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    How to Be an Author: THINK LIKE A READER

    For the past two weeks I’ve been sick with what the doctor called walking pneumonia. Between the wheezing, coughing and attempting to catch my breath, I haven’t been doing too much walking. It’s also difficult to concentrate, when your body gyrates from the explosive convulsion of impacted lungs. Without concentration, I’ve found my ability to write has been limited to blogging twice a week and attempting to write a few words in my journal each day. My journal is for my eyes only (Believe me, there’s nothing there you’d want to see.). As the title above suggests and as I’ve written about previously, it is important for writers to be…

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    For Your Amusement: INTELLIGENCE

    Last week our President, The DJT fired Admiral Joe Maguire, his acting Department of National Intelligence director, who he had appointed after firing Dan Coats the previous DNI director three days after the infamous “perfect call” with the newly elected president of Ukraine. The removal came after a House Intelligence committee was briefed by the DNI on Russia’s efforts to influence the 2020 elections. It was reported The DJT unloaded on Maguire when he learned they were told the Russians wanted him re-elected. He didn’t have any problem with the DNI Intelligence that said the Russians were trying to help Bernie Sanders win the Democratic nomination. But The DJT insists…

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    How to Be an Author: THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL EXPERIENCE

    When I was growing up I didn’t know any authors. My parents vocations–my father was a firefighter and my mother sold Avon and Tupperware or worked at a number of federal government jobs depending upon the year–didn’t provide a lot of opportunity for rubbing elbows with those scratching out a living by writing. To make matters worse, my elementary school didn’t even have a library. We did have a bookmobile that came around a couple of times a month. To check out a book and discover a new author I’d climb up a couple of steps into what looked like a converted Greyhound Bus and walk down a narrow aisle…

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    For Your Amusement: TOTALLY EXONERATED or HOW TO WIN REANOINTMENT

    It has been proven beyond a shadow of a doubt that Our Fearless Leader aka DJT had a perfect phone conversation with his fellow former TV star turned president. We know the ungrateful immigrant colonel along with the disloyal ambassador who only gave a million dollars to the inaugural anointment of DJT were part of the Deep State, which conspired with the dangerous Democrats to drag DJT through the dirt. With his acquittal in the U.S. Senate and TOTAL EXONERATION comes the opportunity to rejoice at the firing of these men and the soldier’s brother. As our undisputed choice to be Leader of the Free World, he is within his…

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    How to be an Author: KEEP GOING

    One thing every writer does on a daily basis is write and read. We write because we were born to write. Yes, we’re compelled to do it. It’s innate, like Springsteen’s rebel who was Born to Run. There’s no getting away from it. When a writer is not writing he, she, or whatever gender identification or non-identification thinks about writing. Almost all writers reflect elements, styles, techniques, characteristics, attributes, permutations and imitations garnered from other writers. While a conscious effort may arise as a way of expressing appreciation or admiration for a certain writer, more often any similarities come from the subconscious mind. This occurs because, like the audience for…

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    For Your Amusement: IT’S THE BUDGET STUPID!

    My high school economics teacher was a proud fiscal conservative. He talked about how he never spent money he didn’t have. Setting aside money in a savings or investment account came first in his budget. Paying for necessities like food, shelter and clothing came next. Extravagant purchases, such as luxury automobiles, required disciplined saving. Interest on debt, whether personal, business or government was to be avoided. Needless to say, I’ve followed the advice of my economics teacher to the letter and have amassed millions of dollars–Not! I have stuck to my budget and the only debt my wife and I have besides our mortgage is for three and a half…

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    How to Be an Author: CONFIDENCE

    Three weeks ago at the last meeting of the Southern California Writers Association, Christopher Reich, the author of Numbered Account and a dozen other best selling thrillers, told us that the number one ingredient to become a writer is confidence. You must believe in what you write. Of course, a little luck and the right connections might help, too. Take for example his story of how he got his agent. A family member worked at an ad agency where James Patterson was his boss. Patterson read Reich’s manuscript and got his agent to represent him. Still, it took him 9 months to sell his first book–for which he received a…

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    For Your Amusement: GIDOVAIT

    It has come to my attention that while the popularity of The Soprano’s FUHGEDDABOUDIT (forget about it) has waned, there has been a proportional response with Mick Mulvaney (the President’s acting Chief of Staff)’s GIDOVAIT (get over it). A review of the credibility of such an assertion is appropriate given tonight’s State of the Union address, tomorrow’s assured acquittal on the articles of impeachment, and the Democrats flub of the Iowa caucus as the result of a poorly launched app. First up on the agenda will be the ever popular question of whether or not you’re better off than you were four years ago? The stock market has doubled. Has…

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    It’s All About Choice

    “I’M THE CHOSEN ONE.” Donald J. Trump, President of the United States, declared on Thursday. “Somebody had to do it,” Our Fearless Leader said, referring to his decision to “take on China.” He turned his head, looked to heaven, and said, “I’m the Chosen One.” THE CHOSEN ONE has decided Jewish-Americans don’t have a right to choose. When asked by a reporter today about whether his claim that Jews who choose to vote for Democrats are disloyal is anti-Semitic, he responded, “only in your head.” A number of Jewish organizations claim the trope of Jews having split loyalty is historically anti-Semitic. Guess THE CHOSEN ONE forgot to check with chief…

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    Is the First Amendment Under Attack?

    I want to clearly label this post in my blog. This is my OPINION! Let’s not get it confused with news. My hope is to lay out some factual arguments for why my opinion should be valued, but I’m not going to pretend that this post adheres to the rigorous standards quality journalism, which is a cornerstone of our democracy, applies to the reporting of actual news. I woke up today to the news that Julian Assange was arrested. First, let me make clear, I do not consider Mr. Assange, the co-founder of WikiLeaks either a hero or a villain. Rather, he is a symbol. For the last seven years…