When are you an adult? 18 or 21? Make up you mind, America!

Just so we're straight on this, I'm 58. None of what I'm about to spew out applies to me. But it does matter to me and gives me a pause with concern.

Right now, today, if a young person is 18 they are considered an adult...sort of.

They can: drive a car, vote, get married, have a child in or out of wedlock, enter into a legally binding contract and so on and so on and so on. Okay, got it?

They can also join one of our armed forces and serve (and potentially die) for their country. Kind of a biggie in my mind.

Now, they cannot legally buy or consume alcohol (though they can die for their country...kind of odd, but okay)! They still drink (some/most of them) and they still drive cars so I can see where you'd want them a little more mature before you give them access to liquor stores...sort of.

They cannot buy handguns and soon (if some people have their way) they will not be able to purchase certain other weapons until the age of 21. Some stores have already "self" implemented these policies.

But we still allow them to vote? Huh!

What is the age of majority in this country of ours (the USA)? Can someone please explain to me this sliding scale in a way that makes any sense?

Teens and 3,000# vehicles have always been a bad mix. Teens and alcohol can lead to trouble in a lot of settings. We all know what happens when angry or depressed teens get their hands on guns. And let's face it, most 18 year-olds understand as much about legal contracts as I do about using Pinterest (and that ain't much)!

However, the problem should be obvious to all: If an 18-year-old is an adult, then they're an adult. If you want them to be 21 before they have access to all these great things that we adults get to have, then make it 21. But this odd mixture has to go!

If they can enter the military then these people deserve to drink, and the right to buy whatever firearms are legal for the rest of us to purchase. I do not believe it's fair to give them some rights, but not all rights.

I believe our legislators need our help in solving this issue. Our children deserve a clean, uncluttered path to adulthood. Quite frankly I don't care what age is chosen (my youngest is 30 and served 8 years in the USMC). Just give them everything they deserve and don't keep certain parts of adulthood hidden from them behind "curtain #3" until they turn some other magical age.

What do you think? I want to hear from you on this! Please comment below.


Until next time,

e a lake

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This Must Change! It Absolutely Has To!

22 veterans a day take their own lives due to triggering points associated with combat stress. That's one veteran every 65 minutes.

That statistic is unacceptable - Period!

PTSD is real, and must be properly addressed. 

How can we let our sons and daughters - nieces and nephews, our grandchildren, our neighbor's kids, the nice boy from church, that sweet girl from the animal shelter - go off to war, return home in one piece, and then be ignored to take their own lives?

It stuns me that this isn't headline news in each and every newspaper - EVERY DAY! 

It shocks me that Charlie Rose isn't screaming about this on the morning news!

It saddens me that it's always "someone else's problem". 

It is our problem; each and every one of us

I'm sickened by the fact that the Sunday News Shows had a casualty report every week during combat times. Where is the recognition for these brave souls now?

Veteran's Days was last Wednesday. I waited a week to start this campaign. A simple writer's blog where I typically talk about anything but this. Until this week. I want the madness to stop. I want all of our children safe. It's time we put an end to issues like bullying and teen suicide. Time for an end to the "heads in the sand" attitude over PTSD!

It is time we quit ignoring the atrocities occurring right here; whether on American soil or any of our Allies.

Our children are dying, people! Dying at alarming rates! We need to do something...NOW!

PTSD is Real!

If you don't believe me, I feel sorry for you. I've seen it first-hand; felt the pain first-hand; laid awake at night - all night sometimes, worrying about it.

You don't have to agree with the war to love the warriors. I don't love war. More precisely, I wish all war would stop, now! Because our children are the fighters in these battles. Not the President, not Congress, or the Supreme Court. Not any State Legislator, or Governor. Our children; that resource we hold so dear!

Over the next few months, I'll continue posting on this subject. It's not going away - so neither will I! 

Share the post with everyone you know. Because everyone you know knows someone in the military. And chances are that military member might just have PTSD.

Let's start saving lives one at a time, or two at a time. Or how about 22 a day?

Yeah, I like that idea.

Until later, pray for peace!

e a lake

(BTW - 22 a day equals almost 8,000 a year. Do I have your attention now?)

New Year 2015 - What it means to me

Happy New Year to all!  May 2015 be your best year EVER!

I have plans for this year, big plans. And do you know the best way to be held accountable for your plans? Make them public! So, here we go.

Plan One - Publish (at least) Three Novels in 2015

This should be easy. But if you've ever published a book/novel, you know it's not that easy.

I am almost ready to release a prequel for my WWIV series. I have three minor changes to be made, one last round of betas, a quick edit, formatting, and wah lah - it should hit the web. This is a novella actually (approx 20K words) and I plan on giving it away for free. Oh yeah, a title would be nice.

Book Three of the WWIV series is finished and in the hands of my first betas. After any necessary changes it will go out for first edits, one more round of readers, and then line edits. With any luck, WWIV - Basin of Secrets will be released by spring of 2015.

Then comes Book Four of the series; WWIV - Finders Keepers. While it is still in rough, first draft form, I already know of several changes I'll be making. After I release Book Three, I will get Book Four into the hands of my betas. By fall the entire process should be completed, and the fourth of five books will be published.

Plan Two - Advertise Smarter in 2015

Let's be honest; if you are a new author, you've probably wasted a fair amount of money on advertising your babies (your novels). And since there's no one secret to success, your trial and error method of tossing money about like chips on the roulette table hasn't worked very well. At least that's my experience thus far.

This year I am going to take my time and plan my marketing activities with some logic and reason. One of the ideas I'm dedicated to this year, is to make a concerted effort to make my budget reasonable with measurable results. What does that mean? Let me show you.

Many of us think we can spend $50 a month and sell thousands of books. Okay dreamers, that's not going to happen. What if you decide though you were going to spend $500 this first quarter on advertising? I bet you'd focus where that money went with a little more effort.

As self-published, independent authors we "cheap out" a lot. Spend $20 here and $49 there and hope we achieve some sort of results. Big authors with big publishing companies behind them spend thousands, ten of thousands, of dollars on marketing. I'm not saying that I have that to spend. But on a smaller scale, I bet I can make $1,000 this quarter go a long ways towards name and brand recognition, right?

And how about I do some activities where I can measure my results; that's a good plan. I've already bought into the idea of separate landing pages for each of my books. This way, I can have my team (daughter and oldest son) drill down into the data that comes from the pages and make more informed decisions as we spend more money.

Yes, I will spend $1,000 to sell a mere 500 books (basically a break-even). This is because it increases my readership, helps my rankings, and gets my brand (WWIV or Smith Chronicles) in front of more and more potential readers.

Plan Three - Be Benevolent in 2015

There are three causes I stand firmly with: Literacy, Anti-Bullying, and Helping our Vets.

I will give at least 10% of my 2015 earnings (usually marked by gross sales) to the causes and some of the many charities that represent them. Last year (2014) I had $6,014 of gross sales from books. My goal for 2015 is $15,000. Given these numbers, I plan on giving at least $1,500 to charities associated with the three causes listed above.

I will keep you updated as the year progresses.

What are your plans/goals for 2015? Please feel free to share them with me, or the world!


Here's to a great 2015 for all of humanity.


e a lake

My Books:

                        

Doomed Preppers - A short story

This week's post consists of one of the first pieces I created. A short-story that would fuel my desire for dystopian and post-apocalyptic writing.

I hope you enjoy the tale; it's very short, so it should be an easy read. Comments are always welcome. Perhaps we'll even come up with an idea or two to make this into a novella.

Enjoy!

lake

Doomed Preppers

Four years, three months and four days. That’s how long Matt and Betsi Jones had trained for this exact situation. Long and hard they had prepared for the day that almost everyone knew would eventually come. The day the lights went out and SHTF. Matt and Betsi were well prepared for all this.

Fifty-one months and four days they had trained. Three to five mile runs morning and evening. Long weekend hikes with 50-pound packs. Sit-ups until their abdominal muscles screamed. Weight training until their arms burned and begged to stop. Swimming sessions that lasted for hours.

One thousand, five hundred and fifty-six days. That’s how long they prepped for the exact moment. They had saved money and bought extra water, extra food. They did without movies and instead bought lightweight balanced weapons. They drove older cars so they had extra money for thousands of rounds of ammunition. They used coupons for everything so they could afford their top-notch survival gear. Matt and Betsi had done without for so long because this was a time they knew they could and would survive.

Twenty-six hours. Twenty-six stinking, measly hours. That’s how long before the SHTF for Matt and Betsi. One day and two hours was as long as all their training, all their saving, all their preparing carried them. Twenty-six lousy hours.

One thousand, five hundred and sixty minutes. The exact amount of time Matt lived after the lights went out. Matt and Betsi spent the first twenty-four hours preparing for their nine-hour journey from Rochester to Newberry. Newberry, Michigan, at the far eastern, remote, desolate end of the Upper Peninsula. Newberry, their safety and refuge. Newberry, where their small cabin full of food and supplies quietly awaited their arrival. Newberry, a place Matt and Betsi would never see again.

Two hours and ten minutes. That’s where Matt’s journey in this new world ended. His trip with Betsi lasted 130 minutes. The last 130 minutes they would be together until the promised eternity brought them back forever. If Betsi had known, she would have just sat back and enjoyed Matt’s last minutes on earth. She would have studied his face, his now hardened features. She would have reminded him on a minute-by-minute basis how much she loved him, just how special he was to her.  But time doesn’t allow for rewinds.

Instead Betsi sat in the passenger seat of their 2002 Jeep Wrangler watching the road in front of them, carefully, intently. They had traveled this exact path many times. They knew every twist and turn, every hill and dale this road had to offer. Still, Betsi watched, closely. She watched for the trouble they knew they’d find. The trouble they hoped they’d beat by leaving so soon after the start. But two hours and ten minutes into their journey trouble found them.

A simple roadblock manned by six lawless men was their undoing. The blockade was strategically set just after a severe ninety-degree turn in their road. A turn that brought their vehicle speed dangerously low, less than 15 miles an hour. A turn that allowed the pirates to block them in from the front as well as the rear.

Before their vehicle was even stopped Matt had his weapon at the ready. He jumped from the driver’s side and drew a bead on the group in front of their tenuous position. Betsi watched, not breathing. Matt knew what he was doing, he was well prepared. It wasn’t until the gunshot came from behind them that Betsi even knew there were more in the rear.

Matt dropped to the ground, his last breath spent. A single man walked up and kicked his now lifeless body signifying Matt’s death for all to see. The group of ten now closed in around the idling vehicle. Betsi scrambled for her weapon but knew it was already too late. Her door torn open, and the bandits ripped Betsi from her sanctuary. Taken from the only man she had ever loved. Taken from a world that offered some safety, to a world that had none.

##########

One single moment in time. It was just one heartbeat. One second; one fraction of a minute. Joe stared down, hidden above on the ridge twenty yards from the murder. He had only stopped to relieve his ready to burst bladder. He had seen the roadblock from above, the trap awaiting some poor unsuspecting traveler. He knew it would be trouble for someone but not for him. Now he stared at the scene - the gunman, the dead husband, the screaming woman, the rough group. Joe frowned and shook his head ever so slightly.

He’d been walking for six hours. He still wasn’t sure where he was going, where he should be going. He just knew he had to get away from trouble, trouble that would follow when the SHTF. This was the exact trouble he’d wanted to avoid…desperately. But one single moment in time had changed all that.

Jesuit Brother Joseph Clower rose slowly from his secluded squat. Business was at hand, business he knew he had to attend to promptly. This is why God had sent him to this place, at this exact moment in time.

Dystopia 102 (or 101 Part II)

Last week I wrote about some of the basics of writing a dystopian book. To summarize, be sure your idea is well thought out and preferably is something new. Above all, do a little research; remember, Rome wasn't built in a day.

Dystopian vs Post-Apocalyptic

Many don't see the difference between the two sub-genres. Though they may be subtle, the differences do exist and are important, very important.

Dystopia is the exact opposite of Utopia. Think of a Utopian world as the perfect setting. Something like you'd find in Shangri-La, as portrayed in James Hilton's Lost Horizon. Men and women, beasts and humans, liberals and conservatives all live in peace and happiness - the perfect world.

Dystopia, then, is the opposite of that. Perhaps it begins with an oppressive government, or no government. Perhaps there are too many laws guiding humankind. Or perhaps no laws exist anywhere. People are free to choose, people are slaughtered if they don't follow strict rules. Dystopia has its options.

Dystopia will usually play a role in most post-apocalyptic settings. More or less dystopia comes calling when the end of the World hits us. But, and this is an important distinction, you do not have to have an apocalyptic event to bring on dystopia.

A World Gone Bad (or Mad)

I've written a dystopian book series that will be published sometime in the next two years. The entire series falls under the title of The Smith Chronicles, with the first book entitled Golden 5. While nothing here may sound very dystopian, I guarantee you, it is planted firmly on Orwell's 1984 path.

In this series, the United States economy has finally collapsed (as many now predict it will do, soon). Not overly original, but the series is based on an event that many people have already considered. After the government tries to use its heavy hand to stop the troubles that follow, it (our government) finally collapses as well.

Imagine if you will, for a brief moment, the United States without its mammoth and powerful government at the helm. Without constant tax revenues the military, the National Guard, your local police won't get paid. How many of these fine service members are going to continue showing up at work, risking the life daily, when there's no paycheck at the end of the rainbow? See the problem.

States, counties and local municipalities will begin to assemble militias. Some will be good, most we hope. But some will fill their ranks with undesirables; the type that are given the choice of jail or service (perhaps even death or service). And that, my dear friends, will be your protection. Or, you're new oppressive form of government.

No Messy Bombs Required

Without the need to destroy the world through bombs, EMPs, solar flares, explosion of the Yellowstone cauldron, I've created a world that is dark, a world where hope is in short supply. A world where people are looking to Washington for help, not realizing Washington as they knew it is missing. Bring in the anarchists, the wicked, the revenge seekers. The strong and the well-armed shall inherit the earth - well, at least my little portion of the earth in northern Wisconsin.

If done properly, a dystopian tale can be quite interesting. One just needs to avoid the cliches found in the genre. Don't create a modern version of 1984 or The Handmaids Tale. Be original; come up with new settings, new problems, new and interesting characters. Create your dystopian book or novel from a point of view that hasn't been tried yet. I could give you examples, but then I'd be giving away some of my secrets.

Whatever you write, do it well. Spend the time creating that it deserves. Rome, my friends, fell overnight. But the planning had been going on for years.


Until next time - read, read, read.



lake

Dystopia 101

This is going to be a two-part post about the ins and outs of dystopian writing. At least my take on dystopian writing. Part one is this week; part two will follow next Wednesday.

The first rule is there ain’t no rules

As most of you will realize, I stole that quote from the movie Grease. You remember the scene; Danny (John Travolta) and the slimly guy from the gang (I don’t recall their name) are lined up for a drag race in the aqueducts of LA. That’s when our hero’s opponent leans over and gives Danny a rundown on the rules - the short and simple rules.

Here’s what I like to do: tear society apart bit by bit. Sounds easy, right? Maybe not quite that simple. I can do away with of protection (Police and National Guard) but I have to give the reader a believable scenario in which the protection disappears.

A good writer cannot and will not create something so unbelievable that their audience immediately reacts with, “oh come on!” No, you have to give it some forethought. Find a good, viable (and believable) reason why the usual protectors of the people don’t show up to do their tasks.

In WWIV – In The Beginning I took away all power, all communications, most running cars. Gone was fresh water, delivery of fresh food, our most technical forms of medical care. I didn’t say how (that comes in a later book), but I put the entire world in the same boat.

Some folks figured this dystopian setting was caused by solar flares; others – EMPs. Later, some will blame it on nuclear war, or even God’s wrath. Here, the how was not overly important. Most people, to varying degrees, believe this can happen to our world.

The important take away from this step: The situation was believable.

Next: Begin the slow crumble of society

History shows us this is an easy step; a simple leap for the reader to make. Hurricane Katrina, the tsunami that struck Japan, earthquakes, tornadoes, riots. What do these events all have in common? The way that our society reacts.

Some people rise to the occasion. There are always a number of brave, selfless people who shine during troubled times. They believe in the good of all humanity, they are cheerleaders rallying the troops, believers in the common good.  My example was Bill Carlson from Book One (mentioned above).

Bill didn’t let a little thing like The End of the World As We Know It get in his way. No, immediately he set about trying to helps his friends, his neighbors. When someone was frightened, he tried to be rational. When someone was injured, his compassionate side shined. He was the All-American guy next door. The neighbor we all wish we had.

Creating Bill did not come without its critics. Some readers find him unbelievable, unrealistic. “Who would hang around 18 days while the world crumbled around him?” one reader asked. Others found his “come-on let’s hold hands and sign songs” attitude far beyond what their realism meters would allow.

No matter what you think of Bill, and his actions, I believe we can admit one thing – there are people like Bill all around us. Perhaps they’re not your friends or neighbors, but they exist. Bill is real; in every sense of the word (except for being a fictionalized character in a novel).

Then come the bad

How many times have you seen news footage of looters after some catastrophic event? A lot, right? Too many times most likely. The bad will always come to the surface during times of crisis. And sometimes, they will grab the upper hand.

Imagine, if you will, a world without power and police. No one can report any of your ill deeds to anyone. Absolutely no cavalry will come in and save the day. Whatever you want to do, for the most part you can. And if you’re stronger and better armed than the rest – too bad for them.

This is not to say that all of us will descend into lawlessness, but some will. Perhaps many will. In my dystopian world, many do. With no one to hold them and their dastardly deeds in check, they will do what they do best – cause chaos. I’m mean, who’s going to stop them? The character Bill Carlson I mentioned above? No, I don’t think so.

No one actually knows how bad the bad will be. How far humanity will slide. Many believe that most honest law abiding citizens cannot comprehend how far our world will fall. Bill Carlson didn’t know; thus, he was shocked at what he witnessed outside his own cul-de-sac in Woodbury, Minnesota.

                               

My summary statement for part one of this post is: Keep your story believable. Give it some thought, a lot of thought. Look back on history, do some research. Somewhere you will find a believable voice for your dystopian creation.

Next week we will dive even deeper into dystopia. We will explore what it is, and just as important, what it isn’t. Until then, have a great week.

lake

I know how will you DIE

Here's the rub; I know how most of you will die. In a post-apocalyptic setting that is. And after I warn you about it below, chances are there'll be nothing you can do to stop this type of death.

Post-Apocalyptically Speaking:

If events occur, such as the scenario laid out in my WWIV series, death will most likely come to 50% of all people reading this within one year. Some experts say the entire earth's population could decrease by as much as 75% in a year. Please remember, these numbers are merely estimates; some based on math and science, others based on "intuition".

So let's grab some of these numbers that the "experts" have come up with and dissect them a little more.

Medical

Some of you will die from your current medical maladies. I, for instance, have a son with Type I insulin dependent diabetes. Without a fresh supply of insulin, his life will be tougher. Without a meter to monitor his blood, his death moves up years. But he's not the only demographic in trouble. Think of all the infirmed and elderly; dependent on oxygen and other daily supplies. No one will be delivering anything new for a very very long time (make that never).

The medical issue could account for a 50% mortality rate in the first year all by itself. Forget about the spread of disease as people start to die and go unburied. Or eating spoiled and tainted food, or drinking contaminated water. We have enough medical issues in the US of A to cause enough trouble alone. And that's before the Apocalypse ever comes.

War and Fighting

There's going to be the have's and the havenot's. And one of these groups is going to want some (perhaps ALL) of what the other group has - mainly food and water.

Yes, if times get desperate enough, people will kill you for your supplies. If the choice is either die from starvation/dehydration or kill someone so you can live, you'd be surprised how many people will be willing to make the otherwise unimaginable choice.

Now, these attacks may come at home. The place where you and your family have barricaded yourself as protection against the wandering hoards of marauders. In some fiction these people take the form of zombies or vampires, In my fiction, I just use your neighbors or people living nearby. So go ahead, arm yourself, lock you and your family inside. It only makes it more obvious to others that you have what they don't. And when your protection and ammo run out, so will your luck.

Or maybe you and the wife and kiddies take to the road. For that scenario, I invented road-scum. These are those nefarious members of society that quickly discover the easiest place to find what they need is traveling right down the road in front of their faces. They're not stupid, though many of the upper-crust believes the lower-crusts are, so they know what to do. And perhaps they have less rules than the rest of society. Perhaps their morals are askew. Or perhaps, just by bad luck and planning, they were the first groups to run out of fresh food and water.

Starvation

Yep, some of us will run out of food, plain and simple. Look in your pantry; if it's anything like mine it's stocked with more goodies than you could eat in a year, right? Ha! Not even close. A family of four will wipe out their food supplies in less than a month; probably closer to two weeks.

The biggest error most people will make is not preserving a stock of food. No, they'll eat like kings and queens, then soon discover their food is low, mighty low. And if you're low on water you certainly aren't going to use the last of that precious resource to boil your instant potatoes or white rice, are you? Come on folks, remember the saying; three weeks without food and you could die. Three days without water and you will die.

Water

This, I believe, will be the death of most people. The lack of clean drinking water.

In case of an emergency, the DHS recommends you have one gallon of clean water, per person, with a three days supply. For an average family of four that will require 12 gallons of water. Be honest, do you have that on hand? I don't, and I doubt you do either.

Further, most stored water has a shelf life of six to twelve months. It's not good forever you know. Stagnant water allows bacteria to grow. Bacteria that will kill you so quick, you'll never know. I use this as a rule of thumb - if my dogs turn their noses up at it, I'm not drinking it either.

I did a search of my house last night. If I'm lucky, and I mean really lucky, I can round up three to four gallons of water if the power goes out. If it's too dangerous to be outdoors, you are going to need to stick inside. So that's about two days of water for two people (and I'd be getting real creative at the end, like emptying the tanks above the toilet).

I have food for a while, weeks most likely. But water for only two, maybe three days. There's a problem. That means I'll probably meet my Maker dying from thirst, or disease from drinking bad water. Look up water on the internet and do some of the research about the clear odorless fluid. There's more to it than you think.

Roughly one to two weeks before anyone will begin to die of starvation, you'll most likely be dead from lack of clean drinking water. That's an ugly future, if it were to ever happen.

I'm not telling you this to scare you

I just want people to be aware that if there ever is a problem, it might be worse than you even imagine. You can fight off wandering hoards of ruffians; you can somehow keep your blood sugar in check; you can eat the family pets if you have to. But if you go beyond that third day without water - well, all your hard work will soon be for naught. I'm not advocating you stock up on fresh drinking water, no! Just educate yourself in case you ever lose your water supply for a week because of a flood, or an earthquake...or a large solar flare, or massive mid-level EMPs.

Hey, it could happen.


See you next week where I hope to have a more uplifting topic. Something perhaps that doesn't keep you awake at night.


lake

Cover Reveal: WWIV - Kids at War

Okay, here it is; the cover for my second novel in the WWIV series:

It's really about as dystopian as I could hope for. The dull grey letters, the old farmhouse, the bare tree limbs, the muted black and white picture - just perfect. Thanks again to Laura LaRoche at LLPix for all of her awesome help and creativity.

Before I continue, I feel a word of caution is required for this novel.

NO! I am not nuts and I did not create a book where I arm a bunch of 8-year-olds with semi-automatic weapons ... so there!

Although, you do have to admit that it might make an interesting premise for a book.

Now, without further delay, please click on the link below and you will be taken to a free sample (Chapter One) of this soon to be released book.


Click here for your free sample of Chapter One


That's all for today - I'll have another post next Wednesday. I think it's about learning from mistakes, but I may be mistaken.


Oh yes, I am quite the funny one tonight!


lake

Charity: Begins at Home

Sometimes it's real easy to say you support this or that, or maybe you post a whole series on it. That's all good and fine, but I want to do more for the causes I support.

This week I announce specific plans to support each of the issues I feel strongly about. Immediately below you will find the issue, and the level of my support. I am pledging support upfront with these causes. I'm not waiting until I've made X amount of money or sold Y amount of books. Something from each sale, not matter how large or small, will be contributed to these causes.

By making my plans known upfront, I allow my readers and followers to hold me accountable to these promises. As such, I ask that each of you share this with two or three of your friends. And have them share it with their friends.

Without further discussion, here goes:


LITERACY

A well read population is a better educated population. Many authors support this cause (literacy) and I do as well.

September is National Literacy Month. That makes September a perfect time to set aside some money for the promotion of literacy.

During the month of September, I pledge to give 20 cents from every book sold to help promote literacy, both here and abroad. I place no cap on this pledge. If I sell 1,000 books, $200 will be donated. If I sell 2,000 books, $400. You get the idea.

So far I've sold an average of 700 books a month. September will see the release of Book Two of my WWIV series. Thus, I anticipate higher numbers. As a base pledge, I will give $140 to literacy no matter how many books I sell.

So, it's up to my readers as to how much above that $140 mark I will give. Again, NO top end. Twenty cents on every book no matter how many books are sold.

I will spend the next six weeks vetting the best place for this donation. If you have any suggestions, please feel free to contact me via email at: ealake5@gmail.com.


ANTI-BULLYING

This is something that needs our attention now! Our children of all ages need to feel safe. They don't need the stress or concern or intimidation caused by bullying. As such, I will help.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month here in the US. That's a great time to focus on this cause. I really want to do something special here.

During the month of October, I will create a small novel (novella) of about 30,000 to 40,000 words that deal specifically with this topic. Now, it will be symbolic for the most part, and the bullying that occurs will be hid in a metaphor. But I think you are going to like it.

If I write it in October, it will be edited in November and ready for release on Amazon, Barnes and Noble, iBooks, Smashwords, etc... before Christmas. I'm thinking this will sell for 99 cents on all outlets (to make it affordable). It will still be Dystopian in nature, but I have the perfect setting and storyline that will bring bullying to the forefront.

For as long as I'm alive, I pledge 75% of all net proceeds from the sale of this story towards various anti-bullying causes. If enough copies sell each year, this amount could be nice. At a minimum, I will give $250 to the cause each year - regardless of how many copies sell. I will try and announce each October how many copies sold in the last year and how much money was given.


SUPPORT OUR TROOPS

Another worthy cause. Bodily injuries, mental anguish, emotional distress - all harms that befall our young men and women who serve their country voluntarily. While Washington, and our taxes, do provide some help, more is still needed. And that's where I'll help out.

Next year (2015), I will be releasing  Book One of a new series, The Smith Chronicles. This first book will be released under the title of Golden 5. There will be at least another three books in the series. Each of these books is almost twice as long as my current series. I'm planning on making them great reads, for my great readers.

While this series is more Dystopian, and not post-apocalyptic, than the WWIV series, there will be plenty of action and suspense. Chances are Golden 5 (and the subsequent books) will appeal to a wider audience than my first series. As such, these should be good sellers.

From this series, I pledge 25% of all net proceeds to be donated to causes that support our troops and veterans. As 2015, and the books release, draw closer - I will let you know what causes the money will go to. One will have to do with physical injuries - a charity similar to Wounded Warrior Project. Another will deal will emotional and physical problems - something like Soldiers to Summits. Still another will deal with PTSD, and a last will be a local California organization where MY Marine spent the first four years of his service.

If this series sells exceptionally well (and I have no idea what that means after being a published author for only 4 months) I will use some of the funds from these books to help equal out support for the first two causes mentioned above. If I make $10,000 from the sale of this series, I will be more than happy to give away in excess of $2,500. There is no limit to how much I feel I should give. I have already exceed my expectations (and wildest dreams) with the sales to date of WWIV - In The Beginning. I'd like to make a difference in this world; I'd like us all to make a difference. And together we can...we will!


Until next week, read a classic or a brand new author. You never know what's waiting for you in the world of books. And take a few minutes during your week to perform random acts of kindness.


lake

Support Our Troops

No one hates war more than me. Okay, maybe I'm tied for first place in the disliking of war category with two billion others. But you get the point, I don't see much good coming from war. What was it that General George Patton said? "War is hell!"

If that's your motto, I've got a new one from you to try.

Hate the war, but love the warrior

I really, really believe in the above statement. And I passionately support it when it comes to our troops. I'm talking about the troops that represent The United States of America. The US Marines, the US Army, the US Navy, the US Air Force, the Coast Guard, and the National Guard. All of them; as well as troops from whatever country you read this post in. Full-timers, reservists, volunteers, professionals...all of them. Each and every one of these men and women have my undying admiration, non-wavering support, and complete respect.

When I was younger, we were in the middle of the Vietnam War. You think protests and negative feelings of war are bad now? You haven't seen anything. The late 1960s were terrible times to be a soldier. "Baby Killers" is the label that always sticks in my mind. Here was a group of young men only doing what their country asked them to do. They came back home after their service was over, expecting a hero's welcome. Instead, they were greeted by angry mobs of young adults who, amongst other things, spit on these people. Yes, they actually spit of young men in uniform, young men who couldn't comprehend the other's actions.

Love the warrior

Nowadays, the young men and women that serve in our armed forces have predominantly volunteered. No one drafted them, no one forced them to join, no one put a gun to their head. Of their own free will, they joined. Now, perhaps they didn't quite realize just how dangerous their service might be, but they still came freely.

Some will say, "They chose this, they're paid for this; so they should have known what they were getting into." HOGWASH! As little as eighteen months ago, many of them were at their senior prom. Their toughest choice was who to take, or where to eat, or would Dad give them the good car for the night. People occasionally got hurt in their schools, usually out of stupidity. But all in all, life was simple.

Fast forward time: Some have been injured, seriously. Lost arms and legs, eyes. Horrific wounds cover some of their bodies. They will never be whole again. Yet they survive.

Some have internal wounds. Wounds we cannot see; wounds hiding under the surface. Sometimes our soldiers don't even know these wounds are harboring inside their heads. But they will come out; these wounds will rear their ugly head eventually. They always do!

These young men and women have seen things that will never go away. They watched as their friends and buddies died next to them. They witnessed people being blown to pieces by IEDs. They were shot at and missed - sometimes shot at and hit. We can try to understand what they have gone through, but make no mistake - we will never fully know know their plight.

Our warriors need our help

A number of years ago I was involved in a very serious car accident. I had very few external injuries, but the damage done to my back was permanent (as you would expect in a rear-end accident). About 18 months later I suddenly realized one day that my memory wasn't as sharp as it had once been. I misplaced my car keys (A LOT). I would enter a room and suddenly have no idea what I was there for. And one night I actually got lost on the way home from work. I mean really lost; like to the point where I was panicked, badly! I had a mild brain injury.

My injuries, both internal and external, are nothing compared to what has happened to some of our troops. I didn't lose a leg, or an arm, or an eye. I never saw anyone shot through the head by a sniper. I haven't watched as the vehicle in front of me exploded into the air after striking a roadside bomb. I understand, but I will never ever have a full knowledge of what they are going through.

I read this the other day:

There are 23 Military Suicides Daily

This, my friends, has to stop. We have to do something to stem the tide - before the problem takes care of itself, tragically, right in front of our eyes.

I began my first novel, Golden 5 (releasing next spring), because I had an idea to make people more aware of the problem of PTSD. Almost every day I see a news story about a young man who has given up hope and killed himself. Or I read on an online post from a young woman who is hanging on by her very last thread. Family members are being caught in the crossfire. Our young are dying because we don't have any idea of what to do.

They've served bravely, honorably

And now it's our turn. Perhaps you do hate war more than me. I just hope you love our warriors as much as I do. These are our sons and daughters, nieces and nephews, grandchildren, the neighbor's kids, someone from your church. They've already survived the war - Let's make it so they can survive once they get home.

Next week I will tell you how I plan on helping. 

Over the past three weeks now I've spoken about Literacy, Bullying, and Supporting our Troops. These are the causes which I proudly stand beside. I plan to help, not matter how large or small, to the best of my ability. I ask that you help support these deserving needs either by purchasing a particular book I will speak of next week or by direct contribution to the charity of your choice.

This is our world. These people in need are our family and friends. It makes no sense whatsoever to sit and watch, turning a blind eye when convenient. By making my plans public, at least I should be held accountable by my readers. And accountable I will be.


Until next week, keep reading - because that's what you're supposed to do during the summer!


lake

So, what exactly do I "stand" for?

Okay, it's a fair question. And it deserves a well thought out response. I hope you will find just that herein.

Many writers/authors have a cause. Some are cheerleaders for social change. Others bring the environment to the forefront. And still more want to feed the hungry children here and there. While I support many causes in my daily life, here are the big three to which I plan on donating some of my writing profits.

Literacy
All literacy in general, but especially children's literacy.

Found this interesting little tidbit online: According to the National Assessment of Educational Progress, only 34 percent of America’s fourth graders read at grade level. (parenting.blog.nytimes.com)

Here's the problem with the above statement: those children who fall behind in reading, typically fall behind in other areas of school work. This leads to higher dropout rates as well as another alarming issue - a larger number of high school graduates that are functionally illiterate. And that my friends, is a huge problem.

Last month I read another alarming stat, but I'll be darned if I can remember where I found it. So I'm going to paraphrase and hopefully someone will help me out and refer to this article in the comments below. The statement went something like this: In 1970, the number of Americans who didn't read a book in the last year was 7%. By 2012, that number rose to 28%.

A huge part of learning is reading. We have to - absolutely must - get our children reading, and reading more. Whether it's a magazine, a sporting journal, a book, or even a comic; we need our children more actively involved in this past time.



Bullying
I stand firmly with our youth who find themselves bullied these days.

When I was a kid, times were simpler. If you were bullied, you had more options. I remember being picked on by a certain classmate in third grade. Regardless of what I did, it seemed this young lad made fun of me. Others laughed at his bullying. I felt embarrassed, less of a person.

It started up again immediately in fourth grade. When I walked into the classroom on the first day, there he sat, ready to dish it out all over again. After about a week of it, I realized something. Over the summer I had grown nine inches; him - zero. I now stood a full head taller than he. So one day at recess, when he decided to bully and badger me about something (I honestly don't remember what his problem was anymore), I confidently stepped over and shoved him to the ground. Staring down at the now cowardly bully, I made this statement: "If you don't shut up, I'm going to pound you."

That was it; the bullying ended. Looking back it probably wasn't the best way to handle the situation, but I'm sure my father would have told me to do just that...if I had ever been brave enough to tell my dad.

I know it's different now. Social media brings a whole new life to bullying; takes it to another level. I understand. And hopefully my post on bullying will help at least one person who finds his or herself in the rotten spot which I found myself in so many years ago.


Our Troops
I live by the expression, "Hate the War, but Love the Warrior!"

On December 13, 1862 Robert E. Lee stood on a hill overlooking the Battle of Fredericksburg. As the cannons roared just below him and spewed death upon the Union troops, he uttered these immortal words: "It is well that war is so terrible - otherwise we would grow too fond of it."

A few years back I visited my son in Fredericksburg and stood on the spot where it is believed Lee spoke the above phrase. It's a haunting place; the feeling of dead souls seems to fill the air. Just below the ridge you can still see the trenches that the Confederate soldiers dug to protect themselves from the Union artillery. War, it does truly seem, is hell.

We send our finest young men and women to do battle for our country. While we may not support the war effort, we need to remember our troops. Many are returning nowhere near as whole as when they left. Some die; more are physically injured. Many of our children return emotionally and psychologically battered.

They need our love, our support, and our help. I for one will do my part.


Alright, I've said enough for now. Starting next week, I will pick up with Literacy. Watch for that post on Wednesday July 9th. And please share these posts with a friend and encourage them to share with others as well. I'm not really trying to sell books on my blog - I'm attempting to help others as much I can. Even if it's just one person at a time.


Until next week, enjoy your summer (and do some fun reading).


lake