Saturday Motivations & Musings

10AUG2019

The first week of my regular job is done! Finished! In the books! Next extended break is Christmas. Geesh that's a long ways off!

Work on writing has obviously slowed to a crawl but should pick back up after a bit of getting back into the pattern of my regular job. My regular job has a definite sequence to it, with well-defined (though meager) lulls and many busy periods. I still have many incomplete writing projects, some big, some little. No new ones lately, which is good. I don't need any more story ideas for now! 

But as an author, my mind is always going. Today, for some reason, I thought that perhaps my grandchildren will ask why so many people wore glasses back in the day. Will laser eye repair be so common that glasses fall by the wayside and become anachronistic? I already feel old. 

Next major goal is to continue to put out quality stories, build up an inventory, pausing to do some marketing every once in a while, but not until I have several more products to market. For a behind the scenes peak at my future marketing plan, I am going to offer a free story at the end of stories available for purchase, in exchange for signing up for a newsletter promoting new stories. This is a marketing technique known as 'magnet readers'. If you are already interested in future releases from me, go ahead and comment on this post. I will be getting a business email address in the future to handle correspondence. No need to clutter my regular inbox.


Pic for today is a filtered photo of a wall sconce at a nearby Hilton hotel. I'm really enjoying the Comic Book filter on my iPad. Hopefully knowing it's a hotel light doesn't ruin the image for you. I might spend some time and clean it up with GIMP and make it into a short story cover for the light and darkness frontier stories I'm working on. 

Shootings

04 AUG 2019

No writing-flavored post today. Shootings, multiple shootings, have got me thinking instead of writing. Our country has some growing up to do. Somehow, someway, we need to figure this out.

We can't get rid of the Second Amendment. It's part of our soul. But we can't keep going on like this. 

To my science teacher brain, these shooters remind me of cancer. 

Cancer, at its simplest, no matter what the root cause, is uncontrolled cell growth. Our bodies need cell growth, just like families and countries need to grow, but we can't have uncontrolled growth. It's not healthy. These shooters are trying to grow, to increase their ideologies, their reach, their power, etc., but in ways that are unhealthy and deleterious to America. 

In our bodies we have portions of our immune system that watch out for rogue cells. Every day our body fixes itself, policing our organs and tissues, destroying cells that are pre-cancerous. In America, we have societal norms that, for the most part, control killer urges in our citizens. 

Sometimes our bodies need help getting rid of aggressive cancers that overwhelm or otherwise bypass our immune system. We use HIV/AIDS medicines and immuno-therapy techniques to do that, just like our police and security forces take out these shooters that attack and kill their fellow citizens. 

America has its roots in 'growth'. We left our prior lands so we could enjoy the freedoms we hold dear. 

George Washington, one of our original bad asses.

But by following these desires, we've created a country that is fertile ground for these killings. Sort of like someone eating the foods they enjoy, but these foods increase their cancer risk. What are we to do? Change our 'diet'? In other words, we, as America, need to do something to lower the odds of a citizen becoming a killer. We need to change our societal norms so that these citizens don't decide to kill but instead they decide to prosper and grow in healthy ways. 


Much to ponder... 

My best shot at this dilemma? We need to instill in Americans an increased value for life. Somehow. Tighten societal norms so that Americans will not resort to shooting sprees. Sure, maybe close some loopholes in existing laws, try harder to keep weapons out of the hands of lunatics, but these are treating the how people kill, not the why. How do we stop people from wanting to go on a shooting spree. Why do these people kill?



Pics today are my final thoughts on this topic. I would much rather be a warrior in a garden than a gardener in a war. We must be able to protect ourselves, but without descending into the madness of shooting sprees.

May your days be good and long upon this Earth.

Dave Owens - Micro Writing Part 5

Howdy all! It's the last day of Dave Owens' takeover. It's been great having him share his expertise. For those who stick around afterwards, there'll be a telepathic meet-n-greet with the author, along with virtual horse devours and punches. Wait...that doesn't sound quite right. Hors d'oeuvres. Darn French and their spelling that doesn't match! How does that spell or derbs? Anyways, let me turn it over to the Micro Master as he shares his final post, regarding markets for your Micro writing online and across the pond.

Short Fiction Publishers & Guidelines

Read the Submission Guidelines with Great Care. A mistake in submission requirements may invite instant rejection. No two publishers have the same guidelines.

Ariel Chart is an Online International Literary Journal where the faithful few still believe the Muse is not figment but rather an essential and fruitful part of Imagination. Editor/Publisher is Mark Rossi. Subscribe to the magazine and receive great short stories and poetry delivered to your inbox. Please subscribe to his podcast and you’ll be rewarded with terrific information about writing.

Submission Guidelines:  https://arielchart.blogspot.com/p/submission-guidelines_95.html   

Chester University, UK

Flash: The International Short-Short Story Magazine
International Flash Fiction Association (IFFA)

http://www.chester.ac.uk/flash.fiction

Flash: The International Short-Short Story Magazine
http://www.chester.ac.uk/flash.magazine

Flash: The International Short-Short Story Press
http://www.chester.ac.uk/flash.fiction/press

Flash Fiction Friday – 100 Word Stories
Exactly 100 words, no more, no less.Guidelines: https://www.fridayflashfiction.com/submissions.html

Flash Fiction Magazine

Accepts Fiction stories between 300–1000 words
The editor tells us he is not fond of sad stories.

Guidelines: https://flashfictionmagazine.com/submissions

Flash Fiction Online
Guidelines:  Flash Fiction Guidelines 
Pays professional rates. Contests pay well.

Be Well,

Dave Owens

Frank here. Thanks again Dave. 

Don't forget to follow Mark Rossi. Here is a link to episode 54 of his podcast called Strength to be Human. Try him out, see what you think.