Wednesday, November 26, 2014

THANKSGIVING

As another Thanksgiving Day is almost here, it makes me look back over my life. What do I have to be thankful for? I grew up a country boy in the Pocono Mountains of Pennsylvania. Those early years were tough but they have some of my fondest memories. I walked many miles in the forest around me. It was so peaceful. I would often sit on a rock and watch a herd of deer or smile as some squirrels were playing nearby. I remember my dad's horse named, Sugar. I remember having a pet squirrel, a pet raccoon and a pet deer. Many people have no idea what it like to have those things.

I think back to my time in the military. I served in Texas, Florida, and the Philippines. Yes, I was a young man traveling half way around the world. What would it be like I wondered? I remember landing at Clark AFB in the Philippines in the middle of the night. It was so hot and I was taken to a barracks to get some sleep. I woke up and flew out of my bed as I saw I was sharing it with a lizard, hahahaha. It is funny now, but not then. Yes, the Philippines, I was far away from home. It was in the Airmen's Club on base that I met a beautiful young Filipino woman. Her name, Dominga, that I soon started calling her by her nickname. It was a love at first sight. I spent 27 months in the Philippines as a crew chief and a flight mechanic. I got to fly to many primitive places in the Philippines that other people dream about. It was in the country of over 7,000 islands that I married, Lina. In less than a month it will be 44 years we have been together through the good times and the bad times.

I am thankful for our two children, Thomas who was active in the school bands and was on the swimming team. Thomas decided to make the Marine Corps his career. He spent 20 years as a Marine and served 3 tours of duty in Iraq. He has now retired from the Marine Corps and works for the US government, living in Okinawa. Our other child, Leonor was into majorettes and the school band. She was drum major in her senior year. Ever since Leonor could pick up a crayon she knew art was her passion. She graduated from Kutztown University in Pennsylvania. She has continued to make art a career as an artist and a graphic designer. Her paintings and sketches are truly fabulous. Two children in my life that my wife and I are very proud of and thankful to have in our lives.

I am thankful for my career working in manufacturing and building maintenance. I have worked on parts that have been for guidance systems of missiles, parts that have gone in the space shuttle, parts for patriot missile launchers, parts for  missile launchers on nuclear submarines. I developed a riveting process for a part that my company tried unsuccessfully to manufacture for 30 years. I am thankful that I developed a process to rivet that part. It made me feel proud to do something that many others failed to do. I also worked in a library as a maintenance supervisor. I always had a love for books, but working in the library was just amazing. It brought the writer out in me. I have been published in Our USA Magazine and I am now having my second novel published.

I am thankful that I am now retired and can take life a little easy. I write when I want, take walks with my dog, I go to bed when I want and get up when I want. Getting old seems bad to many people, but not to me. I love life and as long as I love life I am thankful. I have many friends in my life, I have my facebook friends that I will probably never meet in person, but I am thankful that they are a part of my life.

Memories, friends, a wife of almost 44 years, 2 great children, and 5 grand kids. I am thankful for a lot of things in my life and I will be thinking of all of them as I eat my Thanksgiving dinner.


Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

DID I MISS MY CALLING

I turned 66 not long ago and I continue to look back over my life. One of the things that I think of often is, did I choose the right career path? I ended up in manufacturing because that is the path that my father and
brother took. Was it the right choice? Now at this age I don't think it was where I wanted to go. I really wanted to be a forest ranger because my heart is and always will be with nature.

I think it was about half way through my life that after reading a book I would often wonder if I had the talent to do such a thing. It kept pressing more and more on my mind. I would write some short stories of my life just for the fun of it. I would read them over and over. I couldn't help but wonder if anyone else would be interested in reading them. In my late 50s I started to submit articles to magazines. When I reached fourteen rejections it hit me that maybe I just didn't have the talent to be a writer. I gave it one more try to a magazine titled, Our USA Magazine. Cher Valentino, the founder and editor of the magazine loved my story and published it in the magazine. I was now on cloud nine, seeing one of my stories in print made me feel like I could make it as a writer. Cher published several more of my stories. She has been an inspiration to me in continuing my writing.

Because of her I wrote my first novel, Golden Haze. In a way it was a tribute to my late dog Izzy that died in 2004. I loved that dog so much and was devastated when she died. When I wrote, Golden Haze, I made Izzy the main character and had a photo of her put on the front cover. In the book she was an angel that helps a family through the struggles of injury, disease, and paranormal activity in their home. In real life Izzy was my little angel.

That fiction novel set a fire under me like I have never felt in my life. I have now written two more novels and one is being published as I write this. Story telling is an art, a passion. I can't stand up in front of a crowd like many people can, but I can write the words. I love writing and I love telling a good story. Life is an adventure, each year is another chapter. I am up there in years now, but my mind and heart are of someone half my age.

Now as I look back over my life I realize it was a good one and I made a decent living. However, I have to wonder what would have happened had I started writing earlier in my life. At this point in my life, I think I did miss my calling. We can't go back in time and we have to be thankful for what we have. However, I really do wish I had started writing earlier in my life. I love it and people should do in their lives what they love.


Larry W. Fish   Copyright   2014

Wednesday, October 15, 2014

VOTE

It is amazing to me that the United States of America has the lowest percentage of voter turnout of any wealthy country. I hear it almost every day someone saying, "There is no point in voting, my vote doesn't count." In my opinion that is a stupid statement. Just think if one million people had that same feeling. One million votes would surely make a huge difference.

I am down on many democrats and many republicans, however there are good people in both parties. However, they have lost their way and vote party lines no matter what. I have heard people say, "My parents have always voted republican and so will I." Years ago I got tired of democrat and republican candidates and went from a registered democrat to unaffiliated. I don't belong to any party and never
will again. I listen to all candidates and vote for the one that I feel is best.

What bothers me the most though is that 58 countries of the world had a higher percentage of voting age people vote in their last presidential election. Uruguay had 96.1%, Ecuador 90.8%, and Brazil 77.3%. Just imagine if the US had that high of a percentage of people voting. It would change American politics in a way that we have never seen before. I know some countries do have compulsory voting.

In 2008, 57.5% of the eligible age voters voted in the presidential election. In 2010 only 36.9% voted in a mid-term election. In 2012, 53.9% voted in the presidential election. The republican party is now trying to make it harder for people to vote. This is wrong, people should be encouraged to vote. My feeling is, if you don't vote then don't complain. I hear many people tell me what is wrong in the US. When I ask them if they vote, they say no. Well if you don't vote then, don't complain.

We have a mid-term election coming up in less than three weeks. It could change the lives of millions of Americans. This is the time to vote. If you are registered vote. If you aren't registered and still can then register and vote. Voting is a right that every American should take seriously.


Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014


Saturday, September 27, 2014

BE THANKFUL

In a few days I will be 66 years old. Yes, another birthday is approaching and it gives me time to look back over my life. Would I have done anything to change it? I think that everyone in their life would make changes if they had it to do over again.

However, I have so many things in my life to be thankful for. I grew up a country boy and had nature all around me. It was a tough childhood, but also in many ways rewarding. I got to spend much time in the forest and learned to love and respect animals and nature at an early age. That feeling has never left me. In my heart I will always be a country boy.

When I got our of high school I went to work in a factory that did much work for the government. It was the time during the Vietnam War. As many of my friends were getting drafted, I felt it was time to enlist in the military. The owner of the factory told me one day that since we did much government work he could get me out of the military. I told him no, it was my duty to serve. I would never be considered a draft dodger. I enlisted in the U.S. Air Force and spent time in Texas, Florida, and the Philippines.

Here I sit at the computer now thinking what would have happened if I had listened to my boss. I would have never ended up in the Philippines and I never would have met a beautiful young woman that worked in the Airmen's Club on Clark AFB in the Philippines. I never would have got married and had a son and a daughter by my wife Lina. In December of this year we will celebrate 44 years of marriage.

When I got out of the Air Force I went to work for a short while for Ronson Corporation. My main job was to put flint tubes in cigarette lighters. I only worked for them a couple of months before I got a job working for General Electric. That factory made carbon brushes for motors and generators. It was dirty, extremely dirty but paid well. The downfall was that I worked many holidays including, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's. The pay was great, but between the dirt and the hours I left after 4 1/2 years.

Through the following years I worked in other machine shops and and factories. It was often stressful work but paid well. Some of the things I worked on was gold drums that went in guidance systems for missiles, hoists for shrimp boats, parts for the space shuttle, parts for the stealth bomber, parts for missile launchers on nuclear submarines. I was proud of much I accomplished, it made me feel patriotic and proud.

When I first got out of the Air Force I had a chance to get my pilots license at the local airport. I turned it down because I was at that time working about 70 hours a week at GE. The government would have paid 90%. Not becoming a pilot has been the biggest regret of my life.

I look back over my life and I am thankful for what I have, a wife, two children, and five grand kids.
I have a little adopted dog that gives me smiles every day. A roof over my head. Food in my stomach. I have been a published author. Dreams that every day the world will get better.

Yes, I complain about politics, traffic, pollution, and many things other people complain about, but I am happy in my life and that is what counts. I have many friends in my personal life and on Facebook. In a few days I will be 66, and I look forward to getting up everyday. It is just another chapter in my life and I think I have quite a few chapters left until I reach that final chapter.


Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014

Tuesday, September 2, 2014

PROOFREADING

You have just finished that novel and you want to get it to a publisher as soon as you can. You have read over your novel and you think everything is perfect and that is the way you want it. You contact a publisher and soon the copy of your book is in your hands. Have you made a wise choice by rushing it to a publisher? My answer to that is yes, you have made a big mistake. The same mistake that I made on my first novel, Golden Haze.

An author needs to have their work proofread by someone other than yourself. Someone else will pick out many mistakes that you do not see yourself. I know to have it professionally proofread is very expensive and many authors are working on a shoestring budget, myself included. When I wrote my second and third novels, I didn't have the funds to get it professionally proofread. My daughter is very good in grammar and punctuation. I was lucky to have her and she was glad to do it for me. My daughter caught many errors that I didn't see myself. I now have two novels that I will be getting self-published in the months to come.

I now feel that I will end up with the best work possible. If you don't have the money to get it professionally proofread, then you may well have a friend who is good at grammar and punctuation. Have them read your manuscript, look for errors, and suggest changes.

When my next novels get in print I want them to be the best they can possibly be. An author puts much time into their work and is doing something they are proud of. I am writing this blog post because I had someone tell me that they read a book that was self-published and they said it was poorly written and confusing. Spelling, grammar, and punctuation are so important to a writer.

If you wish to read my first novel. It is, Golden Haze, and is available on amazon.com or can be ordered at any book store in the US. It has received good reviews on amazon. It is the story of a four legged angel that helps a family through the struggles of injury, disease, and paranormal activity in their home. The dog pictured on the front cover was my actual dog, Izzy.


Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014


Thursday, August 7, 2014

FRUSTRATION

The life of an unknown author is one of frustration. I have a novel that I worked on for 1 1/2 years. I put my heart and soul into it. I had one novel self-published a few years ago and this time I wanted to go the traditional route in getting published. I sent out query letter after query letter, sample chapters after sample chapters and I got the same replies back from agents.

It was always, "No, I'm going to pass." or "It doesn't fit into what I am looking for." or "I considered it, but then decided I wouldn't go with it." Other agents did not even bother to answer back. They would put on their websites something like, "If you don't hear back from us in three months, then we're not interested."
An unknown author is caught between a rock and a hard place. Most top publishers won't talk with an author directly. They want you to get an agent.

No one wants to give an unknown author a chance in the traditional publishing world. Agents have told me right out that they take on less than 1% of projects. With many agents they want to know if you have been previously published. So you can't get published if you don't have an agent and you can't get an agent if you
haven't been published. For first time authors, it is an uphill battle that never seems to end.

Yesterday I received two rejections from agents. In almost a year of trying to get an agent, that brings my total of rejections to 62. I have kept positive for as long as I can and I now have to face reality. I have had friends ask me when my next novel will be published. Is it fair to them and to myself to keep my novels from them? I don't think it is any longer. I am now searching for a self publisher that doesn't charge an arm and a leg. Many of them want astronomical prices to get published. I have found a few that is within reason, if I wish to go with them.

Then I got to thinking. I read that there are about 750,000 manuscripts submitted each year and less than 3% get published the traditional way. Many of those manuscripts will never get published at all. They will sit in someone's drawer on on their computer forever. I wonder how many of those manuscripts are great stories. I bet many of them are. It is a shame that people that love to read will never get to see them.

I feel that it is not my loss that I can't get published the traditional way. I feel it is the loss of the agents, the publishers, and people who love to read. My readers will get to read my novels. If they like them I hope they tell others. If they don't like them I hope they tell me. I write from the heart and when I tell a story I want the reader to get a smile on their face, a tear in their eye, or a chill down their spine.

I know many other authors who are going through the same thing that I am. I feel their frustration just as I do.
It is a tough business, but I will not give up. I think I am meant to write stories and as long as I have people that want to read them I will keep writing. I now have two completed novels that I want to share.


Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014

Wednesday, July 23, 2014

A GUT FEELING

I have two completed novels that I am trying to get an agent for to represent me. It is a frustrating process as many authors are aware of. Even great works have been rejected many times. For authors that are trying to break into the business it is an almost impossible task.

At the present time my first novel has been rejected by 43 agents and my second novel has been rejected by 6 agents. Many people would give up at this point and throw in the towel. However, I am not one of those people that gets discouraged easily.

I send out many query letters to different agents and I was thrilled this weekend when I sent a query letter and the first chapter of my last novel to an agent. This agent was listed on the Internet. I received a reply back in a matter of minutes saying that she wanted to read my full manuscript. At that point I was on cloud nine. My dream was becoming a reality. I sent an email back asking if she wanted the novel single spaced or double spaced. She immediately replied back and said it didn't matter, just send it any way that I wanted.

Writers who contact agents know they are very particular and want everything just a certain way. This threw up a red flag to me that something didn't seem right. I did some research on the Internet and found out that this agent was in Boston, moved to Florida, and now is in New Jersey. I got in contact with a woman that researched this agent extensively. She said this agent goes by two different names and she couldn't find out where the agent had made any sales. The agent also wanted my manuscript exclusively and didn't want me to give it to anyone else until she had read it.

Going from a high point to a low point happened in a matter of minutes. Naturally I did not send my full manuscript to this agent. It just didn't seem right and appeared to be a scam. I am frustrated that this deal didn't work out for me, but I am very relieved that I didn't make the mistake of sending my manuscript to an agent that goes by an alias and apparently is unqualified to represent someone.

Now I am back to sending out more query letters to agents that I know are much more qualified. Anyone seeking an agent beware of the unqualified and the ones out to scam someone.


Copyright   Larry W. Fish   2014