Let's talk originality!

Have you ever thought that every thought that you ever thought has already been thought of?...Lol, j/k, this isn't a philosophical blog, after all.

There are new inventions everyday. According to the statistics for the U.S. Patent Office for the fiscal year 2008, there were 182,556 patents issued that particular year. Can you believe that? I haven't invented anything in my life, ever. That's probably because I have every material comfort that I could ever want, and I don't see the need for more conveniences, more luxuries. Regardless, some people out there somewhere are thinking of new stuff and putting it out in the world and selling it. Most of these new "inventions" are digital, and a few of them are modifications to an older product. Why am I babbling on about this, you ask? Well, I'm an author, of course.

Original stories are not hard to come by. Fantasy, sci-fi, romance and horror stories are mostly fictional, which means they are not real, which means somebody imagined them in their head. And that's the definition of originality, right? A thought that only you know about, something original and (possibly) great that you came up with all by yourself. For me, I write Historical fiction, which is fictional characters in real historical circumstances, without any added fictitious elements. But I think I'm ready to be original.

I'm going to start a new, 3-book series that is 100% Mark Butler original, never-been-thought-of-before characters, places and events. I think it's a testament to human nature that creating something gives us a special, deep satisfaction we don't fully understand. So go out today and be original, be creative. After all, you only live once!

Best,

Mark

Her Lovely Colors

The day has finally come for me to release my long-awaited Civil War novel. The book is 1/2 Romance and 1/2 Action, so hopefully it appeals to both genders. I've supplied the link to the book below!

http://www.amazon.com/Her-Lovely-Colors-ebook/dp/B00EYD01HQ

Kindle Spotlight for, "The Fourth Crusade!"

Faithful readers,

Today, August 5th 2013, one of my novels will be in the Kindle Spotlight! The book is, "The Fourth Crusade." The price of the book will temporarily drop to 0.99, and I will be featured on the Kindle blogspot and Facebook page! Make sure you forward this great news to all of your friends!

Here is the link to the novel: http://www.amazon.com/The-Fourth-Crusade-Crusades-ebook/dp/B00AQS6ZAK

The Spotlight promotion will begin at 3 p.m. central time.

Best,

Mark Butler

The joy of creating anything.

Rabid fans,

There are times in life when we feel...alive. Perhaps it is when you tango on Saturday night, or when you climb a 10,000 foot peak, or maybe when you secure a large business deal. Those are your moments, you are the King or Queen. Many people live for those moments, regardless of how few and far between they may come. Those are the moments when your heart races and sweat forms on your brow. Every sense is sharpened and you are in the zone. Everyone, at some point in their lives, has experienced those amazing moments.

Unfortunately, those highs do not last long. You can revisit the scene of the crime, if you will, but the thrill has probably faded. Over the years you develop a tolerance, and suddenly kissing your wife or bungee-jumping off that cliff isn't quite the experience that it was when you were younger. This happens to everyone and is the most natural thing in the world.

But there is a different kind of high.

This is the high when you do something wholesome, fulfilling. Perhaps you built a house? You bruised your hands and banged your knees, but you did something that will last. Maybe you are a nurse that tirelessly cares for very sick people, day in and day out. Sure, you are stressed out and maybe bitter, but you've done something real in this world. Something meaningful. That is what writing a book is for me.

When I write a novel, I go through a broad spectrum of emotions: Frustration, mental exhaustion, doubt, joy, anger, peace, love. Those emotions come and go over the months that I ply my craft, and eventually the job is done. When I can look at that finished manuscript and know it was worth my time, I am more contented than at any other time. I have created something. Something permanent.

This is not religious. Religious types will tell you that you have created something, mimicked what your own Creator has done, and that is where your deep sense of satisfaction is originating. Others will say that you have externalized, in a tangible way, your deep talents and skills. That is another theory. Others say to create anything is simply a joyful, fulfilling experience. Some will say that creating a human life is the greatest joy on Earth, and many, many people will agree with that.

Simply put, creating something is a deep, powerful experience that stays with you for the rest of your life. For me, when my life has ended and my story told, my books will remain. That small nugget of knowledge brings unparalleled joy to my work. My work. I am an author. A creator.

Best,

Mark

How to start a new Historical Fiction novel

YAY! I've finally completed my 5th full-length novel and I am very pleased with how it turned out. It took me just under 3 months to write a 60,000+ word Historical Romance set during the Civil War. The book was fun, the work was easy and life is good.

Well, it wasn't all easy. There was the research.

Depending on genre, research is a must for writing a book. Genres such as horror, sci-fi, supernatural and drama require a bit less research than writing anything historical or anything with technical implications. For example, Richard Marcinko has written numerous (10+) books on Navy SEALS, and it's obvious he can speak the jargon and intelligently describe equipment, training procedures and daily life. And for Historical Fictions? Forget about it. You need to know your time period. People spoke differently, worked unusual jobs and lived lives that are non-existent now.

And now my blog post can truly begin.

I'm writing on the Fifth Crusade now. I recently wrote the Fourth Crusade, which will make writing the Fifth Crusade easier, but it's still quite difficult.

How did Europe look nine hundred years ago? What did people do? Did everyone farm? If so, what kinds of crops? What was the landscape like? How about towns and major cities? What about the government? How did they administer their laws? How did one travel around Europe? What kind of clothes did they wear? During the Crusades men of numerous nations came together under unifying military banners...what language was spoken amongst the troops? How were translations handled?

These are just a scant-few of the questions a writer must answer before they can write a realistic, believable novel. Obviously I can get on Google and find answers, but how do I apply that information to paper while still writing an interesting story? Basically, the beginning of any new novel is exciting and daunting. As my Fifth Crusade novel is in its' infancy stages, I have to take the time to appreciate the enormity of this undertaking. Now, that's enough of this crazy, random blogging.

I have research to do.

The joys of looking angry

I'm not an angry person. I'm (in my opinion) actually quite friendly and occasionally talkative. Not loquacious, per se, but affable. But today is hump day and I'm sleeeepyy...very sleepy. For some reason my "sleepy face" also looks rather annoyed and detached. I suspect this is true of many people. Anyways, walking around with my sleepy face has garnered me quite a few "don't f@$! with him looks" and I couldn't be happier.

It's not that I want people to think I'm dangerous or anything other than what I really am, but it's nice to not bother saying hello to people who you don't want to, smiling at random people in the elevator and cheerfully chatting with some of God's dumbest creations. People are leaving me alone, and that's given me time to think about my upcoming book, my family, sports...It's almost like being cut off from the world. And that has led me to wonder, do many convicts feel the same way, all the time? Perhaps they don't like people, plain and simple. I'm not saying that I want to be left alone all the time (like solitary confinement) but there is definitely such a thing as too much socializing.

And thank God I don't have to deal with it today.

The American fear of losing your job

Faithful readers,

Today is Friday, July 5th. It is the day after family and friends, fireworks and barbecue, and of course, a big ol' parade in downtown. I have to work today because my place of employment is a radiation treatment center for people with cancer. Apparently, if we were closed today, (we were closed yesterday, of course) then our cancer patients would be forced to go 4 entire days without their treatment, which is almost more detrimental than not even getting treated in the first place. So long story short, I have to work today.

But I digress.

This day is unique in another way: I'm working side-by-side with my manager because a few far-sighted employees asked for July 5th off, like, 2 months in advance. And that's where the story begins:

My manager is a woman who tells LOTS of stories. Endless stories, tales and narratives. If you want to have a conversation with her, be prepared to speak for 6 seconds, endure a 15 minute story, and then you get 6 more seconds. If you TRY to tell her a story that is any longer than fifteen seconds, she gets this bored expression and eyeballs you like your job is on the line. And that got me thinking...Why am I scared of losing my job? I mean, if you asked everyone in America if they wanted a new job, how many people would jump all over the chance? The majority would, I'd bet my left nut on. But we're all scared. We stay stuck in jobs that we don't like, with people we don't like, because of the stigma of "losing your job." If you are unemployed,  you are a loser.  That is what we are told by our friends, wives (or husbands) and the media.

But dammit, I want a new job! I've been here 2 1/2 years and I have enough money to leave my job and not need to work for a short period of time. I could easily find another job; there are dozens of postings for my skills at dozens of places in my city. So why do I stay somewhere that I don't want to be? I don't know. All I know is that the next time my manager starts another one of her marathon stories (while the work builds up around us), I'm going to seriously consider my fear of unemployment, and today, I might just overcome my fear.

Best,

Mark

A morning rant concerning Aaron Hernandez...

I'm sure there will soon be hundreds and/or thousands of articles concerning the 23 year old tight end for the NFL Patriots who was recently charged with murder, and I feel compelled to share a few of my own thoughts.

For those who are unfamiliar, here's a brief synopsis. Aaron Hernandez is a 23 year old NFL player. He's a star who received a 12.5 million dollar signing bonus and a 40 million dollar, 5-year contract to play. He was recently charged with first degree murder after allegedly shooting a man. His motives remain unclear.

Why would you do it? Why would you (allegedly) murder someone because...well...there's no good reason to murder someone. Maybe if you're defending your family, or your life, you can justifiably kill someone. But that's clearly not the case here. Is this a case of "You can take me out th' hood, but you can't take th' hood outta me"?

I don't think so. I'm going to go out on a limb and say that this man had a skewed perspective on the world. He was told by family, friends, women and NFL professionals that he was special. They told him that he's not normal, that he's rich and famous. They told him that he was living a life that most people can only dream of, and that he gets to earn money playing a sport he loves.

And he believed them. He believed every word they said, and their words echoed in his mind when he allegedly pulled the trigger. Tell me, would this young man have had any chance of going to college and making millions of dollars if he wasn't talented at an incredibly violent sport? No. For all of his physical gifts, Aaron Hernandez is lacking in the mental capacity to handle the life that was thrust at him. Is it his fault? Yes. Is the world of professional sports at fault as well? Undoubtedly.

There is no solution to this problem and everyone knows it exists. Firefighters, policeman and school teachers make what? 60k a year? So, if they weren't taxed and didn't have living expenses, and they saved every dime they made, they would have 12.5 million in what? 200 years?

The real problem is the situation that the world of professional sports and athlete worship has created. It is a situation that will continue to produce the saddest, most shameful stories that the rest of the world will watch with shakes of their heads and thousands of questions in their minds. As for Mr. Hernandez's true motives? I will eagerly be watching the news for updates, although I can't imagine a good reason to murder someone when you're as well off as he is (was).

Let's get these ebooks off the ground!

I've written five ebooks in the past two years. Five! That is about one every 4 1/2-5 months. Each book is between 40-60k words. That's alot of writing. Unfortunately, sales are...dismal. I make some money, but it's not truly enough to justify the time and energy I've put into writing. Of course, writing has its own rewards, e.g. personal gratification, sense of accomplishment, bragging rights, etc...

But I digress. I've (through the help of a rather successful independent author) learned the ways to make some real money with ebooks. And now I shall list them for the benefit of the millions of people who read my blog posts.

1) Write alot. You must write constantly to improve your craft, to create more product, and to create credibility. This is hard work and there is no substitute for the first rule.

2) Read alot. If you love basketball, don't you watch the NBA? How do those guys play? What if you want to become an actor? Don't you watch DiCaprio and Day-Lewis? Simply put, you have to be a fan of writing if you want to be a practitioner. This is invaluable, and again, there is no substitute.

3) Write a series. This is where I've failed spectacularly. I've written a horror, two thrillers, a historical fiction and a romance. That's alot of different genres and alot of different audiences. In order to make money, your efforts must be concentrated. This helps your readers to know who you are and what you're about.
4)MARKETING. This is another difficult area for me. It's shameless self-promotion on a number of social media sites as well as doing it correctly. Believe me, there are right and wrong ways to market yourself, and there's no good way to learn except by trial and error.

In conclusion, why did I want to be a writer? Talk about a lot of hard work and a very small chance of making decent money! Oh well, I shall persist...What else is there to do? Give up? NEVERRRRRR......

Rant about everyone taking all my time

How difficult is it these days to get some personal time? Well, that depends on who you are. If you're the guy without a wife/girlfriend, and you are a loner, and you don't live near home, then you might not have any problems being alone. Hell, you're probably alone too often.

Not me though. I've got a wife, 2 kids (toddler, infant), parents 1 mile away, sister and large family 1 mile in the other direction, and more than enough friends. There's also work and church. That's alot of people and alot of places to divide my time. Oh, and then there's me, the writer who actually needs an hour or two everyday to hone his craft.

So let's look at this objectively: If I give everyone all of my time, what's left for me? Nothing. And then what? Well, everyone else in my life suffers because I'm not caring for myself. If I hoard all of my personal time and never give to those I love, then what? Well, I'll lose the people I care about because they'll think I don't care. What is a man to do?...Seriously, what should I do?

I have, in the past, simply parceled out my time to each person in my life, depending on their importance (sorry church!), and I always feel as though that time is diluted, degraded. In all honesty, I may just have to account for every second of every day, maybe create a spreadsheet or something. Oh, and I'm pretty sure I'll have to limit the number of people in my life, y'know, the ol' "closed borders" policy? That's another random rant for another random day.

Have a great one!

Best,

Mark

A Monday poem

Wake up early, put on my clothes
Staying angry and surly while I swerve on the road
Eyes are blurry, I'm hung-over, y'know
But I don't worry, because, my energy grows,
And then I punch the clock and relieve my woes

I kick up my feet and get on the net,
I check the sports scores, did I win on my bets?
I avoid the work, and I avoid the jerks,
I have nothing to do, just enjoy the perks

The manager is late, probably been drinking, too
And her gait is real funny, must've gotten screwed
"Morning," I say, "How do ya do?"
"I'm OK," she says, "I just don't feel too new."

Monday rolls on, I'm just getting a check,
The money is worth a little pain in my neck,
Once I get home I'm already a wreck,
And the week hasn't started it's second day yet!

Tuesday is here, but I feel like a prick
Or like someone bent me over and inserted a stick
So I decide my co-workers are due for a trick,
I pick up my phone and call in the day sick!

If I could do anything with my country, then I would...

This is not a,"If I was President for a day", question. This is about real power. The POTUS is powerful, perhaps more powerful than any single human alive right now, but he is not what I am talking about. I am talking about the dictators of old, the kings of yore and the emperors of forgotten civilizations. They had total, unquestioned power.

If I had that power over modern America, how would I use it? I suspect most people would find some lavish beach-side mansion and throw a huge party. They would probably have drugs, drinks and sex galore. It would be a glorious, two-week bash for the ages. I would do that, but AFTER the party, how would I make my country a better place? Here's some ideas...

1) Close the borders. No more immigration, at least for a few months. Let us clear the garbage and clean the tables before bringing more patrons to the restaurant. They can come, but we have to clean first. The relief that this would place on the economy is incalculable. I am not saying they can't come, or that they never should, let's just hold off for a bit, ok?

2) End the wars. All troops out of Iraq, Afghanistan, Africa and wherever the hell else they are. Come home, we need you here, and frankly, you're spending too much money abroad. There is a 1 BILLION dollar American embassy in Baghdad...Seriously?

3) Cycle out the government. No more Congressman, Senators or Representatives for life, constantly getting re-elected. You are out of touch with the common man. Not an insult, just a fact.

4) Legalize marijuana, which has never killed anyone. In 10,000 years (or more) of human history, marijuana has NEVER been proven to kill anyone. Let that sink in. Alcohol (and alcohol-related crimes) attribute for 75,000 deaths EVERY YEAR. Tobacco? 5 million deaths worldwide. Why are these legal and marijuana is not? Because marijuana has medicinal properties, which could hurt the pharmaceutical industry. Let's use common sense here, and if I was ruler of American, we would all have access to this harmless (and fun) plant.

5) Reform the correction system. No more violent offenders housed with non-violent ones. No more nice TV's, computer access or free healthcare. Prison is punishment, let's treat it as such. And let's put our inmates to work, even if they're just breaking bigger stones into smaller ones, they need to contribute to society. I know this already happens, but to a small degree. And let's get the executions rolling; no more 10-20 years on death row...If you can't successfully appeal your case in 3 years, nothing is gonna change. Everybody dies.

6) Personal accountability. You are responsible for where you are in life. The choices you have made and the things you have done are why you are where you are. If you don't like your station in life, well, that's 95% your fault. The other 5% may be other people's faults, but you can't control that anyway, right?

That's what I would do with total power in America, just for starters. I'm pretty sure once my power was vacated that I would be lynched in the streets...What would you do with total power?

The man's cancer and the blighted town.

It was just a bump on his neck. It was quarter-sized and tender and had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. The man ignored the bump because it didn't hurt.

It was a small thing, really. One, lone police officer had been convicted of fraud. He would serve a light sentence in prison, but the community would not be affected.

The bump on the man's neck grew a little larger. He was not especially concerned and he comforted himself, "It will go away on it's own. Bodies are weird, ya know?"

Three more cops were indicted, with the vein of corruption running deeper than previously thought. The media had the stories running for three consecutive nights, but the details were demoted to the newspapers after that.

Unexplained headaches, nausea and pain started for the man. They were not sudden, acute symptoms, but rather gradual and quite an annoyance. The man purchased over the counter medications, and he felt slightly better.

With the dirty cops cleaned out of the Police Department, an internal review was conducted. More officers were suspected in the crimes, but only as facilitators. No charges were filed.

The man's wife noticed his personality changes. His moods were swinging from depression to mania, and the bump on his neck was now a full-sized knot. She took him to see his doctor.

Whispers of the mayor's involvement started. How much damage had actually been done to the community? Where were the funds, the federal aid, that had been much discussed amongst the townspeople. Where had the money gone?

It was cancer, a tumor in his salivary glands, that was now threatening his very life. The doctor recommended chemotherapy and radiation. The man agreed and arrangements were made.

The mayor was behind it all. He had embezzled millions. He accepted bribes, gave preferential city contracts to personal friends and spent taxpayer money on his lavish, adulterous lifestyle. He was taken into federal custody and the federal government moved in to restore stability.

The chemotherapy and radiation helped at first. The man felt better, but the tumor refused to shrink. He experienced side effects: burned skin, dysphagia, memory loss and severe diarrhea. He was hospitalized for dehydration.

The federal government stayed until a new mayor was elected. The city was broke, however, and the citizens lost faith in their leaders. The new mayor resigned and the town scrambled to elect a new leader.

The doctor gave him less than a month to live. Aggressive repopulation, the doctor had said, citing the man's late recognition of the lump on his neck. If he had come in just a month earlier, he might have lived. As it was, he was heavily sedated, made comfortable, and allowed to drift painlessly into the after life. His family was devastated, but they carried on.

The city would need federal aid indefinitely. The citizens continued their lives, albeit much poorer. Crime was rampant and the population dropped significantly. Businesses moved on and the city's only sports team, a baseball franchise, moved to brighter horizons.

Life goes on. It always has, it always will. That doesn't mean we can't see that thing in the mirror, right in front of us, and address the problem before it's too late. Being proactive has always been superior to being reactive. Always.

Everyone is always trying to make money. Make more money, and then make more money....It's an endless pursuit. Whether you are Bill Gates or the guy who begs under the bridge at I-35 and Inwood Road in Dallas TX, you are trying to get more money. Wait, what? Bill Gates is trying to make more money? But he's a mult-billion, gajillion dollar business mogul!

Do a bit of research. Even after Bill Gates entered the top .0001 percent of wealthy people in the world, he was still working 60 hour weeks, creating brand new products and furiously competing with other major software enterprises. Mr. Gates is not alone in this...extremism. Look up almost any super-rich, super-successful person, and you will find that their passions burn bright even after they have achieved (presumably) their goals. Kobe Bryant comes to mind, who still plays injured and outworks his 19 year old teammates. Mark Cuban is another.

My point is that having more money and caring for your family is a great goal to have, but once you've made the money, then what? Ok, now your family is supported, now you have all the free time in the world, and now what do you do? Well, you keep doing the same thing that you did before, because it's who you are! Surprise! The pursuit of the almighty dollar never was, and never is, the point of life.

I've created this blog to help promote my work. I'm an independent author who has written Romance, Action, Horror and Historical Fiction. I'm going to primarily write Historical Fiction in the future, unless I get a lot of demand for a different type of novel. And yes, I am writing for money. But also know that yes, I write because I love it. I write books during my lunch breaks EVERYDAY at work, everyday, for 1 hour, I write and write. I write in the evenings. I write on weekends.

Even after the time comes where my family is living comfortably, I will pursue my passion as long as I have eyes to see and fingers to type. Money is not the point, but it never hurt as a side-effect.

What are your passions?