Circle City Blues - Susan Wells Bennett

Blurb:

Mac turned his life upside down for his wife, leaving behind a promising career to pursue her dream of long-haul trucking. When she leaves him for another man, he has to figure out who he is without her. Along the way, he befriends a gay trucking couple, a lot lizard, a science-fiction writer, and a pharmaceutical rep, among others.

Review:  

I started reading Circle City Blues when I was bored at work one day.  I read the first few paragraphs of several books, looking for something that would engage my sleep-deprived self and wasn’t so ‘deep’ or ‘dry’ that I had to put all of my concentration into reading.  When the first few pages of the book yielded mentions of both massively-multiplayer online role-play gaming and Surprise, Arizona, I knew I had a winner.  And I was not disappointed.  

While the plot yielded few surprises, I can’t fault Ms. Bennett for that; this book wasn’t meant to be ‘suspense’ or ‘mystery’ after all.  Instead it was a fun, engaging look at a life turned upside-down and the main character’s attempts to right it again.  There is a wide array of characters present, all of them believable and interesting.  The first-person narrative is easy to read without being simplistic, and there are a lot of laugh out loud moments throughout the book.  

Circle City Blues is, simply put, one of the very best romance-slanted indie books I’ve read.  In fact, it’s one of the best romance-slanted books I’ve read in a long time, indie or not.  

Highly recommended to anyone who has ever been in a relationship, especially one that didn’t go as planned. 

Rating: 4 stars

Think for a minute about some of the roles music has played in your life.  Have you ever used a silly song to help you remember something (if you learned your alphabet as a child by singing the “ABC” song, then you’ve done this one!)?  Have you witnessed music bringing people together or bonded with someone over music?  Have you seen anyone using music to rally people?  Has a song ever changed your point of view?  Made you think?  Lifted your spirits?  Made you feel less alone in the world?

Now imagine for a moment a world without music.  No “ABC” song.  No background noise during the daily commute to work, no ambiance for a romantic dinner, no epic soundtracks for the summer blockbusters, no upbeat tunes to motivate your workout, no mix-tapes or shared playlists of romantic songs that tell someone everything you can’t find the words to say, no wedding march, no lullabies.  No concerts, no dance clubs, no piano bars, no jukeboxes, no karaoke.  Imagine, too, that those songs that made you feel less alone or lifted your spirits never existed.

Can you imagine it?  I can’t.  I don’t want to.  The very notion frightens me.  Without the music that has gotten me through so many dark days, would I even still be here?  Best not to think about that one too deeply.

While music isn’t a basic necessity, it is still a vital part of our lives.  In turn, the folks who make music—not only the musicians but the entire music industry—are an important part of our lives.  What would have happened if one of the musicians whose music helped me stay strong and sane had run into tough times himself (or herself) and not had anyone to turn to for help?  That music might not have ever been made (and therefore wouldn’t have been there when I needed it).

Now imagine that there is an organization that helps musicians and others in the industry when they run into hard times.  An organization that makes sure these folks have medical care and a roof over their heads, ensures they have access to resources to help them overcome addiction, and helps them recover after a major catastrophe or natural disaster, like the massive flooding in Nashville in 2010.  This one is easy to imagine, because that organization exists.  It’s called MusiCares.

Just as music is a vital part of our lives, MusiCares has an important role to play.  By helping music industry people in need, they in turn help all of us to get pass the small and large roadbumps in our lives.

Imagine now that you can do something to help support the MusiCares Foundation and all of the programs it funds—without breaking the bank or even leaving your chair.  Imagine, too, that by donating to MusiCares you also got a couple of hours of entertainment, gained a little insight, and—just maybe—had something touch your heart or inspire you in some way.  This, too, is easy to imagine; with a couple of dollars and a couple of clicks, you can help MusiCares help musicians, and maybe even help yourself in the process.

Music Speaks is a collection of short stories about music and musicians.  The authors don’t earn a single cent.  Neither does the publisher.  Or the cover artist.  Or the editor.  Or that one poor woman who had to format the thing.  Every penny that doesn’t cover print and distribution costs goes directly to MusiCares, and from there on to those music folks who need help.

Click a link, take a look at what’s on offer, and consider supporting MusiCares by purchasing the Music Speaks anthology.  For less than the cost of a cup of gourmet coffee (ebook) or a fruitiful mixed drink (print), you can change a life—a life that just might end up changing, or saving, other lives.

You can purchase Music Speaks on Amazon, Barnes&Noble.com, or Smashwords.

At some point during the day, the Martina McBride song “Independence Day” popped into my head.  For those who don’t know, it’s a song about a woman who gets out of an abusive relationship in a very dramatic and final sort of way.  It got me thinking about my own experience with domestic violence.

Fourteen years ago, I entered into a relationship with a guy I didn’t know well (let’s call him Joe).  Joe lived on the other side of Texas, and we met while he was in my part of the world.  We spent a lot of time talking on the phone and the internet.  I went to visit him for a few days.  And then I packed up my car and moved across the state to live with him.

From very early on, I was unhappy.  I felt isolated and ignored, like I’d been lured away from home on false pretenses.  Things got worse from there, with him hurling unfounded jealous and suspicion at me along with insults and other harsh words.  He never raised a hand to me, so I didn’t realize how bad of a situation I had landed myself in.

I wish I could say I wised up and walked away with my head high, but that didn’t happen.  He cheated on me.  We broke up and got back together and broke up again.  He destroyed my self-esteem.  And still I didn’t understand until long after we’d broken up for the last time that abuse doesn’t have to involve fists.

Late last year I started writing a book, a novel, about my experiences with emotional abuse.  It was a story that I felt needed to be told.  So far, it’s less than half done; writing it is one of the most difficult things I’ve ever undertaken because I have dredge up so many bad memories I’d rather leave buried.  But if only one woman reads that book one day and realizes that she’s in a situation that she needs to get out of, it’ll be worth every tear and sleepless night.

This Independence Day, I’m grateful not only to be living in a country where I have freedoms that many in other parts of the world do not, but also to be free of that abusive relationship and of most of the damage it caused.

Late last year, I met a guy on Facebook. No, it’s not what you’re thinking. It wasn’t the beginning of some strange internet romance. It really was just a case of me clicking on a tagged picture, finding someone who posted interesting status updates on a regular basis on the other end of that tag, and deciding to friend him so I’d have something entertaining to read on my Facebook wall.

Well, this guy posted a lot of very positive and thought-provoking status updates. He got me started thinking, and feeling, things that I hadn’t in a while. One of the things I started thinking was that I wanted to use my major talent – writing—for something other than entertainment. I just wasn’t sure how.

Then one night my brother was talking about a project that the creative writing group at his college was putting together – a short book of flash fiction to raise money for charity. It was then that I decided to put together a collection of short stories for a different charitable organization. I knew that my co-conspirators might have pet charities they’d like to see benefit from a project like that, but from the beginning I knew that only one organization would do – MusiCares.

So what is MusiCares? The MusiCares Foundation is a non-profit that helps music industry folks in times of need. They helped a lot of people after the massive Nashville flooding back in 2010. They provide medicine and food for those in need, or help pay medical bills or rent. They also help those who want to get clean and sober.

But why MusiCares? Because they once helped the very guy I mentioned at the beginning of this blog post. A guy who’d helped me pull myself out of depression and despair. A guy who helped me find my strength, my faith, and myself again. I didn’t have any way to pay him back, so I decided to pay it forward instead. I also liked the idea of helping others who might have a similar impact on other people’s lives. And so Music Speaks was born.

Music Speaks is a collection of eleven short stories, in a variety of genres, from nine independent authors. It pays tribute to music and its special kind of magic – magic that can help us sleep, or make us dance, give wings to our dreams, or commiserate with our sorrow, spark a long-buried memory, bring people together, change a mind, or even save a life.

100% of the royalties from sales of Music Speaks will go directly to MusiCares to help keep that magic alive.

If you’re interested in reading some one-line teasers from each of the story, they are available in the previous post on this blog.

Music Speaks is available in various ebook formats ($2.99 US) through the following online retailers:

Amazon

Amazon UK

Amazon DE

Barnes and Noble

Smashwords

It is currently available in print ($6.99 US) through CreateSpace and will soon be available through Amazon, Amazon UK, and Amazon EU, as well.

For more information on MusiCares, visit http://www.grammy.org/musicares

Read a line  or two from the opening paragraphs of each of the short stories in my newest project, Music Speaks. :)


Gone too Soon by Christopher T. Grace

“I was sitting in an overpriced restaurant in Hollywood when I read the news about Bryan Justice.“

The Heart Never Forgets by Ann Cathey

“The job as a trade-show coordinator has me traveling all over the country from convention centers and rodeo arenas to private offices and back.”

Solo by David Antrobus

“So, I could never sing, couldn’t even shout really, which is why it’s such a damn fine spectacular thing I’m a guitar player, thank the almighty music gods in their boundless mercy.”

Heavy Metal Lovesong by Pam Bainbridge-Cowan

“In the early years he was Fat Boy with Guitar. No one talked to him much, girls not at all.”

Save Me by Erin McGowan

“As I crossed the overpass for 161, I thought about crossing the turn lane, timing it just right, and jumping off the bridge.“

Playlist by James Clark

“He wanted to remember who had been in the car with him, but it was in the shadows along with just about everything else about the latest party.  Or the one before.  Or the one before that….   “

Music Heals All Hearts by Laurie Sorensen

“Martin strolled the hallways of St. Vincent’s Hospital, strumming on the guitar in his arms, something he always did to soothe the people in pain.”

Punk Rock 101 by JD Mader

“First show you ever played. Venue the size of a shoebox. Smell like 100 pairs of wrecked Chuck Taylors. Cigarettes. Some other smells you don’t recognize. Yet.”

Double-edged Sword (Jukebox Heroes Vignette -Seth) by LB Clark

“On nights like tonight, when I’ve had one Scotch too many, I stop and wonder where I’d be without music.”

Heaven Sent (Jukebox Heroes Vignette - Chris) by LB Clark

“I turned away from my dinner long enough to give her a once-over.  She looked like a thousand other women who’d walked through Haven’s front doors: medium height, medium build, medium brown hair, hoodie and Converse and jeans.  Average, and kind of boring.“

End of the Line (Jukebox Heroes Vignette -Adrian) by LB Clark

“In my head, I could hear the moving hands tick-tick-ticking like a metronome.  It wasn’t the wall clock I was hearing, but the imagined sound of my wife’s biological clock.”

 

100% of royalties go directly to the MusiCares Foundation, an organization that helps music industry professionals in times of need.

The ebook can be found at Amazon, BN.com, and Smashwords. 

Bryan Cohen here, guest poster and author, promoting my new book The Post-College Guide to Happiness for The Happiness Blog Tour. I’m giving away free digital review copies of the book and doing a giveaway for paperback copies, audio copies and even a Kindle Fire! Read on and check out the info below the post.

“I am still determined to be cheerful and happy, in whatever situation I may be; for I have also learned from experience that the greater part of our happiness or misery depends upon our dispositions, and not upon our circumstances.”

- Martha Washington

What Is Happiness?

People base whether they’re happy or not on all sorts of crazy things. They’ll say that a rainy day means that they’re unhappy or that a rough week at work has made them feel down in the dumps. They might also say that a financial windfall or a romantic evening has made them happy as a clam. Is happiness really about what happens to you? What is happiness?

Happiness isn’t a state of being when positive circumstances occur that disappears as soon as something negative happens. It’s an attitude. As Washington puts it here, if she resolves to be happy and cheerful even when crappy stuff happens to her, the greater part of her happiness will be uplifted. Washington is right. Happiness is up to you, not the circumstances that are out of your control.

Isn’t this kind of empowering? For most of my life, I thought that I was the slave to things that I couldn’t effect. If I lost a wrestling match in high school or didn’t get an A on a test, I would be unhappy, it was plain and simple and a bit unfair. Nowadays, I know that if I keep a healthy and positive attitude when these less-than-ideal situations happen, I can still be happy. This takes practice and a certain degree of emotional control, but I can say without fail that this totally legitimate mindset has made be feel way better about myself and the world around me.

How do you keep a positive attitude when bad stuff happens? I think that the first step is to fake it until you make it. Instead of beating yourself up about something you can’t control, try to smile and laugh your way through the pain. The pain is something you caused yourself in the first place and that you’re used to inflicting upon yourself, so eventually, you’ll get used to smiling and laughing. Next, try to work on increasing the space between these negative stimuli and your response to them. Instead of relying on your emotions to determine if something gets you down, practice employing logic to take on the situation. Lastly, surround yourself with like-minded people who always fight back against negativity with a positive attitude.

If you work on keeping your attitude bright and sunny when most people would be down, you’ll truly be able to answer the question of what happiness can be if you put your mind to it.

Bryan Cohen is giving away 61 paperback and audio copies of The Post-College Guide to Happiness and a Kindle Fire between now and May 7th, 2012 on The Happiness Blog Tour. All entrants receive a free digital review copy of The Post-College Guide to Happiness. Bryan hopes to give away at least 1,000 copies during the blog tour. To enter, post a comment with your e-mail address or send an e-mail to postcollegehappiness (at) gmail.com. Bryan will draw the names at the end of the tour. Entries will be counted through Sunday, May 6th.

Bryan Cohen is a writer, actor and comedian from Dresher, Pennsylvania. He graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2005 with degrees in English and Dramatic Art and a minor in Creative Writing. He has written nine books including 1,000 Creative Writing Prompts: Ideas for Blogs, Scripts, Stories and More, 500 Writing Prompts for Kids: First Grade through Fifth Grade, Writer on the Side: How to Write Your Book Around Your 9 to 5 Job and his new book, 1,000 Character Writing Prompts: Villains, Heroes and Hams for Scripts, Stories and More. His website Build Creative Writing Ideas helps over 25,000 visitors a month to push past writer’s block and stay motivated.

Feel free to follow along with the tour at The Happiness Blog Tour Hub Page or on the book’s Facebook Page.

Mention bullying and most people will immediately think of a child on a school playground being pushed around by a bigger kid.  Others may think of a child being called names like ‘four eyes’ or being teased for a stutter or a limp.  But the fact is that the term ‘bullying’ encompasses many more behaviors than many people realize.

So what is bullying?  Bullying seems hard to define.  Every textbook, website, blog, and dictionary has a different definition of the word.  The one thing all of these definitions agree on is that a bully intentionally seeks to inflict emotional or physical harm or stress on another person.  Based upon that basic description, bullying takes on many forms.  Most people are aware of some kinds of bullying, such as emotional or physical domestic abuse, gay bashing, assault, and sexual harassment.  However, there are other types that are more subtle and might not be recognized as bullying.  These include teasing and taunting, undeserved criticism,  excluding the victim from certain activities (think children’s group recess games), insults, and verbal attacks against the victim’s ideas, principals, race, religion, sexuality, etc.  Verbal bullying may take place in person, via text message, by email, or through the various social media networks.  Victims may be children or adults.

Bullying can cause serious psychological harm to both children and adults.  Children are especially vulnerable, but adults can suffer severe trauma as well, particularly when the bully is a domestic partner or employer.   Bullying has been linked to long-term emotional effects ranging from depression to post-traumatic stress disorder.  Victims may also experience loss of sleep, loss of self-confidence, anxiety, high stress levels and panic attacks.  The victim may withdraw from others, living in a self-imposed social isolation, or other may withdraw from the victim out of fear of becoming the bully’s next target.  The victim may miss work or school (or even quit work or school) to avoid the bully.  Some victims lose the ability to form relationships, some become violent themselves, and others turn to alcohol, drugs, or even suicide as a way out.

Given both the serious effects of bullying and it’s increasing prevalence, it is important – no, it is imperative that bullies be held accountable for their actions.  Whether the victim is a child on a playground, a single-mom working as a cocktail waitress in a bar, or a college student hanging out on Facebook, he or she needs not only to learn how to defend against bullies but he or she also needs outside support.  There is strength in numbers, after all.  It is vital that those who are not being bullied step up and say, “This is not okay.”  Even a statement as simple as, “Is name-calling really necessary?” can show a bully that his or her actions are being observed and that his or her behaviors are not seen in a favorable light.  Reporting cyber-bullying (often called harassment) on the social networks also sends a clear message that bullying is not acceptable.

While it may be a pipe-dream to imagine a world without bullies, it is possible to stem the rising tide.  Through the simple efforts of the common man (or woman), we can work together to spread the message that we’re watching for bullies and refuse to let them get away with pushing people around.  And even if you think your contributions can’t change the world, think about this: if you advocate for one victim, if you stand up to one bully, then the world is changed for the better, for good.

Best Days - Graham Colton

Another amazing Graham Colton song.  Like it?  Check out his website at http://www.grahamcolton.com :)

I spent some time the last two days putting together some quotes and pictures that I find inspiring.  I printed them out and hung them on my wall, but I decided that I want to share them - the quotes at least.

Believe with all of your heart that you will do what you were made to do.

Orison Swett Marden

I always knew I was a little bit different than everybody else; I didn’t know that little bit would be the greatest gift ever.

Ryan Bueter

You can’t wait for inspiration. You have to go after it with a club.

Jack London

If you do not hear music in your words, you have put too much thought into your writing and not enough heart.

Terry Brooks

If you’re not scared to chase your dreams, if you dare to go after it, this is what you can do.

Ben Carey

God  grant me the serenity to accept the people I can’t change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it’s me.

Unknown

If a higher power exists, then why am I wasting my time worrying about things? If this life is all there is…then why am I wasting my time worrying about things?

Ryan Bueter

Maids of Misfortune - a Victorian San Francisco Mystery by M. Louisa Locke

Blurb:

It’s the summer of 1879, and Annie Fuller, a young San Francisco widow, is in trouble. Annie’s husband squandered her fortune before committing suicide five years earlier, and one of his creditors is now threatening to take the boardinghouse she owns to pay off a debt.

Annie Fuller also has a secret. She supplements her income by giving domestic and business advice as Madam Sibyl, one of San Francisco’s most exclusive clairvoyants, and one of Madam Sibyl’s clients, Matthew Voss, has died. The police believe his death was suicide brought upon by bankruptcy, but Annie believes Voss has been murdered and that his assets have been stolen.

Nate Dawson has a problem. As the Voss family lawyer, he would love to believe that Matthew Voss didn’t leave his grieving family destitute. But that would mean working with Annie Fuller, a woman who alternatively attracts and infuriates him as she shatters every notion he ever had of proper ladylike behavior.

Sparks fly as Anne and Nate pursue the truth about the murder of Matthew Voss in this light-hearted historical mystery set in the foggy gas-lit world of Victorian San Francisco.

Review:

Maids of Misfortune is the kind of book that keeps you reading until the wee hours even when you have to be up early for work.  The characters are all aptly realized, the sort who you can’t help feeling something for.  The storyline is interesting and without holes, and the mystery - while adequately foreshadowed - manages to keep you guessing up until the end.  The best thing about this book, though, are the details: descriptions of San Francisco and the coast, daily life in the Voss household and at Annie’s boarding house, bits and pieces about the characters and locales.  Everything is richly imagined and brought to life without the long, boring descriptive passages that many authors resort to.

Highly recommended to readers of cozy or historical mysteries or those who love well-written ‘pageturners’.

Rating: 4 stars