Blaming Barack

In a recent editorial letter, a man in Texas wrote that Barack Obama's candidacy for president has contributed mightily to the Wall Street meltdown. He further writes that the market is listening to both candidates and is frightened by the prospect of an Obama victory. A vote for Mr. McCain is a vote on behalf of your 401K.

A while back I decided that I should no longer read the advice columnists in the newspaper so my blood pressure would stay down withing normal ranges. Maybe I should do the same for letters to the editor.

How anyone can truly believe one man has that kind of power over the market is beyond me. Then to play on the fears of people by saying the only way to protect our savings is to vote for McCain is despicable. I don't know if that is worse than the way some people exploited our fears of "the other" back when they were trying to protect society from integration.

Come on, folks. Don't listen to fear mongering.

Ulterior Motives?

In the Dallas Morning News Sunday, a man wrote that Colin Powell had ulterior motives when he endorsed Obama for President. In the letter to the editor, the man wrote that Powell was convinced that his legacy has been sullied by his association with the Bush administration, "Mr. Powell jumped on the bandwagon very late and only after he was convinced that Mr. Obama would win."

Then the writer speculated as to what future job awaits Powell for this endorsement, as well as how much relief he must feel after giving in to pressure from the African-American community.

I couldn't believe what I was reading. First of all, how could this writer presume to know what was motivating Powell's decision. And to assume that he gave in to pressure was a clear indication that he does not know much about Powell.

If ever there was a man who did not give in to pressure, it is he.

If ever there was a man who did not give a rat's ptooey about his future in politics, it is he.

And if ever there was a man who would not endorse somebody just because of the color of his skin, it is Colin Powell. He has always struck me as one who takes the measure of a man or woman based on integrity and values, not the depth of pigmentation.

A New Interview

Emma Larkins has an interview with me on her blog http://emmalarkins.blogspot.com/

This one covers a little bit of how I got into screenwriting. Stop on over if you are interested. Emma is what she terms "an emerging writer" and she is a fun person with lots of interesting things on her blog.

I Once Was Bummed, but Now I'm Not

Had one of those really crappy days when nothing seemed to work right. Wanted to do an article proposal first thing this morning - one that I have been putting off for weeks. Stared at my blank screen for about a half hour, then said, " Phooey!" Well, actually, something a bit stronger than Phooey, but I want to keep this "G" rated.

So then I thought I'd do some book promoting. Pulled up an old list of e-mail addresses from folks who had contacted me about one thing or another and sent out some cheery little messages about my new books. Most of them came back because the e-mail addresses were out of date. And most of them were just a year old. Guess not everyone hangs on to the same e-mail addy as long as I do. Sigh.

Then I ended up doing invoices for advertisers on WinnsboroToday.com. One of the least fun aspects of my job there. I had the invoices all neatly stacked up with the corresponding envelopes, when I dropped the pile and they fell all over my office floor. I like jigsaw puzzles, but I really have to be in the mood.

I picked them all up to sort later and decided I'd do a quick blog before I go take care of my animals. Came here and saw that I have a follower. My very first. I'm so excited. Somebody loves me even though I'm a klutz and have some days when I'm better off knitting than writing.

Your Laugh For Today

Here is another guest blog from a talented jazz musician, who also has a deft hand with writing humor. He shares a weekly column with readers at winnsborotoday.com, and also graciously allows me to share with readers here. Enjoy.


Peanut M&Ms Anonymous

Hello, my name is Tracy, I’m addicted to Peanut M&Ms, but I haven't had any for 13 hours and 22 minutes.

"Hello Tracy, and welcome to the group."

Thanks. To be honest, I was reluctant to come here at first because I didn't actually think I had a problem. I thought I could control my desire to eat Peanut M&Ms by myself, but I was wrong.

"Tell us your story, Tracy. You're among friends."

Well, I can say I'm luckier than most. Some kids are born with the need to eat M&Ms because their mothers ate M&Ms while they were pregnant. Even though the doctors warn and often beg these mothers to stop eating M&Ms during pregnancy, they don't listen. And then they have M&M babies -- newborns just twitching with the need to eat something round and chocolate. Luckily, that was not my case.

For me, my addiction started when I was quite young. I was hooked the first time I saw M&Ms, tore open a package and let them melt in my mouth and not in my hands. Those were just the plain chocolate kind -- the kind kids love -- but as I grew older and my tastes grew more mature, I naturally gravitated to Peanut M&Ms.

The first time I popped a Peanut M&M, my universe just sort of exploded with new possibilities. I could see things more clearly. I could understand things that I never understood before. It was like my senses were attuned to higher and more sensitive levels. And once you pop one, you have to pop another to keep that high going.

It wasn't long before I found myself buying a bag of Peanut M&Ms and eating the entire thing without even realizing it. And I'm not talking about the little $1 bag you get out of a vending machine. I'm talking about the family-size, 6-pound bag that costs almost $12 and should last a lifetime.

It finally hit me that I had a problem when my little girl said she needed new shoes and I told her I didn't have any money, when in fact I did. I was saving that money to score me another bag of M&Ms before the weekend. And that's why I’m here at this meeting.

I’ve tried stopping cold turkey, but it's just too hard. I figured with help, and with belonging to a group of people who have suffered through the same problem and survived, that maybe I, with support, could pick myself up, dust myself off, and start all over again.

But, maybe I should start slowly. Maybe I should only eat a small bag a day and ease off this addiction gradually.

Maybe this was a bad idea.

Is there a vending machine around here?

And can somebody loan me a dollar?


The Daily Spittoon -- All the flavor but with half the calories.

Want My Vote?

Looks like we dodged the bullet one more time and the whole global financial system is not going to implode after all. The stock market has recovered somewhat, and banks are getting assistance from government. The financial life of the world goes on.

But have we learned anything from this near-disaster? Is anything going to change in the way business is conducted? Are we going to continue to over spend, over borrow, over speculate, and over lend?

And what is this bailout going to do to the national debt?

The money has to come from somewhere, and since we are already borrowing millions, maybe billions, to cover the cost of government, the cost of the war, the cost of social services, where is this extra money coming from?

I am not an economist, and some people may find my approach to global economy a bit too simplified, but I'm savvy enough to know that borrowing to solve the banking problem is a short-term fix with some serious long-term negative effects.

So, to me, balancing the federal budget has become the primary issue for the coming election and is what the government should be focused on for the foreseeable future.

And may I make a suggestion to the next president-elect, why not cancel 95 percent of the inaugural ceremonies and parties that cost millions of dollars, and ask the lobbyists who pay for most of the parties to donate those millions to the cause of saving the economy. If you thought the general public was disgusted with the AIG execs who partied hearty after their recent bailout, imagine the reaction to the lavish inaugural parties.

Whoever is willing to do that, as well as stop all non-essential spending will have my vote.

Guest blogging today

Read my guest blog on Literary Road.

Financial Crisis

The financial news is dismal right now, and it doesn't look like it is going to improve any time soon. Friday's Dow saw a dramatic drop of 660 points, and the European and Asian markets also took a nosedive in early trading.

Banks around the world are in trouble, and Britain is threatening legal action against Icelandic banks to insure that British subjects can get their deposits back. This after Iceland nationalized their banking system in an attempt to keep the banks afloat.

When I read that item on CNN News, I couldn't help but think of George Bailey and the Bailey Saving's and Loan from the movie, It's a Wonderful Life. Despite George's plea that people not panic and draw their money out, there was a run on the Savings and Loan during the Great Depression. Luckily George had enough cash on hand to pay a percentage of everyone's deposit, so people got some of their money, and the Savings and Loan survived.

Today, another George is asking people not to panic. President Bush spoke at a news conference this morning and appealed to the American people to stay calm. He said fear and anxiety only make the financial crisis worse. "Here's what the American people need to know: The U.S. government is acting, and we will continue to act, to resolve this crisis and return stability to our markets," he said.

Our natural instinct to protect our interests and take care of ourselves, but this is a time when we all need to think about the long term. If we all panic and take our money out of banks and other financial institutions, there will be a depression. That's a given. That's what started the avalanche that became the Great Depression, and that's what can bury us now.

So I am asking everyone to take a deep breath and ride this one out.

I'm also asking if we can just have a week off with no trading, no futures speculation, and no lending. It seems to me that with everything in such a state of flux, taking a break just might help settle some things down.

Just a thought.

What is Success?

I am getting ready to go to Austin to do a talk at the History Center, which is affiliated with the Austin Public Library. My son is the manager there, so he was most helpful in getting this set up. When I was talking to him making final arrangements for when I would arrive, I realized how lucky I am to have him in my corner like that.

In fact, all my kids and kids-in-laws (how's that for coining a word?) are great supporters of my writing, as are my grandchildren.

In their eyes, I am a great success, even though I have not made the NY Times best-seller list. And you know what, when the day is done and I am reflecting on what is good in my life, my writing career is way down on the list.

Don't get me wrong. I love my work, and I try very hard to write the best stories I can, and then market the books so I can make a living at this. But what I am most proud of, and what I think I've had the most success at, is building family relationships. My husband and I have worked hard to have a good marriage -- some days are better than others -- and we worked hard as the children were growing up to give them a foundation that would serve them well. And I think we have succeeded at that.

Not that the kids are perfect. Hell, nobody's perfect. But they are reasonably well adjusted. They all have good jobs, and the ones who are married have wonderful families. The same values of integrity, honesty, responsibility, and concern for others are being passed down to another generation.

That is a legacy that may live on longer than any of my work, and for that I am so proud and grateful.

Career Beginnings

The one or two fans who have been following my career since its beginning, gulp, almost thiry years ago, you know where the title It's Not All Gravy comes from. For the rest of you who might be wondering, here is the story.

My very first publishing success was a weekly column that I did for a local newspaper in a suburb of Dallas. It was a humorous look at family life and at the time I had plenty of family to draw material from; five kids, two dogs, a couple of hamsters, and a husband thrown into the mix somewhere.

When the original column started, the one thing I didn't expect was notoriety. I wasn't used to being recognized in the grocery store, unless it was by the cashier who remembered me coming through her line with two grocery carts full of baby food; and usually the only adult I talked to in the park was myself.

With the exception of a few close friends and neighbors, I also didn't expect to have many fans. (Is insecurity a prerequisite to being a writer?) So it was quite a pleasant surprise when people stopped me in the store, or came up to me at the soccer field to say how much they enjoyed reading the column. It would also prove to be embarrassing on the occasions I just ran out to get something at the last minute and wore my ten-year-old cutoffs and a stained tee-shirt. That was proper attire for a hard-working Mom, but hardly fit being a celebrity.

Family reactions to my new-found fame varied. I, of course, was thrilled. When the cover story and first column appeared I found it very difficult to bring myself to perform such mundane things as fixing supper, washing dishes, and bathing kids. I kept telling myself that certainly a 'famous writer' should not have to stoop so low, but alas, I couldn't get my kids to see the logic in my reasoning. For some strange reason they thought they still had to eat, so in the newspaper I was a famous writer and in the kitchen, I was still the maid.

Our two oldest kids seemed to be thrilled to see their names in the articles, unless I delved into something they weren't ready to share with the entire Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Then they'd run home from school and demand to know how I could be so cruel.

Our middle son, who was six at the time, seemed a little vague about the whole concept of getting published. How did what I typed in my home office get into the paper? And why was the newspaper printing it? (I told him not to knock a good thing. At least I was getting paid.)

He also wanted to know what the title, IT'S NOT ALL GRAVY, meant. "We don't have gravy hardly ever."

"That's what I mean."

He still didn't get it.

My husband's reaction was a mixture of pride and endless teasing. He'd always supported my quest for publication and when the endless stream of rejection slips threatened to overcome me, he'd always tell me to hang in. Someday it would happen.

But he couldn't, and still can't, resist the occasional dig. Sometimes he comes into my office to inquire whether he can interrupt the famous author at work. Depending on what he wants, I might accept the interruption. Cooking dinner is not even on the list of things I'll stop for, but there are other offers well worth the break.

Career Beginnings

The one or two fans who have been following my career since its beginning, gulp, almost thiry years ago, you know where the title It's Not All Gravy comes from. For the rest of you who might be wondering, here is the story.

My very first publishing success was a weekly column that I did for a local newspaper in a suburb of Dallas. It was a humorous look at family life and at the time I had plenty of family to draw material from; five kids, two dogs, a couple of hamsters, and a husband thrown into the mix somewhere.

When the original column started, the one thing I didn't expect was notoriety. I wasn't used to being recognized in the grocery store, unless it was by the cashier who remembered me coming through her line with two grocery carts full of baby food; and usually the only adult I talked to in the park was myself.

With the exception of a few close friends and neighbors, I also didn't expect to have many fans. (Is insecurity a prerequisite to being a writer?) So it was quite a pleasant surprise when people stopped me in the store, or came up to me at the soccer field to say how much they enjoyed reading the column. It would also prove to be embarrassing on the occasions I just ran out to get something at the last minute and wore my ten-year-old cutoffs and a stained tee-shirt. That was proper attire for a hard-working Mom, but hardly fit being a celebrity.

Family reactions to my new-found fame varied. I, of course, was thrilled. When the cover story and first column appeared I found it very difficult to bring myself to perform such mundane things as fixing supper, washing dishes, and bathing kids. I kept telling myself that certainly a 'famous writer' should not have to stoop so low, but alas, I couldn't get my kids to see the logic in my reasoning. For some strange reason they thought they still had to eat, so in the newspaper I was a famous writer and in the kitchen, I was still the maid.

Our two oldest kids seemed to be thrilled to see their names in the articles, unless I delved into something they weren't ready to share with the entire Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex. Then they'd run home from school and demand to know how I could be so cruel.

Our middle son, who was six at the time, seemed a little vague about the whole concept of getting published. How did what I typed in my study get into the paper? And why was the newspaper printing it? (I told him not to knock a good thing. At least I was getting paid.)<

He also wanted to know what the title, IT'S NOT ALL GRAVY, meant. "We don't have gravy hardly ever."
That's what I mean."

He still didn't get it.

My husband's reaction was a mixture of pride and endless teasing. He'd always supported my quest for publication and when the endless stream of rejection slips threatened to overcome me, he'd always tell me to hang in. Someday it would happen.

But he couldn't, and still can't, resist the occasional dig. Sometimes he comes into my office to inquire whether he can interrupt the famous author at work. Depending on what he wants, I might accept the interruption. Cooking dinner is not even on the list of things I'll stop for, but there are other offers well worth the break.

I've been tagged

Morgan Mandel from http://morganmandel.blogspot.com/ tagged me to write six book things about myself.

I don't know where this started or where the rules are, but apparently we are to write six things about ourselves then tag some folks to do the same. Hope the folks I tag are up for the fun and not irritated at the intrustion. :-)

Anyway, here are the things that came quickly to mind for me.

1. I would be utterly lost if books were to disappear.

2. I can't decide if I want to be a mystery writer, or a romance writer, or a screenwriter. Is there time to be successful at all of them?

3. Give me a character I can relate to, and I will be your slave forever.

4. My favorite book of all time is Of Mice and Men. I can read it again and still cry. If Steinbeck were alive, I would be shining his shoes and washing his windows.

5. I have more books in my TBR pile than I probably have years left to live.

6. If my life was turned into a book the title would be "Maryann Who?"

Now I tag:

http://zensanity.blogspot.com/

http://thebookmuncher.blogspot.com/

http://terryodell.blogspot.com/

http://slingwords.blogspot.com/

Doesn't anyone get it?

I just read this brief news item on CNN online:

California may need a quick $7 billion loan from the federal government to pay for “teachers’ salaries, nursing homes, law enforcement and every other State-funded service” this month, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger warned in a letter sent Thursday to the U.S. Treasury secretary. The letter, posted on the Los Angeles Times Web site Friday, echoes a statement issued a day earlier by California State Treasurer Bill Lockyer, saying the state has been locked out of credit markets for the past 10 days because of the national financial crisis.

I sure wish someone would tell me why borrowing more money is the way out of this financial crisis.

The Federal government, state governments, and even school districts across the country are experiencing budget overruns and their response is to borrow money to pay for it. Isn't excessive borrowing what got us into the mortgage crisis, the national deficit, and the banking crisis?

Here's a novel idea. One taken from the budget plans of so many Americans who don't run up excessive debt. Don't spend any more money than you take in.

Let me repeat that, just in case someone missed it. Don't spend any more money that you take in.

And to borrow another approach from a family budget, pay for the necessities first, then consider luxuries.

To cover the shortfall in California, I suggest that they cut excess government. Don't pay salaries for top government officials for six months. Stop all travel and entertainment expenses for six months. Stop all advertising for six months. Maybe then they would have enough money to pay the teachers and police officers.

As to the Federal deficit. Instead of cutting taxes, cut out the obscene retirement packages that legislators receive. Freeze all pay for top government officials for six months. Freeze overseas aid for six months. Freeze all nonessential travel for six months.

Then when we can all breath a little easier, I challenge the leaders of our country to go through government and trim, trim, trim. I'm sure there would then be enough money to support our troops, support social security, and offer aid to the most needy in our country.

Your Golden Parachute

Today I am pleased to have as a guest, Mr. Tracy Farr. In addition to being an amazing jazz musician with the Stinky Creek Band, he is a humorist with more than a bit of wisdom within the words. Tracy shares his wit with the readers of WinnsboroToday.com every week in the Periodic Columns and Essays Department, (I'm Just a Guy) and he agreed to be my guest today with another new piece. So sit back, relax and enjoy:

You deserve a Golden Parachute, too

Ladies and gentlemen,

Are you tired of hearing about banks going under? Are you worried about whether or not your money is safe in your Home Town Bank? Are you wishing for just a small share of the $700 billion Congress is voting on to keep banking CEOs (who caused this mess in the first place) from losing their luxury cars and ocean-front homes?

If you are, then copy and paste the following letter, change it up however you like, send it to whomever you think will listen, and maybe YOU TOO can sew yourself a nice little Golden Parachute.

Dear Mr. President,

I recently made a mistake in my finances by purchasing too many non-essential items through my credit card, without having the money to pay for them. Yes, at the time I thought I desperately needed the 52 inch Plasma HD Flat Screen TV with the optional Dolby Surround Sound for my living room, but I realize now I could have settled for the 48 inch TV instead.

Needless to say, that, and a whole lot of other purchases just like it, has caused me and my family to be in dire need of financial assistance. Without your help, my kids will go without new shoes for the year, I'll have to drive my brand new Prius instead of my brand new Hummer because of gas prices, I will have to switch from the 275-channel cable service to the basic service, and my goats will have to eat the $10 feed instead of the better $25 feed.

With my spending down to uncomfortable levels, I feel this will cause undue stress on local businesses who rely on my spending habits. And if they fail, all of Main Street will fail -- and so goes the country.

Wall Street CEOs made bad financial decisions throughout the years, just like me, and you'll soon be bailing them out to the tune of $700 billion. All I need is a measly $20,000. That's like a drop in the bucket compared to $700 billion -- and not even a FULL drop. More like a 128th of a drop.

I know you will make the right decision and not let my poor family suffer unduly for the mistakes I've made. I'm not asking for a Golden Parachute, but a Silver one would sure help out.

Mr. President, with your assistance, I will learn from my mistakes and never, ever let it happen again -- cross my heart and hope to die; stick a needle in my eye.

_______________________________________________________

The Daily Spittoon -- Your money is absolutely safe with us!

To Swear or Not To Swear

It's not easy to decide how much colorful language to include in a book without it seeming gratutitious, and I always deferred to the characters and the story to decide. Some characters are more prone to swearing than others. But over at http://bloodredpencil.blogspot.com/ there is a discussion today about using swear words and it started me thinking about something I realized last night.

My husband and I went to a production of On Golden Pond at a community theatre here in East Texas. The director addressed the language issue before the show, noting that the original play has a fair amount of cursing. In an effort to be sensitive to this very conservative, very religious area, the director opted to take out much of the cursing. But he did leave in some words where, as he put it, "the story would have lacked something to take them out."

For the most part, you could not tell where the words had been removed, but in the few places where they were allowed, it really heightened the drama because they were in places where people very often to swear at each other. I thought the director did a great job of selecting what to cut and what to leave in.

Reflecting on that, I realized that I could be a little more selective as I get back to my work in progress. The central character is just going to have to get used to "Mommy" telling her she can no longer swear like a truck driver. :-)

Virtual Book Tour for Maryann Miller

If you are not totally sick of reading about me, there is a new entry at http://lumorgan.blogspot.com/ today. This is more of the interview, but gets into other areas besides writing and ministry. It also continues the excerpt from the first chapter of One Small Victory that was started yesterday.

LuAnn Morgan was a wonderful hostess for these past three days, and I hope to see her blog grow in popularity. She loves to read and is so gracious to authors. We need to support her.

Another stop on the tour

Continuing my virtual book tour and today I am at http://lumorgan.blogspot.com/ Here I talk about how I got into Chaplaincy and a bit about what it is like to do hospital ministry. Also have a bit more of an excerpt from One Small Victory. Stop on by if you get a chance.

Two More Stops on the Blog Tour

Today, I've cloned myself and am at two places at the same time. Ah, the marvels of modern technology. :-)

The first stop is at the PlotLIne -- http://theplotline.wordpress.com -- where there is an interview with the central character from One Small Victory. Here she talks about the difficulties of losing her son and working undercover.

Over at Reading Frenzy -- http://lumorgan.blogspot.com/ there is an interview with me that touches on hospital ministry and how my work as a chaplain has helped me in writing my books, One Small Victory and Play It Again Sam.


Come on by if you have a chance and leave a comment.

The Wonderful World of Promoting and Marketing

This past weekend was a busy one for me. Saturday I was at a street fair in a small town in Texas where several East Texas authors had a booth to promote our books. Unfortunately, we were off the main street of vendors, sandwiched between a booth selling Mexican food and one selling corn dogs and funnel cakes. Not exactly a prime position. Plus it was hot and humid, with little or no breeze. But we toughed it out and had a few nice conversations with people who enjoy books as much as we do. Even sold one or two.

Later that afternoon, I went to speak to a writing class at a community college about the benefits of book tours online. It saves gas. I don't have to dress up. I can reach thousands of people. Not to mention how much cooler I am in my air-conditioned office as I do this virtual book tour.

The downside is that I don't have easy access to a funnel cake, but, hey, one a year is plenty for me.

So today, my virtual tour starts up again. An excerpt of One Small Victory is here http://theplotline.wordpress.com/ Tomorrow I will be at the same blog for an interview, and will have a stop also at http://lumorgan.blogspot.com/

Another stop on the tour

Virtual tour stop here http://www.fictionscribe.com/

The best writing advice I ever received: Never say "no" to an opportunity.