Michael Goldcraft's Blog: The Mind of Michael Goldcraft

THE TOTAL NUMBER OF HUMANS that has ever lived is approximately 110 billion. Of
those, about 6% or just over seven billion are alive today. Ten thousand years ago – 8,000 BC – there were only about one million humans on earth; that is million, not billion. It takes 1,000 million to equal 1 billion.

So where did 103 billion humans go? Did they simply die and cease, forever, to exist? Were their souls or spirits reincarnated as their own posterity? Did their spirits fly off to heaven or hell? Do we have only this life? And finally, is there any other place – another dimension – having nothing to do with a god or the cosmos, where some remnant of each person lives on perpetually? If there is an invisible – but somehow tangible – place here on earth, it must be well populated with over a hundred billion souls. That would seem to make it likely then, that some of these souls or spirits would occasionally pass through that gossamer barrier here on earth to reach into our contemporary, physical lives for good, bad, or simply companionship.

Many believe in heaven, far away. Most shudder at the images we’ve been fed of hell and its torture…eternal torture. No god I believe in would torture his creation forever because of mistakes made in a scant seventy or eighty years of life. Nonsense! That would be a god more cruel and sinful than any sin even the most heinous of humans could commit. I don’t believe in hell, therefore. I have doubts about heaven. God seems to be “hands off,” at least in this life. And scientific research only expands one’s disbelief as the scientists observe the expansion of the universe itself. Those things said, God created humans, gave them a brain, and – I’m sure – he expects us to use it. Faith and intellect may both be the keys. Who knows? Not I.

But, let’s examine the possibility that those 103 billion people are still here on earth, in some kind of ethereal form, intelligent, observant, but simply not flesh and blood. Let’s think a bit – for just a moment – about a possibility I like to consider and which I’ve named: “The Unknown Province.” The existence of the Province would explain a lot: ghosts, poltergeists, apparitions, even “grandma wandering in the garden each summer solstice.”

Evidence? Well, first, let’s examine the five human senses. Everything we directly know about, comes from those senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. I can see a mountain or a mole hill, I can hear thunder and the crashing of the surf, I can smell the salty sea air and the baking of fresh bread, I can taste a rich, cool beer, a dry red wine, the flavors within a delicious apple pie, and the saltiness of popcorn. And I can feel with my tongue, the popcorn’s texture. My hands can touch and feel the smoothness of a marble counter or the roughness of sandpaper.

All you and I experience is done through our five senses. Physical things send reflected rays of colored light to our eyes, air carries sound waves that strike our ears, air-borne molecules activate the olfactory nerve endings within our nasal passages, chemical molecules stimulate our taste buds, and physical materials – solid, liquid, or even gas – are detected by the nerves in our fingertips, or upon our bare back if cold rain falls upon us at the beach.

But what can’t we perceive with our five senses? Without aid, we cannot see a single virus or individual bacterium. Without aid, we cannot hear a radio wave broadcast. Without aid we cannot observe the television satellite signals beaming back to mother earth. There is so much that we have proven to exist, but that we absolutely cannot perceive with our five senses.

Just 185 years ago, before 1830, there was no radio, no television, no cell phones, no computers, no airplanes, basically no “technology.” If we could bring an American patriot forward from the past (1776) and here today, we could tell him that the air is filled with voices and images – people, animals, huge buildings, steaming jungles. He would not believe it. And he would be terrified at the sight and sound of our military jets racing across the sky above. The point is, he could not conceive of such things from his reference point, and with his limited knowledge, carried with him from 1776.

Are we in that same position? Are we so very certain that the Unknown Province, here on earth, does not exist?

Whirl around quickly! Take in all you see, hear, smell, touch and can taste? Do you feel the presence of a being from The Unknown Province? Can you hear a voice, see a phantom?

No? Well, come back, my friend, and I’ll begin my stories…Tales of things that are happening today and will happen tomorrow. My stories may reveal…The Unknown Province!

Affectionately yours,
Michael Goldcraft

P.S. In the meantime, I invite you to visit my Amazon Page
and glance over my other tales including my Darke Lyfe Trilogy:http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_nos...

Heartbreaker

A CHRISTMAS GIFT FOR THE CHILDREN. FREE! Today, for the last time before Christmas, I invite you to go to Amazon and download your copy of "The Tiny Cog," a delightful, well-illustrated e-book for children 6 to 10. Follow Reggie on his adventure as he attempts to save the Kingdom of Orbox, and also somehow "fit in." It's a story about being different and realizing just how wonderful each person - or little cog - is! Cheer for Reggie!

JUST CLICK OR PASTE IN THE LINK BELOW.
http://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Cog-Chris-...

Best Wishes and Happy Holidays,
Michael Brim, Brothersons Press

This Saturday, at Amazon, my son's children's e-book, "The Tiny Cog," will be FREE. I invite all to download their copy and follow Reggie, The Tiny Cog, as he saves the Kingdom of Orbox and manages to fit in. Wonderful illustrations and an important message for kids. This little book is for children 6 to 10. Here's the link to the book: http://www.amazon.com/The-Tiny-Cog-Ch...
Best wishes, Michael Goldcraft

Hi :
Tomorrow, October 19th, (and on October 25, 26 and 31) you're invited to download FREE from Amazon my short story collection:
"Thirteen Tales of Eclectic Evil."

It's intriguing, suspenseful, diverse entertainment. I hope you enjoy it.

Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Thirteen-Tales-...

Feel free to pass this invitation along to any of your friends.

Best wishes, Michael Goldcraft

FREE!! Brothersons Press and Amazon have a gift for you. Tomorrow you can download Michael Goldcraft’s “Thirteen Tales of Eclectic Evil.” It’s our pre-Halloween gift to you: an introduction to the stories and novels of this award-winning author. Get you copy tomorrow! http://www.amazon.com/Thirteen-Tales-...

Hi :
Here is a gift for you. My latest non-fiction book for women is free TODAY, September 30th, from Amazon. It is entitled: MEN OF PLANET EARTH – A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO THE MALE POPULATION AND THE GOOD GUYS HIDDEN WITHIN IT.

Men of Planet Earth is a principle-centered book for women who want to reach their full potential, increase their self-esteem, make wiser decisions, and develop a relationship with a man who is TRULY WORTHY OF THEM.

The book was inspired by my sister, my granddaughter, and many students I taught in classes of Human Biology. I am a retired biologist and executive director. My goal has been to help women - especially young women (18-25) - become more aware of the realities of life. The book includes chapters on personal development, dating, relationships, sex, sexually-transmitted diseases, birth control, and the creation of a long-term commitment between a woman and a man.

I invite you to visit Amazon, take a "Look Inside," and then, if you'd like to, download the free book. And please feel free to pass along this invitation to your “goodreads” friends.

Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Men-Planet-Eart...
Thanks and best wishes, Michael S. Brim, M.S.
(Writing fiction as Michael Goldcraft)

Hi Ladies:
Here is a gift for you. My latest non-fiction book for women is free TOMORROW, September 30th, from Amazon. It is entitled: MEN OF PLANET EARTH – A FEMALE’S GUIDE TO THE MALE POPULATION AND THE GOOD GUYS HIDDEN WITHIN IT.

Men of Planet Earth is a principle-centered book for women who want to reach their full potential, increase their self-esteem, make wiser decisions, and most importantly, develop a relationship with a man who is TRULY WORTHY OF THEM.

The book was inspired by my sister, my granddaughter, and many students I taught in classes of Human Biology. I am a retired biologist and executive director. My goal has been to help women - especially young women (18-25) - become more aware of the realities of life. The book includes chapters on personal development, dating, relationships, sex, sexually-transmitted diseases, birth control, and the creation of a long-term commitment between a woman and a man.

I invite you to visit Amazon, take a "Look Inside," and then, if you'd like to, download the free book. And please feel free to pass along this invitation to your “goodreads” friends.

Here's the link:
http://www.amazon.com/Men-Planet-Eart...

Thanks and Best wishes, Michael S. Brim, M.S.
(Writing fiction as Michael Goldcraft)

FREE EBOOK TOMORROW, JUNE 13TH!

http://www.amazon.com/Ascent-Evil-Dar...

Begin the adventure - FOR FREE - and loan it to any of your Amazon E-Book friends. Don't have a Kindle? View it on your laptop with the FREE downloadable Kindle for PC!

Anthropologist Steven Atticus found more than a preserved Viking corpse in that cold Canadian lake. He found the progenitor of the vampyre race. And now he and a special task force, including the FBI, race to prevent the unthinkable from happening in a city by the sea - because vampyres are real, genetically-altered predators. Harrison Van Gilter is one of those predators, and now Panama City, Florida is his for the taking!

From the Canadian savannah to the Netherlands, and from Florida to Suriname, the hunt is on. A hunt for victims, a serial killer, and a global race of predators. Predators whose prey is the dominant species on earth!

Ascent of Evil won first place in the horror/dark fantasy category at the 2010 Florida Writers Association's Royal Palm Literary Awards.

For mature readers, "Ascent" begins an adventure filled with horror, crime investigation, mystery, thrills, suspense, romance, and...yes, a bit of sex! If you read the first book, I believe you'll read the second and the third. Best wishes, and keep the lights turned on. MG

FREE EBOOK from MARCH 1st through March 5th. Go to Amazon.com. Search "Ascent of Evil" the first book of Michael Goldcraft's "Darke Lyfe Trilogy." Begin the adventure - FOR FREE - and loan it to any of your eBook friends.

Anthropologist Steven Atticus found more than a preserved Viking corpse in that cold Canadian lake. He found the progenitor of the vampyre race. And now he and a special task force, including the FBI, race to prevent the unthinkable from happening in a city by the sea - because vampyres are real, genetically-altered predators. Harrison Van Gilter is one of those predators, and now Panama City, Florida is his for the taking!

From the Canadian savannah to the Netherlands, and from Florida to Suriname, the hunt is on. A hunt for victims, a serial killer, and a global race of predators. Predators whose prey is the dominant species on earth!

Ascent of Evil won first place in the horror/dark fantasy category at the 2010 Florida Writers Association's Royal Palm Literary Awards.

For mature readers, "Ascent" begins an adventure filled with horror, crime investigation, mystery, thrills, suspense, romance, and...yes, a bit of sex! If you read the first book, I believe you'll read the second and the third. Best wishes, and keep the lights turned on. MG

Writing is fiendishly hard work. I didn't say that, but Lucas Yoder did. He's a character in James Michener's novel entitled: The Novel. A diminutive Dutchman, Yoder was a novelist...a writer. His wife baked bread and cakes in the kitchen of their Pennsylvania farmhouse.
Writing is one of the true joys of my life. But the courage to write, to stick one's inner thoughts out there for all the world to see, is intimidating...or was. I started writing fiction about seventeen years ago. I'd been writing since college, but you know the drill: essays, reports, etc. Then I went to work for the government as a marine ecologist. Lots of writing: public reports, scientific papers, etc. But somehow, shortly after my marriage in 1995, my wife catalyzed a desire within me to write fiction. A friend was a writer in Atlanta. I started on my first novel, skeptical of my ability to run such a marathon. He mentioned a term that applies to writers and other people: a wannabe. In my ignorance I asked what that meant. "It means somebody who wants to be a writer. Wanting isn't enough. You have to persevere, stick it out, keep slugging away." I found the term "wannabe" pretty unappealing. I wrote on.
One hundred and thirty pages into my novel, it hit me like a thunderbolt: I can do this! I called my friend and confirmed that, having over a hundred pages behind me, I had gained the confidence to finish the job. And I did.
But the courage to keep working isn't everything. A writer must have the courage to put his or her heart into the work. And a writer has to have the courage - work ethic - to keep working at the 'craft' of writing, his dictionary, thesaurus, and 'The Elements of Style,' always nearby. Vocabulary, grammar, style, characters, motives, settings, feelings, and what the air smells like. That's my short definition of writing.
So if you chance to read this blog post and you get this far, dear friend, I leave you with this simple message: You Can Do It! You have more talent, more strength, more courage, and more intelligence than you can possibly imagine. Believe in yourself. And write on!