Celebrating Apollo 11!

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50th Anniversary, Alabama, Apollo 11, Cape Canaveral, celebration, earthling, Edwin "Buzz" Aldrin, Florida, gravity, humanity, Huntsville, Kennedy Space Center, lunar landing, lunar module, Michael Collins, moon, moon landing, moon walk, NASA, Neil Armstrong, One small step, peace, Progress, Space Camp, Space Coast, The Eagle Has Landed, Titusville, Tranquility Base

It was fifty years ago that three men with more courage than most could muster defied logic (and gravity) to boldly go where no earthling had gone before. Two of those men on that particular mission became the first humans to set foot on the moon.

I was still baking in the oven at the time, just a few months away from joining the ranks of humanity, so I wasn’t able to witness it as the images were televised live all across the globe.

I attended Space Camp in Huntsville, Alabama in late August of 1984. What an amazing experience that was! I have been a huge supporter of NASA and the U.S. space program ever since.

I lived in northern Florida on the east coast of the state for a few years before moving to Japan. I have been to Kennedy Space Center several times throughout my life. I was fortunate enough to view eight space shuttle launches with the naked eye. I wasn’t in Titusville at the time, but anyone living along the “Space Coast” from Jacksonville to West Palm Beach (and maybe further) could see the launches clearly on a nice day. I never saw a night launch in person, but I hear that they were spectacular. I wish I could be at the Cape for the festivities for the 50th anniversary celebration this year.

Thank you, Mr. Armstrong, Mr. Aldrin and Mr. Collins for taking that “one small step” and inspiring us to reach for the stars!

Happy Birthday, America!

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1776, American Independence, American Revolution, Benjamin Franklin, Broadway, Cousin, Delegates, Dr. Lyman Hall, England, Film, Freedom, Georgia Delegate, Heat, Humidity, Independence, Independence Day, Independence Hall, Intolerable Acts, John Adams, Jonathan Moore, King George, Musical, Oppression, Philadelphia, Representative, The 4th of July, The Fourth of July, The United States of America, Thirteen Colonies, Thomas Jefferson, Treason, Tyranny, Unfair Trade, Unlawful Taxes

I’m grateful that our Founding Fathers committed treason against King George two hundred and forty-three years ago.

In celebration, I recommend the musical film “1776.”  The film is based on the Broadway musical and is a mostly lighthearted take on the actions of the Second Continental Congress in Philadelphia as the delegates debated the treasonous act of colonial emancipation and independence from England.

Jonathan Moore, my first cousin once removed on my mother’s side, stars as Dr. Lyman Hall, the delegate from Georgia.

The film is comedic in nature, but poignant and serious when it needs to be.  It includes great acting all around, beautiful cinematography and gorgeous costumes.  It always makes me feel like I am really there in the hot and steamy Independence Hall with the delegates as they combat the oppressive Philadelphia heat and each other’s tempers and perspectives on independence.  It’s a film the family can watch (no bad language or violence), and maybe the kids might learn something about the struggle the United States endured for freedom; the price involved, then and now.  It’s one of my favorite films about the American Revolution, and not just for personal reasons.  Check it out this week and enjoy it!

Have a safe and happy Independence Day!

 

Happy New Year, an Important Notice and an Update!

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authors, book, editing, illustration, important notice, new, Progress, Publishing, revising your unpublished e-book, update, writing

Happy New Year!  I hope that 2019 began well for everyone.

I’ll first get the formalities out of the way.

Officially, this blog, Brad’s Books, is no longer a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.  All product links associated with the program have been removed from this blog.  Although, products that may be available for purchase on Amazon, that is, books and movies, etc. may still be mentioned in this blog.  However, no links or banners to, or images of, these products will be provided; only information about the products may be available in this blog in the form of recommendations, reviews, etc.

The images and links for the books that I have written, as they appear on the My Books page of this blog, will remain, since they are not affiliated with the Amazon Associates Program.  Thank you for your cooperation and for understanding.

O.k., with that out of the way, I would like to happily let everyone know that the prices for my non-fiction e-book and my fiction e-short story have dropped.  I feel that the new price adjustments are more appropriate and will hopefully make my books more appealing, and will encourage, not discourage, potential readers.  Amazon still reserves the right to fluctuate the pricing, but the new price points, in general, are quite lower than before.  Thank you for your consideration.  “Yoroshiku, onegaishimasu!” as the Japanese say.

I’m thrilled to announce that I’m closer than ever to finishing my first novel!  A pair of eyes, other than my own, are now reading the story and critiquing it.  I am getting very positive feedback from the source, who is also making some wonderful suggestions about how I can improve the overall readability and flow of the book, (chapter arrangement, etc.).  It’s valuable insight that is much appreciated.

The Paralympic Games: Emotional, Motivational and Inspirational!

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appreciation, athletes, authors, Brave, Challenging, compassion, Courageous, Emotional, hope, humility, Inspirational, March 9-18, Motivational, Paralympics, PyeongChang Paralympic Games, respect, sympathy, The 2018 Paralympic Games, tolerance, writers, writing

As many writers know, inspiration for writing can come from anywhere.  Of course, finding inspiration for new story ideas can be tough.  Maintaining motivation and inspiration for stories we may be currently writing isn’t easy either.  It can be a two-way street.  Writing is challenging.  Becoming a successful writer is even more challenging.

I encourage everyone to watch the 2018 Paralympic Games from Pyeongchang, South Korea from March 9th to the 18th if you can.

When we watch the Olympics, we all cheer and support the athletes from our respective countries, but with the Paralympics nationality doesn’t matter.  All of the Paralympic athletes are winners and heroes regardless of whether they win a medal or not.  They remind us of our common humanity, rather than our individual nationality.

The challenges they face on a daily basis, in other words the day-to-day tasks that many of us take for granted, are beyond comprehension.  Factor in the effort that it takes for them to make it to the Paralympics in spite of those daily challenges, and it is a truly remarkable achievement.

Holiday Wishes…and an Update.

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2017, 2018, Deadline, e-book, Happy New Year, Holidays, Merry Christmas, Progress, Publishing, Read, Spirit

Howdy!  Long time no…

Well, I won’t be meeting my self-imposed 2017 deadline for publishing my next book.  The last half of the year has been a roller-coaster ride with lots of twists and turns.  However, I look forward to working on my book, and to getting a little closer to finishing it during the upcoming holiday that I will have while my school is closed for the new year.

I would like to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas & a Happy New Year.  May 2018 be a safe, peaceful, healthy, enjoyable, prosperous and healing year for us all.

Remembering Sir Roger

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007, Audrey Hepburn, Humanitarian, James Bond, Knighthood, Queen Elizabeth, Sir Roger Moore, UNICEF

It has been a sad week.  On May 23, Sir Roger Moore passed away.  He wasn’t the original James Bond, but he was my favorite and the Bond that many of us grew up with.  He was one of my film heroes.

He was also a hero in real life.  Besides his illustrious acting career, Roger Moore was also a humanitarian.  He helped better, and possibly save, the lives of thousands, if not millions, of children around the world due to his UNICEF efforts.  He became an ambassador for UNICEF in 1991 after having been introduced to it by UNICEF ambassador Audrey Hepburn earlier in his acting career.  His efforts with UNICEF earned him a knighthood from Queen Elizabeth.  You can read more about his UNICEF accomplishments on the UNICEF website.

When I was a kid, Roger Moore was the “King of Cool.”  His Bond taught many guys like me how a well-mannered, sophisticated gentleman should act.  I was a small-town boy from southeast Louisiana.  My view of the world was limited. I was filled with pride and excitement when I first learned that Roger’s first Bond film, “Live and Let Die,” was partially filmed in New Orleans, Louisiana (a mere one hour drive from my hometown). Roger Moore’s James Bond opened my eyes to the world and showed me many exotic locales like England, Italy, France, Greece, Egypt, Brazil, Thailand, China, Jamaica and the The Bahamas just to name a few.  Henceforth, my desire to travel abroad and see the world was ignited.

Do You Know Why Today is a Special Day for Science Fiction and Fantasy Film Fans?

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1977, 40th Anniversary, 40th Birthday, George Lucas, May 25, Star Wars

A long time ago….a certain science fiction/fantasy film set my imagination on fire, dared me to dream big and changed the way the world has made and watched movies ever since.

“Star Wars” celebrates its 40^th anniversary today.   I still remember waiting in line to see it with my big brother and his friend at the University Twin Cinema across from Southeastern Louisiana University in Hammond, Louisiana in 1977.  I had no idea how the film would influence and shape my life when I settled into my seat for the evening feature.   My life would never be the same.

Thank you, Mr. Lucas, for setting us on that journey forty years ago into a galaxy far, far away.

Happy Birthday, Antonio Bay! Part 2!

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100th Birthday, Adrienne Barbeau, Amazon, Antonio Bay, California, Hal Holbrook, Horror, Jamie Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh, John Carpenter, John Houseman, The Fog, Tom Atkins

Well, if you guessed “The Fog” as the answer to the quiz in my previous post, then you’re right.  Congrats to those who knew the answer.  You certainly know your horror films!

Oddly,  I’m not a big horror movie fan.  Even though I enjoy writing in the horror and mystery genres, when it comes to film my personal movie collection is heavy with science fiction, fantasy, adventure and comedy rather than horror.  But, The Fog is one of my all time favorite horror movies (the original 1980 film directed by John Carpenter). The plot is simple, yet effective and harkens back to a nostalgic time of storytelling when ghost stories didn’t have to be gory or excessively violent to be frightening.  Sure, there is some violence in the film, but it isn’t very bloody or overt like many of the horror films and TV shows of today.  Although, the film is loaded with lots of “shocks” and “stingers” that definitely get your attention.  They are the kind of scares that happen really quick, that make you scream or jump, and then make you laugh at yourself afterward.  I won’t go into detail about the story because I don’t want to spoil it for anyone reading this who has never seen the film before.  I will mention, though, that it inspires me and encourages me to write scary stories that emphasize the old cliché, “Less is more.”

The Fog is pretty tame by current standards.  After all, it’s almost forty years old!  If you prefer your horror served up with gratuitous amounts of blood, gore and sex, then The Fog may not be for you.  However, if you enjoy clever, old school, spooky, sit-around-the-campfire ghost stories, then you might find it entertaining.  It’s a fun film to watch while curled up on the sofa with your favorite snack.

There are also a couple of personal reasons why I like The Fog.  I was a radio DJ/announcer for a few years when I lived in Louisiana, and briefly when I later lived in Florida.  So, the “Stevie Wayne” connection is something I can relate to.  Stevie Wayne is basically the main character of the film.  She is portrayed by Adrienne Barbeau.  She’s a single mom raising her son in a sleepy, yet somewhat charming little seaside town (Antonio Bay, California). Stevie recently bought a radio station atop the town lighthouse that overlooks the Pacific.  A good portion of the film takes place in and around the lighthouse/radio station.  I can relate to the tasks and responsibilities that Stevie has to contend with like the ever watchful and unforgiving demands of the clock, and time, that dictate a DJ’s every move and word while “on the air.”

Happy Birthday, Antonio Bay!

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100th Birthday, Antonio Bay, California, Horror

Ahoy, Mateys!

I’m coming at you from the top of world.  It’s a very special day today in the realm of horror fiction films.  Do you know why?  Do you have any idea what the title of this post is referring to?

If you think you do, then I encourage you to post feedback here with your guess.  What do you think it means?  I’d like to hear from you.

Stay tuned…all will be revealed…soon!

A Christmas Post

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Christmas, Christmas movies, Holidays

Season’s Greetings!

I felt it important to post a Christmas message being that this is my first Christmas as a blogger.  Living in a foreign country has opened my eyes to the many different ways that people celebrate this most joyous of holidays.

The Japanese (whom less than 1% are Christian) celebrate the season in their own way. Some families give gifts to their children in much the same way that people in other countries typically do.  As for the mystery and magic surrounding Santa Claus and some of the more traditional Christmas customs and practices, the Japanese are not quite as well-schooled as those from countries like Australia, Canada, the U.K., the U.S.A. and many areas of Europe and South America, but that’s understandable.  How many folks in the above countries are well-versed in traditional Shinto and Buddhist holiday practices?  Not the majority, I’m sure.

This year Christmas falls on Sunday, so many people will have the day off from work in Japan due to the simple reason that Sunday is their normal day off rather than because it’s Christmas Day.  When Christmas occurs during the regular week, very few people here have the day off and many businesses are open as usual; it’s just another day for the most part.