Tag: reading

Just submitted my first short story.

Whew.

I heard about this Weird West anthology a couple months ago when it first opened for submissions.

It was being held by Ranconteur Press, a relative new comer to the publishing world. But they’ve been selling books chock full o’ short stories like mad, so I figured why not put in.

And beside. Weird West?

That’s right up my alley, alongside West of Prehistoric.

Originally, I was going to write a ‘WoP’ type story. Not directly related of course, since my publisher currently holds the rights to Jedidiah Huckleberry Smith. But of a similar vein. Cowboys and dinosaurs. Woohoo.

Then my wife told me I should try something new. She suggested Sasquatches. (They are all the rage in our little town in the NC mountains. We have a Big Foot Festival every year.)

But with everything going on between my daughter’s health and writing Book 5, it really didn’t appear like I’d be able to write a story.

And it bothered the heck out of me. Because I wanted to do expand a little bit and try my hand at the short story game. And this seemed like the best opportunity I’d have.

Then, on Monday, things aligned. I sat down and started writing… knowing that the story was due on Friday.

Four days. Four days to come up with a basic plot and fill in the details and action.

With the wife’s blessing, challenge accepted.

So, I wrote. A bunch. About 1k words per day, which is a lot for me… for three days straight. Last night, I wrote 2.2k words.

(It has to be between 5,000 – 8,000 words. I hit 5,267 words. 🙂 )

After finishing at about 10pm, I hopped on my personal Facebook page and asked if anyone was still awake who was willing to read my first short story submission.

A few folks came to the rescue. Including my former Platoon Commander from the Marines. He stayed up until almost 2am taking notes then sent them over with some ‘conditions’.

Erik,

  1. I am not an author and have never written anything outside of a 5 paragraph order.
  2. I have been drinking.
  3. I have read your prior work and I think that you are a very talented author. I am proud to say that I know you and even more proud to say that I should call you my brother.
    The following is my honest and candid response:

Then he proceeded to tear my wonderful little story apart. 🙂

Which was awesome. It was exactly what I wanted and needed. Then I freaked out and typed like crazy to fix it.

And now my story is 10x better.

Summed up? If I had to put it into a quick little blurb:

An unnamed man seeks death and a confrontation with God. Finds Sasquatches instead.

Fun, fun.

If it’s not picked for the Wyrd West anthology, that’s fine. (Really, it’s just my feelings and pride that will be hurt…) I’ll post it up here for everyone to read. It was a great learning experience and neat to try my hand at something other than the WoP series.

For anyone else interested in Raconteur Press, below is the link to their site.

https://raconteurpress.substack.com

And now feels like a good time to thank my Beta Readers. Not just my old Officer buddy, (Who was the greatest officer I’ve ever known.), but to everyone who has offered to read my stuff first to make sure I don’t look stupid when it goes to print.

That includes, everyone from NC4x4.com and CarolinaGunForums.com.

You guys rock.

And a special shout out to Joel. You ALWAYS read my stuff and give the BEST feedback. And you’re enthusiasm for what I write keeps me going. Thanks Buddy!

I should know by the end of the month if I get picked.

Now it’s time to get back to Book 5, wrap it up, and move on to what I owe Conundrum Publishing. (So excited to write some WWII sea monster and Modern Day Expendables type stuff!)

Oh yes, before I forget.

I grew a magnificent mustache the past weekend. It lasted for about 8 hours before being shaved. But man, it was so cool. I just walked around the house quoting Tombstone to myself.

(You’re a daisy if ya do….)

Have a great month folks.

Thanks for the prayers for myself and my family. Answers and solutions for my daughter’s health are on the horizon and coming our way. And writing will be restored to it’s usual pace once again… one day….

Thanks!

Just to brag a bit…

West of Prehistoric has now passed Man Corn: Cannibalism and Violence in the Prehistoric American Southwest in number of reviews and ratings on Amazon.

May not seem like a big deal, but if you search for ‘West of Prehistoric’ on Amazon, that book always pops up below it.

So, yay beating people eating!

In other news, my dad sent me this article a while back and I just got around to reading it. It’s a short article, so I’ll post it in it’s entirety, with some BOLD emphasis added by me for those who like to skim. Growing up as a voracious reader, often reading many years ahead of my ‘educational’ level, I agree with all of what was found. (I think I read Beowulf in 6th grade or something.)

Here’s the article:

Growing Up Surrounded by Books Could Have Powerful, Lasting Effect on the Mind

Research has already suggested that opening a book may help improve brain function, reduce stress, and even make us more empathetic. Now, a team led by Joanna Sikora of the Australian National University is looking into the benefits of growing up around a book-filled environment; as Alison Flood of the Guardian reports, the researchers’ expansive new study suggests that homes with ample libraries can arm children with skills that persist into adulthood.

The 2019 study, published in Social Science Research, assessed data from 160,000 adults from 31 countries, including the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, Turkey, Japan and Chile. Participants filled out surveys with the Programme for the International Assessment of Competencies, which measures proficiency in three categories: literacy, numeracy (using mathematical concepts in everyday life) and information communication technology, (using digital technology to communicate with other people, and to gather and analyze information).

Respondents, who ranged in age from 25 to 65, were asked to estimate how many books were in their house when they were 16 years old. The research team was interested in this question because home library size can be a good indicator of what the study authors term “book-oriented socialization.” Participants were able to select from a given range of books that included everything from “10 or less” to “more than 500.”

The surveys, which were taken between 2011 and 2015, showed that the average number of books in participants’ childhood homes was 115, but that number varied widely from country to country. The average library size in Norway was 212 books, for instance; in Turkey, it was 27. Across the board, however, it seemed that more books in the home was linked to higher proficiency in the areas tested by the survey.

The effects were most marked when it came to literacy. Growing up with few books in the home resulted in below average literacy levels. Being surrounded by 80 books boosted the levels to average, and literacy continued to improve until libraries reached about 350 books, at which point the literacy rates leveled off. The researchers observed similar trends when it came to numeracy; the effects were not as pronounced with information communication technology tests, but skills did improve with increased numbers of books.

So, what are the implications of the new study? Take, for instance, adults who grew up with hardly any books in the home, but went on to obtain a university degree in comparison to an adult who grew up with a large home library, but only had nine years of schooling. The study found that both of their literacy levels were roughly average. “So, literacy-wise, bookish adolescence makes up for a good deal of educational advantage,” the study authors write.

Further research is needed to determine precisely why exposure to books in childhood fosters valuable skills later in life, but the study offers further evidence to suggest that reading has a powerful effect on the mind. And so home library size might be important because, as the researchers note, “[c]hildren emulate parents who read.”

***

So, pretty cool. Teach your kids to read and instill in them a love of reading, and they’ll never be bored, and you’ll be more likely to have a ‘Honor Student’ bumper sticker on your car. Also your kid will turn out better.