Mark Butler's Blog

There's no reason to emphasize the insignificance of this world or our lives-that has been done countless times. We all have limited vision, mainly because each person only gets 1 brain in their lifetime. You can use other people's brains, of course, but not like you can use yours. But I'm getting off topic. We only exist for a very brief period of time on this planet, so let's ask ourselves-how are we spending our time?

Forget that. You can experience incredible highs and horrific lows, but all of those experiences move into the past, reducing their effect the greater and greater the distance we get from the past. So experiences are no good.

Accomplishments are good. Everyone likes to set goals and then achieve them, lending themselves a sense of purpose. This can also translate into how we fight for our survival, and also how we are remembered. Accomplishments are good, but once you are dead, what do they benefit you?

No one knows what happens when we die. Religious folks will tell you they know, or they have a book that knows, but why trust them? Aren't they just people? Isn't a book just a book?

So the answer is not in our life's experiences, accomplishments or religion. The answer might not be in a way of life, and it might not be in a galaxy far, far away. Sadly, there are no answers for the questions of souls and eternities.

But I did not come only to offer you a great explanation on why no one has the answers! I came here to offer my own.

Live openly. Be vulnerable, be quick to admit when you wrong, or weak, or scared. Face your fears if you think it will help. Try something new. Take the harder route sometimes, it's probably the right way, anyway. And above all, be honest with yourself about how you spend your time.

Time is all we have, and it's a very, very limited resource.

Have you ever thought that every thought that you ever thought has already been thought of?...Lol, j/k, this isn't a philosophical blog, after all.

There are new inventions everyday. According to the statistics for the U.S. Patent Office for the fiscal year 2008, there were 182,556 patents issued that particular year. Can you believe that? I haven't invented anything in my life, ever. That's probably because I have every material comfort that I could ever want, and I don't see the need for more conveniences, more luxuries. Regardless, some people out there somewhere are thinking of new stuff and putting it out in the world and selling it. Most of these new "inventions" are digital, and a few of them are modifications to an older product. Why am I babbling on about this, you ask? Well, I'm an author, of course.

Original stories are not hard to come by. Fantasy, sci-fi, romance and horror stories are mostly fictional, which means they are not real, which means somebody imagined them in their head. And that's the definition of originality, right? A thought that only you know about, something original and (possibly) great that you came up with all by yourself. For me, I write Historical fiction, which is fictional characters in real historical circumstances, without any added fictitious elements. But I think I'm ready to be original.

I'm going to start a new, 3-book series that is 100% Mark Butler original, never-been-thought-of-before characters, places and events. I think it's a testament to human nature that creating something gives us a special, deep satisfaction we don't fully understand. So go out today and be original, be creative. After all, you only live once!

Best,

Mark

The day has finally come for me to release my long-awaited Civil War novel. The book is 1/2 Romance and 1/2 Action, so hopefully it appeals to both genders. I've supplied the link to the book below!

http://www.amazon.com/Her-Lovely-Colors-ebook/dp/B00EYD01HQ

Faithful readers,

Today, August 5th 2013, one of my novels will be in the Kindle Spotlight! The book is, "The Fourth Crusade." The price of the book will temporarily drop to 0.99, and I will be featured on the Kindle blogspot and Facebook page! Make sure you forward this great news to all of your friends!

Here is the link to the novel: http://www.amazon.com/The-Fourth-Crusade-Crusades-ebook/dp/B00AQS6ZAK

The Spotlight promotion will begin at 3 p.m. central time.

Best,

Mark Butler

Rabid fans,

There are times in life when we feel...alive. Perhaps it is when you tango on Saturday night, or when you climb a 10,000 foot peak, or maybe when you secure a large business deal. Those are your moments, you are the King or Queen. Many people live for those moments, regardless of how few and far between they may come. Those are the moments when your heart races and sweat forms on your brow. Every sense is sharpened and you are in the zone. Everyone, at some point in their lives, has experienced those amazing moments.

Unfortunately, those highs do not last long. You can revisit the scene of the crime, if you will, but the thrill has probably faded. Over the years you develop a tolerance, and suddenly kissing your wife or bungee-jumping off that cliff isn't quite the experience that it was when you were younger. This happens to everyone and is the most natural thing in the world.

But there is a different kind of high.

This is the high when you do something wholesome, fulfilling. Perhaps you built a house? You bruised your hands and banged your knees, but you did something that will last. Maybe you are a nurse that tirelessly cares for very sick people, day in and day out. Sure, you are stressed out and maybe bitter, but you've done something real in this world. Something meaningful. That is what writing a book is for me.

When I write a novel, I go through a broad spectrum of emotions: Frustration, mental exhaustion, doubt, joy, anger, peace, love. Those emotions come and go over the months that I ply my craft, and eventually the job is done. When I can look at that finished manuscript and know it was worth my time, I am more contented than at any other time. I have created something. Something permanent.

This is not religious. Religious types will tell you that you have created something, mimicked what your own Creator has done, and that is where your deep sense of satisfaction is originating. Others will say that you have externalized, in a tangible way, your deep talents and skills. That is another theory. Others say to create anything is simply a joyful, fulfilling experience. Some will say that creating a human life is the greatest joy on Earth, and many, many people will agree with that.

Simply put, creating something is a deep, powerful experience that stays with you for the rest of your life. For me, when my life has ended and my story told, my books will remain. That small nugget of knowledge brings unparalleled joy to my work. My work. I am an author. A creator.

Best,

Mark

YAY! I've finally completed my 5th full-length novel and I am very pleased with how it turned out. It took me just under 3 months to write a 60,000+ word Historical Romance set during the Civil War. The book was fun, the work was easy and life is good.

Well, it wasn't all easy. There was the research.

Depending on genre, research is a must for writing a book. Genres such as horror, sci-fi, supernatural and drama require a bit less research than writing anything historical or anything with technical implications. For example, Richard Marcinko has written numerous (10+) books on Navy SEALS, and it's obvious he can speak the jargon and intelligently describe equipment, training procedures and daily life. And for Historical Fictions? Forget about it. You need to know your time period. People spoke differently, worked unusual jobs and lived lives that are non-existent now.

And now my blog post can truly begin.

I'm writing on the Fifth Crusade now. I recently wrote the Fourth Crusade, which will make writing the Fifth Crusade easier, but it's still quite difficult.

How did Europe look nine hundred years ago? What did people do? Did everyone farm? If so, what kinds of crops? What was the landscape like? How about towns and major cities? What about the government? How did they administer their laws? How did one travel around Europe? What kind of clothes did they wear? During the Crusades men of numerous nations came together under unifying military banners...what language was spoken amongst the troops? How were translations handled?

These are just a scant-few of the questions a writer must answer before they can write a realistic, believable novel. Obviously I can get on Google and find answers, but how do I apply that information to paper while still writing an interesting story? Basically, the beginning of any new novel is exciting and daunting. As my Fifth Crusade novel is in its' infancy stages, I have to take the time to appreciate the enormity of this undertaking. Now, that's enough of this crazy, random blogging.

I have research to do.

I'm not an angry person. I'm (in my opinion) actually quite friendly and occasionally talkative. Not loquacious, per se, but affable. But today is hump day and I'm sleeeepyy...very sleepy. For some reason my "sleepy face" also looks rather annoyed and detached. I suspect this is true of many people. Anyways, walking around with my sleepy face has garnered me quite a few "don't f@$! with him looks" and I couldn't be happier.

It's not that I want people to think I'm dangerous or anything other than what I really am, but it's nice to not bother saying hello to people who you don't want to, smiling at random people in the elevator and cheerfully chatting with some of God's dumbest creations. People are leaving me alone, and that's given me time to think about my upcoming book, my family, sports...It's almost like being cut off from the world. And that has led me to wonder, do many convicts feel the same way, all the time? Perhaps they don't like people, plain and simple. I'm not saying that I want to be left alone all the time (like solitary confinement) but there is definitely such a thing as too much socializing.

And thank God I don't have to deal with it today.

Faithful readers,

Today is Friday, July 5th. It is the day after family and friends, fireworks and barbecue, and of course, a big ol' parade in downtown. I have to work today because my place of employment is a radiation treatment center for people with cancer. Apparently, if we were closed today, (we were closed yesterday, of course) then our cancer patients would be forced to go 4 entire days without their treatment, which is almost more detrimental than not even getting treated in the first place. So long story short, I have to work today.

But I digress.

This day is unique in another way: I'm working side-by-side with my manager because a few far-sighted employees asked for July 5th off, like, 2 months in advance. And that's where the story begins:

My manager is a woman who tells LOTS of stories. Endless stories, tales and narratives. If you want to have a conversation with her, be prepared to speak for 6 seconds, endure a 15 minute story, and then you get 6 more seconds. If you TRY to tell her a story that is any longer than fifteen seconds, she gets this bored expression and eyeballs you like your job is on the line. And that got me thinking...Why am I scared of losing my job? I mean, if you asked everyone in America if they wanted a new job, how many people would jump all over the chance? The majority would, I'd bet my left nut on. But we're all scared. We stay stuck in jobs that we don't like, with people we don't like, because of the stigma of "losing your job." If you are unemployed,  you are a loser.  That is what we are told by our friends, wives (or husbands) and the media.

But dammit, I want a new job! I've been here 2 1/2 years and I have enough money to leave my job and not need to work for a short period of time. I could easily find another job; there are dozens of postings for my skills at dozens of places in my city. So why do I stay somewhere that I don't want to be? I don't know. All I know is that the next time my manager starts another one of her marathon stories (while the work builds up around us), I'm going to seriously consider my fear of unemployment, and today, I might just overcome my fear.

Best,

Mark

I'm sure there will soon be hundreds and/or thousands of articles concerning the 23 year old tight end for the NFL Patriots who was recently charged with murder, and I feel compelled to share a few of my own thoughts.

For those who are unfamiliar, here's a brief synopsis. Aaron Hernandez is a 23 year old NFL player. He's a star who received a 12.5 million dollar signing bonus and a 40 million dollar, 5-year contract to play. He was recently charged with first degree murder after allegedly shooting a man. His motives remain unclear.

Why would you do it? Why would you (allegedly) murder someone because...well...there's no good reason to murder someone. Maybe if you're defending your family, or your life, you can justifiably kill someone. But that's clearly not the case here. Is this a case of "You can take me out th' hood, but you can't take th' hood outta me"?

I don't think so. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this man had a skewed perspective on the world. He was told by family, friends, women and NFL professionals that he was special. They told him that he's not normal, that he's rich and famous. They told him that he was living a life that most people can only dream of, and that he gets to earn money playing a sport he loves.

And he believed them. He believed every word they said, and their words echoed in his mind when he allegedly pulled the trigger. Tell me, would this young man have had any chance of going to college and making millions of dollars if he wasn't talented at an incredibly violent sport? No. For all of his physical gifts, Aaron Hernandez is lacking in the mental capacity to handle the life that was thrust at him. Is it his fault? Yes. Is the world of professional sports at fault as well? Undoubtedly.

There is no solution to this problem and everyone knows it exists. Firefighters, policeman and school teachers make what? 60k a year? So, if they weren't taxed and didn't have living expenses, and they saved every dime they made, they would have 12.5 million in what? 200 years?

The real problem is the situation that the world of professional sports and athlete worship has created. It is a situation that will continue to produce the saddest, most shameful stories that the rest of the world will watch with shakes of their heads and thousands of questions in their minds. As for Mr. Hernandez's true motives? I will eagerly be watching the news for updates, although I can't imagine a good reason to murder someone when you're as well of as he is (was).

I've written five ebooks in the past two years. Five! That is about one every 4 1/2-5 months. Each book is between 40-60k words. That's alot of writing. Unfortunately, sales are...dismal. I make some money, but it's not truly enough to justify the time and energy I've put into writing. Of course, writing has its own rewards, e.g. personal gratification, sense of accomplishment, bragging rights, etc...

But I digress. I've (through the help of a rather successful independent author) learned the ways to make some real money with ebooks. And now I shall list them for the benefit of the millions of people who read my blog posts.

1) Write alot. You must write constantly to improve your craft, to create more product, and to create credibility. This is hard work and there is no substitute for the first rule.

2) Read alot. If you love basketball, don't you watch the NBA? How do those guys play? What if you want to become an actor? Don't you watch DiCaprio and Day-Lewis? Simply put, you have to be a fan of writing if you want to be a practitioner. This is invaluable, and again, there is no substitute.

3) Write a series. This is where I've failed spectacularly. I've written a horror, two thrillers, a historical fiction and a romance. That's alot of different genres and alot of different audiences. In order to make money, your efforts must be concentrated. This helps your readers to know who you are and what you're about.
4)MARKETING. This is another difficult area for me. It's shameless self-promotion on a number of social media sites as well as doing it correctly. Believe me, there are right and wrong ways to market yourself, and there's no good way to learn except by trial and error.

In conclusion, why did I want to be a writer? Talk about a lot of hard work and a very small chance of making decent money! Oh well, I shall persist...What else is there to do? Give up? NEVERRRRRR......