Things to remember
“We are all apprentices in a craft where no one ever becomes a master.” – Ernest Hemingway Continue reading Things to remember
Another Rejection
I received a rejection email back for a short story, but sent that story to 4 more literary journals. Also, found a publisher who accepts unsolicited manuscripts, so I sent my novel out as well. Staying motivated is probably the toughest part about being a writer. A rejection slip can easily make you feel as if you are wasting your time. The key, I hope, … Continue reading Another Rejection
Pensacola and the Start of Gonzo Journalism
When most people talk of Hunter S Thompson, Pensacola, Florida very rarely makes it into the conversation. However, one could argue that America’s First Settlement is where Gonzo journalism began. In 1956, a young 19 year old Hunter Thompson was stationed at Eglin Air Force Base. The following excerpt is from a Paris Review interview on how he got started as a writer: “When I got … Continue reading Pensacola and the Start of Gonzo Journalism
My motivation today. Thank you Hunter S Thompson
We Were Football Players Once…And Young
This essay was an attempt at investigative journalism exploring our fascination with football. I felt it appropriate with the arrival of football season. It’s always a strange time for me because I don’t quite understand the obsession with it. I wanted to see what others had to say about it. I’m not sure it is finished yet, but it is already at 15 pages and I don’t know how much I want to continue with it. I felt as if this was a complete piece, but I didn’t really get into the commercial side of it because I don’t know important that is. The general population doesn’t seem to be concerned with the business side of the sport. They seem more than willing to give their hard earned dollars to support it. And I apologize about the formatting ahead of time. New to wordpress and haven’t figured out how to cut and paste from a word doc.
We Were Football Players Once…And Young
A news piece said a high school football coach was going to trial for the homicide of one of his players who died on the practice field. The report said the kid had a one hundred and nine temperature at the time of his death. Eight other players showed signs of heat stroke after the three hour practice that took place in the middle of August. Continue reading “We Were Football Players Once…And Young”
Currently Reading: A Confederacy Of Dunces
I’m about 200 pages into this book and those pages were a struggle. I’ve wanted to quit a few times, but once I start a book, I have this weird rule that I must finish it. I’ve invested time into it and if I quit now it would be time wasted. John Kennedy Toole’s biography is what attracted me to the book. I was intrigued … Continue reading Currently Reading: A Confederacy Of Dunces
Charles Bukowski, why the hell am I doing this?
As a writer, saying this guy is one of my heroes is as cliche as it gets. But his hard work, his determination, his persistence at being a writer is inspiration enough to keep me working. Many times, I wonder why the hell I still pursue such a ridiculous idea like being a writer. I’ve accomplished everything I’ve ever set out to do. But being … Continue reading Charles Bukowski, why the hell am I doing this?
Philip Roth and his ability to make us feel less alone.
Received a text from a dear friend this morning. We live in different parts of the state and haven’t lived in the same city for 8 years. He isn’t on Facebook. We have to communicate through text messages and phone calls instead of pictures and memes. When I visit Miami, we get together for Cuban coffee and croquettes. Izo introduced me to a lot of … Continue reading Philip Roth and his ability to make us feel less alone.
Another epigraph I’m thinking of using for my upcoming novel, Native Moments.
The Songlines is one of my all time favorite books and so is Cormac McCarthy’s The Road. I like how this quote, although written well before The Road, encompasses the ideas McCarthy so often times plays with. Native Moments also discusses these ideas of hierarchies and dominance and anarchism. “As a general rule of biology, migratory species are less ‘aggressive’ than sedentary ones. There is one obvious … Continue reading Another epigraph I’m thinking of using for my upcoming novel, Native Moments.
Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes; or The Bubble.
This is the only short story I’ve had published. It came out in the 2011 edition of Emerald Coast Review. I’ve had multiple rejection slips from numerous publications and of course a story that I spent the least amount of time on is the one that gets published. It was an experiment with Flash Fiction. Wanted to see if I could write a complete story in less than 1,000 words. I also experimented with writing in the first person. I’m always hesitant to write in the first person because I’m worried people will think I’m the character. I know I shouldn’t worry about those things. The only thing that matters is writing a good story. So here it is. Feel free to let me know what you think. I can take all forms of criticism.
Continue reading “Today’s Empires, Tomorrow’s Ashes; or The Bubble.”
Nic Schuck 