As I’ve mentioned before, my motivations in life are seldom politically motivated. I’m the quintessential middle of the road independent in that regard. But, I heard something on the news yesterday that brought on a tingle of fear that to most folks may have been barely worth a shoulder shrug, considered business as usual in America.
Earlier this year, I published through ATTM Press a science fiction novel predicated on a global economic collapse that even two hundred years later had not resolved. It’s called “Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”. As a plot setting, it left the world in what might be described as a post-apocalyptic condition without a single bomb having to explode anywhere. The world plunged into survival mode with all advanced technology vanishing over time and even some basic technology is left in need of restoration. And, it all began with overwhelming and broad-reaching greed. I mention this because it is why the news story yesterday wrecked my thoughts for the remainder of the day and led me to post this.
It was reported yesterday that one of the largest banks in the world, HSBC, was basically slapped on the wrist for laundering money for criminal and terrorist organizations worldwide. Let me point out that this action cannot be more criminal. They were fined 1.93 billion dollars (thereabouts) or roughly five percent of last year’s profits with no person, persons or group within the organization being held accountable with prison or a conviction of any kind. Prosecutors said that they were “too big to prosecute”. Reasons given were that it would cost too many jobs and create too much turmoil in world markets.
Wouldn’t smaller banks move in to pick up the slack in a matter of weeks if HSBC had their charter yanked? Wouldn’t all the honest employees find other employment at other banks as soon as that happened? I’ll answer both questions with a resounding yes, of course. It’s a slap in the face of our economic system to believe otherwise.
Wouldn’t it serve humanity better to demand honesty and accountability through the law, regardless of size or influence of the accused? Were lucrative promises made behind closed doors in exchange for leniency? Were politicians threatened with forfeiting massive campaign contributions? Were government leaders promised under-the-table favors of any kind? Again, I answer with yes; in fact, I think I’ll say, “Hell yes!” There can be no other explanation for a company being given the equivalent of a traffic citation for a crime of such immensity.
A few years ago the government bail-out was given because certain companies were “too big to fail” and “too big to prosecute” is the next step toward problems of monumental and uncontrollable scope. What next? Will government willingly hand over control of certain aspects of power because the company is “too big to say no to”? From my perspective, we are there in many ways already, especially if our leaders are bold enough to say aloud, “They’re too big to prosecute” without tongues planted in cheeks.
In my novel, “Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”, the protagonist bemoans stupidity at a pivotal point in our nation’s economic history just prior to an irreversible collapse by stating, “The affairs of government was reduced to an office between the janitor’s closet and restrooms within corporate headquarters and served no other purpose than to print money on demand and make speeches on behalf of the company.”
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy” is science fiction but the current state of our nation and world indicates it may become non-fiction in my lifetime.
Novelist
Daniel (Danny) Lance Wright, Author
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Monday, December 3, 2012
A Nutty Kind of Wisdom
Early yesterday morning, I sat at this keyboard, fingers at the ready, attempting to force out creativity that might miraculously advance my latest novel toward some sparkling conclusion in the next couple of months. Picture, if you will, flushing rocks down a toilet and expecting them to go somewhere. Okay, now you know how hopeless my effort was, regardless of the pain in my head that followed. That pain was the only thing created.
Later, I finally gave up, grabbed a bowl full of freshly gather pecans, snatched up the cracker and then headed for the front porch. I was wearing shorts, flip-flops and a sleeveless T-shirt in eighty degree weather and began shelling pecans. The fact that it’s December and so warm is a complaint and a post for a different day. I will say, though; if I wanted this kind of weather in the last month of the year, I’d move to the tropics and at least have a beach nearby, but, enough of that.
Back to creativity; here’s something I’ve known all along but apparently needed to be reminded of, as do all people that have anything to do with the arts: Ideas and brilliant thoughts occur only when the head is clear of extraneous influences. A mindless endeavor like shelling pecans is a good way to make ideas flow, or working out at the gym, or jogging –things that require no brainpower. Forcing creativity does... not... work... ever. I’ll debate it with anyone because my mind is firmly set on this issue.
There are extremely talented novelists that are far above my pay grade that do inspired work. I’ve read novels that were so good, I committed to following the author’s work from then on, only to discover the next one to be disappointing and, maybe, the third one as well.
Dare I go so far as to call them crap? Ooh, close call, but yeah I will.
And then, a couple of years will pass and the same author will release another inspired work. In retrospect, I’m convinced that what transpired was strictly a commercial commitment. It appeared that the author agreed to a multi-book deal – the second and third written solely to sell on the weight of the author’s name.
Would I do this? Hell, yeah! What author in his/her right mind would turn it down? But, it’s not the point I’m trying to make. It simply spotlights that inspired writing requires inspiration. Yes, a fat paycheck is one form but, again, not my point. I’m speaking specifically and only of creative inspiration.
So, here’s the thing: On those days you feel as though your brain has lost every wrinkle and glossed over like the proverbial cueball, then grab a bowl of pecans and hit the porch... or something like that.
Have a great day, y’all.
Later, I finally gave up, grabbed a bowl full of freshly gather pecans, snatched up the cracker and then headed for the front porch. I was wearing shorts, flip-flops and a sleeveless T-shirt in eighty degree weather and began shelling pecans. The fact that it’s December and so warm is a complaint and a post for a different day. I will say, though; if I wanted this kind of weather in the last month of the year, I’d move to the tropics and at least have a beach nearby, but, enough of that.
Back to creativity; here’s something I’ve known all along but apparently needed to be reminded of, as do all people that have anything to do with the arts: Ideas and brilliant thoughts occur only when the head is clear of extraneous influences. A mindless endeavor like shelling pecans is a good way to make ideas flow, or working out at the gym, or jogging –things that require no brainpower. Forcing creativity does... not... work... ever. I’ll debate it with anyone because my mind is firmly set on this issue.
There are extremely talented novelists that are far above my pay grade that do inspired work. I’ve read novels that were so good, I committed to following the author’s work from then on, only to discover the next one to be disappointing and, maybe, the third one as well.
Dare I go so far as to call them crap? Ooh, close call, but yeah I will.
And then, a couple of years will pass and the same author will release another inspired work. In retrospect, I’m convinced that what transpired was strictly a commercial commitment. It appeared that the author agreed to a multi-book deal – the second and third written solely to sell on the weight of the author’s name.
Would I do this? Hell, yeah! What author in his/her right mind would turn it down? But, it’s not the point I’m trying to make. It simply spotlights that inspired writing requires inspiration. Yes, a fat paycheck is one form but, again, not my point. I’m speaking specifically and only of creative inspiration.
So, here’s the thing: On those days you feel as though your brain has lost every wrinkle and glossed over like the proverbial cueball, then grab a bowl of pecans and hit the porch... or something like that.
Have a great day, y’all.
Friday, November 16, 2012
The Latest Review of "Annie's World: Jake's Legacy"
Another review of "Annie's World: Jake's Legacy" is in. Of course, all reviewers are different, but overall I'm happy with what avid readers are saying. -dlw
***
New! LAS Reviewer "The Long and the Short Of It Reviews" reviewed Annie's World: Jake's Legacy
Fantastic Read November 8, 2012
Would you take a dangerous risk to save a stranger's child? Is it better to be thought of as a hero or increase your odds of living to see another day?
Jake's made some difficult decisions during his life. Surviving in a lawless society often means making tough choices and yet when he meets a newly orphaned girl named Annie, Jake discovers how quickly even the most deeply entrenched priorities can shift. To be honest I didn't particularly care for Jake at first due to choices he made early on. While they were understandable given the harsh environment in which he was living I had some trouble moving past them and getting to know the person he eventually becomes.
The magic happens during Jake's slow transformation as the plot thickens. It was a pleasure to see how even small, seemingly inconsequential decisions affected his character and my favourite part of this tale by far was getting to see how one change would eventually spur another.
The political message in this book was a little heavy-handed. Every time Jake talks about how society slowly crumbled over the course of a few generations due to the greed of corporations and the wealthy the story is temporarily knocked off course. It would have been more effective to spend more time showing how much the common person has suffered instead of having the main character repeat himself so often. Multiple punctuation and grammatical errors also distracted my attention from the plot.
Annie's World: Jake's Legacy is a frightening look at one possible future awaiting mankind. I'd recommend it for anyone who has ever wondered what life might really be like if there was no such thing as a centralized government and if the only law of the land was survival of the fittest.
Originally posted at LAS Sci-Fi/Fantasy Reviews
***
New! LAS Reviewer "The Long and the Short Of It Reviews" reviewed Annie's World: Jake's Legacy
Fantastic Read November 8, 2012
Would you take a dangerous risk to save a stranger's child? Is it better to be thought of as a hero or increase your odds of living to see another day?
Jake's made some difficult decisions during his life. Surviving in a lawless society often means making tough choices and yet when he meets a newly orphaned girl named Annie, Jake discovers how quickly even the most deeply entrenched priorities can shift. To be honest I didn't particularly care for Jake at first due to choices he made early on. While they were understandable given the harsh environment in which he was living I had some trouble moving past them and getting to know the person he eventually becomes.
The magic happens during Jake's slow transformation as the plot thickens. It was a pleasure to see how even small, seemingly inconsequential decisions affected his character and my favourite part of this tale by far was getting to see how one change would eventually spur another.
The political message in this book was a little heavy-handed. Every time Jake talks about how society slowly crumbled over the course of a few generations due to the greed of corporations and the wealthy the story is temporarily knocked off course. It would have been more effective to spend more time showing how much the common person has suffered instead of having the main character repeat himself so often. Multiple punctuation and grammatical errors also distracted my attention from the plot.
Annie's World: Jake's Legacy is a frightening look at one possible future awaiting mankind. I'd recommend it for anyone who has ever wondered what life might really be like if there was no such thing as a centralized government and if the only law of the land was survival of the fittest.
Originally posted at LAS Sci-Fi/Fantasy Reviews
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Unplugged
I'm really enjoying the new television series "Revolution". And, although, I think the method of power failure a bit too fanciful, I don't think it's ridiculous at all to consider the potential reality of such a world. I thought I'd re-post an earlier submission. Maybe I should've written a screen proposal to the network in May, 2011 when I first posted this.
***
Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth.
Something I think about often, and worry about a little, too, is that our entire functioning world hinges on those things that can be plugged in to a power source. As tech toys flood world markets at an alarming rate, we as humans, and supposedly sentient beings, are actually losing our humanity at the same speed. We are but a collection of numbers and symbols in a database somewhere and, therefore, living and existing at the pleasure of people who know how to manipulate those numbers and symbols.
I think, though, I want to take this discussion in a slightly different direction. Let me set a hypothetical scenario for you. Let’s say it’s the year 2012 and Osama bin Laden’s replacement is much savvier about technology than his predecessor—not how to use it, but what ceases to happen without it. Politicians and power moguls can argue all they like that we have too many redundancies in our grid system to worry much about terrorism on electricity production. I’ll only buy into that premise to a point. For the most part, I choose to believe that such talk is self-serving to maintain central control even as many different companies distribute power. The reason is simple, distributors distribute, they don’t produce.
How many remember the northeastern power outage of 1965; how about the one in 2003? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Blackout_of_2003 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Blackout_of_1965
It’s not worth boring you with technical jargon or excuses for the outages. I’m not intelligent enough for that anyhow. But, what is fascinating to note, is how little it took to take down a huge chunk of the northeastern United States in an instant. And both times it stayed down for a frighteningly long period. Now, multiply that by two or three other central power producing locations.
I think you know where I’m going with this; the U-S, with the possible exception of the military, would be blind, deaf and dumb. How long do you think it would take for panic and mayhem to set in, sides chosen and warring tribes to emerge battling over scraps of food?
I challenge each one reading this to look around and count the number of young people you personally know that have no clue how a loaf of bread is made or what from, where ham comes from or how to make it, how to make cheese or butter, have never gathered eggs from a coop, have no idea how to spin yarn, sew, weave, build a chair from tree branches, or even something as simple as walking into an open pasture and knowing what is edible and what is poison. This list could go on and on. Unfortunately, these are the people that now rule the world and are currently breeding offspring that think their futures hinge on new products from Apple and Microsoft or how well the stock of one investment company does versus another, or what political party will best serve them.
I think I’ll get to work writing a novel of catastrophe and call it, “The Geek That Inherited The Earth” or maybe, “The United States Unplugged”. Of course neither have much hope of a happy ending if I insist on too many truisms. I would have to go whole hog and create a fantasy world because, really, who’d believe society could collapse just because someone pulled the power plug. Absurd. Right?
***
Geeks Shall Inherit The Earth.
Something I think about often, and worry about a little, too, is that our entire functioning world hinges on those things that can be plugged in to a power source. As tech toys flood world markets at an alarming rate, we as humans, and supposedly sentient beings, are actually losing our humanity at the same speed. We are but a collection of numbers and symbols in a database somewhere and, therefore, living and existing at the pleasure of people who know how to manipulate those numbers and symbols.
I think, though, I want to take this discussion in a slightly different direction. Let me set a hypothetical scenario for you. Let’s say it’s the year 2012 and Osama bin Laden’s replacement is much savvier about technology than his predecessor—not how to use it, but what ceases to happen without it. Politicians and power moguls can argue all they like that we have too many redundancies in our grid system to worry much about terrorism on electricity production. I’ll only buy into that premise to a point. For the most part, I choose to believe that such talk is self-serving to maintain central control even as many different companies distribute power. The reason is simple, distributors distribute, they don’t produce.
How many remember the northeastern power outage of 1965; how about the one in 2003? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Blackout_of_2003 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Blackout_of_1965
It’s not worth boring you with technical jargon or excuses for the outages. I’m not intelligent enough for that anyhow. But, what is fascinating to note, is how little it took to take down a huge chunk of the northeastern United States in an instant. And both times it stayed down for a frighteningly long period. Now, multiply that by two or three other central power producing locations.
I think you know where I’m going with this; the U-S, with the possible exception of the military, would be blind, deaf and dumb. How long do you think it would take for panic and mayhem to set in, sides chosen and warring tribes to emerge battling over scraps of food?
I challenge each one reading this to look around and count the number of young people you personally know that have no clue how a loaf of bread is made or what from, where ham comes from or how to make it, how to make cheese or butter, have never gathered eggs from a coop, have no idea how to spin yarn, sew, weave, build a chair from tree branches, or even something as simple as walking into an open pasture and knowing what is edible and what is poison. This list could go on and on. Unfortunately, these are the people that now rule the world and are currently breeding offspring that think their futures hinge on new products from Apple and Microsoft or how well the stock of one investment company does versus another, or what political party will best serve them.
I think I’ll get to work writing a novel of catastrophe and call it, “The Geek That Inherited The Earth” or maybe, “The United States Unplugged”. Of course neither have much hope of a happy ending if I insist on too many truisms. I would have to go whole hog and create a fantasy world because, really, who’d believe society could collapse just because someone pulled the power plug. Absurd. Right?
Tuesday, November 6, 2012
Focus, Man, Focus!
I’m sure you’re aware of all the bumper sticker clichés that have to do with goal setting and success in life. As examples: “If you can see it, you can be it.” “To visualize it is to become it.” “You can do anything you can imagine.” “Success begins with an unshakable mental image.” And, the list goes on and on.
While still working in the sales and marketing side of the television industry, I was fed a steady diet of it over a number of years and usually the television station paid handsomely for some outsider in an expensive hotel ballroom to indoctrinate, or reinforce, the minions of sales people in attendance – usually about once a year.
If you think I’m about to get down and negative about this sort of thing; I’m not. In fact, I remain a huge fan and proponent of such imagery and goal setting. What’s the point of starting anything, unless you can create a mind’s-eye image of successfully completing it?
So far, I’ve laid down three paragraphs to simply set up questions I have for me and for you: How does success visualization and goal setting evolve as we get older? Or, should it change at all? Is it normal at, or near, retirement to stop doing such things? I wonder about this often as I attempt to analyze myself in this regard.
Oh, I still visualize success and set goals, but it’s becoming an increasingly narrower endeavor. What I mean is that I, once upon a time, dreamed of becoming a novelist – beneath that umbrella were a number of stories I wanted to write. I not only had a vision of becoming an author but a highly detailed mental image of success doing it. Now, I don’t see things in such grandiose fashion. Instead, I see myself successfully completing the novel in progress.
There was a time I’d stand in the center of a room and totally remodel it in my mind before I ever picked up a saw or hammer. Only then did I go about the job of making that room fit what I saw. Now, I spend a week, or so, trying to visualize re-gluing a rickety chair.
I wonder; now that I likely have more sand at the bottom of my hourglass than the top, is that normal? Or, could it be that I’m sabotaging my creative future with such a narrowing approach?
If you know me at all by now, you surely realize that when I latch onto a philosophical notion like this, I can’t seem to let it go until I get it down in print. Some people talk it out. I write it out.
Right now, I’m trying to develop a mental image of breakfast. That’s about it. But, on the upside, it's becoming crystal clear.
Y’all have a wonderful day.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
“Phobia”/Booktrope/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
While still working in the sales and marketing side of the television industry, I was fed a steady diet of it over a number of years and usually the television station paid handsomely for some outsider in an expensive hotel ballroom to indoctrinate, or reinforce, the minions of sales people in attendance – usually about once a year.
If you think I’m about to get down and negative about this sort of thing; I’m not. In fact, I remain a huge fan and proponent of such imagery and goal setting. What’s the point of starting anything, unless you can create a mind’s-eye image of successfully completing it?
So far, I’ve laid down three paragraphs to simply set up questions I have for me and for you: How does success visualization and goal setting evolve as we get older? Or, should it change at all? Is it normal at, or near, retirement to stop doing such things? I wonder about this often as I attempt to analyze myself in this regard.
Oh, I still visualize success and set goals, but it’s becoming an increasingly narrower endeavor. What I mean is that I, once upon a time, dreamed of becoming a novelist – beneath that umbrella were a number of stories I wanted to write. I not only had a vision of becoming an author but a highly detailed mental image of success doing it. Now, I don’t see things in such grandiose fashion. Instead, I see myself successfully completing the novel in progress.
There was a time I’d stand in the center of a room and totally remodel it in my mind before I ever picked up a saw or hammer. Only then did I go about the job of making that room fit what I saw. Now, I spend a week, or so, trying to visualize re-gluing a rickety chair.
I wonder; now that I likely have more sand at the bottom of my hourglass than the top, is that normal? Or, could it be that I’m sabotaging my creative future with such a narrowing approach?
If you know me at all by now, you surely realize that when I latch onto a philosophical notion like this, I can’t seem to let it go until I get it down in print. Some people talk it out. I write it out.
Right now, I’m trying to develop a mental image of breakfast. That’s about it. But, on the upside, it's becoming crystal clear.
Y’all have a wonderful day.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
“Phobia”/Booktrope/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
Sunday, October 21, 2012
I want to share this review from Midwest Book Reviews', Diane Donovan. I hope you enjoy reading the review as much as I enjoyed receiving it. And, of course, I hope you buy the novel, "Defining Family", and develop your own opinion.
Defining Family
Daniel Lance Wright
Whiskey Creek Press
PO Box 51052, Casper, WY 82605-1052
9781611602456, $4.99, www.amazon.com
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1022
Defining Family is a powerful young adult novel which opens in a Texas children's home when a prank gone awry sends four sheltered teens into the world on the run from the law.
For teen Samantha, recovering from a nightmare of childhood sexual abuse by her parents, it means re-entering a world which has defined her life and fears with one event.
For Rebecca, it's all about antagonizing Samantha, whom she sees as controlling others around her by intimidation. Covered with tattoos and piercings, Rebecca's hard exterior hides a tender heart and a fondness she holds for Aaron.
Speaking of Aaron, his quest to live a less fearful life brings them all into danger, while Amy has her own demons to flee.
While running makes sense at the time, the four teens eventually realize that flight isn't bringing them any further from trouble, and is ultimately bringing them closer together in an ever-tightening quest for survival.
Romance, survival, trust, betrayal, and quests for maturity affect the friends as they move through countryside and bring challenges which will bring them full-circle to confront their own inner demons of their pasts.
DEFINING FAMILY is about more than defining family or coming of age without one. It's about breaking down barriers to intimacy through shared experiences and struggles for both individual and group survival - and it's about finding a place in the world rather than running from it.
Teens interested in a gripping coming-of-age survival saga will find much to relish in this moving saga.
Defining Family
Daniel Lance Wright
Whiskey Creek Press
PO Box 51052, Casper, WY 82605-1052
9781611602456, $4.99, www.amazon.com
http://www.whiskeycreekpress.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=1022
Defining Family is a powerful young adult novel which opens in a Texas children's home when a prank gone awry sends four sheltered teens into the world on the run from the law.
For teen Samantha, recovering from a nightmare of childhood sexual abuse by her parents, it means re-entering a world which has defined her life and fears with one event.
For Rebecca, it's all about antagonizing Samantha, whom she sees as controlling others around her by intimidation. Covered with tattoos and piercings, Rebecca's hard exterior hides a tender heart and a fondness she holds for Aaron.
Speaking of Aaron, his quest to live a less fearful life brings them all into danger, while Amy has her own demons to flee.
While running makes sense at the time, the four teens eventually realize that flight isn't bringing them any further from trouble, and is ultimately bringing them closer together in an ever-tightening quest for survival.
Romance, survival, trust, betrayal, and quests for maturity affect the friends as they move through countryside and bring challenges which will bring them full-circle to confront their own inner demons of their pasts.
DEFINING FAMILY is about more than defining family or coming of age without one. It's about breaking down barriers to intimacy through shared experiences and struggles for both individual and group survival - and it's about finding a place in the world rather than running from it.
Teens interested in a gripping coming-of-age survival saga will find much to relish in this moving saga.
Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Say It ain't so
When writing dialogue in a novel, especially in a scene where a number of people of various ages and genders are involved, the challenge is to make those characters speak as age and gender would dictate; in other words, women not manly or childish, men not girly or childish, children not grown-up. It should come off conversational, not contrived or mechanical. The reader must believe, unequivocally, that these people are speaking to one another and not passing notes.
Of course, there are always exceptions to such arbitrary sounding rules as this. It depends upon how the character has been conceptualized. And, however that is, should be carried consistently throughout.
The point I wish to make is that while working on a tense four pages of dialogue among a group of people on the run for their lives, I was reminded of a time I was working in the television industry and writing a piece of ad copy for a commercial spot.
I handed it to one of the account executives and asked him for an opinion. In hindsight, I should’ve kept my mouth shut. That person, a dear friend, had a problem with the use of contractions. I countered by saying that people don’t talk in such a formal manner, or even in complete sentences usually. And, the only time a contraction should not be used is when specific emphasis is desired, such as: “The price is not expensive at all.” For an ad to sound sincere and from the heart, it should not read like narrative in a novel. It should sound as one would say it to a friend, and that included the use of contractions.
Well, as it turned out, I didn’t convince my friend and he certainly did not make any inroads with me either. It didn’t matter much. We shared lunch and took verbal jabs at one another the rest of that day fifteen years ago.
As I worked on drafting my latest novel yesterday, that memory wafted in and out of my mind all day. It’s now a cherished memory. That friend and co-worker left this world fourteen years ago and the contraction debate was only one of many spirited conversations between us.
Have a great day, Y’all.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
“Phobia”/Booktrope/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
Of course, there are always exceptions to such arbitrary sounding rules as this. It depends upon how the character has been conceptualized. And, however that is, should be carried consistently throughout.
The point I wish to make is that while working on a tense four pages of dialogue among a group of people on the run for their lives, I was reminded of a time I was working in the television industry and writing a piece of ad copy for a commercial spot.
I handed it to one of the account executives and asked him for an opinion. In hindsight, I should’ve kept my mouth shut. That person, a dear friend, had a problem with the use of contractions. I countered by saying that people don’t talk in such a formal manner, or even in complete sentences usually. And, the only time a contraction should not be used is when specific emphasis is desired, such as: “The price is not expensive at all.” For an ad to sound sincere and from the heart, it should not read like narrative in a novel. It should sound as one would say it to a friend, and that included the use of contractions.
Well, as it turned out, I didn’t convince my friend and he certainly did not make any inroads with me either. It didn’t matter much. We shared lunch and took verbal jabs at one another the rest of that day fifteen years ago.
As I worked on drafting my latest novel yesterday, that memory wafted in and out of my mind all day. It’s now a cherished memory. That friend and co-worker left this world fourteen years ago and the contraction debate was only one of many spirited conversations between us.
Have a great day, Y’all.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
“Phobia”/Booktrope/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Only a Writer Would Even Care
Here's a question that I've posed before in a different venue. But, to my way of thinking, it's still an open question that my mind has never settled on, one way or the other:
When you spell it, do you prefer mama or momma? Or, does it make any difference? Should it make any difference?
I've seen it spelled both ways, with mama taking a slight lead, possibly. I'll share with you that my fingers have always, and probably will always, automatically type momma. I suppose it's possible that spelling preference is a regional thing, but I have no research to back that up.
That's my question of the day. Feedback anyone?
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
When you spell it, do you prefer mama or momma? Or, does it make any difference? Should it make any difference?
I've seen it spelled both ways, with mama taking a slight lead, possibly. I'll share with you that my fingers have always, and probably will always, automatically type momma. I suppose it's possible that spelling preference is a regional thing, but I have no research to back that up.
That's my question of the day. Feedback anyone?
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Birthing a Novel
I just posted a mostly flippant account of my morning on my Face Book author page (www.facebook.com/daniellancewright) and, after I did, it created a true moment of personal clarity.
Last week, I pulled out an old manuscript of a novel I first drafted in about 1999. The goal was to breathe life into it. I need to add a closing chapter that must be written from scratch. Otherwise, it, once again, has been re-written. It’s a paranormal love story or, if you prefer, a paranormal drama about a contentious love between a retired man with problems and a twenty year younger woman with her own troubles.
Every time I complete a subsequent draft of it, I think that I’m looking at solid gold, the story to end all stories. But, once I set it aside for a time and then read it again, all I think is: Who wrote this crap?
You probably know where this is going now. I am almost finished with a solid gold novel, a story to end all stories –yes, sir, literary genius.
Of course, a quick reality check reminds me that I have rewritten this story umpteen times. I say ‘umpteen’ because it has been done so many times over ten years (+ or –) that I’ve lost count. Prudence dictates that, regardless what precious metal or level of intelligence I’m using to describe it, I must put it away and allow it to breathe in silence for a number of weeks, maybe months.
One day, I’ll read it and think: Hey, this isn’t bad.
That’s the day a publisher or agent will see it for the first time.
Last week, I pulled out an old manuscript of a novel I first drafted in about 1999. The goal was to breathe life into it. I need to add a closing chapter that must be written from scratch. Otherwise, it, once again, has been re-written. It’s a paranormal love story or, if you prefer, a paranormal drama about a contentious love between a retired man with problems and a twenty year younger woman with her own troubles.
Every time I complete a subsequent draft of it, I think that I’m looking at solid gold, the story to end all stories. But, once I set it aside for a time and then read it again, all I think is: Who wrote this crap?
You probably know where this is going now. I am almost finished with a solid gold novel, a story to end all stories –yes, sir, literary genius.
Of course, a quick reality check reminds me that I have rewritten this story umpteen times. I say ‘umpteen’ because it has been done so many times over ten years (+ or –) that I’ve lost count. Prudence dictates that, regardless what precious metal or level of intelligence I’m using to describe it, I must put it away and allow it to breathe in silence for a number of weeks, maybe months.
One day, I’ll read it and think: Hey, this isn’t bad.
That’s the day a publisher or agent will see it for the first time.
Monday, July 30, 2012
A Reunion is just a reunion, Right? Wrong!
A very special day came to an end at midnight Saturday. It was a high school reunion. I’d bet you a little money that most people don’t look at these types of reunions with special exception. But, this particular reunion is absolutely exceptional.
The town is called Meadow, population; less than a thousand, much less. This part of the Lone Star state is as flat as flat can be on a round planet. At night, all one needs to do is stand outside, turn a three-sixty and see lights of towns all around, some many miles away. I heard it said over the weekend, “If you want see a few more miles past the horizon then stand on a tuna can.”
As you laugh, keep in mind that it’s true... sort of.
Meadow is located in the midst of cotton farming country above the caprock on the South Plains of Texas situated west of New Home, south of Ropesville, north of Brownfield, east of Sundown and spittin’ distance from Levelland. Now, if that doesn’t conjure solid visions of farming and ranching, I don’t know what would.
Meadow is not in the middle of nowhere; I repeat, not in the middle of nowhere but I’ve engaged in spirited conversations with a few naysayers that, at best, I’ve only partially turned to my point of view. They may acquiesce... to a point... but never totally come around to my way of thinking. This is a paraphrase but rather consistent: “Well, it might not be the middle of nowhere, but I bet you can see it from there.”
People just driving through will never understand. You see, it’s not about the place. It’s about the people. The people are the community. They are its character, which is solid; its life, which is vital; its heart, which is strong. And they are what make Meadow special.
Since the school is so small, this reunion was set up as a multi-year affair that students must be out of high school for thirty years before being invited. So, to call it a school reunion doesn’t quite do it justice. It is a community reunion held every three years.
To simply say that I enjoyed the reunion doesn’t effectively convey my thoughts. As midnight approached and I valiantly fought off sleep and a Coors Light induced coma, I began listening more than talking – the stories, all the wonderful stories, that created a tapestry of life that I had the great fortune to be part of. During that time, I confirmed a long-held belief: Those people were much more than acquaintances, even more than friends. They are extended family and always have been.
Thanks Meadow.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
RELEASES COMING
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
The town is called Meadow, population; less than a thousand, much less. This part of the Lone Star state is as flat as flat can be on a round planet. At night, all one needs to do is stand outside, turn a three-sixty and see lights of towns all around, some many miles away. I heard it said over the weekend, “If you want see a few more miles past the horizon then stand on a tuna can.”
As you laugh, keep in mind that it’s true... sort of.
Meadow is located in the midst of cotton farming country above the caprock on the South Plains of Texas situated west of New Home, south of Ropesville, north of Brownfield, east of Sundown and spittin’ distance from Levelland. Now, if that doesn’t conjure solid visions of farming and ranching, I don’t know what would.
Meadow is not in the middle of nowhere; I repeat, not in the middle of nowhere but I’ve engaged in spirited conversations with a few naysayers that, at best, I’ve only partially turned to my point of view. They may acquiesce... to a point... but never totally come around to my way of thinking. This is a paraphrase but rather consistent: “Well, it might not be the middle of nowhere, but I bet you can see it from there.”
People just driving through will never understand. You see, it’s not about the place. It’s about the people. The people are the community. They are its character, which is solid; its life, which is vital; its heart, which is strong. And they are what make Meadow special.
Since the school is so small, this reunion was set up as a multi-year affair that students must be out of high school for thirty years before being invited. So, to call it a school reunion doesn’t quite do it justice. It is a community reunion held every three years.
To simply say that I enjoyed the reunion doesn’t effectively convey my thoughts. As midnight approached and I valiantly fought off sleep and a Coors Light induced coma, I began listening more than talking – the stories, all the wonderful stories, that created a tapestry of life that I had the great fortune to be part of. During that time, I confirmed a long-held belief: Those people were much more than acquaintances, even more than friends. They are extended family and always have been.
Thanks Meadow.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
RELEASES COMING
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Zero To Love”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Saturday, June 23, 2012
When Fingers Do The Thinking
The cursor is blinking, daring me to keep up, if I can, and allow it to lead the way to interesting prose or snappy dialogue.
I think I can ... I think I can ... I think I can ...
But, the little beggar can be so intimidating. Oh, yes, I’ve implored it to be my friend, many times; to be an ally and not a nemesis. Still, it insists on winking its dare to chase it across the screen, knowing full-well I’ll never catch it or control it.
So, there it sits, the visual representation of a primal chant or war drums beating in time to motivation as old as man himself to join the fray or suffer the consequences of non-action—to starve and wither.
To kick-start a writing session, I sometime find it necessary to just start typing. I think it’s called “free-writing”. That’s exactly what this blog is. I’ve just never shared stuff on this site that my fingers typed but my brain had very little to do with. There have been several occasions that this "free-writing" has turned out much longer and became short stories or articles. Today, though, it was just another quick excercise to get the juices flowing. I thought I'd share a little of the process this time.
I think I’m okay now. I have a chapter to write.
Have a great day, y’all.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
RELEASES COMING
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
I think I can ... I think I can ... I think I can ...
But, the little beggar can be so intimidating. Oh, yes, I’ve implored it to be my friend, many times; to be an ally and not a nemesis. Still, it insists on winking its dare to chase it across the screen, knowing full-well I’ll never catch it or control it.
So, there it sits, the visual representation of a primal chant or war drums beating in time to motivation as old as man himself to join the fray or suffer the consequences of non-action—to starve and wither.
To kick-start a writing session, I sometime find it necessary to just start typing. I think it’s called “free-writing”. That’s exactly what this blog is. I’ve just never shared stuff on this site that my fingers typed but my brain had very little to do with. There have been several occasions that this "free-writing" has turned out much longer and became short stories or articles. Today, though, it was just another quick excercise to get the juices flowing. I thought I'd share a little of the process this time.
I think I’m okay now. I have a chapter to write.
Have a great day, y’all.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
RELEASES COMING
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sage Words Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Friday, June 8, 2012
A Problem Big As The Pyramids
It has been some time since my last blog entry here. I apologize for that. But, I’ve never been the type to speak when I have nothing of interest to say, or so I would have you believe.
Yesterday, my young grandson, Corbin, and I had an abbreviated conversation on the origin of the Egyptian pyramids. Many questions persist on the subject and, to me, a fascinating subject. He didn’t seem interested and asked, “Why do you care?”
“Because,” I said, “to question is a fascinating road to discovery, one of life’s joys and greatest responsibilities. Never stop questioning and never close your mind to possibilities.”
He didn’t actually yawn but the look was equivalent. “Why? Life is so much easier if you don’t.”
Okay, this was enough to spin my head around like Linda Blair in the “Exorcist”. What? I thought very, very loud—to the point of echoing between my ears.
After a moment, questions of my own began chasing one another and they all led back to our current educational system in this country. Has this obsession with passing tests to garner status and funding within schools created a generation of Pavlov’s Dogs?
What I mean by this is that, maybe, we’re not educating kids anymore. What if we’re simply training them to accomplish specific tasks, like passing those tests to raise schools’ rankings for better funding? If so, I can’t blame teachers or administrators for steering the kids that way. For heaven’s sake, their livelihoods are at stake. It’s the entire way the system is structured.
I’ve heard and read numerous articles about the flight from publicly funded education to private schools. Is it because of this lack of teaching our children to think? Are we, as a nation, training them only to react to chosen stimuli? I think maybe.
Look, for example, at our current state of government. There are no forward thinking decisions being made by either party, only reacting to crises as they occur. Our nation is in a holding pattern waiting for that bell to ring signaling some action needs to be taken. Even this seems to lend credibility to this Pavlov’s Dogs application.
We must never forget that cults and dictators flourish in such an environment.
Let’s make sure our kids go beyond just memorizing accepted answers according to textbooks. Question and discuss why the answer is considered correct. There’s always a chance the answer is totally incorrect or that better answers exist.
Sure, life is simpler if we don’t ask questions. And, those who want to control and manipulate our thinking already know this and would encourage us not to ask questions.
Maybe the origin of the pyramids has no relevance in today’s world. But, how would I know if I never ask the questions? Even in this case, a belief system has been handed to us and we are expected to accept it as fact, which it may be, but I choose to explore it and come to that conclusion on my own.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
RELEASES COMING
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sagewords Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Yesterday, my young grandson, Corbin, and I had an abbreviated conversation on the origin of the Egyptian pyramids. Many questions persist on the subject and, to me, a fascinating subject. He didn’t seem interested and asked, “Why do you care?”
“Because,” I said, “to question is a fascinating road to discovery, one of life’s joys and greatest responsibilities. Never stop questioning and never close your mind to possibilities.”
He didn’t actually yawn but the look was equivalent. “Why? Life is so much easier if you don’t.”
Okay, this was enough to spin my head around like Linda Blair in the “Exorcist”. What? I thought very, very loud—to the point of echoing between my ears.
After a moment, questions of my own began chasing one another and they all led back to our current educational system in this country. Has this obsession with passing tests to garner status and funding within schools created a generation of Pavlov’s Dogs?
What I mean by this is that, maybe, we’re not educating kids anymore. What if we’re simply training them to accomplish specific tasks, like passing those tests to raise schools’ rankings for better funding? If so, I can’t blame teachers or administrators for steering the kids that way. For heaven’s sake, their livelihoods are at stake. It’s the entire way the system is structured.
I’ve heard and read numerous articles about the flight from publicly funded education to private schools. Is it because of this lack of teaching our children to think? Are we, as a nation, training them only to react to chosen stimuli? I think maybe.
Look, for example, at our current state of government. There are no forward thinking decisions being made by either party, only reacting to crises as they occur. Our nation is in a holding pattern waiting for that bell to ring signaling some action needs to be taken. Even this seems to lend credibility to this Pavlov’s Dogs application.
We must never forget that cults and dictators flourish in such an environment.
Let’s make sure our kids go beyond just memorizing accepted answers according to textbooks. Question and discuss why the answer is considered correct. There’s always a chance the answer is totally incorrect or that better answers exist.
Sure, life is simpler if we don’t ask questions. And, those who want to control and manipulate our thinking already know this and would encourage us not to ask questions.
Maybe the origin of the pyramids has no relevance in today’s world. But, how would I know if I never ask the questions? Even in this case, a belief system has been handed to us and we are expected to accept it as fact, which it may be, but I choose to explore it and come to that conclusion on my own.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
NEW AVAILABLE NOW
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/soft science fiction/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/young adult/print & ebook
RELEASES COMING
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/July 2012/young adult/print & ebook
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)/Sagewords Publishing/science fiction/2012
COMING SOON
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Thoughts and Stuff: Tribute to a Fallen Soldier...
Thoughts and Stuff: Tribute to a Fallen Soldier...: William Kenneth Wright We have all lost, or will lose someone close to us. Death eventually comes to claim us all. Sometimes though it...
Monday, February 13, 2012
Just A Little Memory
I had a memory. Okay, stop giggling, it’s the best opening sentence I could think of.
Actually, it was a simple snapshot in time that wafts through my head on occasion. Let me set the scene for you: It was a very sunny, hot summer day. I was about ten, maybe eleven; I don’t remember exactly. Judging by my recollection of the heat, it must have been mid-afternoon and quite calm. I was breathing hard like I’d been playing and needed to rest. I was alone near the barn at my childhood home, the cotton farm where I grew up on the South Plains of Texas. I was sweaty and dirty; nothing extraordinary for a ten-year-old farm kid of ten (maybe eleven), right?
I was shoeless wearing a torn white t-shirt topping frayed blue jeans with both knees worn totally through. I backed up to the clothesline pole and slid down it to sit on hard packed grassless ground. Somewhere, off in the distance, I heard the drone of a prop-driven airliner (It was the early sixties, after all.) And, besides the incessant buzzing of pesky gnats in my ears, it was the only sound around.
Now, here’s the reason this memory, this much less than extraordinary moment comes back to me with increasing regularity as the years reel off; it happened to be the first time that it occurred to me that life was a one-way trip. As cozy and happy as I felt at that instant, I realized that that moment would soon pass and never return. Oh, there’d be thousands of other moments, but not that one. I’ve often wondered if a thought like that, at that age, made me an odd kid. Did it? Was I?
But, there was more to that moment than a single odd prepubescent philosophical mental meandering, because that thought led directly into another. One in which I became acutely aware how well I had it at the time. Oh sure, Dad would spank me black and blue on occasion and cuss a blue streak if I failed to do as I was told. Sailors had nothing on Texas cotton farmers when it came to salty language. There was even a time he made me sit at the dinner table and would not let me leave until I ate at least one Brussels sprout. I did, I puked, and then went outside to play. We weren’t impoverished, but we weren’t tripping over treasure chests either. Still, life was good and even then, as a carefree kid of ten, maybe eleven, it was at that exact moment that I realized just how good.
I have absolutely no memory of any other part of that day. But, the heat, the airplane drone, the gnats, the sunshine—everything about that minute of my life is indelibly printed in my consciousness.
I believe most people, me included, have had a moment, the paradigm, in which self-awareness sort of flies out of the cosmos and slaps us in the face. That’s also when we first discover our place in the world and begin developing a niche to fill. Sadly, I also believe there are some who live entire lifetimes never believing they have or deserve a place in the world.
As for me, it only took a rest period at playtime, circa 1960, maybe ’61, to know, to deeply believe that not only did I have a place in the world, it came with a road that I’d travel for a lifetime.
Have a wonderful day. Life is good.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Actually, it was a simple snapshot in time that wafts through my head on occasion. Let me set the scene for you: It was a very sunny, hot summer day. I was about ten, maybe eleven; I don’t remember exactly. Judging by my recollection of the heat, it must have been mid-afternoon and quite calm. I was breathing hard like I’d been playing and needed to rest. I was alone near the barn at my childhood home, the cotton farm where I grew up on the South Plains of Texas. I was sweaty and dirty; nothing extraordinary for a ten-year-old farm kid of ten (maybe eleven), right?
I was shoeless wearing a torn white t-shirt topping frayed blue jeans with both knees worn totally through. I backed up to the clothesline pole and slid down it to sit on hard packed grassless ground. Somewhere, off in the distance, I heard the drone of a prop-driven airliner (It was the early sixties, after all.) And, besides the incessant buzzing of pesky gnats in my ears, it was the only sound around.
Now, here’s the reason this memory, this much less than extraordinary moment comes back to me with increasing regularity as the years reel off; it happened to be the first time that it occurred to me that life was a one-way trip. As cozy and happy as I felt at that instant, I realized that that moment would soon pass and never return. Oh, there’d be thousands of other moments, but not that one. I’ve often wondered if a thought like that, at that age, made me an odd kid. Did it? Was I?
But, there was more to that moment than a single odd prepubescent philosophical mental meandering, because that thought led directly into another. One in which I became acutely aware how well I had it at the time. Oh sure, Dad would spank me black and blue on occasion and cuss a blue streak if I failed to do as I was told. Sailors had nothing on Texas cotton farmers when it came to salty language. There was even a time he made me sit at the dinner table and would not let me leave until I ate at least one Brussels sprout. I did, I puked, and then went outside to play. We weren’t impoverished, but we weren’t tripping over treasure chests either. Still, life was good and even then, as a carefree kid of ten, maybe eleven, it was at that exact moment that I realized just how good.
I have absolutely no memory of any other part of that day. But, the heat, the airplane drone, the gnats, the sunshine—everything about that minute of my life is indelibly printed in my consciousness.
I believe most people, me included, have had a moment, the paradigm, in which self-awareness sort of flies out of the cosmos and slaps us in the face. That’s also when we first discover our place in the world and begin developing a niche to fill. Sadly, I also believe there are some who live entire lifetimes never believing they have or deserve a place in the world.
As for me, it only took a rest period at playtime, circa 1960, maybe ’61, to know, to deeply believe that not only did I have a place in the world, it came with a road that I’d travel for a lifetime.
Have a wonderful day. Life is good.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Friday, February 10, 2012
This Oldie Needs to Sweat
The time has come that I must talk on a subject that, at one time was extremely important to me, but not lately—exercise. My forehead is getting damp and I’m breathing harder just thinking about it.
Any sane person would believe that I should be doing more than just thinking about it; right? Yeah, I know you’re right. That’s why I’m currently in the process of psyching up to, once again, make it an appointment activity in my life. It’s sure not because I don’t have the time. I know I need to whip this old body back into shape. It’s just that the whipper isn’t what it used to be.
It’s worth pointing out that I still hold valid fitness trainer certification through the National Endurance and Strength Training Association. I don’t mention this to be boastful; quite the opposite actually. My belly button disappeared months ago. Yep, I just checked where I’m sure it used to be. It’s nowhere to be seen. Now, that glossy eight-by-ten certificate with an official looking gold seal on it just seems ridiculous; oh, the irony of it.
Yesterday, I made the comment that I plan on being eighteen till I die (and, yes, I listen to Bryan Adams version of it often). Interestingly, it’s fairly easy to believe I’m still youthful, vivacious, good looking and can party till the sun comes up ... as long as I’m sitting still in a room with no mirrors.
Realistically, I’m not looking to compete in senior power lifting events or participate in bodybuilding competitions. I just want to be able to get down on my knees and back up to my feet without wishing for a forklift assist. I used to laugh at that “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” commercial. I can’t see the humor in it anymore.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, this blog entry is a message to self that I’ve decided to share. I have lots of life left in me, but if I don’t get up and get moving ... well, I think you can guess the rest of this sentence.
Maybe this is working after all. I do have a spark of excitement about getting an exercise regimen together and hitting it. Oh, to sweat and breathe deeply the satisfaction of putting this old body back into shape. Yes, yes! I’ll do it ... right after my nap.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Any sane person would believe that I should be doing more than just thinking about it; right? Yeah, I know you’re right. That’s why I’m currently in the process of psyching up to, once again, make it an appointment activity in my life. It’s sure not because I don’t have the time. I know I need to whip this old body back into shape. It’s just that the whipper isn’t what it used to be.
It’s worth pointing out that I still hold valid fitness trainer certification through the National Endurance and Strength Training Association. I don’t mention this to be boastful; quite the opposite actually. My belly button disappeared months ago. Yep, I just checked where I’m sure it used to be. It’s nowhere to be seen. Now, that glossy eight-by-ten certificate with an official looking gold seal on it just seems ridiculous; oh, the irony of it.
Yesterday, I made the comment that I plan on being eighteen till I die (and, yes, I listen to Bryan Adams version of it often). Interestingly, it’s fairly easy to believe I’m still youthful, vivacious, good looking and can party till the sun comes up ... as long as I’m sitting still in a room with no mirrors.
Realistically, I’m not looking to compete in senior power lifting events or participate in bodybuilding competitions. I just want to be able to get down on my knees and back up to my feet without wishing for a forklift assist. I used to laugh at that “I’ve fallen and can’t get up” commercial. I can’t see the humor in it anymore.
If you haven’t guessed it yet, this blog entry is a message to self that I’ve decided to share. I have lots of life left in me, but if I don’t get up and get moving ... well, I think you can guess the rest of this sentence.
Maybe this is working after all. I do have a spark of excitement about getting an exercise regimen together and hitting it. Oh, to sweat and breathe deeply the satisfaction of putting this old body back into shape. Yes, yes! I’ll do it ... right after my nap.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Saturday, February 4, 2012
I'd Like To Love You
I’m pleased to announce that I’ll have four novels released in 2012, two of which may be near simultaneous: “Phobia”/suspense-thriller/Booktrope Publishing and “Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/Science fiction-fantasy/ATTM Press. I expect both of these to be in print and ebook before the end of March. I would be honored if you’d visit this blog often for updates and buy them when they are released. Later in the year, “Helping Hand For Ethan”/young adult/Rogue Phoenix Press/ebook only will be released. That date is still to-be-announced. And, “Defining Family”/mainstream contemporary drama/Whiskey Creek Press/print and ebook is in the production queue and scheduled for a July release.
As you can tell, my head is back in story-making mode, having finally settled into our new eighty year old house and start-up maintenance and construction projects have begun to demand less brainpower. God knows, I don’t have enough of that to go around (reference my earlier blog on multi-tasking).
Currently, I continue to work on a love story between edits of earlier novels. When I sat down to write this blog entry, my head swirled with degrees of “love” and “like”. That’s when it occurred to me that to define these words might be a good way to start a debate, maybe even a spirited argument. And, when I say “define”, I’m leaving Webster and Funk and Wagnall out of it. This is my take on it.
I’m a guy, a testosterone laden pig by some accounts, having never considered the definitions of these words, much less nuances. Still, I always considered myself a closet romantic. I just felt it necessary to bury those feelings beneath layers of machismo, stupidity and, sometimes, outright cruelty. Interestingly, I always felt bad when I resorted to such things, yet, did it anyhow. Before I dive into this, it seems necessary that you know this about me—not sure why. Okay, here we go:
I don’t believe a person chooses who they love any more than they choose who’ll be their siblings. It’s simply a force of nature. The only requirement is having the good fortune of meeting that person, thing or situation. You can love someone/something yet hate them/it. You can like someone/something yet not love them/it. That makes them two very different words, not degrees of the same thing.
Here, it must be pointed out the difference between “love” and “like”. To like someone is simply an attraction brought on by a number of different variables. It could be shared experiences or, even more simply, an easy feeling of being in another’s company. But to love is to forge a bond that can never, ever be broken. It’s ridiculous to believe that a person can fall out of love. That just means it was never love in the first place, just a combination of lust and like. It’s about as absurd as jumping off a cliff, saying “oops” and then unleaping it. Asinine, right?
It’s pure caca when a couple divorces and insists they still love one another but must go their separate ways. If they can go their separate ways then it was never love. It was “like”. It might be a cliché but true; love is eternal. That means the bond born of it is eternal. The need to be in its presence is uncontrollably magnetic even though the object of love might become detestable; like I said, ‘a force of nature’. No one can walk away from it, in body or spirit. If it’s real, it’s real; if it’s not, it’s not.
The word “love” has been beaten and brutalized and hardly recognizable anymore. It’s not, and should never be pulled out, dusted off and used to achieve mutual orgasm, or any other convenient use of it.
Can “like” become “love”? Of course. Can love be reined in and revert to like? Never. That’s unleaping the cliff.
For all you overtly sensitive types that have spent a lifetime contemplating such things, please accept my apologies for presenting something so elementary. I’m sure you’re rolling your eyes and whispering, “Yeah, so? Duh.”
For me it’s just, “Duh.”
Now that my head’s deeply entrenched in such terms of endearment, I must get busy writing that love story. I think I feel my sensitive side kicking in. I had better not miss it. It’s usually brief.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
As you can tell, my head is back in story-making mode, having finally settled into our new eighty year old house and start-up maintenance and construction projects have begun to demand less brainpower. God knows, I don’t have enough of that to go around (reference my earlier blog on multi-tasking).
Currently, I continue to work on a love story between edits of earlier novels. When I sat down to write this blog entry, my head swirled with degrees of “love” and “like”. That’s when it occurred to me that to define these words might be a good way to start a debate, maybe even a spirited argument. And, when I say “define”, I’m leaving Webster and Funk and Wagnall out of it. This is my take on it.
I’m a guy, a testosterone laden pig by some accounts, having never considered the definitions of these words, much less nuances. Still, I always considered myself a closet romantic. I just felt it necessary to bury those feelings beneath layers of machismo, stupidity and, sometimes, outright cruelty. Interestingly, I always felt bad when I resorted to such things, yet, did it anyhow. Before I dive into this, it seems necessary that you know this about me—not sure why. Okay, here we go:
I don’t believe a person chooses who they love any more than they choose who’ll be their siblings. It’s simply a force of nature. The only requirement is having the good fortune of meeting that person, thing or situation. You can love someone/something yet hate them/it. You can like someone/something yet not love them/it. That makes them two very different words, not degrees of the same thing.
Here, it must be pointed out the difference between “love” and “like”. To like someone is simply an attraction brought on by a number of different variables. It could be shared experiences or, even more simply, an easy feeling of being in another’s company. But to love is to forge a bond that can never, ever be broken. It’s ridiculous to believe that a person can fall out of love. That just means it was never love in the first place, just a combination of lust and like. It’s about as absurd as jumping off a cliff, saying “oops” and then unleaping it. Asinine, right?
It’s pure caca when a couple divorces and insists they still love one another but must go their separate ways. If they can go their separate ways then it was never love. It was “like”. It might be a cliché but true; love is eternal. That means the bond born of it is eternal. The need to be in its presence is uncontrollably magnetic even though the object of love might become detestable; like I said, ‘a force of nature’. No one can walk away from it, in body or spirit. If it’s real, it’s real; if it’s not, it’s not.
The word “love” has been beaten and brutalized and hardly recognizable anymore. It’s not, and should never be pulled out, dusted off and used to achieve mutual orgasm, or any other convenient use of it.
Can “like” become “love”? Of course. Can love be reined in and revert to like? Never. That’s unleaping the cliff.
For all you overtly sensitive types that have spent a lifetime contemplating such things, please accept my apologies for presenting something so elementary. I’m sure you’re rolling your eyes and whispering, “Yeah, so? Duh.”
For me it’s just, “Duh.”
Now that my head’s deeply entrenched in such terms of endearment, I must get busy writing that love story. I think I feel my sensitive side kicking in. I had better not miss it. It’s usually brief.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
Friday, January 20, 2012
The Big Move
It occurred to me only moments ago how long it has been since I’ve contributed to my own blog. Shame on me!
I do have an excuse though; want to hear it? Here it goes.
For the first time since 1991 my wife and I decided to move, preparation for retirement, by downsizing into a house that, I think, I’ll begin calling “The Old Money Pit”. You know the type of house I’m referring to; full of character, charm and, oh yeah, lots and lots of problems. It’s called a “shotgun” house built in the late thirties. Even if you’re not familiar with the term, I’m sure you have seen plenty of them. That is, if you have spent any time at all in the oldest parts of the city in which you live. It, like all of them, has two front doors and all the rooms are lined up straight through to the backdoor, hence the name.
And, since downsizing was one of the goals, along with doing away with mortgage payments—forever, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that we have many boxes full of stuff that we have no clue what to do with. Well, not a surprise to anyone but the two of us. Now the question hovering over us like a smelly green cloud is: Did we improve our situation? Was our plan thoughtfully considered? Or, did we just spring up after the notion hit us and jump on it like a dung beetle on a cowpie?
We certainly have no storage space. Our backyard reminds me of one of those junk heaps behind a sad hovel in a third-world country. You know the ones. It’s the view that organizers of feed the children public service spots are really fond of showing us on television, usually right after they show a kid walking next to a sewage sluice. If you have the picture in mind, then you’re seeing the equivalent of our backyard.
A redeeming feature of the place in the beginning was that, although pier and beam construction and about eighty years old, the floors did not squeak. Impressive, I thought. The foundation did need some leveling since it sloped toward the back a tiny bit, but that seemed like no big thing. Now, the floors are level and it’s like walking across a creaking, groaning and popping trampoline. I have no need of an electronic intruder alert. In fact, I dare any crook to sneak up on me in this house. Coming in through the backdoor and walking across the laundry room, I can hear dishes rattling in the dining room. That’s two rooms away!
Will my opinion of this place change? I’ll take the confident approach and answer with a resounding “Yes!”
Even after spewing these negative sounding amusements, there are some really good things to consider. It’s a quiet small town. The train passes through a couple of times a day. People who live closer to the track may object to the sound, but we are far enough away that it is a comforting throwback to a simpler time. Rocking chairs are on front porches everywhere in this neighborhood and people embrace a slower, laid-back lifestyle.
One day while moving furniture, I took a moment to sit on our brand new eighty-year-old front porch and watch leaves from the massive pecan tree rain down with each puff of a gentle breeze. Squirrels chased one another through the treetops and I could hear children laughing somewhere down the street. It was easy to envision Norman Rockwell puffing on his pipe, sitting behind his easel and painting the scene I witnessed.
I’d love to stay and share more, but I must go build another cabinet in the kitchen so that I might empty one more box. This will feel like home soon enough.
Love to all.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
I do have an excuse though; want to hear it? Here it goes.
For the first time since 1991 my wife and I decided to move, preparation for retirement, by downsizing into a house that, I think, I’ll begin calling “The Old Money Pit”. You know the type of house I’m referring to; full of character, charm and, oh yeah, lots and lots of problems. It’s called a “shotgun” house built in the late thirties. Even if you’re not familiar with the term, I’m sure you have seen plenty of them. That is, if you have spent any time at all in the oldest parts of the city in which you live. It, like all of them, has two front doors and all the rooms are lined up straight through to the backdoor, hence the name.
And, since downsizing was one of the goals, along with doing away with mortgage payments—forever, it shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone that we have many boxes full of stuff that we have no clue what to do with. Well, not a surprise to anyone but the two of us. Now the question hovering over us like a smelly green cloud is: Did we improve our situation? Was our plan thoughtfully considered? Or, did we just spring up after the notion hit us and jump on it like a dung beetle on a cowpie?
We certainly have no storage space. Our backyard reminds me of one of those junk heaps behind a sad hovel in a third-world country. You know the ones. It’s the view that organizers of feed the children public service spots are really fond of showing us on television, usually right after they show a kid walking next to a sewage sluice. If you have the picture in mind, then you’re seeing the equivalent of our backyard.
A redeeming feature of the place in the beginning was that, although pier and beam construction and about eighty years old, the floors did not squeak. Impressive, I thought. The foundation did need some leveling since it sloped toward the back a tiny bit, but that seemed like no big thing. Now, the floors are level and it’s like walking across a creaking, groaning and popping trampoline. I have no need of an electronic intruder alert. In fact, I dare any crook to sneak up on me in this house. Coming in through the backdoor and walking across the laundry room, I can hear dishes rattling in the dining room. That’s two rooms away!
Will my opinion of this place change? I’ll take the confident approach and answer with a resounding “Yes!”
Even after spewing these negative sounding amusements, there are some really good things to consider. It’s a quiet small town. The train passes through a couple of times a day. People who live closer to the track may object to the sound, but we are far enough away that it is a comforting throwback to a simpler time. Rocking chairs are on front porches everywhere in this neighborhood and people embrace a slower, laid-back lifestyle.
One day while moving furniture, I took a moment to sit on our brand new eighty-year-old front porch and watch leaves from the massive pecan tree rain down with each puff of a gentle breeze. Squirrels chased one another through the treetops and I could hear children laughing somewhere down the street. It was easy to envision Norman Rockwell puffing on his pipe, sitting behind his easel and painting the scene I witnessed.
I’d love to stay and share more, but I must go build another cabinet in the kitchen so that I might empty one more box. This will feel like home soon enough.
Love to all.
Author of
"Six Years' Worth"/Father's Press/mainstream/print & ebook
"Paradise Flawed"/Dream Books LLC/action-adventure/print & ebook
"Where Are You, Anne Bonny?"/Rogue Phoenix Press/ historical drama/ ebook only
“Trouble”, short story/CrossTIME Science Fiction Anthology, Vol. IX/print only
“Dancing Away”/ short story/romance/Untreed Reads/ebook only
“Phobia”/Booktrope/2012/suspense-thriller/print & ebook
“Helping Hand For Ethan/Rogue Phoenix Press/2012/young adult/ebook only
“Defining Family”/Whiskey Creek Press/2012/young adult/print & ebook
“Annie’s World: Jake’s Legacy”/ATTM Press/ July 2012/soft science fiction/print & ebook
COMING SOON
“The Last Radiant Heart” (re-release)
“Hackberry Corners, Texas 1934”
“Life, Love, and Lubbock”
Search Daniel Lance Wright on Amazon.com
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