American

American

‘American’ is a tag used on our blog Megan Publishing Services http://meganthemisconception.com to identify posts relating things American

Donald L Vasicek

Published by Owen Jones on 10 February 2019

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Donald L Vasicek

Donald L Vasicek

Donald L. Vasicek – Author and Screenwriter

Today, we are going to meet Donald L. Vasicek, the award-winning American author and screenwriter. Over to you, Don, please tell us something about yourself and your work.

1 Name Donald L. Vasicek

Website / Blog The Zen of Writing http://www.donvasicek.com

2 Country

United States of America

3 Do you prefer to read a particular genre?

I enjoy thrillers, suspense, mystery.

4 Do you write in the same genre? Yes.

5 Have you always written and what got you started professionally?

I was inspired to write after I lost my family 40+ years ago. It was like a part of the hidden me emerged. The pain of loss was so immense, my brain switched to pushing me to express my feelings through writing. I got started writing professionally by having a poem titled, “Dad”, I wrote that was published by “Success Unlimited”.

6 How many books have you published?

One. A second one, “The Real Ghost”, which won 1st place in the Waldorf Publishing Book Competition, is now being published by Waldorf.

7 Which one would you like to tell us about?

“The Real Ghost”.

8 Why did you write this book and what is it about?

I originally wrote “The Real Ghost” as a screenplay, after another screenplay I wrote, “Born to Win”, a story about a boy who sets out to win a muscle car race to win the prize money to pay for his Gramps’s life-saving surgery, was produced by Incline Productions, Inc. I converted “The Real Ghost” screenplay into a novel. “The Real Ghost” is a story about a boy who sets out to prove he saw Babe Ruth after no one in town will believe him. Known for telling “tall tales” to get attention, the boy wants to prove he is telling the truth this time. It is a light-hearted, suspenseful thriller that walks on the edge of the paranormal genre.

9 Book cover and ISBN/ASIN

Waldorf Publishing is in the process of publishing the book, so there is no book cover, or ISBN/ASIN at this writing.

10 What would you like your next book to be on?

My next book is titled “The Caller.” It is a suspense/thriller about a successful woman who sets out to find her soul mate only to experience that each time she dates someone, they are murdered. I am also presently writing my autobiography for my grandkids.

11 If you could go anywhere in the universe, where would you go and why?

I’ve been here before, but I would like to return to Stratford Upon Avon, the hometown of William Shakespeare. The community possesses positive energy for me. It is quiet there. The people are friendly, but not to the point of being pushy or anything like that. The fields surrounding the town are lush in green foliage. A small river runs through the town and there is a large oak tree right in the middle of a main thoroughfare in town. This particular road swerves around the tree to preserve the tree, which is about a block from Shakespeare’s grave. There is simply a certain kind of peace and safety there that is relaxing and nice.

12 Is there anything you can share about yourself or your work that not many people know?

I love to work out 6 days a week lifting weights, stretching, rowing & walking on a treadmill (knees from running for several years have limited me to walking on a treadmill). I am a Twitter freak. I love doing puzzles. I love to read. I love animals. I love my wife and traveling with her. We’ve been to numerous countries even marveling at the Berlin wall, crushed and being used for streets and walkways in Berlin, not to mention the Masai Mara Game Preserve in Kenya, where our wildest dreams of seeing wildlife closeup, became a reality.

13 What is your favourite foreign food?

Since I’ve been to numerous countries, it is difficult for me to single out one favorite foreign food. The Vietnamese Pho Ga stands out for me as one of my favorites.

14 Are you, or have you ever been a terrorist?

Being a terrorist, as far as I’m concerned, is one of the most cowardly ways to make a point. I use my brain to express myself, not guns, explosives, knives, beheadings, torture, murder, etc. So, no, I’m not or never have been a terrorist.

15 Have you ever accidentally called your spouse/partner by the name of a character in your latest book and if so what was his or her reaction?

No, I never have.

Thank you for telling us about yourself, Don. Best of luck with your new book. I hope that you will come back and give us a cover shoy and purchase details when it is available.

You can read our review of ‘Eyes of Death’ by Don here on this site.

Bye for now,

Owen

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Ed Benjamin

Published by Owen Jones on 20 September 2018

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Ed Benjamin, American author

Ed Benjamin, American author

Ed Benjamin

Hello, Ed Benjamin, could you begin by telling us your name, how we can reach you and where you come from, please?

1 Name: Ed Benjamin

Website: EdBenjaminBooks.com

Blog: http://edbenjaminbooks.com/my-blog/

2 Country: USA

3 Do you prefer to read a particular genre? I read mostly detective mysteries, spy fiction, political thrillers, some adventure books, etc. Occasionally, I like to re-read a classic. For example, I am currently re-reading “War and Peace.”

4 Do you write in the same genre? No, although my writing time is limited, I try to write in different genres.

If not which ones? I have two additional projects in work in the mystery detective genre. I am planning to re-write a science fiction book I self-published in 1997. Following that, I have plans to write another nonfiction book on how to prepare proposals for the federal government.

5 Have you always written and what got you started professionally? When I was a freshmen in college, a classmate and I wrote a chapbook about the painters whose paintings were displayed in the lobby of the administration building. After I retired from the United States Air Force (USAF) in 1990, I started a career as a free-lance technical writer specializing in preparing proposals for companies desiring to get business with the government. I am still pursuing this career.

I still dabble in writing in my spare time. In 1995, I won a regional writing contest for a short story I wrote. I wrote a science fiction book (black comedy) in 1997. Then, I published my nonfiction book on doing business with the government in 1999. I wrote and published my novelette, “Harry’s War,” in 2012 and then in 2018, I published two of my short stories. “Mar: A Harry Miles Redemption Story” and “Melanie: A Tale of Wonder.”

I am a busy technical writer and do not get much time to pursue my fiction more fully now and in the immediate future.

6 How many books have you published? I have published two full length books (one fiction and one nonfiction), one eBook novelette, and two eBook short stores.

7 Which one would you like to tell us about? One I like is “Melanie: A Tale of Wonder.”

8 Why did you write this book and what is it about? I originally wrote the story in 1997. I was thinking about alternative history. What if a famous worldwide singer had not died but was stricken with a mysterious malady, had faked his death, and roamed the countryside doing odd jobs. Then, a freak accident gave him his voice back for a few hours and he used the occasion to befriend a ten-year old girl whose father was dying. This story is the result.

9 Book cover and ISBN/ASIN

Melanie: A Tale of Wonder

Melanie: A Tale of Wonder

Melanie: A Tale of Wonder – ASIN: B07BZ3RGDJ

10 What would you like your next book to be on? I am slowly but surely working on a book called “Redemption.” It features Harry Miles but focuses on the development of his character, his tragic encounter, and his dive into despair, alcohol, oblivion, metamorphosis, tragedy, and his realization life endures.

11 If you could go anywhere in the universe, where would you go and why? Antarctica – it is the only continent on this planet I have not visited.

12 Is there anything you can share about yourself or your work that not many people know? Many people ask me the source of the name of my character, Harry Miles. I never knew my paternal grandfather, Harry Miles Benjamin. When my father was around eight or nine, my grandmother died, and her family looked after him and his sister. There was a division in the family and my grandmother’s family would not allow my grandfather to see my father or his sister. They eventually adopted my father and his sister. Legend has it my grandfather was an adventurer and succeeded in obtaining a new life for himself in the wilds of Canada. I felt a calling to name my character after him.

Harry is a composite of many fighter pilots I have known and dedicated to military people of all ranks and all military occupations (aircraft maintenance technicians, cooks, motor pool technicians, security personnel, etc.) who have dedicated their lives to a cause greater than themselves.

13 What is your favorite foreign food? I fell in love with polenta while working on proposals in Italy.

Thank you for telling us a little about yourself and your work, Ed Benjamin, perhaps, you will come back after you have finished your next project: Redemption, isn’t it?

PS: You can read more about ex-USAF Ed Benjamin’s featured book: Harry’s War by clicking this link: Harry’s War

 

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American versus English

Published by Owen Jones on 30 July 2018

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American Versus English

American versus English

American versus English

I have had a hard week one way and another, but mostly because of the way different people have a different take on things or even life, I suppose. A lot of it has had to do with language, I think, American versus English and perhaps something to do with gender

This last week, I have had ‘difficulties’ with four American women. Basically, they think that I’ve been rude to them, and I think that they have overreacted to me. I can furnish examples.

A woman responded to my appeal for short stories about Asia(ns). She replied that she wasn’t Asian, and I said that that didn’t matter, the condition referred to the story not the writer. She had first said she had a story, but when I replied as above, she wrote, ‘Right, I’m out of the loop then’.

To a Brit, using ‘right’ in this context makes it sound as if there has been an argument and she has left in a huff, yet I cannot see why she would do that. A simple, ‘Thanks for the offer, but I’ve changed my mind’ would have been more British. Did she think I was being rude? I don’t know, but I do know that her reaction seems over the top to me.

Another, I accidentally posted on a group page on Facebook. I was told, ‘Refrain from doing that…’. I said it had been a mistake and complained that that she made me sound like a serial offender. She flew off the handle, saying she wasn’t ‘in the mood to deal with me’.

I have no idea where she is coming from.

A feature is that all of these women emphasized how ‘cool’ they were, but that I’d better not rile them. That doesn’t sound very cool to me, it sounds like they’re looking for an excuse to boil over.

British women, American and British men, both sexes of all other nations (bar one person) and most American women I email, I get on well with.

Another example of American versus English, last week, a male American writer friend, told me that his book had been ‘slated’ on a famous website, so I commiserated about trolls. He quickly pointed out that ‘slated’ in the US version of English means lauded. Great! However, the point is that he didn’t jump down my throat like some of his female counterparts. He recognised the American versus English difference, and dealt with it.

An ex US Marine told me yesterday that a section of American female society was making it hard going for men because of their aggression, although he had no idea of my recent experiences.

Coincidence? I don’t believe in them. This is obviously a big problem in the USA, which is being exported via the Internet. These women are not ‘cool’, as they profess to be, they’re as taut as a tow rope on a tailhook!

However, I could live with all that, if they just considered for one moment that the form of English that they speak is not the only one in the world and that comradeship, if not friendship, should be factored in, if they are as cool as they say. I have a sneaky suspicion that these gender warriors have never left their continent and rarely speak to foreigners.

Churchill was right, two nations divided by a common language, but now exacerbated by an unwillingness to listen to what someone is saying instead of how they say it. After all, every good linguist know that you have to translate ideas, not words.

I despair.

Oh, on the American versus English debate, but Australian, I like how the Australian prime minister expressed himself! He told the American actor via the world media that it was time his pooches ‘buggered off back to Los Angeles’.

I like it, I like it, I like it! No pussy-footing about, no PC flim-flam, no ambiguity – just straight-talking. There should be more of it, and he should have fined the bloke $1m and given it to the dog shelters or animal rights organisations.

On a far lighter note, I think I saw one of the rare birds fly out of the nest I mentioned a few days ago. I couldn’t be certain, but I hope it was one of them. Otherwise it must have been a different type of brown bird checking out their abandoned nest. Anyway, I have got my broken camera into a condition that I will take photos next time one of them puts in an appearance.

– Update I just saw one of them again! –

The temperature dropped ten degrees today to thirty-five, let’s see how long it takes for the monsoon to arrive.

All the best,

Owen

PS: If anyone feels upset after reading this piece on American versus English languages, it was not my intention, so read it again.

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Podcast: American versus English

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Citibank and Gambling

Published by Owen Jones on 21 July 2018

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Citibank and Gambling

Citibank and Gambling

Citibank and Gambling

I have had my main bank account with the American giant financial organization Citibank for thirty years, but have spent more than half that time abroad and had very little contact with them, which suited both me and, I think, them perfectly. Anyway, whatever, Citibank never gave me cause for complaint, and indeed, allowed me to keep my account even after they found out that I had moved abroad to live (which my three British banks did not).

That happy situation lasted until a week ago.

We have moved back to the UK, so one of the first things my Thai wife wanted to do after hearing about it, was try her luck at the National Lottery.

Unfortunately, she only heard about it when we had arrived home and were fifteen minutes walk from the the nearest shop we could buy a ticket.

Still, undeterred, I knew that we could buy our national lottery tickets online, so I tried that.

However, the National Lottery kept reporting that an error was being generated by Citibank, so, with thirty minutes to go, I contacted them by phone.

The young American gentleman was very polite and seemingly desperate to resolve my problem, but time was ticking on.

“All sorted out, sir”, he told me and I rang off.

However, nothing had changed, so, I had to phone back. Miraculously, I got the same person and he remembered me.

American Morality

“I’m sorry about this, sir”, he said, “but I can resolve this payment problem by entering the transaction manually. One second… whom are you trying to send the money to?”

“The National Lottery”, I replied.

“Oh,” he said sheepishly, “then that is the problem”.

“What is?” I asked bewildered.

“Citibank does not condone gambling…”

“I’m not asking Citibank to gamble”, I said. “I just want to use MY money in MY country to buy a lottery ticket in THE NATIONAL LOTTERY that was established by OUR democratically elected government!”

“Yes, I understand”, he replied, “but I cannot sanction the transfer. Sorry…”

“You (expletive) what?” I asked as pointedly as I could.

“I’m sorry, sir, but I am offended by strong language…”

“I don’t give a shit what you are offended by!” I blurted out. “What offends me is private American companies coming over here imposing their morality on us! It’s like bloody Afghanistan, Iraq and Syria but without the violence! Be a small-minded prick in your own country, but don’t think you can go abroad and preach your crap!

“Perhaps your high and mighty bank should have learned this lesson before they went gambling on sub-prime mortgages with their clients’ money! Bloody hypocrites!”

“I understand”, he said rather forlorn.

“Expect my account to be closed within the week!” I promised.

We parted company, and I will never give American companies the benefit of the doubt again – an alternative from any country will get preference from now on – especially where Citigroup and Citibank is concerned.

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All the best,

Owen

Podcast: Citibank and Gambling

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British Bureaucracy

Published by Owen Jones on 30 June 2018

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British Bureaucracy

British Bureaucracy

British Bureaucracy

My Thai wife and I arrived back in the UK for the first time in five years last Wednesday, so our first encounter with British bureaucracy was at Rhoose airport’s immigration. My wife was coming in on a five-year Spanish Residency Card, and the official had never seen an Asian with one before. The poor man didn’t know what to do, so he gave her a six-month visa.

A friend coming in six months ago in exactly the same circumstances, obtained an open-ended right to remain for his wife, but they could also have given her ninety days (I think). ‘Get her residency as soon as you can’, he said to me quietly.

The following Friday, I went to the Job Centre to see about a National Insurance number for her. The official turned to his computer, and I waited while he called up the right page. After ten minutes, I asked whether there was a problem. ‘No’, he replied, ‘I’m just Googling how to apply for a new NI number’.

I couldn’t believe my ears! British bureaucracy… even civil servants, now have to use an American search engine to find the correct government policy! It doesn’t sound right to me. I wanted to ask whether they still receive training, but civil servants are not renowned for their sense of humour.

It turns out that we have to travel fifty miles to make the application!

So, that left residency to sort out, and to get more information, we visited the local Citizen’s Advice Centre (C.A.B.). The man took one look at the stamp in my wife’s passport and left to discuss the matter with his supervisor. ‘I’m sorry’, he said, ‘but this is way over our heads. We can’t even understand how you got this far!’.

‘Research, hard work and perseverance’, I replied.

‘We can only suggest that you go to see an immigration lawyer’, he said offering me a list to choose from.

I declined it, and left, thinking how sad it was that the C.A.B. had degenerated into a mere funnel for the local branch of the legal profession… especially since legal aid has been abolished.

What sort of a country have I brought my wife back to?

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All the best,

Owen

Podcast: British Bureaucracy

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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Published by Owen Jones on 20 May 2018

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The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

Originally by Washington Irving

Abridged by Fiza Pathan and Michelangelo Zane

Illustrated by Farzana Cooper

Reviewed by Barry Boy

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow by Fiza Pathan and Michelangelo Zane is a rewrite, an abridged version of the 1799 American classic by Washington Irving, and illustrated by Farzana Cooper.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is set in Tarry Town on the eastern shores of the Hudson River. We are told that it acquired its name from the women of the town, because their men spent too much time in the inns and that the area and its inhabitants were prone to ideas, thoughts and visualisations of a supernatural nature, one of which was that of a headless horseman.

Most of the story involves an impoverished out-of-town teacher, who decides that his prospects would be greatly improved, if he could persuade one of his young pupils, the beautiful heiress xxx to marry him. However, this upsets several local youths, who think that they should have the first crack of the whip. The teacher seems to be impervious to this conflict of interest though, and that forms the crux of this story.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow is written in the third-person and in a slightly archaic style, which only enhances the rhythm and appeal of the story. I am sure that there must have been a temptation to bring the language up to date, but I am glad that they resisted it. Having said that, I do not think that the target audience, children, will have any trouble with it either. Indeed, it may even encourage some children to read older, say, classical texts. Despite the quirky old dialogue and often descriptive, somewhat jocular narrative, The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been edited very well, which is always a plus-point.

The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been professionally produced, and, according to sleeve notes, is part of a planned series which includes classics from Britain, Russia and the USA, making the proposed series international in character.

Abridged, and film, versions are often looked down on, but I think that this version of The Legend of Sleepy Hollow has been well executed. Friends tell me that the 1999 film version was good too, but I haven’t seen it.

Nevertheless, I give The Legend of Sleepy Hollow abridged version by Fiza Pathan and Michelangelo Zane, and excellently illustrated by Farzana Cooper, five stars out of five, and look forward to reading the next one.

Podcast: The Legend of Sleepy Hollow

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Luxury

Published by Owen Jones on 30 June 2015
Luxury

Luxury

Luxury

If buying books is a luxury, which it probably is, then the USA is doing far better than the UK, no matter what Cameron says. For the last six months, Americans have been buying more of my books every month and Brits fewer. Now, in June 2015, American sales of my books are at an all-time (3 year) high and British sales are at a twelve-month low. Other than that, June was pretty poor anyway. Does that ring true with your view of the consumption of luxury goods, whatever you perceive them to be?

Since I last said that I was going to send my latest novel to a few agents, I have edited it and re- edited it at least three times, and tomorrow I will be ready to send it off, so please wish me luck.

The jungle telegraph told my wife today that two falang (Thai for Caucasians) had been seen walking around the village. I met them this evening, Frank and his son. He’s been coming here for about as long as iI have lived here, eleven years and his brother had a house in the village about twenty years ago.

I wonder why they didn’t just tell Neem that Frank was back over? It’s strange here sometimes.

The funeral is still going on. I love the music and the singing. This one is a special wake, because they seem to have live singers and musicians, not just CD’s like most families. It’s a luxury do. I have stayed in the pub/shop an hour later for the last four nights partly out of respect and partly because I love the music and singing.

Neem and two of her friends massacred the flowers, bushes and trees in our garden three days ago. It is the most brutal form of pruning I’ve ever seen and she carries it out every couple of years, as far as I can remember, but today, after only three days, there are green shoots and leaves everywhere.

Thailand, or at least where we live, is so fertile it’s quite unbelievable to a man from South Wales.

It’s a luxury that we don’t enjoy back in Wales.

All the best.

Owen

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Podcast: Luxury

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