Message That Speaks to Writers

 Being curious, I looked him up and found that he's an author living in Austin, TX. Don't know anything about him otherwise, but he certainly spoke to the writer in me. How about you?

Independence Day, 2022

Monday is July 4, the day we celebrate the independence of this great nation. Some people will take off for a varying length of time, either for a long weekend or as part of a vacation. Others will work. Some will head for sales. Others will go to the lake. But whatever we do, let's understand the meaning of the holiday. And be especially mindful of that meaning this year.

On July 4, 1776, the thirteen colonies marked the signing of the Declaration of Independence, declaring themselves free from the British Empire.The framers of our documents of freedom--the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution--didn't all agree. And sometimes, their discourse wasn't very civil. But as Benjamin Franklin put it, "We must indeed all hang together, or most assuredly, we shall all hang separately." They argued, but they didn't loot and burn. 

Remember that these people put their lives, their fortunes, and their sacred honors on the line to help give us the independence we celebrate. This Independence Day, may we reflect on all that has gone before as we observe this day.

 

Memorial Day 2022

 

This weekend we observe Memorial Day, an American holiday that is observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. It started out as Decoration Day, and originated in the years following the Civil War. It became an official federal holiday in 1971.

It is not a day for honoring those who previously served or are actively serving in our armed forces--there are other holidays for that, most typically Veterans' Day (formerly Armistice Day). And, although mattress and tire sales have seemed to come around on this three-day holiday, that's not what we celebrate. It's for honoring the gift given to all of us by those who didn't come home. 

All gave some. Some gave all. Let's honor them.

I've Survived

 

This meme didn't originate with me, but the longer I live, the more I laugh about it. Then again, I'm still around, relatively active probably a decade or more after I shouldn't be.

My idea of retirement was to retire at age 65 and be gone by 70. But I've exceeded that, and I have no explanation for it. God apparently decided that I shouldn't become a full-time golfer after stepping away from medicine, so He gave me enough talent to become sort of a writer. Even when the ideas were harder to come by and even harder to turn into novels and novellas, I kept at it.

Our wills are over 20 years old, so I'm in the process of gathering data to update them, which is a task that will bring you up short in a hurry. But it's also good to see where I've been, as well as what the future holds. I've started a couple of novellas, which may or may not be going anywhere, but then again, they may.

My dear, sweet wife (yes, I have been blessed by the love of two wonderful women, which is evidence of God's hand) assures me that the Lord isn't finished with me yet. So I guess I'll keep on writing. 

If You Give Your Son A Baseball...

 I realize that this refers to just boys. It did not originate with me, but it brought back memories of my father (including what he did for me). Maybe that's why I, in turn, tried to watch as many of my sons' baseball games and swim meets as possible, why I served many times as judge for my daughter's speech events, why I chose to spend time doing it. Anyway, perhaps it will speak to you as it did to me. 

If you give your son a baseball, he will want a bat to go with it.

 

You’ll buy him the best bat you can find, and then he will probably want some cleats too. 

He will probably spend hours begging you to go out in the yard to play with him, even though you may want to sit on the couch and watch tv. He will insis, and nd his insistence will win. Then he will want a jersey. And when a boy gets a jersey, he will need pants and socks and a belt to go with it. And then a team.  At that point, life as you know it will end.

 

There will be no more lazy weekends watching tv. You will see more sunrises than you ever thought possible. Every spare minute of your time will be spent hauling ball-buckets and bags and stinky cleats and crazy boys all over tarnation for hours to practice for a game. 

And your house will be a mess. And your car will be dirty. All because you gave a boy a baseball. 

 

Your weekends will be spent freezing or burning to death on a fold up chair. And his weekends will be spent gaining confidence and friends and learning new skills and having fun and getting dirty. And you will be there the day he hits his first home run, his first strikeout, and his first double play. And he will make you proud. The other parents will congratulate you. But you feel weird saying thank you because it's not you at bat or on the mound. It's all him, you’re merely the facilitator.

 

When you give a boy a baseball, you give him more than just a ball. You give him a sport, and a talent, and hope, and dreams, and friends, a new family, a place to learn about life, room to grow as a person where he can push his limits. And he will have all of these things, simply because you gave a boy a baseball. 

 

Then one day, many years from today, he will be in his room and a baseball will roll out from an old dusty bat-bag underneath his bed. And he will pick it up and you realize instantly that when you gave that boy a baseball, you also gave him a childhood that he would never forget. And then he will hug you, and your eyes may leak – because you realize that everything you gave up along the way was worth it.

 

All because you gave a boy a baseball.

Easter 2022

  The angel spoke to the women: "There is nothing to fear here. I know you're looking for Jesus, the One they nailed to the cross. He is not here. He was raised, just as he said. Come and look at the place where he was placed...Now, get on your way quickly and tell his disciples, 'He is risen from the dead'...."

(Matt 28:5-7a, The Message)

In the ancient world, the message was this: "Christos anesti; aléthos anesti."

In our modern language, the words are different, the message the same: "Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!"

Have a blessed Easter. 

The Importance of Writing

 

Why would someone keep on writing, even when it's no longer necessary? We've heard it said that a writer writes because he/she has to do it. I've seen interviews with writers who say that they write every day, even if it's only a few lines. Others say that their daily quota of writing may consist only of a grocery list, but even that contains a few strike-throughs and some editing. 

I always thought of myself as a physician. I continue to read my journals, do my continuing education, even keep my license up-to-date (although I must confess that it's unlikely that I'll ever practice again)--but even though writing is something of a sideline that I got into after retirement, I find myself fighting the urge to write. Even if it's a list of some sort. Or a blog entry. Like this one.

So, if you find yourself at odds until you've put pen to paper or fingers to computer keys, then congratulations. You may be a writer.

Rules

The other day I thought about the rules and superstitions that some folks have. When I played baseball, although I didn't go as far as wearing the same pair of socks as long as we were winning (boy, I was ready to lose after the smell got too bad) in the locker room), I did try to avoid stepping on the foul lines when I went to the mound each inning. You don't see me pitching in the majors, so you see how it worked.

My daughter, while she was in the theatre world, taught me not to put shoes on the bed. It might have something to do with a closing of a play, moving on. It never made much sense to me. However, to this day I always refer to "the Scottish play." avoiding saying Macb*** aloud. No rhyme or reason to that superstition that I can see.

People...well, writers...are always looking for sure-fire "rules," that guarantee success. Writing in the first person is difficult, but some writers do it and carry it off well. Avoiding the passive voice does indeed make the reader identify more closely with the action. But avoiding opening with the weather? If it's done well, the weather can become a character in your action. Yes, Elmore Leonard said we shouldn't do it, but it's been done and done well by some writers.

I guess some of the "sure-fire rules" make as much sense as not stepping on a foul line or saying "the Scottish play." I have only one sure fire rule...well, maybe three. Write the best manuscript possible,  edit it one more time than than you think it needs, and keep writing. Chances are, you'll hit it.

Audio Version of Medical Mystery

As I said in my last post, I've been advised that Medical Mystery is now available in print book format, a Kindle format, and the audio format (narrated by Bill Nevitt). I've been given a limited number of keys to free copies of the audio version, and if you would use them, I would be happy to send a key. Just ask for one and leave your email address in the comments. This offer is only good until Monday, so if you want one of these keys, let me hear from you. Thanks.

 

Medical Mystery

 

Was just notified that my latest book, Medical Mystery, is now available as an audio book, so it's available in 3 formats. Enjoy.