From my blog: Defender of the Blahs

Mysterious Ways

Black Friday, a term I am not really that fond of, that refers to the shopping day after Thanksgiving, was truly a blessing this year.

In years past, twice to be honest, I have gone out with my wife to go shopping the day after Thanksgiving. After hours upon hours of running, squeezing, yelling, and fighting, both times at the end of the ordeal I told my wife, "Never again."Last year I actually got into a tug of war over a Care Bear with a woman at one of the stores as she yelled at me, "I saw it first!"

I simply responded, "I pulled it off the shelves first!"In fact, I had already taken a few steps away from the shelf when the woman put her mitts upon the toy in my hands and began tugging.

So, yesterday morning, as I lay in bed with chapters of my book dancing in my head, my wife says at five in the morning, "I need to go shopping. I have a few things to get, and I was hoping you would go with me."

"Oh,no, not this time," I replied in terror.

"No, no," she said. "This year I am not going to Wal-Mart. This time it is just Target. I promise, it won't be as bad."

Hesitantly, I agreed.After shopping amidst a mild crowd, while waiting in line to pay for the items (which is where the real shoving and pushing seemed to be), I struck up a conversation with a gentleman a little older than myself, and with a woman in line behind him. The dialogue primarily revolved around how things have changed (I tell my kids the only consistently in life is that everything changes - holy cow, sounds like a David Bowie song). We told stories about when color television was a new thing, and about life without the modern conveniences of today.

I recounted a conversation I once had with my daughter, when I once told her that when I was a kid we didn't have microwave ovens. Well, she about gasped. "How, then, did you heat up your food?" was her innocent reply.

The story received a chuckle, and then we paid for our items and departed.

As my wife and I walked out of the store, it occurred to me that I should have given the gentleman one of my business cards which has the URL of my main site on it because it seemed to me he was the type that was a reader. My wife agreed, took the bags, and I returned to the store only to locate the man standing near the exit examining his receipts. I approached him, indicated I enjoyed the conversation, and offered my card.

The ensuing conversation revealed that he used to work for NBC, and something about his son's business being connected, I think. Anyway, I gave him my card and then he asked that question everyone asks. "What do you write?"

You know, after hearing that question as many times as I have, you would think that I would have a consistent response for it. Usually it's, "Uh, books."

This time it was a little better. I said, "I write political thrillers."

"Oh, how so?"

Hmmm. "Kind of a cross between conspiracy thrillers and international thrillers. A host of an internet radio show compared my writing to David Baldacci's."

The radio show sparked more conversation, and then eventually we parted ways, and the gentleman seemed sincere when he said that he would visit my site.

The fact that he has television connections made me feel fortunate about bumping into him.As we drove away from the packed parking lot, I asked my wife if she wanted any breakfast.She agreed.

But I desired something new. Something different. Then I realized that we have lived in Murrieta since 1989, and there is a small cafe in Temecula that has been there the whole time that we have never visited. So off to Penfolds we went.

While there, I thought it interesting that another couple that arrived just a little after we did, declined a booth for a table. My wife and I always prefer a booth, and actually we will wait extra time if we have to for one.

Then I heard the gentleman tell the waitress that it was because he wanted to keep an eye on his truck. Instinctively, I looked out the window and parked with its nose up to the window was a fire-engine-red antique truck.

Being the talker that I am, I said, "I don't blame you, it's a nice truck."

The couple chuckled, and then explained that the truck they wanted to watch, the one that belonged to them, was beyond the red truck, across the way. It was a normal, everyday truck, with their luggage packed in the bed.

The woman laughed, and the gentleman began to talk, explaining that they were on their way to Mexico on vacation.

As the conversation between our tables bounced back and forth, it turns out that the man at the other table was a lot like me. He about jumped up when I said that I am a writer that works construction until the day I make enough money as a writer.

He is a construction worker as well, writing at night, leaving his wife alone as his hands dance on the keyboard.

We exchanged information, and vowed to stay in touch.

As we left the cafe, my wife said to me, "And to think you didn't want to come with me this morning."

"Yeah," I said.

She added, "The Lord works in mysterious ways."

"Yes," I agreed, "He does."

And yet another Blog from my active mind

As I was leaving comments on Kevin McCullough's blog, I realized that my name had no link to it. It didn't take long to realize that for that to happen, I needed a blog with Townhall. Hoping to bring my political rantings of Political Pistachio to a whole new audience, I created Right Angle in a Left Turn World. The Buzz is growing!

I've been added as a writer to another site, and received a screenwriting offer

Today I wrote my first post for My Point Right. It is called The Party of Reagan. As a, I don't know, I guess you could call it a "staff writer", I am trying to put out my best, but I wonder if I should have put that post on Political Pistachio as well.

I considered stating at the end of the post contributed by Douglas V. Gibbs, site owner of Political Pistachio, but I didn't want it to seem like I was trying to advertise my blog. Besides, if my name is clicked, Dave has the URL of my main site linked.

Earlier in the weekend I received an interesting e-mail from a visitor to my blogs. She indicated that she liked my sites, thought that I was a good writer, and that she appreciated my Christian Faith. Then she went on to say that she was involved in a Christian movie that will target the general audience, and she wanted to give my name (with a writing sample) to the producer.

Is this real? I don't want to be gullible, but then again, you never know.

I pointed her to the first chapter of The Way of Deception. She said that she was going to be gone for a week, but when she got back she'd take a look at it and then decide whether or not to forward my name to the producer.

Stay tuned.

My Point Radio

Tonight I was asked to be a special guest on the internet radio show, My Point Radio. The show is hosted by Dave and Jenn from the blogger world, and they took special interest in my book, The Way of Deception. The show lasted an hour, and seemed to fly faster. I enjoyed it, and would love to do it again some time.

Jim Stewart, author of The Ghosts of Vietnam, called in and gave me a number of tips about self-publishing. He, and the hosts, said often that they felt that I am a talented author. Honestly, and perhaps I am just being too modest, I am flattered by their remarks.

Interestingly, Dave compared me to another writer, David Baldacci. I know only a little bit about Baldacci's work, but I am familiar with him, so I pulled up his site and read an excerpt from his latest book. I was amazed at how much his style is similar to mine. My wife made the comment that it seemed like she was reading my work.

How cool is that.

I am grateful for the opportunity to be on the show. Thank you, Dave and Jenn.

An evening with Gary W. Moore

Every once in a while in life, we experience encounters with people that touch our lives in ways it is difficult to explain, and impossible to understand in the sense of the big picture.

Gary W. Moore has touched my life, both spiritually as a Christian, and as a writer.

I drove to Pasadena to meet with him at a book signing last Friday night. This is the second meeting I have had with him. The first was in San Diego a few weeks ago.

His book, Playing with the Enemy, is one of those books that is impossible to forget once you read it. An emotional experience, to be honest. A non-fiction book that reads like a novel.And after talking to him (and of course I talked a lot), he bought me a soda, and he and his wife sat and chatted with me and my wife for a little more time, even though they were pressed a little for time. Then, in the parking garage, he prayed with me.

This is what being a writer is all about. It is amazing, really. Writers tend to be the most giving people I know. But Gary has given more than his time and energy. He has given me, and all of his readers, his heart.Thank you, Gary. I enjoyed the time with you, and it has energized me as a writer.

Becoming known on the web, meeting more writers, nurturing the relationships with the writers I know. . .

On October 30th on My Point Radio my political blogsite, Political Pistachio, was mentioned by one of the hosts of the show. Jenn, when referring to an article I wrote, said, "Have you ever been to Political Pistachio's blog?"

David, the other host, said, "Yes, I know which blog you're talking about."

Jenn then said, "He wrote a piece today which is very relevant to what we are talking about. . .go to www.politicalpistachio.blogspot.com This guy, Douglas Gibbs, he wrote a piece today about persons, Naziism, and what's going on in this country, and it is really well done. I highly suggest everyone take a look at it. A lot of time you see a lot of tripe out there in a lot of the blogs, but this was really a well done piece, and really, everyone should read it and comment, from what you think. I mean, it was really well done. Thank you, I had to get that in."

Thanks, Jenn. I plan to call in to the show on November 8th.

The hits on that site doubled everyday last week as a result of that comment on My Point Radio.

One of the new visitors to my site carried a web site for Joel Rosenberg, four time New York Times bestseller. He e-mailed me as well. I don't know for sure if this person really is Joel, or an avid fan that uses Mister Rosenberg's sites as links to his own blogger identity. Regardless, the e-mail complimented my writing greatly.

Since my last post I have been in contact with a number of writers, but the latest was Gary W. Moore, author of Playing with the Enemy. He noticed on my Defender of the Blahs blogsite that I had completed reading his book, and thanked me for the kind comments on the site. I plan to also post reviews on both Amazon and Barnes and Noble regarding his book.