By michael moore|2024-02-14T07:26:23-05:002024 February 14th, |mXm • blog|
I’m honoured to have my flashFiction piece • c o c o o n • piece selected and featured in the newest publication of Syncopation Library.
When calls for submissions went out late last fall there was a simple criteria for consideration – the document/story must contain reference to the guitar.
Here is the link: :
I hope you enjoy it. One of my readers has already requested ‘more’ of the character….perhaps, maybe…..
By michael moore|2024-02-04T08:50:52-05:002024 February 4th, |mXm • blog|
link.medium.com
By michael moore|2024-01-01T03:49:40-05:002024 January 1st, |mXm • blog|
‘Tis that
Today
123123
Get it?
Will not happen again, ever – never.
And so where does that bring us? Where has it brought me?
I know – I’ve been remiss in maintenance efforts. Non-existent pretty much – but, New Year – NewLeaf.
As of tomorrow I will do my utmost to post regularly, once a week. Hah!
We’ll have to wait and see, right?
It’s not like I’m not busy, of course.
Hard at work, writing. These days primarily focused on Book 2 of my Jim Steiner novels.
Heck, in the last 3 days I wrote 9,000 words.
Awesome, yes?
Tough pace – I’m now at 45,547 words – only about 50K to go. If I can keep up this pace I should see completion in about 3 weeks.
Let’s say end January. First draft. Then edits. Then what?
No idea. Have little or no faith in traditional publishing traction. Have no faith in self-publishing. So, what to do?
Carry on – move ahead.
Heck, not as if I’m lacking for writing projects – ‘The End of Oregon’, ‘Princess and the Jake’, ‘Veil of Tears’, ‘Twisted Roads’ and ‘The Art of BlackCat Moon’…….those are all works-in-progress – all novels in various stages of completion.
So, good luck with that, eh?
Yup
Back to work – come see me here next week – should have a new update then.
And, by the way, almost forgot – ‘The Thinn Man’, a serialized cliffhanger, is available to read on my Patreon page – www.Patreon.com/mxmoore. It’s a fun quasi-romantic crime romp – a new chapter added weekly.
And one of my poems, r o l l e r c o a s t e r was published in: Killer Nashville magazine, November 2023 issue
(https://www.killernashville.com/issues/november-2023)
And, even more – additional pieces – flash fiction, poetry – are slated for release in other publications in February. I’ll keep you informed.
Promise.
By michael moore|2023-07-30T09:09:40-04:002023 July 30th, |mXm • blog|
perhaps it’s of little concern – then again, perhaps not. I read recently that 35,000 new books are published every week in the USA.
Notwithstanding, most likely, self-published initiatives.
The pandemic spawned in the masses not only the raison to turn to writing the great novel – it provided the time within which
such efforts could move forward.
If one is on FB one can search for, and find, numerous groups that are focused on writers, writing. Many are dedicated to the world of Amazon/Kindle.
Thousands and thousands of hopefuls. The following might give succour to many:
Hopefully the forenoted might provide a degree of relief, beyond it being a reality check.
Other helpful fact-checked statistics:
….and,
So – major takeaway? If you have the stamina – IF you have the determination, IF you are ridiculously persistent,
you may have a chance at being. p u b l i s h e d …..which, by the way, is not at all connected to whether or not one becomes
a financial success.
Ken Follet (Eye of the Needle has written 44 books. His current net worth, all from earnings as an author, is approximately, $40 million.
J.K. Rowling, however, is the wealthiest of all writers with a net worth of $1 billion!
Don’t give up
By michael moore|2023-08-30T06:58:34-04:002021 May 8th, |mXm • blog|
For those of us who have creative aspirations – be it in music, drama, writing – rejection is the primary constant as we all try to peck away at gaining acceptance, making progress, making money, even. (Goodness! Who is in this for the money??? I’m shocked!)
The previous post shows the rejection letter sent to Alice Walker, author of the Color Purple. I will be posting a few others soon.
But this news feature caught my eye. It’s all about persistence, perseverance and simply just not giving up.
Be that this may or may not be the very best novel or story ever written – is not the point – the point is, she just didn’t give up.
And so : :
Her story is worth reading if for no other reason than, ‘if she can do it, we can do it’. . . . . right?
With virtually no prior writing training or experience, but seemingly just a good idea, she made it happen for herself.
By michael moore|2021-04-15T13:52:13-04:002021 April 11th, |mXm • blog|
mXm : : Rejection is the currency of any creator – of music, of art, sculpture, writing • Dear John letters as they are also known. Personally, I think that writing efforts, writers, authors – given the nature of their craft, bare their souls in attempting to describe passion, pain, anger, fear – all the human emotions – and in the process of the actual writing, the conveying of such, are required to expose themselves – leave themselves vulnerable . . . . and the subsequent rejection by publishers, agents – the public, leaves scars – sometimes deep scars. Over the next days / weeks even, this page will carry visual copies of actual rejection letters sent to writers – who pressed on, persevered – and became world famous in spite of rejection.
This is the actual rejection letter sent to Alice Walker.
The following is written by : : Emily Temple, who is the managing editor at Lit Hub. Her first novel, The Lightness, was published by William Morrow/HarperCollins in June 2020
Tis (almost) the season for resolutions. If you’re a writer, here’s an idea: resolve to get rejected. 100 times this year, if you’re lucky. After all, some very famous books (and authors) began their careers at the bottom of the NO pile. To inspire you to keep on writing and submitting, here are some of the most rejected books I could dig up.
Of course, this list is incomplete, and I’ve given preference to books that were rejected but are now well-known and widely loved. (Books that were rejected many times because they were pretty mediocre are just not as interesting.) Even with the higher-profile books, I discounted those with numbers I couldn’t verify, or those that weren’t specific enough—for instance, it looks like Margaret Mitchell’s oft-repeated 38 rejections is a myth; Alex Haley may have gotten “hundreds” of rejections before publishing Roots, but they weren’t all necessarily for the novel; ditto Kate DiCamillo’s 473 rejections before Because of Winn-Dixie; Eimear McBride heard nothing but no for A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing for 7 years, but I don’t know if she got ten nos or a hundred. Some authors, like Beatrix Potter and Proust, got so many rejections that they decided to self-publish—and good thing they did—but I don’t have numbers on those either. If you do, give strength to your fellow rejectees and add on to the list in the comments.
By michael moore|2021-04-04T05:03:25-04:002021 April 4th, |mXm • blog|
and Momma told us . . . .
1971 • Al Waxman, the much loved and remarkable Canadian actor
appeared in this TV commercial for Kleenex.
It was a huge success in terms of the public’s adoption of most all aspects
of the tongue-in-cheek humour it embraced.
‘get plenty of rest’ . . . . . . . indeed – but more than anything, the last line,
‘and Momma told us to stay inside’ has stayed with me, in my memory,
these past 50 years.
Did Momma foresee the pandemic? Of course not – but there is, shall
we say, an aptness – to the message.
I hope you enjoy this – I still get the giggles.
Trust me!
By michael moore|2023-07-30T09:25:09-04:002021 March 31st, |mXm • blog|
surely everyone knows what voiceover is, right?
It’s audio overlaid on top of a film sequence, a video or another voice-track…….
in a way, a voiceover might be the opinions being expressed about an event occurring in the background.
So – think of a blog then, as a voiceover. Frequently the voice of a blogger is that of someone who is attempting to describe or explain details, facts, issues in a context that is consistent with the known voice of the blogger.
Think of, say, Rush Limbaugh. Not that I am in accord with any positions he ever propounded or promoted. But, his voice
came to be regarded as one true point-of-view of the ultra conservatives, in America.
On the other hand, such a voice, might also be viewed as noise – just background noise. Static, even to many people’s ears.
Thus, what I choose to write about – be it current politics, design innovations, cooking and kitchen tips – photography. . . . whatever, please try to hear it as a voiceover.
It doesn’t mean that what I may say, or my opinions, have any merit. For some of you they may – others not. Doesn’t matter.
I have chosen to use my voice, to reflect observations about things that go on around me.
And do not expect that I will have much, if anything to say, every day – or every week.
But whatever voice I do bring to you will be framed in simple honesty – that you can count on
michael
By michael moore|2021-03-31T17:15:45-04:002021 March 31st, |older • blogs|
October 10, 2020
there oughta be a law. . . . . .
Oh! There is? Tell me -
Well, firstly let’s clarify/confirm what this is in reference too, right? I’m talking about laws that relate to and/or govern the known transmission of diseases to others - quite often to unsuspecting others that are unaware that a particular person is a carrier of a virus, or a transmissable disease.
Okay - so let’s start with this:
‘Take for example Iowa, which passed a law in 1998 that said people who were found guilty of knowingly exposing others to HIV faced up to 25 years in prison and had to register as sex offenders, even if they used a condom and didn’t infect anyone’
Wow! 25 years! Double WOW! But let’s be balanced and fair here - that’s SEX stuff we’re talkin’ about - you know, that dirty, bad, nasty sex stuff. STD’s and like that - yeah. So that’s like serious.
But in relation to that, in 2018 (before the pandemic) consider this:
[from radio station KPCC + NPR, June 22, 2018 - by Michelle Andrews]
An Ohio man who has the hepatitis C virus was sentenced to 18 months in prison on June 14 for spitting at Cleveland police and medics, according to a news report.
Matthew Wenzler, 27, was reportedly lying on a Cleveland street across from a downtown casino in January. When police and emergency medical technicians tried to put him on a stretcher to take him to a hospital, he spit saliva mixed with blood repeatedly at them, hitting an officer in the eye.
In Ohio, it’s a felony for people who know they have HIV, viral hepatitis or tuberculosis to intentionally expose another person to their blood, semen, urine, feces or other bodily substances such as saliva with the intent to harass or threaten the person.
Phew! Well, now THAT’s really serious! I mean the guy was a carrier - in the opinions of many medical experts that makes him a walking time-bomb!
A felony, no less. Hmmmm - food for thought. Now hold that thought - we’re gonna visit some other facts, details.
Take a long hard look at the following:
Advancing the right to health: the vital role of law
Authors: Professor Roger Magnusson, Professor of Health Law & Governance,
Sydney Law School, University of Sydney
Chapter 10: Controlling the spread of infectious diseases SUMMARY POINTS ·
Minimizing the transmission of infectious diseases is a core function of public health law. The appropriate exercise of legal powers will vary according to the seriousness of the disease, the means of transmission, and how easily the disease is transmitted.
Law can contribute to the prevention of infectious diseases by improving access to vaccinations and contraceptives, and by facilitating screening, counselling and education of those at risk of infection. Law also has a reactive role: supporting access to treatment, and authorizing public health authorities to limit contact with infectious individuals and to exercise emergency powers in response to disease outbreaks.
Where public health laws authorize interferences with freedom of movement, the right to control one’s health and body, privacy, and property rights, they should balance these private rights with the public health interest in an ethical and transparent way. Public health powers should be based on the principles of public health necessity, reasonable and effective means, proportionality, distributive justice, and transparency….and from the same source: Governments should carefully consider the appropriate role of criminal law when amending laws to prevent the transmission of infectious and communicable diseases.
There is this quite amazing, altruistic web presence known as NOLO.
What is NOLO? For more detailed information you can follow the link, but in brief, according to their web-site, it is in part, the following:
The Nolo Network
With over 50 web properties, the Nolo Network is one of the web’s largest libraries of consumer-friendly legal information - all available for free. With oversight from Nolo’s editorial team, we strive to deliver free legal information of the highest quality. We also offer local lawyers the ability to contribute to the Nolo network.
And an important question for today’s world is:
Is It a Crime to Intentionally Get Someone Sick?
Given current circumstances, do we know anyone that this might apply to?
Yes! Of course we do - Mr. President Donald J. Trump. Why, immediately upon arriving back at he White House on Monday evening, he removed his mask, entered, exited, then re-entered an interior space wherein a number of trusting government personnel were waiting to assist him. He was, defiantly, irresponsibly, maskless………
And so that question, today, is really, really important. It doesn’t only pertain to last Monday night - it applies to the rallies, the meetings - the gatherings wherein Trump is most likely still contagious. So, to continue –
Is It a Crime to Intentionally Get Someone Sick?
You bet yer ass it is!
According to NOLO, A person whose intentional or reckless behavior spreads an infectious disease, such as HIV, SARS, or COVID-19, could face criminal charges.
By Stacy Barrett
Spreading the common cold doesn’t carry criminal consequences. But intentional or reckless behavior that spreads a disease with serious public health consequences - such as HIV, SARS, Ebola, or COVID-19 - can result in criminal charges.
And a little further on in that same article:
Could I Be Charged With a Crime for Spreading the Coronavirus?
As the new coronavirus (COVID-19) spreads across the country, prosecutors are using criminal laws to punish people who purposely expose or threaten to expose others to the virus.
In some states, prosecutors have charged violations of specific statutes prohibiting the intentional exposure and transmission of communicable diseases. Other states are using general criminal laws to prosecute people who have intentionally spread or threatened to spread the virus. For example, prosecutors can charge “coronavirus coughers” (people who intentionally cough or spit on others while claiming to have the virus) with assault and battery or making terrorist threats.
More commonly, states are using criminal penalties to enforce public health interventions, like quarantines and shelter-in-place orders, to limit the spread of the virus.
Well, well, well - ain’t that all a corker. There oughta be a law?
There do be a law - in fact a whole whack of ’em - but like most laws,
Mr. President Donald J. Trump, along with his posse consisting of Lindsey Graham, Mitch McConnell and others - they blithely ignore the laws - and the consequences of their criminally irresponsible behavior.
Yer all sure you want these guys to still be running the country (into the ground) for yet another four years?
Whaaat? Are y’all as crazy as they are?
Don’t answer that!
©michaelXmoore 2020
By michael moore|2021-03-31T17:02:24-04:002021 March 31st, |older • blogs|
November 12, 2020
criminal intent?
What, if anything, have we learned?
Not much it seems.
We learned the extent to which Mr. President(NOT) Donald JumpTrump will go to insulate and protect that which he considers his own • when in fact, in his role as the supposed President of the United States, he has no ownership of any aspects of the office - and yet he behaves, as if it’s his…..his administration (or lack thereof), his Secretary of State, his Justice Department - and scariest of all, his, armed forces.
We have learned that Mr Trump’s definition of Rule of Law, is applicable only if it pertains to, his Rule of Law and definition thereto.
We have learned that he is immune, though, to any amount of public outcry, any amount of global criticism, and f course, he’s now immune - or so he claims to the coronavirus.
Sidenote: give a thought if you will to anyone else that you’ve heard about, or read about, that has received a positive diagnosis of the coronavirus. For example, Chris Cuomo, since he’s a news personality, was able to invite the CNN cameras (remotely of course) into the basement of his home where he spent TWO weeks in painful isolation, battling the onslaught of the disease.
And how long did the supposed affected Donald Trump spend in any kind of isolation? Two days? Three? And then? Amazing recovery - no lingering after-affects - little, if any, discomforts. . . . . . and so perhaps, to those of us more skeptical than many of the rest of you, it probably appeared as yet another of Mr.President Donald JumpTrump’s, hoaxes…….He, who is so quick to throw around accusations of fake this, hoax that - of course it was a hoax! A totally self-serving hoax to elicit sympathy from his base. His brave and heroic late night motorcade review of the troops - c’mon! Give me a break - poor old Donald - who suffered such tragic agonies as bone spurs in his youth - he who has never known or felt any kind of suffering at all - was able to convince you that he was also a victim of this disease?
But, I digress - let’s talk about sedition and let’s talk about treasonous acts and intentions. And while we’re at it, let’s have a little primer about felonies and felonious intent-
Firstly, felonies. The United States has a clear-cut listing of felonies - both applicable to the state level, and separately to the federal level. Of the 29 published federal felonies, guess how many MrPresident Donald JumpTrump qualifies for - first and foremost, Tax Evasion. Yup! Tax evasion - a federal felony. Yikes! That sounds, like - serious.
The noted definition of Tax Evasion goes like:
Tax evasion is the illegal evasion of taxes by individuals, corporations, and trusts. Tax evasion often entails taxpayers deliberately misrepresenting the true state of their affairs to the tax authorities to reduce their tax liability, and it includes dishonest tax reporting, such as declaring less income, profits or gains than the amounts actually earned, or overstating deductions.
Next on the hit list of felonies, as they apply to Mr Trump, is:
Obstruction of Justice: in United States jurisdictions, it is a crime consisting of obstructing prosecutors, investigators, or other government officials. Common law jurisdictions other than the United States tend to use the wider offense of perverting the course of justice.
Obstruction is a broad crime that may include acts such as perjury, making false statements to officials, witness tampering, jury tampering, destruction of evidence, and many others. Obstruction also applies to overt coercion of court or government officials via the means of threats or actual physical harm, and also applying to deliberate sedition against a court official to undermine the appearance of legitimate authority
Hmmmm - doesn’t look good, huh? I mean, have we not seen instances of witness tampering? Wasn’t there a lady, Stormy Daniels, who, as a prospective witness in an action against Mr.President Donald JumpTrump, all of a sudden declined to speak out? Oh - yes - there was a little matter of a lot of money involved in that, wasn’t there? Like $130,000.00. Hmmmm- could also perhaps push that little incident into the Tax Evasion column too - whatcha think?
Okay - but wait, we’re not finished here yet - now what about Treason?
Wow! Now that’s a big one! That sounds like, s e r i o u s !.
Treason is a crime that covers some of the more extreme acts against one’s nation or sovereign. This usually includes things such as participating in a war against one’s native country, attempting to overthrow its government, spying on its military, its diplomats, or its secret services for a hostile and foreign power, or attempting to kill its head of state. A person who commits treason is known in law as a traitor.
Yes! Treason - right up there with sedition - almost interchangeable, what?
Well, my understanding is if one does not possess incontrovertible facts/evidence, treason is a trickyDicky one to prove. So, we’ll set that aside for the moment……but, before we rush away from that- do you not think that certain recent actions on the part of MrPresident Donald JumpTrump - in throwing around baseless accusations in respect to the newly elected President - do you not think that one might think - might think - that he has these ulterior motives . . . . . that by undermining the pins of democracy, in order to best serve his own interests, that he is acting rather counter/contrary to what is best for the country? As opposed to what is best - for him?
Think about it - we”l come back to this.
Ahhh, yes - ’tis yet another, right? I think we’ve heard (all of us heard) that
MrPresident Donald JumpTrump has been accused of both rape and of sexual assault - yes? In fact, did you know that currently there are 26 separate cases filed against Donald trump for those offences.
TWENY-SIX RAPES!
Are you kidding me? Nope! Not - not kidding you…..there are 26 of such cases pending against the esteemed president. Whassa matter - you got marblesInYourMouth?
Hmmm, again. This is like, maybe, s e r i o u s ? Not just the 26 rape cases (although for a normal citizen that would be enough to put a guy away for life, if proven guilty) - but Tax Evasion, Obstruction of Justice, Treason/Sedition PLUS Rape? Gee - how did y’all deserve, and how did y’all end up with a criminal like this guy?
But all that aside - that’s not the precise reason for this commentary.
The precise reason for this summary is simply that, in the aftermath of Trump’s loss in the election we are hearing very loud noises about his future – a future, assuming he does not end up in prison (not sure I’d take that bet).
No his future as a leader, as a guru in the Republican party, and even, God forbid, as their candidate for President in 2024. Now THAT, is scary!
‘But - but’, you say, ‘If he’s a convicted felon he can’t possibly qualify as a legal candidate…..or even if he is the candidate, and somehow wins, he wouldn’t be allowed to, as a convicted felon, hold office, right?”
Ooooops! Sorry Gracie - wrong there you are……as it turns out, if one is a convicted felon one is restricted from many, many, many things they might do with their lives….such as qualify to be bonded for a job….but, NOOOOOO!
Turns out there are NO legal obstacles to prevent a convicted felon from holding any - and that includes the presidency of the United States - any public office.
There! Take that! Think, on that
And, might I respectfully suggest - be quite afraid about that.
Hmmm - so back to that list of felonies. If there is no consequence to some, why is there a huge consequence to others?
&
healing through writing come the Fall I will be offering a newly developed course through McGill School for Continuing Studies…..titled, ‘Healing Through Writing’What is it all about? Exactly what it says. The act of writing, regularly (daily if possible) has tremendous therapeutic value (well documented) – it is both clarifying and purgative if done, say as a personal journal. Simply because, it’s human nature – if one had ‘issues’, problems – conflicts, anger the very act of writing it out will usually result in a sense of balance restored. Not always, but usually.
This post, on medium.com, was written by WIZDOM (https://lnkd.in/eg4bX4-F) and it clearly presents a balanced argument for, w r i t i n g .
So – what are you waiting for?
I have recently acquired www.writingMatters.Online. In the coming weeks it will serve as a focal point for general writing matters, because, yes – writing matters.