 I would like to wish everyone a fun and spooky Halloween!
Most years I throw a big party or make a haunted house in the back yard. This year its a low-key affair with just family. The kids are all moved away or teenagers, and I've been swamped doing other things. Instead of decorating, I cleaned out the attic this year. It was the first time in almost 15 years. I've been hearing strange noises up there lately, like a 250 pound squirrel is trying to dig through the roof. I think something might be amiss, and I really wanted to clean out the attic and find out. There is a lot of stuff up there, and to be honest, I'm a little creeped out by the noises. So I hired Pete, a local handy man, to do the job. He went up into the attic yesterday, and I haven't heard from them since. I cracked opened the attic door and found his phone. His pickup truck is still parked out front. I wonder where he went and why he would leave his phone and truck? Funny, I can still hear something moving up there, like a heavy box being dragged around. Anyone want to go up in the attic and look for Pete for me? I want this taken care of before the trick or treaters show up tonight. Happy Halloween! #halloween #fun #horror
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 My "setup" at the Dothan Country Club during my visit with the local chapter of the DAR.  Emassee Robert Grierson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution graciously invited me to speak at the October meeting at the Dothan Country Club. I first met the ladies of the DAR at Farm Days at Dothan's Legacy Park both last week and last spring. I was honored when they invited me to speak at their October meeting. This is an incredible organization of women dedicated to preserving and celebrating American history, as well as public service. I enjoyed talking to Cathy, Jessica, Denise and all the DAR ladies about their heritage and the great work DAR is doing in the community. For example, during the meeting, Cheri Bowman from Operation Christmas Child also spoke. Operation Christmas Child is a Christian-based organization which brings much needed Christmas gifts to children in need around the world. The ladies also spoke to me about their participation in Alabama's "Vote in Honor of a Veteran" program. I'm thankful there are organizations like the DAR working to make our communities better places to live. Most of all, I enjoyed sharing these women's passion for history. I could have spent all day asking each and every one of them about their family connection to the American Revolution. I greatly appreciated their warm response for local history and Abandoned Wiregrass. Thanks, ladies! If you are a member of a historical, genealogical or public service organization in the Wiregrass Area, and you're looking for a speaker, please contact me here. I'd love to share my experiences writing Abandoned Wiregrass with your organization. #abandonedwiregrass #wiregrass #dothan #daughtersoftheamericanrevolution #dar  Emassee Robert Grierson Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution.  If you enjoyed this blog, please like the post and leave a comment or if you're feeling brave, share it on social media. This platform is my entire advertising budget and is how I share the word on my books. Also visit my Facebook, my author page and check out my photography book from America Through Time, "Abandoned Wiregrass: The Deepest South's Lost and Forgotten Places."
 passion [ pash-uhn ]; any powerful or compelling emotion or feeling, as love or hate; strong sexual desire, lust;.a strong or extravagant fondness, enthusiasm, or desire for anything; the object of such a fondness or desire; the narrative of Christ's sufferings as recorded in the Gospels. Synonyms: fervor, zeal, ardor. From Late Latin passionem (nominative passio) "suffering" or "that which must be endured." This isn't about the passions of sexual or romantic love, nor does it concern the Passion of Christ's crucifixion. I'm talking about the passions of that capture the imagination, that compel the curious people to seek learning and excellence and diversion. These passions can drive a man to build entire landscapes in his basement just so tiny trains can travel through them, or compel a woman to spend her free time painting water colors of humming birds, or for parents to follow their kid's travel softball team around the country every weekend. It's the kind of passion that torments the writer to edit a manuscript all night, or a photographer to buy a new lens she really doesn't need, or a young girl to a buy a new book when she already has a shelf full of the unread, or a runner to attempt his first marathon. Passionate people fall headlong into an idea, a concept, an art, a project, a sport - anything, and completely surrender to it. The Passion SpectrumPassions fall into many categories, but I generally categorize them into this spectrum: 1) ideas, 2) people and 3) things. A person can have passions across this spectrum (and usually do), but tend to mostly favor, or begin, in one category or another. Books, writing, cinema, politics, poetry, and music are examples of idea passions. Public service organizations, social clubs, sports and scouting are examples of people passions. Cars, quilting, model rocketry, computers and scrapbooking are examples of thing passions. These categories spill over and blur into one another in complex ways. An abstract idea or a thing or object will usually manifest in a social aspect like clubs, organizations, Facebook pages, etc. Passions can be hobbies, they can be professions or even both. Passions can be weekend diversions or all-consuming obsessions. Passions can be expensive. Passions can be age-dependent, and can pass as quickly as they come. Passions can evolve. Some people wear their passions openly, while others keep them hidden. BlessingS and Curses A passion can be pleasant diversion, an accessory to life's otherwise mundane drudgery. These necessary loves are therapeutic for person's mental health. Passions can often be unhealthy obsessions that eat away at one's life like an addiction. These passions cling to us like an abusive lover. Often times, people don't know when their passion has crossed that line, it simply happens. Those around you will sense it first. Sometimes, interventions are necessary. Go to a garage sale, pawn shop or thrift store and you may see the remnants of such interventions. Truly passionate people tend to get carried away. Get them to talk about their passion and you'll understand what I mean. They simply won't shut up about it. Of this, I am guilty. Over the years, I've learned to look for the tell-tale drifting eyes, a glance at the watch or phone, and the steady increase in the listener's "uh-huhs." When I see the signs I realize I might have gotten carried away. I look for a polite way to change the subject and let my victim gracefully disengage. Its a level of self-awareness I've tried to improve on over the years. In most situations, at least outside the internet, it can be difficult to find people who share any of your passions depending on how unique, elite, or expensive the passion is. Deeply passionate people often learn those they share their lives with don't share or understand their passions. At best, their loved ones listen patiently and try to understand that which must be suffered. Sometimes, the partner's passion is merely tolerated, or may even be a source of friction and conflict. Maybe the passionate find it better to remain quiet. Perhaps it easter to be alone then be misunderstood. One's passion can be isolating, and self-validation often times must be enough. That's why meeting someone who shares your passion is one of life's rare gifts. I think that's were there are so many clubs and organizations centered around passions. Even introverts want to share common experiences. It can be exciting when you finally meet someone who shares your passion. Its like taking long, cool drink of water. You can't drink it fast enough, and you can't get full enough. You know it may be a long time before you can find another watering hole. What's your passion? If you don't know, just go online to Google or Amazon, and the "Algorithm" will quickly tell you what it thinks you passion might me via ads, pop-ups and suggestions. The internet has made it easier to not only find others who share your fervor, your zeal, your ardor. It's also made it easier to improve at whatever you love (Youtube), or at least to spend money on it. I hope your passion makes you happy, whatever it may be. Thank you for stopping by, and sharing a little bit of my passion. #passion #hobbies #books #writing #essay #photography #abandonedwiregrass  If you enjoyed this blog, please like the post and leave a comment or if you're feeling brave, share it on social media. This platform is my entire advertising budget and is how I share the word about my books. Also visit my Facebook, my author page and check out my epic fantasy novels available on Amazon.
 I will be in Dothan, Alabama this Saturday 15 October, 2022 at Landmark Park for their Farm Day Festival. It was a lot of fun last year, and I met many amazing people. I'm looking forward to it, and hope to see you there. I'll be signing copies of "Abandoned Wiregrass" and selling framed art and prints. Please drop by!  "On Saturday, October 15 from 10 a.m.-4 p.m., Landmark Park will host the annual Fall Farm Day. Come and watch how peanuts were harvested in the Wiregrass nearly 100 years ago. Enjoy the sights, sounds and sweet smells of cane grinding, syrup making, butter churning, soap making and other traditional farm activities. Other activities include music, antique tractors, wagon rides and the largest quilt display in the Wiregrass region. Sponsored by the National Peanut Festival and the Dothan Area Chamber of Commerce."
#landmarkpark #farmdays #festival #dothanalabama #fallfestival #abandonedwiregrass #art #photography  Click to follow link to Shepherd Books I was approached by the people at Shepherd a few weeks back to list my novel on their new website. They are a startup and a little reminiscent of my old business, Underground Book Reviews. Their angle are book lists recommendations written by the authors themselves. It's a "novel" approach to book marketing. Each author writes five book recommendations that in some way relate to their title. My Shepherd book page is no exception. I have read each of these five books, all five in some way inspired by novel Black Sea Gods. They appear to host a mix indie and traditional published books. The staff was friendly and professional. I have a hunch they are trying to take on Goodreads. As I hold Goodreads in the highest disdain, I'm rooting for Shepherd. Whether it makes any difference in my book sales will remain to be seen, but I do wish them the best of luck. If you haven't read my flagship novel Black Sea Gods, visit Shepherd to begin your journey, or explore their vast library of other titles and book lists. #shepherdbooks #booklists #bookrecommendations  If you enjoyed this blog, please like the post and leave a comment or if you're feeling brave, share it on social media. This platform is my entire advertising budget and is how I share the word about my books. Also visit my Facebook, my author page and check out my epic fantasy novels available on Amazon.
Hello Again, it's a short update this week. First things first - upcoming book signings and art shows. Please click here to see where I'll be this fall and winter. More events may be added. I'm back from vacation and then about to turn around and leave again for a writing retreat. I am desperate to make time to write, and the only way to do it is get away. Day job obligations, family and "stuff" seem to tear me away from the keyboard. Before I leave, I want to thank to those people who have been buying and reading my books. Specifically, I want to thank those in the United Kingdom who have been buying and reading my epic fantasy series "The Chronicles of Fu XI." My fiction work seems to resonate more with people on the other side of the pond than stateside. If you're a UK reader and read the series, a rating or review on Amazon would really be appreciated. The Algorithm rewards such things. This week I'm vanishing to the cabin (actually, a camper) in the North Georgia wilderness to tackle a big chunk of writing for my next novel, the conclusion to my epic fantasy series "The Chronicles of Fu Xi." Its critically important I bring this epic to a satisfying conclusion. If you're a fan of big, epic fantasy novels, please consider giving my series a try. Its gotten great reviews, has been nominated for a few rewards, and has a small, but loyal, following. If you're a fan of #GameofThrones or #HouseoftheDragon, you will enjoy this series. A key difference between my novels and George R.R. Martin's is I might actually finish my series. ;) If you're not sure about diving into a huge epic fantasy series, try my smaller, stand-alone novel "The Golden Princess." It exists in the larger universe of my epic series, but is a satisfying tale all by itself. Better yet, it's also published as a audiobook, narrated by Downton Abby's Philip Battley. I am exceptional proud of the work we did together bringing this audiobook to life, and I am sure you would enjoy it. Download it on Amazon or on Audible. When I return from my writing retreat I'll get back into the swing of blog updates again.  |
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