There are different meanings for the word “trading“. Many would think of a stock broker who acts as an agent for people buying and selling commodities. Perhaps futures, (a scary way to make money), or junk bonds, (as risky as getting married), or the fantasies to be found in hedge funds, (a group action combining…

Surely it comes as no surprise to any of our readers to hear I’m a “pet peeve” kind of guy. One thing that gets my hackles up, (okay, one among many; give it a rest, huh?), is our language. For starters, we don’t speak “English” in this country. We speak American.

To my knowledge, the only one of our readers who speaks “English” is a little…

Some winners, the most fortunate among them, never really lose in the first place. Those people decide to forsake the pain of losing and do whatever it takes to avoid that fate. Most of us have to acquire the motivation first. Nothing will teach the dissatisfaction and pain to be found in losing as well as defeat.…

The motivation to talk about resisting bullies came from a FaceBook friend who was tired of being pushed around by people she knows. Boyfriend, co-employees, even some of those in her social circle.

Because of the way I was brought up, I learned early about dealing with bullies. I was also warned by a bar brawler uncle, in no…

I say premature because I pray my books aren't stillborn. Most of my books are not published - although I'm lumping all three Pazuzu Trilogy books under the same title. Splitting apart the trilogy will make my unpublished versus self-published ratio 50/50. That seemed a fine point where I could take a breath and see where I've been.

I've got two groups - my…

One of our readers asked me to talk about what and how the homeless eat.

“Bill, recently the city of Houston’s city council went to regulate volunteers, non-profits and the organizations that feed people who live on the street. I think they make it so hard for those when they are “looking…

Some time ago, I wrote a blog titled: "Who Is In Your Mirror?"

Today, I want to reprint it here. But first, I want to make the following observations.

For many authors, especially first-time authors, the hope—the dream is that their first novel or book will set the world on fire; trike the motherlode;…

There was a precedent set a couple years back, in 1955, the last film of a movie star named James Dean. He was among the original “rock stars” who had women across the country going nuts just by hearing his name. His big movie was called…

My story The Midwestern Days of Noah is complete. I've sent my unsolicited query off to a publisher who promised on its webpage that I'll likely know within six months. That reminds me a couple other of my submissions I made to publishers have expired and I still haven't heard anything. One publisher has a database I can log into and check the status of my submissions.

I have, and well, my book hasn't budged since I submitted the story in December. It's not…

This is a true Reality Show, except your comment on some will be, “Unreal!”

Veterans winter shelter opens … A winter shelter…

This’ll help catch you up on all the exciting events in the homeless community. You might want a box of tissue on hand.

Man sought in homicide investigation … San Diego police homicide detectives have asked for the public’s help to find a man who was seen in the area where a homeless man…

Do you remember Br’er Rabbit? It was part of the Uncle Remus story collection about a rabbit who was seen as a Smart Aleck by Br’er Fox. It started way back in 1881, a few years before another similar feature came on the scene, The…

This post won’t make any sense to those of you who’ve never made a mistake. Well, even if that sole mistake was marrying me, you know what I mean. However, for those of you who are mortal, therefore fallible, it may even evoke some sympathy.

Have you ever noticed how incredibly accurate hindsight can be? We can look back on the most…

Some of the recent reader comments are favorable, even laudatory, over my choice of topics. I appreciate that, of course, and am very pleased to know I’ve selected issues that interest the readers of this blog. However, unless you’re one of my ex-wives, you don’t believe I’m all knowing … or even that I think I am.

A large part of the…

“I know it’s hard to understand what it is like to be persecuted.” The minister began as he quietly cleared his throat. “We live in a society that is safe and secure and we have homes and jobs.”

            This was the second time in two months I had heard this kind of message from clergy. I had to literally hold myself in the pew to keep from running to the front of the sanctuary and telling each pastor they were wrong! We are at War!

            Lack of understanding about…

We have a tendency, as people, to ask the experts for advice in areas of uncertainty. When we don’t know the answer, we tend to seek out those who specialize in that field to get their take on it. It should come as no surprise to anyone we have experts in the field of facing what could be certain death who don’t even get tense when the time…

Over the past few weeks, I've experienced a bout of writer's block combined with geographical block. With the plot for my next novel firmly planted in my head, I simply couldn't make the ideas flow. So I added a new character and plot line and forged ahead. In the end, it was the vastness of China's northwest blocked me at every turn. I received the following advice: keep on writing every day even if only to write "I have writer's block. I have writer's block." Soon the ideas started flowing…

A teddy bear fulfills many of the requirements a child has: small enough to go anywhere; fuzzy ears for secrets; a soft body to cuddle when the house makes spooky noises at night.

Until April 1, enter for a chance to win a signed copy of my book, Amelia Frump and her Peanut Butter Loving, Overactive Imagination, and a huggable, teddy bear. 

Please visit my website for more details and a chance to win!…

A teddy bear fulfills many of the requirements a child has: small enough to go anywhere; fuzzy ears for secrets; a soft body to cuddle when the house makes spooky noises at night.

Until April 1, enter for a chance to win a signed copy of my book, Amelia Frump and her Peanut Butter Loving, Overactive Imagination, and a huggable, teddy bear. 

Please visit my website for more details and a chance to win!…

The hunt for Nazi fortunes had begun before the WWII was over. The coalition intelligence services had information about the Germans plunder in the conquered Europe, and had made, far in advance, preparations for recovering it. After collapse of the Third Reich, the investigation was extensive but, as facts indicates, far from being adequate for this monumental task. The theft was enormous; thousands, if not hundreds of thousands individuals had opportunities to stole whatever valuables they…