Bill's World & Reviews

I've Moved

2008-05-12T11:29:00.003-06:00

Bill's world and Reviews has changed to Red Ink Review

Carved in Bone by Jefferson Bass

2007-02-04T12:21:00.000-07:00

Carved in Bone, the remarkable break-out novel by Jefferson Bass, is forensic fiction at its best. "Jefferson Bass" is the writing team of Dr. Bill Bass, world-renowned forensic anthropologist, and Jon Jefferson, veteran writer/film maker. These two entangle the reader in a story about skeletons, literally and figuratively, from the very first page.

Page one introduces the “body farm” where Dr. Bill Brockton is pushing a knife through the back of one of his male cadavers for a murder case he’s working on. The body farm is a three-acre patch of ground located near the University of Tennessee, used for forensic science; it houses dozens of bodies in different state of decomposition.

A visiting Deputy from Cook County interrupts Dr. Brocton in the middle of his experiment with an interesting case: a mummified corpse of a young woman dead for 30 years has been discovered in a cave in the Appalachian Mountains.

Brockton’s investigation threatens to kick open the door of Cook County family skeleton closets and he finds himself on the wrong end of a gun more than once. Dealing with the death of his wife, Brockton is vigilant in solving the mystery of the dead woman.

This tale is thick with the typical forensic questions and has amazing detail when it comes to the subject of anthropology - not for the weak-stomached or the squeamish.

Carved in Bone has an array of compelling characters ranging from chicken-fighting FBI agents to attractive anthropology assistants and on to towering redneck sidekicks. The characters, setting and dialogue are all first-rate and compete with the best writers of today.

The book also includes an intriguing “Q & A” with Dr. Bill Bass, covering some of the “ins and outs” in the field of anthropology.

Next out for this series is Flesh and Bone, coming in hardcover next month.

Hunters of the Dark Sea

2007-01-06T21:59:00.000-07:00

Mel Odom weaves an intricate tale in his historical horror and sci-fi adventure in Hunters of the Dark Sea. The main story opens in 1813. The young United States is at war with Great Britain and the high seas are crawling with British war-ships, privateers, cutthroat pirates and a visitor from not of this world.

Twenty-six year old Ethan Swain is first mate of the whaling ship Reliant. He and the crew have been at sea for two years and the ships holds are half full with the precious cargo of whale oil. Ethan has a dark past he must hide in order to keep his life intact. Keeping his past a secrete and being torn between the ships captain and the crew which is on the verge of a mutiny is only a small part of the turmoil he must juggle.

On board the research ship Brown-Eyed Sue is Professor Bullock and his intelligent and artistic daughter Katherine. They have been dispatched by the President of the United Sates to investigate reports of a sea monster named Death-in-the-water by the natives of Easter Island. Bullock soon learns the beginning of the reports coincide with a falling star hitting the water 16 years back. While anchored off the coast of Easter Island a dying man washes ashore with his painful and swollen skin practically blistering off the bone. A futile attempt by Bullock at saving the mans life renders an unknown venom the monster uses to kill its prey.

Vengeful Jonah McAfee, part of Ethan Swain’s dark past, is captain of the pirate ship Sunfisher. McAfee in pursuit of Ethan for revenge, catches wind of the monster and focuses his efforts on finding the monster.
Hunters of the Dark Sea ends with Ethan battling McAfee, a British war ship, and the monster in a dynamite finish.

This is one of my favorite books of all time. Odom brings the characters to life in a way comparable to King. I also enjoyed the life-like setting of the high seas and the day-to-day life in my opinion was probably close to the real thing for the whalers of that time period. It’s quite obvious Mel Odom did his research for this book.

To Hell and Back

2006-12-20T17:17:00.000-07:00

As some of you might know, I went to the doctor last week for lower abdominal pain. After a quick examinations for a hernia and testicular lumps I passed with flying colors. Yeah! Don’t want to be doing that again anytime soon. The Doc decided to send me in to have a CT scan of my abdomen and a x-ray of my back. The CT scan will be searching for a problem called Diverticulosis and I’m sure anything else that may be wrong. The x-ray he said would be for proper back alignment and tumor. TUMOR? I thought. Good God, I should have been in here a month ago if this turns out to be a tumor.

So, Sunday night I drink the nasty banana smoothie which to me is reminessant of thin spoiled yogert. Monday morning I get up and drink another yummy smoothie and drive in. I get to the hospital, sign in, and have a seat in the lobby. The check in lady calls my name and I give her all the important information and a check for $250.00. Yeah! I get a CT scan for Christmas! I was beginning to believe Santa didn’t exist. She also did this really strange tongue-rolling thing while she typed in the information. Not the most attractive thing I’ve seen a woman do. I’m not sure if she was conscious of the conduct of her tongue or not.

Tongue-roller leads me to the Radiology Department which makes me think I’m a rat in one of those maze tests because it seemed like a half-mile of turns and twists to get there. Finally we arrive and I walk into the Radiology Department where I’m caught off guard by the green drab décor and sterile waiting area. They should call this place the Death Department I think to myself. I pull out my new book Diablo (I never go anywhere without a book) and start reading. This nice lady comes up and hands me yet another bottle of bananna barf. I tell her she’s my favorite person and chug it like a Tecate.

A few minutes later I climb onto the CT scan bed and receive an IV, which I never felt. I tell the lady she should go to work for the blood doner place. They seem to never get my vein on the first try and always turn my arm purple.

Then the IV lady tells me when she starts IV I’ll probably get a strange taste in my mouth and feel like I’m peeing my pants, and have some hot flashes. I think to myself, this will be like that time I drank so much beer… She was right. First came the flavor of vodka, then my head felt like it was dunked in hot water, and sure enough here came the peeing my pants part. Weird, that’s all I’ve got to say about that.

On to x-ray. Why are these places so cold? After several x-rays the technician leaves to check and make sure they got everything they need. She comes back and repositions me and takes another one. This is where the Hell part of this story come in, remember the x-ray is for searching for a tumor. I think to myself, they must have seen something and want a better picture (heart starts to beat a bit faster). In the waiting area they ask me if I can come back on Wednesday for another x-ray (my chest is dropkicked like a punted football by my now pounding heart). They say the barrium from the bananna barf shake is interfering with the x-ray of my lower back they tell me. Likely excuse I think. Did they not know this before I went in? The tecnician says the doctor will call you by tomorrow afternoon.

Tomorrw afternoon comes after about 5 anxiety attacks and the drop kicked football, still no call from ole doc. At 3:00 PM I decide to give him a call. "we haven't got the results back yet but we'll call as soon as we get them," the secretary says.

Wednesday morning comes, I get out of bed, take the kids to school, and head for my x-ray. After the x-ray I ask if they held the results from the CT scan until this morning's x-ray. Nope, we sent these over yesterday. Football heart starts again. I start to think doc is putting off the inevitable poor prognosis. 2:00 PM comes and I decide to call again. The secretary tells me that doc has alot of CT scans to go through and they will let me know as soon as they get mine done. I think to myself, I have alot of bills to pay and maybe I should stop payment on his check until I can get to it. But I payed him with a debit card, darn the luck.

5:30 PM the call comes along with the football. You have a condition calle Vacuum Disc Phenominom. That's air inside your disc. Mine happens to be on the last disc between the lumbar vertebrate and the saccrum.
Whew! No tumor! I feel like i dodged a good sized bullet. I've stopped taking my suppliments last friday and would you know the pain has gradually went away. I still have some but on a scale of 1 to 10 my pain is probably 1/2 as I write this. He said for me to call when I was ready for an MRI of my back and discuss options. I think I'll wait awhile for now, I feel like I've been to Hell and Back.

God bless and Merry Christmas!,
Bill

Storm Force offered by Silhouette Bombshell

2006-12-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Storm Force by Meredith Fletcher is a great story putting you on the edge of your seat from the start.

The pressure gets high when the main character, Kate Garrett who is a wilderness guide, is kidnapped by escaped convicts and forced to lead the clandestine gang through the swamp to retrieve hidden cash. To make matters worse her kids are in danger of the category 5 hurricane Genevieve headed for the coast of South Florida. When it comes to her kids though, look out nothing gets in her way.

What a great roller coaster ride from the first page to the last. I enjoyed the multi-layered character of Kate who can certainly think for herself and has strong character traits. She surly made an interesting heroine.

This is the third installment from Meredith Fletcher in Bombshell. I recommend putting aside some time to read this one straight through because you won’t want to put it down.

Oh yeah, who’s the hottie that modeled for the awesome cover? Just kidding honey…honey?

Click the Movie

2006-11-26T19:48:00.001-07:00

Although I’m not the biggest Adam Sandler fan, I enjoyed his movie Click.

Workaholic Michael Newman finds himself in a precarious situation when offered a universal remote control that will fast foreword him through the annoying distractions of everyday life. The remote soon takes over control of his life and Michael finds himself at his death and everything he loves has changed for the worse for him. Without giving too much away, this was a great movie with some really funny parts and a great ending. If you get a chance, rent this one, it’s worth the couple of bucks.

Skyline Ministries

2006-11-26T19:48:00.000-07:00

Not to beat the Thanksgiving thing totally into the ground, but after visiting Skyline this last Saturday was a real eye opener and made me thankful for a lot of things I’ve taken for granted over the last few years.

At 2:00 PM Saturday afternoon Belinda, my wife, went up to the church to help start preparing the meal that would be served that evening. She asked me if I wanted to come help prepare the food and of course I said no. I was feeling like playing on the net with the new Google Earth I had downloaded. More on that in a later post. She called me about 30 minutes later and was telling me she wished she was home to watch the Bedlam game – GO SOONERS!- and here I was playing on the computer. So after some time with my good ole friend Guilt, I showered, shaved off 5 days worth of growth and went in to help.

After arriving and standing around for a while we went upstairs to the worship chapel and had a seat. The Pastor soon passed out some cards for prayer request. While listening to some of the request I realized how blessed by God I am. People were requesting prayers for help finding a warmer place to live before it gets cold, help with drug addictions, people with health problems that can’t get the medical care they need, requests for help keeping the utilities on…
It made me think. How can these people go on day to day? I don’t know if I could if I were homeless, with no money to eat with, and hooked on drugs.

God bless them all!

Things I’m Thankful for:
A free country to worship whom or what ever I want to.
My church
My family
Healthy kids, wife and myself
Stable job and decent income
Good friends
Most of all, I’m thankful for Jesus. If you don’t understand, ask me sometime and I’ll explain it the best I can.

If you ever have a chance, go down to Skyline and serve the homeless a meal. You may get a blessing you didn’t expect!

God bless!
Bill

The Spider Stone by Alex Archer

2006-10-29T13:20:00.000-07:00

Rogue Angel - The Spider Stone
By Alex Archer

The third book in the Rogue Angel series The Spider Stone will be hitting the stores in early November. Though I haven’t had the pleasure of reading the first two, The Spider Stone is exactly the type of book I like to read. Having had the privilege of getting an advance copy of The Spider Stone for review has got me hooked on this series.

The book opens in West Africa, in the year 1755, Yohance the keeper of the Spider Stone has been captured and sold in the slave market and is destined for America.

Flash forward to present day. Annja Creed, an archeologist by formal training is called in to support a group of people excavating the remains of slaves that were buried in an underground explosion dating back to the Underground Railroad and the Civil War.

At the dig site a marvelous tigers eye stone is found. The stone is a gift to the Hausa tribe from the spider god Anansi. According to the legend, as long as the stone was in possession of the tribe, they would always have a home.

Etched within the Spider Stone is ancient writing and a map with directions to an ancient treasure. Annja tries to decipher the writing on the stone and the group of archeologists falls prey to an attack from a group of hired mercenaries with ties to an African warlord and Al Qaeda.

With the help of Homeland Security, Annja finds herself in turmoil facing the African warlord who hired the mercenaries in a head to head battle for life and treasure in the African savanna.

This is a great book. Fast paced, good characterization with an absolute real setting, this book will keep you turning the pages. Archer is an awesome author and I can’t wait for more from the Rogue Angel series.

Make it a Combo Please

2006-10-19T16:36:00.000-06:00

MAKE IT A COMBO PLEASE.

Here’s a combo post of what’s been going on since my last post.

I’ve been changing the look of the blog as you can see.

BOOKS – BOOKS – BOOKS

My wife thinks I’m nuts, go figure. She thinks I’m nuts because I read so many books at one time. Right now I’m reading the following:

Velocity by Dean Koontz
Rogue Angel – The Spider Stone by Alex Archer (will have review on this blog soon)
Jaws by Peter Benchley
More than a Hobby by Hobby Lobby guru David Green
And sure enough a writing instructional book - Plot and Structure by James Scott Bell
Just bought one last night by Patricia Cornwell Portrait of a Killer – Jack the Ripper, Case Closed

All this and trying to get a short story written for a contest too. Maybe I am nuts!

FALL BREAK
We didn’t have Fall Break when I was a kid…But I am off on Friday!!!!
We’re headed off to Kansas City this weekend for fun and adventure at Worlds of Fun. Then on to see my son Carson and his team of Norsemen play some head to head Football on Saturday. Tonight will be some fun and great Bar B Q provided by (Sutoma ?) and my good friend Wilson Grider who got the tickets for us, then on to Luther for a high-school football game.

BLOOD PRESSURE
As most of you know I’ve recently been put on blood pressure medication and I’m checking in to report my average blood pressure is now sailing in at a LOW 122 over 70. My goal is to still lose the weight through diet and exercise and eventually get off the medicine.

MISSIONS – For those of you at MUMC
We had the Thanksgiving Outreach Meeting last week. There were a few folks who showed up for the initial meeting, and we’ve decided to sponsor a couple of Mustang families with food baskets for Thanksgiving and make some sort of basket or comfort gift for the folks at Strawberry Fields in between Thanksgiving and Christmas. If you wish to help out, drop me a line at billbennett99@yahoo.com and you’re hired!

God bless,
Bill

Under Construction

2006-10-03T20:47:00.000-06:00

This site is under construction for a day or so. The old links will be back soon.

The Magic Toybox

2006-09-29T17:09:00.000-06:00

Sorry for the mistake in the e-mail but this is a review of a short story in the book The Magic Toybox.

Hello everyone and happy Friday!
I’m looking forward to some reading and writing for the weekend. Just to let you know I just finished reading an awesome short story by Oklahoma author Mel Odom. If you’ve been reading some of my past posts you’ll notice a couple of posts mentioning him. To answer your probable thoughts, no I’m not a stalker. He’s a good friend, excellent writing teacher, and you can tell if you ever meet him, he’s just a down to earth guy who inspires people to do what they are afraid to do, which in my case is to write. Back to the short story…

The name of the story is The Affair of The Wooden Boy. It’s in an anthology of 14 short stories called The Magic Toybox, published by Daw. The stories are primarily, you guessed it, about toys.

Mel’s story is set in a "Victorian London-like" city brimming with characters and scenery from the horror genre. Simon, who is modeled after Pinocchio, finds himself transformed into a wooden puppet by means of a mysterious and evil magic. Searching for help on the same snowy night of his transformation, Simon ends up on the doorstep of Lord Gallatin, Private Enquiry Agent who is reminiscent of Sherlock Holmes. Together with his wife Lady Gallatin they track down the magician and the reason for transforming young Simon into a wooden puppet.

The only things I had a problem grasping were a few of the fantasy type props sprinkled throughout the tale, but I’m sure it’s because I’ve never read fantasy. I will now.

This story has an absolute stunning twist at the end that I wasn’t prepared for. I enjoyed the horror / fantasy mix, and especially the setting. Mel does a great job pulling you into the story with three-dimensional characterization, great dialogue, and a solid plot. Did I mention setting? I loved the Londenesque landscape of the city. I felt like I was really there.

Have a great weekend,
Bill

I've got high blood pressure. Do you? Are you sure you don't? I thought I didn't either.

2006-09-19T08:19:00.000-06:00

Hello everyone.
I went to the doctor yesterday for possible back problems and found out that I may have high blood pressure (160 over 94) instead of "white coat syndrome." At 37 I’m none too excited about taking blood pressure medication for the rest of my life. So I went to the mega-store and got my prescription filled for the anti-inflammatory for my back, an electronic blood pressure checker and some over the counter stuff that may aide in lowering my cholesterol. I go back in a couple of weeks for full blood tests and all the tricks the doctor can pull from his medical hat. I came home; hopped on the net to see if my computer screen could render any medical wisdom for my newly claimed medical condition properly called hypertension. The results from each web-site was pretty much the same. Some of you may already know this stuff, good for you and have a good day. But for the rest of you who may not know what high blood pressure is, how it affects your health, or how to control it, take a look. I’m not a doctor so always consult yours if you have concerns or questions about your health.

BLOOD PRESSURE DEFINED
Blood pressure is the pressure of blood against the walls in your arteries. The two numbers derived for blood pressure is called the systolic (top number) and diastolic (the lower number). The systolic pressure identifies the pressure when the heart is contracting or beating and the diastolic is the pressure when the heart is resting between beats.

WHAT IS HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
One out of 3 people suffer pre-hypertension that leads to high blood pressure and most don’t even know it.
Just like what happened to me if you’ve had good blood pressure in the past doesn’t mean you have good pressure now. Generally speaking, for adults an optimal level is 120 over 80. A systolic pressure of 121 to 139 or a diastolic pressure of 80 to 89 is considered "pre-hypertension" and needs monitored. A blood pressure reading of 140 over 90 or higher is considered elevated (high). An unusually low pressure should signal you to seek medical attention to determine the cause.

HOW DO I KKNOW IF I HAVE HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE?
The only way to detect high blood pressure is to have a medical professional check your pressure. High blood pressure also known as the "silent killer" usually has no symptoms and many people go years without knowing they have it. You should at the bare minimum have it checked at least every 2 years. In some cases have it checked more often.

HOW IT AFFFECTS YOUR BODY
Increases risk of heart attack
Increases risk of stroke
Increases risk of kidney disease

Part 2 for this blog will be on how to fight high blood pressure.

God bless,
Bill

Have you seen John Gosch?

2006-09-06T08:24:00.000-06:00

The mother of John Gosch was sent pictures of her son 24 years after his abduction. They were left on her fron door showing her son tied and gaged with 2 other boys.

You can read the full story here

http://www.guardian.co.uk/worldlatest/story/0,,-6052861,00.html

John was one of the first faces of missing children to appear on milk cartons after sparking a nation wide fear of child abduction.

This photo is a digitally enhanced age progression of John.
If you've seen him contact the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children at the link to the right.

I will try to start posting a new child every week or very other week. Just think if you had spoted one kid and was part of getting them back home...

Have a great day and God bless!
Bill

Water Safety Tips for This Holiday Weekend

2006-08-31T16:01:00.000-06:00

The close of summer is upon us and I’m sure there will be a lot of you enjoying lake festivities this weekend. I thought I’d pass along some tips for the safety of you and your family. I know some of these are common sense but here you go.

Make sure all children in your group know how to swim.

Swim in lifeguard supervised areas if at all possible. BUT YOU BE YOUR CHILDREN’S LIFEGUARD TOO.

Children and inexperienced swimmers should wear U.S. Coast Guard approved flotation devices.
(not blow up arm floaties, these can leak and deflate) some lakes require children under a certain age to wear life jackets.

Use feet first when entering water (not diving)

Set water rules for the whole family based on the swimming experience of each swimmer.

Don’t mix alcohol with swimming and boating. Boating while intoxicated fines are pretty hefty.

Watch for stumps and other hazzards since our lakes are low from lack of rain.

Never swim alone or let kids swim alone.

Those of you with babies and toddlers remember the old saying; a baby can drown in an inch of water.

My personal favorite – If it’s lightning, GET OUT OF THE WATER AND SEEK SHELTER INSIDE.

Have a great holiday weekend and God bless,
Bill

PS. Since posting this a few minutes ago, I've heard there has been a girl who drowned at an area lake. Please be careful.

Schools is in, slow down. The lice article is below this story.

2006-08-29T17:50:00.000-06:00

The following story was sent to me by email from a good friend of mine. Take a few minutes to read it if you havn't seen it yet. I thought it was a good piece to post since school recently started. I have no idea who wrote it but I'll be sure to slow down. I can't imagine living with my self if I killed a kid because of stupidity.

Jack took a long look at his speedometer before slowing down: 73 in a 55 zone. Fourth time in as many months. How could a guy get caught so often?

When his car had slowed to 10 miles an hour, Jack pulled over, but only partially. Let the cop worry about the potential traffic hazard. Maybe some other car will tweak his backside with a mirror. The cop was stepping out of his car, the big pad in hand.

Bob? Bob from Church? Jack sunk farther into his trench coat. This was worse than the ticket. A cop catching a guy from his own church. A guy who happened to be a little eager to get home after a long day at the office. A guy he was about to play golf with tomorrow.

Jumping out of the car, he approached a man he saw every Sunday, a man he'd never seen in uniform.

"Hi, Bob. Fancy meeting you like this."

"Hello, Jack." No smile.

"Guess you caught me red-handed in a rush to see my wife and kids."

"Yeah, I guess." Bob seemed uncertain. Good.

"I've seen some long days at the office lately. I'm afraid I bent the rules a bit -just this once."

Jack toed at a pebble on the pavement. "Diane said something about roast beef and potatoes tonight. Know what I mean?"
"I know what you mean. I also know that you have a reputation in our precinct." Ouch. This was not going in the right direction. Time to change tactics.

"What'd you clock me at?"

"Seventy. Would you sit back in your car please?"

"Now wait a minute here, Bob. I checked as soon as saw you. I was barely nudging 65." The lie seemed to come easier with every ticket.

"Please, Jack, in the car"

Flustered, Jack hunched himself through the still-open door. Slamming it shut, he stared at the dashboard. He was in no rush to open the window.

The minutes ticked by. Bob scribbled away on the pad.

Why hadn't he asked for a driver's license?

Whatever the reason, it would be a month of Sundays before Jack ever sat near this cop again. A tap on the door jerked his head to the left. There was Bob, a folded paper in hand Jack rolled down the window a mere two inches, just enough room for Bob to pass him the slip.

"Thanks."

Jack could not quite keep the sneer out of his voice.

Bob returned to his police car without a word. Jack watched his retreat in the mirror. Jack unfolded the sheet of paper. How much was this one going to cost?

Wait a minute. What was this?

Some kind of joke?

Certainly not a ticket. Jack began to read:

"Dear Jack, Once upon a time I had a daughter. She was six when killed by a car. You guessed it- a speeding driver. A fine and three months in jail, and the man was free. Free to hug his daughters, all three of them. I only had one, and I'm going to have to wait until Heaven before I can ever hug her again.

A thousand times I've tried to forgive that man. A thousand times I thought I had. Maybe I did, but I need to do it again. Even now. Pray for me. And be careful, Jack, my son is all I have left."

"Bob"

Jack turned around in time to see Bob's car pull away and head down the road. Jack watched until it disappeared. A full 15 minutes later, he too, pulled away and drove slowly home, praying for forgiveness and hugging a surprised wife and kids when he arrived.

Life is precious. Handle with care. This is an important message; please pass it along to your friends. Drive safely and carefully. Remember, cars are not the only things recalled by their maker.

Pass this on, you may save a life. Maybe not, but we'll never know if we don't try.

May today there be peace within you. May you trust God that you are exactly where you are meant to be. "I believe that friends are quiet angels who lift us to our feet when our wings have trouble remembering how to fly."

Reading, writing, arithmetic, & head lice…

2006-08-29T17:31:00.000-06:00

With school starting, tis the season for outbreaks of head lice. I’ve compiled some helpful information for preventing head lice infestations for you and your kids. All of the information here can easily be found on the internet if you have more questions.

Most of the time lice spread from head to head contact during play-time at school or daycare.
The best way to prevent an infestation is to teach your kids the do’s and don’ts about lice and the methods of transmission.

Don’ts
Use friends brushes and combs.
Share hats or clothing such as scarves, hair bows or sports equipment.
Share towels.
Lie on beds, pillows or stuffed animals of other kids who have had a recent infestation.

If you find yourself with an infestation do the following.
Of course treat the person infested with an over the counter product for killing lice and follow all directions listed on that product.
Wash all washable clothing, bed sheets, blankets, pillows the person used two days prior to the treatment. Wash in at least 130 degree F and dry on high heat for more than 20 minutes.
You can also seal all items such as non-washables in a plastic bag for 2 weeks. Lice can’t live that long without a host to harvest blood from.
Throw away or soak in alcohol all non-electrical items such as brushes and combs used by the infested person.
Vacuum furniture and carpet, although risk of transmission through this route is limited.

If you need more information just go to Google and type head lice. You’ll end up with more information than you could possibly use.

God bless, and I wish you well,
Bill

You may learn from this too...

2006-08-23T12:37:00.000-06:00

Yesterday at work we had a lady and her 10-year-old girl walk in to our office. She claimed she was trying to raise money to fix her car and buy food for her grandkids. Needles to say my first impressions were here we go with another scam. She continued with her story about her grandson who has cancer and how down on her luck she was. Our secretary came into the office that I share with 2 other people and asked if we wanted to help her out. One lady gave a couple of bucks and I threw in a few. Now stay with me, I’m not telling this story to toot my own horn. Anyway, after the lady left, the secretary came back in my office and said she has a really hard time giving money to people like that. They’re going to buy cigarettes and booze… you know the spill. All I could think of to say in reply is “what comes around goes around, and if she was scamming us, she’ll pay for it later.” What a dumb thing to say. After reflecting on the situation and realizing I had missed the perfect opportunity to witness to someone, I thought I’d pass this along.

What I should have said is this: “You know, I go to church and what we believe as Christians, is when someone asks for help, we’re supposed to help, not judge them by what we think they are. I too have those same first impressions as everyone else, and probably fail with the task of not judging on first impressions more than most. I’m human too.”

The next time I see someone in need I’ll try to remember this passage:

Luke 10:33-35
33But a Samaritan, as he traveled, came where the man was; and when he saw him, he took pity on him. 34He went to him and bandaged his wounds, pouring on oil and wine. Then he put the man on his own donkey, took him to an inn and took care of him. 35The next day he took out two silver coins and gave them to the innkeeper. 'Look after him,' he said, 'and when I return, I will reimburse you for any extra expense you may have.'

God bless,
Bill

A danger you should know about

2006-08-14T22:33:00.000-06:00

I’ve always thought commercial eye-drops (visine & murine) were a pretty harmless item to have around the house. After reading an article on how bad Tetrahydrozoline poisoning is, I thought I’d send out a message of warning for those of you who may have young children or grandchildren in your home.

Tetrahydrozoline poisoning through ingestion can have 1 or more of the following effects:
Lowering of body temperature.
Blurring vision.
Rapid heartbeat.
Nausea & vomiting.
Irritability.
Interfering with or halting breathing.
Causes seizures & tremors.
Elevating and lowering of blood pressure.
Coma.
Possible death.

If you suspect Tetrahydrozoline poisoning, call 911 or Poison Control; DO NOT INDUCE VOMITING, unless directed by Poison Control or a physician.

There is also a rumor floating around that a few drops in someone’s drink can induce a case of diarrhea as a joke or revenge. Total fiction. Don’t try it. There have been people who were prosecuted for accidentally killing someone by doing this.

Thought you might want to know.
God bless,
Bill

A VERY SHORT WRITING LESSON

2006-08-14T22:20:00.000-06:00

It’s time to sit and start some writing now that things have settled down a bit. We just got back from softball nationals in Moline, Illinois last week, moving back to Mustang the week before, and I’m still playing catch up at work and abroad.

Cord, and her former softball team Oklahoma Force 95’s I think took 7th. Great job girls I’m proud of all of you!

While there I was reading How Fiction Works. It’s a writing book on fiction story writing. A good lesson from the book is when writing don’t be vague.
Here is an example:

She hid in stillness so the killer wouldn’t see her

Or

Sara slid herself under a blue Ford and held her breath as her pursuer passed by chasing stealthy shadows moaning her name.

Which one sounds better to you?

This is an example that I’ve made up. Hope it’s done well enough for you to learn something.

Next time will be the difference between showing and telling.

If you’re interested in writing pick up How Fiction Works it’s a good book.

God bless,
Bill

Paid In Blood

2006-07-21T13:32:00.000-06:00

Hi folks. How's the brain frying going. This heat is almost unbearable. I thought about taking a break between selling forklifts, moving and having a garage sale. This is me having one of Arby's famous sweet teas and reading Mel Odom's new book called Paid In Blood. I just started it so I can't tell you much about the story just yet. I do know Mel is a top notch writer who does his homework. Here is the link to Amazon if you wish to read the rave reviews.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1414303068/102-2800583-7628901?v=glance&n=283155

Have a good one and God bless.

A Good Lesson Learned

2006-07-14T08:45:00.000-06:00

The moving is getting closer…
While digging and culling through "stuff" last night I came across some books I wanted to keep. They were writing books, thirty-one of them to be exact. Yes, that’s right, thirty-one. They range from “how to” on newspaper columns to creating characters for fiction. Vowing to not buy another writing book until I actually have at least one chapter of a fiction story on paper, made my heart sink. It was a real eye opener seeing those thirty-one books boxed up. They have been purchased over the better part of twelve years.
Kicking myself for the money I had spent on them, I realized what a tremendous lesson. I learned that what I’ve got to do is stop dreaming and fantasizing about writing and start actually writing.
This lesson can be applied to more that just my books and writing though. In life and in anything I want, I must take what ever it is by the horns, wrestle it to the ground, and force it to submission, and hopefully when the cloud of dirt settles, it will still be what I want, but I’m guessing it’s the journey not the destination that will be the best part.
Maybe, if you’re struggling with a goal or a dream, you can benefit from this lesson too.

My vow right now is to not buy another writing book until I have something (1 chapter) down on paper.

Good day and God bless!

Working the Magic

2006-07-12T08:40:00.000-06:00

Folks if you're a writer and struggling or just want to polish up on some writing skills; Mel Odom - Oklahoma author - has a new blog called Working the Magic. Mel talks about what exactly goes through the writers mind (at least his) while plotting and writing. In his first post he delves into the world of plot, characters, setting and backstory. The second post offers up some good insight on genre, and lists good examples to support his ideas. I've taken a couple of writing classes from Mel and I'll be the first to tell you he is a first rate guy who knows his stuff. He's written over 100 books and still going. So take a look. I'm currently reading his Hunters of the Dark Sea and it's a dang good story so far.
Here is the link to working the magic http://workingthemagic.blogspot.com

Night Fall by Nelson DeMille

2006-07-10T08:52:00.000-06:00

Well folks we found out last week that we’ll be moving back to Mustang. (I’m doing cartwheels of excitement – no joking… literally) I’ve wanted to move back since the first day we were here. We’ve been slowly culling, packing and moving some things into storage. We’re planning on doing it all over the next month, so hopefully this won’t be a big deal.

The reason for our move back to Mustang as some of you may already know is because of Belinda will probably be working in the Mustang School district. It’s not 100% yet but we are walking on faith. It seems all this was just dropped in our lap and doors started opening.

This means I’ll be driving 10 miles to work instead of 35 miles. Gas savings, less wear and tear on the car, more time with the family, it’s a no brainer.

While packing I came across a book I read a few months ago. It’s called Night Fall by Nelson DeMille. The book starts out in 1996 with a man and a woman who are married but not to each other, they witness and videotape TWA flight 800 exploding over the ocean. 230 victims perish in the crash. The government deems the crash to mechanical failure but the videotape may tell another story.
On the fifth anniversary of the crash ex-NYPD detective John Corey and his career FBI wife Kate Mayfield decide against all pressure from their superiors to privately re-open the case. They both hunt for the crucial video that will once and for all answer the questions left open so long ago.

DeMille does an excellent job weaving two real life catastrophic events together (one mentioned here and one not). This is one darn good story that will keep you turning the pages.

Things I liked about the book: The setting and the alpha male personality of John Corey.
Writers who read this will do well to study and try to copy DeMille’s 3 dimensional characterization.

Things I didn’t like: the plot line was a little thin; though it’s a good story.

It gets 3 out of 5 stars from me. (Some content may offend some people otherwise I’d give it a 4 star rating)

This book has some strong sexual content at the first but that’s pretty much it. I think Demille put it in to make the story more plausible.

He is releasing another book soon that will be related to Night Fall. Click his link to the right and check it out. I can hardly wait until it hits the shelves.

2nd. Annual Fireworks Fundraiser a big success!

2006-07-05T16:04:00.000-06:00

The 2nd. annual MUMC Fireworks Fundraiser was a tremendous success! We would like to thank MUMC Congregation for all of your support. It was a tough few days battling the heat, price shoppers, and at times being slammed dunked with about what seemed a million customers. Thank you for your patience with having the fireworks stand and the big P.O.D.S. container in the way. They both will be gone in a few days. Thanks go to Warren & Becky King for donating the pull camper. That sure came in handy in the dead heat of the day for the kids to take refuge in. God blessed us with dry weather for most of the days we were open, but even with the rain on the 4th, it didn't seem to slow the customer's enthusiasim. We would also like to thank all of the people who donated their time selling, hauling product, stacking and even bringing ice durring the heat of the day, it's greatly appreciated. We have not got an official total of what our take will be yet, but stay tuned. I know we made more gross sales than last year and that's a good thing. Come and join us when you can and God Bless.

Wolf Pass - A book review -

2006-07-03T11:41:00.000-06:00

Wolf Pass
By Steve Thayer
Mystery

It’s 1962 and a Wisconsin railroad engineer is shot dead by a sniper’s rifle from over 600 yards away. Only one man in Kickapoo County could have made that shot and it’s Deputy Sheriff P.A. Pennington, a former military sniper from World War Two.

Flash back to World War Two – Pennington is sent on a suicide mission to the Bavarian Alps to stop vital train shipments of Nazi gold and other precious cargo.

This is a good fast read for summertime enjoyment. The book also involves some JFK hints of assassination and a somewhat good plot of revenge. If you’re a writer, try not to pick this book apart.

My Personal Book Rating
3 out of 5 Stars

1 = Poor, Don’t recommend
2 = Fair, Would recommend to some people
3 = Good, Would recommend to any reader
4 = Excellent
5 = It doesn’t get any better than this

Freedom Of Speech

2006-06-29T08:45:00.000-06:00

One of the special things I enjoy here in the USA is my freedom of speech. I think sometimes we citizens (myself included) take for granted our freedom to express our opinions. No matter what political platform we belong to, no matter what religion we practice, we still have the right to voice our opinions without fear of persecution. I want to say thank you to all of the soldiers past and present for their sacrifice so I may have that right.

Perhaps on this 4th. of July I will refresh my memory a bit and read a document I have not looked at since high school. The Declaration of Independence in my opinion, is probably the most important document ever to be written taking second only to the Holy Bible. Here is a link, http://www.bc.edu/bc_org/avp/cas/comm/free_speech/dofi.html if you wish to join me in reading this on our most patriotic holiday.

John Hancock has always been somewhat of hero of mine. We learned in school that his signature was the largest on the document, while some other signatures were small. John Hancock was proud to be a signer, stood up for what he thought was right, and I feel he is what represents the soul and grit of our nation. If you wish to read more on John Hancock and other signers, here is a link http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/hancock.htm

Remember, stand up for yourself and what is right in the eyes of God, voice your opinions, freedom of speech is one of those things people have given sons, daughters, husbands and wives for. It’s a wonderful gift.

Have a happy 4th.
Bill

4th. of July Fireworks

2006-06-28T07:41:00.000-06:00

Well, we worked on the fireworks stand last night unloading the product we'll be selling within the next few days. Our Missions group for the next few days will be working like crazy selling fireworks. All profits generated by the sales go toward mission trips our church sponsors. This will be our second year to have a stand and we're expecting to do pretty well. It's amazing to see how much money people spend on fireworks, but hey, it's for a good cause.

Our group has been to Rio Bravo 3 or 4 times and we've been to Guatemala once. I suggest if you ever have a chance to go on a mission trip, by all means go! You will have a life changing experience no matter if it's international or domestic. We are truly blessed by God to be living in the United States. Some of the places I've seen, the people there don't even have a toilet, let alone toilet paper. Food to eat is a rarity. I've seen a dump in Guatemala where there are thousands of adults and children living and scavenging for food and items to sell on the street. In this dump there is even a social class or pecking order. These are the reasons I go on mission trips. If I can help one person it's all worth it, but ultimately the person who is really getting the help is me. This picture is the gateway into the dump in Guatemala. Although this looks bad, it's only the beginning of a different place where people live, literally in the most dangerous place in the world.

Photo by: M. Peterson

Today

2006-06-27T13:08:00.000-06:00

Today is the first day of my new blog, so be patient.