I've never been a fan of Twitter. I joined when I became a published author because I had to and only used it to promote other authors' books as part of a promo group. I've just never gotten it. The brief format didn't appeal to me--I could never understand how people claimed to have developed useful relationships with strangers in 140 characters--and doubling it doesn't make much difference. Too many posts in my feed are brief, cryptic messages with some unidentifiable link attached. I'm not about to open something like that from someone I don't know! And then there's the fact that some of the worst behavior in modern times seems to occur on or because of Twitter. It hasn't been a place I've really wanted to be.
However, I think I've finally found a use for it.
I'm normally a Facebook person. I like the format, the longer posts, and the ability to converse with friends. And because I try to keep my presence upbeat and positive, I avoid posting anything political on my page. I have strong feelings, but arguments--especially with strangers--give me hives, and these days I'm working hard to keep myself as calm as possible. At any rate, a few weeks ago, I felt an urgent need to say something political. I didn't need or want to have a conversation with anyone--I just needed to put my thoughts out in the universe. The words appeared in my brain and screamed to be set free. All writers will understand. If I didn't write them down and send them somewhere, they would continue to pester me.
The question was, where?
As I've said, I didn't want to put them on Facebook, although many would have. I considered my blog. I rarely post there and could safely assume no one would read anything I wrote there if I didn't draw attention to it. Then I remembered Twitter. It would be perfect. I may have 1,500 followers, but they don't actually follow me because there's nothing to follow. Most have no idea who I am and would skim past anything I posted. If they did happen to read the tweet and liked or retweeted it, great! I would never know. If they hated my statement and made ugly comments, the same would apply. I could get the idea out of my head and move on. What did I have to lose?
My tweet turned out to have fewer than 140 characters so off it went. Guess what happened. As predicted, almost nothing. One like and two retweets. Except now the thought is no longer munching around in my brain. Now I know what to do with those unimportant little bits of brilliance that pop into my head from time to time. I can post them on Twitter and send them off into the ether like a note inside a balloon. If they reach someone, fine, but that's not important. I'm free of them, and that's what matters.
Alison
www.alisonhenderson.com
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Showing posts with label politics. Show all posts
Wednesday, November 15, 2017
I Finally Found a Use for Twitter by Alison Henderson
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Tuesday, July 4, 2017
Red, White, and Do by Christine DePetrillo
On this Fourth of July, let's remember the brave colonists who risked being hung for treason by standing up for what they believed in - freedom. Underdogs in every sense of the word, these folks saw something they didn't think was fair and instead of whining and complaining about the injustice of it all, they united and rose up against a powerful country in the name of liberty. It is because of their passion, their enthusiasm for their cause, their drive for independence that we have the United States of America today.
I like to think of America as a nation of doers. We do stuff here. We get things done. The political climate of the present day gets me down from time to time (more often lately), but I remain hopeful that we'll continue to be doers. We'll raise more doers. We'll move forward. We'll reach new levels of achievement. We'll protect those unalienable rights Thomas Jefferson outlined in the Declaration of Independence - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Because if we're not happy, what's the point?
The colonists were not happy and they did something about it. Something globe changing. Life altering. Being happy is top concern. Happiness brings so many rewards and seeking it should be our main objective.
Always.
If you're not happy right now, take this Fourth of July to free yourself. Define what would make you happy. Plan steps to capture that happiness.
Then go out there and... DO.
Enjoy your Independence Day!
Toodles,
Chris
www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com
I like to think of America as a nation of doers. We do stuff here. We get things done. The political climate of the present day gets me down from time to time (more often lately), but I remain hopeful that we'll continue to be doers. We'll raise more doers. We'll move forward. We'll reach new levels of achievement. We'll protect those unalienable rights Thomas Jefferson outlined in the Declaration of Independence - life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.
Because if we're not happy, what's the point?
The colonists were not happy and they did something about it. Something globe changing. Life altering. Being happy is top concern. Happiness brings so many rewards and seeking it should be our main objective.
Always.
If you're not happy right now, take this Fourth of July to free yourself. Define what would make you happy. Plan steps to capture that happiness.
Then go out there and... DO.
Enjoy your Independence Day!
Toodles,
Chris
www.christinedepetrillo.weebly.com
Thursday, February 2, 2017
Limbo-Land or Call Me Chicken by Jannine Gallant
I've been trying to figure out what to blog about for days...and failed miserably. So I asked myself why and realized there are topics I want to talk about but can't...or won't.
Let's start with the elephant in the room...politics. I have strong opinions, and I've occasionally left fairly moderate and reasoned comments on real-life friends' and other authors' Facebook and blog posts. BUT, I don't post anything related to the topic on my own wall. It's not that I don't have confidence in my convictions, but I look at writing as a business. Sure, I have personal friends on FB, but I'm also there to connect with readers. Authors are flat out alienating people with their strong political presence, which tells me they care more about their beliefs than selling books. I applaud them and hope they can make their voices heard. But I've also unfollowed a few. And, I've noticed that most of the bigger names who actually make a living from their craft avoid the topic. Call me a coward, but I don't want to piss off readers. I also have to wonder how publishers feel about the situation. They're in it to make money, too, and can easily throw their support behind the authors on their team not stirring up controversy. I want that support.
So, while we're talking about taboo subjects, let's toss money into the arena. Authors almost never talk about how much they make (or don't make) from their writing. Maybe because it was ingrained into us at an early age that it's bad manners. Maybe because we feel it's no one's business. Honestly, when I was new to the game, I was under the naive impression I would actually make a living writing books. (You can all stop laughing now!) I still think small presses (and even the bigger ones) should warn newbies not to quit their day jobs. Not necessarily to discourage them from writing, but to at least give them a reality check so they don't have unrealistic expectations. Perhaps after a while, most of us quit focusing on the "making a living" aspect of the business. And in a way, that allows us more freedom to say what we want and not care how it's perceived. But with print releases looming on my horizon, I'm not ready to let go of the fantasy where I actually earn a living from my craft. It's quite possible I'm delusional, but there you have it. This is why those contracts should come with warning labels!
And speaking of my first mass market print release not due out until March of 2018, I just got my cover for BURIED TRUTH. I can't share it yet, but I'm super excited about it. One more thing I couldn't blog about! LOL See, I told you. Limbo-Land when it comes to appropriate topics.
I also have a new release due out the end of this month, WILDE THING. But since I don't want to bore you on that topic yet, I'll just post a cover photo (since I'm allowed to share it) and leave you with the promise of more to come soon.
So, now that you all know I'm a chicken (but maybe a smart one), we can debate why I crossed the road. Hopefully that won't upset any readers...
You can find info on all my books on my WEBSITE. Thanks for dropping by.
Sunday, January 22, 2017
And you think you have problems? ~ by Leah St. James
I live about three hours southeast of D.C., in an area that
is home to a number of our nation’s historically significant sites, including
Jamestowne and the site where the first African slaves stepped on “American” soil,
not to mention the U.S. Army base that took in fleeing slaves during the Civil
War (by cleverly declaring them to be “contraband,” but hey, it worked).
We’re
also home to Langley Air Force Base and Naval Station Norfolk (largest naval
base in the world)...oh, and the CIA’s top-secret training facility at Camp
Peary known as “The Farm”....or so legend says. (Even typing that probably
bumped me up someone’s watch list!)
The major private industry in town builds nuclear aircraft carriers, and
down the road a bit are a bunch of rocket scientists who work at NASA Langley (“descendant”
of NACA, the organization featured in “Hidden Figures”). We’re also home to The
College of William and Mary, one of the country’s oldest and most respected institutions
of higher learning.
So...yeah...there is no shortage of really, really smart
people where I live, or of those who are committed to protecting our country
and to making it better for all of us. I come in contact with many on a daily
basis, both in my neighborhood and at work.
In my “day job,” I work for a news organization that covers
our local community with daily and weekly publications in print and online
(a/k/a “the newspaper”). I have the privilege of answering the newsroom “tip”
line, our publisher’s direct line and the “feedback “ line. Our readers are not
shy in sharing their opinions about what’s going on in our community, the
nation or the world. (My brain is still bleeding from listening to reader
commentary, from both sides, during the presidential debates.)
So earlier this week as the nation prepared to swear in a
new president, and our journalists prepared to cover both the local inauguration story
and the women’s march in D.C., I was prepared for an earful. And I got it.
The calls started before I got in on Thursday—lighting up my
voicemail’s message light. I dropped my purse under my desk, booted up my
laptop and got to work. And the news was worse than I had thought.
Our residents were mad as H-E-double-hockey-sticks! Catastrophe
had happened. The end of the world was near. American was doomed; the last nail
had just been hammered into the coffin of the most traditional of news media--the newspaper.
It seems our production team had inadvertently published the
wrong day’s puzzle/comics page.
Yep, it’s true. We printed Friday’s puzzle page on Thursday.
So if you were looking for the answers to Wednesday’s crossword puzzle...sorry,
Charlie. If you were hoping to read the next panel of your favorite serial comic...too
bad. We had screwed up...bigly.
One 80-something-year-old retired general told me, “My wife goes
bat-**** crazy when she doesn’t get those crossword answers!”
And that was mild...I took one snarky/PO’d/threatening call after
another.
All day I told myself:
This too shall pass. This too shall pass. This too shall pass.
And it did. On Friday we published both the missing Thursday
pages and the (now correct) Friday pages, and once our readers figured out
where to get their answers, things calmed down.
So what’s the moral of this story?
If something is making you anxious or upset today, maybe, just maybe, it will help to tell yourself: This
too shall pass.
As a completely unrelated bonus, hoping to elicit a few smiles, I've added a funny video of my son’s 9-month-old cat Hercules. (Please click on the link to see the video; I am NOT a rocket scientist and don't appear to have the technological smarts to embed it.) :-)
<><><><><><><><><>
Leah writes stories of mystery and romance, good and evil
and the power of love. She routinely escapes the reality of our world by
immersing herself in romance novels, where she can always find an HEA.
Visit me at leahstjames.com or on my Facebook page.
Visit me at leahstjames.com or on my Facebook page.
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Monday, November 7, 2016
I’m sick of this political cycle by Barbara Edwards
Thank goodness the election is tomorrow.
Being an avid follower of politicals I have overdosed. Yep.
I’m sick of this political cycle.
I remember when the campaign for president started at the convention in July. Representatives from each state fought for the person of their choice on the convention floor. It was noisy, nasty and quick.
Now the cycle is dragging on for almost two years and I fear it will extend even longer in the next cycle.
The funny part is the public didn’t learn anything new about the candidates until the last few months.
I’m not only sick of the politics, I’ve become disenchanted with the media. I use several media venues and can’t believe I’ve learned not to trust any of them.
A sad commentary on the condition of our country.
I am waiting with my fingers crossed. I hope my candidate wins. I hope all the promises are kept.
I voted early.
I hope each of you exercises your right to vote.
Remember the upcoming holiday of Veterans Day is for those who fought for our right to vote in a free society.
Please follow, friend or like me. I love to hear from my readers.
My Website http://barbaraedwards.net
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Tuesday, June 7, 2016
Politics make me laugh by Barbara Edwards
Don’t get me wrong. I’ve been interested in politics my entire life, but today I heaved a sigh of relief.
The last primaries are today and I thought how wonderful it would be to turn on the television and watch a show. Then I realized the political coverage will be overwhelming over the next few months. I laughed so hard my sides hurt when I heard one announcer claim this election is going to be offensive and full of attack ads.
The news media is so weird.
I did research for my historical: Another Love. and found politics have always been vicious. President Cleveland was the object of terrible accusations. If you study history these candidates are mild.
Madison and Jefferson were vitriolic. The only thing they didn’t accuse each other of was murder. The newspapers were full of hateful and nasty comments. Laws about slander didn’t exist.
It seems with the advent of radio then television the speech is muzzled.
Curse words and wild talk are controlled by ‘rules’, but the exchange of insults has already begun.
If you’re really interested you can research any of the previous elections for laughs.
As for me, I thinks I’m turning off my television.
Another Love
Some promises are made to be broken.
Caught in a web of political intrigue, graft and threats to a beloved child, Meg Warren and Drew Larkin hunt the men threatening the downfall of President Cleveland and the economic fabric of America. From a poor farm to the ostentatious world of New York’s elite, they sift lies, discover trust and an attraction they cannot resist. The last thing they expect to find is a love worth more than gold.
1893
North of New York City
"Ma, Ma," a high-pitched voice yelled. "He looks dead."
Andrew Larkin cursed as agony knifed up his thigh and threatened to split his skull, but he struggled onto his elbows. He squinted as an assortment of human shapes floated and danced before his blurred vision. Bright New England sunlight shattered into a rainbow of colors around a skinny young girl in a dark brown frock and wrinkled white pinafore. Her grimy fingers dug in the furry neck of the huge mongrel panting into Drew’s face. He inhaled the acrid odor of fresh manure from the nearby fields.
"I’m. Not. Dead." He said as a slender coverall-clad figure crouched in the road next to him. Urgency set his nerves to thrumming. President Cleveland couldn’t wait. He had to get moving. "Why don’t you help me back onto my horse, son? If your Ma gets here, I’ll let her take a look."
"I am Ma," she snapped impatiently as she jerked free the battered straw hat shading her face and settled back onto her bare heels. Shockingly thick auburn hair, fastened with a leather thong, tumbled down her back. Her face clearly showed her resentment at the way his gaze moved over the way her baggy overalls snugged her flared hips, clearly outlining her shapely derriere. A flush burned red flags on her cheeks. "Your leg is bleeding, mister, and…"
To his amazement, her fingers brushed like butterfly wings over his face and through his tumbled hair. He flinched when she probed a tender spot behind his ear.
"You took quite a wallop on the head. Hold still."
She wiped her perspiring brow with a sun-browned forearm, then pulled a worn jackknife from her hip pocket, flipped the blade open and calmly proceeded to cut away his bloodstained pant leg. The little girl whimpered.
"Don’t be afraid, Martha. He’ll be fine," Her cultured voice flowed over him like warm honey, soothing as a mother’s lullaby.
The child frowned, but her whimpers ceased.
Buy Link: https://amzn.com/B005RDOHG8
Please follow, friend or like me. I love to hear from my readers.Blog http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.com/Website http://barbaraedwards.netFacebook https://www.facebook.com/BarbaraEdwards.AuthorTwitter https://www.twitter.com/Barb_edAmazon Author’s Page http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003F6ZK1AGoodReads http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/496095.Barbara_Edwards
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Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Please, spare me your speeches ~ by Leah St. James
As I read Barbara’s post yesterday about the upcoming political season (talking about November 2016!), I started thinking about all the unpleasantness to come before the big day rolls around: Complex positions on important issues distilled down to 30-second ads—which are invariably spun into negative ads by the opposing candidates; nonstop phone calls in the evening hours if you’re lucky enough to be in one of those ‘swing” states.
The most annoying (to me) though —“star” musicians and actors telling me I should vote for their candidates because...uh...well, because they’re famous and...uh...probably better looking and rich and...did I say famous already?
I really (really) dislike when celebrity political endorsements, specifically when the celebrities are entertainers.
Yes, yes, yes, I know, I know— they’re people, too, entitled to their opinions with the rights to voice their opinions. And I have free will to switch channels. But when I start to view or listen to a movie/the radio/a concert (etc.), my expectation is enjoyment, not suffering through a sermon of your views on this Democrat vs. that Republican, Libertarian, Independent ... whoever.
I just don’t care what you think. Period.
I also dislike when I start to watch a movie or read a book and find myself deep in a one-sided, sledge-hammering treatment of a particular political or social issue, when it’s clear that the author/screenwriter is pushing a particular agenda (meaning the viewer never gets even a hint of an opposing point of view).
Not only do I not care what you think, but I resent the implication that I need you to spoon-feed me your beliefs.
As a novelist, I believe it’s my job to create a world that’s intriguing or entertaining in some way, fill it with characters to love and/or hate, then put them in situations (or torture them, as the rules say) so a reader will care enough to keep turning pages. My goal is simple: to entertain, and maybe on a good day to enlighten or enrich in some way. I hope to tell a good story, from a variety of perspectives, not to share with you my personal opinions on political or social-issue topics.
Of course there’s an important place for the exploration of social issues in literature/fiction. Books and movies, and songs, can (and often do) point out injustices or wrongs to those who might not have seen them otherwise.
Think of the movies Schindler’s List (based on “Schindler’s Ark” by Thomas Keneally), or Norma Rae (based on “Crystal Lee, a Woman of Inheritance by New York Times reporter Henry P. Leifermann).
When done well, the viewers/readers shouldn’t feel like they’ve been lectured; they should feel enlightened, even if the truths are hard to accept.
Sometimes a point can be made with laughter. The movie 9 to 5 comes to mind – a comedy starring Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dabney Coleman about three overworked, underpaid and under-appreciated office workers who suffer through their male boss’s misogynist behavior.
The movie also addresses serious social issues (then and now), but it “teaches” through laughter and entertainment. At the end, you get the message.
So if you want my attention, don’t lecture me about your personal beliefs, even if you can sing like an angel. Tell me a good story that makes me laugh, or cry. Tell me a story that makes me think.
_______________________
I write stories of mystery and romance, good and evil and the redeeming power of love. Please visit me at www.leahstjames.com.
The most annoying (to me) though —“star” musicians and actors telling me I should vote for their candidates because...uh...well, because they’re famous and...uh...probably better looking and rich and...did I say famous already?
I really (really) dislike when celebrity political endorsements, specifically when the celebrities are entertainers.
Yes, yes, yes, I know, I know— they’re people, too, entitled to their opinions with the rights to voice their opinions. And I have free will to switch channels. But when I start to view or listen to a movie/the radio/a concert (etc.), my expectation is enjoyment, not suffering through a sermon of your views on this Democrat vs. that Republican, Libertarian, Independent ... whoever.
I just don’t care what you think. Period.
I also dislike when I start to watch a movie or read a book and find myself deep in a one-sided, sledge-hammering treatment of a particular political or social issue, when it’s clear that the author/screenwriter is pushing a particular agenda (meaning the viewer never gets even a hint of an opposing point of view).
Not only do I not care what you think, but I resent the implication that I need you to spoon-feed me your beliefs.
As a novelist, I believe it’s my job to create a world that’s intriguing or entertaining in some way, fill it with characters to love and/or hate, then put them in situations (or torture them, as the rules say) so a reader will care enough to keep turning pages. My goal is simple: to entertain, and maybe on a good day to enlighten or enrich in some way. I hope to tell a good story, from a variety of perspectives, not to share with you my personal opinions on political or social-issue topics.
Of course there’s an important place for the exploration of social issues in literature/fiction. Books and movies, and songs, can (and often do) point out injustices or wrongs to those who might not have seen them otherwise.
Think of the movies Schindler’s List (based on “Schindler’s Ark” by Thomas Keneally), or Norma Rae (based on “Crystal Lee, a Woman of Inheritance by New York Times reporter Henry P. Leifermann).
When done well, the viewers/readers shouldn’t feel like they’ve been lectured; they should feel enlightened, even if the truths are hard to accept.
Sometimes a point can be made with laughter. The movie 9 to 5 comes to mind – a comedy starring Dolly Parton, Lily Tomlin, Jane Fonda and Dabney Coleman about three overworked, underpaid and under-appreciated office workers who suffer through their male boss’s misogynist behavior.
The movie also addresses serious social issues (then and now), but it “teaches” through laughter and entertainment. At the end, you get the message.
So if you want my attention, don’t lecture me about your personal beliefs, even if you can sing like an angel. Tell me a good story that makes me laugh, or cry. Tell me a story that makes me think.
_______________________
I write stories of mystery and romance, good and evil and the redeeming power of love. Please visit me at www.leahstjames.com.
Tuesday, April 21, 2015
Plotting and Politics? Oh no, by Barbara Edwards
Plotting and Politics? Oh no, by Barbara Edwards
| Lexington-Concord April 19th Memorial |
The first of the presidential hopefuls was on TV and I ran screaming from the room. No! No! No! It’s too soon!
I have a problem. I remember when the presidential race ran from July when the conventions were held, until November, when we voted. Now the race never stops.
I paced and ranted, then my sense of humor took over.
What if I were plotting this story? Would I start the action over eighteen months before the climax?
I’ve heard candidates talk about running for president for four long years.
Where is the suspense? Does it take that long to reveal character? After months, who cares? Maybe that's the point. to bore us into not voting. I liked the four short months of intense campaigning. I learned everything I needed to know in that short time.
In the best written books character, experience, and what they had to offer is revealed by the author in an interesting, timely manner.
As an author what kind of president would I run? What is important to me?
Do I care if someone got a traffic ticket when they were in their twenties? Maybe, if they have an ongoing record of misconduct.
How about tax fraud? That doesn’t seem to be a big offense anymore, but I won’t vote for that one either.
How about immoral behavior? I won’t vote for a person who is so selfish they can hurt their spouse and children.
So where do I learn about the candidates if they don’t run for years in an attempt to blind me with smoke and mirrors? The plot thickens.
I’m fairly smart, like my friends, and I can do research. Lots of research to find truth, justice and the American way.
I can’t count on the news media to tell me the truth. And I have to pick through blogs to find facts not opinion.
I know that many politicians run since they legally can keep a big portion of their ‘War Chest” for their own use after they lose. I can’t trust someone who needs multi-millions of dollars to persuade me what to think.
I know politicians lie. No matter what you call an untruth, it is a lie.
How’s my plot going? Too much distraction from the interaction between the hero/heroine running for president and the goal of being president.
Since I want a president who is honest, upholds the Constitution, is the Commander in Chief, represents all Americans, and is morally upright, I will be writing my own ending in the voting booth.
Please follow, friend or like me. I love to hear from my readers.
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Wednesday, June 4, 2014
Gone with the Wind
Confession time.
I’ve never actually seen Gone With the Wind. I know. I know.
And I call myself a romance author. I really ought to be kicked out of the group
for this one. I’ll get around to watching it. I promise.
So what’s it
about anyway? The Civil War? Well, that’s a topic I know and love. I’ve taught
about the Civil War in my fifth grade classroom every spring for the past
fifteen years. The division between the North and South as one grew more
industrial and the other based its livelihood on agriculture. Abraham Lincoln—my
favorite president—getting elected. The slavery debate and the challenges to
the “all men are created equal” line in the Declaration of Independence. Harriet
Beecher Stowe and Uncle Tom’s Cabin as it highlighted the evils of slavery. The
Underground Railroad and heroes like Harriet Tubman, risking it all in the name
of liberty. Generals Grant and Lee as they led the armies and all the soldiers,
sometimes fighting brother-against-brother for the nation. Lincoln’s “Anaconda
Plan” to squeeze the Confederacy into giving up, by far the best named plan in
our nation’s history. The eventual surrender of Lee’s army at Appomattox
Courthouse in 1865. All pivotal events in the shaping of the United States of
America.
Have you ever
considered what would have happened if Lee never surrendered? If the
Confederacy had succeeded in becoming its own separate nation?
I have.
Actually, my
husband and I have. Our book, A
Less Perfect Union, toys with division in our country and with the
idea of a Second Civil War. Writing as Goodwin Reed, we explored the status of
our nation at the present time. We looked at the issues we see as potential
dividers—political party disunity, religious zealots, technological advances,
lying in the government, unnecessary war, terrorists… yeah, so like, the list
is long.
What was really
interesting is that while we were writing this book, there would be stories on
CNN that coincided with our fictional events. The correlation was interesting…
and a little frightening. We both believe we’re living in a delicate time—a time
where a simple pebble might tip the scales and throw the balance off. We watch
TV shows like The Walking Dead and think “Why fear zombies?” There are real
dangers now that could reduce us to the quality of living portrayed in shows
like that. If you can even call what those characters do “living.” I mean, I
know I couldn’t survive without proper hair styling products. You?
A
Less Perfect Union (and no, the title does not reflect our
marriage, by the way) takes the “what if” to the next level. Are you brave
enough to take a peek?
Here’s the back
cover blurb:
Another war in the Middle East brings
General Charles Easley and coalition forces to the country of Yemen. The number
of casualties continues to increase from the enemy’s use of devastating
improvised explosive devices. When the general’s son, Paul, becomes a victim of
the violence, he discovers an unthinkable truth that will force him to question
his loyalty.
Back in the United States, Pastor Roy Campbell wants change. Believing Americans have abandoned morality, Roy deepens his commitment with the ultra-conservative Purist Party. Roy is uprooted from his rural life and soon finds himself among the most powerful people in the country.
Ultimately, the two worlds collide to create a perfect storm that will change America. Forever. According to businessman and technological genius Hanson Davis, it is not a storm at all, but a symphony of notes brought together in perfect harmony to create what he loves most.
Chaos.
Back in the United States, Pastor Roy Campbell wants change. Believing Americans have abandoned morality, Roy deepens his commitment with the ultra-conservative Purist Party. Roy is uprooted from his rural life and soon finds himself among the most powerful people in the country.
Ultimately, the two worlds collide to create a perfect storm that will change America. Forever. According to businessman and technological genius Hanson Davis, it is not a storm at all, but a symphony of notes brought together in perfect harmony to create what he loves most.
Chaos.
Are you prepared
for a Second Civil War? What side would you be on? The Union who wants to keep
the United States just as she is or the Purist side who wants to turn back the
clock to a 1950s America?
Oh, and don’t
worry. I cut a deal with The Husband before agreeing to work on this book with
him. He had to let me have two people fall in love, so it’s not all politics
and chaos and changing the rides at Disney World. (What? Oh, now you’re interested!)
You can download A
Less Perfect Union here.
Let us know what you think by leaving a review. I’ll just be over here watching
Gone
With the Wind. I swear.
Toodles,
Chris
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
I’m Barbara Edwards and I’m sticking my neck out.
Can you take a little controversy?
I am holding up Sarah Palin as a Woman of Achievement.
Before all you rabid extremists burn my ears, let me tell
you I don’t care about your politics. I also admired Geraldine Ferraro for
taking on the male political establishment. I also admire Hillary Clinton for
her presidential run and Michelle Bachman for hers.
When Sarah Palin’s name came up as the Vice Presidential
nominee, my heart exploded with satisfaction. Finally, all those feminist ideals
I’d been raised with were coming to fruition. Her party didn’t matter. She
broke the glass ceiling that Geraldine Ferraro cracked.
Yippee for women! Hurray for females. Women rock!
So what makes her a Woman of Achievement in my opinion?
She’s a mother. I’m a mother and I know what a full-time job
that is.
She graduated from college. Okay, maybe that’s low on the
list but my own degree was the result of hard work, not grants, and my less
than ivy-league degree as important.
She lives in Alaska, the last true frontier, and is a
hunter, and a fisherman. I also can use a rifle and revolver although my
fishing skills are limited to catfish and bass.
She married a man who was strong enough to support all her
efforts. It took me years to find a man who accepted me and supported my
writing.
She became involved in politics to fix a problem and then
fixed it. Wow. Achievement. I ran for local selectman and got creamed.
She stood up to every nasty comment that can be thrown at a
woman. Having been the object of gossip myself, my heart went out to her. Not
fair.
So all of you who don’t like Sarah? Okay. I’ll just delete
any nasty remarks. As I said, it isn’t her party I admire. It’s her guts in
plowing the road for all the women who will follow. Check your local and state
ballots in the coming years and give her the credit she deserves. Sarah took
those barbs and arrows first.
She is the woman the sixties feminists shouted we all could
be. And in my heart of hearts I envy her for all she’s done, including writing
a best seller.
Author Web: http://barbaraedwards.net
Blog Site: http://barbaraedwardscomments.wordpress.comFacebook: http://facebook.com/BarbaraEdwards
Ancient Blood http://on.fb.me/naHRY5
Twitter: http://twitter.com/barb_ed
Authors Den: http://authorsden.com/barbaraedwards
Amazon Author Page: http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B003F6ZK1A
Email: Barbara.edwards2@yahoo.com
Buy link http://tinyurl.com/3f627vh
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