Old Habits Die Hard

I am from the southern part of the United States. Growing up in the sixties and seventies I know people used what are now considered deplorable words for people's ethnic origins. The "N" word to be one of them. I heard it growing up and believe me; older people are not going to give up that word no matter how many times you tell them it's wrong to use it- I've tried too many times myself to stop them. Now I won't say 'I never used that word.' There probably isn't anyone who grew up then in that atmosphere who didn't. Some of us just learned not to use it. I didn't like that word anymore than I liked the derogatory phrase for poor white people (questionable morals or not)- 'white trash'. I heard that a lot and not just from the African American community- by the way they called us 'crackers'*. I haven't heard that lately though. I remember knowing even before I started school (for some reason I can't explain) that if I dropped the 'N' word, I probably would have the ever living crap beat out of me and not by my parents. Someone once yelled it across the playground at school, and because it was in my general vicinity, even though it wasn't me, I got accused of it, and back then corporal punishment was the way they handled things, and I got clobbered. It reinforced my innate intuition that its use was not acceptable.  

Now, fast forward to the issue with Paula Deen, renowned cook, cookbook writer, restaurateur, and host of three television cooking shows on the Food Network.  Because she has used it in the past, she is now out of her hosting position. She'll probably lose her cookware line and possibly any publishing deals. Her restaurant may suffer as well. Whether the person who accused her of using that word while planning a wedding reception was telling the truth or not, those of us who were not there have no idea of the veracity of the allegations. It is he said/ she said. As she said, it is just something everyone from the south back then used as everyday language. We can understand that part. Does that make it okay to use it? No, of course not. It wasn't okay then either, but the wheels of civility, they do turn slow. The best we can hope for is that the younger generations teach that it is not alright to use racial slurs (any of them) so that it is not part of the culture any longer. Will you answer that challenge?

*I once looked up the term 'cracker' when I was a kid. I turns out it refers to the Spanish and/or Seminole cattle drovers who used whips and cracked them to get the cattle to go where they wanted them. It probably also spread to the plantation owners and managers who used whips on the slaves, but they left that part out of the definition. Imagine that.

Love at First Sight

The first time I saw her she was standing there, shielding her sparkling sapphire eyes from the sun in spite of the large yellow hat pinned slightly askew on her straw colored hair which was piled loosely on her head. Her blue and white gingham checkered sun dress drifted softly in the breeze around her tanned legs accentuating her shapely figure. My breath caught in my chest and I had to force myself to breathe.

She shouted, "Go! Go! Go!" as the horses ran around the track and she squealed with delight when the one she had cheered for won the race. Smiling, she grabbed the hand of her younger female companion and urged her to follow her to the winner's circle. They disappeared into the crowd and that was the last time I saw her that day. I never even got the chance to ask her name or where she was from, but the memory of the scent of her jasmine perfume lingered long after she was gone.

I have held that memory of the horse race at the Wilton County Fair for three years, and I could not tell you which horse won to this day. Even though I have been home for visits often, my mother, who usually can tell you everything about everybody, has no idea who she was, but she still asks around. If she hasn't found out in three years; she isn't going to. I've dated a few times, but no one has captured my heart and soul at first sight, or even the third, like the beautiful blonde in the gingham dress did that day.

My mother is hounding me to find someone since the chances of ever seeing her again are slim. It doesn't help that here I am standing up as best man for my cousin John in his wedding. We were like brothers growing up, so of course I agreed to do it, and he, like me, put off the whole marriage thing until he was absolutely sure. Divorces are rare in our family. I never knew his bride, but damn, she sure looks familiar. I can't put my finger on it. I don't think I had ever even seen her until he introduced us the other day, but maybe she is related to someone I have seen.

My cousin is sweating and I am trying desperately not to laugh at him. I handed him my handkerchief to blot his forehead as we wait at the altar.  The guests are coming in and being seated by the ushers on one side for the bride and the other for the groom. I gave a cursory glance at the audience for something to do more than anything. And then I saw her, the girl the bride reminds me of; the younger girl, now a young woman, from the fair. She will know who my mystery woman is. Oh, God, I hope she isn't involved with someone already, or worse – married.

The ceremony commenced. The bride glided down the aisle on her father's arm and was given in marriage to John. As lovely as she was, looking at him in that special way, I could only think that I couldn't wait for this to be over so I could ask whoever that was she looked so much like who was at the fair that day. She'll probably laugh hysterically at me, but I don't care. The toasts were made and the cake was cut and then the dancing commenced. At last I had a chance to ask Brenda, the bride, who the younger woman was.

"That's my kid sister," she said, with a laugh. "She's really pretty, don't you think? Interested?"

"Actually, I saw her at the fair a few years ago with someone. I was wondering if she could tell me who that was." I felt like an idiot as her laughter ceased momentarily. I gave her the description just in case.

"That had to Jessie – Jessica," she corrected. "She's our cousin from North Dakota. She loves horses and she also loves to wear hats. We always made fun of her for the hats."

Brenda introduced me to her sister Cindy and confirmed that it was their cousin Jessica. Jessica was not able to make the wedding, but was arriving for the reception, and in fact was due any time.

I sensed her arrival before anyone had to tell me she was there. I turned toward the door just as she walked into the reception hall. She wore a form-hugging black cocktail dress and a red netted hat.

Brenda said something about Jessie thinking she was in New York City rather than lower Iowa, and did she think she was at a wedding reception or a funeral? I ignored her as I could only stare. Brenda turned to John and told him she'd be right back.

And then, I saw Brenda, my new cousin, take the hand of Jessica and drag her over to our table.

"I believe this gentleman would very much like to dance with you," she told her, referring to me.

I almost knocked over my chair trying to stand up. I gave a little nod with a slight bow (where did that come from?) and offered my hand to the stunned Jessica, who hadn't even had time to be properly introduced to anyone, especially me. Brenda and Cindy giggled like little girls and then Brenda raised a knowing eyebrow to John, who only smirked.

Jessica shrugged and placed her small evening bag on the table. "Okay. I'm game," she said, sweetly. "Congratulations, you two," she added as I ushered out to the dance floor, hoping I wasn't being too forward with my hand on the small of her back.

"Hello, I'm Jessica," she told me. "Have we met before?"

"I'm Jackson, John's cousin, and we have never met, but I saw you once at the horse race during the county fair. I've waited three years to meet you."

List of Top Ten Banned Books was Released

Well, they're at it again. I saw on MSN a video about the Top Ten Banned Books. Some of theses are worldwide. Now, as a author, of course I don't agree with book banning as books are expressions of free speech; at least in the U.S. they are. Some of them, I agree should not be in elementary school. If little Johnny or Jill has a classmate with a same-sex couple as parents, then it should be discussed within the family, not out of a school book. If the parents want to get the book to discuss it with their child, then that is their prerogative as parents. But, by middle school, I'm sorry, they have already been exposed to it, just make sure the books aren't explicit in nature- as in adult level.

Now, I don't get the whole Winnie the Pooh thing.It is banned in some of the  U.S schools and in several countries because the animals talk. Several books, in fact were banned for that reason alone. I wonder if anyone has banned Beatrix Potter's books (Peter Rabbit). Oh, my goodness! What child hasn't pretended their pet or even stuffed toy or doll talks to them? It can be a way of working something out that they really don't need to go to an actual speaking person for, or help them work out what they are going to say to an actual speaking person as way of an explanation. Have you ever practiced a speech in a mirror? Some of the books are cited as being racist or Marxist. Huh? While the repetition of Green Eggs and Ham is certainly annoying to us adults, children love it, and it teaches them to read by rote; the old-fashion method of teaching words to children, like flash cards. It certainly isn't political and I don't thing Dr. Seuss was trying to politicize our youth by writing his children's stories. He might have been trying an experiment on just how many times an adult would indulge their children by reading them repeatedly, but probably not that either.

I remember when I was in the seventh grade a good many of the girls had discovered 'trashy' romance novels, what the industry called 'bodice rippers'. The girls in class would get them at the local public library because they were not available at the middle school, which they rightly weren't. One they had going around and discussed was Sweet Savage Love. It was an early version of a book group that now is applauded. However, the adult nature of the book and those of that genre were strictly forbidden at school. Not because they portrayed males violently overtaking females for sex and the women ultimately deciding it was okay, which in reality is actually rape and not okay, but because it had sex in the first place, and usually among unmarried people. Instead of realizing the girls were curious more than anything else, as girls of that age are, and having a discussion about the right and wrong, they just told them they were 'dirty books' and not allowed at school. They could have discussed it at a PTA meeting, but back then, in the early 1970s, it probably would have gotten the same reaction from the parents in the rural, small town, Bible Belt South. As dog-eared as those books were, the kids weren't the only ones reading them and they weren't fooling anyone but themselves if they thought the kids thought so.

Another title that is on the list is of course Harry Potter books- all of them. While I understand that religious leaders are against the witchcraft and otherworldly aspects, they are ostriches if they think kids have never heard of it. Also they should understand that just like the television shows kids watch (that if they think about it are fantasy since they do not portray their actual lives), the books are fantasy and most kids know this and understand this. If they don't, then they probably are not yet old enough to read them or have them read to them in the first place, and they shouldn't have seen the movies either. I know plenty of adults who just love the series.

People are completely overlooking that these books inspire the imagination of kids and, perhaps most importantly, get them to read, and read some really long books. There is no downside to that. Would they rather their kids read books at more than a Dick and Jane level (assuming they are old enough) and discuss them with their peers (and perhaps an adult or two), or go get drunk or high, or get involved in some other elicit activities somewhere? Think about it.

Free Weekend for Codename: Cipher on Amazon.com

Amazon.com has a promotional program for those who are published for the Kindle. As part of that program I get a few days to give away Kindle copies of Codename: Cipher. Just go to Amazon.com at this link:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CBK4EGI.
The promotion begins on Friday, May 17, 2013, and ends on Sunday, May 19, 2013, at midnight Pacific time. Don't miss your chance to get a copy of Codename: Cipher.

If you don't have a Kindle, don't worry, they have a free download for your PC on tablet on Amazon as well. Just click on the Kindle Store and there will be a link at the top for the Kindle app.

If you have already read Codename: Cipher, then please post a review of the book. It doesn't have to be long if you don't want it to be.

Spread the word!

 

The Lost Shoe

Sometimes a writing prompt can be a dangerous thing. I got one that said write in 500 words or less about someone walking home and finding a lost shoe, and then it had questions to answer (or not-the choice was ours), but if you know me, I thought, what if it was written from the point of view of the shoe!

No, I'm not on anything, I'm not drinking anything questionable; maybe there is just too much snow and it's affecting my brain. I don't know, but I got to laughing pretty hard as I wrote it and I hope you do too. I only got 400 words though, although you should feel sorry for the shoe by the end. So, here it is:

The Lost Shoe (from the point of view of the shoe):

Whoosh! Thump, thump, thump. The Nike sneaker bounced across the asphalt highway several times coming to a rest on its sole in the grassy area near the emergency lane, its strings dangling and shredded.

"Ouch! What the heck?" Shoe said. His eyelets scanned the area. Where's my twin? "Left! Left! Where are you?" He received no answer and sighed. Man, my tongue hurts, he thought. It tastes like dirt. I guess that's better than grimy, sweaty sock. Where am I? This doesn't look like a closet or a box.

The ground rumbled underneath his rubber cushioning. "What is that sound? Man, that's getting loud?" Vroom! He shook as a sudden wind battered him and he spun around and slid off the grass onto the pavement.

"Hot!" he yelled. "I think I've been recycled to hell." There it is again- that sound. He blew back onto the grassy edge. "That's better. Thanks, whatever you are."

An hour passed and shoe made the trip from pavement to grass several times. His laces were now in a knot as a result and wrapped around his tongue. "Well, thith is a fine meth. And it'th hot. I with I could thweat." That darn kid, He never ties my laces, he thought. I'll bet he stuck his feet out the window and went to sleep again. I knew it was awfully windy for some reason.

Suddenly he heard a louder rumble and the ground shook closer than before. Thump, thump. He flipped over and over several times and bounced off the bottom of something. "Owwww!" he said. "Hey, my tongue is untied. Great." Whoa, he thought as something picked him up.

"Hey look! I found a shoe?" he heard someone say. "What do suppose happened to guy wearing it?"

"Is there a foot attached?" Shoe heard another voice say.

"No," the first voice said slowly.

"Then don't worry about. It probably just blew off the guy's foot or maybe fell out of a box and off the back of a truck."

"I wonder if the other one is out here?"

"You are not wearing someone else's shoes," the second voice admonished. "Put it down."

"Hey, look over there! I wonder if I throw it, it will land in that pond?"

"No!" Shoe shouted as he was hurled through the air. He landed with a splash and sank slowly out of sight to the muddy bottom.

Codename: Cipher Now Available on Kindle!

I am so excited! Now available from Amazon.com for your Kindle e-reader device is my new book Codename: Cipher. (You'll notice the Morse code on the cover- it translates to Codename:Cipher!)

This is the first book in a series (I am already working on a sequel as yet un-named) with the main character Grant Sommers. Grant, breaks code as a hobby. His father, a government code breaker, taught him to do this after he and Grant's mother divorced. They had fun communicating this way as Grant grew up. However, Grant's hobby has led to some major trouble.

Have you ever gotten unsolicited emails with pictures you would never let your kids near? Grant did. He usually just deleted them, until one day one loaded while he answered the door and he discovered there was what appeared to be just random words at the bottom, only to Grant it was a code to break, and he did. After a pattern emerged, his father, who had retired, took the messages to one of his former co-workers who told him it was nonsense. Grant's father got killed for what he knew and now Grant is on the run, not knowing who to trust after he was kidnapped and let go by people who said they were from the government. He goes through a lot trials and learns a lot of life lessons along the way (like, be careful who you trust). Do you think Grant will ever be able to turn the tables on these terrorists and stop the killing? What mayhem will these people cause? To what lengths will they go? And will they get away with causing turmoil in the United States as planned? You'll have to read Codename: Cipher to find out!

You can go directly to the page on Amazon.com here:
Ihttp://www.amazon.com/dp/B00CBK4EGI