
Software expert Ray Brown is plunged into a life-or-death contest with PeaceMaker, a deadly artificial intelligence that has infected most of the world's computing devices. His determination to eliminate PeaceMaker leads him into a dangerous conflict with the Domain, a clandestine organization dedicated to a new world order.Humiliated by the federal government in an anti-trust trial that has torn apart her software company, CEO Dianne Morgan is obsessed with a plan to unleash PeaceMaker and shut down computer systems across the world. She is determined to crush the global economy unless the nations of the world agree to share power with the Domain. Although Dianne and Ray have never resolved a long simmering passion, she must hunt him down before he terminates PeaceMaker. As the Domain hunts Ray, Dianne learns of a mysterious third force that has discovered PeaceMaker and plans to attack the Domain. Dianne, Ray and this third force struggle for control, but PeaceMaker has its own plans.
Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Weekend Recap

2009-10-19T05:28:00.000-07:00

We had a fairly laidback weekend. It was nice to unwind after a stressful first week as a new business owner. I tried to pack two weeks of activities into about four days and several speed bumps along the way, but to avoid getting all wound up first thing this morning, I am skipping over those details and moving straight on to the weekend activities.

Friday, I met with a group of friends for lunch. This particular group meets every Friday, but I hadn’t been able to attend for nearly a month due to various activities I needed to wrap up before leaving my old company. Most of the hour was spent catching up on all of the latest ~~gossip~~ news that came up during my absence. Needless to say, the laughs were in abundance and I had a little extra spring in my step by the time it was over.

That evening my wife and I met with more friends for dinner and we followed it up with series of card games and memorable moments. A good time was had by all.

We originally planned to spend Saturday on the lake, but it has been unseasonably cold in my area and that day was no exception. Instead we opted to hole up in the living room and watch the entire third season of Dexter.

Sunday my wife had to work (long story) and my son was still visiting his biological mother for the weekend, so I hung out by myself. I wrote a bit, watched football and just generally recouped and prepared for the week to come.

In my humble opinion, there are far worse ways to spend some much needed time off.

So, how was your weekend?

Crazy Like a Fox

2009-10-05T05:42:00.001-07:00

I quit my day job… It seems like a bit of insanity in our current economic climate, but I put in my two weeks notice and that two weeks will be up this Friday. What could be crazier than that? I’ve also decided to start my own business in this same crappy economy.

I’ve done a lot of research and to be honest a lot of soul searching as well over the last several months. The result is that I feel like I am at a point in my life where starting my own business just makes sense. I’ve been working as an engineering consultant and an integrator for the last three years, but I’ve been working in my industry for closer to a dozen years. In that time I’ve formed some fantastic working relationships and have built something of a name for myself in my area of expertise.

I will miss having the umbrella of the EPC firm I’ve been working for to shield me during the slow times, but to be honest the slow times have been few and far between while I worked for them. Having said that, I don’t foresee a lot of slow times for my new business either. When I turned in my two weeks notice, my boss advised me of some projects coming up next month and wanted to know if I would be available to help with them on a contract basis. My point is, don’t worry about me, this move isn’t as crazy as it seems.

As of Monday October 13th, I will be launching Orion Industrial Services, LLC. It is an exciting time and yes, to be honest a bit scary as well. Please keep your fingers crossed for the success of my new business.

I spent the better part of last week on the road. I had an emergency trip down to Belle Chasse, Louisiana which required copious amounts of time while I was there. I actually clocked in one 18 hour day during the mix and none were less than 13 hours. By the time I returned home, I was quite beat, so we didn’t do much at all over the weekend.

Most of the weekend was spent lounging and watching football. This, my final week with my current company, is shaping up to be a humdinger as well. I have lots of loose ends to tie up and a few new ones to create.

So, how was your weekend?

Touching Base

2009-09-24T05:11:00.001-07:00

I just wanted to let you know I haven’t fallen off the face of the earth entirely. Life is… well life and it has become a bit of a whirlwind these last few weeks. I hope to provide a proper update next week.

In the meantime, if you are missing my posts terribly, I have a new one posted on the RP Author Blog. You can read it Here. Feel free to drop by and leave a comment if you have a chance.

I hope you all are doing well.

Friday 55

2009-09-04T05:06:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

The pink blanket slips from her fingers, floats to the floor. She stares at it, unbelieving. The painted faces of clowns on the wall smile at her, taunting her. Their faces swell and distort as the heat in the room rises. Flames lick at her skin. Her broken heart slows…stops. She doesn’t need it anymore.

The Ghost Town Tour

2009-08-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Friday started out a little rough, but it turned out to be a rather interesting weekend. I was slammed pretty much all week, juggling several projects at once and the players of each all vying for my attention. I managed to sneak away for lunch with some friends on Friday, but wound up working until nearly midnight before I could officially call the work week over.

Saturday morning I hopped on my bike and headed into Tulsa to meet some friends. We had a day trip planned and it was a doozy. It turns out that one of my friends wasn’t going to be able to join us for the entire day, so we decided to hit a restaurant for lunch and finalize our route for a major bike trip.

By noon, we were on the open road, heading for the North East portion of the state. The plan? We wanted to explore some good ol’ fashioned ghost towns.

Our first stop was a town called Afton. It was established in 1886, but has since all but been abandoned. Here is a rare photo of it in its prime.

As you can see from the pictures below, it has fallen far from grace.

There is still one business thriving in Afton, OK; a rather delightful museum that is centered around antique cars and Route 66 memorabilia.

Our next stop was Narcissa, OK. There were only a couple of dilapidated buildings on a small stretch of the road. I couldn’t find a before picture, but by what I’ve read there wasn’t much here even when it was an actual city. There is even less now.

The biggest building on the strip appeared to be an old garage and possibly a motel. It had clearly been gutted by a fire at some point. It was wide open as we walked the outskirts, so we decided to venture in. Imagine our surprise when we found an old coupe still occupied what was left of the garage.

Here is another shot of the interior.

And a picture of our rides from the inside looking out.

The next stop on the trip was Picher, OK. This was a town that was booming during both World Wars, but now has the feel of a post apocalyptic skeleton. Large levels of lead contamination were discovered in the town’s water supply, putting the final nail in the coffin.

Here are a couple of before shots:

And this is what it looks like today:

There were several places were we found municipal vehicles, seemingly abandoned as well.

After we left Picher, we decided to slip over the state line and drive a ways into Kansas, just so we could see we hit a different state, lol. Didn’t see anything picture worthy, so we turned around and reentered Oklahoma.

The next stop on our journey took us to Cardin, Ok. It really just looked like an extension of Picher, so we didn’t snap any photos there.

We made our way a bit further south and found Douthat, Ok. This place has a rather amazing history. As we understand it (and as explained by one of the few remaining locals). This town and the surrounding communities had a population of roughly 26,000 people while the mines were in full swing. It was completely abandoned by the 1950s and nature is slowly but surely reclaiming what was once hers.

Here are a couple of pictures of the place while it still existed:

For more great pictures and a more detailed description of some of these towns, please visit John Schehrer’s website

And here is what it looks like now:

The Great Pyramids of Oklahoma?

This is clearly were most of the entertainment sprang from… an ancient gladiator arena. Ok, actually it is just a water storage area, but you know the imagination is a dangerous thing if left unchecked.

Here’s one with my partner in crime for the day in it. Give us a bow, Cliff…

After that, we headed back to Tulsa where we met up with a few other bikers and did a bit of bar hopping, but mainly just more riding. It was a blast and one heck of an adventure.

I finally drug my sorry carcass back home around three that morning. All in all, I wound up putting more than 350 miles on the bike from the time I left home until the time I pulled into the garage.

Not a bad way to spend a Saturday… How did you spend your weekend?

Friday 55

2009-08-20T19:47:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Slipping, sliding, elusive, time dances at the edges of my reach. I must speed up if I am to catch it as it is far quicker than the pace I prefer. Time is my enemy and yet, I would love to have more of it. Am I confused you ask… no, I am merely tired.

Weekend Recap

2009-08-03T08:29:00.001-07:00

We had a relaxing weekend. Well, most of us anyway. My wife had to work twelve hour shifts, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday… nights. Yep, from six to six through the entire weekend. No worries though, there are parts of her new temporary schedule that totally make up for this madness. She works for a fairly small company and they landed a big project that takes 24 hour coverage. Even the owners are having to work weird hours until the project completes. Crazy times, but at least she still has a job, it could be worse in our current economic climate.

Friday my brother spent the night with us and we did a few chores that needed to be done around the house then settled in for an evening of video games and catching up. Big Friday night, I was in bed by 10:30.

Saturday started out a bit rough. My brother had to move out of his house and I had to help him. No big deal under normal circumstances, but I sustained a heel injury the weekend (caused by stupidity on the lake) before and it hadn’t quite healed yet. Needless to say, carrying heavy items with a limp was a challenge to say the least. I still managed it and by sheer chance, I did it without causing myself further injury.

Saturday evening I went to a cookout with some dear friends. They served slow smoked ribs and a variety of sides that was absolutely heavenly. We took advantage of the unseasonably cool weather and sat outside until well after sunset. When we moved indoors we settled in for movie. We watched a delightful little British horror comedy called The Cottage. It was over the top and full of chills and giggles.

Sunday we cut out of the house early and went to the lake with a group of friends. When we first got there, the water was as smooth as glass. Taking advantage of the optimal conditions, we spent the majority of the day wakeboarding. I had several good runs and almost landed an airborne wake to wake job. Well… I landed, but wasn’t able to stay upright. My nephew on the other hand, was doing some down right nifty tricks, including an aerial switch foot (where he spins the board around while in the air) and a big air launch that earned several seconds of air time. It must be nice to only way seventy pounds…

Last night, I buckled down and got a little bit of writing done. I’m on track to finish up my latest book by the end of September, barring any more time sucking day job projects. The really cool thing there is that once this book is complete (which is the second in a trilogy) the third book is already complete is well. Yay me… After the series is put to bed, I plan to get back to focus full time on the sequel to The Dance.

So, what have you been up to?

Friday 55

2009-07-31T09:07:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

The aroma of Listerine and dime-store aftershave barely covers the smell of Black Velvet. A gnarled hand touches my shoulder, a nod, a smile, a hint of mischief in his eye. He leans back in the chair, knee proffered. It’s story time. I gladly accept. I wake before the tale begins. I miss my grandfather.

Book Review: The Devil Can Wait

2009-07-28T08:33:00.001-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of reading The Devil Can Wait by Marta Stephens. This is a masterfully written tale that rides the border between hard boiled crime mystery and an all out thriller. Her pacing was impeccable and her plotting more so. From the first page her characters reach out, grab you and refuse to let go until the bitter end. She creates the story with such realism, one almost forgets it is a work of fiction. I highly recommend this book to one and all. If you have enjoyed reading any of my books, you will love The Devil Can Wait.

Blurb:

The city of Chandler, Massachusetts is plunged into terror when the bodies of three local teenagers wash ashore. While homicide detective Sam Harper hunts down the guilty, a sinister plot emerges overseas. From the Vatican to the jungles of South America, a cursed black pearl ring, the demonic prophecy it represents, and the men who pursue its powers find their unfortunate way onto Harper's turf.
Enthralled by the ring's story and a front-page spread, newspaper reporter Jennifer Blake agrees to pick up the ring at a local pawnshop for her former college professor. When she does, unforeseen events shoot Blake to the top of Harper's prime suspect list. Soon, the seemingly unrelated cases converge and the heat is on for Harper to expose the truth behind a Vatican secret and stop the self-righteous man who does the unthinkable in the name of God.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Friday 55

2009-07-03T05:23:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the game is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

As I knelt before the cool blue waters, with my hand extended, I caught the image of my face staring back at me. My attention came to rest upon my eyes. It was then I realized that just as the pond held a reflection of my face, my eyes held a reflection of my soul.

A Meme

2009-06-30T11:22:00.001-07:00

I ~~stole~~ borrowed this meme from Lime

Start with your name:
I’ve had so many, but you can call me James

If your ex REALLY needed you at 3 am, would you go to his/her house?
Well, that would depend on the circumstances. Since we had a child together if the emergency pertained to my son, then absolutely, if not, I imagine I wouldn’t be the first person she would call.

When was the last time you wanted to punch someone in their face?
Well, just this morning as a matter of fact, thankfully it is hard to hit someone over the phone.

What are the last three things you spent money on?
Fuel for the boat
Ice for the cooler
Beer for the party

What was the last thing you cried about?
The loss of my nephew

Could you go a day without eating?
Can and have. I don’t recommend it if it can be avoided.

Have you ever kissed anyone whose name started with a J?
Hell, I done more than kiss them, lol.

Do you smoke weed regularly?
Uh… no. Drugs are bad mmkay?

Drugs are bad?
That’s what I said. I was known to experiment from time to time in my misspent youth, but I’ve just seen to many lives torn asunder by drugs. Just say no!

Has anyone ever told you they're in love with you?
Yes, and I’m eternally grateful for that.

When was the last time you were disappointed?
Well, this morning during the phone call that made me want to punch some poor dolt in the face.

Has a girl ever seriously punched you?
When I was a punk kid, not only did one punch me, she stabbed me for beating the crap out of her boyfriend.

What was the last thing you put in your mouth?
Lunch.

Have you kissed two different people in one night?
Yes, yes I have.

Is it easy for others to make you feel awkward?
No, I’m pretty much a roll with the flow kind of guy.

In the past week have you felt stupid?
Of course, if you don’t do something wrong once in a while, you are obviously not doing anything at all.

Have you ever been outside completely naked?
Yeah, recently. I like to howl at the moon.

What would happen if you had a baby with the last person you kissed?
Well, as I can no longer have children, there would be a lot of explaining to do.

Who did you text the most yesterday?
I don’t text.

What were you doing at 10pm Friday night?
Watching a slideshow from an Alaskan cruise.

What are your plans for today?
Writing, working, cuddling up with the mrs.

Could you go the rest of your life without smoking a cigarette?
I’d like to think so, but I wouldn’t know until I tried.

What was the last reason you went to the doctor?
I’ve been so many times over the last few years, but oddly enough the last time was just for a minor shoulder injury.

What is the last thing you yelled aloud?
Oh, yeah…. Just like that!

What do you think of when you think of Australia?
Lyn Armstrong

What's one action you do when you're really nervous?
I’m a pacer and a bit of a blabber mouth, which is quite out of the norm for me.

Would you rather give up the computer or the TV?
TV hands down. I can’t work on my novels without a computer.

One word that explains perfectly how you feel at the moment?
Stancato

Do you care if people hate you for no reason?
I could give a rat’s ass as long as they aren’t in my face about it.

How hard is your life right now?
The world is my oyster.

Have you ever taken anyone for granted?
Not nearly as often as I’ve been taken for granted.

Weekend Recap

2009-06-29T05:48:00.000-07:00

This is a better pace. I’m down to only having two active projects for my day job. I peaked at juggling eleven and to be honest, it nearly burnt me out. I managed to snag a promotion through the ordeal, so at least the efforts didn’t go unnoticed. I am officially an Engineering Project Manager now.

I am working from home all but one day this week and really looking forward to it. It seems that I get a lot more work done when I’m not onsite with a client. Fewer distractions would be the only reason I can come up with.

My wife, the poor soul, has started working a rotating shift at her job. She is the manager of catalyst development for a lab, but they have a rather important project come up and the owner asked everyone to go to twelve hour shifts to get the unit up and running. Of course, being a member of the management team she is own salary, so she gets to work her extra hours (including the night shifts) for free.

Thankfully, the schedule worked out to where she averages only forty two hours a week and she has guaranteed days off, which she didn’t have before. It was not uncommon for her to work eleven and twelve days straight before the shift work began.

Why do I bring this up? Well, she will be working the night shift starting Thursday this week and it is a four day jaunt. Yep, she will be working nights over the holiday weekend.

Speaking of weekends, ours was a blast. My wife was off for Friday and Saturday this week, so we made the best of it.

Friday my wife, son and I had a whirlwind Guitar Hero World Tour session. We had planned to go see a baseball game, but with the record heat wave, we decided against it. The heat index for that evening was still 106 F by seven o’clock that night.

Some of our dear friends had recently returned from an Alaskan cruise. So, we met them for dinner and proceeded to be regaled with tales of their adventures and I set up or PS3 to show the pictures they brought in a slideshow to watch while they told us of the trip.

Saturday we headed off to the lake. We had three boat loads full of people and a rocking good time. We had a boat designated for tubing, one for skiing and mine we used for wakeboarding and kneeboarding. Taking the occasional break, we tied all the boats together and just hung out in the middle of the lake.

After we were all good and baked, we loaded everyone up and came back to our house for another Guitar Hero World Tour marathon and some grilled steaks, sausages and hotlinks. A good time was had by all.

Sunday, I hung out at the house, while my wife sauntered off to work. My nephew stayed the night with us, so he and my son played video games while I smoothed the edges on a completed rough draft of a new novel.
Other than that, it was a fairly routine weekend. How did you spend yours?

Alive and Kicking

2009-06-11T05:13:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or does time seem to be slipping away at an alarming rate? I hit me this morning that I haven’t updated this blog in quite some time. My day job has finally leveled out a bit, so you would think I would have more time for blogging. The funny thing is that with the onset of warm weather, I’m hardly ever home.

We’ve been spending a good deal of our free time at the lake. My wakeboarding skills were a little rusty at first, but I’m well on my way to completing my first aerial 360 this year. It is a rather tricky maneuver, as we have to gain some serious speed to give my rather large body enough lift to stay airborne long enough to complete the full circle. I figure the first real attempt will end one of two ways. Either I’ll be mostly successful, have my board hit the water first and wipe out or I will land at some odd angle and wind up back in the emergency room. It should be interesting either way.

Other than the lake time, we’ve filled our weekend evenings with cookouts, guitar hero parties, concerts, bike rallies and road trips. During the week, we’ve been hitting the gym, recovering from the weekend before and at least in my case, trying to squeeze in enough time to write on my various projects.

Speaking of writing, I’m currently working on four different books. One is a trilogy and in a weird twist of fate, I have the third installment all but complete, the second about three quarters of the way there, but I can’t submit any of them until I finish the first one, which is only about half way through. I’m not sure how I wound up so lopsided, but I guess the last book, drew me in quicker than the others. We’ll just have to see how it turns out. The other book I’m working on, has barely seen any screen time, but it is still in the works. It is a sequel to The Dance and I’m pretty excited about it.

Anyhoo, that is what’s going on in my life right now. How is everything in your world?

Friday 55

2009-05-15T03:58:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

With a flick of the wrist, I induce a mighty rumble. The ground shakes, vibrations carry through my body. My left hand squeezes. The right one rotates up and down. My left foot kicks a lever and the beast is ready to be unleashed. I release her and we surge forward on the open road.

Dar-Wednesday

2009-05-13T05:16:00.001-07:00

It’s time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(27 December 2008, Serbia) 23-year-old Strahinja Raseta was wanted by Croatian police for murder, as well as for a spectacular robbery of a central post office. He fled to Serbia to evade the law.

But even bad guys have friends. Raseta had a friend, and his friend had lent him E15,000. Some loans can never be repaid. This was such a loan. Finding himself unable to earn or steal the funds needed to reimburse his friend, Raseta attempted to end the matter in another way--by murdering the lender!

He crawled under his creditor's Jeep and planted an explosive. However, the muffler was still hot, and the heat set off the explosive while Raseta was beneath the vehicle. He died in hospital the next day in the Serbian capital city of Belgrade, illustrating the truth of the Shakespearean adage, "Neither a borrower nor a lender be."

Neither a borrower nor a lender be;
For loan oft loses both itself and friend.
Shakespeare (Lord Polonius, in Hamlet)

A Rant of Sorts...

2009-05-12T08:06:00.001-07:00

I wonder what the world has in store for us or where I place will be in it in the future. There is no doubt the economy has been in crisis for quite some time. Have we seen the worst of it? Crime is rising almost as fast as the unemployment rate. The cost of living is going up and the average family income is going down. I still see signs of prosperity, but they are always overshadowed by stories of family struggling just to get by.

Sure, the government has tried to step in to turn everything around, but is it really working or is it just a really expensive band-aid with poor adhesive? Of course this help won’t come without a price. It’s a price we won’t likely have to pay, but the U.S. has put itself into such a deep financial hole, we may not recover fully in my life time. I truly feel sorry for our kids and grandkids that will have to shoulder the brunt of this burden. Well, if we survive as a country that is. We have weakened ourselves to the point that it is no longer out of the question that America could fall victim to a hostile takeover without a single bullet being fired. We are corporate America and I think we’ve all seen examples of one corporation buying another’s debts to bend them to their will. How long before someone tries to put a leash on the mighty giant?

I look at my son and I wonder if he will have the same opportunities I’ve had. Will he have the same freedoms I enjoy? Will his world be a better place than mine? Will his children be safe?

So, I want to know your thoughts. Have we seen the worst of it? Do you think we are taking the right steps to get the economy back on track? What would you do different if you were in charge?

Weekend Recap

2009-05-11T06:24:00.000-07:00

It was a great weekend, but it wound up being too short. I really could’ve used an extra day… maybe even two. We managed to pack a whole lotta fun into the time we were allotted though.

On Friday, we met up with some friends and went out to hear a bit of live music. As most of you know, I’m a big fan of concerts and I had a Shinedown, Hailstorm, and Aranda evening all lined up for us. We decided to meet at a local hotspot, The Gray Snail, before the concert. When we arrived we were surprised to find that Hailstorm was performing an acoustic set before their big show at the Cain’s Ballroom. It was great. While we were killing time waiting for the main event, we ran into an old friend of ours. After a brief discussion we realized that she could use our tickets much more than we could, so we gave her ours and went out to hear some local talent instead.

Saturday morning we suited up in our finest leathers, jumped on my bike and went to take part in a poker run to support Cancer Sucks. It was a great ride and supported a great cause.

After the ride, it was time to head home, shower up and giddy up to our next event. We joined a group of friends at a place called The Fox & Hound for an evening of Pool, Darts, catching up with old friends, and making new ones.

Sunday, of course, was Mother’s Day. And I want to take a minute to wish a belated Happy Mother’s Day to you all. I hope it was a joyous time spent with cherished loved ones. We had a marvelous lunch that my brother prepared while visiting my mom. He made homemade Sesame Chicken and let me tell you… it was to die for. After lunch, we spent a brief bit of time at home, before my SIL invited us out for an impromptu cookout at her place. More free food? You know they didn’t have to twist my arm to get me to agree to that one. So, we finished off the evening with some grilled steaks, potatoes and steamed prawns.

Other than that, we just tried to fit in a bit of sleep here and there. We weren’t entirely successful there, but there just wasn’t enough time to fit everything in and get a full night’s rest. Oh well, I can sleep when I die.

So, how was your weekend?

Weekend Recap

2009-04-13T05:08:00.001-07:00

It has been an interesting week. I had to fly down to New Orleans last Monday to do some work at a plant in Belle Chasse. As I was driving the rental car to the plant I received a phone call telling me that the plant experienced a global shutdown and that I wouldn’t be able to get into any of the units. I was off to a great start.

So, I checked into the hotel and called my counterpart on the project to see if he heard the news. Not only had he heard it he was part of it. He told me he arrived early and went to the plant to begin work. The shutdown occurred while he was up on one of the gigantic heaters in the heart of the refinery. When an unscheduled shutdown like that happens, not only will they not let people into the plant, they don’t let them out, so he was stuck on the inside until further notice. Needless to say, I had the better part of that deal.

When they finally cut him loose, we decided to go explore the cemeteries in New Orleans. As you may or may not know, the water tables of the city are too high to bury their dead, they just come right back out of the ground if you try. So, they are laid to rest in intricately decorated above ground tombs. We spent several hours on a self guided tour of the cities of the dead.

Walking among the tombs for so long built up a mighty thirst, so we made our way down to Bourbon Street for some music and drinks.

We spent the rest of my time there trying to get into units only to be told that it they needed a few more hours before it was safe for us to enter (each time we asked, it was the same response), so we had to stay onsite, but couldn’t do the work I needed to do.

I flew home Thursday and spent some time with my wife and son. Sadly, it was my son’s weekend to visit his mother, so I only had a few hours with him before I had to kiss him goodbye.

Friday we went to lunch with some friends at one of our favorite downtown spots, McNellie’s. After lunch, we had some family issues I was asked to intervene in, so we spent the rest of the afternoon sorting those out.

Friday night we went to see a concert. Nickelback, Seether and Saving Abel put on an awesome show. I’d be hard pressed to pick a favorite, but I will say that Nickelback sounds even better live than they do on their CD, which is no small feat.

Saturday we loaded up with a few friends and drove up to Joplin Missouri for a small getaway. It was a blast. The highlight was a trip to Turtlehead’s, a little restaurant that is off the beaten path. The place features oyster shooters of various flavors and a menu overflowing with Cajun fare.

Sunday we drove back from Joplin, picked up my son and spent the evening doing family stuff and resting from the long week. We didn’t attend any of the traditional Easter weekend celebrations, but we had a good time none the less.

So, how did you spend the holiday weekend?

Two Tales of Terror

2009-03-24T04:36:00.000-07:00

I have a new book out. Well a new book that is comprised of two titles that were previously only available in e-book format. So, if you if you’ve wanted to read either of these stories, but just couldn’t bring yourself to take the plunge into e-books, now’s your chance.

Tuttle's House of Horror with Drums of the Nunne'hi: Two Tales of Terror in One was recently released by Resplendence Publishing. Here is a blurb:

Tuttle's House of Horror: Tyler Duke thinks opening the infamous Tuttle House on Halloween will provide a weekend of thrills and chills for curiosity seekers. If all goes well, Tyler and his friends will earn enough money to spend spring break in Cancun. But someone else has taken up residence in the old mansion, and he has a plan of his own...

Drums of the Nunne’ hi: Carl and Jessica fell for each other during their final year of high school. Unfortunately, they come from different worlds. The people of their small Oklahoma town were taught from an early age that they should steer clear of the kids from the Cherokee reservation, and the animosity flows both ways. Carl's mother is heartbroken to learn that her only son has strayed from his people by falling in love with a white girl, while Jessica's family sees any relationship with a 'Rez Kid' as the ultimate betrayal-and they want Carl to pay for their daughter's mistake.

The masses are calling these stories edgy YA, but sure to appeal to suspense enthusiasts of any age.

Weekend Recap

2009-03-23T04:47:00.001-07:00

Sorry folks. I just haven’t been able to bring myself to spend much time on here lately. I’m hoping to change that and soon. Maybe even this week. I’ve been reading, writing a bit on a new novel and just spending time with family and friends. It’s been a month now, but I still felt the incredible need to keep my mind occupied. If I let my mind roam, it seems to take me to a rather dark place.

This weekend was a bit easier and I hope it continues the trend. I’ve started removing things from my home that remind me of him. I keep them; I just don’t have them displayed as a constant reminder of our loss.

Spring is coming and with it the thunderstorms to wash away my woes and the last vestiges of winter. I’m ready for warmth, I’m ready for fun, and I’m ready for summer. This week should be the last time we drop into the 30s (well, at least I hope so). We should be ready to start spending some time at the lake within the next couple of weeks. It may be too cold to actually get in the water, but we can still enjoy being outdoors.

Oh and before I forget… My friend and one helluva writer David Niall Wilson has written me into a screenplay he is posting on his blog in segments. You can check it out Here.

But enough about me… what have you been up to while I was away?

Weekend Recap

2009-03-09T08:05:00.000-07:00

It’s official… I’ve been Examined. Click on the link to read my interview. I’d like to thank Maddie James for conducting the interview. It was a lot of fun and I hope you enjoy it as well.

As for the weekend, it was fun-filled and action-packed as usual. We went to a hockey game on Friday, which was an interesting treat. It was the first time I’d attended one of these things since I was thirteen or so. It is amazingly graceful even with all the body checks, fights and flying pucks.

Saturday morning we headed down to the gym for a good sweat. It worked out quite nicely as it gave may a killer appetite for the cookout we had that afternoon. After the food was scarfed down, we had a marathon session of Guitar Hero (the complete kit with drums, guitar, bass and microphone) that lasted into the wee hours of the morning.

Sunday was a lazy day, we ran some errands and just generally kept it low key. We were sorely tempted to take the boat out (it is finally warming up around here), but the fear of one more hard freeze outweighed the joy of being on the water, so we will wait a bit longer.

So, how was your weekend?

Weekend Recap

2009-03-02T06:54:00.000-08:00

Thank you all for the outpouring of love, prayers and support in the wake of my family’s tragedy. I’m truly touched.

Friday night we had a crowd of family and friends over to hang out and take our minds off of things. We played games, reminisced about our misspent youth and just generally enjoyed each other’s company.

Saturday we had another gathering at my aunt and uncle’s house to have a late lunch and some birthday cake for my dad. After the feast, we attended my son’s last basketball game. They lost, but they sure played hard. The evening was filled with more games and revelry.

Sunday was actually my father’s birthday, so we took him to the movies and out to dinner. We watched taken, which was an action-packed, kick butt and take no prisoners kind of movie. We all enjoyed it and for dinner we gathered at Logan’s Steakhouse for a hearty feast.

So, what have you been up to?

In Loving Memory

2009-02-20T06:24:00.001-08:00

I’m sure you all remember mentioning the birth of twins in my family. My brother and his wife have enjoyed the unique trials of newborns X2 for nearly three months. Those babies are so cute and have been a big part of my families lives since their arrival. It is the first time we had wee ones to fuss over since my son was born nearly twelve years ago. Needless to say, we were spoiling them rotten.

Yesterday morning, rather than being greeted by bright blue eyes and a playful smile, my brother was greeted with the horror of all horrors. Noah James Goodman passed away in his sleep.

Aleah (his twin sister) is alive and well, I have them all here with me for a couple of days as we try to come to grips with such a horrible tragedy.

I know he was only with us for a short time, but we have a lifetime of memories to remember him by. Losing him just hurts so bad, I feel like a piece of me has been ripped out.

Death is hard on the living, even more so when it is the death of a child. There are too many whys and whatifs and no right answers.

I have so much more to say, but I know it is just a rant and full of emotion and likely not to anyone any good so I will leave it at that.

Please keep my family in your prayers.

Dar-Wednesday

2009-02-18T04:17:00.000-08:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(1996, Canada) Sleeping residents of Chilliwack were awakened early one morning by the sound of a small aircraft flying lower than usual. The engine noise was like a mosquito, zooming too close too quick, then veering away. What the bleep was going on?

In the wee hours of the night, during a bout of heavy drinking, two future Darwin Award nominees concluded that, with neither had a pilot's license nor flight training, they nevertheless knew enough to pilot an aircraft. knew all they needed to know to at a local dive, They drew the obvious conclusion, and decided to take a plane from the small local airport for a drunken joyride over the city. They invited two females along for the ride; fortunately, the level-headed ladies declined.

From idea to execution, the plan evolved quickly. One of the gentlemen worked at the airport and had access to the tarmac. The two men then managed to unlock a plane and get it off the ground and into the sky. They went on to buzz around in the dark, skimming above the roofs of the houses. This went on for an extended period of time.

Eventually they decided to land. They attempted to land on the grassy median between east and west-bound lanes of the Trans Canada Highway. They almost made it under the electrical wires that cross the median. Almost. Where these wires were concerned, fate intervened. Instead of making a soft landing on the grassy verge, the tail clipped the wires, sending the aircraft diving nose-first into the ground and killing both occupants.

Only then were the sleepy Chilliwack residents able to return to their REM sleep.

Catching Up...

2009-02-16T05:27:00.000-08:00

We had a great V-Day weekend. Friday night we kept it rather low key. We hung out, listened to some live music and just generally enjoyed each other’s company. I’ve been gone a lot over the last month and it was nice to spend time together.

Saturday I booked us a suite at one of our local casinos and we partied like a couple of twenty-somethings. We danced, gambled, laughed, lived and loved the day and most of the night away.

Sunday we came home and played Guitar Hero until it was time to go pick my son up from his weekend away.

As of right now, I should be in town all week (and working normal hours), so I’m hoping to get by and visit everyone’s blogs.

What have you all been up to while I was away?

Weekend Recap

2009-01-19T05:32:00.001-08:00

We had a nice quiet weekend. Friday night after my son’s basketball practice, we just hung out and took turns playing Guitar Hero. That game is oddly addictive and the entire family enjoys it.

Saturday we did our morning workout before heading off to watch my son’s B-ball game. They lost, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. I was really proud of all of them. For the rest of the day, we alternated between playing Guitar Hero and watching movies.

Sunday we spent a little time in the hot tub, but other than that we just stayed indoors, playing games and watching football.

The next two days are going to be spent preparing for a trip. My wife and I are taking part in Cruise with your Muse. Well, to be more precise, I’m participating and she is just there for moral support. It’s a tough job, but someone has to do it.

Other than that, I’m hoping to get back into the swing of things in the near future. What have you all been up to lately?

Friday 55

2009-01-09T03:51:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Want to play along? Let me know if you do so that I can come read your entries.

Slipping, sliding, unsure movements, awkward moments, yet you press on. The desire to indulge overrides the fear of appearing foolish in your inexperience. You’re getting closer. Your breaths come faster. Your grip tightens. You reposition yourself. With a mighty jump, you fly down the mountain with nothing between you and the snow but a board.

Book Review: The Not Quite Right Reverend

2009-01-06T05:20:00.001-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of reading The Not Quite Right Reverend Cletus J. Diggs and the Currently Accepted Habits of Nature by David Niall Wilson. Mr. Wilson has outdone himself with this one. Excellent pacing, memorable characters and a creation (or re-creation?) of environment so three dimensional, it almost had me checking for ticks as we left the swamp.

Blurb:

When Cletus J. Diggs gets a visit from his buddy Jasper and learns about the dead man sticking boot-first out of the fishing hole, he has no idea what it will lead to. How could he?

Old Mill is famous for a lot of things, good fishing, barbecue, over-sized satellite dishes and disappearing beer; it is not known for genetic research, ancient rituals, or alien abduction. From the moment Cletus and Sheriff Bob drag the corpse from the fishing hole to the final moments of terror, the action is non-stop, tense, and filled with surprises.

Between the Reverend Dozier and his church, the swamp witch, the albino twins, and the local lodge's well-hidden secrets, the strange events in Old Mill, NC are pretty much out of control. Only Cletus, ordained minister, common law attorney, journalist, private investigator and jack of all trades can draw together the people and resources necessary to set things right. The question is, can he do it before it's too late?

This book has something for everyone, comedy, horror, adventure, action, but most of all, it is brimming with intrigue and the promise of things to come. David Niall Wilson delivers. I highly recommend it to one and all.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

And the Winner is...

2009-01-02T07:33:00.001-08:00

We had a blast at the party and I think everyone else did as well. Why do I think that? It didn’t end until nearly six the next morning. Between the pool games, darts, cards and various other activities, I suppose we all just lost track of time. I may just have to make this an annual event.

And now on to more pressing matters, who won the contest? Well, you did. I just couldn’t bring myself to pick one recipe over the other, so I went through all of them and used the common ingredients as well as my favorite additions from some of the others. It turned out great and everyone wanted me to thank you all for helping me out.

Wait, if I used a little of all of the recipes, how am I going to decide who gets the free e-book? Were you not paying attention? I said you all won. : D So, here is what I propose:

If you sent in a recipe, then shoot me an email at jgoodman@goodysworld.com. Please put “Chili Award Winner” in the subject line and in the body of the email, tell me whether you want a book or to see your name appear in my next book. If you choose the free book, please list any other of my titles that you have already read, so I don’t duplicate anything in your library.

So, congratulations to one and all. Give yourselves a big round of applause. Thanks for playing.

May you all have an amazing 2009.

Chili Today, Hot Tamale

2008-12-29T05:07:00.000-08:00

Well, the dust is finally settling from the whirlwind that is our holiday weekend. I love spending so much time with family and friends. It is my favorite part, well it is a toss up between that and the food, lol. I bet I gained seven pounds during the last five days. Oh well, you only live once, right?

Of course, there is still one more major party in the works… We decided to do something different this year and host a New Year’s Eve Party. I was trying to come up with a fun menu for the party and my wife decided to take an impromptu survey among several of the attendees and the general consensus was… chili. Yes, I’m to make a giant pot of chili and then have a variety of support foods to eat with it: Fritos and the works for Chili Pie, pasta, hot dogs, etc.

Well, I haven’t made chili in eons and I have a decent recipe, but I thought this might provide an excellent opportunity for a contest. I want to hear your favorite chili recipes. If I choose yours, you will then have a choice of your own. You can either have a free e-book or you can be a character in my next book. Sound good?

Oh, and to get us started, here is my recipe:

Ingredients

• Olive oil

• 4 medium onions, chopped

• 2 medium green peppers, chopped

• 10 pounds ground beef

• 1 6 oz. can tomato paste

• 2 large cans(1 lb-13oz) cans stewed tomatoes

• 2 1lb cans tomato sauce

• 1 10oz. can Rotel

• 6 cloves garlic, minced

• 2 3oz. jars chili powder

• 1jalapeno pepper (seeded, de-veined and chopped)

• 2 tablespoons salt

• 1 tablespoon oregano

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• 1 tablespoon ground black pepper

Directions

Brown meat in large skillet (you may have to do 2 batches of browning) and drain. Heat oil in a very large pot over medium heat. Saute onions, green peppers, and garlic until softened, about 10 minutes. Add meat, tomato paste, stewed tomatoes and tomato sauce. Stir in garlic powder, chili powder, salt, black pepper, oregano, Rotel, and jalapeno. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 3 hours, stirring every 15 minutes or so. Season to taste with salt and pepper halfway through cooking time.

Let the games begin…

Friday 55

2008-12-19T01:25:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Want to play along? Let me know if you do so that I can come read your entries.

Elbow pads, check. Knee pads, check. Steel toed boots, check. Flack vest, check. Helmet with face shield, check. I wish I had a riot control shield, but hopefully…this will be enough. I have to drop into a real hot spot. Picking up essentials at the local Wal-Mart this time of year is pure hell.

As it is that time of year, I have a special present for all of my readers: A free short story.
You can read it Here.

Happy Reading!!!!

Dar-Wednesday

2008-12-10T04:59:00.001-08:00

It’s time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(6 August 2008, Hong Kong) It's raining. You're lonely. Why not?

That was how 41-year-old Xian found himself face down on a bench, and calling for help in the middle of the night. The lonely man had noticed that the steel sit-up benches in LanTian Park had numerous ventilation holes, and thought it might be possible to use them for sexual gratification.

Enticing orifices.

Once Xian became aroused, he found he was stuck and could not remove himself from the hole in the bench. Quite understandably, he panicked. Police received a call from a disturbed man, and arrived to find poor Xian trapped face-down on the bench.

Doctors were summoned to the scene. They tried, but emergency workers had to cut the entire bench free and take him to the hospital.

Four painful hours later, doctors finally separated Xian from his bench. It is certainly possible that the lack of blood flow easily could have caused sufficient damage that doctors would have been forced to remove his penis.

This is a bad date that Xian will never forget. Though he lived through the ordeal, he still managed to effectively remove himself from the gene pool, making him quite eligible for this prize.

Weekend Recap

2008-12-09T05:10:00.001-08:00

Well, it was a much better weekend than the last one. On Friday we rented a few movies, ordered takeout, and cuddled up for a nice cozy night in. We watched Hancock, Stepbrothers, and…. Zombie Strippers. Good times.

Saturday, we knocked out most of our Christmas shopping and hope to finish the rest this weekend. It was an odd year for me as this was the first one that my son didn’t put a single toy on his list for me to shop from. Oh well, I guess they all have to grow up sometime.

Saturday evening my brother, his wife, my nephew, the twins and another friend of ours came over. We grilled copious amounts of ribs, played cards and settled in to watch boxing for the rest of the night. Most of the fights were at least entertaining, but I was sorely disappointed by Oscar De La Hoya’s performance. He just looked like he really didn’t want to be there and it was a sad mark in an otherwise stellar boxing career.

Sunday we gathered up a few boxes of clothing, toys, books and movies and took them to Goodwill. Hopefully they will help make someone’s Christmas a little brighter.

Then we once more manned the couch to watch X-Files and Street Kings. Other than that, we just generally enjoyed each other’s company.

So, what did you get up to over the weekend?

Weekend Recap

2008-12-02T05:17:00.000-08:00

Well, I’ve had better Thanksgiving weekends. I managed to contract a rather nasty virus that picked the holiday to manifest itself. I made it to the first celebration feeling pretty good, but a little off. I couldn’t quite place the feeling, but I had a nagging suspicious that something wasn’t right. As we drove away to attend the next visit with family… it hit and hit and hit again, until I was beaten into submission. A quick change of plans found me sprawled on the couch, drifting in and out of consciousness, punctuated with violent bouts of illness and near crippling cramps. The worst of it seemed to last about 24 hours and I lost ten pounds in that time. I was left weak, shaky and wondering what the hell happened. I spent the rest of the weekend in a state of slow recovery.

Other than that, it was good to be off and at home. I’m about to go hop on a plane (I know that is unheard of these days) and head to Baton Rouge for a couple of days. At least it will be warm there. We had our first snow yesterday. I’m not ready for the biting touch of winter and it is shaping up to be a doozy.

I suppose I should stop rambling and go finish packing. I will try to return with something more interesting to talk about on Thursday.

Dar-Wednesday and Happy Thanksgiving

2008-11-26T05:43:00.001-08:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(14 April 2008, Texas) A contract worker was hired to install reinforcement bars on a communications tower near Camp Bullis. He was wielding power tools high above the ground, working feverishly on the bolts of a reinforcement bar, when two other workers saw him lean back and fall 225 feet to his death. Turns out, the man had loosened the bolts on the bar to which he was attached. Police are calling it a tragic accident. I’m calling it natural selection.

And on a happier note… For my American friends I hope you have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving weekend. May your birds be juicy and your martinis dry.

Book Review: Heart-Shaped Box

2008-11-25T04:36:00.000-08:00

I recently had the pleasure of reading Heart-Shaped Box by Joe Hill. This is the story about an aging heavy-metal star who collects artifacts of the macabre: A cookbook for cannibals, a used hangman’s noose, a snuff film. He gets more than he bargains for when he buys a dead man’s suit over the internet. The suit is haunted and after it is delivered in a black, heart-shaped box, the suits former owner is everywhere… behind the bedroom door, in his car, in his office, watching TV and all the while, dangling a gleaming razor blade on a chain from one hand. The ghost knows the rocker and wants him and anyone foolish enough to help him… to die.

Heart-Shaped Box is a perverse, dark, mesmerizing, and often witty horror tale of the highest caliber and quite frankly the most intense, disturbing and downright scary book I’ve read in a decade. In short, I love it. Seriously folks, if you’re a fan of good suspense, then this book is a must have for your collection.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Weekend Recap

2008-11-24T05:11:00.001-08:00

I’d like to take a moment to welcome Aleah Faith and Noah James Goodman to the world. My niece and nephew arrived amid much fanfare and instant love at approximately 5:00 pm on Friday afternoon. Both are healthy and well… adorable. Congrats to my brother and his wife.

Saturday we went to the NIN concert. It was one of the most visually stimulating shows I’ve ever attended and the music, well… it was outstanding. I’ve written and deleted at least two paragraphs describing some of the effects they used, both nothing seems to do the performance justice (I’m fully aware that this is an odd thing for a writer to admit). Here is a little taste I found on the web to show what I’m struggling to put into words.

We had several other fun-filled activities that filled the weekend (some of which included, dancing, laughing, singing and of all things shuffleboard), but suffice it to say, the latest addition to our family was the highlight followed closely by the concert.

So, what did you do this weekend?

Friday 55

2008-11-21T04:30:00.000-08:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Fingers grip me, tender, rough, urgent. She gulps in air between the moans. Her body glistens with sweat. My hands slide under her, grip her shoulder, brings her closer. She gasps. She pushes. Her body falls limp. I grip her hand. The baby’s cry pulls me away. Tears of mourning fall on tears of life.

Don’t forget to stop by Oh, Get a Grip! today to check out my post for the day.

Faces

2008-11-20T04:39:00.000-08:00

My publisher put together an author blog, Gems of Romantic Fiction.

My day every month is on the 19th. Yes, I know that was yesterday and yes, I posted my contribution for the month. In retrospect, I probably should’ve mentioned it here in addition to my Darwin Award.

I wrote about being entertained, but it appears that I wasn’t very entertaining. I didn’t receive a single comment. Oh, well… there’s always next month. If you get a chance, please swing by and check it out.

And with that I leave you with a prime example of faces not to make when speaking in public:

I’m pretty sure, I was just being very animated as I read the story, but the picture still gave me a chuckle.

Dar-Wednesday

2008-11-19T04:37:00.001-08:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(26 February 2008, France) A 71-year-old pensioner met a shocking end when his frugal attempt to illuminate his yard with power siphoned from the National Grid backfired spectacularly.

The gentleman in question illegally opened a major power junction box at the front of his house, intending to hard-wire a cable to his garden shed. Unfortunately, the poor chap attempted to do this rewiring during a major downpour.

The fatal result was all too predictable. He was immediately deep fried and declared deceased at the scene.

Hmm…. Crispy.

So, the moral of the story? Don’t mess with electricity unless you are qualified to do so and NEVER attempt to wire a live box in the rain.

Book News

2008-11-18T04:52:00.001-08:00

Have you had a chance to check out Tuttle’s House of Horror

yet?

Here is a blurb:

Tyler Duke has a plan. With the help of his closest friends, he will open the doors to the infamous Tuttle House on Halloween and provide a weekend of thrills and chills for curiosity seekers. Why is the house infamous? It was the sight of the largest mass murder in the history of Northeastern Oklahoma.

If all goes well, they’ll earn enough money to spend spring break in Cancun, but unbeknownst to them, someone has taken up residence in the old mansion and he has a plan of his own. Bobo hopes the weekend brings people in droves. Nothing would make this twisted clown happier than to put gaping smiles under the faces of the house’s patrons. If he can just maintain control of his inner demon until the grand opening, it will be his greatest achievement, a night so brutal even the Fallen will take notice.

Will Tyler and his friends discover the killer in their midst before it’s too late or will they become the main attraction in Tuttle’s House of Horror.

The masses are calling this one an edgy YA, but sure to appeal to suspense enthusiasts of any age.

And it can be yours for a whopping $4.50. That’s right, for the price of a happy meal you can lose yourself in the twisted world of my imagination.

Come on, you know you want to. Go ahead, take the plunge. The water’s fine.

Weekend Recap

2008-11-17T04:48:00.001-08:00

I should be in town all week. I’m not quite sure what to do with myself. The good folks at the airport will probably wonder what happened to me. With any luck, they will have to miss me until at least after Thanksgiving. Keep your fingers crossed.

We had a recoup weekend. It turns out that my wife was also feeling the strain of working hard and playing hard, so we took nearly the entire weekend and did… absolutely nothing. I didn’t even rent movies. We slept in, talked about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness, napped and just hung out. It was a good weekend.

I did manage to sneak in a bit of promo on Sunday and I did write a few paragraphs, but mainly I used the weekend to recharge my failing batteries.

I anticipate a full week of blogging. I know, it’s a strange concept, but it is long over due. There has been so much going on in my life lately, one would think I have an endless supply of blog material. Sadly, the sheer volume of activity has kept me away from the ol’ Blogoshpere. Oh well, life happens…

How did you spend your weekend?

Weekend Recap

2008-11-10T03:59:00.000-08:00

So, I was interviewed by a newspaper:

And I did a reading and book signing on Saturday. It was a lot of fun and I’m grateful for the opportunity. I think I would like to do more events like this one.

Other than that, I hung out with friends, danced, played, sang, laughed, loved… and lived. It was a fun-filled weekend to say the least.

So, what did you get up to?

Friday 55

2008-11-07T04:29:00.001-08:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Tick-Tock. The sound should be reassuring. Its rhythm matches my heart. Tick-Tock. For now, at least. Tick-Tock. Soon, I’ll feel the surge. Tick-Tock. My mind will fade. Tick-Tock. Faces stare at me through the window, remorseless, hateful, sobbing. Tick-Tock. I give them a wink and a smile. Tick-Tock. The warden hits the switch. Tick--

Don’t forget to stop by Oh, Get a Grip! today. This week we are discussing… well, just swing by and take a gander.

Oh, and if you happen to find yourself in Northeastern Oklahoma over the weekend, I’m doing a reading and book signing at the Sapulpa Public Library this Saturday from 11 to 1. Stop by and say hello.

Friday 55

2008-10-30T23:43:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Lighting flashes. The sky growls in protest. A hunched figure rushes up the sidewalk, braving the cool bite of the wind. She grips her bag tightly as she reaches for the doorbell. “Trick or Treat.” Her shoulders sagging, she watches the apple fall from the old man’s hand into her bag. “Trick it is then.”

Don’t forget to stop by Oh, Get a Grip! today. This week we are discussing… well, just swing by and take a gander.

Released

2008-10-30T04:48:00.000-07:00

Pixels and Pain is now available in print. Please pick up your copy today.

Pixels and Pain

Here is a blurb:

Explore the dangerous domain of a madman…

Johnny Walker is a FBI agent on a personal crusade to catch a killer. One year ago, his little sister was brutally murdered and the police still don’t have a suspect.

Mary Marshall founded a watchdog group to rid the world of online predators after her sister fell victim to a charismatic stranger she met on the popular networking website, HiyaSpace.

As the similarities surrounding their losses draw these two together, they soon embark on a desperate quest for answers—a quest wrought with peril, betrayal, and unimaginable horror.

In a virtual world where everyone’s a friend, and everyone’s a suspect, will Johnny and Mary be able to track down and stop an internet serial killer whose unspeakable deeds threaten to destroy them all?

Or will these two hunters become the prey, unable to escape the web of Pixels and Pain?

Dar-Wednesday

2008-10-29T04:57:00.000-07:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

Post removed do to insensitive nature...

The 18-year-old's body was repatriated to the Isle of Man.

Book Review: Unholy Domain

2008-10-27T22:38:00.000-07:00

I recently had the pleasure of reading the futuristic techno-thriller Unholy Domain by Dan Ronco. This story moves along at a break-neck pace as we follow the life and times of the son of the man who nearly destroyed the world (or at least that’s what The Domain would have you believe) on his journey to discover the truth about his past and come to grips with his role in humanity’s uncertain future. After the world is brought to its knees by a particularly nasty computer virus, Peacemaker, technology is held in contempt. Two distinct factions (the religious extremist, Church of the Natural Humans and the technos) rise from the aftermath and struggle to assert their dominance and beliefs on the country. Each claims to have humanity’s best interest at heart, but neither will make the world a better place.

Unholy Domain is hands-down the best techno-thriller I’ve read in recent years and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Ronco’s work. I highly recommend this book to one and all.

Synopsis

A deliberately staged IT catastrophe leaves the world sunk into depression and the US government ineffectual. The secretive and powerful Domain, using organized crime to spread its technology, seeks to take humankind to the next level of evolution through artificial intelligence. The fanatical Army of God battles to stop them. Dan Ronco’s fast-paced techno-thriller depicts a world of violent extremes, where religious terrorists and visionaries of technology fight for supreme power.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Weekend Recap

2008-10-27T04:57:00.001-07:00

Well, we had a lovely weekend, thanks for asking. Life is finally starting to slow down a bit and I’m eternally thankful for that. I was creeping dangerously close to the verge of burnout with the day job. Maintaining a breakneck pace for five months tends to do that to even the most resilient of folks.

I fly back to New Orleans this afternoon, but I return tomorrow night and it should be my last trip down there. I have one project left in that building and the client is coming in to do a final approval on it.

My other big time sucker is nearing completion as well. The final project is being constructed in Deer Park, Texas and I should have it out of my hair on November 5th. Barring any major deficiencies, I’ll be back to just working on my local projects by the end of that week. I’m looking forward to it.

On Friday, we rented movies, ordered takeout Chinese food and spent the evening lounging in front of the television. I honestly can’t remember the last time we had a movie night, but it was an easy routine to fall back into. I hope to talk about a few of the movies we watched later this week.

Saturday we spent the majority of our time at the lake. It proved to be to cold for wakeboarding, but we had a grand time of fishing and just generally enjoying each other’s company. That evening we watched the rest of our rentals.

Sunday we went to my brother and his wife’s baby shower. He is going to be the father of twins and as such, will be introduced to the world of changing diapers with gusto. It was a great get together with lots of games and even more laughs.

It was a great weekend.

So, how did you spend yours?

Friday 55

2008-10-24T04:54:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the exercise is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Nostrils flare. Her aroma is intoxicating. Does she know? Muscles tense. I move closer. The air between us pulses with anticipation. Can she feel me? Gums ache. I long to taster her. Is she ready? Pressure builds. I brush away the hair from her neck. Will she run? Fangs drop. I drink. Is she dead?

Don’t forget to stop by Oh, Get a Grip! today. This week we are discussing… well, just swing by and take a gander.

Weekend Recap

2008-10-20T04:13:00.001-07:00

It was Oktoberfest weekend here in Green Country, which meant lots of food, lots of friends and a smidge of beer. We had a great time pursuing the vendor tents with their wide array of German fare and of course, we did a fair amount of dancing in most all of the beer tents. There’s nothing like a good polka to get your feet moving, lol. Well, I laugh, but dance to it every year.

After the festivities on Saturday, we took a group of friends out to see my cousin, Johnny Duke, sing at a local club. The man is a truly gifted musician and singer and his band is fantastic to boot. Yes, there were copious amounts of dancing there as well and a good time was had by all.

In fact we spent so much time dancing on Saturday, that come Sunday morning we were too sore to do much of anything so we hung out, watched football and just generally enjoyed each other’s company in a leisurely manner.

My son is still away on fall break (he spent it with his biological mother), but I get to pick him up this afternoon. Though he was only gone for four days, it feels like it’s been a month since I’ve seen him.

So, what did you get up to this weekend?

THOH

2008-10-14T03:24:00.000-07:00

Available now from Resplendence Publishing:

Tuttle’s House of Horror

Here is a blurb:

Tyler Duke has a plan. With the help of his closest friends, he will open the doors to the infamous Tuttle House on Halloween and provide a weekend of thrills and chills for curiosity seekers. Why is the house infamous? It was the sight of the largest mass murder in the history of Northeastern Oklahoma.

If all goes well, they’ll earn enough money to spend spring break in Cancun, but unbeknownst to them, someone has taken up residence in the old mansion and he has a plan of his own. Bobo hopes the weekend brings people in droves. Nothing would make this twisted clown happier than to put gaping smiles under the faces of the house’s patrons. If he can just maintain control of his inner demon until the grand opening, it will be his greatest achievement, a night so brutal even the Fallen will take notice.

Will Tyler and his friends discover the killer in their midst before it’s too late or will they become the main attraction in Tuttle’s House of Horror.

Pick up a copy today.

Alive!

2008-10-13T05:36:00.001-07:00

Hi there. Remember me? Yes, I know it’s been awhile. My schedule, hell my life seems to have spiraled out of control at the speed of light. It looks like I may have finally found the brakes though. Let’s hope so anyway. When work seems to occupy ninety percent of my time, it makes for some fairly dull blogging material.

I have several things I need to catch up on now that the day job seems to be back under control, but I can definitely see the end of the whirlwind of activity. Changes are coming and they have presented themselves in the form of multiple paths, each with their own appeal and perils. Vague enough for you? Well, I can’t get into to much detail under after I’ve made my decision.

So, what’s been going on in your life while I was away?

Down with the Sickness

2008-09-22T05:44:00.000-07:00

Well, my wife and I have both been sick since last weekend. We’ve had some horrible little bug that has attacked our sinuses and worked its way down into the chest. It seems to have set up shop there and refuses to vacate no matter what we throw at it.

I’ve been working on a couple of major deals for the day job, but it has been a struggle with my head feeling like a tethered balloon. I hope to have some rather exciting news in that sector sometime over the next month or so.

I have to fly to New Orleans this week to finish up one of the two projects I’d been working down there. I’m nearly done and to tell the truth, I can’t wait to have that whole ordeal behind me.

Ok, so back to the sickness. What is the best way to relieve severe chest congestion (if not out right eliminate it)?

Friday 55

2008-09-12T04:40:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the game is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Work. Eat. Sleep. Repeat. Days blur into weeks. Where did the time go? At least I had my weekends, my family and enough fun to make it all worthwhile. When will the ride finally slow enough for me to see the scenery? Soon, unless I do something as foolish as volunteer to rescue another project.

Don’t forget to stop by Oh, Get a Grip! today. I’m introducing the group to the wondrous world of Friday 55 today and there will be another offering there as well.

Ol' Blue

2008-09-11T05:20:00.000-07:00

Ol' Blue

A young cowboy from Western Oklahoma goes off to college at OSU, but half way through the semester, he has foolishly squandered all his money.
He calls home. 'Dad,' he says, 'You won't believe what modern education is developing! They actually have a program here in Stillwater that will teach our dog, Ol' Blue how to talk!'
'That's amazing,' his Dad says. 'How do I get Ol' Blue in that program?'
'Just send him down here with $1,000' the young cowboy says. 'I'll get him in the course.'
So, his father sends the dog and $1,000.

About two-thirds through the semester, the money again runs out. The boy calls home. 'So how's Ol' Blue doing son,' his father asks.
'Awesome, Dad, he's talking up a storm,' he says, 'but you just won't believe this - they've had such good results they have started to teach the animals how to read!'
'Read!' says his father, 'No kidding! How do we get Blue in that program?'
Just send $2,500, I'll get him in the class.'
The money promptly arrives.

But our hero has a problem. At the end of the year, his father will find out the dog can neither talk, nor read.
So he shoots the dog!
When he arrives home at the end of the year, his father is all excited. 'Where's Ol' Blue? I just can't wait to see him read something and talk!'

'Dad,' the boy says, 'I have some grim news. Yesterday morning, just before we left to drive home, Ol' Blue was in the living room, kicked back in the recliner, reading the Wall Street Journal, like he usually does.
Then he turned to me and asked, 'So, is your daddy still messing' around with that little redhead who lives in town?'
The father exclaimed, 'I hope you shot that lyin' SOB before he talks to your Mother!'
'I sure did, Dad!'
'That's my boy!'

The kid became a successful Defense Attorney ... and then he went on to become a politician.

Dar-Wednesday

2008-09-10T05:47:00.001-07:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(July 16, 2008, Italy) Ivece Plattner, 68, was queued at a traffic light in his Porsche Cayenne sportscar. Before one reaches the light, there is a railroad crossing. As you might imagine, given Murphy's law, a train was coming.

The man did not let the queue progress forward far enough before he crossed the railroad. The safety bars came down, leaving the Porsche trapped on the rails. It took the driver awhile to realize he was stuck, according to witnesses. Finally, he jumped from the car and started to run -- toward the oncoming train, waving his arms in an attempt to save his car!

The attempt was successful. The car received less damage than its owner. He was pushed hard enough to land 30 meters away, and attempts to revive him were unsuccessful.

Book Review: Courage in Patience

2008-09-09T06:08:00.000-07:00

Courage in Patience by Beth Fehlbaum is a heart-wrenching, yet compelling tale of sexual abuse, child abuse, racism and even religious dogma taken to the extreme. The story takes place in small-town Texas, but could really happen anywhere.

Yes, the subject matter is heavy and at times infuriating (I couldn’t help but be angry as I read about the horrific conditions and environment the protagonist was subjected to), but this is really a story of hope.

No child should have to endure such pain and sorrow, but this book shows us that with timely intervention and the support of people who care, the child can not only overcome these hardships, but flourish and become a beacon of hope for others.

I highly recommend this book not only for people who’ve suffered abuse (in any form), and also for those who haven’t known such horrors, but would like to make a difference in the life of someone who has.

This book is suitable for classroom study and contains no graphic content.

Blurb

Desperate to escape from her stepfather, fifteen-year-old Ashley Asher finally finds the courage to confront her mother with the painful details of six years of emotional, physical and sexual abuse. To her horror, Ashley’s mother turns her back on her. Only a teacher at her school offers any support. A touching story focused on the themes of abuse, social injustice, racism, peer pressure, bullying, parental responsibility, fear, forgiveness, love, acceptance and hope, which will inspire the millions of abuse victims in America, young and old alike.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Rockin' Weekend

2008-09-08T05:58:00.000-07:00

It’s been a wild few days of music, food and fun. All of which, seem to culminate in the realization that I need a weekend to recoup from my weekends. Maybe someday…

Friday, of course, started off with a bang. I met some friends for lunch at McNellie’s . Through the course of meal, I put into motion a pretty exciting deal as pertains to my day job, got invited to small concert, and had one helluva great time to boot.

So, that evening I show up at Cain’s Ballroom to watch Don Henley play not only several of my favorite Eagles songs, but also his renditions of several other wonderful hits by various artists, such as Paul Simon, Tears for Fears and many more. I was so close to the stage, I had to dodge beads of perspiration when they turned the spotlight on him. It was a truly amazing experience.

Saturday we attended an intimate cultural event showcasing the foods and beverages of Germany specifically as pertains to the seasonal offerings of Oktoberfest. It was several hours of good company, good food and good beer. It was as enlightening as it was entertaining and I thank the hosts greatly for having us and even bigger thanks goes to my friend Steve for inviting us to take part of the festivities.

Saturday night, we attended a benefit concert for Safari Sanctuary , featuring Hollywood Harlot , Zendozer , and the greatest KISS cover band ever, Dressed to Kill . All three bands wer absolutely outstanding and rocked out like there was no tomorrow. My son was so impressed he asked for autographs from all of them. I highly recommend checking out any one of these bands if you get a chance.

And yesterday, well… we relaxed as much as possible, watched a few football games and just hung out.

So, how was your weekend?

Oh, and see the post below for some exciting news.

Coming Attractions

2008-09-06T08:30:00.000-07:00

Coming soon from Resplendence Publishing

Tuttle’s House of Horror

Here is a blurb:

Tyler Duke has a plan. With the help of his closest friends, he will open the doors to the infamous Tuttle House on Halloween and provide a weekend of thrills and chills for curiosity seekers. Why is the house infamous? It was the sight of the largest mass murder in the history of Northeastern Oklahoma.

If all goes well, they’ll earn enough money to spend spring break in Cancun, but unbeknownst to them, someone has taken up residence in the old mansion and he has a plan of his own. Bobo hopes the weekend brings people in droves. Nothing would make this twisted clown happier than to put gaping smiles under the faces of the house’s patrons. If he can just maintain control of his inner demon until the grand opening, it will be his greatest achievement, a night so brutal even the Fallen will take notice.

Will Tyler and his friends discover the killer in their midst before it’s too late or will they become the main attraction in Tuttle’s House of Horror.

Friday 55

2008-09-05T04:55:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the game is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Sand burns my eyes, but I don’t dare blink. They’re close, sounds like three of them. My rifle’s useless, a bullet smashed through its chamber in the ambush. The rest of my squad have fallen. The enemy still searchs. I grip a blade in each hand and spring from my hole. No one lives forever.

Don’t forget to stop by Oh, Get a Grip! today. This week we are discussing the pros and cons of series books.

Dar-Wednesday

2008-09-03T04:39:00.001-07:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

At the 1994 annual awards dinner given for Forensic Science, AAFS, President Dr. Don Harper Mills astounded his audience with the legal complications of a bizarre death. Here is the story:

On March 23,1994 the medical examiner viewed the body of Ronald Opus and concluded that he died from a shotgun wound to the head. Mr. Opus had jumped from the top of a ten story building intending to commit suicide. He left a note to that effect, indicating his despondency. As he fell past the ninth floor his life was interrupted by a shotgun blast passing through a window which killed him instantly.

Neither the shooter nor the descender was aware that a safety net had been installed just below at the eighth floor level to protect some building workers and that Ronald Opus would not have been able to complete his suicide the way he had planned.

"Ordinarily," Dr. Mills continued, "a person who sets out to commit suicide and ultimately succeeds, even though the mechanism might not be what he intended, is still defined as committing suicide."

That Mr. Opus was shot on the way to certain death, but probably would not have been successful because of the safety net, caused the medical examiner to feel that he had a homicide on his hands. The room on the ninth floor, whence the shotgun blast emanated, was occupied by an elderly man and his wife. They were arguing vigorously and he was threatening her with a shotgun. The man was so upset that when he pulled the trigger he completely missed his wife and the pellets went through the window, striking Mr. Opus.

When one intends to kill subject A but kills subject B in the attempt, one is guilty of the murder of subject B. When confronted with the murder charge the old man and his wife were both adamant. They both said they thought the shotgun was unloaded. Thed old man said it was his long-standing habit to threaten his wife with the unloaded shotgun. He had no intention to murder her. Therefore the killing of Mr. Opus appeared to be an accident; that is, the gun had been accidentally loaded.

The continuing investigation turned up a witness who saw the old couple's son loading the shotgun about six weeks prior to the fatal accident. It transpired that the old lady had cut off her son's financial support and the son, knowing the propensity of his father to use the shotgun threateningly, loaded the gun with the expectation that his father would shoot his mother. The case now becomes one of murder on the part of the son for the death of Ronald Opus.

Now comes the exquisite twist. Further investigation revealed that the son was, in fact, Ronald Opus. He had become increasingly despondent over the failure of his attempt to engineer his mother's murder. This led him to jump off the ten story building on March 23rd, only to be killed by a shotgun blast passing through the ninth story window. The son had actually murdered himself so the medical examiner closed the case as a suicide.

Weekend Recap

2008-09-02T04:57:00.000-07:00

New Orleans was a great if not short trip this time around. We arrived on Friday, socialized with several wonderful writers and even a couple of editors, caught up with old friends and made a few new ones, danced, sang, partied until the wee hours of the morning, and then were promptly told to evacuate. Fearing the evacuation was immanent, I had reserved a rental car to carry us out of the city.

We wound up driving all day and all night, arriving home at about 5:30 in the morning on Sunday. We stopped at nearly every city along the way, looking for a hotel, but none were to be had.

Sunday, we did very little, needing the day to recoup from the crazy trip back. It was nice to have absolutely nothing to do but eat and rest.

Monday, we had a cook out at my SILs house where we swam, and played various card games. It was another wonderfully relaxing day.

Other than that, the weekend was fairly quiet.

So, how did you spend your time?

Book Review: The Outlaw Demon Wails

2008-08-28T05:06:00.000-07:00

The Outlaw Demon Wails by Kim Harrison is a fast-paced, action-packed book, full of demons, witches, vampires, weres and pixies, oh my! Al, a demon Rachel Morgan sent to demon jail, is back and he’s pissed. Nothing like an angry demon coming after you to keep life interesting. With the help of her vampire roommate, Ivy and her pixie partner Jenks, she struggles to find a way to trap Al once and for all before he not only kills her, but everyone she cares about. Oh, and there are several other shocking surprises along the way.

This story is very well written and Ms. Harrison creates not only characters, but a world that is so fleshed out and vivid it seems almost plausible. It was an absolute joy to read and I devoured the entire book in just a couple of sittings. I highly recommend this book to one and all.

Synopsis

To save the lives of her friends, Rachel did the unthinkable: she willingly trafficked in forbidden demon magic. And now her sins are coming home to haunt her.
As Rachel searches for the truth behind a terrifying murder, an even greater menace threatens, for the demon Algaliarept will stop at nothing to claim her, and the discovery of a shocking family secret throws Rachel's entire life into question. If she is ever to live free, Rachel must first walk willingly into the demonic ever-after in search of long-lost ancient knowledge.
But when you dance with demons, you lay your soul on the line . . . and there are some lines that should never be crossed.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Dar-Wednesday and a Meme

2008-08-27T04:30:00.001-07:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

Man sticks rattlesnake in mouth to prove a point."

(August 2007, Oregon) An amateur snake collector caught a 20-inch rattlesnake on the highway. Three weeks later, his captive took its revenge. The formerly fearless snake charmer admitted, "You can assume alcohol was involved."

He had a six-pack under his belt, and was consuming what he described as "a mixture of stupid stuff" at a barbecue. The calamity was precipitated when he handed a beer to his ex, using the same hand that held the rattlesnake.

"Get that thing out of my face," she said.

He protested, "It's a nice snake. Nothing can happen. Watch!" Famous last words. As they left his mouth, his fate was sealed.

One month later, still sore from muscle and nerve damage from the venom, the 23-year-old admitted that he stuck the snake in his mouth to prove his point. Instead, he disproved his point, for the snake bit him. He had no time for embarrassment. In great pain and gasping for breath, he asked his ex to drive him to the hospital. "She was the only one sober," he explained.

He was unconscious by the time he arrived, his swollen tongue protruding from his mouth. Physicians performed a tracheotomy to restore airflow to his lungs, and administered antivenin. He was kept heavily sedated for several days. When the swelling went down, "we let him wake up," his doctor reported.

The Poison Control Center sees about 50 snakebite victims a year. Generally they are injected on the legs while hiking, or arms while reaching under a rock. Few are bitten on the tongue.

His friends were blunt. "They were, like, what the heck were you thinking?" His answer? "It's my own stupidity."

Tag rules:
1) Link to the person that tagged you. Kelly Kirch
2) Post the rules on your blog.
3) List six unspectacular quirks you have.
4) Tag six bloggers by linking them.
5) Leave a comment on each person's blog to let them know they've been tagged.

Oddities:
1. When I shop, I organize things in my basket by temperature and content and I load them on the conveyer the same way.
2. I still like to play video games and I’ve also been known to play with toys with my son.
3. I can use my feet like hands. My wife says I have an opposable toe. I pick up things, and can even write with them.
4. I have a 78 inch reach, but I’m only 69 inches tall.
5. I am a huge prankster and have no qualms about setting up a prank anytime, anywhere… even in a boardroom.
6. I am perpetually early for every meeting or get together and it annoys the hell out of me when people are late.

As for tags… I tag anyone who wants to give this a shot, just let me know if you play along so I can see your answers. :D

Spell Check

2008-08-26T06:01:00.000-07:00

A woman arrived at the Gates of Heaven.

While she was waiting for Saint Peter to greet her, she peeked through the gates.

She saw a beautiful banquet table.

Sitting all around were her parents and

All the other people she had loved and who had died before her.

They saw her and began calling greetings to her

"Hello - How are you! We've been waiting for you! Good to see you."

When Saint Peter came by, the woman said to him,

"This is such a wonderful place! How do I get in?"

"You have to spell a word," Saint Peter told her.

"Which word?" the woman asked.

"Love."

The woman correctly spelled "Love"

And Saint Peter welcomed her into Heaven.

About a year later, Saint Peter came to the woman

And asked her to watch the Gates of Heaven for him that day.

While the woman was guarding the Gates of Heaven, her husband arrived.

"I'm surprised to see you," the woman said. "How have you been?"

"Oh, I've been doing pretty well since you died," her husband told her.

"I married the beautiful young nurse who took care of you while you were ill.

And then I won the multi-state lottery.

I sold the little house you and I lived in and bought a huge mansion.

And my wife and I traveled all around the world.

We were on vacation in Cancun and I went water skiing today.

I fell and hit my head, and here I am.

What a bummer!

How do I get in?"
"You have to spell a word," the woman told him.

"Which word?" her husband asked.

" Czechoslovakia ."

Moral of the story: Never make a woman
angry... There will be Hell to pay later!

Where U B?

2008-08-25T05:28:00.000-07:00

Where have I been? Well, let’s see… I’ve been working crazy hours at the day job during the week and going crazy on the weekends to make up for it. My Grandmother’s 80th birthday was a couple of weeks ago. We had relatives come in from Delaware for a surprise party. After the party, I took a couple of cousins and my brother and SIL out for a night of revelry. We danced, played and even managed to find a club where I could sing a couple of songs (and yes… the crowd went wild). The next day we spent at the lake, wakeboarding, swimming, tubing and even managed to work in a bit of cliff diving.

I flew back to New Orleans on Monday morning worked virtually non-stop until Wednesday morning, flew home, slept a couple of hours and spent the rest of the week working up in Ponca City.

That Friday evening we drove up to Grand Lake and stayed in a condo with a couple of friends of ours. We wakeboarded all day and partied all night. It was a… er, Grand time. I even managed to pull off a few new tricks on the wakeboard. I’m not ready for the pros yet, but there is definite improvement in my abilities.

That next morning I flew back to New Orleans and worked an insane amount of hours until Wednesday, flew home and spent the rest of the week working in Ponca City.

This past weekend, we celebrated my son’s birthday. He had a couple of friends that came up from Checotah and spent the entire weekend with him. The party was at Big Splash (a local water park) and a great time was had by all. On Sunday we loaded everyone up and headed back to the lake. I had just completed one of my most impressive runs yet, when I landed a jump wrong, dipped the tip of my board to deep and promptly sprained my ankle. All I could do was kneeboard and drive after that.

Some people might have called it a day after the injury, but we get to few lake-worthy weekends here, I couldn’t see wasting one of them because of a bit of pain. This morning it looks like someone wedged a grapefruit between my leg and foot. I can barely put pressure on it and I’m giving serious consideration to breaking out my crutches again for a day or two.

The really cool thing here? I didn’t have to fly to New Orleans this morning. Having said that, I’m flying back down there this Friday. This time, I’m taking my wife and we are going to Heather Graham’s Writer’s Workshop, where I’ve been asked to sit on a panel and I’m doing a book signing there on Sunday. A far cry from working eighteen to twenty hour days.

I should be able to get back to a more reasonable schedule after Labor Day and of course, get back to blogging on a regular basis at the same time.

So, what have you been up to while I was out and about?

Dar-Wednesday

2008-08-13T09:59:00.001-07:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards, but first I must apologize for my sudden absence. Though in my defense, I’ve worked 54 of the last 60 hours. Sadly, that didn’t leave a lot of time for blogging.

Regarding Douglas H. Baxter's great-great-great-grandmother's uncle, William Padgett. The first article sets the stage, the second details his innovative way of killing himself.

(31 July 1878, England) William, better know as "Old Bill" Padget, appeared before Justice Brown Saturday, charged with attempting to discharge a loaded gun with intent to kill Chas. Marshman, for whom he worked upon a farm. The examination showed that on Thursday Bill became angered at Marshman and drew a rifle on him and pulled the trigger; but the cap failed to explode. Marshman struck Bill with a stick of wood, and his fists, and drove him off to the barn, where some parties took the gun away from him and he fled to the woods, where he was found by the officer. Bill is not a very handsome or pleasant looking man when he is all right, and the beating he received had not added to his personal charms, he look as though he had tempted death by tickling the hind foot of a healthy mule. It was shown that Bill did not know the gun was loaded, he having set it away unloaded, and Marshman had loaded it unbeknown to him. He was held for assault and battery, and on Monday a trial by jury was held. The jury brought in a verdict of "not guilty."

(1 February 1887) James and William Padgett were of the first who commenced the settlement of this town and voted at this first election. They settled a few miles from the village near a stream which has since been called after them. Bear Trap Falls on this same steam came by its name in the following way: A few of their neighbors constructed what is called a "Dead Fall" or primitive bear trap, built in the form of a figure four, with a heavy piece of timber made sharp on one side to fall upon and hold any large animal when caught under it. This was in the autumn of 1800. One morning William Padgett while alone examined the trap to see if it was adjusted correctly.- It was; for the sharp log fell and imprisoned the unfortunate man, and several hours elapsed before any one came to his release. He was taken out, called for a drink of water, which was brought him in a hat from the stream near by, when he drank it and immediately expired.

Friday 55

2008-08-08T06:55:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the game is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Aroma so strong it pulls me from my long slumber. I stumble through the darkness. I find the switch on the wall. The brightness does nothing to improve my mood. Near blind, I’m attracted by the scent. I must reach the source. I sigh in relief. I’ve arrived. Thank the Gods for my automatic coffeemaker.

Feeling Good

2008-08-05T05:38:00.001-07:00

So, I had a wonderful surprise the other day. Dark Angel Reviews gave Pixels and Pain their highest rating. If you get a chance swing by and see what they have to say about the book.

In the meantime, I’m off to New Orleans… again. I fly out today and come home Thursday. This work thing is really starting to interfere with my blogging time, lol. I hope everyone is having a wonderful week.

Weekend Recap

2008-08-04T05:35:00.000-07:00

Thursday was a wild day for me. I was supposed to catch an early flight out of New Orleans, have a brief layover in Dallas and arrive home before lunch. The airline was kind enough to call me at two that morning to tell me they cancelled my flight. Their suggestion was to put me on another flight that would have me home Friday morning. I called BS and insisted they get me home on Thursday as I had a very important meeting to attend. They said, “Oh, well we can re-route you through Chicago O’Hare and have you home by four in the afternoon.” That would still work for me, so I accepted.

When I arrived at O’Hare…it started to rain. They moved my gate three times, delaying the departure of my flight with each and they eventually cancelled it. No worries, they could have me back on the first flight out on Friday morning. Well, I wasn’t happy to say the least, so I got on the phone to see what I could find. What I found was that all flights out of O’Hare had been cancelled for the rest of the evening.

I made a couple of other calls and found out that Chicago Midway still had flights leaving and yes, Virginia they had one that would take me to Tulsa, though I had to have another brief layover in Kansas City. I made the reservation as I made my way out of the airport and down to the taxi stand. An hour and a half cab ride later, I was standing at my gate and secure in the knowledge, that I’d be home by seven, still plenty early enough to do what I needed to that evening.

We boarded the plane and promptly…sat there on the tarmac for over an hour. When we finally took to the air, I let out a sigh of relief and prayed we made it out of KC without any further delays. The prayers fell on deaf ears, we had another hold up there as well.

At last, I arrived in Tulsa at nine that night and I made a mad dash for the car and joined my wife just in time to hear the last few songs of a limited engagement event, I’d had set up. The Romantics played in Tulsa earlier that night, but I got us invited to a special show for less than fifty people that started at nine. We didn’t get to see the whole show, but it was still pretty cool.

Other than that, I spent most of the weekend… working. Yuk! Oh, well, sometimes you’re the bug and sometimes you’re the windshield.

So, what have you been up to?

And the Winner is...

2008-08-03T11:13:00.001-07:00

The winner of the contest is Kelly Kirch. Let’s all give her a big round of applause. I hope you enjoy the book.

And now for something completely different…

A man was sitting on the edge of the bed, observing his
wife, looking at herself in the mirror. Since her birthday
was not far off he asked what she'd like to have for her
Birthday.

'I'd like to be six again', she replied, still
looking in the mirror.

On the morning of her Birthday, he arose
early, made her a nice big bowl of Lucky Charms, and then
took her to Six Flags theme park. What a day!

He put her on every ride in the park; the Death Slide, the
Wall of Fear, the Screaming Monster Roller Coaster,
everything there was.
Five hours later they staggered out of the theme park. Her
head was reeling and her stomach felt upside down.

He then took her to a McDonald's where he ordered her a
Happy Meal with extra fries and a chocolate shake.

Then it was off to a movie, popcorn, a soda pop, and her
favorite candy, M&M's. What a fabulous adventure!
Finally she wobbled home with her husband and collapsed into
bed exhausted. He leaned over his wife with a big smile and
lovingly asked, 'Well Dear, what was it like being six
again??'

Her eyes slowly opened and her expression suddenly changed.
'I meant my dress size, you dumb ass!'

The moral of the story: Even when a man is listening,
he's gonna get it wrong.

Friday 55

2008-07-25T05:35:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the game is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Fame, fortune, crowds screaming your name, a sea of smiles, thousands of tender moments experience by the stroke of a single touch, orgasmic bliss with a wave of your hand, every pleasure known to man, immortality, youth and invincibility, all of this can be yours, if you but sign your name on the dotted line.

Well, that deal may be a bit expensive, but I have another one for you. Would you like to win a free copy (e-book) of Pixels and Pain?

All you have to do is list three titles of books I’ve written (and had published). Not so hard, right? You can find all of them here or if you’re not careful, you might just stumble across them somewhere on this page…

Drop your entries in my comments or shoot me an email at jgoodman @ goodysworld.com. I’ll leave the contest open until 11:59 PM (CST) Wednesday and announce the winner on Friday. Good luck!

Pixels and Pain

Here is a blurb:

Explore the dangerous domain of a madman…

Johnny Walker is a FBI agent on a personal crusade to catch a killer. One year ago, his little sister was brutally murdered and the police still don’t have a suspect.

Mary Marshall founded a watchdog group to rid the world of online predators after her sister fell victim to a charismatic stranger she met on the popular networking website, HiyaSpace.

As the similarities surrounding their losses draw these two together, they soon embark on a desperate quest for answers—a quest wrought with peril, betrayal, and unimaginable horror.

In a virtual world where everyone’s a friend, and everyone’s a suspect, will Johnny and Mary be able to track down and stop an internet serial killer whose unspeakable deeds threaten to destroy them all?

Or will these two hunters become the prey, unable to escape the web of Pixels and Pain?

Be sure to check out my post over at Oh, Get a Grip!. This week we are discussing our writing process and I’ve even offered up a complete short story for your reading pleasure (or pain if you don’t enjoy it, lol).

Music Meme

2008-07-24T03:48:00.001-07:00

Before I take you to the meat of this post, I wanted to let you know that Drums of the Nunne’hi is officially available for purchase and it will cost you a whopping $4.50 to get a copy of the e-book. Quite affordable, no? Thank you in advance for you support.

And now for something completely different…

Music Meme

I stole this meme from Carrie

Here are the rules:
Step 1: Put your iTunes or equivalent on shuffle.
Step 2: Post the first line from the first 20 (or so) songs that play, no matter how embarrassing.
Step 3: Bold the song (and the artist in the artist list) when someone guesses correctly.
Step 4: Looking them up on Google or any other search engine is CHEATING! And don't forget...when using the shuffle, artists can be repeated.

1. You love the people that love you.
You hear the music they move to.
You give your ode to the fall through.
But you don't know you don't know you don't know you don't know

2. I've just had the craziest week,
Like a party bag of lies, booze and then deceit.
And I don't know why I want to voice this out loud,
It's theraputic somehow

3. The flyweight champion of the world
Time has come
hey girl

Take it to the back of the club hey woman
don't take it the wrong way
I've been checking that ass
and if you give me the chance
I ain't gon' play

4. See me drivin down the street,
I'm bored with looking good.
I got both hands off the wheel,
The cops are coming.
I'm listening to the music with no fear,
You can hear it too if your sincere...

5. I've seen it with my own eyes
How we're gettin' otherwise
Without the luxury of leavin'
The touch and feeling of breath
And times you're both technically
Something you've got to believe in
Connect the cause and effect
One foot in front of the next
This is the start of a journey.
And my rhyme is already gone
Somehow this doesn't concern me.

6. Dig if u will the picture
Of u and I engaged in a kiss
The sweat of your body covers me
Can u my darling
Can u picture this? Ciara's heard When Doves Cry by Prince

7. Out on the streets, that's where we'll meet
You make the night, I always cross the line
Tightened our belts, abuse ourselves
Get in our way, we'll put you on your shelf
Another day, some other way
We're gonna go, but then we'll see you again
I've had enough, we've had enough
Cold in vain, she said Breazy's went Round and Round with Ratt

8. Load up the drugs we'll let the demons come in
Bring all the kids they won't know where to begin
Shoot 'em a line they'll lock you up in the pen
If you're rating my life give it ten

9. Welcome to the jungle
We got fun 'n' games
We got everything you want
Honey we know the names
We are the people that can find
Whatever you may need
If you got the money honey
We got your disease Ciara has rocked out to Welcome to the Jungle by Guns N Roses

10. Eri bellissima lasciatelo dire
E anche stavolta so che non mi crederai
Eri davanti a me davanti agli occhi del bambino
E gli occhi del bambino quelli non li danno proprio indietro mai
Credimi: mai
Ti dico. Mai Concetta has chastized me for not telling everyone that she guessed Eri Bellissima by Ligabue. She emailed me the answer, but I didn't post it, because quite frankly, she didn't leave a comment, lol

11. Picture yourself in the living room
your pipe and slippers set out for you
I know you think that it ain’t too far
But I hear the call of a lifetime ring
felt the need to get up for it
oh you cut out the middleman
get free from the middleman
12. Youve got a great car,
Yeah, whats wrong with it today?
I used to have one too,
Maybe youll come and have a look.
I really love your hairdo,yeah,
Im glad you like my do,
See were looking pretty cool, getcha.

13. Here come the woman
With the look in her eye
Raised on leather
With flesh on her mind
Words as weapons sharper than knives
Makes you wonder how the other half die
Other half die
Here come the man
With the look in his eye
Fed on nothing
But full of pride
Look at them go
Look at them kick
Makes you wonder how the other half live Carrie's confronted The Devil Inside by INXS

14. I'm a sailor peg
And I've lost my leg
Climbing up the top sails
I lost my leg!

15. Hangin' round downtown by myself
And I had so much time
To sit and think about myself
And then there she was
Like double cherry pie
Yeah there she was
Like disco superfly
I smell sex and candy here
Who's that lounging in my chair
Who's that casting devious stares
In my direction
Mama this surely is a dream Breazy's been seduced by Sex and Candy with Marcy's Playground.

16. You see your reflection
As it crosses the line
You meet someone new
For the hundred thousand millionth time

17. cold cooling at a ball
looking for some action
but like Mick Jagger said
I can't get no satisfaction
the girls are all around
but none of them wanna get with me
my threads are fresh and I'm looking def
yo wassup with the l o c
the girls are all jocking
at the other end of the bar
having drinks with some no name chump
when they know that I'm the star Breazy's heard of Funky Cold Medina by Tone LOC

18. I hold on so nervously
To me and my drink
I wish it was cooling me
But so far, has not been good
It’s been shitty
And I feel awkward, as I should
This club has got to be
The most pretentious thing
Since I thought you and me
Well I am imagining
A dark lit place
Or your place or my place Carrie has rocked out to Paralyzer by Finger Eleven

19. How I wish you could see the potential, the potential of you and me
It's like a book elegantly bound, but in a language that you can't read - just yet
You gotta spend some time--love, you gotta spend some time with me

20. I saw a werewolf with a Chinese menu in his hand
Walking through the streets of Soho in the rain
He was looking for a place called Lee Ho Fook's
Going to get himself a big dish of beef chow mein Lime has ran with The Werewolves of London by Warren Zevon

Dar-Wednesday

2008-07-23T05:41:00.001-07:00

That’s right, it is time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

An enterprising lumberman had felled a large tree, and needed to haul it up a steep embankment. So he jacked up the rear end of his pickup and swapped one of the rear tires for a bare rim. He attached one end of a rope to the rim, and the other end of the rope to the felled tree. He put the pickup into gear, expecting the rim to act as a makeshift rope crank that would pull the tree up the embankment, saving him lots of sweat.

A great idea? Not if you're reading it here! You see, the tree vastly outweighed the truck. The man was standing with one foot on the ground and the other foot on the accelerator. When he gunned the engine, the tree acted like an anchor, and the truck yanked itself backwards. The open door rammed into him, and he was swept over the embankment along with the pickup.

When the dust settled, our lumberman had entered the great beyond. But his escapade served as a warning to others. The next lumberman cut up the tree where it lay, and carried it off.

Book Review: The Price

2008-07-22T03:59:00.001-07:00

I’m mere minutes away from jumping on my bike and going for a four hour ride, but before I leave I wanted to share the review below with you.

How far would you be willing to go to save the life of someone you love?
I recently read The Price by Alexandra Sokoloff. This was a great book. Intense, heart-wrenching, fast-paced and thought provoking, it had all the elements to make a truly remarkable thriller. Ms. Sokoloff managed to write a truly frightening tale without the use of gore. I recommend The Price to anyone who enjoys reading. No, I didn’t forget to add a genre (or any other word for that matter) on the end of that sentence. There’s something for everyone within these pages.

Synopsis

Boston's Briarwood Medical Center is a bewildering maze of six separate hospitals symbiotically entwined, connected by glass bridges, underground tunnels, indoor and outdoor gardens -- its own self-contained city. But Briarwood, like every hospital, is also a threshold... to the other side.

Idealistic Boston District Attorney Will Sullivan has it all: a beautiful, beloved wife, Joanna; an adorable five-year old daughter, Sydney, and a real shot in the Massachusetts Governor's race. Then Will's life is shattered when Sydney is diagnosed with a malignant, inoperable tumor. Now Will and Joanna are living at Briarwood Hospital, waiting for their daughter to die. Joanna is slowly losing her mind with grief and Will himself starts to question his own sanity. He has begun to see bizarre and inexplicable things around him -- patients disappearing from elevators, monstrous nuns watching from the shadows.

The strange occurrences seem to center around a charismatic counselor named Salk, who befriends Will and talks mysteriously about the power of faith to heal. But when Sydney suddenly, miraculously begins to improve, Will suspects that Joanna has made a terrible bargain to save their daughter's life. Now he must uncover the truth in order to save them all.

Rating: 5 out of 5 Stars

Weekend Recap

2008-07-21T04:52:00.001-07:00

Well, last week should mark the end of an insane schedule. I worked sixteen and seventeen hour days through most of it, but we made a great deal of progress. The lack of sleep definitely took its toll on me though. I felt like a zombie by Friday.

We spent all day Saturday at the lake. The water was pretty choppy, but I still managed to get about 8 good runs in on the wakeboard and I was introduced to knee boarding as well. Popped up on the board my first try and by my second, I was attempting 360s. It was a blast.

Between the marathon work week and the water play, by Sunday I truly was exhausted. I intended to head back to the lake, but I wound up spending most of it in a prone position on the couch. I guess my body just said enough.

I did manage to find time to do my final edit on the Galley for Drums of the Nunne’hi. I look for it to be released soon.

Drums of the Nunne’ hi

Here is a blurb:

Carl and Nancy are a couple of teenagers who fell for each other during their final year at school. Unfortunately, they come from different worlds. The people of Castleton were taught from an early age that they should steer clear of the kids from the reservation, but the animosity flows both ways, as Carl’s mother is heartbroken to learn that her only son has strayed from his people. What happens next will awaken an ancient power thought long gone from the world of man. The pounding of the drums may mark their coming, but it’s the screams that will let you know they have arrived.

A small community in Southern Oklahoma is rocked by a savage murder and the disappearance of six seniors at Castleton High School. Only a few members of a tribe that lives on the Red River Reservation know what really happened that night. A group of spirit warriors known as the Nunne’hi has avenged the death of Carl Redoak, putting a new twist on an old-fashioned ghost story. The bodies of the missing boys slowly turn up in pieces. Tensions rise between the Res and their neighbors in Castleton as the accusations fly. When the truth is revealed, will anyone believe it?

I’ll let you know when it is released.

This week should be more of a reasonable pace. I have to go to Ponca City again tomorrow, but other than that, I’m working from home for the rest of the week.

Wednesday is my mother’s birthday, so I’ll sneak off for a bit to take her out to lunch. It’s become a bit of a tradition and with all the travel I’ve been doing lately, I had feared I might have to miss it this year.

So, what have you been up to?

Poetry in Motion

2008-07-17T06:05:00.001-07:00

Fear not, I’m still around, just really busy with the day job. Rather than bore you with shop talk (as most of every thing I’m doing right now revolves around work), I thought I’d offer up some poetry. Enjoy!

I hope to be back to normal blogging activities soon…

The Power Within

My arm grows tense with anticipation
Your eyes grow wide with the realization
The light on my blade, cold and pale
The fire in my eyes, a reflection of hell

I whisper its time to face your sins
You cringe at my smile as the knife slides in
Your blood burns hot as it splashes my face
My heart skips a beat as it quickens its pace

You start to twitch, shiver and shake
I wait in patience for the last breath you’ll take
My ecstasy soars straight for the sky
My power is building as your body slowly dies

Thank you my friend, your help was divine
Transferring the power, from your soul to mine

Dar-Wednesday

2008-07-16T09:15:00.001-07:00

It’s time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(20 April 2008, Atlantic Ocean, Brazil) In 1982 Lawn Chair Larry, beloved survivor of a Darwin Award attempt, attached 45 huge helium balloons to his comfortable Sears lawn chair, packed a picnic lunch, and cut the tether. But instead of drifting lazily above the Los Angeles landscape, the combined lift of 45 weather balloons rocketed Larry into LAX air traffic lanes 16,000 feet above sea level. Astoundingly, he survived the "flight."
In homage to Larry's whimsical adventure, a Catholic priest recently ascended towards heaven on a host of helium party balloons. Adelir Antonio de Carli, 41, was attempting to set the world record for clustered balloon flight to publicize his plan to build a spiritual rest stop for truckers.

Spending more than 19 hours in a lawn chair is not a trivial matter, even in the comfort of your own backyard. The priest took numerous safety precautions, including wearing a survival suit, selecting a buoyant chair, and packing a satellite phone and a GPS. However, the late Adelir Antonio made a fatal mistake.
He did not know how to use the GPS.

The winds changed, as winds do, and he was blown inexorably toward open sea. He could have parachuted to safety while over land, but chose not to. When the voyager was perilously lost at sea, he prudently phoned for help. But rescuers were unable to reach him since he could not use his GPS! HE struggled with the control panel as the charge on the satellite phone dwindled.

Instead of a GPS, the priest let God be his guide, and God guided him straight to heaven. Bits of balloons began appearing on mountains and beaches. Ultimately the priest's body surfaced, confirming that he, like Elvis, had left the building.

The kicker? It's a Double Darwin. Catholic priests take vows of celibacy. Since they voluntarily remove themselves from the gene pool, the entire group earns a mass Darwin Award. Adelir Antonio wins twice over!

Weekend Recap

2008-07-15T05:34:00.001-07:00

Ah… I finally found some free time to sit down and punch out a weekend update. We spent some time out at Rocklahoma but managed to not be there when the big storms hit and caused two stages to collapse.

I met a couple of band members from Deathriders on the plane ride home from New Orleans. Mike and Dave were great guys and we wound up spending a good deal of time with them on Friday on the concert grounds. They weren’t scheduled to play until Saturday, so I missed actually getting to see them play. I just hope they weren’t caught up in all the carnage of the unusually vicious storm (well, unusual for July anyway). They tour often and I’m almost positive I will get another chance to see them perform.

Thankfully the evening of the storm, we had gone to my SILs house for a cookout and a friendly volleyball tournament. Not to be daunted by a bit of wet stuff, once the lightning passed, we mustered for said volleyball game… in the mud. It was a hoot with much slipping, sliding and general chaos. My team still managed to annihilate the other team by a good sixteen points though.

Sunday we were all set to go to the lake for day of wakeboarding, but a series of misfortunate events kept us from ever making to the water. I’m not going to get into what all happened here, but let’s just say I’ve had more relaxing Sundays.

Monday I was busier than a one-armed paper hanger. I had a site visit to work out the details of a new project, some modifications requested to one of the projects I have nearly completed, and all the while trying to get a good handle on the project I inherited in New Orleans.

I finally wrapped up (or at least decided to throw in the towel for the day) about six O’clock and sat down to catch up on my blog reading when BOOM… the power went out. Oh, joy!

Now, I’m sitting here waiting a couple of phone calls that will tell me whether I will spend the rest of the week in Denver or New Orleans. Either way, it looks like I’m on the road again. It’s all good as long as they get me back into to feed my wakeboarding addiction.

So, what have you been up to?

Friday 55

2008-07-11T07:21:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Friday 55. The object of the game is to write a story using exactly 55 words. If you participate, be sure to drop a comment at G-Man’s blog so others will know how to find your story.

Soft jazz plays in the background, ebbing and flowing as I pass near vacant buildings. Rueful smiles greet me as I walk along the streets. Eyes never quite meet mine, preferring instead to scan the pavement. The smell of fine cuisine permeates the air, covering the subtle stench of decay. This is now New Orleans.

Dar-Wednesday

2008-07-09T04:49:00.000-07:00

It’s time for another installment of The Darwin Awards.

(09 Nov 1999, Mexico) A Mexican jail guard died from an excess of zeal while supervising an inmate's conjugal visit. Raul Zarate Diaz was closely watching his charge from the roof of the prison when he tripped over an air vent, crashed through the skylight, and fell 23 feet to land beside the bed where the inmate and his wife were, against all odds, enjoying an intimate moment. The interrupted prisoner, offended by the intrusion, attempted to start a riot, but was squelched by prison security.

Prisoners in the Tapachula facility reported that Diaz was in the habit of prowling the prison roof during conjugal visits, in search of prisoners to supervise. Local law enforcement reported that the guard was clutching a pornographic magazine, which was retained as evidence, and binoculars, whose sentimental value led to them being given back to the family of the deceased.