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Author of Acting: From First Audition to Final Bow
Monday, March 30, 2015
Without Nails
Below is a video of me performing Without Nails, a piece I wrote for Good Friday worship years ago.
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If you like this, be sure to sign up for my free newsletter. You'll get content I don't share on the blog, including sample chapters from upcoming books, advance notice of new titles, coupons and more. Did I mention it's free? CLICK HERE
Thursday, March 19, 2015
The Universal Constant
My daughter was born six-and-a-half weeks before her projected due date. She was nearly bald, tiny, with little wiggly legs and feet that didn't quite seem to fit her. Over months and months, she grew. Slowly, her hair filled in. She began to grow teeth. Her legs grew until it was clear they were part of her body.
She babbled a lot. She started walking. Before long she began using words, then complete sentences. One by one, her teeth fell out and were replaced by new ones.
She is 11 years old now, still growing, still changing.
In all the universe, the only thing that doesn't change is the fact that everything changes. Change is a universal constant.
Being my brainchild, Bruce's Babbling is growing, too. Look for a big change as my blog continues to grow.
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She babbled a lot. She started walking. Before long she began using words, then complete sentences. One by one, her teeth fell out and were replaced by new ones.
She is 11 years old now, still growing, still changing.
In all the universe, the only thing that doesn't change is the fact that everything changes. Change is a universal constant.
Being my brainchild, Bruce's Babbling is growing, too. Look for a big change as my blog continues to grow.
Do you want to know what change is coming? Sign up for my FREE NEWSLETTER and be one of the first to find out! CLICK HERE
Friday, March 13, 2015
Caught Off Guard
Why did I agree to do this? Jayne wondered. She let out a sigh of frustration.
Steve glared at her across the top of the tombstone. He had explained the importance of quiet if they were going to get footage of a ghost.
Doctor Jayne Goodwin was a psychologist with her own private practice. Ordinarily, she wouldn't be crouching behind a tombstone in a cemetery on a Tuesday night. But she had let Steve talk her into being an "expert witness" for his video podcast. She had thought he meant to interview her.
Steve Michaels was working on his first million. That's what he kept telling himself, anyway. He had a long way to go.
Steve had met Jayne in med school, but he had abandoned his dream of becoming a doctor during his internship at Aurora. He was astonished at how cruel both doctors and patients could be. Now he was determined to make his fortune with his web series, Uncanny Universe, which explored ghosts and UFO's and Bigfoot and, for all Jayne knew, elves and fairies.
Tonight he had convinced Jayne to join him here in the graveyard in the hopes of catching a ghost on camera. Jayne rested her arms on a tombstone and stifled a yawn.
Steve raised his hand, indicating he wanted Jayne to be quiet. He panned his camera over the graves.
Then Jayne heard it: a strange, rhythmic scraping sound. It was barely audible.
Slowly, Steve raised his arm, pointing. "There," he breathed.
Jayne squinted. The moon was a thin crescent and gave little light through the high, hazy clouds, but she could just make out something moving behind a tombstone near a large tree. It was roughly the size of a man, and it moved in time with the scraping. Steve aimed his palm-sized camera at whatever-it-was, holding his breath as he recorded incontrovertible proof of the existence of ghosts.
And then the apparition spoke. "It ain't here," a gravelly male voice hissed.
"I told you it's over here," another voice croaked, "closer to Margaret Ashborne."
"Oh, my god, I can't believe this," Steve whispered.
Jayne was certain what she was seeing was not a ghost. It was a man, and as her eyes adjusted to the gloom she could make out the top of another man's head barely visible over a tombstone. Jayne stood, wishing she hadn't left her cell phone in her purse back at the car. She could use her flashlight app about now.
She realized Steve was also standing. "Speak to us, spirit," he called, his voice quaking. Jayne tried to stop him, to silence him, but it was too late. The two men began running.
Jayne gripped the top of the tombstone she had been hiding behind and vaulted over it, giving chase. When she got close enough, she leapt at the nearest one, taking him to the ground. The other kept running.
Steve came running up a moment after Jayne's tackle.
"Call someone," Jayne shouted. "Call 911."
The man on the ground was shouting as the other bounded into a Buick and sped away. Steve shoved his hand in his pocket and fished out his cell phone.
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Steve glared at her across the top of the tombstone. He had explained the importance of quiet if they were going to get footage of a ghost.
Doctor Jayne Goodwin was a psychologist with her own private practice. Ordinarily, she wouldn't be crouching behind a tombstone in a cemetery on a Tuesday night. But she had let Steve talk her into being an "expert witness" for his video podcast. She had thought he meant to interview her.
Steve Michaels was working on his first million. That's what he kept telling himself, anyway. He had a long way to go.
Steve had met Jayne in med school, but he had abandoned his dream of becoming a doctor during his internship at Aurora. He was astonished at how cruel both doctors and patients could be. Now he was determined to make his fortune with his web series, Uncanny Universe, which explored ghosts and UFO's and Bigfoot and, for all Jayne knew, elves and fairies.
Tonight he had convinced Jayne to join him here in the graveyard in the hopes of catching a ghost on camera. Jayne rested her arms on a tombstone and stifled a yawn.
Steve raised his hand, indicating he wanted Jayne to be quiet. He panned his camera over the graves.
Then Jayne heard it: a strange, rhythmic scraping sound. It was barely audible.
Slowly, Steve raised his arm, pointing. "There," he breathed.
Jayne squinted. The moon was a thin crescent and gave little light through the high, hazy clouds, but she could just make out something moving behind a tombstone near a large tree. It was roughly the size of a man, and it moved in time with the scraping. Steve aimed his palm-sized camera at whatever-it-was, holding his breath as he recorded incontrovertible proof of the existence of ghosts.
And then the apparition spoke. "It ain't here," a gravelly male voice hissed.
"I told you it's over here," another voice croaked, "closer to Margaret Ashborne."
"Oh, my god, I can't believe this," Steve whispered.
Jayne was certain what she was seeing was not a ghost. It was a man, and as her eyes adjusted to the gloom she could make out the top of another man's head barely visible over a tombstone. Jayne stood, wishing she hadn't left her cell phone in her purse back at the car. She could use her flashlight app about now.
She realized Steve was also standing. "Speak to us, spirit," he called, his voice quaking. Jayne tried to stop him, to silence him, but it was too late. The two men began running.
Jayne gripped the top of the tombstone she had been hiding behind and vaulted over it, giving chase. When she got close enough, she leapt at the nearest one, taking him to the ground. The other kept running.
Steve came running up a moment after Jayne's tackle.
"Call someone," Jayne shouted. "Call 911."
The man on the ground was shouting as the other bounded into a Buick and sped away. Steve shoved his hand in his pocket and fished out his cell phone.
~ ~ ~
"Well, if what the suspect says is true, we've been looking for these two for a long while," Officer Bynes drawled.
They had arrived minutes after Steve made the call. The one who had driven away had been apprehended a few blocks from the cemetery, and the one Jayne had tackled confessed everything. Police were setting up lights and searching the area by the tree and Margaret Ashborne's tombstone.
"Looks like these two robbed a bank," Bynes continued. "Sometime last June. They decided it would be best to bury it, wait for the case to get cold before laundering the money. They were digging it up when you two came along."
Jayne smiled. She wasn't used to this sort of adventure.
"And I got it on video!" Steve exclaimed. "Uh...when do I get my camera back?"
"We'll need that for evidence," Bynes explained. "You'll get it back when the trial is over. And any appeals. Say a year, maybe two?"
Steve sighed. "Maybe we can do an interview," he said to Jayne. "You can vouch for all my viewers that this really happened."
"Careful, kiddo," Bynes said. Steve wondered at the nickname: Bynes couldn't be more than a few years older. "You go postin' stuff about this on the internet and the defense attorney will holler 'mistrial' before these two even get to the courthouse."
Steve looked at the ground, then up at Jayne. "Wanna grab some coffee?" He asked.
She shook her head. "I've got to get some rest. I have a nine o'clock tomorrow." She started for her car.
"What made you jump them?" Steve called after her.
She stopped, turning to face him. "I figured two people in a graveyard in the middle of the night must be up to no good." She glared at him for a moment, but he didn't seem to understand.
"Looks like these two robbed a bank," Bynes continued. "Sometime last June. They decided it would be best to bury it, wait for the case to get cold before laundering the money. They were digging it up when you two came along."
Jayne smiled. She wasn't used to this sort of adventure.
"And I got it on video!" Steve exclaimed. "Uh...when do I get my camera back?"
"We'll need that for evidence," Bynes explained. "You'll get it back when the trial is over. And any appeals. Say a year, maybe two?"
Steve sighed. "Maybe we can do an interview," he said to Jayne. "You can vouch for all my viewers that this really happened."
"Careful, kiddo," Bynes said. Steve wondered at the nickname: Bynes couldn't be more than a few years older. "You go postin' stuff about this on the internet and the defense attorney will holler 'mistrial' before these two even get to the courthouse."
Steve looked at the ground, then up at Jayne. "Wanna grab some coffee?" He asked.
She shook her head. "I've got to get some rest. I have a nine o'clock tomorrow." She started for her car.
"What made you jump them?" Steve called after her.
She stopped, turning to face him. "I figured two people in a graveyard in the middle of the night must be up to no good." She glared at him for a moment, but he didn't seem to understand.
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Thursday, March 12, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: How to Learn Any Language by Nate Nicholson
Nicholson advises against using traditional methods of learning a second language (such as taking a class) and instead suggests several methods for immersing oneself in the chosen tongue. The result is learning a language naturally, much in the same way a child does. Again, I have not tried these methods, but Nicholson makes a convincing case that they work.
The suggestions do seem fun as well, and, in fact, many are just a twist on things you are probably already doing. They are also affordable, making it possible to learn a new tongue for little to no money. If you are looking to learn another language, and you want to do so quickly, inexpensively and have fun while learning, I highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If you are an author and would like to have your book considered for review, CLICK HERE.
Wednesday, March 11, 2015
Do You Even Write, Bro?
Darryl picked up the phone on the fifth ring. It was his land line. Nobody called him on his land line anymore.
"Hello?" he said, a little perturbed with himself for not answering more quickly.
"Hey," said a familiar voice on the other end of the line. It was his friend, Julie. "I just finished your manuscript."
"Yeah?" Darryl asked. Julie had agreed to read his manuscript before he published it as an eBook.
"I like the story, but I wanted to go over a couple things."
"Like what?"
"First of all, it's a couple of things," she said.
"Huh?"
"You wrote 'a couple things' over and over again," she explained. "The expression is a couple of things."
"Oh," Darryl said, not understanding at all.
"And you usually listed more than a couple."
"What?"
"A couple is two. It's a specific number. You can't write, 'I'm going to tell you a couple things' and then list six items."
"Oh." Darryl wondered if perhaps this conversation wasn't going well.
"And could of is not a contraction of could have."
Darryl was silent.
"Do you even write?" Julie demanded. "Do you even know the difference between there, their, and they're? Or two, too, and to?" This wasn't exactly fair of her since they sounded the same over the phone, but before Darryl could say anything, she went on.
"For crying out loud, Darryl," she exclaimed. "They have English classes you can take at the Community College! If you can't afford it, just publish this book as is and start a Kickstarter campaign -- I'm sure you'll raise the tuition money in no time!"
Julie finished her tirade, and for a moment there was no sound but the sound of her catching her breath. After several long, awkard minutes, Darryl broke the silence.
"Huh?"
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"Hello?" he said, a little perturbed with himself for not answering more quickly.
"Hey," said a familiar voice on the other end of the line. It was his friend, Julie. "I just finished your manuscript."
"Yeah?" Darryl asked. Julie had agreed to read his manuscript before he published it as an eBook.
"I like the story, but I wanted to go over a couple things."
"Like what?"
"First of all, it's a couple of things," she said.
"Huh?"
"You wrote 'a couple things' over and over again," she explained. "The expression is a couple of things."
"Oh," Darryl said, not understanding at all.
"And you usually listed more than a couple."
"What?"
"A couple is two. It's a specific number. You can't write, 'I'm going to tell you a couple things' and then list six items."
"Oh." Darryl wondered if perhaps this conversation wasn't going well.
"And could of is not a contraction of could have."
Darryl was silent.
"Do you even write?" Julie demanded. "Do you even know the difference between there, their, and they're? Or two, too, and to?" This wasn't exactly fair of her since they sounded the same over the phone, but before Darryl could say anything, she went on.
"For crying out loud, Darryl," she exclaimed. "They have English classes you can take at the Community College! If you can't afford it, just publish this book as is and start a Kickstarter campaign -- I'm sure you'll raise the tuition money in no time!"
Julie finished her tirade, and for a moment there was no sound but the sound of her catching her breath. After several long, awkard minutes, Darryl broke the silence.
"Huh?"
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Tuesday, March 10, 2015
BOOK REVIEW: Sleepless by Michael Omer
Sleepless is the story of fourteen-year-old Amy in her new home in Narrowdale. Narrowdale is not like L.A. It's small and suburban. And strange.
The brand-new air conditioner that doesn't work and the creepy neighbor and his dog are bad enough. Amy also has to cope with being the new kid at school and all the difficulties that entails. Worse still are the nightmares....
I enjoyed this book. It is a tale of suburban life with just a touch of the supernatural. And there are just enough unanswered questions to make the promised sequel equally satisfying. But I did have a problem with the strong language. Yes, the story centers around high school students, and yes, I talked that way in high school. But I wondered if the book might have a broader appeal without it. It did not add anything to the story and, in fact, I usually found myself questioning the authenticity of the characters when I read a swear word.
I am not sure why the book includes links to Amy's blog. The one blog post that would have been fun to see would have been the video Amy and her friends made, but this simply doesn't exist. As it was, the links added nothing to the text, and the whole thing seemed to say "gimmick." I can only hope this feature will be utilized more effectively in the rest of the series.
Still, it was a fun read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If you are an author and would like to have your book considered for review, CLICK HERE.
The brand-new air conditioner that doesn't work and the creepy neighbor and his dog are bad enough. Amy also has to cope with being the new kid at school and all the difficulties that entails. Worse still are the nightmares....
I enjoyed this book. It is a tale of suburban life with just a touch of the supernatural. And there are just enough unanswered questions to make the promised sequel equally satisfying. But I did have a problem with the strong language. Yes, the story centers around high school students, and yes, I talked that way in high school. But I wondered if the book might have a broader appeal without it. It did not add anything to the story and, in fact, I usually found myself questioning the authenticity of the characters when I read a swear word.
I am not sure why the book includes links to Amy's blog. The one blog post that would have been fun to see would have been the video Amy and her friends made, but this simply doesn't exist. As it was, the links added nothing to the text, and the whole thing seemed to say "gimmick." I can only hope this feature will be utilized more effectively in the rest of the series.
Still, it was a fun read.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
If you are an author and would like to have your book considered for review, CLICK HERE.
Monday, March 9, 2015
How Well Do You Know Me?
How well do you know me? Well enough to be considered a friend? Well enough to be called family? Well enough to pass this quiz?
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