About My Blog Posts

I use my blog posts to let people see what I am thinking and what I like. There are book reviews, author reviews and writing tips, and just stuff that interests me. You may notice that some of the books I have reviewed are older books, books from the 80s and 90s. The reason I reviewed these books is because as I read them, they excited me and stirred my imagination. In fact, it is those books from the 80s and 90s, that got me interested in writing. When I read books by authors like Dean Koontz, Robin Cook, Stephen King, Michael Palmer, they made me want to get down on paper, all of the stories I had in my head.

Here’s a bit of personal history. Several years back, I was a geologist in the oil industry. During that time in the industry, I worked in Angola, Africa. While it was not an isolated office, by today’s standards, it was bleak. With no television, no movies and no way to even go walking outside of our small, walled and guarded compound, it was restricted. Our compound was guarded by armed Cuban guards. I was never quite sure if they were there to keep the rebels out or us in.

But, with not much to do in the little free time we had, I read – a lot. We worked 28 days on and 28 days off. When I flew over to Angola, to begin my 28 days on, I would bring 5 or 6, maybe even more books with me. I always finished them and would normally be looking for something else. It was during those 28 days on, that I got addicted to the adventures that came in the books I was reading. One of the first books I picked up was Salem’s Lot. Salem’s Lot was much more than gore and horror. It was as deep suspense as I have ever read. After reading that book, I was hooked on that genre. Then, I read books by Dean Koontz. I loved the immediacy in the way he begins his books. Some of his books hooked me with the first line, in the first chapter. That was how I learned that as I wrote, I should begin a book a chapter even a scene -- fast and with a punch. I have always tried to get the reader involved as deeply and as quickly as I could.

So, that is what goes into my thinking with my Blog Posts. I show the Blog reader an insight into the things I like and things that have inspired me. Over all, things that make me happy.