A Good Ghost Story

I write books about vampires that involve a ghost, but I have never been into ghost stories. I’ve never had the reputed pleasure of being freaked out by tales of psychotic spirits, or spirited psychotics who are about to lop my head off with a power tool as soon as I drift off to sleep at some backwoods campsite.

Do I believe in ghosts? Yes. My house where I grew up (my parents house) and my house where I live at now is haunted. Why do ghosts exist? The answer is strictly opinion but in my opinion, yes.

The Beauty of What I Do

Part of me wants to truly believe that art lives within everyone and that anyone could recognize and appreciate beauty.  Unfortunately I know that just isn’t the case.  The world is an ugly, ugly place, full of violence, hatred, and so many things that should make anyone ponder what everything is all about.

Fact is, beauty is something rare, even if it is all around us, and it should be cherished.  One of the greatest beauties in the world is simply to create.  I’m shocked to say this, but There was a country singer who said something truly amazing the other day as I was watching TV.  He said, “If I couldn’t do this for a living, I’d still do this.”  I thought about that quote and instantly applied it to myself.



The problem is...I don’t do this for a living.  I sure wish I did, but yeah...this is most definitely a hobby.  There’s so much I want to do with writing, so many stories to tell, that I know I am simply enjoying writing, and that I enjoy it enough to do it no matter what.  No one knows how truly blessed I am to be able to do this as much as I do.

Luckily with the wedding over, Lisa and I are finding ourselves a bit more time to get down to what we need to be doing.  In the weeks leading up to the wedding, I got seriously behind on my blogging schedule, and I still have tons to do to catch up, but at least I’m getting the opportunity to.

Writing has always been something I’ve loved to do.  I’ve always had a fantastical imagination, and one of the true joys of such an imagination is to share the stories, share the dreams.  The idea that I can write something, and someone else read it, and it affect their lives is something truly extraordinary, and beautiful.

And I honestly say that from experience at both ends.  I’ve read such wonderful things in my life, that have opened up my heart, soul, and mind to things beyond reality, giving me new dreams and old friends.  I’d like to think I’m working towards that goal of doing the same for someone else.

Beyond all of that, though, is me just having the time to do this, the time to create.  Time that I use to full advantage, and a wife that doesn’t see it as a waste of time.  Even if I never see anything out of it, she is truly appreciative of the art that I make here, and the writing that I do.

I might have just married the perfect woman for me, but I know that deep down, I will always strive to deserve her, because I never feel that I will.  I am humbled and awed by her so many times each and every day.  She believes in me and pushes me in every way, even if she doesn’t understand the vision, simply because she believes in me and trusts me.  And I know, that I will forever be sure that I earn that from her.

Creating is something amazing, and I get to do it on a daily basis, and share it with you, my readers.  Whether or not I succeed in doing it entertainingly enough is in your eyes, but the fact that I get to try is all because of Lisa.  “I don’t do this for a living, but I still do it.”  And that is something truly wonderful.

Collecting Memories, Stories, and Ideas.

I’m going to have issues naming this post.  I wonder, as I write this first paragraph, what I’ll go for.  Will it be Eclectic Collector, or One Kid’s Toy is Another Man’s Collector’s Item?  There’s no telling, but I know one big rule while writing, its never name something completely until you are done, because you never know, a better name just might come to you.

Fact is though, I am a collector.  I always have been.  I love surrounding myself with the little things that look so interesting.  Yeah, sure everyone gets their panties in a bunch with what all these things are called.  Action Figures, Collectibles, Toys.  In the end, I don’t care.  It gives me something to look at an imagine about when I need a quick break from reality.

Campfire Tales

Every great now and then, you come across a story, or a song, that truly sparks something in a child’s imagination.  Something that starts you wondering about life, and the things in it, and all the mysteries that lie all around.

I remember when I was just six years old.  My father owned a skating rink and listening to the song the Legend of the Wooley Swamp by the Charlie Daniel Band.  I first heard it was the dark of night and I was in the record booth in the rink, one of Dad’s employees told me to listen to the song, it had just come out on a 45.  I was 6, and the record booth was really dark.