Yep, almost a win for one of my short stories in a contest. But, my story did place in the top 13 of over 60 authors and 100 stories that were submitted, so I'm a happy camper. If you care to read it, go to http://www.skivemagazine.com/issues/2008/06_June_2008/Sk_Jun_08_Scrd.pdf and check out 'Chasing Dreams'.
Gosh it's been so long since I've blogged. I need to get a job so I'll have more free time. Let's see what I've done since my last entry.
Had my last meeting with Dave for his crits of 'Lita' and my final crit of 'Drift' on the 22nd. We're putting our meetings on hold until this fall. Oddly enough, he gave a good review of the final pages of 'Lita'. Killing her off still worries me, but he said it worked well.
Then, that night, it was off to Hastings for our monthly 'readings'. Small crowd as many of our writer's have gone for the winter. But, those of us who stayed, listened to some great stories and then yacked on about 'things' until nearly ten p.m. They are such an intelligent group and I'm so lucky to have made their acquaintance.
On the 24th, I had lunch with writer, Shirley Wolford. Always a high energy experience! She is 93 and blind, but sharp as a tack and always interesting to talk with.
Because I'm leaving for Calif. on the June 11th, we moved our book club up to 5/31. We discussed the books of Clive Cussler. Everyone felt he was definitely plot driven, but most felt the plots were unbelievable and that he took liberties in believability to find solutions. Also, his characters lacked depth. About the only character that everyone seemed to like was his sidekick Giordino. Bottom line, when it came to would you read another Cussler book, the vote was 11 no and 1 yes. I arranged for Shirley Wolford to come meet the club members. When we reviewed her books last month, they gave her a 7 yes and 2 no as to another read. She had a good time and I think the club members enjoyed meeting her.
I recently had some great feedback on my 'After the War, Before the Peace' novel. Had the daughter of a friend call and tell me that she had 20 pages to go and didn't want to finish, because she didn't want it to end. Also, she said she was at her job and reading about the abduction of Danny and Patrick, when she started crying. People asked her why and she said it was because of the great book she was reading. Says she is going to buy several of my books to give out as Christmas gifts. Then, a friend had let her friend read her copy of the book (grrrr, I need them to buy the book :-). Anyway, her friend loved it and wanted to meet the author. She just gushed over the characters and has offered to edit the sequel for me. So, nice week for my novel.
I've been sending off short stores, lots of waiting to hear, but I did get a couple of rejects. Although, one editor said it was just the topic that he didn't want. He liked my writing and would like to something else of mine. That was nice to hear.
As to my personal life, lots of same old-same old. Been to bingo and the casinos a couple of times and my luck is definitely out to lunch! Did see a couple of movies. The latest Indiana Jones is well done. I saw a lot of Han Solo in the character this time. Then saw 'What stays in Vegas'. It was okay. I just don't care for Cameron Diaz. Ashton Kutcher was great, though. At home here, I watched an old Gregory Peck movie 'Gentleman's Agreement'. Good movie with some great acting, except for Dorothy McGuire. Lots of overacting on her part. But Ann Revere was excellent as Peck's mother.
On June 1st, Shirley, Lori and I went to Laughlin. Had a great time. Lori and I went to see the Gary Allen concert. It was high energy and well done. But, he didn't talk much, just sang his songs and he didn't even intro his band members. One guitarist was wearing a kilt and I'd have liked to know more about that. Had a gal in the audience sitting near us that got real pushing and started dancing in the stands and just being obnoxious. We ignored her. I think that drove her crazy because I think she wanted to start a fight. Well, she did on the way out. Lori and I were at the merchandise table when we heard girls screaming like in a cat fight. Next think you know, security had a guy on the ground and they told the girl and her friends that the guy was going to jail. It must have been one of their boyfriends, because the girls kept screaming and wanted people to come say they say what happened and it wasn't their fault. Excitement I could have done without! Don't think I'll go to another Allen concert. I can hear him on his CDs and music videos and they are a lot cheaper than going to a concert just to hear him sing.
Got to close and get busy with my writing. Two days away from the computer has me going through withdrawals!!! Night, night!
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Questions of the Week - WIN A $15 Amazon.Com Gift Certificate
In Sharon Poppen's latest release, Mama Played for the King, when Phillip is forced into the French orphanage system, he is farmed out to work in what industry?
- or -
In Poppen's best seller, Hannah, what is the name of the man Hannah spends her every waking moment trying to bring to justice.
The first correct answer to either question wins a $15 gift certificate at Amazon.com.' Send your answer as a comment to the most recent post for this blog.
Reader Lena Casper knew the name of Michael's home planet was Maurac in Poppen's novel, Regardless. Ms. Casper received a $15 Amazon gift certificate for posting that answer.
- or -
In Poppen's best seller, Hannah, what is the name of the man Hannah spends her every waking moment trying to bring to justice.
The first correct answer to either question wins a $15 gift certificate at Amazon.com.' Send your answer as a comment to the most recent post for this blog.
Reader Lena Casper knew the name of Michael's home planet was Maurac in Poppen's novel, Regardless. Ms. Casper received a $15 Amazon gift certificate for posting that answer.
Story of the Week
The Band
By Sharon Poppen
When Buddy rounded the corner, he saw two of his band members pacing and stamping their feet to stay warm.
“Hey,” he announced his arrival. “Sorry, I’m so late. My mom was baking cookies until after eleven.
Couldn’t sneak out until I was sure she was asleep.”
“Dang, we’re freezing. You know old Jack won’t let us in until we’re all here,” said Glen.
Buddy hurried past them and rapped loudly on the service entrance to their local high school building.
Almost immediately, Jack, the black janitor, opened the door and hurried the young white boys inside.
“You’re late,” he reprimanded.
“Sorry,” said Buddy as he followed Jack through the hall and down into the boiler room in the cellar.
Jack’s son, Dwayne, was already set up and tuning his
guitar. Greetings were exchanged as the boys got their instruments ready. Buddy sang lead and played lead guitar. Dwayne played rhythm, Glen played bass, Ronnie was their drummer and all three did back-up singing.
Buddy glanced at his watch.
“Shoot! It’s already past midnight.” He looked over at Jack. “We still have to be out of here by two?”
“Pa,” begged Dwayne, “another half hour. Please?”
“Two-thirty, then you boys gotta get outta here.”
The boys gave Jack a thumbs-up as he closed the door to the almost soundproof boiler room. Jack listened for a bit as the boys began playing their version of “That’s All Right, Mama.” He smiled. Big Boy Crudup would be proud, but Elvis had nothing to worry about. Still, the boys were in tune and their voices rang with enthusiasm.
Jack went about his janitorial duties. He needed this job desperately and despite all the preaching and marching by Dr. King, even a janitor’s job was hard to
come by for a black man in Georgia in the late fifties.
\His wife was against him allowing the boys these secret practices. She just knew they’d be found out and Jack would be fired.
But Jack saw the want in his boy’s eyes and unlike most of the town, he didn’t think the new rock and roll was Satan’s music. In fact, he liked the way
gospel, blues and country music were being inter-woven to create this new fad that all the kids
were excited about. So, he let the boys sneak in every Sunday night for a couple hours of jamming. And who knows, new singers were being discovered every day. Jack felt the boys deserved their chance.
At two-thirty, Jack ushered the boys out and told them to be careful going home. And so it went for
a couple of years.
When the boys graduated, they loaded up Buddy’s old station wagon, said good-bye to their disappointed folks who hadn’t given up hope that their boys would get serious and go on to college, and headed for
Philadelphia. It seemed all the ‘discoveries’ were being made there.
Jack hugged his son, then spoke to all four boys. “Just remember, I want you boys to follow your dreams, but make sure that while you’re chasing them down, you don’t lose the real you along the way. Every morning, look in the mirror and be proud of the face staring back at you. You hear me?”
“I hear ya, Pa. I’ll do like you said,” said Dwayne while the others nodded.
Jack wished them well and waved good-bye. For a few years, he listened to all the news about rock and roll on their small black and white TV in the parlor and on the big red plastic radio in the kitchen.
He listened, but his boy and his mates were never mentioned.
*******
Thirty years later, the boys, now men, gathered for a final ‘thank you’ session with Jack. Dwayne greeted them at the side door to Rayne’s Funeral Home. He ushered them into the visiting room containing his father’s coffin.
Each man paid private respects to Jack, then Dwayne directed them to the musical instruments he had set up next to the coffin.
“Thanks for coming,” said Dwayne. “Pa was always our best and biggest supporter. Somehow, I know he’ll hear our efforts to say good-bye with the music he, and only he, allowed us to play all those years
ago.”
Buddy, now Dr. Bud Phillips, spoke for the others. “It’s our honor to get together for this special gig. Jack believed in us from the beginning. Always said we’d all do well, only we thought he meant with the band. What he really saw in us was a determination that would serve us in any field we chose.”
And so it was that Jack’s memorial service was highlighted by a band consisting of a doctor on lead guitar, high school teachers on rhythm and bass and a U.S. army major on drums.
The End
By Sharon Poppen
When Buddy rounded the corner, he saw two of his band members pacing and stamping their feet to stay warm.
“Hey,” he announced his arrival. “Sorry, I’m so late. My mom was baking cookies until after eleven.
Couldn’t sneak out until I was sure she was asleep.”
“Dang, we’re freezing. You know old Jack won’t let us in until we’re all here,” said Glen.
Buddy hurried past them and rapped loudly on the service entrance to their local high school building.
Almost immediately, Jack, the black janitor, opened the door and hurried the young white boys inside.
“You’re late,” he reprimanded.
“Sorry,” said Buddy as he followed Jack through the hall and down into the boiler room in the cellar.
Jack’s son, Dwayne, was already set up and tuning his
guitar. Greetings were exchanged as the boys got their instruments ready. Buddy sang lead and played lead guitar. Dwayne played rhythm, Glen played bass, Ronnie was their drummer and all three did back-up singing.
Buddy glanced at his watch.
“Shoot! It’s already past midnight.” He looked over at Jack. “We still have to be out of here by two?”
“Pa,” begged Dwayne, “another half hour. Please?”
“Two-thirty, then you boys gotta get outta here.”
The boys gave Jack a thumbs-up as he closed the door to the almost soundproof boiler room. Jack listened for a bit as the boys began playing their version of “That’s All Right, Mama.” He smiled. Big Boy Crudup would be proud, but Elvis had nothing to worry about. Still, the boys were in tune and their voices rang with enthusiasm.
Jack went about his janitorial duties. He needed this job desperately and despite all the preaching and marching by Dr. King, even a janitor’s job was hard to
come by for a black man in Georgia in the late fifties.
\His wife was against him allowing the boys these secret practices. She just knew they’d be found out and Jack would be fired.
But Jack saw the want in his boy’s eyes and unlike most of the town, he didn’t think the new rock and roll was Satan’s music. In fact, he liked the way
gospel, blues and country music were being inter-woven to create this new fad that all the kids
were excited about. So, he let the boys sneak in every Sunday night for a couple hours of jamming. And who knows, new singers were being discovered every day. Jack felt the boys deserved their chance.
At two-thirty, Jack ushered the boys out and told them to be careful going home. And so it went for
a couple of years.
When the boys graduated, they loaded up Buddy’s old station wagon, said good-bye to their disappointed folks who hadn’t given up hope that their boys would get serious and go on to college, and headed for
Philadelphia. It seemed all the ‘discoveries’ were being made there.
Jack hugged his son, then spoke to all four boys. “Just remember, I want you boys to follow your dreams, but make sure that while you’re chasing them down, you don’t lose the real you along the way. Every morning, look in the mirror and be proud of the face staring back at you. You hear me?”
“I hear ya, Pa. I’ll do like you said,” said Dwayne while the others nodded.
Jack wished them well and waved good-bye. For a few years, he listened to all the news about rock and roll on their small black and white TV in the parlor and on the big red plastic radio in the kitchen.
He listened, but his boy and his mates were never mentioned.
*******
Thirty years later, the boys, now men, gathered for a final ‘thank you’ session with Jack. Dwayne greeted them at the side door to Rayne’s Funeral Home. He ushered them into the visiting room containing his father’s coffin.
Each man paid private respects to Jack, then Dwayne directed them to the musical instruments he had set up next to the coffin.
“Thanks for coming,” said Dwayne. “Pa was always our best and biggest supporter. Somehow, I know he’ll hear our efforts to say good-bye with the music he, and only he, allowed us to play all those years
ago.”
Buddy, now Dr. Bud Phillips, spoke for the others. “It’s our honor to get together for this special gig. Jack believed in us from the beginning. Always said we’d all do well, only we thought he meant with the band. What he really saw in us was a determination that would serve us in any field we chose.”
And so it was that Jack’s memorial service was highlighted by a band consisting of a doctor on lead guitar, high school teachers on rhythm and bass and a U.S. army major on drums.
The End
After the War, Before the Peace - Available Now!
Available at www.xlibris.com/afterthewarbeforethepeace and most on-line book sellers.
Follow four South Carolina men as they adjust to the new South after the Civil War avenging loss as they search for love.
Follow four South Carolina men as they adjust to the new South after the Civil War avenging loss as they search for love.
Hannah
Now available at http://www.virtualtales.com/ and most on-line book sellers.
Follow this young widow as she rides through Texas bringing desperados to justice.
Follow this young widow as she rides through Texas bringing desperados to justice.
Abby - Finding More Than Gold
Now available at http://www.awe-struck.net/ and most on-line book sellers.
Travel with this turn of the century Irish lass as she finds more than gold while traveling from Chicago to San Francisco and up into the Canadian Yukon.
Travel with this turn of the century Irish lass as she finds more than gold while traveling from Chicago to San Francisco and up into the Canadian Yukon.
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