The Tree

The Tree is a story of the diabolical sins of the past reaching into the future, supernaturally and threatening those of the present day.

Some evil refuses to die.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Where is all the impatience coming from?

We are living in a world saturate in impatience.  But has anyone ever wondered where is all the impatience coming from?

It’s like nothing, not even technology can move fast enough to appease anyone anymore. I think of how impatient everyone is every time I see someone flying down the road at a ridiculous high speed or reckless driving and oftentimes they and I reach the same designation approximately the same time eventhus I have driven at a slower and careful speed.

Impatient means having or showing a tendency to be quickly irritated or easily provoked. Extreme lack of patience.

I full understand if people has been waiting a long time for some injustice to be righten they are impatient. They have a right to be when people keep stalling around with other’s lives. But that’s not the type of impatience I’m talking about. I’m talking about the kind that’s rude, selfish and self-centered and some cases have turned deadly that’s pretty much the norm today.

I can safely bet each of encounters five impatient people per day or more depending on where you lives. I can’t help but wonders what do they hope to accomplish with such an attitude. It isn’t going to make anyone move faster or slower. Because the other person has an attitude problem too.

As a child at home, I was taught about patience and when I was in kindergarten we were taught about patience and now, as an adult, I understand why?

Armistice Day- November 11, 2018 mark the 100th Anniversary of WWI

To coincide with Veterans Day, Somme American Cemetery in France will host a ceremony on November 11, 2018  to mark the 100th anniversary of the Armistice of World War I.

But sadly, the world turned around and did the same thing all over again and the second time worse. Although the war began with Nazi Germany’s attack on Poland in September 1939, the United States did not enter the war until after Japan bombed the American Navy fleet in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on December 7, 1941.

World War I began in 1914, after the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria, and lasted until 1918. During the conflict, Germany, Austria-Hungary, Bulgaria and the Ottoman Empire (the Central Powers) fought against Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy, Romania, Japan and the United States (the Allied Powers).

Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Archduke of Austria-Este was a member of the imperial Habsburg … Franz Ferdinand thus became one of the wealthiest men in Austria. ….. all contributed to the origins of World War I, which began a month after Franz Ferdinand’s death, with Austria-Hungary’s declared war against Serbia.

While in power, Archduke Franz Ferdinand attempted to restore Austro-Russian relations while maintaining an alliance with Germany. In 1914, a Serb nationalist assassinated him. One month later, Austria declared war on Serbia and World War I began.

What has that to do with America? I am a history major and haven’t figure that one out yet. Maybe a more advance historian can make sense of it but I can’t. I don’t mean to sound callous but when you look at it from a logical standpoint. It made no sense at all. I had male relatives in this war, so they earned me the right to it didn’t make a lick of sense. Other than people wanting to fight just because they can. I mean it didn’t stop the Bolshevik revolution nor the rise of the Nazi Party.

Anyway, a German U-boats sunk a ship carrying Americans and pulled the US into the war.

On May 7, 1915, less than a year after World War I (1914) erupted across Europe, a German U-boat torpedoed and sank the RMS Lusitania, a British ocean liner en route from New York to Liverpool, England.

(Almost the same route the Titanic took three years earlier. Seems to me someone would have figured out by then that route wasn’t safe. What did it matter if was icebergs, u-boats or Moby out there.)

Anyway, the US was prompted into joining the war with the battle cry of “Remember the Maine.” That’s a whole ‘nother story.

 

Another Erratic Week

This past week has been another very erratic one. It has been a long week of despair, hate, cruelty, and just plain sadness. I don’t have all the words to explain all the horror of it of the Yoga studio shooting, the California country music bar shootings and several other disturbing events scattered through out the nation and the world.

And here we are still believing there’s nothing usual happening…

Bea’s Thanksgiving ~Bea is back! Fearless as ever.

Bea’s Thanksgiving

~Bea is back! That’s right Bea’s fans. She’s back with her little foul mouth and all. She’s back as fearless as ever. But she will stop long enough to get belly full of delicious dinner.

 

Is there extreme ageism in writing?

Once while at a writing seminar I heard a pretty well-known published author say do not write a mature woman or agent or publishing company won’t take you on. Do not write your main female protagonist older than 25. If you want your work read and to gain an audience it is better to leave off making them of any other ethnic group other than white and blonde with blue eyes.

I was puzzled. But yes, I had long ago noticed these things so I asked what about experience that’s acquired with age.

She said that only happens in the real world. In the fictional literary world one can be 15 with the knowledge of a 45 year old. Actually, readers prefer that.

A female character passed 25 is hard to sell.

The speaker informed her audience that no one wants to read about old women unless she’s a goddess who does not age.

Someone else called it to her attention that this is blatantly ageism, racism, and sexism.

She admitted that it is but argued that society has been brainwashed for centuries to believe no one else can be interesting if you aren’t young, blonde, white, and with blue eyes. She stressed that she was giving advice to get your foot in the door not for what you have to write for your entire career.

Another asked about the authenticity in writing? Isn’t that like writing a lie you don’t feel anything for?

She laughed and said, “Sure, it is but you want a publishing house to pick up your manuscript and support it. Don’t you? It only can be about authenticity if you don’t want to make any money or you are writing an autobiography. If you want to make money you have to write what the public wants to read.”

I was thinking. “Not if I have to sell my soul. I don’t.”

This was several years ago and since I started actually paying attention to the critiques she rattled off that Saturday afternoon. She was right. You can close your eyes and pull a random book from a book shelf in the fictional section and open it and the character are all going to be the same book after book. Row after row of the same characters with the same attributes. If there’s anyone else in the story it’s usual stereotypical.

I raised my hand saying “Well, my main character starts out under 25 but she ages and she isn’t dying anytime soon. She has a kid. She isn’t white nor blonde.”

The woman looked me in the eyes and said if she’s black she must be suffering. It would be wise to eliminate the child or make the child a boy.

I nods. “Well, she’s suffering a lot but she doesn’t accept it. She fight back against her abusers.“

After reading my excerpt she passed it back to me saying. “This will not do. Rewrite it. Rewrite to what I just listed and it will sell. Tone down the woman’s sassy attitude. Write her lost, confused and suffering and the main male protagonist have to save her. That’s what sells. Don’t write her strong and having a will of her own. That’s a major turn off for the reading crowd. People love to see women crying, weak, and suffering. Kill Ana off before she reach forty and put Bea in her place to carry on the series. Erase Ana’s family. They are unnecessary to the series.”

I asked what am I to do about Azazel? He’s an Immortal.

“Write he’s so grief-stricken after Ana’s death that he falls in love with Bea because of her strong resembles to her mother.”

I didn’t tell her “I’m not writing an incestuous story to appease no one.”

I am writing this because she wrote me a few days ago saying, “I read the book but you didn’t take my advice. Therefore, I can not endorse the book .”

I wrote back through my publisher who wanted her to write a review. I said, “Thank you for the consideration. I am sorry you didn’t find the book to your liking.  However, I don’t write stories that I have to go against what I feel comfortable in writing. I started this series because I was tired of reading the same story over and over. I was nearly finished with the series when I visited the seminar and there was no way I was redoing 13 books and standalones to match your attributes. Yes, there are characters in the series meeting these guidelines but not all of them.  I wrote it to be different. But yes, I have seen that you were correct and I appreciate your advice.”

She wrote back saying, “I am glad you stood your ground and fought for your characters. Future writers will someday thanks you. I wish you well.”

I believe like Toni Morrison said — ‘If there’s a book that you want to read, but it hasn’t been written yet, then you must write it.

 

Welcome New Arrivals! Here’s my French Toast to you!!

Hey everyone!

We have new arrivals.

Welcome New Arrivals! à votre santé (Cheers)

I am happy you found us! Here’s my toast to you!!

Sorry, it’s French Toast…

I would offer an alcoholic toast but I don’t know your age. 😀 So, I’m sticking with the toast.

Everyone let’s make the new people feel welcome.

New arrivals and long timers, feel free to comment on any post you like or finding interesting.

We hope you enjoy your time with us.

 

A. White

Please Vote on King Eochaidh The Horse Warrior. It was created from the needlework done of an actual medieval battle scene.

The publisher’s marketing department informed me they entered the book cover of King Eochaidh The Horse Warrior in a book cover contest. I would appreciate it very much if each of you cast your vote.

It was created from an actual needlework stitching of an actual medieval battle scene which make it so unique.

 

VOTE HERE On King Eochaidh

 

When you have visited to the area it has a different feeling.

Last week I was reading about the man who decided to kill two people at a supermarket in Louisville, KY called Krogers. I think Kroger’s primarily a southern chain for I haven’t seen any in the north nor past Texas.

But it feels different when you read about an area or location where a murder took place and you have visited it in the past.

As I said in the beginning post of this blog. I have lived, visited, and traveled through every state in the union.

Some places I was there longer than others but I have learned that you can get a pretty good idea or feel of an area simply from visiting the local businesses. If they’re friendly and courteous to all their customers then you know you’re in a upward mobility area. If not. Then if you are a social conscious person you might want to reconsider moving there.

Forget the glamor of the buildings, the shiny cars zooming by, the manicured lawns, the reasonable prices of rent or mortgage and watch the people. The people are who will determine your likeability of the place and feel for the vibes they give off. It may even save your life. Every thing isn’t going to be obvious. That’s why it’s important to get a feel for an area.

Businesses do it all the time. They send out agent to canvass the area. To get a feel for the area before deciding to open a store there. So, this is more important than you may think.

 

The store

No, I’m not saying these people couldn’t have been there at Krogers. They had every right to shop and feel safe.

But what I’m saying is that the store policies and employees are rude toward certain customers. And this kind of attitude fosters an unsafe environment.

Keep your eyes peeled.