New Book! Easy everyday Exercise Before you Get out of Bed in the Morning

I'm writing three books about exercise. About easy and everyday exercise. Why? Because  these simple things have helped me to stay healthy and flexible. People ask me how I do it.

 I'm a happy and healthy person, and I notice that a lot of people aren't either of those things.

 Yes, I'm still writing fiction... Do Fiction and Non-Fiction mix? Don't know, but for now...

Here's some of the research I've been doing to authenticate my own not-so-humble opinions. WHY MORNING EXERCISE ? RESEARCH--Just the Facts, ma’am
MENTAL HEALTH AND HAPPINESS

Morning exercise increases mental power and stimulates the producing of chemicals that make us feel good.

Here is "Morning Exercise = Mental Health" video, made by the folks at kramgallery.com to publicize their whiteboard message business.
They didn’t keep their research for the video, but I found corroborating research facts. More to be posted about the chemicals released in your brain to make you feel good - and how they're stimulated by exercise.

Book just released on Smashwords, to be sent to Kobo and iBooks. Amazon next.

Writing Tips from Obama before He Was President

Five tips from a future president (one who can read and write!)


 A friend sent Obama a manuscript for editing, and Obama wrote back with five tips:

 1) "Careful about too many adverbs, particularly describing how people speak (Paul asked disbelievingly, etc.).

It can be cumbersome and a bit intrusive on the reader."

 2) "Resist the temptation of easy satire. ... Good satire has to be a little muted. Should spill out from under a seemingly somber situation."

3) "Try to get the basic stats on the characters out of the way early {Paul was 24} so that you can spend the rest of the story revealing character."

4) "Think about the key moment(s) in the story, and build tension leading to those key moments."

5) "Write outside your own experience. ... I find that this works the fictive imagination harder."

Carl Hiaasen Interview Part Two

Carl Hiassen Florida writer

I've discovered the writer Carl Hiassen. He's so smart, cool, cute, responsible... He's written a ton of novels set in Florida with wacky characters, young people's books too. He also still works as a journalist on a newspaper in Florida, I forget where. The books are funny, and bad things happen to bad (mean and nasty) people (who are somehow likeable anyway, but stupid), like their hands get eaten off by sharks or crabs in the everglades.

Traits of a Successful Writer (of Romance or otherwise)

I was looking around to see how fiction writers make a living. And as you may suspect Romance writers sell the most books. I would like to write them, just to be writing something that makes people happy .. but it's just not a fantasy that I can get into..

Here is something from Anne Gracie:

..... What do I need to be a romance writer? Can anybody do it?

Let's take a look at a list of the top 10 attributes you should have in order to become a published, successful and happy romance writer. But don't worry if you don't already possess all 10 traits, most can be learned!

1. A Curious and Creative Mind
2. A Love of Storytelling
3. The Ability to Be Professional … When Necessary
4. A Little Self-Discipline
5. Persistence … No Matter What
6. Knowing How to Enjoy Writing Like a Hobby … But Run It Like a Business
7. Understanding That When You Write More, You Sell More
8. Being a People Watcher
9. Having Your Own Unique Voice
10. LOVING Romance
............

So we can have all of them, just edit the last one to LOVING TO READ.

numbers of suicides and homicides solved

I've heard that -- there are twice as many suicide deaths as homicides.

One half of all homicides are not solved.

I don't know how the statistics for accidental deaths fit in, if you do, please comment.
But since I consider accidental deaths by car or by gun as violent... Is there a particular statistical category for violent deaths of different kinds - with the numbers?

The numbers of returning vets from the middle-east oil wars who commit suicide is astounding, and very sad. The numbers of their wives killed is also astounding.

Photo is from DeviantARt by saccharinesmile

murder, criminal justice system, criminals

This summer, July, 2012 I was busy taking 3 criminology courses.

photo from http://www.kingsu.ca/academic-programs/pre-professional/criminology.html This field is so interesting. Until I delved into it, I didn't realize how much and how many people are fascinated by criminals, especially violent ones. The perpetrators are interesting, the process of finding them, and finding them out, is the way I started, with the detective end of it. But the process of evidence gathering, arresting, the arrest and prison system and the courts, law and trial system adds layers upon layers. I tried to get the stories of three women in my classes, so I could tell you what happens to them, but they were hesitant to reveal their lives to me. I don't know if it was because I didn't have time to build a level of trust, or just that like most people, and more than most people (since they want to be involved in the Criminal Justice system..), I didn't get to follow through on that project. It would have been a good one. I read a book about female cops and it inspired me. Maybe some one else can write that story. How do women fare as prison guards, juvenile counselors, cops? In the end, I decided I didn't want to write about real criminals, why immerse myself in mean and cruel personalities? No thanks.