Peter Hogenkamp's Blog

It's Independence Day, and that has me thinking about the state of our nation. Almost250 years into our nationhood, the United States of America is mired in amorass of massive proportions. It would be nice to say that the morass is of astrictly political nature, but it would be inaccurate. Our morass is political—letthere be no doubt—but it is also physical, ethical, academic, economic, socialand environmental. (Add just about any other adjective here.) As we approachour sestercentenial, our roads, bridges and cities are in an appalling state ofdisrepair; a significant number of our elected officials (on both sides of the aisle) areeither under investigation for ethical breaches or have already been expelled;our primary and secondary schools are failing at an unprecedented rate and ourcolleges and universities—although still strong—are prohibitively expensive.Worse still, the disparity between rich and poor grows daily, and our leaders (wordused with great misgiving) are more focused on their own agendas than stagnantwages, gender and race inequalities, and catastrophic climate change.

My fatherused to say that if you want to get the mud out of the water, you need to getthe hog out of the spring. Of the many hogs in our spring, the biggest andfattest hog—the one most responsible for the mud that flows thick and murky inour water—is the lack of governing taking place at the federal level. How is itpossible, I ask you, for any of these problems to be fixed when our nationalgovernment, paralyzed as it is by partisanship, egoism, and the completeabsence of listening, does nothing but breathe hot air and vitriol?

 

Theanswer is to turn on its head the usual paradigm of leadership; instead ofleading from the top down we need to lead from the bottom up. Our people remainour strength and the only path forward. We live in a democracy, albeit onegravely threatened by the influence of power and wealth, but still a democracy,in which our elected congressmen, senators and executive officers are a mereelection away from irrelevancy.

 

Leadingfrom the bottom up needs to involve more than just voting, however. We need tolisten to one another, especially to people with views that oppose are own; weneed to respect one another, and to treat every person with dignity; we need tolook out for another, especially for the people at the margins of our society;and, above all, we need to shake off the complacency that has led to inaction.Acknowledgement of the problem is the necessary first step to resolving it.

 

If youare not ready to merely shrug your shoulders and accept the status quo, you canlead us to becoming the country in which you want your children and yourchildren’s children to live. Open your mind to what someone else has to sayand, more importantly, to what they do, ignoring his or her gender, race,creed, sexual orientation, and political persuasion. In this day and age ofsound bites and social media, it is the walk we walk that defines us. Thatsaid, action begins with talk: words matter. Speak carefully and post withcaution; one hateful comment, retweeted and amplified by the incredible powerof social media, can be a potent and destructive force. Social media is a tool,and, like any other tool, it can be used for a variety of purposes, good orbad. You choose.

 

Leadingfrom the bottom up is not going to be an easy or quick task, but many handsmake light work, and the more hands we have the, the faster we'll be able toget that hog out of the spring.

Thanks for listening. And on a differnet subject, take a look at my most recent book, The Woman From Death Row, available right now. If you have already read it, click on MY WEBSITE on which you can check out all my books. Thanks for your support.

 Cheers, Peter

Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author of medical fiction and thrillers living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter’s writing credits include The Intern (TouchPoint Press, April 2020); The Vatican Conspiracy book and audiobook (Bookouture/HachetteUK, October 2020), The Vatican Secret (Bookouture/HachetteUK, April 2021), The Vatican Secret audiobook (Saga Egmont, March 2022) and Conspirazione Vaticano (Newton Compton Editori 7/2021.) The Woman from Death Row, book one of the new Jade Stryker thriller series, (Tirgearr Publishing, June 2023.) He can be found on his Author Website, as well as his personal blog, Peter Hogenkamp Writes, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter was a finalist for the prestigious 2019 Killer Nashville Claymore Award as well as the 2020 Vermont Writer’s Prize. He tweets—against the wishes of his wife, four children and feisty Cairn Terrier, Hermione—on Twitter. He can be reached at his FaceBook Page and at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com.

It's Father's Day and, as usual, that means I think about my late father, and wish he was still with me. So, this year, I have decided to put my thoughts to words and publish them in my blog, if for no other reason than writing about him is the best way for me to spend some time with him, and I would give anything in the world to do that.

My father was a deliberate and methodical person; when he used a particular word in a certain circumstance, it was because he had thought about the context, mulled over the way the word sounded, and considered the possible interpretations of the word by his audience before uttering it. (No, he was not given over to quick responses.) And if he couldn't think of the exact word he wanted, he would ruminate about it until the perfect word became clear in his head. If rumination didn't work, he even stooped to research--his favorite book was Webster's Unabridged Dictionary of the English Language (you know, that massive thing you see in libraries). And while this was especially true when he wrote letters (and he wrote many) it was even the case when he was having a conversation. The trouble with this was the converse: he also expected that you were selecting your words with the same care--I don't think he ever got used to the way I would blurt the first thing that came into my head.

I miss so many things about him, but the biggest things are the conversations we used to have. When there was something you really wanted to discuss, there was no one better to talk to about it than him, especially if it was something to do with academics or ethics (and he could always find something academic or ethical about any issue.) I used to love the way he cocked his head to his right, often with his long fingers supporting his jaw. And he looked at you with his glacier blue eyes, and he listened, only interjecting comments when he needed you to stay on course. He was often as enthusiastic about an idea as you were, and in many cases he took notes as he listened, so that he would have everything exactly right (did I mention he was an accountant?) He used the notes too, because he almost never gave you an immediate response. You could expect a minimum of three days time to hear back from him, and it was many times in writing, with his flowing, precise script. And if the subject matter was not all that familiar to him, his full response would be even longer, because research would be involved, and often a trip to the library or bookstore. 

It was not uncommon to get a book or magazine or newspaper article from him weeks or even months after a discussion, always with a short forward alluding to the discussion which engendered the gift. He once gave me a USGA Rules of the Game book to keep with me in my golf bag, months after I had asked him a random question about a ruling during a non-competitive round with friends. It didn't matter to him that I wasn't even keeping score at the time; it did matter that I should know the proper ruling so as to be able to keep an accurate score when the time came.

My father was proper and accurate. He always used to say these things stemmed from his training as an accountant, but I think they were congenital. I can not ever remember the man breaking any rule whatsoever or even bending one a little--other than his penchant for rolling stops. He took no liberties with his tax return, insisting on paying his full share. When he had to drink a gallon of some horrible concoction in advance of a medical procedure, he set the timer on his watch and used a measuring cup to make sure he downed 8 oz every ten minutes as the instructions demanded. (I swear I am not making this up.) When he went hiking--which we did a lot--he used an altimeter so that I couldn't exaggerate the elevation gain, and a map was consulted at every intersection even if we had hiked the trail on numerous occasions.

I have published three books now, and the fourth (The Woman From Death Row) comes out in less than forty-eight hours. The days leading up to a book launch are so exciting and full of promise, but there is one thing missing and I can't help but lament it. Every day I think about how much I would enjoy talking the whole process over with my father. I can just see the bright sparkle in his eyes listening to me drone on about some aspect of the book launch. He was just happy to be sharing in his child's excitement--and if that isn't good parenting, I don't know what is.

If you haven't had a chance to look at my updated website, here is The Link to my Website, which, I am happy to say, my daughter designed for me. I think that would make my father happy.

 Cheers, Peter

Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author of medical fiction and thrillers living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter’s writing credits include The Intern (TouchPoint Press, April 2020); The Vatican Conspiracy book and audiobook (Bookouture/HachetteUK, October 2020), The Vatican Secret (Bookouture/HachetteUK, April 2021), The Vatican Secret audiobook (Saga Egmont, March 2022) and Conspirazione Vaticano (Newton Compton Editori 7/2021.) The Woman from Death Row, book one of the new Jade Stryker thriller series, (Tirgearr Publishing, June 2023.) He can be found on his Author Website, as well as his personal blog, Peter Hogenkamp Writes, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter was a finalist for the prestigious 2019 Killer Nashville Claymore Award as well as the 2020 Vermont Writer’s Prize. He tweets—against the wishes of his wife, four children and feisty Cairn Terrier, Hermione—on Twitter. He can be reached at his FaceBook Page and at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com.

Hello All, 

Sorry it's been a while, but I can explain... we have a puppy. Enzo Ferrari Hogenkamp has entered our lives, which are never to be the same again. But the show must go on, and June is National Crime Reading Month. So, I wrote a short piece about my new book, The Woman From Death Row (Tirgearr Publishing, June 2023.) And please don't forget to preorder the book, Link to Pre-Order the book, which is only 1.49$ during the pre-order period, and sails to 5.99$ once the book is released. (It's also good for the book when pre-orders are strong, as it makes the book more visible on Amazon.) Anyway, can't wait for you to meet Jade and Mark, the main characters. Here's a little preview:

People make mistakes. They fail, often epically. But they can also pick themselves by their bootstraps, get going again and redeem themselves, if they have the desire and the mettle to do so. By my way of thinking, there is nothing more dramatic than redemption, and no better way for the reader to connect emotionally with characters. I think this is why we are all so drawn to flawed characters, because we want to see them get the chance to redeem themselves for the mistakes of their past. And we want them to take that chance.

It was with this main theme in mind that I started writing The Woman from Death Row. Jade Collins is on death row for premeditated murder. Her life has been a maelstrom of violence, deceit and bloodshed, but she is a good woman despite this. Mark Brand’s life has been a roller coaster of success and failure. He graduated from medical school and practiced as a cardiologist before the tragic death of his wife sent him spiralling into the depths of depression, from which the CIA rescued him to use him as a pawn in a deadly game. He now finds himself in a job he doesn’t covet, with a boss he doesn’t trust, and in a life he doesn’t want to live.

Jade and Mark come together in the death house at the infamous San Quentin State Penitentiary, the day before she is scheduled to be executed. Mark’s formerly smooth career with the CIA has hit some turbulence, and he is looking to get back on track as he meets with Jade to make her an offer he believes she can’t refuse. Jade wants no part of his offer but thinks it might be an opportunity of another sort, the sort she has been seeking for a long time. She accepts, thrusting the two of them together in a contest for their ambitions, their lives and their chances to make things right.

 Cheers, Peter

Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author of medical fiction and thrillers living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter’s writing credits include The Intern (TouchPoint Press, April 2020); The Vatican Conspiracy book and audiobook (Bookouture/HachetteUK, October 2020), The Vatican Secret (Bookouture/HachetteUK, April 2021), The Vatican Secret audiobook (Saga Egmont, March 2022) and Conspirazione Vaticano (Newton Compton Editori 7/2021.) The Woman from Death Row, book one of the new Jade Stryker thriller series, (Tirgearr Publishing, June 2023.) He can be found on his Author Website, as well as his personal blog, Peter Hogenkamp Writes, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter was a finalist for the prestigious 2019 Killer Nashville Claymore Award as well as the 2020 Vermont Writer’s Prize. He tweets—against the wishes of his wife, four children and feisty Cairn Terrier, Hermione—on Twitter. He can be reached at his FaceBook Page and at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com.

My Co-Pilot

It's Sunday afternoon and my mother and I on the road again; in this case, a snow covered secondary road paralleling a small river that meanders it's way into the White River and then the might Connecticut. But there's nothing mighty about this stretch of water, which isn't to say it isn't pretty. Because it is pretty, my mom says so, and when you are 94 years of age, you know a pretty sight when you see one. We're stopped in the middle of the road--which isn't a problem because we haven't seen another car in a half-hour--searching the open water for the nose of a beaver breaking the surface. We don't see any live beavers, and though it would have been nice, it really doesn't matter. We're here to enjoy each other's company, not watch aquatic mammals, so the day is a success anyway.
We move on, winding our way back and forth up a steep road flanked by snow-covered pines, and then down a hill leading to a frozen lake dotted with ice fisherman jigging for yellow perch. Mom wants to join them, "Looks fun," she says. And that's what I love about my mother; she's always up for anything. As few as two years ago, I suspect we would have parked the car, ventured out on the ice, and seen for ourselves how the perch were biting. But the last two years haven't been good to her mind and body--even if they haven't tarnished her spirit--so we stay put and watch for a while, which is quite a bit more exciting than you think, before we drive off. 

The last stop is Pico, where we watch the parking lots fill up with cars, trucks and the occasional bus, out of which skiers and snowboarders pour to hit the slopes. "I used to love to ski," mom says, but without any wistfullness. We manuever closer to the slopes to get a glimpse of the fun; mom smiles broadly as she observes the skiers gracefully winding their way down the trails and the snowboarders riding the snow like a giant white wave. And then we head back to the Meadows, where my mother promptly falls asleep with a big smile on her face. 

Make sure to visit my website and get on the mailing list, because new book news is on the horizon. Thanks again for your support.

Cheers, Peter

Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author of medical fiction and thrillers living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter’s writing credits include The Intern (TouchPoint Press, April 2020); The Vatican Conspiracy book and audiobook (Bookouture/HachetteUK, October 2020), The Vatican Secret (Bookouture/HachetteUK, April 2021), The Vatican Secret audiobook (Saga Egmont, March 2022) and Conspirazione Vaticano (Newton Compton Editori 7/2021.) The Woman from Death Row, book one of the new Jade Stryker thriller series, will be published Summer 2023 by Tirgearr Publishing. He can be found on his Author Website, as well as his personal blog, Peter Hogenkamp Writes, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter was a finalist for the prestigious 2019 Killer Nashville Claymore Award as well as the 2020 Vermont Writer’s Prize. He tweets—against the wishes of his wife, four children and feisty Cairn Terrier, Hermione—on Twitter. He can be reached at his FaceBook Page and at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com.

You might wonder why I am posting this blog about New Year's Resolutions on January 18th. Perhaps you were thinking I have been meaning to do it, but ended up procrastinating until after more than half the month is over. Good thought, but no. (And I have resolved previously never to procrastinate.) The real reason is I heard on John Tesh's radio show (so it has to be true, right?) that this is about the date the average person gives up on their New Year's resolutions. 

It's true; most New Year's Resoltutions have the shelf life of unrefrigerated fish. The reason for this is that they are either: 1) poorly thought out; 2) too invloved; 3) wholly unrealsitic; 4) completely out of character for the person making them. Don't follow? Here are some examples (all taken from my patients, who shall remains nameless.) Example one: a guy, who lives entirely on fast food, resolving to make all of his own meals. He lasted a few days. Example two; a woman, with no previous history of ever doing exercise, getting a gym membership. Lasted a week.

This isn't to say, though, that I don't encourage New Year's Resolutions, because I do. I am a big fan of anything that provides an opportunity for self-assessment, because self-assessment is the necessary first step for self-improvement. 

Okay, then, since we have agreed that making New Year's Resolutions is a good idea, here are some ideas for resolutions that have a chance to survive more than eighteen days.

1) Resolve to be more creative. It turns out that being creative is one of the best ways to stave off dementia and cogntive decline--and who wants that? See the picture I took with my Iphone? (Okay, so I'm not Ansel Adams, but it isn't half bad.) Photography can be very creative, and almost all of us have reasonably good phone cameras with us at all times. Start journaling, also very creative, and there are free apps on your phone that can help. You don't need to spend a lot of money or make huge changes in your life (that aren't going to last.) Start sketching using the pencil and paper inside the drawer in your kitchen instead.

2) Resolve to be more active. Humans are meant to be in motion, not glued to the cough waching cable TV. But that doesn't mean you have to buy a membership to a fitness club or an expensive e-bike or a set of cross country skis (although all of those things are great--if you use them.) But why not start out by lacing the sneakers you already own and going for a walk. Walking is free, available 24/7 all the year round, and doesn't generally lead to a lot of injuries. If you can't walk, try doing Yoga, which can be modified so that even people with significant physical disabilities can do it. There are excellent instructional videos on You Tube to get you going.

3) Resolve to be watch less TV and spend fewer hours on screens. The data demonstrating the negative effects of screen time continues to add up. And although I am well aware how many great shows there are on Netflix, I am also well aware how much damage sitting around and binge watching Yellowstone is doing to our bodies and minds. (That said, Kevin Costner is truly fantastic and you have to see it.) Limit your screen time, because too much kills your imagination, increases your risk of dementia and thickens your middle. So, yes, watch Yellowstone for heaven's sake, but watch three episodes per week and do something creative with the time you saved. 

4) Resolve to be more accepting. Practicing acceptance has more benefits than I have space here to list but I want to highlight a few. People who accept things are happier. Period. Nuff said. Who doesn't want to be happier? Practicing acceptance is also a great way to have healthier relationships, and we could all use that. Perhaps most important, acceptance leads to better emotional and physical health (such as improved blood pressure.) And it doesn't cost anything or require any special equipment, it just requires a change of mind and heart. 

5) Resolve to be a more other centered person. Excessive individualism is not only the most dangerous ism on the plant, worsening climate change and threatening geopolitical stability among many other things, it is also bad for the individual, increasing rates of anxiety and depression. When we don't see ourselves as part of a greater group or collective, we feel isolated and anxious. The solution is to see ourselves as intergal parts of a multitude of various communities and act accordingly. Be a big brother or sister, a literacy volunteer, take your elderly neighbor to the grocery store, plant a tree. I promise both you and the world will be better for it.

Well, the soapbox I am standing on is teetering so I need to end here, but let me point out that all five of these resolutions require nothing more than your determination and a little time. No money. No equipment. No memberships. Just determination and time. Best of luck.

ps. One of my resolutions (suggested by my new editor) is to blog more, so please click on the link to suscribe to the blog so that I am not doing it in vane. And make sure to check out and suscribe to my website; exciting book news is coming out soon. 

Cheers, Peter

Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author of medical fiction and thrillers living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter’s writing credits include The Intern (TouchPoint Press, April 2020); The Vatican Conspiracy book and audiobook (Bookouture/HachetteUK, October 2020), The Vatican Secret (Bookouture/HachetteUK, April 2021), The Vatican Secret audiobook (Saga Egmont, March 2022) and Conspirazione Vaticano (Newton Compton Editori 7/2021.) The Woman from Death Row, book one of the new Jade Stryker thriller series, will be published Summer 2023 by Tirgearr Publishing. He can be found on his Author Website, as well as his personal blog, Peter Hogenkamp Writes, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter was a finalist for the prestigious 2019 Killer Nashville Claymore Award as well as the 2020 Vermont Writer’s Prize. He tweets—against the wishes of his wife, four children and feisty Cairn Terrier, Hermione—on Twitter. He can be reached at his FaceBook Page and at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com.

 The road unfurls in front of us like a tightly wound string from a coil, waving back and forth, back and forth, as we drive slowly over the graded gravel surface, tires crunching lightly against the stones. We're--my mother and I, that is--somewhere north of Bridgewater, Vermont, on a back road, with no destination in mind other than wherever we end up. It's a Sunday afternoon in August, the blue skies are clotted with white clouds, and the smell of hay wafts in through the open windows. Life is good.

I started taking these drives with my mother several years ago--after she gave up her driving license--and I think we have been on every back road in Central Vermont since. There is something about driving the back roads that we love; could be a lot of things, I suppose. Like today we ran into a moose (not literally, but it was close) eating leaves on the side of the brook paralleling the road. We saw a black bear last week, scurrying across the road just east of Killington. A few weeks ago we watched a Pileated woodpecker go ham on a dead tree, showering the earth with wood chips. And, in no particular order, we have seen: flocks of turkeys and geese, a belted Kingfisher flying over a river, an Indigo Bunting gleaming in the sunlight, a Cooper's Hawk almost take out a crow. It's amazing how many things you see when are not in a hurry.

But it's not just the animals and birds we love to see. Did I mention the flowers? This time of year the hydrangeas are turning pink, the petals of the sunflowers are painting the sky gold, and the dahlias are as big as dinner plates. (Why grow them yourself when you can just hop in your car and gawk at everybody else's.) Nothing makes my mother happier than commenting on the coneflowers. I have to say she says the same things quite often, but she's 94 for crying out loud: The coneflowers don't mind the repetition, and neither do I. 

We always stop for ice cream, regardless of the season, because... it's ice cream. I think we have stopped at every Creamy stand, snack shack, Stewart's shop, ice cream truck etc. in the state. This week, we visited this roadside stand that made their own blueberry ice cream, which did not disappoint. My favorite part is my mother telling me she won't be able to eat it all before eating it all and scraping the container to get every last drop to boot. 

And then the ride is over and I return her to her apartment in assisted living with a big smile on her face and blueberry stains on her shirt. On the ride home, I notice myself driving faster and getting irritated by the bad drivers on the road; but none of that happens when I drive with my mother, because when you have no place to go, you don't mind the time it takes to get there, and you're just flat out more patient. I think that is one one of the reasons I like my Sunday Afternoons with my Mother so much: No agenda; No Destination; No Goals; No Nothin'. Just spending time together, moose and ice cream. I should do more it often. 

If you want to stay caught up with my adventures with my mother, make sure to follow the blog, or click on this link, Peter's Author Website, to check out my website. Make sure to enter your e-mail when prompted to join my mailing list as well. If you would like to read one of my books (or gift one to a friend) click on the link to Peter's Amazon Page and you can order them right from there. And, as always, thanks for your support.

Cheers, peter



Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author of fictionliving in Rutland, Vermont. Peter’s writing credits include The Intern (TouchPoint Press, April, 2020);The Vatican Conspiracy (Bookouture/HachetteUK, October, 2020), and The Vatican Secret(Bookouture/HachetteUK, April 2021.) He can be found on his Author Website as well as his personal blog, Peter Hogenkamp Writes where he writes about most anything. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter was a finalist for the prestigious 2019 Killer Nashville Claymore Award as well as a top finalist for the 2020 Vermont Writer’s Prize. He tweets—against the wishes of his wife, four children and feisty Cairn Terrier, Hermione—at @phogenkampvt. He can be reached at his FaceBook Page and at His e-mail

Or just click on the Amazon link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B088JN41PH

We live in a day and age where the evolution of language and words is driven more by social media than books and novels. As both a Tweeter and a lover of literature old and new, I have mixed feelings about this trend. There is something about the speed of social media which alarms me. Consider this: Edgar Poe, who created the thriller, died broke and without any acclaim, and yet his works are now considered to be masterpieces. Contrast this to the blitzkrieg world of social media where someone who uploads a cat video can become an icon in a single day--or less.

Good or bad? Probably both, but allow me to point out the latter. Poe had substance. Sometimes it takes time for substance to be appreciated. In Poe's case, a hundred years. It takes deep substance to endure a 100 years. Do you think a glitzy cat video has that kind of staying power? Or do you--like me--think it will be forgotten in ten minutes, to be replaced by a meme featuring an aardvark?
The point I am trying to make is that there is a danger here: A very real danger. Please don't get the idea that I am one of those people, you know the kind that think Facebook and Twitter are the ruination of the world. Because I am not, and I believe that Facebook, Twitter, and social media have many upsides and are, in general, wonderful tools of expression, language, and connectivity. But--like most things--social media has had some unforeseen side effects, side effects which are changing the way we think, the way we speak, and the way we act. 



There is a stress to social media, an urgency, that seeps into the language. I mean, when you are racing to be the first person to post or tweet something, you keep it short and simple. And because ur doing this again and again, u start using the same abbreviations again and again and eventually u use the abbreviation all the time and evolution has occurred. But worse than the shortened words, it's the shortened writing structure and thought process that worry me the most, the idea that if it can't be said in 140 characters it isn't worth saying.

As I have stated before, the 140 character limit teaches us to be concise and to the point (and man did I need the help) but there is still plenty of occasion: to be detailed; to expound; to have layers of meaning; to be rich and complex. And that, my friends, is why we need books and novels more than ever. Social media is not going away--nor should it--but it needs a counterbalance. Twitter is fast and immediate; the novel is slow and inexorable. (Can you hear Ruth, my editor, yelling; Not that slow, Peter! Speed it up, Peter!) Twitter is trendy; the novel goes against the grain. Twitter is the preferred medium of the conformist; the contrarian favors the novel.  



As a case in point, think about the reaction to the publishing of my favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird, in Monroeville, Alabama, in 1961. Do you think #ToKillaMockingbird was trending? How many Retweets and Favorites do you think Harper Lee would have scored? But more to the point I am making, do you think she would have cared?

I know what you are thinking; clearly, I have forgotten about the crucial role social media played in the Arab Spring uprisings of 2010. Isn't this the same kind of social change that To Kill a Mockingbird created in the United States? But the answer to that question is more chum in the shark-infested waters of social media (Ruth would derive great pleasure from deleting that sentence if she were editing this post! But she's not, so it stays.) Yes, Twitter in particular and social media in general were the catalysts of the Arab Spring, but where is the Arab Spring now???? It goes back to the staying power I alluded to earlier with Poe. Twitter helped ignite the unrest that had been building for years throughout the Arab world, but it happened too quick, before any kind of lasting democratic infrastructure could be thought of, much less built. And so a chill settled over the Arab Spring, a chill that has lasted much longer than the brief warm spell which preceded it.



Let's go back to 1966, and the reaction to #ToKillaMockingbird in Virginia.  "Believing its contents to be "immoral," the Hanover County School Board in Virginia decided to remove all copies of Harper Lee's classic novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, from the county's school libraries." I picked this one example--of many--because it makes several points for me (and isn't that why everybody loves quotes?) For one, five years after To Kill a Mockingbird was published, people were not only still talking about the novel they were filing law suits to remove it from libraries. The depth and complexity of novels lends them to slow and thoughtful digest, which in turn leads to lasting and meaningful change. Like Twitter and the Arab Spring, To Kill a Mockingbird was a catalyst for change in the Deep South, but in this case the change--though slower in coming--was enduring. The novel, at it's best, is timeless and enduring--and we need more of that in this age of transience.

There has never been a better vehicle for the contrarian than the novel. Without doubt, the contrarian can tweet, but what traction can be gained from a media that is based on trends and popularity? And we need the contrarian, now, more than ever. Don't think so? What about Global Warning, the rise of domestic terrorism, a resurgent and cantankerous Russia, our failing public schools, the healthcare crisis? But I don't mean to pick on Twitter (and make sure to follow me at @phogenkampVT). I mean to remind people of the importance of the novel, of non-fiction, of long form journalism, of poetry, and of anything with depth and complexity in this day and age of info-bytes, quick take-home points, and all other things that are superficial and ultra-simplified. 
Why does it matter? I worry that our national attention span has grown so short that we can't focus long enough to even identify--much less address--the pressing issues of our times. Jimmy Carter warned of a "health care crisis" in 1976, and yet forty-five years later we are closer than ever before to a complete dissolution of our health-care system. And I realize that there are other factors--partisan politics and the rise of lobbyism in particular--at play here, but don't discount the effect of our national attention deficit disorder either. In 2014 we face problems that are deeper and more complex than any encountered in the preceding two millennia; it's time we train ourselves to meet these problems. 



Am I saying that sitting down to The Kite Runner is the best way to resolve Global Warming, that cracking open Cold Mountain will lead to better schools? Yes, that's what I am saying. (Heh, I am Jesuit-educated, what did you expect?) 

The problem, of course, is that it's a lot easier to whip off a quick tweet about the #goldenglobes than it is to construct a 500,000 character work that is deep and rich and complex and permanent.

But it has never been more important. 
If you enjoyed what I had to say, consider clicking on one of the following links to buy one of my books and/or browse my website. Thanks for that; I truly appreciate the support:The Intern (TouchPoint Press, 4/2020)The Vatican Conspiracy (Bookouture/HachetteUK, 10/2020)Peter's Author Website
Cheers, peter

:)

, Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter's writing credits include The Intern, TouchPoint Press, 4/2020; The Vatican Conspiracy, the first book in the Marco Venetti thriller series, October 2020, Bookouture/HachetteUK; The Vatican Secret, Marco Venetti #2, April 2021; and THE LAZARUS MANUSCRIPT, a stand-alone medical thriller; Peter can be found on his Author Website as well as his personal blog, PeterHogenkampWrites, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the founder and editor of The Book Stops Here, the literary blog for readers and writers written by authors, editors, agents, publishers and poets. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter tweets--against the wishes of his wife and four children--at @phogenkampvt and @theprosecons. Peter can be reached at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com or on his Facebook Page.

:)

 

We all want the pandemic to be over, don't we? <nod head> Well, we have a way out of this god-forsaken mess--it's called the Covid-19 vaccine. Want to find out more? <nod head>  Good, click on the arrow above. Wants the Reader's Digest version? <shake head> Good, click on the arrow above. But if you are in a tearing hurry (to go where? I ask you, as were in the middle of a pandemic) remember this. All the vaccines either currently approved or shortly to be approved offer near complete protection against serious disease, defined as either hospitalization and/or death. What does that mean? It means that, once vaccinated, the worst outcome for those few who might still catch Covid is a mild viral illness, which you have had many times previously in your lifetime. Don't get lost in the various numbers representing the different efficacy rates for the different vaccines to prevent all Covid disease. Frankly, I don't care if I get a cold, and likely neither do you. Being admitted to the hospital and/or dying is the part I don't like. If you don't like that prospect either, then do something about it. When your turn comes, get your Covid-vaccine. If you live in Vermont, then here is the link to the state website to sign up for your vaccine: State Vaccine Website

If you enjoyed what I had to say, consider clicking on one of the following links to buy one of my books and/or browse my website. Thanks for that; I truly appreciate the support:The Intern (TouchPoint Press, 4/2020)The Vatican Conspiracy (Bookouture/HachetteUK, 10/2020)Peter's Author Website
Cheers, peter

:)

, Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter's writing credits include The Intern, TouchPoint Press, 4/2020; The Vatican Conspiracy, the first book in the Marco Venetti thriller series, October 2020, Bookouture/HachetteUK; The Vatican Secret, Marco Venetti #2, April 2021; and THE LAZARUS MANUSCRIPT, a stand-alone medical thriller; Peter can be found on his Author Website as well as his personal blog, PeterHogenkampWrites, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the founder and editor of The Book Stops Here, the literary blog for readers and writers written by authors, editors, agents, publishers and poets. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter tweets--against the wishes of his wife and four children--at @phogenkampvt and @theprosecons. Peter can be reached at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com or on his Facebook Page.

 I started my first novel when I was forty. My wife and I had three kids at the time (the fourth came two years later) and we had just decided to start our own medical practice. I used to write late at night on weekends and early in the morning before work, mostly because I had no other time but also because I was trying to keep the whole thing a secret from my wife. She found out a few months later, however, coming downstairs on a Saturday night catching me scribbling into a green wire-bound notebook. She kissed me on the cheek and went back to bed, but I wished she had told me the following, because it took me years to learn the hard way.

1) Writing is the biggest black hole of time ever created. Entire weekends can disappear at

the keyboard. Ask yourself a question before you start a book: Do I have this kind of

time? (And then do it anyway.)

2) It takes a long, long time to break through. I thought I knew this, but I really didn’t. Sit

down, strap in and hang on.

3) The best way to get better at writing is to read and write. Yes, writing conferences and

writing groups help some, but I would classify them more as entertainment than anything

else. If you want to write better, spend the time reading and writing.

4) There is only one worthwhile motive to write: for your personal enjoyment and

fulfillment. If this is not your motive, take up Canasta or curling. I say this because

although you are not going to be the next Cormac McCarthy or JK Rowling, you might

have a lot of fun in the process and learn a lot about who you are.

If I piqued your interest, here is the link to The Vatican Conspiracy Please e-mail me at Peter's author e-mail if you have any comments or questions. And write a review of rate the book on Amazon.

Cheers, peter

:)

, Peter Hogenkamp is a practicing physician, public speaker and author living in Rutland, Vermont. Peter's writing credits include The Intern, TouchPoint Press, 4/2020; The Vatican Conspiracy, the first book in the Marco Venetti thriller series, October 2020, Bookouture/HachetteUK; The Vatican Secret, Marco Venetti #2, April 2021; and THE LAZARUS MANUSCRIPT, a stand-alone medical thriller; Peter can be found on his Author Website as well as his personal blog, PeterHogenkampWrites, where he writes about most anything. Peter is the founder and editor of The Book Stops Here, the literary blog for readers and writers written by authors, editors, agents, publishers and poets. Peter is the creator, producer and host of Your Health Matters, a health information program, which airs on cable television, streams on YouTube and sounds off on podcast. Peter tweets--against the wishes of his wife and four children--at @phogenkampvt and @theprosecons. Peter can be reached at peterhogenkampbooks@gmail.com or on his Facebook Page.