David R. Brown's Blog
November 27, 2012
FREE Kindle 11/28/12 to 11/29/12
The Bet, by David R. Brown will be free on Kindle from 11/28/12 to 11/29/12.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bet-ebook/d...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bet-ebook/d...
FREE Kindle 11/28/12 to 11/29/12
The Bet, by David R. Brown will be free on Kindle from 10/9/12 to 10/11/12.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bet-ebook/d...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bet-ebook/d...
October 10, 2012
FREE Kindle 10/9/12 to 10/11/12
The Bet, by David R. Brown will be free on Kindle from 10/9/12 to 10/11/12.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bet-ebook/d...
http://www.amazon.com/The-Bet-ebook/d...
August 9, 2012
On Technology and Social Media
I have to admit, I took typing in high school. Computers were still Star Trek stuff and no one could have imagined how integral they would become in the fabric of society in just a few short decades.
Cell phones? Forget it...we carried spare change to call home when we missed curfew. Otherwise, if we wanted to talk we used the landline or, (incredible) actually got into a gas guzzling, six (or eight) cylinder car to visit (in real life...really...not just in cyberspace). We weren't allowed to call long distance without permission and when permission was granted (reluctantly), it was usually only to say hello to Aunt Bernice or some other aging relative who was "so sweet" but could talk the ears off a mule about his or her latest "procedure.
When we were away for an extended period we wrote letters with ballpoint pens (technology) that sometimes leaked and left messy globs on real (made of trees; very anti-green) paper. We put the paper into envelopes (also anti-green but there were plenty of trees), licked the back of a postage stamp (no self adhesive; tasted like, well, glue) and hoped the mail man (some were women, but it was still okay to be generic) didn't forget us that day. If not, we could be assured that our message would arrive in three days or so. As a baby boomer (made it by 2 years, depending on whose definition you use), I was a member of the last generation who actually posted letters as a regular means of communication. How did I get to the half century mark, why do I need my wife to help me locate my sunglasses when they are perched on top of my head, why do my children look at me like I have three heads and why, how on earth, did I lose my hair in the process?
Now I'm not against technology. I like my cell phone (I still haven't caved on the Smartphone) and think it's cool that I can call home and ask if we're running low on milk or bread before I actually leave work. Cell usage is also an excellent means of maintaining communication with our children, and has all but done away with the excuse of "sorry, I was going to call but there wasn't a phone and I didn't have any change".
I love being able to use Google in order to maintain marital harmony. I'm convinced that the phrase "let's Google it" has saved many marriages, averted countless arguments before they reached critical mass and dramatically lowered the rate of domestic violence in our country. I'm crazy about my lap top and I think the Kindle is the most wonderful gadget ever invented.
Email is a terrific tool, and the instant gratification it provides is addictive, though I'll admit I'm still not entirely certain what PMFJI means (hey, let's Google it). Who comes up with these things and are we really so lazy we can't just type it out? It is distressing to see that the twenty and younger crowd generally lack all but the most rudimentary understanding of basic grammar, punctuation and spelling (I'm sure some smart aleck will note the fact that I've committed a typo or misspelling here, but hey, it's a blog and hasn't been proofed with my ball point). There's also something personal in a hand written note that email will never be able to duplicate. Who passes down an email for generations?
About four years ago, I took the leap and delved into social media via FaceBook. I used the excuse that I wanted to stay fresh and keep tabs on my kids. I soon learned that some of the things on my children's wall curled my hair (probably why I've gone entirely bald), and that while I love them and wanted them to be free to express themselves, I didn't care to be that involved. I do, however, enjoy catching up with old friends and family, and feeling that I'm able to be somewhat a part of relationships I would (sadly) otherwise probably let die from neglect. I reconnected with my wife, who I dated briefly in high school, after my divorce in 2008 and for that, I'll always be grateful to Zuckerberg and his crew. I've enjoyed hooking up with high school friends I didn't mean to fall out of touch with (Meg, Dan, Tony, Donna, Craig and countless others). I really don't care to know that a friend of a friend just removed her fish casserole from the oven, or that her cat just had a litter of kittens, but do appreciate the willingness to share and know that some will find the topic interesting and/or useful. I'll probably never be a tweeter or understand the entertainment value in the fact that someone just stopped at the bank or did a load of wash. I'll never, ever be able to get the hang of sending cryptic acronyms in my messages (except with my wife...we have our own love language). But I am convinced that FaceBook (and MySpace, etc.) are good tools if properly used and not as a substitute for a real life.
My sis in law (a very wise woman) once likened FaceBook (in a real time, face to face conversation) to walking down the street, waving at friends, occasionally stopping to chat, but rarely going inside from the porch to sit down for an extended visit. It's a mixed bag, I guess, and maybe one day I'll be able to bring myself to purchase that Smartphone.
Cell phones? Forget it...we carried spare change to call home when we missed curfew. Otherwise, if we wanted to talk we used the landline or, (incredible) actually got into a gas guzzling, six (or eight) cylinder car to visit (in real life...really...not just in cyberspace). We weren't allowed to call long distance without permission and when permission was granted (reluctantly), it was usually only to say hello to Aunt Bernice or some other aging relative who was "so sweet" but could talk the ears off a mule about his or her latest "procedure.
When we were away for an extended period we wrote letters with ballpoint pens (technology) that sometimes leaked and left messy globs on real (made of trees; very anti-green) paper. We put the paper into envelopes (also anti-green but there were plenty of trees), licked the back of a postage stamp (no self adhesive; tasted like, well, glue) and hoped the mail man (some were women, but it was still okay to be generic) didn't forget us that day. If not, we could be assured that our message would arrive in three days or so. As a baby boomer (made it by 2 years, depending on whose definition you use), I was a member of the last generation who actually posted letters as a regular means of communication. How did I get to the half century mark, why do I need my wife to help me locate my sunglasses when they are perched on top of my head, why do my children look at me like I have three heads and why, how on earth, did I lose my hair in the process?
Now I'm not against technology. I like my cell phone (I still haven't caved on the Smartphone) and think it's cool that I can call home and ask if we're running low on milk or bread before I actually leave work. Cell usage is also an excellent means of maintaining communication with our children, and has all but done away with the excuse of "sorry, I was going to call but there wasn't a phone and I didn't have any change".
I love being able to use Google in order to maintain marital harmony. I'm convinced that the phrase "let's Google it" has saved many marriages, averted countless arguments before they reached critical mass and dramatically lowered the rate of domestic violence in our country. I'm crazy about my lap top and I think the Kindle is the most wonderful gadget ever invented.
Email is a terrific tool, and the instant gratification it provides is addictive, though I'll admit I'm still not entirely certain what PMFJI means (hey, let's Google it). Who comes up with these things and are we really so lazy we can't just type it out? It is distressing to see that the twenty and younger crowd generally lack all but the most rudimentary understanding of basic grammar, punctuation and spelling (I'm sure some smart aleck will note the fact that I've committed a typo or misspelling here, but hey, it's a blog and hasn't been proofed with my ball point). There's also something personal in a hand written note that email will never be able to duplicate. Who passes down an email for generations?
About four years ago, I took the leap and delved into social media via FaceBook. I used the excuse that I wanted to stay fresh and keep tabs on my kids. I soon learned that some of the things on my children's wall curled my hair (probably why I've gone entirely bald), and that while I love them and wanted them to be free to express themselves, I didn't care to be that involved. I do, however, enjoy catching up with old friends and family, and feeling that I'm able to be somewhat a part of relationships I would (sadly) otherwise probably let die from neglect. I reconnected with my wife, who I dated briefly in high school, after my divorce in 2008 and for that, I'll always be grateful to Zuckerberg and his crew. I've enjoyed hooking up with high school friends I didn't mean to fall out of touch with (Meg, Dan, Tony, Donna, Craig and countless others). I really don't care to know that a friend of a friend just removed her fish casserole from the oven, or that her cat just had a litter of kittens, but do appreciate the willingness to share and know that some will find the topic interesting and/or useful. I'll probably never be a tweeter or understand the entertainment value in the fact that someone just stopped at the bank or did a load of wash. I'll never, ever be able to get the hang of sending cryptic acronyms in my messages (except with my wife...we have our own love language). But I am convinced that FaceBook (and MySpace, etc.) are good tools if properly used and not as a substitute for a real life.
My sis in law (a very wise woman) once likened FaceBook (in a real time, face to face conversation) to walking down the street, waving at friends, occasionally stopping to chat, but rarely going inside from the porch to sit down for an extended visit. It's a mixed bag, I guess, and maybe one day I'll be able to bring myself to purchase that Smartphone.
July 30, 2012
The Writing Vacuum
One week in and I'd like to thank everyone who has visited my site, "liked" me on FaceBook, offered words of encouragement and purchased my novel, The Bet. I've often read, and certainly discovered it to be true with this project, that the art of "creating" is done in a vacuum. Will anyone like what I've done? Does the dialogue sound natural? Are the characters relatable? Is it a plot that is belieavable and will engage readers? After spending months and years on this venture, will people come away satisfied that the investment of one or two weeks of their time and the price of a movie ticket has been a good one?
I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions as I begin work on my second novel (I think I'll title it "Absolution" and combine my love of music with a good old fashioned murder mystery). If you liked my story (or even if you didn't), please let me know...a kind word on Amazon would be much appreciated as well!
I'd love to hear your thoughts and suggestions as I begin work on my second novel (I think I'll title it "Absolution" and combine my love of music with a good old fashioned murder mystery). If you liked my story (or even if you didn't), please let me know...a kind word on Amazon would be much appreciated as well!
July 27, 2012
The Journey
Wow...so it's finally done and in print...a dream of mine since high school creative writing classes (thanks Mr. Neil C. Bonds and Ms. Joan Harrell for making me THINK).
Thanks to my parents, grandparents and family for having faith (I still miss you Grandad...every single day).
To Brennan, old buddy, thanks for helping me through a very difficult time, letting me bounce ideas off you and for laboring through that first draft with me.
I will be forever grateful to my friend Mrs. Nancy Ryle, author extraordinaire, for her encouragement, advice and support. I could only aspire to write as beautifully as you.
Thanks most of all to my wife Day to whom this book is dedicated...without a doubt my better half (how tired and cliche that sounds but how true)...who prodded, poked, and pushed me to this point. I love you Honey; you complete me (another sad cliche but oh how satisfying). I absolutely could not have done this without you. I look forward to those rocking chairs one day,
when the kids are grown and we can look at each other and say "wow, what a ride".
No author acknowledgement would be complete without the caveat that "This is a work of fiction. All errors and omissions are
mine...solely and without reservation". My purpose was to entertain and I pray you'll be gentle where I strayed from the truth or altered the facts to fit the plot.
So, I hope you like my story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I didn't intend it to be "deep" or "literary", but maybe you'll find
it to be an entertaining read. Maybe you can kick back and escape from reality for a bit, and maybe I've said one or two things that will make you reflect on life or love or the value of friendship. I hope so...I really do.
Thanks to my parents, grandparents and family for having faith (I still miss you Grandad...every single day).
To Brennan, old buddy, thanks for helping me through a very difficult time, letting me bounce ideas off you and for laboring through that first draft with me.
I will be forever grateful to my friend Mrs. Nancy Ryle, author extraordinaire, for her encouragement, advice and support. I could only aspire to write as beautifully as you.
Thanks most of all to my wife Day to whom this book is dedicated...without a doubt my better half (how tired and cliche that sounds but how true)...who prodded, poked, and pushed me to this point. I love you Honey; you complete me (another sad cliche but oh how satisfying). I absolutely could not have done this without you. I look forward to those rocking chairs one day,
when the kids are grown and we can look at each other and say "wow, what a ride".
No author acknowledgement would be complete without the caveat that "This is a work of fiction. All errors and omissions are
mine...solely and without reservation". My purpose was to entertain and I pray you'll be gentle where I strayed from the truth or altered the facts to fit the plot.
So, I hope you like my story as much as I enjoyed writing it. I didn't intend it to be "deep" or "literary", but maybe you'll find
it to be an entertaining read. Maybe you can kick back and escape from reality for a bit, and maybe I've said one or two things that will make you reflect on life or love or the value of friendship. I hope so...I really do.
