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Since I now have my very own Brooding Scribe url, I needed to update Bloglovin' with the new information! I have a few followers on the https://mcsahd.blogspot.com/ blog, and I'm not sure of the best way to let them know about the new website address.
If anyone has any suggestions, please let me know. Thanks in advance!
Follow my blog with Bloglovin
~ Michael C. Sahd
Update: I discovered that there is a way (on the Bloglovin' settings page) to move followers from one blog to another!
Brooding Scribe - Michael C. Sahd
"I know that I am intelligent, because I know that I know nothing." - Socrates
Saturday, May 19, 2018
Saturday, May 5, 2018
Let's Talk About Cajones! The Battle of Puebla
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Battle Map |
In the latter part of 1861, the French invaded Mexico, causing President Juarez to retreat to Mexico City. Over the course of several months, the French followed the president, but the Mexicans met them with strong resistance.
The undefeated French army, consisting of around 8,000 well-armed soldiers using superior technology, attacked a poorly equipped Mexican army, which had only around 4,000 soldiers. After much bloody fighting and against all odds, the Mexican army achieved a decisive victory over the French on May 5, 1862.
Consequently, these hardy Mexican fighters prevented the French from getting involved in the U.S. Civil War, significantly affecting the outcome of that war.
History is fun, right?
~ Michael C. Sahd
Wednesday, May 2, 2018
Fresh Ink! Get Your Fresh Ink! A Contest for Children!
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Fresh Ink Fiction Contest - Texas Book Festival |
For young aspiring authors, the Texas Book Festival and the Division of Diversity and Community Engagement (DDCE) hosts the Annual Fresh Ink Fiction Contest. Young means whippersnappers (although I still don't know what that means), or rather, that you must be in middle school or high school to submit your book to the contest.
From what I read, this contest runs a different theme or subject every year. This year, they chose the theme, "What Really Happened."
I would personally like to know "What Really Happened," and, fortunately, I will be able to find the winning stories published on the Texas Book Festival website.
The last day for submission is on May 18th! So get over there and submit!
~ Michael C. Sahd
P.S. Bonus points if you know where the top quote comes from!
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Tuesday, May 1, 2018
Weekly Research: Silly Vets, PTSD is for Kids!
Distraught Soldier |
However, children can and often do experience trauma. The list of events that can cause PTSD in children is a long one.
Well, I have a book in the works that involves a young girl who loses her entire family to freakish events, and I'm trying learn how children deal with grief on such a large scale.
Want to share what you have been researching this week? Feel free to leave a comment!
~ Michael C. Sahd
Friday, April 20, 2018
The Beer Guy
I have been beating my head against a wall trying to come up with a reasonable goal for my antagonist in the sequel to "Assassin Marked." So much so that I've taken to Google and started researching lawyers, the mafia, etc.
Back during the prime of my adolescence in New Mexico, I spent a lot of time climbing the cliffs and hills. For me, navigating the dangerous rocky cliffs up high offered the most fun during these excursions. Consequently, shuffling up the slopes of scree that hemmed the base of the cliffs deceptively seemed like they would be the easiest part of the excursion; however, the climb, although more frightening, proved much easier once I gained the courage to ascend. The scree, like the walls of an antlion's den, would send you sliding back down as far, or further than where you had started, until you got a handle on how to step up it. For the more cowardly, it was great fun to just struggle up scree and then go sliding down to the bottom, ignoring the great unreachable cliffs above.
These adventures in the mountains of New Mexico are much like a lawyer's career. A good lawyer reaches the top of the mountain of integrity and justice, but they all start at the bottom, attached to a stereotype reserved to the most slimy and scuzzy of their ilk. We all think of lawyers as nasty, lying, cheating, money-grabbing individuals ready to make a buck by taking advantage of some poor schmuck, and the lawyers starting out in the career have a responsibility to break out of that mold, or to reach a peak, so to speak.
Some do not. Rather, they spend their entire career at the bottom, and I'm not saying they aren't successful, but perhaps they are scared. Those who make it further up the mountain have further to fall, so rather than risk their livelihood on the constraints of morality, the majority stay at the bottom, enjoying the slide of deception and reaping all the benefits of a necessary profession.
But how can you tell the difference? Well, you can't. Just like I can't prove that I've climbed to the summit of most of those mountains.
*Spoiler*
Kirin Ichiban fits right in with these deceivers, and perhaps may be the best of his kind. He has one of
the most successful law firms on Penelope. As we all know (or should
know, if you've read Assassin Marked), he also has strong ties to the
crime syndicate. It's clear that he is motivated to amass power, but
what is his ultimate goal?
If you were a power-hungry lawyer with the ability to read minds, what would your goal be in the United States? Any thoughts?
~ Michael C. Sahd
Back during the prime of my adolescence in New Mexico, I spent a lot of time climbing the cliffs and hills. For me, navigating the dangerous rocky cliffs up high offered the most fun during these excursions. Consequently, shuffling up the slopes of scree that hemmed the base of the cliffs deceptively seemed like they would be the easiest part of the excursion; however, the climb, although more frightening, proved much easier once I gained the courage to ascend. The scree, like the walls of an antlion's den, would send you sliding back down as far, or further than where you had started, until you got a handle on how to step up it. For the more cowardly, it was great fun to just struggle up scree and then go sliding down to the bottom, ignoring the great unreachable cliffs above.
![]() |
Scree |
These adventures in the mountains of New Mexico are much like a lawyer's career. A good lawyer reaches the top of the mountain of integrity and justice, but they all start at the bottom, attached to a stereotype reserved to the most slimy and scuzzy of their ilk. We all think of lawyers as nasty, lying, cheating, money-grabbing individuals ready to make a buck by taking advantage of some poor schmuck, and the lawyers starting out in the career have a responsibility to break out of that mold, or to reach a peak, so to speak.
Some do not. Rather, they spend their entire career at the bottom, and I'm not saying they aren't successful, but perhaps they are scared. Those who make it further up the mountain have further to fall, so rather than risk their livelihood on the constraints of morality, the majority stay at the bottom, enjoying the slide of deception and reaping all the benefits of a necessary profession.
But how can you tell the difference? Well, you can't. Just like I can't prove that I've climbed to the summit of most of those mountains.
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Kirin Ichiban |
If you were a power-hungry lawyer with the ability to read minds, what would your goal be in the United States? Any thoughts?
~ Michael C. Sahd
Thursday, December 21, 2017
It's A Kindle Kind Of Christmas!
Dear Readers,
Today through Christmas, the Kindle edition of "Assassin Marked" is free on Amazon. My wife started the Amazon promotion this morning and by lunch, 11 copies had been purchased. Add it to your to-read list for some fun reading material to entertain you during your time off this Christmas. Feel free to leave a review, and be sure to let me know what you think!
Happy Holidays!
~ Michael C. Sahd
Today through Christmas, the Kindle edition of "Assassin Marked" is free on Amazon. My wife started the Amazon promotion this morning and by lunch, 11 copies had been purchased. Add it to your to-read list for some fun reading material to entertain you during your time off this Christmas. Feel free to leave a review, and be sure to let me know what you think!
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Assassin Marked |
Happy Holidays!
~ Michael C. Sahd
Wednesday, December 20, 2017
More Star Wars, Artwork, and Editing a Story
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Star Wars: The Last Jedi |
So, the newest Star Wars is out and, apparently, fans are mad. I understand. Although I enjoyed the movie, it left many of the questions I hungered for the answer to . . . hanging. Actually, not just hanging; they basically wrinkled them up and tossed them into a furnace.
But I'm sure you don't want to hear another nerd rant, so enough about Star Wars. If you really want to know more about my opinion, feel free to drop a comment below.
On a different note, I have been editing a story for an acquaintance in exchange for some artwork. I'm sure you've all heard about my continual issues with artists, but hopefully, this will be a mutually beneficial exchange. The idea behind his story shows promise, and after a bit of tidying up, it should be an excellent read for anyone interested in the fantasy/superhero genre. After seeing the artwork that he has previously created, I feel hopeful about his ability to provide me with greatly improved cover art.
Ta-ta for now!
~ Michael C. Sahd
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Assassin Marked Completed
After a late night of last minute editing and fussing with Amazon Direct Publishing, my first short story is published. Assassin Marked ...
