Change

This was not going to be the topic of this week’s post. I was going to discuss last weekend’s writers’ retreat I attended where I met some great people, made some new friends, and had a lot of fun, especially Sunday morning trying to avoid the rain.

However, what I learned Sunday afternoon on the drive home turned my world upside down. From Sunday through Thursday (yesterday) my emotions have been in a turmoil, my diet has gone to hell, and, up until yesterday afternoon, I managed to get about fifteen hours of sleep.

I know that my problems aren’t the worst and I’m not trying to compare. I just want to discuss how big changes affect me.

I don’t like change. I really don’t. For instance I wore the same winter coat for years, even after the pockets started ripping and the zipper went bad. Finally, I decided to buy a new coat. I spent twenty minutes deciding between two coats. Twenty minutes.

Back in 1990, after living in a small town for fourteen years, my parents made the choice to move so Dad could have a better job. It was a tough choice for him. I didn’t like it because even though I was out on my own (and at the time looking for new work) I didn’t want home to disappear.

Now I’m the one moving. I’ve lived in Oskaloosa since 1990 and because of work, I’m forced to move. This last week I was forced into changes where I couldn’t dictate the terms or have a reasonable amount of time to make a decision where I was comfortable afterward.

The results are that I was forced to accept a position with the same company in another location. Now before anybody starts warning me about trashing the workplace online, let me say that I am so grateful to the people who helped me out this last week. The new position was there from the beginning, the new supervisor took me sight unseen, and I’m thankful to have employment. I will make the best of this situation.

I wanted to go down another path, though. That’s all I’m saying.

Change is tough. It’s hard and I don’t like not being in control. I understand things happen and that change will come, but usually I can roll with the flow. This time I was knocked asunder. I was sick, I cried, and felt like throwing up a lot. Everything came so fast I couldn’t process.

And Wednesday, just to add more crap to the mixture, I’m driving to follow up on an application and the left rear tire comes off the car. I mean completely off the car. I start swerving and managed to get the car off onto the shoulder. When I stop, there’s my tire rolling off into the opposite ditch. Luck was with me that I hadn’t been driving faster or I would have rolled the car. Luck was with me again that there wasn’t more damage than lugbolt and brake pad replacement.

So, yesterday, it ended. I accepted the new position and within a week, I’ll be in a new location. Yesterday and last night I managed to catch up a bit on sleep. Today, and tomorrow, I start the next phase of trying to find a place to live and tying up loose ends, closing accounts, packing, etc.

I’m not looking forward to this either. I’ve spoken about my current abode in other posts but in the end, I’m comfortable here. The place is a mess, my apartment is dirty (I dread to think of Mom’s reaction when we start moving out stuff. Egad!), and the cat is happy. I hope he tolerates the transition better than I will.

Even today, I still feel a little wobbly and I apologize if this post seems to stray or maybe even doesn’t seem to have a point. Maybe I don’t know what the point is.

I’m still a bit overwhelmed and lost.

Bad Words

In my almost forty-seven years I’ve matured in the ways of language. Somewhat. To hear me speak, maybe your thoughts would differ. Let’s agree I’ve tried to think about language and the words, or rather, their correct usage, before I speak. Do I still say ‘gonna’ and ‘sorta’? Sure, and I also tend to speak faster than some people, namely my students, can comprehend. But I’m working on it and I think that shows the maturity I mentioned earlier.

This week, I would like to discuss some usages of language that irritate me because the people who commit these errors know better, or should know better. With these violations, I think the individual is trying to stress the importance or either himself (or herself) or his job. Not saying what these people do is unimportant, but to misuse language cheapens the quality of the speaker.

One of the biggest irritants is radio and television weather forecasters’ use of the word ‘activity’. As in, “We had significant thunderstorm activity today.” This error is committed by every single forecaster I’ve heard. “Tuesday, expect some shower activity.”

What sort of activity are they meaning? Is the rain going to do something fantastic other than fall to the ground? You don’t hear them forecasting sun activity. “Tomorrow, lots of sun activity over the state.” That’s sounds stupid. But so does ‘shower activity’. This is goes back to the ‘trying to sound more important than is necessary.’ And it’s always associated with rain. No ‘blizzard activity’ or tornado activity. Always shower and thunderstorm activity.

The late great Ed Mcbain brought this next point up in on of his novels. How often have you heard television newscasters say something like, “You can only see this story on tonight’s broadcast at ten.”

McBain mentioned the error of this statement. “You can only see this story…” Really? So you won’t be able to hear anything about it, just see it.

This error is common and I try to catch it in my writing. Many authors commit it. “He only walked four miles.” Okay. But did you really want to write, “He walked only four miles.” The other way might imply that he crawled the other six. This is a tricky one and you have to be extra watchful when writing.

The third one I’ve heard less often and usually by one or two language culprits. I won’t mention a particular name because I don’t want to get into a discussion about this individual, mainly because I think he’s a kook. Intelligent, but a kook. I’ve heard him on a radio program that deals with topics such as ghosts, UFO’s, some science, a bit of politics, reincarnation, ESP, etc. This one man usually discusses space exploration, expeditions to the moon and Mars, and the fact he believes aliens built monuments and structures on both. His ideas aren’t the problem. His misuse of the word ‘literally’ is. “They literally went around the moon.” Well, yes, they did. They went around the moon. That’s not the correct usage of the word literally. “They literally breathed oxygen.” As opposed to…?

When using the word literally, you are implying that the phrase used after ‘literally’ is what is actually taking place. For instance, “The room was so quiet, you could literally hear a pin drop.” ‘So quiet you can hear a pin drop’ is a cliché and a common one. But the phrase is trying to show the absolute silence in the room. If the silence is such you can ‘literally’ hear a pin drop, this means that if someone dropped a pin onto the floor, the contact with the floor would be audible. If a basketball team ‘kicked butt’ in last night’s game, and you put the word literally in front of ‘kicked butt’, I regret missing the game. Literally putting one foot to another’s backside, and having a team do this to the other team is something I’d like to witness.

Again, the reason this person uses literally incorrectly, is to drive home the notion that he and what he is saying is really important, which is not the case.

The fourth error is so common I think it’s become acceptable. “This product will help you live a healthy lifestyle.” Wrong. Lifestyles and food aren’t ‘healthy’. YOU are healthy in that you aren’t sick. A product or food is ‘healthful’ to your well being. A product can’t be ‘healthy’ because it can’t be ill. It isn’t alive to be able to move from sickness to health. The problem with the misuse of this word is, like so many others, laziness. People don’t want to take the time to move their mouths into the correct formation to pronounce the second syllable of ‘healthful’. It’s much easier to say ‘healthy’ because the lips and the mouth don’t have to move. So, ‘healthy’ has become the norm, even though it’s not correct.

So, four examples of language misuse that bother me.

Any examples you can think of that are irritating and should be corrected?

Attitude

This is the first in a series of life skill blogs. These will tie in the aspects I teach in my taekwondo classes. Sometimes there will be a connection to writing, sometimes not. I think it will be up to the individual to relate these to his/her  specific situation, whether writing or other activity. I hope you will enjoy these and, as always, I invite comments.

What can be said about attitude? What hasn’t been said or written about attitude?

When I started gathering the material for the life skills blogs, I tried to make it easy on myself by going through my folder which contains a lot of the mini-posters depicting life skills for usage in my taekwondo classes. You pin the poster to a board or tack it to the wall and it’s the responsibility of the instructor to incorporate that theme or life skill into the classroom curriculum. To make sure the students have a proper example of that particular aspect or concept. That the parents understand what you’re trying to teach so they can reinforce it at home or make sure that it’s exhibited at school. Of course, you’re hoping that YOU are the one reinforcing the concept in class, but sometimes…

My folder is arranged alphabetically so the listing of the skills was fairly easy and I thought the appropriate one to be first was Attitude. You can have make all the goals and have the courtesy and determination and perseverance, but I think attitude is layered throughout everything. From the time you get up in the morning and how you face the day to the moment you drift off to sleep you are constantly checking and rechecking and testing and changing your attitude each moment.

I try to instill the concept of Postive Attitude into my classes, but I also let the student know they have to have an ‘attitude.’ This ‘attitude’ borrows a little from Determination and Confidence. It has a little in-your-face, but not enough to annoy people. Still positive, but with an intensity behind it.

I want the students to show a little of this ‘attitude’ when executing their taekwondo form. To stand up and show the world what they’re made of, that this is important to them, and to tell everyone to “back off and let me perform.”

I see that attitude in class from some of my students when they line up and stand at attention, even from one adult student when he’s in ‘relaxed’ mode. His hands are still ready, his body is ready, his head and eyes are set and he’s just waiting for the word go.

As a martial artist, that type of attitude can be part of not only your classroom presence, but at school and out on the street. It might serve as a form of self defense. Head up, eyes alert, conscious of your surroundings.

In my self defense courses I often mention an old Starsky and Hutch episode. For those of you young’ens who don’t know what I’m talking about, S&H was an old television cop show that, as I remember, was one of the first shows that became a little controversial in the amount of violence shown on the airwaves. (Tame by today’s ghastly standards.)

Anyway, part of the only episode I remember is two men in a pickup watching people pass by on the sidewalk. They were looking for a woman to kidnap, torment, and sexually assault. I thought this episode was the perfect example of how to avoid ‘looking like a victim’ because they observed various women and their attitudes. Some women walked with purpose, with a destination, with a no-nonsense attitude. The two guys rejected them. Instead, they chose the ‘mousey’ woman, small, weak looking, a bit wary of her environment. Why? Because they knew she’d be less likely to fight back.

So I try to teach my students to have a bit of a Bea Arthur “Maude” attitude. (Again, for the youngsters, go to tv.com and look it up.) Not necessarily aggressive, but to show that you have a little bite. Many times, that will cause the bully or the bad guy to think twice. Not always, but it’s a start.

As I mentioned a couple weeks ago, I may not relate all of these life skills to writing, but I think authors have a bit of an ‘attitude’. I think it’s necessary because nobody is going to write the book for you (excluding ghost writers and even then you still have to be a part of the project). If you don’t have an attitude that you’re going to finish a manuscript, it won’t it won’t be finished. One of the best sayings I’ve heard is: “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t…you’re right.”

I’ve seen too many people fall by the wayside on their path to being an author. Excuse after excuse, problem after problem but the biggest problem is the proper attitude didn’t exist or wasn’t reinforced daily.

I also enjoy the fact these life skills are personal. It’s YOU who must possess and exhibit them and you can’t let anybody change your mind when a decision is made. They can bash you and berate you and insult you and knock you down, but it’s your decision whether you stay down.

‘Nuff said for this week.

 

 

Around the Globe with LAURIE GRAY

On this cold and snowy May morning (yes, you read correctly. Snow on the ground here in Iowa. In May), I am so glad to get into my transporter, hop down to pick up this week’s featured author and travel to Hilton Head, South Carolina. On the beach as the sun is just below the horizon. The sky is aflame with pink and orange and red. Out in the water I see a fin rise above the waves. Laurie assures me it isn’t a Great White, but rather a dolphin swimming parallel to us.

I want to mention before our interview begins that I found Laurie through the quarterly magazine published by the American Taekwondo Association, the parent organization to my club. In the most recent issue, she, along with her daughter were featured. Her daughter attends taekwondo classes and was an inspiration for Laurie’s second novel. I admired, first that her daughter is a success in martial arts, second that Laurie wanted to write a book, and third that the topic of the book holds so much meaning and importance. I knew I couldn’t pass up a chance to get to know her.

Of course, I enjoy every author who is featured on my blog, but Laurie holds a special place because of her family’s involvement with martial arts and the sensitive subject matter of her books and how they are handled.

1. Who are you and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?

To the best of my knowledge, I am the only bilingual teacher, attorney, author, child advocate, personal transformation consultant and motivational speaker in Fort Wayne, Indiana. My life is a creative adventure!

2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?

As a former high school teacher, the author of young adult literature, and someone who has worked with kids professionally for decades, I tend to focus on the positive rather than the negative. Most people don’t know that I really hated high school. So much that I only went for three years. No senior year for me. Teaching high school for four years after college helped me to process a good deal of my own teenage baggage before moving on to law school.

3. What interested you to become a writer rather than something else such as a movie star?

Movie stars spend their entire lives pretending to be people they are not. Writers spend their lives getting to know themselves and discovering who they really are. In doing so, writers give us all a better understanding of our universal human qualities and emotions and the unique aspects of our individual lives and experiences.

4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?

I would so love to have dinner with Barbara Kingsolver. I am so amazed and inspired by the depth, breadth, and beauty of her writing. I especially enjoyed listening to The Lacuna and Flight Behavior audiobooks, read by Barbara herself. I remember listening to the audiobook for The Bean Trees nearly 20 years ago as I was driving home from an out-of-town deposition, and I had to pull off to the side of the road because I was crying so hard I couldn’t see to drive.

5. If I were stranded on a deserted island or suffering from a four hour layover at the airport, why would your book(s) be great company?

Both Summer Sanctuary (Luminis Books/2010) and Maybe I Will (Luminis Books/2013) are quick reads, which means you could read at least one of them (maybe both if you are a very fast reader) while you’re stranded at the airport. In Summer Sanctuary, a 12-year-old homeschooled preacher’s kid meets a homeless teenager at the library and convinces her to live secretly in his church for the summer. In Maybe I Will, a sexually assaulted teenager resists conformity and discovers freedom of self-expression through the physical forms in Taekwondo and the poetic form of Shakespeare’s sonnets. Both novels would be great company on a deserted island because both are filled with poetry and big ideas. They make you think, and at the same time, the characters will feel like your friends.

6. Share your process of writing in regards to: plot and character development, story outline, research (do you Google or visit places/people, or make it up on the spot), writing schedule, editing and number of rewrites.

I usually start with a blank journal and a character that has a problem. As I picture the character and think about the problem, I start researching. I’ll check dozens of books out of the library, just scanning some and reading lots of others carefully for content. I take notes from my reading and sometimes write scenes or dialogues in the journal as they come to me. All of the journal prewriting gives me the sense of what I want to happen in the book and to start plotting the order of events. When I actually sit down at the computer to start writing a manuscript, I find myself doing lots of editing and rewriting with every few chapters, so I end up with fewer rewrites in the end. As I’m writing, though, the characters always find ways to surprise me and the story takes on a life of its own. I do most of my writing in the mornings. When I’m sitting at the computer, working on writing or rewriting a chapter, I often look things up on the internet either for quick fact checking or to help me have a clear picture in my mind. I did use Google a lot to help me picture people and places in my third young adult novel which will be coming out in 2014 because it’s set in Ancient Greece.

7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”

Start by reading lots of books in the genre you think your story will fit best. Think about how each author has developed the characters and plotted the events of that story. Look for themes, symbolism and sentences that read especially well. Then find the process that works for you. The best way to do that is to just start writing. Whenever you get stuck, read some more. It also helps to find several books about writing that you really like. You can read those when you get stuck, too. My favorite is Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott.

8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read, “Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” what is your philosophy of life?

“There’s nothing more useless than a mind filled with someone else’s thoughts.” As a teacher/professor, it saddens me when the only questions students ask are “Will this be on the test?” I don’t have all the right answers, and I can’t tell my students everything they’ll need to know. We need to get back to nurturing our curiosity and natural sense of wonder. Human beings are not sponges designed to absorb information to be squeezed out at the appropriate time. That’s not how the human brain develops. We need to engage, ask questions, and make new connections. It’s not enough to just tweet and re-tweet sound bites. I think of myself and my students not as sponges, but as wells, each with our own source deep within. It’s a little dark and scary sometimes, but if you dig deep within yourself, you’ll be amazed at what you find.

9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?

I have two books scheduled for publication in 2014, so I’ve been working on rewriting and polishing those. One is the historical fiction I mentioned in an earlier question. It’s called Just Myrto: When Myrto’s father dies leaving no dowry for her to marry, Myrto wonders whether her brother will find her a husband or sell her into slavery.  In Ancient Greece it is better to have a kind master than a cruel husband.  At eighteen, Myrto finds a kind husband in the philosopher Socrates. Will Myrto also find herself and choose her own destiny through her relationship with Socrates?

I’m a huge fan of Socrates and the Socratic Method. The other book that Luminis Books will release at about the same time as Just Myrto is my nonfiction book that applies the Socratic Method to parenting. It’s called A Simple Guide to Socratic Parenting. I’ve started writing a local parenting column related to that as well.

I have an idea and have started a journal and drafted several chapters for a fourth young adult fiction book, but that’s been on the back burner for a while. I’m hoping to get busy on that again this summer.

10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?

People can visit my website www.SocraticParenting.com to get an overview of the things I’ve done then follow me on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/laurie.gray.14. I am also interested in connecting with other authors and professionals through LinkedIn www.linkedin.com/pub/laurie-gray/19/b23/9a5 and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI.org) http://www.scbwi.org/MemberProfile.aspx?u=2862956617400496. If you’re interested in reading some articles I’ve written, go to SelfGrowth.com

http://www.selfgrowth.com/experts/laurie_gray.html.

Around the Globe with ROBERT SHIELDS

Finally, a warm day. Spring has been a long time coming. So, on this fine Friday morning, as I’m preparing to head to the tournament, I have to make a stop and pick up this week’s featured author. Where are we going? Where else but the gym for him show me some pointers while I conduct my interview. What? Oh, I’m supposed to give him ten more reps. Ack!

1. Who are you and what makes you the most fascinating person in your city?

I am the most interesting person in my city because I am a personal trainer by day and an adventure novel author by night, my dual personality goes mostly unnoticed.

2. Without revealing a deep dark secret (unless you want to), what one thing would people be surprised to learn about you?

People might be surprised to learn that I swear by the zodiac table, especially when matching up relationships and would turn down a date if their star sign wasn’t compatible with my own.

3. What interested you to become a writer rather than something else such a movie star?

I have always been a day dreamer and a movie star has to take part in someone ELSE’S story, I’d rather write my own and be the star in my head.

4. Writers are readers. With which author(s) would you enjoy sharing dinner? Why?

I’d like to have a good meal with Dan Abnett, he writes a lot of the Warhammer stories that I love to read, would enjoy finding out more about him.

5. If I were stranded on a deserted island or suffering from a four hour layover at the airport, why would your book(s) be great company?

I’d carry ‘Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde’. I can read that story over and over; it was the first novel I ever read.

6. Share your process of writing in regards to: plot and character development, story outline, research (do you Google or visit places/people, or make it up on the spot), writing schedule, editing and number of rewrites.

I play out my stories in my head first, day dreaming them and creating realistic plots, I then write my books like a movie, selecting which scene I feel in the mood to write and doing so, I later piece all the bits together and make sure the continuity matches. I do three re-writes before proofing.

7. “I think I have a good idea for a story, but I don’t know where or how to begin. Your process may not work for me. Any advice?”

I’d say the best advice is to write your ideas down, even if it’s small. Plan a scene in your head and write it. Do this over and over. Some scenes may get deleted later, others kept. Over time you may have collected 50k words worth and then you’re halfway there!! Motivation will kick in after that and its plain sailing from there.

8. I saw an amusing T-shirt the other day which read, “Every great idea I have gets me in trouble.” what is your philosophy of life?

My philosophy on life is this: it’s only after you have lost everything are you free to do anything’. So have no boundaries and smash through obstacles like your life depended on it.

9. Please tell me you’re not going to stop writing? What’s next for you?

What’s next? I have almost finished book 2 in my series Chronicles of Astoria, there are 6 parts in the planned series so I need to knuckle down on these first. I may even do a few spin-offs from the popular characters.

10. Where can people find more information on you and your projects?

If they search ‘Chronicles of Astoria’ in Google they can find me. My website is: www.mrshields.co.u.k Facebook: www.facebook.com/chroniclesofastoria

Of Good And Evil

On this early Friday morning, the blustery wind blowing flurries of snow (yes, I know spring is supposed to be here), I’m contemplating this week’s blog. Looking for ideas, I surf the Internet, read a chapter or two of the book in front of me, and finally check email.

One of the messages interests me, then intrigues me, then…well gets a little bit weird.

POST THIS…OR ELSE

That was the subject line. When I open my email I see a message by this author named Gerald Griffin:

Post the following on your blog. Failure to do so could result in my throwing trash upon your front lawn and letting my dog poop on your sidewalk.

My reply was: Ha! People already throw trash on my front lawn and I have a neighbor who frequently  lets his dog poop on my sidewalk.

However, when I read what he wanted posted, I acquiesced. Actually, it’s pretty interesting. So read on…

OF GOOD AND EVIL — a wild ride, a strange flight, a slight metamorphosis!

While writing this thought-provoking suspense thriller, I never envisioned it becoming a movie — never thought I’d be up to that, anyway. My total focus was on a well-written story, one that was crisp and clear, with vivid and vibrant characters resonating perfectly with an innovative fast-paced plot keeping the reader on edge from beginning to end.

The book reviews on my novel say that I succeeded in this.

For example, one reviewer said of the novel: “Of Good And Evil is the very embodiment of what a thriller should be. It’s such a marvelous tale that you don’t even have to be a fan of its specific genre to enjoy it. The sheer caliber of talent this author possesses boggles my mind. One of the best books I have ever read.”

Another reviewer said: “Of Good and Evil is so finely written, so well plotted and paced, that the reader is immediately drawn into the book from the first page and held to the last. Griffin has such extraordinary skills that the story at times is nothing short of breathtaking. A must read!”

And still another reviewer stated: “In writing his brilliant story, Gerald G.Griffin displays the gifts of  a truly great story-teller. He delivers his passion with the talent of a born writer, a special kind of talent going that step further separating good writers from great writers.”

This acclaim notwithstanding, I still didn’t believe my novel could be adapted as a film, even though many people having read the thriller thought otherwise. When a reader told me face-to-face, “Your story would make an exceptional film,” or something similar, I’d politely shrug, not taking their comment seriously but merely regarding their sentiment as complimentary good manners. I knew there was a world of difference between writing a novel and writing a screenplay for the cinema. For the mind, writing a novel is more internal and meditative, whereas writing a screenplay for a film is more external and visibly expressive.. I didn’t feel I was adequately oriented to the latter, especially with OF GOOD AND EVIL.

What I’m about to tell you, as a prescription for getting your story from book to script to screen, is unlikely to occur, for it requires fortuitous opportunity, rare luck, and the intervention of just the right people. In other words, something not likely to come to pass. But it did for me, in spite of my initial feelings about it.

Here is my tale.

To promote OF GOOD AND EVIL, I, like countless authors, fell prey to marketing madness. As part of this assorted madness, I managed to arrange a radio interview by phone hosted by a Facebook friend of long standing and her sidekick. But also joining in that interview as an added host, unbeknown to me beforehand, was Alexandria Altman (preferring to be addressed as Alex), daughter of the deceased film producer Robert Altman, and one acquainted with well-known movie people in Hollywood.

In the easy give and take of the interview, the spontaneous chatting back and forth about my novel, Alex, whom I didn’t know from Adam, enthused, “Really, your book sounds so terrific!” Then, out of the blue, she added, “It could be a great movie!” Not this again, I thought as she then said, “Let me read the book.”

I mailed her a copy of OF GOOD AND EVIL. After reading it, Alex phoned me, exclaiming, “You have a giant on your hands. A masterpiece here! A major movie! But we need a script.”

Oh, God, I mused.

But Alex knew a script pro who would help write the screenplay. He, in consultation with Alex, worked on the screenplay until they achieved an acceptable draft, then the script was presented to me for whatever corrections and changes I deemed necessary to make it the final draft.

Frowning was my companion as I read through the script. “Holy cow!” I agonized in some spots. “How on earth can I smooth this out!”

All the corrections and changes I saw that were needed — plenty of them, no mean task — presented me with a huge problem. The script given to me was just too limited in scope compared to the novel. At one point it even lost me. Part of the essence of the novel was gone. To be sure, the script handed me was amazing in its own right — still captivating…moving with graphic lure, sticking to the gist of the story line. But to me the problem was that the perfect resonance between the characters and plot in the novel was disrupted in the script, becoming more choppy and abrupt, this dictated by the constraints of movie reality.

What bothered me most was that some major scenes in the book…some minor characters…had to be cut, as well as some essential character threads, nuances and developments, sort of deleting part of the novel’s soul. I tried as best I could to restore this soul, restore what I felt was needed for plot cohesion, but I couldn’t do it as completely as I wanted. I had no choice but to compromise for the movie’s sake or else the screen script would be too long. The script I ended up with would be two hours of movie as it was.

When I presented my final corrected script to Alex, and she read it, she replied to me: “Griff, you are amazing! The script looks and reads as in perfect! I am yelling this out of pure joy and delight. Thank you so much for helping us to fix your script. It was a biggie because you are a giant! I am blessed.”

From there, the making of OF GOOD AND EVIL into a movie was in Alex’s hands. She became the film’s prime Producer, packaging the script, sending it out to producers and other movie people, eliciting interest and negotiating matters. Now, because of Alex’s spirited efforts, her movie friends are aware that OF GOOD AND EVIL will be a big film that will sell. Subsequently, the movie is almost fully funded and ready to go. Once funding is complete, things will move quickly, and shooting the movie should begin later this year.

There you have it. The unlikely. From book to script to screen.

To order OF GOOD AND EVIL, go to Gerald’s author blog, http://geraldggriffin.blogspot.com/. On the home page, at the top, click the “Buy the Latest Book” box. On the page coming up, you can order directly from Amazon (including eBook on Kindle), Barnes & Noble or the publisher.

For UK, click http://www.amazon.co.uk and use the search box.

In addition to Kindle, the eBook version can be ordered on Ipad, Iphone and other eBook providers.

At The Tournament, Part 2

Last week I started discussing a tournament I attended in Columbia, Missouri over Easter weekend. I mentioned that while I may compete in the various tournaments, the fun part for me is judging.

Let me explain for those who have never seen a martial arts tournament a little of how ours operates. Multiple competitions occur in the same ring. Forms, weapons, sparring, and combat sparring (with a thick padded stick. Nothing like getting to whack an opponent. Lol) I want to focus right now on the forms. There are three judges per ring – one who assesses the quality of kicks and stances; one for hand techniques; and the center who judges overall performance. This includes: timing, rhythm and flow, and attitude. Each judge gives a score between 2 and 9 and the three competitors with the highest total scores receive medals.

I sat in the center chair for two rings on Saturday. One for a group of 2^nd and 3^rd degree black belt boys age 12-14 and another of the same two degrees ages 15-17.

Let me assure you, judging is tough. There is so much to consider, so much to remember (besides the rules), and sometimes…sometimes, people aren’t happy with the results. This was the case during the two rings on Saturday.

I’m not going to name individuals, because I don’t know any names of the people who disagreed with my scores. I’m also not here to justify my judgments even though it may sound like it. I just want you to try to understand how competition works.

As I mentioned, the scores range from 2-9 (with the possibility of a 1 or a 0 in certain extreme cases as when competitors leave out a major portion of the form but I don’t want to get too technical or too detailed with the rules), with the average for a large sized group being 5. This means that to receive a 9 the competitor is of the best in the group. A 5 means an average performance and anything below means a below average performance for the group. For that specific group. At that particular tournament. Past performances in other tournaments with other judges cannot be considered.

Which is where a problem arose. With such a large group (8 competitors) the judges are advised to spread out the scores so as not to risk multiple ties. Ties do happen and they’re dealt with but they can be limited by spreading out the scores. Which means, that out of a group of 8, there should be some who are above average, some who are average and some who are below average. Remember-for that group at that tournament.

I must say that this ring, as well as the subsequent ring, had a group of fine martial artists who all had quality performances. This makes it tough for the judges because we have to notice and pick apart any little inconsistency or fault so we can score properly. Sometimes, it may be a slight wobble, hop, off balance maneuver, an off target strike or any number of little things which differentiates each performance from the others.

So, when the competition was completed I was approached by another martial artist, in uniform, and another individual who I assumed was a parent. They proceeded to inquire about my low scoring of a particular competitor. I explained how I judged that person didn’t do as well as the others in certain areas. They tried to explain how the competitor had fared at previous tournaments, receiving a higher score. I had to explain, as I mentioned above, that I cannot consider previous tournaments’ results. I have to judge by what I see that day.

Unfortunately, they went away disagreeing with my calls and my explanations and I regret they did so. I don’t like dissatisfied parents. In reviewing the scores, it was determined that all three judges scored fairly. As long as a judge is consistent with the scoring and the thought processes behind it throughout, then a justifiable explanation can be made. Also, unfortunately, some people may not agree.

Have I made mistakes in the past? Of course. At one tournament some years ago, I was told straight out, one on one, by a Master, that I had erred in my scoring in a weapons’ competition. I didn’t like that he told me I was wrong and, frankly, I went away from the tournament with a sour attitude. I’d been judging for over a decade and this guy tells me I’m wrong?

However, in subsequent training and classes and seminars I learned…he was correct and I was wrong. A couple years later, I had the chance to thank him and to explain how I had learned from the experience.

That’s part of being a martial artist-making mistakes, learning, accepting humility, and growing as a result.

I’m thankful for the high ranks in my organization and those who help with problems at tournaments. In the subsequent ring down in Columbia, I noticed a Chief Master explain to another parent how judges score the weapons’ competition and why I probably gave a student a low score. See, I had learned what areas in the performance to watch and what criteria to judge. I don’t know if that parent accepted the explanation but I felt satisfied that I did a good job.

I’m thankful for the support from the high ranks and other judges. As I mentioned last time, I know I’ve done a good job when parents thank me for helping make their children’s experience enjoyable. I don’t go fishing for the compliments, but take them to heart when they come.

And the student who received a low score…he also thanked me for being his judge.

At The Tournament, Part 1

Last weekend, Easter weekend, I attended a tournament in Columbia, Missouri. In this week’s blog, I’d like to share some of my thoughts about the experience.

This is the first of many blogs to come that go down a different path. I want to explore another area of my life, my martial arts background, a little more. I would like to explore the many aspects of martial arts, some of the life skills that it teaches. Will I relate them to writing? Maybe, but I’m sure any authors reading them should be able to find some way, a personal way, to relate the topic to writing if they should desire to do so.

Friday afternoon my troupe, which consisted of four members of a family who take my classes, arrived at the motel and ate a hurried dinner so that I could be at the tournament site by six when my competition was to begin.

Actually, we didn’t line up until almost 6:30, but I wasn’t too annoyed because that’s how many tournaments run. The in-joke is that ATA, while standing for American Taekwondo Association, also means All Times Approximate when it comes to tournaments, business seminars, and camps. I’m not blaming anybody for the delay and I would like to thank the host, Master Hockman, for running an excellent tournament. The thanks also goes to the staff members, and those at the head table processing competition folders.

My ring consisted of only three competitors. We are all friends and have competed together at previous tournaments. We knew each other’s styles, strengths, and weaknesses, and the results turned out pretty much the way I envisioned. Okay, I expected to earn a first place medal in the forms competition, but a brain glitch on my part near the end of my form bumped me to second.

As I discussed with another gentleman, my excitement about competing has waned in the last few years. I don’t mind competing and I go to have fun and the for the last couple I’ve worked hard to place in the top three in my ring. However, as the years pass, I have an attitude of, not apathy, just waning gung-ho. I’m not out for points; I’m not out to kick some butt; I’m not out to dominate. I’m there to have fun and if I win, I’m satisfied. If I lose, then I realize that I need to work harder the next time.

I attend tournaments to help others have fun. I enjoy being a judge and, more especially, being a center judge. Center judges control the pace and help create a positive attitude for the ring. Not saying the two corner judges don’t play their parts, but the center can make or break a ring. So, Saturday morning I was assigned to Ring 1 along with three other judges but sat on the sidelines for the first set of competitors.

The second set featured the Special Ability divisions. These competitors have either physical or mental problems that warrant them a special ring. Some of the physical problems could be: wheelchair bound, deformed limb, or, in the case of one sweet girl I assisted on Saturday-blindness. The mental, or cognitive, side includes: Down’s Syndrome (as one of my students has) or other form of mental retardation. These students, despite, their limitations in other areas, are intelligent, eager, and yearning to learn, and just want to have fun…just like everybody else. They may work a little harder to fulfill their desires, but the effort is worth it and the results are fantastic.

I helped with this ring, shadowing the competitors if they needed assistance on their forms and being a sparring partner. As usual, I was amazed at their abilities but not because I thought they couldn’t do anything, but because they reaffirmed the notion that martial arts is for everybody. Not just the athletic or the high flyers or the prodigies, but everybody from 3 to 103, whether you can kick above your head or only at knee level. Whether you can perform a step jump spin outer crescent kick or need a cane to get out onto the floor.

I must write about the blind girl. Just 13, Chloe was inquisitive and would talk your ear off if you let her. She asked the name of anybody nearby or anybody who helped her. That’s how she remembered individuals, by their voices. One of the wonderful things about her was that she asked that we remember her the next time. I supposed, in one sense, living in a world without light, one may tend to feel alone, even in a crowd. Because of the lack of sight, the blind have lost one sense to enjoy the world around them and some may feel they are ignored.

And maybe I’m wrong, but I learned from my great uncle, who suffered a stroke that paralyzed his left side and all but completely blinded him, how much caring I have to give. At a reunion, I made sure I sat next to him and talked with him whenever others drifted off.

I salute Chloe and wish I could spend more time just talking with her, learning about her, understanding her. Unfortunately, time and the tournament responsibilities denied me the opportunity. I did tell her that she was unforgettable and that I would remember her at the next tournament.

However, I know I did my job well because her mom and another couple of parents thanked me for helping to make the experience fun for their children.

That’s what it’s all about. That’s why I attend tournaments. If I don’t win a medal or a trophy, I’m not disappointed. If I can help a blind girl, a girl who has motor processing problems, or a Down’s Syndrome kid have fun; if I can be a sparring partner and allow myself to get whacked with a padded combat stick, then any inconvenience I experienced throughout the two days paled because I know some wonderful kids-and adults-went home smiling and satisfied.

Did I get to sit in the center chair? Yes, and that’s what I’ll discuss next week.

A Diet Of Murder

I’m sitting at my computer this early Friday morning trying to think of the perfect blog for this week, when suddenly this woman breaks through the door, pounds up the steps, pushes me out of my chair, and before I know what’s happening, she uploads the following blog.

So, I ask myself, what is it with authors who think they can just take over my transporter and go where they want to be interviewed or else just take over my blog anytime they want?

Of course, before I went all taekwondo-ish on her in order to defend myself and the prized blog, I read what she wrote. And by jolly gee-whillickers (is that how you spell that word?), it’sabout a new murder mystery soon to be published. Plus, practical for all of us. So let me stop rambling and introduce J. L. Greger…and find me a bandage (my heavens she’s strong, just to pick me up and throw me out of my chair…)

Get Advice from MURDER: A NEW WAY TO LOSE WEIGHT

Authors wear at least three hats – writer, publicist, and business executive. That means they must set priorities.

A Golden Rule for Multitasking

Here is a rule for setting priorities from my new novel Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight (Oak Tree Press is publishing this medical mystery this month). Sara Almquist (protagonist of my earlier novel Coming Flu) gives this advice to her sister Linda Almquist when Linda assumes an interim position as an associate dean in a medical school.

There are three types of problems. A few problems are like wine; those situations improve if you delay decisions and let them age. Most problems are like waste paper. You can ignore them because they don’t matter. Unfortunately like waste paper, they tend to be messy when they pile up. And some problems are like manure. You must identify them quickly before they stink.

Most of us waste time on the “waste paper” problems. For example, I dribble away my time agonizing over the position of pictures in blogs and the color of the background on ads and slides. I should spend more time on my “manure” problem – getting a larger audience to read my novels. That means I should spend my time scheduling more and diverse speaking and blogging engagements.

Why else should you read Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight?

This fast paced, medical mystery/suspense novel gives a behind the scenes look at clinical research. The “diet doctor” in this novel is investigating whether he can help obese subject lose more weight (and keep it off) if he alters their gut flora. Sounds strange? It is an active area of research on weight control

As a former researcher and university research administrator, I tried to instill the excitement of scientific research and the brutality of infighting among brilliant and not-so-bright faculty and staff in a medical school into this novel.

Here’s a sneak peek:

Someone in this southwestern medical school doesn’t like women. Two have been murdered already. At first, Linda Almquist suspects the deaths are related to her investigation of a “diet doctor,” who is alleged to be recklessly endangering the lives of his obese research subjects. Maybe she’s wrong. The murders might be related to something in the past – something involving her boss the Dean. While Linda fears for her job, the police fear for her life.

Need more motivation to read Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight? Consider this observation from the National Institutes of Health (NIH). One-third of American adults are obese and one third are overweight. I think that means most Americans are interested in (or should be interested in) weight control and how diet advice is developed.

Who knows, maybe you’ll lose weight when you read about the adventures of Linda Almquist in Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight. She did and you can too if you follow her secrets. Eat less and exercise more.

How does the organizational rule from Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight apply to you?

Set priorities. Focus on your big “manure” problem. Try to quickly analyze and eliminate “waste paper” problems. Don’t waste time dreaming about “wine” problems, like how you’ll spend your next royalty check.

Have fun deciding if Linda followed the organizational rule.

Bio: J. L. Greger, as a biologist and professor emerita of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, enjoys putting tidbits of science into her novels. Her first novel Coming Flu is a prequel to Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight and shares many characters.

Learn more about JL Greger at her website (http: http://www.jlgreger.com)and her blog (www.jlgregerblog.blogspot.com) called JL Greger’s Bugs. Coming Flu (paperback and ebook formats) is available on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/Coming-Flu-J-L-Greger/dp/1610090985/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1363872699&sr=1-1&keywords=Coming+Flu). Murder: A New Way to Lose Weight should be available on Amazon or from Oak Tree Books (www.oaktreebooks.com/Shop OTP.htm) by April 10.

Adult Truth #9

“I can’t remember the last time I wasn’t at least kind of tired.”

I know what you mean.

Last year, my taekwondo instructor and I discussed his training for his upcoming test for his 7th Degree Black Belt. He mentioned his commitment to practicing his form, a daily exercise routine, and always looking toward the goal. Only recently before that conversation I had begun a new exercise regimen to help me improve my stamina, hopefully lose weight, and build muscle. He told me one morning he had awoken to rain and had considered not running. This notion was quickly drowned (no pun intended) as he knew if he didn’t do his run he might find excuses not to train in the future. If that happened, he might as well forget about testing. So he ran in the rain.

I had a similar story. I started in on this new exercise program, interspersing it with half hour runs. So Monday/Wednesday/Friday I would do the program, and Tuesday/Thursday/Saturday I would run. Sunday I’d rest. I tried to stay faithful to the routine and of course I failed. Other things got in my way. My schedule didn’t permit me to either run or other circumstances kept me from exercising. The similarity with my instructor’s story was I ran in the rain one morning while laundry was rolling around the machine. I didn’t care. I’ve also stayed dedicated to doing the best I can in my training.

I have tried to stay faithful to the program. As many experienced last summer, my part of the country suffered a drought and weeks with very high temperatures. I’m not about to go out and risk passing out by running. I’m dedicated, but not stupid. So I changed my regimen. I did successive days of the exercise routines which I enjoy as much as running. (Sometimes better since the exercise program only takes twenty minutes to complete).

When I started the exercises I would stay after taekwondo class with a friend who would assist me. More often than not I was exhausted afterward. So much so, I laid on the floor gasping for breath, sweat pouring out of me. Then I downloaded a program onto my laptop that acted as a timer. That way I didn’t need an assistant. I changed the time of day I did my exercises to the mornings. I would work all night, go home, change, go up to the club, do my routine, then head home to cool off and go to bed. That way, the body managed to get immediate downtime after exercising. It worked. I discovered I wasn’t as drained if I did the routine in the mornings before bed. Yes, I was tired and sweaty, but it was a good tired and a good sweaty, if you can understand.

What does all this exercise discussion have to do with writing? If I had a published book for every time I heard a reason why somebody didn’t write, I’d have a good library started. “I was tired all week.” “I was sick.” “My kids were sick.” “My car broke down.” “I couldn’t think of anything to write.”

Okay, okay, don’t start jumping all over me with the validity of these.

Truly, I do understand because I’m not perfect either. I, too, have reasons I don’t write. Some of them are valid. There are certain times when it’s not feasible or possible to write. The problem is when these reasons become excuses and when the excuses keep coming. No, I don’t have a wife or kids but my schedule is pretty hectic and busy. I find time to write. When times are tough, I MAKE time to write. I schedule it.

If you want to call yourself a writer and attend writers’ critique groups or writers’ conferences, you need to write. Not should write. NEED. Writers write. It’s in the rule book. It’s required that writers write something. Otherwise you can’t call yourself a writer. I know, this sounds obvious and it is, but still…

I’m typing this particular blog on a cool morning. I’ve already completed another blog for future posting. I didn’t have to do this one because I had reached my goal of finishing one blog per night. (Two reasons I’m focused on blogs. One, I’m writing these short pieces while trying to organize the next chapter of the next novel and two, I want to be ahead of the game instead of scrambling at the last minute.) I wanted to write another blog. I wanted to write. Something inside of me bugged me enough I put down the book I was reading and started organizing my thoughts on paper.

Just as I’ve read countless times that part of having a successful blog is to regularly post, to be a successful writer, you must regularly write. Set your own schedule. Can’t write every day? Fine. How about Monday/Wednesday/Friday? Only write a page each time? Fine. If it works for you, great. But if I only ran five minutes every other day, I wouldn’t accomplish much. Challenge yourself. I change up my running pattern and routine. Sometimes I’ll run for half an hour, and other times I’ll do some interval training. Is your schedule sporadic? Fine. But just as I discovered a better time to exercise, you need to find better times to write. Moreover, if you want to be a better writer, you need to MAKE time to write. Have a free hour one afternoon? Lock yourself away and tell the spouse and kids that unless the house is on fire or hordes of invading Visigoths are attacking, you will be incommunicado.

And if you feel a little tired afterward, then you can also be proud to have a reason for it.

By the way, my instructor passed his test.

If you’re interested in the exercise program I’m using, it’s at http://www.warriorxfit.com.