Things That Make You Go, “HMM.”

Atheists beware! This post is not for you. Or is it?

Whether you follow professional sports or not, unless you’ve been secluded on a space station 500 miles above Earth, you’ve probably heard about Tim Tebow, starting quarterback for the Denver Broncos. Not since Joe Namath has there been so much controversy over a quarterback. Of course, Joe Namath was the proverbial bad boy and his notoriety well known. But Tim Tebow is the clean-cut, straight-laced kid with the warm smile; a likeable guy who believes in God and isn’t afraid to exhibit his beliefs.

Statistic wise, he’s ranked well below a half dozen or more other quarterbacks in the NFL. When he has a good game, his performance is extraordinary, and he literally performs miracles. But when he has a bad game, it’s usually pathetically bad. For reasons no one has been able to explain, Tebow Mania is sweeping the nation, and even those who know little about football seem to be fascinated with him and cheering him on.

I’m a huge San Diego Chargers fan. The Denver Broncos are in the same division as the Chargers so we are huge rivals. For as long as I’ve been a Chargers fan—nearly 19 years—I’ve been a Bronco hater. The Chargers didn’t make the playoffs this year so they’ll be watching the Super Bowl on TV just like the rest of us—most of them anyway.

So, when the Chargers were eliminated from a playoff spot, I had to decide which team I would root for in the Super Bowl. If you’re not cheering for someone to win, it makes the whole event rather lackluster. Mostly because of Drew Brees, former Charger quarterback, my first choice was the New Orleans Saints with the Green Bay Packers second by a hair. As far as the Denver Broncos were concerned, I wanted them to be crushed. At least that was my initial reaction. But then something strange happened: I watched Tebow play and was bitten by the same bug that was infecting the rest of the nation. There was something about this kid that just made me want him to win.

After the Broncos beat the Pittsburg Steelers—in classic Tebow style—in sudden death overtime to advance to the next round of the playoffs, the world was just buzzing with Tebow Mania. But there was something even more interesting than the Broncos miracle win.

Many football players apply Eye Black grease under their eyes to reduce glare. During Tebow’s college years, he would write John 3:16 on the Eye Black, referring to his favorite passage in the Bible. In fact, this particular passage is, perhaps, the most widely remembered scripture in the entire Bible. In reviewing the game stats, an astute fan noticed an unbelievable phenomenon. During this game against Pittsburg, Tim Tebow threw passes equaling 316 yards. His average yardage per completed pass was 31.6. And the market share of viewers watching the game in the fourth quarter were—you guessed it—31.6. And here’s the icing on the cake: JOHN Fox is the head coach of the Denver Broncos and JOHN Elway is an Executive VP. Coincidence? I would bet a king’s ramsom that the Las Vegas odds against something like this happening is a gazillion to one.

So what does it all mean? Does God want the Broncos to win the Super Bowl? Has God given Tim Tebow special privileges? Is there a divine message somewhere hidden beneath the hoopla?

John 3:16— For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

As a Christian myself, I can tell you first hand that this single passage—one sentence, twenty five words—defines the entire foundation of Christianity. Could it be that God is reaching out to us? Millions of people caught up in this controversy, those who otherwise hadn’t a clue about scripture or the Bible, read these profound words for the first time—if for no other reason than curiosity. But they read it. Throughout the Bible, Jesus Christ preaches to all of His followers that we should spread the Good Word. Perhaps God has decided to offer some assistance.

Things that make you go, “Hmm.”

New Year’s Resolution(s)

So, it’s that time of year once again when we lie to ourselves and make promises and commitments that we know will go by the wayside in a few weeks. Has anyone ever fulfilled a resolution? I wonder. I think that part of the problem is the fact that most people set the mark too high. Instead of resolving to lose 35 pounds, how about 10? Don’t tell yourself that you’re going to the gym 5 days a week. How about 3?

We seem to think that because it’s a new year, we are suddenly blessed with superhuman willpower. Is January 1^st really any more significant than August 3^rd? We can make resolutions to improve our lives 365 days a year. Why wait for some artificial date?

This year I’m doing something a little different (although I’m sure it’s not original). My resolution is to never make a resolution again for the new year. Instead, when the scale stares at me and laughs hysterically, that’s the day I’ll make a commitment to lose weight. When the alarm clock rings to let me know it’s time to get my butt to the gym and I hit the snooze alarm for the next two hours, that’s the day I’ll drag my ass out of bed.

We should all make resolutions as needed. Right now, I resolve to take a walk to the local CVS drugstore and buy myself a Heath Bar.

Seriously?

As the saying goes, “never discuss religion or politics.” I, for one, love to debate both topics because I find it thought provoking to hear opposing viewpoints on such controversial topics. Besides, when you’re forced to think outside your comfort zone, it makes your brain grow.

Many moons ago, I leaned hard right. I called myself an independent, but gravitated towards conservative policies. Then George W. Bush came along and cured me of this affliction forever. I am not by any means happy with the Democrats. In fact, I think most of them have Jell-O for spines. But, if you explore every issue, they are indeed the lesser of two evils.

I’ve watched a few of the GOP debates and they have only served to reinforce my belief that the Republican Party couldn’t care less about the middle class. They cater to big business and millionaires and their philosophies clearly support this premise—plain and simple. There is something terribly wrong with a country that has major corporations earning billions of dollars and not paying one penny in taxes, while children are homeless and starving from coast to coast.

I did a little Googling and searched for various web sites that listed President Obama’s accomplishments since he entered the White House almost three years ago. Many of the claims were exaggerated and overblown, but I found a few reliable web sites with accurate information. After reviewing his report card, I can’t quite understand why his approval rating is so low. I’m not going to get into specific issues, but from where I sit—all things considered—he’s done a pretty good job.

Here’s my question—and I hope somebody out there can enlighten me—why in the name of all that’s rational would any middle-class American vote Republican? They’re not interested in extending the payroll tax cut for the middle class, they refuse to impose any additional tax on the 1% of Americans who earn more than one million dollars a year and can afford to pay more without it even remotely affecting their lifestyles, and they want to make the Bush tax cuts, which heavily favor the rich, permanent.

There are other issues, of course: same sex marriages, abortion, foreign policy, healthcare, and the economy, but I still find it hard to believe that any working-class family would vote for a Republican president. Can anyone explain this to me?

Brilliant Idea

With a presidential election looming in the not-too-distant future, the news media is having a good ole time analyzing every aspect of the political landscape. As always, the Democrats and Republicans are at odds, each blaming the other for the faltering economy, the deficit, unemployment, and an assortment of other inequities.

As I see it, the core issue should not be trying to figure out who’s to blame. All 535 members of Congress are to blame. End of story. But the compelling question is this: how do we fix what seems like the unfixable?

A friend of mine sent me an e-mail the other day with a proposal that Warren Buffet supposedly made. I don’t know if he actually wrote this piece, but whoever did, hit the nail squarely on the head. Here’s a reprint of the proposal:

“I could end the deficit in 5 minutes,” Buffett told CNBC. “You just pass a law that says that any time there is a deficit of more than 3% of GDP, all sitting members of Congress are ineligible for re-election. The 26th amendment (granting the right to vote for 18 year-olds) took only 3 months & 8 days to be ratified! Why? Simple! The people demanded it. That was in 1971 … before computers, e-mail, cell phones, etc. Of the 27 amendments to the Constitution, seven (7) took 1 year or less to become the law of the land … all because of public pressure.
Warren Buffet is asking each addressee to forward this email to a minimum of twenty people on their address list; in turn ask each of those to do likewise. In three days, most people in The United States of America will have the message. This is one idea that really should be passed around. *Congressional Reform Act of 2011*
1. No Tenure / No Pension. A Congressman collects a salary while in office and receives no pay when they are out of office.
2. Congress (past, present & future) participates in Social Security. All funds in the Congressional retirement fund move to the Social Security system immediately. All future funds flow into the Social Security system, and Congress participates with the American people. It may not be used for any other purpose.
3. Congress can purchase their own retirement plan, just as all Americans do.
4. Congress will no longer vote themselves a pay raise. Congressional pay will rise by the lower of CPI or 3%.
5. Congress loses their current health care system and participates in the same health care system as the American people.
6. Congress must equally abide by all laws they impose on the American people.
7. All contracts with past and present Congressmen are void effective 1/1/12. The American people did not make this contract with Congressmen. Congressmen made all these contracts for themselves. Serving in Congress is an honor, not a career. The Founding Fathers envisioned citizen legislators, so ours should serve their term(s), then go home and back to work.”

I’m not the sharpest knife in the drawer when it comes to politics, but I think Mr. Buffet is on to something here.

The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

It’s been a wild ride for the last few weeks. I’ve been on an emotional rollercoaster, teetering from euphoria to despair, and everything in-between. Sorry I haven’t posted in a while, but my brain’s been on overload.

THE GOOD STUFF:

Sales of Resuscitation, my second novel, have been awesome to say the least. And because of its success, They Never Die Quietly, my first novel, has hitched a ride on Resuscitation’s brisk sales and is delivering respectable sales numbers as well. Shortly after its release on October 11, Resuscitation ranked #1 in Kindle sales in the UK. But last week, I was really knocked for a loop when I received an e-mail from my editor and learned that my second novel hit #1 in the USA for Kindle sales. Although the ranking has steadily declined, as of this morning, it’s still ranked in the top 100. Now bear in mind that Amazon offers over one-million Kindle titles, so to be ranked #1, even for an hour, is amazing.

I am scheduled for two book signings here in San Diego. On Sunday, December 4, I will be signing books at the Mysterious Galaxy Bookstore on Clairemont-Mesa Blvd. On January 8^th, I’ll be signing books at Warwick’s Bookstore in La Jolla. I’m both stoked and nervous about these upcoming events. I don’t expect to sign a gazillion books but hope that both signings go well.

THE BAD STUFF:

Anyone who buys an item through Amazon.com can write a review for that product. The review can be for books, electronics, or any number of items. For an author, reader reviews can literally make or break you. Positive reviews promote sales, and negative reviews drive prospective buyers away. No matter how famous or esteemed an author might be, there are generally good and bad reviews—the trick is to have more positive and less negative.

I have been pretty fortunate with both of my books and the good reviews outnumber the not-so-good ones. Although negative reviews hurt, I gain a great deal from objective feedback. A couple years ago when I got my first negative review, I was devastated. I asked a very successful writer friend of mine how he deals with critical reviews. Basically, he advised me to learn from the reviews but not get caught up in them. He further said that under no circumstances should I ever respond to any review—positive or negative.

Recently, one reader in particular wrote a critical, 1-Star review. I totally understood his or her perspective and tried to digest the criticism. Well, a week or so after the reader posted the review, someone posing as me responded to the reader in a most disrespectful way. What this person said was mean-spirited and demeaning. The person who wrote the original review assumed (for good reason) that I wrote the harsh response. I didn’t discover this until a few days later when a bunch of readers got on the bandwagon and expressed their opinions.

I went against my writer friend’s advice and responded to the thread of comments. I explained that I did not, nor would I ever respond to a reader comment in such a rude and discourteous way. I apologized profusely, but could not prove that I did not write the harsh comment. How could I? A few of the readers who commented gave me the benefit of the doubt. But most, unfortunately, didn’t believe me. One person in particular, wrote a very insulting comment and really attacked my integrity. To date, the thread of comments continues.

What occurred to me during this fiasco is that all of us are vulnerable. Our reputations can easily be damaged by some stranger halfway around the world, who, for whatever reason, either has it in for us, or just wants us to be a victim of some random act of cruelty. Anyone could establish a fraudulent account with a web site or open an e-mail account and pose as someone else, and there is absolutely nothing you can do to protect yourself.

I had hoped that more readers who commented on this situation would not be so quick to judge, but sadly, that’s not the case. I didn’t write that shameful comment, but there is no way I can prove it. I now know what it feels like to have your identity stolen. Believe me, it’s a sickly feeling.

 

 

Literary Revolution

Over the years, I’ve attended both the San Diego State University Writer’s Conference and the Southern California Writers Conference. Like most conferences and conventions, the theme is very specific. These two focus on the world of literature and publishing. It’s a great opportunity for an aspiring writer to hobnob with fellow authors, agents, editors, and publishers. These conferences also offer workshops that cover a wide array of literary-related topics.

One of the events I most enjoyed was the “Read & Critique Workshops”. Picture a group of writers—all high-strung and uptight, desperately wanting to be discovered—huddled in a crowded room. Each author has the opportunity to read passages from their latest effort and the other authors offer constructive feedback. Well, you might think that this is a great idea, but remember that you’re dealing with writers who are very passionate about their books and don’t always accept criticism in the spirit in which it was intended. Tempers do flare and some people storm out the door.

The one thing that always struck me about these Read & Critique Workshops was the number of highly talented writers who were yet unpublished. I used to think to myself, “If these writers can’t find an agent or a publisher, then I’m totally screwed.”

Back then, an author had two ways to get published: #1Find a literary agent willing to represent you (trust me, it’s easier to win the Lottery), and hope and pray that he or she can make a deal with a publisher. #2 Self publish through what were once called “Vanity Presses” (a very expensive proposition), fill your trunk with over-priced books, and try to peddle them to independent bookstores. Those days—thank God— are gone.

The literary landscape today is a completely different world. It has gone through an amazing evolution over the last few years. With the launch of Amazon publishing, currently releasing books under five different imprints, and the growing opportunities for self-publishing and print-on-demand, not to mention the emergent world of e-books, the literary marketplace has experienced some major changes—all for the good. These changes have opened the door for many authors who in the past never got a chance to showcase their work. Many previously undiscovered authors are now in the limelight. This is a long-overdue literary revolution.

I am one of those writers who stumbled upon an amazing opportunity to publish
through Amazon Encore.  Like so many other writers, for years I was an author trying to get published with no success. But now my second thriller novel, RESUSCITATON, released a few weeks ago, was a #1 Kindle bestseller in the UK, and is currently getting reviewed in major newspapers like the San Diego Union Tribune, which said: “Annechino delivers chills and thrills in a skillful manner.” Finally recognized for my writing talent after so many frustrating years is a great feeling.

It took twenty hard years of writing four novels and dealing with a daily diet of rejection to finally get a break. The message here is simple: If writing is your passion, don’t give up the fight. Never forget that rejection is a prerequisite of success.

Cell Phone Rant

 I know that I’ve walked down this road before, but things have gotten worse, so I can’t keep my mouth shut. Cell phones have always annoyed me—well, let me rephrase that—people using cell phones without an ounce of respect or etiquette or consciousness of the law annoy me. It’s not the technology that troubles me, it’s the irresponsible use. No matter where you go, no matter what you do, cell phones are taking over the world.  And it’s reached the point where people no longer attach their cells to their belts or carry them in their purses. No, everyone holds them in their hands as if they were waiting for the results of a biopsy.

Why is it so damned urgent to keep in touch with friends and families 24/7?  Do we all need to know every little detail of their lives as if it was a matter of life and death? And what’s even more annoying than talking nonsense on cell phones is my all-time favorite activity: Text messaging. Whoever invented this ought to be tarred and feathered.

Wouldn’t it be nice to pull an envelope out of your mailbox, tear it open, and find a handwritten letter from a close friend or relative? Can you even remember the last time you received a personal letter? Text messaging and talking on cell phones have removed the intimacy from our communications. Even though we can literally reach anyone at anytime, there seems to be a great distance between people.

In the state of California, it is illegal to talk on a cell phone while driving, unless through a hands-free device, and it’s illegal to text under any circumstances. In spite of this, you can stand on any busy street corner in CA and watch dozens of drivers pressing a cell phone to their ears and just as many with their heads down, texting. And where are the cops? Want to stop this insanity? Make the law more severe. Right now, the fine for illegal use of a cell phone is $20 for the first offense and $50 for subsequent convictions. Are you kidding me? How about $500 for the first offense and a suspended license for the second offense?

Statistically, it is documented that a growing number of auto accidents can be directly attributed to cell phone use or texting. And in many cases, people have been killed. My wife has a great solution to this growing problem. All auto manufacturers should be required to install an electronic device on all motor vehicles that blocks any cell phone signal while the engine is running. I think this is a great idea! Yes, I know, big brother already lives in our back pockets, but if we have to forfeit some of our rights to save lives, so be it. I’m on-board.