Bloglovin' Blog Post

Follow 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!

Let's Talk About Cajones! The Battle of Puebla

Battle Map

Happy Cinco de Mayo, amigos!

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

Fresh Ink! Get Your Fresh Ink! A Contest for Children!

Fresh Ink Fiction Contest - Texas Book Festival

"But the old woman shook her head and said, 'Oh, you dear children, who brought you here? Just come in and stay with me. No harm will come to you.'" 

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!

Weekly Research: Silly Vets, PTSD is for Kids!

Distraught Soldier

When people think of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), the first thing that comes to their minds is typically war, or more specifically, the traumatized soldiers who return from war, jumping at the slightest sharp noise. Rarely do people think of children when they hear the term.

However, children can and often do experience trauma. The list of events that can cause PTSD in children is a long one.

I am not, however, here to teach or rant about child abuse, although the topic is totally rant worthy. I am particularly interested in the effect of natural disasters and traumatic losses on children. "Why?" you may ask.

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

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.

"The power of the lawyer is in the uncertainty of the law."
- Jeremy Bentham

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.

Kirin Ichiban

 *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

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!

Assassin Marked

Happy Holidays!

~ Michael C. Sahd

More Star Wars, Artwork, and Editing a Story

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

Thanksgiving, Christmas, EQ2, and Star Wars Episode VIII

EQ2

I've been a bit distracted from blogging. I won't give the "I've been too busy" excuse, because I can always squeeze it in. However, a lot is going on, and my mind is focused on other things. For one, I play Everquest 2, and a new expansion just came out. If any of you out there play, you can look me up. My main character's name is Induere, and I'm on the Maj'Dul Server.

Having a large family has also meant that we had several Thanksgiving dinners spread throughout that week, and this week we are doing Christmas, too (tomorrow evening and again on Sunday).

In addition to the holiday season, let's not forget that this is Star Wars weekend! Who is excited about Episode VIII?

- Michael C. Sahd

Star Wars VIII: The Last Jedi

Rock Climbing At Devil's Throne

In Cerrillos, the small town I grew up in, there stood a gnarled hill with two cliff faces that climbed up to the precipice. The front face, or at least what we considered the face, looked as though the Devil's large, boar-like head burst up from the earth, his snout extending through the boulders piled around it. As children, we leaped from boulder to boulder until we climbed to the top of the snout. We shied away from climbing higher than the snout on the face of this hill, as it seemed crumbly, steep, and dangerous.

Devil's Throne side

However, the other cliff face, although completely vertical, had solid grips and hand holds. This side of the hill had been cut away to allow the train tracks to run past. I had spent many hours climbing this cliff, but the most exhilarating moment happened when a friend and I crossed a ledge no more than four inches across and close to 100 ft in the air. The wind slapped our hair and clothes around us.

As I crossed this ledge, my heels and back tight against the rock, I could see the sheer drop below me, and I thought about going around; however, at the point I decided this, I would have had to shift my weight and start going that direction, and that was not happening. So, after ten or so feet, we crossed over to the unknown crevice, which fortunately had the hand holds to go the rest of the way up instead of back across the ledge.

This fits into one of those experiences that can make good stories. I may one day include some variation of this one.

Devil's Throne front

I would love to hear some of your experiences, such as this one!

~ Michael C. Sahd

Taboo Words In Writing

Taboo

Saturday evenings, we visit our local comic book shop for board game night. This evening, we played a game called Taboo. To play the game, a minimum of four players must split into two groups. One player on the team draws a card that the player must use to give hints to the others on his/her team so that they can guess the word at the top of the card.

The clue giver cannot use the word or any parts of the word. In addition, the card lists five or six related words that are taboo, meaning that the clue giver must avoid using those words in their hints as well. Guessing the word will score the team a point; however, if the clue giver uses a taboo word, the team loses a point. A short timer allows the team to guess as many cards as they can in the time limit, then the other team gets a chance to score points.

When writing a story, there are also taboo words; we call them "to be" verbs. A writer should avoid using these words as often as possible, because, more often than not, a more colorful verb will describe a better action. Sometimes "to be" verbs are required . . . er . . . . Sometimes a sentence requires the use of "to be" verbs, such as sentences that contain no action described. Here are a couple of examples of sentences that are devoid of action:

"My name is Michael."

"Black is my favorite color."

Take a look at something you recently wrote. Try removing "to be" verbs from your writing and compare the before and after. Did you find that making these changes paints a more colorful story? I typically do.

~ Michael C. Sahd

Tips From The King

Stephen King is one of my favorite authors because he writes about the characters instead of the story. The story just happens to the characters. In this video, Stephen King gives a few pointers.

If writing guides your passions, then Stephen King's book, On Writing, will provide you with excellent tips.

On Writing, by Stephen King

I read On Writing, and I feel that it helped me quite a bit. I posted links if you are interested. Sometimes hearing from someone successful can provide us with a little motivation. Which author motivates you to write? Let me know in the comments below.

~ Michael C. Sahd

Goodreads -- A Book Lover's Social Media Platform

Goodreads

In case you haven't heard, readers have their very own social media platform. The website I'm referring to is called GoodReads, and it contains a plethora of tools for a reader. Most importantly, it keeps a list of books for you. You can list every book that you've read, plan to read, or are currently in the process of reading. You can also link your Amazon account to GoodReads so that it can keep track of your Kindle books as you read them.

Like a social media site, you can have a profile to tell other people about yourself. You can make new friends or connect with old ones, join groups, and participate in discussions. You can also see what your friends are currently reading and what they have previously read, as well as their ratings and reviews for different books.

Some other nice features include setting a goal for how many books you wish to read for the year, and the ability to search for new books that you may enjoy. Sometimes, authors offer ARC copies of their book to GoodReads users before the book is actually released. Keep your eyes peeled for those, and you can read the latest and the greatest before they're even available to the public!

If you'd like, you can send me a friend request at my GoodReads account. I hope to see you there!

~ Michael C. Sahd

The Best Tent Camping Guide: From Novice To Expert by Darren Kirby Book Review

The Best Tent Camping Guide

The Best Tent Camping Guide: From Novice To Expert by Darren Kirby
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Best Tent Camping Guide: From Novice To Expert

In The Best Tent Camping Guide: From Novice To Expert, Darren Kirby offers many excellent tips for the prospective camper, beginning with a list of items to bring (and not to bring) on your first camping trip.

Unlike many how-to or self-help books, the author of this book comes off as a friend or mentor rather than an authority figure. He takes you by the hand and gently guides you through the process, from your very first thoughts of camping all the way to the moment you take the next prospective camper under your experienced wing.

I enjoyed the conversational tone of this book, and the information and advice contained within it is sound. Although the grammatical errors can be distracting at times, the writing is good overall. I would recommend this book to someone who is thinking of camping.

***I received a review copy of this book; however, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.


View all my reviews

~ Michael C. Sahd

Lord Of The Flies by William Golding Book Review

Lord of the Flies

Lord of the Flies by William Golding
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

**Spoiler alert**

A group of young children survive a plane crash on an uninhabited island. Quickly, the survivors attempt to recreate civilization by creating a tribe and voting for a leader. The tribe quickly dissolves into anarchy. Only a handful of the children grasp onto civilization and rationale through the entire book. By the end of the book, most of the children have lost their innocence and degraded into barbarians.

The book illustrates a great adventure story with plenty of action. I can’t say I cared for William Golding’s writing style, but the story and the meaning behind it makes this book well worth the read. Lord of the Flies symbolically shows the bestial nature of the human race.

The symbols that I found the most interesting were:

• First, the title, Lord of the Flies, is the translation for Beelzebub (a demon, and in some cases, Satan). I understand that Beelzebub is the demon of decay and famine, symbolizing what happens to the children's innocence and sense of civility while on the island.
• Piggy, the one child in the book who insists on civilization, is a pudgy, asthmatic, almost-blind boy. Ironically (or perhaps predictably), he is also the most intelligent and rational. I understand a person like Piggy needs civilization to survive, but I think the portrait of this character says something about a different kind of decay when humans depend too much on civilization.
• Finally, the children are rescued by the British Navy, which is off to go fight in one of the bloodiest wars in history. I believe this rescue is to tie together how the story told on the island reflects the degradation of humanity as a whole.

Overall, I give this book four stars because it is amazing, despite the distracting writing style.

View all my reviews

~ Michael C. Sahd

Book Signing At The Library

Not all of you may know this, but I have a manager. My wife not only edits my work, but she has also been marketing for me like a beast. Hence, we have scheduled a book signing at our public library -- the Brownwood Public Library, located at 600 Carnegie St. in Brownwood, TX to be precise. I plan to be there from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on the 18th of November, and you can bring a book to be signed. If you don't have a book yet, there will be plenty there for sale that I will also sign.

When I first discussed the book signing with the library, we had planned for the 11th of November; but alas, today we received an email stating that the library director had just learned that the library will be closed that day due to Veteran's Day. Of course, my wife had already advertised for the 11th on several websites. Rather humorous.

Amazon Hot New Releases

At this time, "Assassin Marked" is #10 on the Amazon Hot New Releases list in the 45-Minute Mystery, Thriller & Suspense Short Reads category.

Future book signing events are planned, and, if you are unable to make it to these book signing, you can also purchase a signed book from the Signed Bookstore on Authors Den.

If you haven't read "Assassin Marked" yet, you're missing out. Check it out on Amazon. There, you can buy the paperback or ebook version. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can read it for free.

~ Michael C. Sahd

Photos & A Teaser

Standing by the Railroad Tracks . . .

And Looking Into the Sun!

Here are some new photos of me, contributed from a friend.

Also, it is Tuesday, which I hereby dub a "Teaser Tuesday":

Pulling his heavy denim jacket closer around his lithe body, Damian let out a puff of cold mist, and shivered from more than just the cold.

Being stuck in North America for two years had been the most unpleasant time of his life. He had spent these years living off mice half the time, sometimes fighting wolves for his claim to the tiny rodents. The other half of that time, he had spent starving.

Briefly, toward the end of this stint, some crazy cult of religious people who avoided technology like the devil had taken him in, until he left to find a more civilized settlement. The settlement he found was deserted. He fell asleep in a shack and woke up unable to open the snow-packed door or windows. This memory, more even than the cold, elicited his shiver.

~ Michael C. Sahd

The Liars' Asylum by Jacob M. Appel Book Review

The Liars' Asylum by Jacob M. Appel
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

The Liars’ Asylum offers a brief glimpse into the characters’ lives, often leaving the reader with many questions unanswered. I assume that this is the purpose of the writer, encouraging the reader to think about the stories and their potential endings long after the story itself is over; however, I believe that some of them could easily be expanded into a longer work. On the other hand, perhaps some, if not all, of the stories are exactly what they appear -- a moment in time, just one sample of one character’s life, but which changes the course of his or her life forever.

Jacob M. Appel’s writing is consistently clear and interesting. Each story flows seamlessly until its end, which sometimes comes with little warning. Overall, I would recommend this book to someone who is looking for short, entertaining stories to read.

***I received a review copy of this book; however, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

View all my reviews

~ Michael C. Sahd

Assassin Marked Amazon Giveaway (Ends by 10/27/17)

Assassin Marked

I have decided to host a one-day only Amazon giveaway for one ebook copy of "Assassin Marked." This book will be given to the 250th entry, so hurry!

Enter now!

~ Michael C. Sahd

Wedding Wipeout by Jacob M. Appel Book Review

Wedding Wipeout by Jacob M. Appel
My rating (on Goodreads): 4 out of 5 stars

The old rabbi who leads us by the hand through Wedding Wipeout wears many hats, posing at various times as an FBI agent (impersonating a federal agent much?), a police detective, and more. In this interesting religious twist on the classic mystery story, Jacob M. Appel takes a cue from both Agatha Christie and Arthur Conan Doyle, featuring an unusual detective (a rabbi, in this case), his somehow-less-worldly protégé, a complicated plot line, and alternating periods of action and reflection.

The story and characters in this book will keep you interested until the end (as long as you don't mind familiarizing yourself with a bit of Jewish vocabulary/culture). If you enjoy a good mystery, give this book a read. Be sure to let me know what you think!

*** I received a review copy of this book; however, the opinions expressed in this review are my own.

View all my reviews

~ Michael C. Sahd

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~ Michael C. Sahd