Dutch Jones's Blog

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Many people ask me where my name Dutch (Jones) came from. Most realize I wasn’t born with the name Dutch, although that would have been cool. It happened a long time ago, in a far away place… actually New Jersey. I was stationed at Fort Dix for my basic training for the Army, I was eighteen. One morning at 4am, while out on bivouac (Army version of camping), all 200 of us were busy digging foxholes, (a hole big enough for a solider to hide in during combat). A drill sergeant approached me and a fellow solider from behind, (scared the crap out of us!), and started yelling at us about something we were doing wrong, or we weren’t digging fast enough, kind of a blur today. They, the drill sergeants, pretty much yell about everything; whether you’re doing it right, fast enough or you reach the Army’s benchmark for passing, you still get yelled at.

Anyway, it was pitch black out, even with his flashlight the sergeant couldn’t see us well. He pointed his flashlight at me, “Dutch… what the hell are you doing?” he demanded. Of course I didn’t answer, any answer would have meant doing dishes or pealing potatoes (yes they really do that), for weeks. I just kept digging. The sergeant huffed then turned and walked away. “Why’d he call you Dutch?” my foxhole buddy asked me. “No idea,” was my reply. I can’t explain it, maybe he thought I was someone else, maybe he thought I was from the Netherlands… no clue. But, from that day on, all of my fellow soldiers only referred to me as ‘Dutch’.

(That’s me with the feather, I hate feathers!)

Also can’t explain how it went beyond the confines of Fort Dix. I thought once I was done with basic training and moved on, the nickname would stay in Jersey. Nope. It  spread all the way home to my friends and even my family. So Dutch it was, from then on. Truth is, I like the name, it fits me. Unfortunately I don’t know who that drill sergeant was so I can thank him!

Dutch~

Writing Long Trip Home was a fascinating process for me. The story idea came to me when I was in my early 20’s, so like ten years ago, uh hum. I had this awesome idea, I quickly wrote down some of the main points and a rough outline of the two main characters; one I knew was going to be a female rock star, the other an all around good guy, married with kids. I wanted to write this right then, but I was missing one key component; I needed my two main guys, now Troy & Izy to be forced into a situation where they would have to spend a lot of time together with no distractions. I had nothing. I had ideas, but nothing really fit, it was very frustrating. I had the end, well, I really had about three different endings, I had the middle, I had most of the supporting cast, I didn’t have the connection. I shelved it.

Fast forward to November 2013. I was sitting around a table with 5 other guys enjoying a beer and talking hockey while our sons were on the ice working out. One of the guys, a high level securities expert, travels all over the world for his work and had just gotten back from somewhere in the Middle East.  He was telling us how horrible the trip was and his exploits just to get home. His return trip, for all kinds of crazy reasons, took him over 30 hours. Just enough for me. I got my connection.

Mena Suvari hanging with Dutch in LA

I actually got up from the table that second and ran out to my car, where I always keep a note pad, and wrote out a rough couple of paragraphs, filling in long lost gaps. It was such an amazing feeling. Six weeks later Long Trip Home was done, also an amazing feeling. It took nearly thirty years for life / technology / modernization to catch up with my story. Wow. And as usual for me, not so sure about other writers, the story once I sat down to actually write it, became a completely different animal than my original concept. But to me that’s the best part of writing, fiction that is, it’s an opportunity to open up your mind and let your story run free. It does something to me every time.

If you haven’t read it yet you should. It’s very entertaining, lots of twists, some romance, some excitement, and for most, a great ending. It’s one mans journey of self discovery. Oh and ‘On-Sale’ right now at Amazon, only $9.99 a great price for an E Ticket, awe man, am I aging myself again?!

Please sign up for my ‘I promise not to be a pest’ email list so we can stay in touch.

Do you have a new Book or Blog you want me to talk about? Lemme know.

To your Success!

Dutch ~

If you follow me at all you know I was invited to an Oscar After Party, “Salute to the Stars”, at the W Hotel in Hollywood. Thank you to Kathy Brown for the introductions and to Bob Hellman the host! It was a night of stars! The rain stopped, the clouds parted and the stars came out. The event was put together to raise money for a great cause, The Actors Fund. I hope they raised a lot of money and awareness.

The 2014 Oscar Awards was all it is meant to be, but it’s the after parties that garnish the most attention of the celebrity. Going to one of these events for the first time was the total experience. Because of my new novel, ‘Long Trip Home’ I was invited to go and had the opportunity to meet and mingle with some of the movers and shakers in Hollywood. It was hard work and fun, but mostly entertaining. Crazy… yes. But I met some very cool people and the celebrities were approachable and very excited for me and my novel.

The night started with the opportunity to walk the ‘Red’ carpet, standard Hollywood thing on this night. The party was broken down into three main areas; the VIP room, where you can guess VIP’s were treated to a pre-party drink and mingling. I hung out in that room a great deal. Then the main party which was on the top floor of the W Hotel (Hollywood &  Vine). Up there the party was half in half out. In, was a night club atmosphere with a live rock band and several local TV stations interviewing key people as they came into the event. Out was around the pool. Cabana’s, live music, artists of all kinds, bars, and models and stars and movie moguls and… whew! Over 1000 people! In fact for a little while the Fire Marshal stopped letting people in, sorry Billy Ray! He eventually got in.

Boring, boring, boring, but here it goes: It cost my parents the monumental sum of $8.86 for me to come into the world. It was 1959, my Dad was in the Army. The fact is the $8.86 wasn’t for the hospital or the doctors it was for the food my Mom ate while she was in the hospital! This all took place at Fort Ord in California. After less than a year we moved back to my parents hometown, Pasadena California. A suburb of Los Angeles.

My life as a child had all the same basic things in it that I think any child growing up in the sixties and seventies would have. Remembering this is when the war in Vietnam was raging, protests and drugs were everywhere. Good times! Living in the Southern California suburbs I think sheltered my sisters and I from most of the craziness.

I grew up with four younger sisters, thank goodness I am the oldest. It was a normal, quite middle class life. For the most part life was good… fun. Then high school and all the pressures that go with it. I’m not speaking about tougher classes or teachers or the pressure to get good grades. No! I’m talking about looking right, having the right friends and most important, girls! Oh yea, the girls. A lot of things changed in high school but then that story would be a book in itself!

I was one of those guys in high school with little direction for my life and even less motivation, except when it came to girls. It seemed like all my friends knew exactly what they wanted to do ‘when they grew up’. I did too. On Monday I wanted to be a cop; on Tuesday a Fireman; Wednesday a pilot and so on. One thing I did seem to care about, I always thought it would be important to me to make a great deal of money. How? I had no clue.

I was a lazy student; I barely made it out of high school and there was no chance I was ever going to go to college, so after a few odd jobs I joined the Army. Whew, was my Dad pissed. What the Army did for me I can never say enough. It taught me discipline and a work ethic I never had. It changed me into a better man.

After the Army still with no real direction and no interest in college I became a Deputy Sheriff (a cop). That also taught me a great deal, only this time not just about myself but also about people. The good, the bad and the really really ugly. It was a life lesson being a cop for several years, especially in L.A. Then in my fourth year of patrolling the streets I had my first chance to get into the business world. My Dad needed a partner at his newly acquired liquor store & deli. I gave up the police force and started working for myself. I worked more hours, more days and for less money than I was making as a cop… but loved it.

From the liquor store I moved into a rep business handling sporting goods. I made very good money and had fun doing it. Now, some twentyish years later I’ve owned 8 or 9 different businesses. Some more profitable than others, some harder than others and some more fun than others. Sadly, when I was at the top of my game one business wiped me out and I had to start all over, while in the middle of a super recession mind you. 2007? Did you feel it too?

Around the time of my second business I met my wife, I was 30. We met in a true blue act of fate; we dated for one month, got engaged and 6 months later we were married! We have been married for 21 years and we have two awesome teens, both soon to be out of the house, (we’ll see!). I got lucky. With all the ups and downs of business and our financial roller coaster my wife has always been there, a true partner. I don’t just love my wife, I adore my wife. She makes everything better.

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During all that time and effort I never lost the drive or motivation to write. I started a new novel too many times to mention but just couldn’t get it done. I have many many story ideas and as a habit I always put my ideas into a kind of outline so I won’t forget. When I get the urge I will go back to one of my outlines and start adding to it. Some of them have nearly been finished (in the outline form) but no novels.

Then one day early last year I was going over one of my favorite outlines and I decided to start writing it. Not sure why or where the motivation came from but six weeks later the first draft was done. That started it all. Now I am constantly working on a project. It took a bit but a publisher picked me up and my first finished novel,

Wow, Where’d That Come From?

I can’t say for sure what happened. I just finished E.A.P. The Untold Story, a novel that explains what actually happened to Elvis Presley, you know, if he really died on August 16th 1977 or not. Not a week went by and a story that I’ve had an idea for popped back up in my mind. I hadn’t even started editing EAP yet. I usually need at least a six month break, but I was overcome, I had to start writing.

The stranger part is Changing Tides is a bit of a departure for me. I mean, I have some romance hanging around in most of my stories but Changing Tides is a Romance. Not to be mistaken with an Erotic Romance, more of a Modern Contemporary Romance. When ‘they’ walk into the bedroom, the romance stops at the door.

It’s not the longest novel I’ve ever written, it will end up around 200 pages or so, but it packs a punch. Basically a young Super Model named Jono is at the top of her game, but miserable. While on a shoot in Hawaii she nearly drowns, saved by a wayward sole who has stepped out of life. Mike has no choice, if he doesn’t take action this stranger will die. The next day Mike finds himself in jail and Jono is in the hospital, neither knowing of each other.

It becomes Jono’s obsession to find her hero and repay him for saving her life. Mike doesn’t want to be found. Jono comes from less than nothing, she’s a fighter, a rebel. Being rich turns her into a mean nasty demanding… well you know.

What, when, where and how is the sum total of Changing Tides.

I finished the first draft in three weeks, whew! I pretty much never looked up, if you know what I mean. Now in editing, hope to release by the years end. I really hope you check it out, and I really hope you like it. One thing about me, if you didn’t already know… is I write for me. If I’m entertained I think you’ll be entertained. That is Always my goal.

Also please check out another recent release, the feedback has been awesome! Long Trip Home

To your Success!

Dutch~

I thought you might find this article interesting. It doesn’t take much to believe most of it is true. Read on, it’s fascinating! (we especially like the section on lawyers!)

In 1998, Kodak had 170,000 employees and sold 85% of all photo paper

worldwide. Within just a few years, their business model disappeared

and they went bankrupt. What happened to Kodak will happen in a lot

of industries in the next 10 years – and most people won’t see it

coming. Did you think in 1998 that 3 years later you would never take

pictures on film again?

Yet digital cameras were invented in 1975. The first ones only had

10,000 pixels, but followed Moore’s law. So as with all exponential

technologies, it was a disappointment for a long time, before it

became way superior and got mainstream in only a few short years. It

will now happen with Artificial Intelligence, health, autonomous and

electric cars, education, 3D printing, agriculture and jobs. Welcome

to the 4th Industrial Revolution. Welcome to the Exponential Age.

Software will disrupt most traditional industries in the next 5-10 years.

Uber is just a software tool, they don’t own any cars, and are now the

biggest taxi company in the world.

Airbnb is now the biggest hotel company in the world, although they

don’t own any properties.

Artificial Intelligence: Computers become exponentially better in

understanding the world. This year, a computer beat the best Go player

in the world, 10 years earlier than expected.

In the US, young lawyers already don’t get jobs. Because of IBM

Watson, you can get legal advice (so far for more or less basic stuff)

within seconds, with 90% accuracy compared with 70% accuracy when done

by humans.

So if you study law, stop immediately. There will be 90% fewer lawyers

in the future, only specialists will remain.

Watson already helps nurses diagnosing cancer, 4 times more accurate

than human nurses. Facebook now has a pattern recognition software

that can recognize faces better than humans. In 2030, computers will

become more intelligent than humans.

Autonomous cars: In 2018 the first self driving cars will appear for

the public. Around 2020, the complete industry will start to be

disrupted. You don’t want to own a car anymore. You will call a car

with your phone, it will show up at your location and drive you to

your destination. You will not need to park it, you only pay for the

driven distance and can be productive while driving. Our kids will

never get a driver’s license and will never own a car.

It will change the cities, because we will need 90-95% fewer cars for

that. We can transform former parking spaces into parks. 1.2 million

people die each year in car accidents worldwide. We now have one

accident every 60,000 mi (100,000 km), with autonomous driving that

will drop to one accident in 6 million mi (10 million km). That will

save a million lives each year.

Most car companies will probably become bankrupt. Traditional car

companies try the evolutionary approach and just build a better car,

while tech companies (Tesla, Apple, Google) will do the revolutionary

approach and build a computer on wheels.

Many engineers from Volkswagen and Audi; are completely terrified of Tesla.

Insurance companies will have massive trouble because without

accidents, the insurance will become 100x cheaper. Their car insurance

business model will disappear.

Real estate will change. Because if you can work while you commute,

people will move further away to live in a more beautiful

neighborhood.

Electric cars will become mainstream about 2020. Cities will be less

noisy because all new cars will run on electricity. Electricity will

become incredibly cheap and clean: Solar production has been on an

exponential curve for 30 years, but you can now see the burgeoning

impact.

Last year, more solar energy was installed worldwide than fossil.

Energy companies are desperately trying to limit access to the grid to

prevent competition from home solar installations, but that can’t

last. Technology will take care of that strategy.

With cheap electricity comes cheap and abundant water. Desalination of

salt water now only needs 2kWh per cubic meter (@ 0.25 cents). We

don’t have scarce water in most places, we only have scarce drinking

water. Imagine what will be possible if anyone can have as much clean

water as he wants, for nearly no cost.

Health: The Tricorder X price will be announced this year. There are

companies who will build a medical device (called the “Tricorder” from

Star Trek) that works with your phone, which takes your retina scan,

your blood sample and you breathe into it.

It then analyzes 54 biomarkers that will identify nearly any disease.

It will be cheap, so in a few years everyone on this planet will have

access to world class medical analysis, nearly for free. Goodbye,

medical establishment.

3D printing: The price of the cheapest 3D printer came down from

$18,000 to $400 within 10 years. In the same time, it became 100 times

faster. All major shoe companies have already started 3D printing

shoes.

Some spare airplane parts are already 3D printed in remote airports.

The space station now has a printer that eliminates the need for the

large amount of spare parts they used to have in the past.

At the end of this year, new smart phones will have 3D scanning

possibilities. You can then 3D scan your feet and print your perfect

shoe at home.

In China, they already 3D printed and built a complete 6-story office

building. By 2027, 10% of everything that’s being produced will be 3D

printed.

Business opportunities: If you think of a niche you want to go in, ask

yourself: “in the future, do you think we will have that?” and if the

answer is yes, how can you make that happen sooner?

If it doesn’t work with your phone, forget the idea. And any idea

designed for success in the 20th century is doomed to failure in the

21st century.

Work: 70-80% of jobs will disappear in the next 20 years. There will

be a lot of new jobs, but it is not clear if there will be enough new

jobs in such a small time.

Agriculture: There will be a $100 agricultural robot in the future.

Farmers in 3rd world countries can then become managers of their field

instead of working all day on their fields.

Aeroponics will need much less water. The first Petri dish produced

veal, is now available and will be cheaper than cow produced veal in

2018. Right now, 30% of all agricultural surfaces is used for cows.

Imagine if we don’t need that space anymore. There are several

startups who will bring insect protein to the market shortly. It

contains more protein than meat. It will be labeled as “alternative

protein source” (because most people still reject the idea of eating

insects).

There is an app called “moodies” which can already tell in which mood

you’re in. By 2020 there will be apps that can tell by your facial

expressions, if you are lying. Imagine a political debate where it’s

being displayed when they’re telling the truth and when they’ re not.

Bitcoin may even become the default reserve currency. Of the world.

Longevity: Right now, the average life span increases by 3 months per

year. Four years ago, the life span used to be 79 years, now it’s 80

years. The increase itself is increasing and by 2036, there will be

more that one year increase per year. So, we all might live for a long

long time, probably way more than 100.

Education: The cheapest smart phones are already at $10 in Africa and

Asia. By 2020, 70% of all humans will own a smart phone. That means

everyone has the same access to world class education.

Every child can use Khan academy for everything a child learns at

school in First World countries. We have already released our software

in Indonesia and will release it in Arabic, Swahili and Chinese this

Summer, because I see an enormous potential. We will give the English

app for free, so that children in Africa can become fluent in English

within half a year.

Wow!

The post The Future, Your Future appeared first on Dutch Jones.

Wow, Where’d That Come From?

I can’t say for sure what happened. I just finished E.A.P. The Untold Story, a novel that explains what actually happened to Elvis Presley, you know, if he really died on August 16th 1977 or not. Not a week went by and a story that I’ve had an idea for popped back up in my mind. I hadn’t even started editing EAP yet. I usually need at least a six month break, but I was overcome, I had to start writing.

The stranger part is Changing Tides is a bit of a departure for me. I mean, I have some romance hanging around in most of my stories but Changing Tides is a Romance. Not to be mistaken with an Erotic Romance, more of a Modern Contemporary Romance. When ‘they’ walk into the bedroom, the romance stops at the door.

It’s not the longest novel I’ve ever written, it will end up around 200 pages or so, but it packs a punch. Basically a young Super Model named Jono is at the top of her game, but miserable. While on a shoot in Hawaii she nearly drowns, saved by a wayward sole who has stepped out of life. Mike has no choice, if he doesn’t take action this stranger will die. The next day Mike finds himself in jail and Jono is in the hospital, neither knowing of each other.

It becomes Jono’s obsession to find her hero and repay him for saving her life. Mike doesn’t want to be found. Jono comes from less than nothing, she’s a fighter, a rebel. Being rich turns her into a mean nasty demanding… well you know.

What, when, where and how is the sum total of Changing Tides.

I finished the first draft in three weeks, whew! I pretty much never looked up, if you know what I mean. Now in editing, hope to release by the years end. I really hope you check it out, and I really hope you like it. One thing about me, if you didn’t already know… is I write for me. If I’m entertained I think you’ll be entertained. That is Always my goal.

Also please check out another recent release, the feedback has been awesome! Long Trip Home

To your Success!

Dutch~

The post Changing Tides, A New Novel appeared first on Dutch Jones.

December 11th 2014

It’s alway’s a special day when I finish a manuscript. No fanfare, no parties, no champagne. A cold beer and a kiss from my wife is all I need. That and the satisfaction of a job well done. Today when I typed the final words I didn’t even realize I was finished. I read and reread the final chapter, then I pushed myself back from my computer, “oh wow… it’s done!” Very cool feeling.

Rose is a special story. At eighty-one years old, Rose starts her life over. For decades she is alone with no one, just a handful of friends who are passing away too fast. Rose only knows of one living relative, Marie her niece, who Rose hasn’t seen for nearly forty years. A life filled, as life is, with ups and downs, highs and lows. Rose doesn’t get many breaks in her life, but at eighty-one she gets her biggest.

With renewed energy and purpose Rose sets out to find Marie. She is determined and focused, she is strong and will not let anything get in her way. This last chapter in her life needs to be written by Rose. This story is Rose’s story.

Rose is a Contemporary Romance, approximately 200 pages. Look for updates and more information on my website www.dutchjones.com or sign up for email alerts. 

I am really looking forward to sharing Rose with you, hopefully soon!

Dutch~

The post Rose, Life Begins at 81 appeared first on Dutch Jones.

The feedback and reviews on my novel, Long Trip Home have been fantastic. Thanks to all who have read it and posted a review. It went so well, I’m doing it again. Signup for Goodreads, it’s free, and you could win a signed copy of my book. I know you’ll enjoy it.

Long Trip Home is a Contemporary Romance, 233 pages.

Long Trip Home is an emotional, provocative, and entertaining journey of two completely different people, who live completely different lives, coming together. Because of their friendship, they both discover things about themselves that change their lives, possibly forever.

Thanks!

Dutch~

Giveaway ends February 20, 2015.

See the giveaway details

at Goodreads.

Enter to win

The post Long Trip Home Giveaway! appeared first on Dutch Jones.