Quotations on Standing Up to Evil

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(Painting by Joshua Reynolds)

“The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.”

Edmund Burke

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“When I despair, I remember that all through history the way of truth and love have always won. There have been tyrants and murderers, and for a time, they can seem invincible, but in the end, they always fall. Think of it–always.”

Mahatma Gandhi

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“Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere. We are caught in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly, affects all indirectly.”

Martin Luther King Jr.

Armed Forces Day 2018

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Today is Armed Forces Day, and let us take a moment to honor the men and women who have served or are currently serving in our forces.

A very small percentage of the population does serve, so they deserve a special recognition for what they do. Far too often, they are simply ignored, or their days, especially Memorial Day or Veterans Day are used as an excuse for sales of stuff.

Regardless of political views, we should remember those who do honorable service, especially because most of us do not have to serve. It is a sacrifice that should be acknowledged.

To all in the forces or who have served–you are in my thoughts.

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What Book Would You Read? — Revisited

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One of my best memories from summers when I was a child was of those days when I didn’t have to do anything. Work had not yet reared its head, chores were finished, and the weather was just right. It wasn’t too hot, and the humidity was low. The sky was filled with imagination-inducing legions of clouds. On such days, I remember sitting under a tree, leaning back against it and reading a book—all day, with the exception of going in for lunch and supper. They were perfect days.

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Now, imagine something like that. For one day, you have no responsibilities, the weather is nice—75 degrees, almost no humidity, and a sky of bright blue and cumulus clouds like scattered cotton candy—and you have the time to indulge in reading a book. At your side is a container of coffee, iced tea, or whatever you like. You also have snacks with you. Remember, for this day, you are free to relax and read, as if you were a child again.

If I were to do this right now, I think I would begin to reread The Lord of the Rings.

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(https://en.wikipedia.org)

My question is—what book would you read?

I have used this post before, but I love hearing the answers from other readers.

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Gallows Hill can be found here in ebook.

Gallows Hill in paperback can be found here.

An interview about Gallows Hill can be found here.

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Please follow the following links to find my novel:

ebook

Print book

Thank you!

The book trailer:

Maledicus:Investigative Paranormal Society Book I

My radio interview:

interview

What is a Book You are Currently Reading?

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I am always interested in hearing what books other people are reading, and the blogging world has many interesting, intelligent, and engaging people in it. I am lucky to have met many of you through this blog.

I usually have several books going at one time, so I will mention that I am rereading Stephen King’s Hearts In Atlantis, which I am teaching in my Contemporary Fiction class at the Wescoe School of Muhlenberg College. I am also reading The View From the Cheap Seats by Neil Gaiman and Aggravated Momentum by Didi Oviatt.

So, what are you reading?

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Please follow the following links to find my novel:

ebook

Print book

Thank you!

The book trailer:

Maledicus:Investigative Paranormal Society Book I

My radio interview:

interview

What Book Would You Visit?

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As readers and writers, we create new worlds and engage with places built by other writers. Our imaginations inform our lives and give us gifts of wonder. I have often considered what it would be like if it were possible to enter into the world of a book, if it would be anything like I had imagined as I read it, or if that place would be entirely different. What would it be like if we found a key that allowed us to unlock a sealed door, behind which was the world of a book?

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If I could visit any book, I would choose J.R.R. Tolkien’s The Lord Of The Rings. This work has been deeply important to me for most of my life, since I discovered it as a young teenager. I never cease to find the tale compelling, complex, and humanistic. Tolkien’s treatment of mythology and fantasy showed me that the creation of worlds is not an act of mere escapism but a way to shine a light on our world.

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When I ask this question, I do not mean that you would necessarily engage with the characters or situations of the world, but that you would have the option of being an observer of its actualities as they are in the book. So, if you choose to answer, remember that you would not have to place yourself in any kind of danger, and you could have a visit of exploration instead.

So, given that option, I ask: what book would you like to visit?

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