tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72810974193183410052023-09-22T02:00:46.484-07:00Taking Back The BookA blog dedicated to the belief that e publishing empowers authors.Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-29761529413308393252013-06-10T05:41:00.000-07:002013-06-11T05:43:03.884-07:00The Tiger Rally<style>
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</style><span style="font-size: large;">What will a US Open Win Mean For The Markets?</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-size: large;">M</span>uch has been written about the
correlation between the stock market and the performance of the professional
golfer, Tiger Woods. Seriously, if you don’t believe me, check it out on the
net. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The fact is some fairly serious
analysts have been tracking this trend since the hard swinging phenomenon first
teed it up on the PGA Tour in 1997 – carefully noting the ups and downs that
have followed the trials of golf’s most notorious superstar.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’m not exactly sure why, but
I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately as I launch my newest novel … a golf-related
story entitled HANGING LIES. Perhaps it’s because, on some level, my book also explores
the dark sides of human behavior.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Tiger Effect? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"></span>As the golfer-for-all-time fares on the links,
so follow our personal financial fortunes. Its as simple as that … and so much
more.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
To compulsive chart watchers the
parallels are uncanny – for the sixteen years of his professional career
Tiger’s rise and fall has been a tellingly accurate barometer of what has been
happening in the wider world of finance.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Perhaps you’ve heard theories of
irrational correlation before. Playful post-analyses of historic stock market performance
are full of them. Some hold up for a year or two. Others track nicely if you
are willing to soften the curve to allow for anomalies.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The Super Bowl Effect? <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The width of men’s ties? Hemlines? All
of them, at one time or another have been used to try and predict the movement
of the major market indices. And to some extent some have proved remarkably congruent.
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I would submit, however, that no
chart has been more accurate in mirroring the market over the past five years
than the fortunes of one Eldrick Tont Woods, or the golfer known to most of us mortals
as simply … Tiger. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The performance graphs that
emulate the ebb and flow of his fortunes are not just about noting corresponding
patterns in stock market volatility.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Instead, the Tiger chart seems to track much more than money – its peaks
and troughs matching with eerie similarity the arc of his golf, his personal
life, the failings of the financial industry, and to some extent, the entire
economy itself. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
(My tongue is pressed very firmly
in cheek if it isn’t obvious, by the way).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I suspect if I had the right
tools from Scottrade and cared to delve more deeply into the trove of statistical
data collected by the Professional Golf Association, I could probably construct
several remarkable overlapping charts.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
T. Woods’ world ranking and the overall
direction of the market before and after the financial crisis? T. Woods’ tour earnings
and the movements of the S&P 500? The decline of Tiger’s personal net worth
(divorce settlement included) and the corresponding increase in the national
deficit? They all seem to fit neatly onto the recent five-year trend line identified.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And while no one has ever
pretended that such unrelated coefficients are an accurate predictor of future market
performance, it does make for some seriously fun speculation. Or, at the very
least, the basis of a conspiracy theory.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Indeed, what makes the Tiger
charts so compelling are not just how closely the lines rise and fall based on
his accomplishments on the golf course. But rather, how closely his personal
backstory corresponds with the market that he mirrors. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
This notion first occurred to me
as I watched my investments languish in the period of uncertainty that followed
the financial crisis. Much the way Simon & Garfunkel once pined for the
reappearance of Joe DiMaggio, I had a similar longing for the return of my
favorite golfer.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But the true importance of
Tiger’s return was brought home when I received my March, 2012 Schwab statement
shortly after his first win on the comeback trail. Arnold’s tournament at Bay
Hill (DJIA 12,118) yielded a nice lift. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So did his win at the Memorial a couple of months later (DJIA
12,880).</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In between? Tiger’s flame out on
the back nine of the 2012 Masters cost the market nearly 400 points the week
after it happened. Some experts wanted to blame Spain for that pullback. But
you and I know better. I’ve got the data to prove it. The rest, as they say, is
history.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
• 2013 Farmer’s Insurance Open
(DJIA 13,895)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
• 2013 WGC Cadillac (DJIA 14,397)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
• 2013 Arnold Palmer Invitational
(DJIA 14,512)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
• 2013 Players Championship (DJIA
15,118)</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Do you notice a pattern here? One
that coincides nicely with Tiger’s re-ascendance to World #1?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Remarkably, these days a Tiger
win can sometimes propel the market upwards by hundreds of points. Similarly, an
ordinary performance can send it spiraling downwards. When he takes a couple of
weeks off between events? The market flattens in anticipation of his next
outing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And what makes the phenomenon even
more fascinating still are the parallels that can also be drawn between the
well-documented and publicized moral failings of America’s most iconic sports
figure and the past ethical lapses of the market makers themselves.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
As one reflects on the events of
the past five years, and the market meltdown of 2008 in particular, is the
corresponding decline and resurrection of the reputation of the celebrity
golfer in question and the fortunes of Wall Street’s biggest players merely
coincidence?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Need I remind you of the Dow
Industrial Average ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday in 2008 (DJIA 8479)? That
was the fateful occasion on which Tiger crashed his Escalade outside his home
in Isleworth, Florida and his wife ‘rescued’ him with a nine-iron. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Need I point out the depths that the
same index plumbed in March, 2009 (DJIA 6,547) as Tiger’s reputation bottomed amid
allegations of illicit relations with at least 19 women other than Elin. Can
you say Perkins Family Restaurant?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But, as I said, what makes the story
so compelling is how Tiger’s chart so accurately tracks our regard for Wall
Street and its morally bankrupt inhabitants. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
One doesn’t have to use much
imagination to paint similarities between Tiger fueling up the G5 or his yacht,
Privacy, and setting course for some ill-advised misadventure and comparable pursuits
by some of Wall Street’s erstwhile masters of the universe.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You don’t have to think too hard
to link the corruption that came from all that easy money and what it did to
the man with the swoosh and the derivatives traders. Certainly, these resemblances
are obvious. So, of course, are the easy parables that their recklessness
inspires. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The only question seems to be
chicken or egg? Was Tiger’s fall a heroic failure or a self-inflicted wound?
Was he led astray by the low hanging fruit afforded by his success or was this a
sought after reward for his professional accomplishments?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Did the subprime lenders and
re-packagers of the toxic assets at the root of the market collapse simply lose
their way at a time when no one, it appeared, could possibly lose? Or were
their intentions more fundamentally rotten?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Much has been written about the
motivations of both … psychological and otherwise. Still, in the giddy excesses
of the market run up in the middle portion of the first decade of the new
millennium, I can’t help but wonder if many of the same suspect underpinnings
weren’t there from the beginning. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Human nature being what it is,
I’m inclined to believe some people just more easily succumb to the temptations
of avarice and greed. Mr. Woods among them? Perhaps. The Wall Streeters? Most
certainly. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
So, of course, it was inevitable
that they both should meet a similar fate when the walls of their lies and deception
collapsed under the weight of their unsustainability.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
The point of this is not to try
and bring shame on arguably the greatest golfer of all time. Honestly, I love
what the man does with a club in his hands. For this devoted fan, he has been a
source of great guilty pleasure throughout all of his travails. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Just ask my wife. I can assure
you that you most definitely don’t want to be in our house during Masters’
weekend when the rooting for and against Tiger and Phil reaches the proportions
of the battle between Jehovah and Beelzebub.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
But alas, I am dwelling on the
negative. This story has a happy ending – or at least a happy middle -- since
our hero has plenty of golf and unrealized goals still in front of him. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As with all market cycles, this story
contains an inevitable bounce and a generous lift. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
You need only open the sports and
financial pages to witness it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In the same way that Tiger has
worked tirelessly to remake his game and his reputation, so too has the
financial services community struggled mightily to get their house in order. (I
won’t bother to explore Tiger’s treatment for sexual addiction and the need for
Dodd Frank). But suffice to say, there are similarities.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
In any case, it has not been an
easy reconstruction … and not without a few untimely setbacks. But as surely as
you cannot keep a prodigious talent like Tiger’s in check forever, similarly, our
newly lean and mean U.S. corporations armed with especially robust earnings
reports, cannot be held down in perpetuity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Should it come as any surprise
that the Dow is back (nudging all time highs at this writing)? That the S&P
has piled on a gaudy 17% gain in 2013? That the NASDAQ is rolling? It almost makes
me want to track Tiger’s FedEx Points standings, as well.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Personally, I’m cheering for the
man. What he does on course is a feast for the eyes and a lift for the spirit (especially
if you’re a long suffering TV sponsor). He might, singlehandedly, be a living
breathing metaphor for the markets finally managing to get their Mojo back.
Hell, maybe not just the markets -- maybe the entire economy.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
Four wins before the end of May?
Unprecedented. Those parallel Dow and S&P gains? Right there, of course. Tiger’s
unfortunate break at the Masters? Look at the market chop and flat spot during
the second week of April. Need I say more?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
There was even a dip on the
morning after the Memorial while the experts debated whether Mr. Woods’ poor
showing would have implications in the Open two weeks hence. Investors held
their breath. Fortunately, the pundits decided his 44 on Saturday was an
aberration and, after a weak opening, the market surged ahead for the day.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What Tiger Woods has proven
beyond a shadow of a doubt is that he is resilient … that strong underlying
fundamentals cannot be suppressed indefinitely. Make no mistake. Tiger is back
… and so is America. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I’m not saying that the man is
admirable (though his unshakable faith in himself is quite impressive). But his
example provides a fascinating illustration of the notions of descent and deliverance
… of sin and redemption … the likes of which many great religions have been
founded upon.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
No, Tiger and Nike, winning does
not take care of everything. But at least your resurrection provides proof that
most Americans are good people who are willing to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">forgive</i> and move on. You’re not the first celebrity to experience
this. But we <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">forget</i> at our own peril.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
I tend to think that what we have
witnessed over the past five years is a learning opportunity for us all … a
succession of teachable moments with the principal actor in this little
morality play donning a vivid red and black costume every Sunday afternoon to
remind us of our humanness. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
What I pray is that Tiger has
taken his experience to heart and has resolved to make himself a better man.
What I hope all of us who’ve witnessed his behavior have learned or re-learned
are fundamental rules about honesty, integrity and character. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And as for the Tiger Rally?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
If there was ever a time in the
nation’s history to come off the sidelines and join enthusiastically in the
rebuilding of the American brand, it is now. It’s time to get bullish on our
nation’s future, again. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
And you know who to put your
money on next week at Merion. Dow 17,000 or bust!</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: justify;">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">R. Bruce Walker has just released his third novel entitled HANGING
LIES. It is an unabashed homage to author’s love of the game of golf and a stylish
satire of the gilded lives of the country club set. It is available now in
trade paper and e-book formats from all major on-line booksellers.</i></div>
Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-35602578180972898122012-09-10T07:37:00.001-07:002012-09-10T07:38:48.795-07:00Un Coventional Energy<style>
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<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
Gratefully it appears that, based on their convention speeches at least,
neither of the presidential candidates is going to diminish the relevance or importance of my new novel, THE LAST CANARY.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Indeed, a survey of the contrasting platforms presented by both
parties over the past two weeks is greatly reassuring – especially if one’s strategy relies on the prolongation of the current stalemate on domestic energy development in order to sell books.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I have to confess, when I sat down to write THE LAST CANARY,
my motives were fairly transparent. I was going to pen a topical story that
played into the ferocious debate that the candidates for the presidency would,
no doubt, be having about this critical policy issue in their pitch to win the
highest office in the land.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As I went to press my biggest fear was that the candidates’
informed positions would render my thoughtful exploration of the implications
of hydraulic fracturing (fracking) and the potential for energy
self-sufficiency irrelevant -- their well-considered positions making further
discussion unnecessary. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All I can think of now is, “What was I smokin’?”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Somewhere between Todd Akin's puzzling remarks thrusting abortion rights to center
stage and the absurd distraction of Paul Ryan’s personal best marathon times,
the matter of the country’s strategy for addressing our future energy requirements remains
woefully under served.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I guess I can heave a huge (and very sarcastic) sigh of
relief. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At least for the time
being, the controversial thesis of my novel – that we need to articulate a
coherent energy policy that includes the thoughtful use of unconventional oil and gas recovery techniques -- is still very much intact. Both sides, it would appear, are as dug in as ever.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I relaxed when I watched candidate Romney declare that we can
be ‘energy independent’ by 2020 -- seven short years from now if he manages to
fit it onto his crowded Day One agenda (immediately after repealing Obamacare
and just ahead of solving the Iranian nuclear threat). But when he failed to meaningfully
mention alternative fuels or conservation, I knew he wasn’t really serious
about solving the problem.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The President? Five million green jobs promised last time around
became 600,000 brown ones in the natural gas industry this time out. You’d
expect that I would welcome this announcement, however it appears that
expedience has trumped long-term thinking. You see fracking is not a
destination unto itself. It is simply a bridge to the widely sustainable future he advocated previously.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I also can’t help but wonder how both candidates seemed to
have missed the impact and importance of shale gas development in the critical
swing state of Ohio. I would have thought it was worth a shout out, at least. But
at least both parties seem to agree that Jerusalem is the ‘capital’ of Israel.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The sum of these developments? I’ve still got a lot of books
to sell without the built-in ‘platform’ that most of us authors rely on to move
product in the literary market place. Clearly, counting on our leaders to make
energy policy a serious discussion point ahead of November was sheer folly on
my part.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
So much for any illusions of grandeur or the chance, on my part, to participate in the great debate that I imagined would be so central to this election cycle.
Obviously, it was a mistake to bet on this, forgive the pun, fractious issue to earn writing fame and fortune.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Though THE LAST CANARY is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">only </i>a novel, it attempts to explore many sides of the fracking
debate while begging a single question – are we better off with or without the
newly acquirable oil and natural gas that this important technological
breakthrough makes possible?</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What does my story conclude? Well, apparently that, too,
depends on your political stripe (see party platforms above). If you lean right
and listen carefully to Mitt’s energy policy you will find yourself straining
to hear mention of anything but hydrocarbon-based solutions.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Similarly, if you support Mr. Obama, you will undoubtedly hear
about the need for thoughtful progress and balancing our energy needs against
their potential environmental impacts – with a broad wink towards those who
would retard the development of new discoveries.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Guess what? Not surprisingly, the correct answer lies
somewhere in the middle. But, of course, the middle is a very unpopular place
to meet in this mean election season. So what if the way forward for our
country lies in our ability to strike compromise and to accommodate multiple
views of our future.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Like so many things these days, the hard stuff can’t be
discussed rationally – political badges apparently trumping commonsense. Pot<span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">a</span>to,
potato … tomato, tomato. I’m surprised we haven’t, in our collective populist
wisdom, decided to call the whole thing off.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
If you’re like me, you’re wearying of circling debates that
take facts and science off the table.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It is a mug’s game is how a dear Irish friend would describe it.
However, all I know is that C02 emissions have always caused and will continue
create a host of undesirable environmental consequences. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whether climate change is or isn’t one of them (really?),
there is still absolutely no denying that ocean acidification is a direct and
harmful bi-product of carbon fueled industrial activity that threatens the
world’s most important food supply.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Go ahead. Look it up.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Similarly, the gases that are emitted from our factories and
vehicles are causing unprecedented levels of damaging respiratory and other related
ailments. For these reasons alone, it is time to honestly come to terms with
the impact of hydrocarbons as our primary fuel source.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, and there is also no such thing as clean coal. The fact that it has to be washed,
scrubbed, precipitated, denoxified and gasified are pretty good clues about the perils implicit in its use.
Promoting it only serves to prolong our reliance on a toxic resource.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just as certainly, there is no wind or solar bound solution that
will scale sufficiently to meet our present term energy requirements. It can’t
be done. Anyone who claims otherwise is in strenuous denial of reality and the
essential role that carbon based energy sources must play for the foreseeable
future.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In case you hadn’t noticed, there are nearly a quarter
billion cars and trucks in America alone. No alternative energy source is going
to be available any time soon to replace the fuels that these vehicles require.
Nor is there an economic case that would make conversion viable. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I don’t even want to factor in the demand for
hydrocarbons in industrial applications or our need for heating fuels (in those
months when we are not being globally warmed) into this debate.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
As a result, the sudden unanticipated availability of more abundant
natural gas and oil, now accessible via the controversial recovery
technique known as <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">fracking</i> is a
game changer. Sensible, responsible extraction is key to a truly sustainable future in which economic and environmental necessities can co-exist. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And ‘no’ this message is not being brought to you by one of
the many lobbying interests currently shaping the agenda in favor of development.
It’s simply time for all parties (and Parties) to acknowledge this reality and begin
to move towards the positive solution that this unanticipated windfall makes
possible. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is time to weigh the environmental impacts fairly. It is
essential to evaluate the true consequences objectively. And it is critical to
proceed with the developing the technological and infrastructural solutions
that will make the exploitation of this resource not only safe, but also
sustainable in every sense of the word.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In that spirit I would like to invite you to read THE LAST
CANARY. Not because it offers some kind of healing epiphany, but because it
tries to explain the issues that confront us in a way that makes them easier to
appreciate – in human terms. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
You may not like some of my portrayals or conclusions.
You’ll probably despise my broad humor and my fairly harsh regard for many of
the affected parties (in the pejorative sense of the word). It is meant as entertainment, after all.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But what I sincerely hope that you will not dispute is the
importance of natural gas development to our country for the promise that it
holds – whether it gets short shrift in this most political of seasons ... or
not.</div>
Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-24412135669694849192012-07-02T06:49:00.000-07:002012-07-02T06:49:23.232-07:00Whew!<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What a wild ride. It really was exhilarating to go from
nowhere to the Top 100 on the Amazon Kindle bestseller list – even if it was
just for a moment in time.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
To those of you who have been following the trials and
triumphs of R. Bruce Walker a.k.a. Author Boy since I began my indie writer
odyssey last summer, obviously this past week has been a high point.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
What happened? I signed up for the Kindle Direct Publishing
Select Program to promote The Last Canary and found a valuable new channel to
distribute my work.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The result? Overnight I jumped nearly half a million places
up Amazon’s ersatz leader board to enjoy a cameo near the top of the heap (#92
in fact). And I mean it … literally overnight.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Imagine going to bed on a Wednesday night and waking up to
find that the book that you were hoping might eventually be <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">discovered</i> actually had been.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
All it took was to offer Jesters’ Dance FREE for two days.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Now I know some of you are going to say that I’m getting a
little soft headed with regard to giving my hard work away for nothing.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
In quoting Samuel Johnson during my promo i.e. ‘Only a
blockhead would write, except for money,’ obviously I chose to flout
conventional publishing wisdom.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But lets be clear, Sir Samuel penned his famous words in the
middle of the eighteenth century. There’s been a lot of water and virtual ink pass
beneath the proverbial bridge since then. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Besides, remuneration isn’t what my writing journey has been
about. For me, it has been all about self-expression and needing to capture some
of my life’s experiences before a faltering memory relegates them to the land
of the long forgotten. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And to occasionally shake an angry author’s fist at the
behaviors of an increasingly confused and troubled world.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Certainly, the best way to fulfill this latter goal is by cultivating
an audience. If you’re reading this, I believe you’re a part of mine.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Whether you’re sincerely interested in my stories … or just
watching much like the many who view NASCAR … with the nascent desire to see a
horrific crash … thank you, just the same.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Audiences are why elephants dance for peanuts; tigers jump
through flaming hoops; and late middle-aged men taking up writing fiction
instead of playing golf.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
An audience is what I appear to have acquired this week.
Beyond, of course, the loyal support and interest you have given to my venture
to date. And that is what is truly exciting about what has occurred.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Oh, I know I have ‘rented’ my popularity this time. But I am
hopeful that once readers have a chance to familiarize themselves with my writing
style and my approach, I might be able to induce them to sample my new novel,
The Last Canary.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After all, it is not as though the risk is high. $2.99 for
my e-books? Some of you have already chastised that I am giving my work away.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Don’t fret. This is a conscious marketing decision on my
part. It allows me to earn almost as much per book sold (e-book or print) as
most other bestselling authors get once everyone’s been through their pockets.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
More importantly, it gives me a chance to impress some new
readers … and garner some potentially new and loyal fans.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I’m not sure where this desperate desire to please ever came
from. You’d imagine if this whorish desire to pleasure others were part of my
DNA, I would’ve stayed in the ad game. Or become a masseuse.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is, I have to say, nonetheless, quite thrilling to get a
taste of what it might be like to actually pen a best seller.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
After all, isn’t the dream of bestsellerdom the ubiquitous
goal of every author? I believe I have confessed to as much in my very first
blog on this subject.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Where do we go from here? Good question. I know that I am
greedy for even more success. Hopefully, it will be earned with my writing and
the satisfaction of my readers after you have labored your way through my
latest.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Until then, I am content to be exhausted – both by the
excitement of the last forty-eight hours … and the potential for further
success.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Thank you to all of you who bounced an e-mail, tweeted, or
posted a message on Facebook in support of my latest promotion.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I think I really do owe this success to you.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
My next goal? That’s really quite simple … #91 or bust … of
course.<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>THE LAST CANARY is author R. Bruce Walker's second
novel. It was published in June, 2012. It follows the release of his
debut novel JESTERS' DANCE last year. Both works are available in e-book
or trade paperback format at Amazon.com and other leading on-line
booksellers.</i><br />
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-88631556121858201722012-06-26T10:16:00.001-07:002012-06-26T10:28:39.366-07:00Samuel Johnson once said, "No man but a blockhead would write, except for money." I'm about to flout that wisdom with a FREE book offer.<style>
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<br />
<h4 class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;">Clearly, Mr. Johnson would not approve of my FREE e-book promotion for JESTERS' DANCE available at <a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker" style="color: blue;">https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker</a></span></h4>
<h4 class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h4>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But here’s the deal. Just under a year ago I published my
very entertaining, albeit black-humored novel about the advertising business. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
While not exactly a roman à clef, it captured the soullessness
of my nearly 25 years experience as a copywriter, creative director and senior
executive with several leading agencies. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
It is fiction of course. Names changed to protect the few
innocents that I have encountered in the business -- a remarkably short list, I
might add.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Imagine three agencies locked in mortal combat to win a
coveted pharma account with the <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">client</i>
who has organized the review teetering on the very edge of sanity.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Okay, so not much imagination is required. Still, it’s a rollicking
tale with plenty of twists and turns, and a couple of nice little surprises at
the end.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Big Celebrity
Endorsements</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Ken Roman, the former Chairman & CEO of Ogilvy likened
it to “ … the gin and vermouth of an adman’s martini … its wit served up dry.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Former McCann Worldwide Chief Creative Officer, Sean
Fitzpatrick, offered his own generous praise. “Finally, an advertising novel
that’s actually about advertising. I’m jealous.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Arlene Dickinson, President of one of Canada’s hottest
independent shops was even more encouraging. “If you like Mad Men, you’re going
to love JESTERS’ DANCE.”</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The result of all this adulation? Not much. I’ve sold a thousand
books or so, impressed family and friends, and managed the kind of catharsis
that few admen ever survive long enough to achieve.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But you know what? I’m not at all satisfied with my market
penetration. Not by a long shot. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>The Death of a
Dream?</u></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I penned my little labor of love … all 440 pages of it …
with big dreams of launching a second career as a novelist. Grand dreams, in
fact. The kind I used to reserve for the night before awards shows.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And while I stopped short of purchasing a villa in Provence
ala Peter Mayle, I just assumed that it was only a matter of time before I
would be the newest old darling of the e-publishing world. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But sadly, it hasn’t happened … yet.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And that’s where you all come in. Apparently, the key to
success in the brave new world of electronic publishing and book selling is
social networking; the digital dance; the old binary two-step, as it were.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And, in that regard, I have come up woefully short. But all
of that is about to change … with your kind assistance. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I am hoping you might help me get the book in the hands of
everyone you know who truly loves or is curious about the business. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And I’m hoping to make it very easy to do this.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>Jesters’ Dance
Available FREE for Two Days only</u><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">.</i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
That’s right, I’m giving away my e-book absolutely free --
Mr. Johnson’s observation about blockheadedness notwithstanding.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The weary instructor who taught me copywriting way back when
once said that FREE was the most powerful word in advertising. I might have
even repeated this tired old trope a few times myself.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
But <b>June 27th </b>and <b>June 28th</b>, I intend to test whether this
trusted adage remains true. You see I intend to give away JESTERS’ DANCE away
FREE to anybody who is willing to go to <a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker" style="color: blue;">https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker</a>
and download it.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Just scroll to the JESTERS’ DANCE cover. Make sure that the
Kindle price is showing as $0.00 and order the e-book. It is downloadable to any Kindle-enabled
e-reader, computer, tablet or smart phone.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
I want to give away FREE books until the server at Amazon.com
is giving off steam. Or smelling vaguely of a potential electrical fire.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<u><b>Please Let Me Give You
My Book</b></u></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Why would I do this? Let’s just call it my gift to you. And,
to some extent, that’s truly what it is … an early Independence Day present with absolutely no strings
attached.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
The benefit to me? Perhaps it will earn me a brief turn on
the Amazon Indie bestseller list … plus the satisfaction of knowing that there
might be a platform for my future work. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Go ahead click on this link: <a href="https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker" style="color: blue;">https://www.amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker</a>.
It will take you directly to Amazon where there might even be a handsome, very
author-like looking photo of me.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Better still, if you could text … tweet … re-tweet … or otherwise launch
this link into your universe, I would be forever in your debt.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Who knows? It might even make for a fairly interesting case
study on the power of social marketing in the early portion of the second
post-millennial decade.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
And seriously, I really do hope you'll enjoy the read. That’s the
discussion that I would like to start with this group. </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Has anyone else out there attempted to capture the full horror and
majesty of the business in a novel lately?<span style="font-size: 10pt;"></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
Sincerely,</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
R. Bruce Walker</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">R. Bruce Walker is a former
Senior Vice President with Ogilvy & Mather West and was Executive Creative
Director at Venture Communications. He has been a copywriter and group head, respectively,
with two BBDO-owned agencies. He is the author of two novels -- JESTERS’ DANCE and the
recently released eco-thriller, THE LAST CANARY. You can read more about his
work at </i><a href="http://www.rbrucewalker.com/" style="color: blue;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">www.rbrucewalker.com</i></a><i style="color: blue;"> </i> </div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
</div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-83317824967557586392012-06-06T11:35:00.000-07:002012-06-07T07:39:57.729-07:00Fracked or Fiction?<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">W</span>ho would've thought that my second foray into commercial fiction would find me writing about fracking? Not only is it an ugly word, but it is an equally ugly industrial process.<br />
<br />
And yet fracking likely holds the key to America's energy future by potentially liberating us from our reliance on foreign fuel sources. And that is precisely what my new novel, THE LAST CANARY, is all about.<br />
<br />
The Marcellus Shale has been called the energy play of the century – five hundred trillion cubic feet of natural gas trapped within sixty million invisible acres from upstate New York to West Virginia -- fifty trillion of which is likely recoverable.<br />
<br />
But the only way to get it out of the ground is via a controversial recovery technique that involves horizontal drilling and pumping millions of gallons of toxic chemicals into the earth called hydraulic fracturing or fracking.<br />
<br />
Initially, I vowed that I would avoid all of the tempting puns set up by this unusual word and its more vulgar heteronym. But somewhere along the line, while preparing this blog, my resolve obviously weakened. What the frack?<br />
<br />
It’s not that I have developed an aversion to fracking while writing THE LAST CANARY. Indeed, quite the opposite might be true.<br />
<br />
The more I’ve researched and written on the topic, the more I’ve become convinced that this unconventional recovery method is an essential part of any long term national energy strategy.<br />
<br />
While I am by no means expert, I tend to want to believe that fracking can be used safely and responsibly to exploit the shale gas windfall that has arrived at such a pivotal moment in our nation's history.<br />
<br />
Similarly, I wouldn't be entirely honest if I didn't say that the more I've learned, the more I have developed some serious concerns about the practice's potentially adverse environmental consequences.<br />
<br />
To be clear, my purpose in writing THE LAST CANARY was to create a piece of entertaining and compelling fiction. But there is no question that the underlying narrative of my story is intended inspire a broader dialogue about this important issue.<br />
<br />
From the many people I have spoken to, there appears to be a significant paucity of knowledge about what is going on in this area. Perhaps some of you who are viewing this blog are reading about fracking for the first time.<br />
<br />
In that respect, maybe my modest bit of fiction will help to better inform and educate. And that's always a good thing. You can check it out right now by going to: https://amazon.com/author/rbrucewalker<br />
<br />
It is my belief that the decisions being made about this controversial subject need to be fully transparent and that a more fulsome debate be conducted in the public square. With so much at stake, we all need to have a vote in deciding the path forward.<br />
<br />
At its essence, THE LAST CANARY is a story about the social, economic and environmental impact of the current natural gas boom on the citizens of a small, fictitious town in western Pennsylvania. Let's call it <i>The Deer Hunter </i>revisited.<br />
<br />
But, more importantly, it is a parable that is relevant to everyone who has a stake in the energy game -- the twenty states across the country where horizontal drilling and hydraulic fracturing will likely be employed to exploit a trove of heretofore inaccessible oil and gas deposits.<br />
<br />
<i>(In case you were unaware, there have been nearly 5,000 natural gas wells permitted and drilled in the largely rural counties of western Pennsylvania atop the Marcellus Shale in the past five years. As many as 50,000 more are being contemplated over the next two decades.)</i><br />
<br />
As you can imagine from such staggering numbers, the potential for conflict is significant as the forces of American progress collide with the potential for adverse environmental and human health consequences -- some of which have already been documented.<br />
<br />
And that is what made the topic so ripe for exploration in fiction. The practice of fracking is an ideal metaphor for the forces currently at work in our country in that this recent godsend has become yet another political push-me-pull-me that threatens to fracture the very foundation of the nation.<br />
<br />
As I wrote, I deliberately spared you a predictable green epiphany. Similarly, I also avoided concluding that all of our nation’s energy problems can be solved with the drill bit. The answer, as with most things, lies in the middle. What I do know is that a new dialogue and smart decisions are required -- now.<br />
<br />
As the President and federal bodies introduce new energy policies; as state houses move to legislate and regulate while figuring out how to best profit from this unanticipated bonanza; and as local governments deal with the fallout of decisions from above, it is important to remember that fracking affects real people.<br />
<br />
As we pursue this opportunity, we will have profound impacts on lives, livelihoods and relationships. Allow yourself to imagine for a moment that someone wanted to drill a gas well on your property. Inevitably, the most common reaction is not in my backyard.<br />
<br />
That’s what’s going on right now in Pennsylvania and is coming soon to communities all across the country.<br />
<br />
Invariably, the motivation for most fracking proponents is strictly monetary. There are fortunes to be made on the trading floors far away from where drill stems churn and the ugliest consequences of this particularly messy form of resource exploitation exist in plain view.<br />
<br />
Conversely, there is an instinctive belief on the part of fracking's opponents that Mother Earth is fast approaching some sort of critical tipping point. And this could well be the final straw. For them, the possibility of compromise seems equally untenable.<br />
<br />
Indeed, that is the underlying theme of THE LAST CANARY – that in our quest for riches and the necessity to wean ourselves from our dependence on foreign energy sources, we are irreparably fracturing the very things that bind us together as a nation.<br />
<br />
Not unexpectedly, the arguments for and against fracking tend to follow the same ideological rift lines that now pervade virtually every aspect of American social and political discourse -- with corresponding hostility and divisiveness.<br />
<br />
That is the challenge I would issue to you if you choose to read THE LAST CANARY. As you become more informed and aware, and as you encounter the word fracking near daily in the media, ask yourself a simple question.<br />
<br />
Is the cost of development worth the price that it will exact? Somewhere in the writing and the events of this novel, I have formed my own conclusion. But I would be every bit as delighted to entertain and understand yours.<br />
<br />
At the same time, while as a nation we continue to struggle to articulate a coherent energy policy, I would love you to give serious thought to some of the issues contained within my story. What are our options?<br />
<br />
In my mind, the questions at the heart of THE LAST CANARY are just too important to get lost in the clamor of blind partisanship or intransigence. I can't wait for you to read it, so that you, too, can join in the debate.<br />
<br />
<i>THE LAST CANARY is author R. Bruce Walker's second novel. It was released on June 1, 2012. It follows the release of his debut novel JESTERS' DANCE last year. Both works are available in e-book or trade paperback format at Amazon.com and other leading on-line booksellers.</i><br />
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<br /></div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-52014511988587789632012-04-26T07:47:00.000-07:002012-04-26T08:03:42.810-07:00Long Live Gerard Jones<div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">God bless you, Gerard Jones, wherever you are! And I mean that both figuratively and literally. For ten long years you have been a muse and an inspiration to aspiring novelists everywhere.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You’ve fought the good fight. No, you continue to fight the good fight. You’ve won and lost. But you’ve always come back swinging -- picking yourself up off the canvas of rejection and jabbing another stick in the eye of those who would deny you.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I love an insurrectionist … and a true original. I believe the angry author, Gerard Jones, is both of these things and I would like to thank him here, unabashedly, for all that he has done for us.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To those of you who don’t know, or who have never had to worry about such things, Gerard Jones is an angry man of mythic proportions who has rattled the cage of literary agents and publishers with a website entitled: Everyone Who’s Anyone in Publishing (www.everyonewhosanyone.com).</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is a blog, a rant, an encyclopedia and a directory all rolled into one. It’s also hilarious -- both intentionally and unintentionally so. But more importantly, it is a site that dares to rebel against those that man the palisades of traditional publishing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To those of us banging on the doors of the literary establishment. Or frankly, simply seeking someone to read our latest dawn-stalking vampire thriller, Gerard Jones’ site is a beacon of hope. Or better, it is a safe port, where we can seek refuge upon inevitable rejection.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh, some say he is fueled simply by a revenge motive. But that would understate the incredible value he has delivered back to the community of independent and unpublished authors everywhere.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Not only does he spare us from the for profit catalogue publishers who’ve decided their path to fame and fortune is to peddle Frommer’s-like guides to the vagaries of publishing much like the flock that follows elephants.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Instead, he provides us with a universally accessible free list. Not a hodge podge of author-to-author jibber jabber, but an actual list of real people who might help us and then delivers a glimpse into their dark, uncaring souls.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Gerard knows that there is power in information. By rooting about for current </div><div class="MsoNormal">e-mail addresses, and by relentlessly tracking the progress of agents from firm to firm, he’s spared us the necessity of rewarding the compilationists with another $29.95 for this year’s publishing bible.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">He’s also figured out that by publishing, verbatim, many of the unfair or cynical criticisms and rejections that he has received, he might spare us some of that same stinging hurt. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I suspect the motivation is more than a little martyr-like -- sacrificing his soul in the hope that we might be a little more discriminating about whom we attempt to share our literary marvels with. Taking a nail in the palm for the team, as it were.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Gerard became a blogger long before the name had even been invented. And he seemed to do it for the sheer anarchy of it rather than the opportunity for monetary gain. Of all the writing resources begging to be monetized, his is the first I’d support.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sure, from time to time there are requests to contribute a little something to support his IP costs. Who could grudge him that? But of course, what starving writer can afford to do so? Nonetheless, he soldiers on. I believe Part Ten is now live.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’ve never been much for writing fan mail. Hero worship, for me at least, has always seemed somewhat self-diminishing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But in Gerard’s case I’m willing to make an exception. After all, his was the one voice that sustained me through my own nearly decade-long voyage of rejection – with appropriate due, of course, to the much loved but since departed Ms. Snark.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It is his unfailing stream of clever taunts and invective, directed at the very same real life targets that I’ve lacked the courage to confront, that has allowed me to imagine it truly is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">them</i> and not <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">me.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Despite their professions of compassion, I do not believe the agenting community has any appreciation of<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>the eviscerating effects of their insensitivity. Or perhaps they do. Which just makes them seem even crueler still.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While I’ve yet to take Gerard up on his FREE AUDIO BOOK offer, I’ve thought long and hard about it. Call me unnecessarily paranoid when it comes to downloads myself (has he invented the mother of all viruses?), but I suspect it is brilliant.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">More importantly, I sleep better at night knowing that Gerard is still out there yelling and shaking an angry fist at the world ... all the while singing the praises of GINNY GOOD at the top of his lungs.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">With another fat stack of rejections for my latest novel, THE LAST CANARY, in hand, I once again find myself seeking solace in his words and comfort in his Promethean sufferance.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">If you’re a new writer, struggling to get beyond the obstacle littered field that stands between you and your dream, you’ve got a friend out there … and his name is Gerard Jones. (www.everyonewhosanyone.com)</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-80825437755455384632011-10-31T09:42:00.001-07:002011-10-31T09:46:22.090-07:00Your Author, Humbled<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: large;">I</span> believe the time has arrived to express my heartfelt thanks and deep appreciation to all of you for your generous encouragement and support of JESTERS’ DANCE.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And if you are reading this blog, then I remain even further in your debt … this time for your continued curiosity. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">When I published my cathartic advertising opus, a couple of months ago, I had no idea what to expect and what <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">putting it out there</i> might bring.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I can tell you now it has been one of the most exciting and gratifying experiences of my personal and professional life. And in the most unexpected way.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It has often been said that for a dedicated author writing is its own reward, and that writers write because they have to – slaves to an unappeasable master.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But I wouldn’t be entirely honest if I didn’t admit, initially at least, that images of bestsellerdom and movie offers regularly danced in my head. And that fantasies of fame, fortune and unabashed adoration lit my dreams.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I mean, why else would you perform a lonely penance before the keyboard each day? Why else would you don the hair shirt that writing so often feels like?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But once the euphoria of seeing my words in print and the joy of staring at the swanky cover of JESTERS’ DANCE subsided (it really does feel pee your pants good), I realized it is <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">you</i> that has made this entire adventure so thoroughly enjoyable.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Seriously. The very best part of this whole e publishing odyssey has been your heartening response to my work and the thoughtful feedback you have been so generous in providing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh, to be sure, there have been a couple of sidelong glances. Family is especially good at this -- brothers and sisters are the very best at inflicting self-doubt. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And I do believe I saw a woman draw her child close at the supermarket the other day. Okay, so the novel has a couple of characters that are especially dark.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have also recently received ‘the look’ that accompanies minor celebrity. Or notoriety. Or worse. I am especially grateful, here in our small community, that I can’t read minds.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But for the most part, I couldn’t have imagined a more welcoming reception for my first published effort.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For that, I am humbled.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have received so many kind words and compliments that my head spins. Most are of the variety that make me want to curl up in your lap like a kitten and purr for more.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have been sought out and found by friends near and dear; and by others from long ago and far away. I have a certain former creative partner’s lovely wife in mind.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The reunions -- by email, LinkedIn and Facebook have been wonderful. Now I’m beginning to understand why these Internet tools are so popular and powerful. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have received phone calls and messages at odd hours. You know who you are. I suspect this is really a phenomenon of middle-aged sleep habits and the difficult times in which we live.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have been reviewed on-line … often brilliantly (the reviewers, not the book). Some of you really should be doing this for the Sunday Times … though I am just as indebted for a quick shout out and a couple of stars.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have received corrections. Sadly, there are too many. But this kind of input is invaluable as well. Certainly, I’ve learned some important lessons for next time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have heard from my many special friends in Calgary, where I worked for twenty years, eager to know who is who from real life and if I named any names. It’s a novel not a roman <span style="mso-ascii-font-family: Cambria; mso-hansi-font-family: Cambria;">à</span> clef. Though trust me, you’re all in there somewhere.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I had an ingenious former colleague post a terrific review on his Facebook wall … from Singapore. It helped me garner sales in London, Helsinki and Rome. Unbelievable.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">From two special people … a very accomplished couple … she gave me the chance to <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">guest blog </i>to her impressive audience, while he had JESTERS’ DANCE catalogued at the library of the prestigious university where he teaches. Priceless.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The former Chairman and CEO of the greatest advertising agency in the world likened JESTERS’ DANCE to “the gin and vermouth of an adman’s martini … its wit served up dry.” How’s that for a compliment?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But perhaps the most gratifying comment is one that I have heard repeatedly, in several different forms. Collectively you’ve told me, “As I was reading it, I forgot it was you.” </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I believe that qualifies me as an author or, at the very least, as a successful storyteller. And that, of course, has been my goal all along.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You have all been so very generous. Not only did you buy my book, but also you took the time to read it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Whether in bits and bites (many of you said it was tough going for the first few chapters) … at the beach … or at bedtime, you gave me ten or fifteen hours of your precious time. That is so gratifying.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And what has all this meant to sales – the barometer against which success is conventionally measured?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m presently in the hundreds … very soon the thousands. It ain’t Grisham. But as an independent author, marketing and selling a book is akin to dropping a pebble into a pond. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I now occupy the second or third ring … nicely beyond family, friends and casual acquaintances. The exciting part is that I am beginning to be discovered by the world at large. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And that is where you can truly help me. If you have read and enjoyed JESTERS’ DANCE, would you please post a review on the site where you purchased the book?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">This is the social marketing equivalent of you telling two friends, and them telling two friends, and so on, and so on, and so on. Your reviews are invaluable to my ability to break through.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Honestly, those little stars make a huge difference in my search position, my potential audience and, ultimately, my sales ranking -- in other words, the Promised Land of e publishing.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Either that, or simply recommend JESTERS’ DANCE to a fellow reader. I remain hopeful a ripple may yet become a wave.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In the meantime, I am deeply immersed in a new effort. It is a very topical story entitled THE LAST CANARY and it exploits my intimate understanding of the energy business. As you may recall, I’m married to it.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I’m also busily trying to formulate a strategy for the release of my previously completed novel, HANGING LIES. Its fate will be determined soon, to be sure.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Until then, I will continue to be sustained by your kind words and encouragement. Please know that I am eternally grateful.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As always, I would love to hear from you. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Bruce</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">R. Bruce Walker is the author of the recently released novel, JESTERS’ DANCE. Visit with him at www.rbrucewalker.com, or via Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.</i></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-27249170746049447872011-08-31T13:21:00.000-07:002011-08-31T18:39:38.205-07:00Beaujolais Nouveau?<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">I’ve got a serious wine question. It’s probably one that everyone who seeks his fortune in letters should probably learn the answer to. Here goes:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Does a leftover bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau actually get better with the passage of time?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I mean if, say, you discovered one deep in your wine cupboard five years later, will it have matured into something better than the tart little tooth tinter that it was at the party?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Can something that young and fresh and vibrant have any chance of mellowing into a bottle akin to a rich, round burgundy?<br />
<br style="mso-special-character: line-break;" /></div><div class="MsoNormal">The reason for this contemplation, beyond, of course, my recent unearthing of just such a bottle, is to consider this in relation to some of my dormant fiction. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">You know what I mean, the long ignored <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">trunk novel</i> that has gathered dust along with the fevered dreams of my youth of a runaway bestseller. Can’t miss, I was certain, as I poured my heart into every page.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Sadly, having talked to one of my oenophile friends, it turns out the more likely fate of that aged bottle of tart green wine, is a toothsome brown vinegar. Or worse.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I wonder if that is true of fiction as well?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Is the trunk novel just the burble of the naive young writer -- a snapshot of the unsophisticated novice author? Or is it dormant genius -- a long forgotten early masterpiece that portends future greatness?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Alas, my sad conclusion is that it is much more likely the former. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While the exuberant writing of youth is often aflame with unfamiliar passions, unfortunately, the prose is seldom as inspired. At least that has been my own disappointing experience.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To wit, I’ve come to smile nostalgically at the moleskins of my youth … the treasured little notebooks that I was certain at the time were capturing the truths of the universe.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Of course, I was a beer hall author versus the coffee shop variety. My muse would typically find me a few drinks into an evening and many of my most inspired passages are smeared with the perspiration of a frosty draft.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The other thing I’ve quietly noted about my ancient treasures is that time, too, has a way of marching on. What was once the topical genius of the nascent writer has now been tempered by the inexorable march of time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I noticed this quite prominently in the anachronisms that occur with regularity in my previously unpublished works. Usually as verbs and adjectives.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Cell phones were opened and snapped shut. My heroes consult maps. Tweets and texts were nowhere to be found. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Just as disappointingly, the essence of love isn’t captured in the epic licks and riffs of the pop legend … Journey.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What was ubiquitous in the eighties and nineties is now the stuff of nostalgic longing. Probably the same could be said of my writing from that time.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">There are no easy answers. You never can go home again. I believe the challenge for every author is to write in the moment -- to seize the energy and zeitgeist of the times in which he is writing.<br />
<br />
I believe everyone who is embarking on a voyage of e-publishing owes it to himself and his readers to be sure that the content is just as fresh as the day on which it was conceived. That we're not rushing stale goods to market. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">While Captain Morgan’s ship may have recently been discovered in its watery grave, me thinks that everything that is brought to the surface will most likely be barnacled and decayed.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Oh, there will no doubt be some precious artifacts and treasure. But mostly there will just be reminders. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I suspect the same is true of my ancient writings … a few good turns of phrase penned by someone long forgotten.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And that bottle of Beaujolais? I believe I’ve answered my own question. I’ll pop the cork, give it a sniff, a swirl and a swish. Then more than likely I will consign it to the drain.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">But by God that lovely bottle has inspired me to finish, this, my morning writing exercise. Not bad for a five dollar bottle of plonk.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
And with that, it is probably best that I begin to write something of consequence.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">TTFN.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">R. Bruce Walker is author of the recently released advertising novel, JESTERS’ DANCE. He is hunkering down on a new work set against the back drop of the energy industry entitled, THE LAST CANARY. His blog is a worthy distraction.</i></div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-46630487526829991252011-07-30T10:46:00.000-07:002011-08-15T06:59:41.331-07:00In The Beginning ...<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><span style="font-family: Times; font-size: 18pt;">I</span><span style="font-family: Times;">’m pretty excited about this e publishing thing. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Maybe its because I’ve still got stars in my eyes. Or maybe it’s because, overnight, I have gone from being a frustrated writer to a published author (a title I heretofore denied myself because I’d reserved it for someone who had actually sold a book).</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">But an author I am. Or an <i>indie author, </i>as I now prefer to consider myself.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Oh, I know that many of you are rightly and justifiably skeptical. You’ll see, you’re thinking. Once the bloom of finally seeing your words set in a very flattering cut of Palatino fades, you’ll meet the same fate as every other aspiring author who has chosen the self-publishing route.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">The path to publishing fame and fortune couldn’t possibly run straight through the heart of easily accessible, user-friendly Internet technologies and new fangled digital reading devices, you’ve no doubt decided. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Or could it?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">All I know is that after banging my head against the walls of conventional publishing for the better part of a decade, I will soon be in the enviable position of having two professionally designed and formatted novels in the market. And with them, hopefully, a royalty stream that reaches beyond the charity of my family and friends.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Sure you can depict this as little more than a new form of vanity publishing -- as do those whose interest is served by the preservation of the status quo. Or you can look to the uneven quality of self-produced fiction and find glaring examples of shoddy work that barely deserves its ninety-nine cent price tag.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">But to do so is to miss the point entirely. And perhaps that’s why I feel compelled to share my rather esoteric argument that the single most important outcome of the current e publishing revolution is that it will inevitably allow authors to reclaim their craft and to finally ... <i>take back the book.</i></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">What do I mean by this? Simply, that for as long as there have been individuals compelled to attempt to capture their life experiences as literature or entertain us with their storytelling skills, there has been a shadow hand that has accompanied their efforts.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Literary agents and editors. Publishers and booksellers. Angels and demons. They’ve been with us every step of the way. They are the keepers of the keys to the publishing kingdom and, by default, they have been the arbiters of our literary taste.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">By managing the apparatuses of production and distribution, they have controlled the destiny of everyone who has ever sat down to write a book. Bless the clever agents and brilliant editors. Curse the query skimmers that man the gates.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">However, with the advent of electronic publishing, the future of the entire industry is now suddenly and violently in play. A glance at any recent issue of Publisher’s Weekly will confirm this.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Which is why I am willing to predict that from this tumultuous period will come an opportunity for greater artistic freedom and creative expression than at any time in the history of the printed word.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">There will be an unprecedented demand for new writers, new voices and greater experimentation in the realms of both commercial and literary fiction. In short, a revolution that is long overdue.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">I’d like to be clear. Mine is not an angry manifesto. I am simply stating that for much of the last half century, most of what has been written and published and passed off as literature has been significantly warped by market-driven forces.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">I’m just wondering aloud whether so much formula fiction would exist without a self-validating feedback loop that rewarded familiar, easy reading over more potentially interesting work.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Similarly, I refuse to believe that there would be such steady, pounding demand for hyper violent thrillers and paranormal fantasy tales if giant booksellers, eager to maximize profits, didn’t presume and subsume our literary choices with mass-produced and distributed novels.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">It would be shame if this outcome were the ultimate fate of e publishing, too -- that its promise is short-changed by cheap e-titles that exploit the aggregating power of the Internet to generate sales of substandard work. Or worse, that such work came to be viewed as the e publishing benchmark.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Trust me. I’m no literary snob. Sample my work and you can judge its merits for yourself. I just believe, emphatically, that the precious art form that is the novel can be so much more than it has recently been allowed to be. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">By challenging my fellow indie authors to <i>take back the book</i>, I am simply inviting all stakeholders -- writers and readers alike -- to seize this opportunity to expect and demand more. To write originally, experiment more and explore the heretofore unexamined. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Personally, I intend to aim a little higher -- to try and seize the moment. Hopefully, by doing so, I will find and deserve an audience. That will be the final proof of my e publishing venture and the ultimate measure of my worth as an artist. </span></div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">When I dream about taking back the book, I imagine the works of authors far more talented than I will ever be liberated to express themselves freely and without the necessity of having to <i>hit one out of the park </i>commercially – every time at the plate.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">That, I believe, is one of the unanticipated, but glorious opportunities of this brave new world. Or, perhaps, it's the point entirely.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><span style="font-family: Times;">Comments?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="mso-layout-grid-align: none; mso-pagination: none; text-autospace: none;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: Times;">Bruce Walker is the author of the recently released novel, Jesters’ Dance. Visit him at www.rbucewalker.com</span></i></div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7281097419318341005.post-87532667426828983732011-07-08T07:05:00.000-07:002011-07-14T11:31:31.546-07:00Mad Men & Me<style>
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<div class="MsoNormal">It’s Episode One, Season One, of Matt Weiner’s brilliant AMC hit, Mad Men. In a tense initial meeting with the folks who manufacture Lucky Strikes, dapper Creative Director Don Draper takes a contemplative drag on a cigarette and pronounces, “Advertising is based on one thing – happiness.”</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">It’s a startling revelation. With his epiphany he nails the campaign, captures the imagination of the prospective client, and wins the day for his agency. He also succeeds in perpetuating many of the popular myths about the ad game – that it's a business of manipulation, deception and greed.</div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">As someone who has spent much of the last three decades in the business I take exception to these broad characterizations – and one in particular. Wherever I've worked, Don Draper would never have been allowed to smoke in the boardroom. The rest … well … ah… so much of it is still laughably, deliciously true.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">My name is Bruce Walker. For nearly twenty-five years I was a Copywriter, Creative Director and Senior Executive with several leading national and international ad agencies. Recently, I’ve chosen to offer up my own peculiar insider’s view of the business in a newly published novel entitled, JESTERS’ DANCE. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">To be sure the world of Sterling, Cooper, Draper & Pryce is over the top in its campy retro-60’s way. And Jerry Della Femina once famously declared that creating advertising in the ‘70s and ‘80s was the most fun you could have with your clothes on. But what is the current state of the business? Are we still having any fun?</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In JESTERS’ DANCE, I offer a perspective from all four corners of the floor as three agencies pitch for a miraculous new weight control product that will yield hundreds of millions of dollars in revenue to a client who is literally teetering on the edge of sanity. Along the way I take a few swipes at the pharmaceutical and weight loss industries, too.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The point of this exposé is not to diss the industry that has been so good to me. Nor is it to insult the many fine clients with whom I have had the pleasure of working over the years. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Neither was it my intention to blow the whistle on all the fun and games that I have enjoyed in the company of the wildly eccentric personalities and extraordinary talents that inhabit the business.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Instead, I suspect on most levels, JESTERS’ DANCE is an act of catharsis – an attempt to lay to rest a career that has shaped my character and consumed so much of my adult life.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">The novel is dark. But then so is the noose and gallows that hangs so precariously over the lives of the people who create the funny little ads you see on TV or write the clever headlines that you finger past in magazines. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Advertising has always been equal parts voodoo and science. Does it really work? Or is just entertainment? In JESTERS’ DANCE, I’ll let you be the judge. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We all have horror stories from our adventures in the great world of commerce. Whatever your profession, you’ve likely had a moment where you wanted to burrow a hole into the carpet of the boardroom floor ... from failure, embarrassment, or just the magnitude and majesty of your own stupidity. I called mine JESTERS’ DANCE.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">That’s what I was trying to capture. Hopefully, it’s what I’ve achieved. The world of business is an endlessly fascinating place inhabited by endlessly fascinating people. And the dogged daily pursuit of fame, fortune and success inevitably yields outrageous outcomes. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">From the claustrophobic cubicles of Dilbert’s world to Ryan Bingham’s artful assassinations in Up In The Air, the art of earning a living these days yields some pretty funny shit. And that is my quiet thesis.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Despite a deep-seated envy for Mr. Weiner's four seasons of success, I believe that I, too, have succeeded in cobbling together an advertising tale that is worthy of your time and consideration… whether you’ve ever given thought to the agency business or not. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">And, although I’ve never enjoyed Don Draper’s luck with the ladies, I think there are enough sexy bits and other stuff that'll curl your toes as you devour JESTERS’ DANCE on the beach this summer.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Let me know what you think. But please be gentle – it’s a debut novel. While I may have acquired the hide of an elephant during my years in the business, and I probably have interrupted your television viewing pleasure a thousand times with my untimely interruptions, this is different. This is personal. </div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Bruce Walker is the author of the recently released novel, Jesters’ Dance. Visit him at www.rbrucewalker.com</i></div>Hellohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/15250946969036011331noreply@blogger.com0