60+ year old thread.

Some years ago I thought I had a talent for writing since I couldn't read anymore. I wrote some flash fiction and some poetry. I was a flash in the pan. I pulled a second place in the Faulkner Creative Writing Competition, invited to New Orleans but not invited to read what I wrote, bummer. Some local coffee houses for readings, never could read aloud though, couldn't memorize, and worst of all, I got emotional while reading. Stupid emotional. Embarrassing emotional. Gave it up.

 

Back in 2003, when I was recovering from my second (of three) broken legs, I sat down and started writing a historical fiction story based loosely around the 1930s evolution of the Pratt & Whitney radial engines; I could never figure out whether to make it historically accurate, have lots of violence and/or conflict and/or sex, or a smattering of all three. Then I figured, "Nah, ain't nobody wants to read nuthin' like that." Two months and 800 pages later I put it down and got back to work.

 

I’d read it.

 

The last book I finished was Grisham... Sycamore Row... and I liked it a lot. A little darker than his normal stuff and easier to identify with for me. Seemed deeper than his usual.

It seems like people that read non-fiction have a harder time with sci-fi and people that read sci-fi read less non-fiction. Just my experience, at least. There is some pretty "out there" sci-fi...

 

I really enjoy Steinbeck, “Of Mice and Men” is my favorite followed closely by “Travels with Charley”. We have a standard Poodle we names Charley as a result of that book.

 

Violence, conflict, and sex keep a book interesting for people not well versed in the evolution of technical subjects. But once involved they often learn something valuable if only by osmosis. Did you have a story line or just the history of how the engine was developed?

 

Travels With Charlie is indeed a special book. Cannery Row and Tortilla Flats are also excellent reads.

 

You bring back a memory of one of my stories. It was a tongue in cheek April Fool story I wrote years ago for my car club's National Magazine, professing to prove that the Chevy small block was designed by, then stolen from Ford Motor Company. I had crafted just enough truth in the story to make it believable, and it is to this day (once in a while) cited as proof of the origin of the engine. Fake News!

 

Always in my library

 

The red Pony and the Grapes of Wrath. He is my favorite author by far.

 

Good news!!

 

Good morning fellow Porchatonians!!!

 

Morning

 

Good morning porchies! Friday morning, day 3 of my 5 day vacation from the rat race. Waiting on a phone call from Dell to come and fix my laptop today. The screen went black while I was using it. With a phone call and some test they determined that the touch screen has failed and a tech will come to the house to replace it. Its covered under an extended warranty. If they get it fixed I've got some gopro videos to upload to it, ebike rides. So for now I'm just hanging out and drinking coffee waiting for the tech to call to set up a time, supposed to come after 12.

 

There is a decent story to go along with the development of the engines, primarily the R-1830 Twin Wasp and R-2800 Double Wasp lines. I've reread it a few times since I wrote it; basically a kid, more or less orphaned, ends up working on a horse farm owned by one of the chief engineers of P&W and proves to be quite the engine prodigy. The farm owner puts him through MIT and he ends up becoming a factory field liaison with various squadrons running the R-2800; there are plenty of sub-themes which describe alcoholic abuse, violent bullying, graphic sex, and even the politics surrounding the Air Mail Scandal and the meddling of Senator Hugo Black.

I attempted to get it published shortly after I wrote it, but because it didn't fit in any one genre, it was universally rejected, sight unseen, by the agents I pitched it to.

 

Good Morning Porch Pals & Gal! Mowering day. Oh yay!

Don't read like I used to when I travelled for a living, but a favorite "odd duck" is "Job: A Divine Comedy" by Robert Heinlein. Not what you'd think at all when you think of him.

 

Agents seem to be a necessary evil for some reason. I have no idea how to get one interested. I had a professional editor read my first book and call me up half way through it to offer a partnership, and another nationally famous editor give me a decent review, but without an agent it appears the publishing companies are only interested in the same old, same old. Hollywood is a hard nut to crack, too. I've known people that spent a half million climbing the ladder to get a movie made and finally realized paying for access was just them being milked.

 

Dang, OP I think it's time to rename this thread "60's, wannabes, and book nerds"!

Only kidding. I am impressed by the discussion and the breadth and depth of the books being discussed. I have never been much for the classics myself. I've read everything Neal Stephenson has written, co-written, or influenced. Walter Isaacson writes fabulous biographies, although I bogged down on his Da Vinci book and didn't finish it. I burn through the occasional Jack Reacher too, when I'm in the mood for that.

I'm feeling a bit under the weather; sinuses stuffy and digestive tract not happy. I'm trying to decide whether or not to use one the home ***** tests we have. I think I had better do it.

 

Self Publish it!

Budd Davisson has two books out, Cobalt Blue and Stonewall File. For years he couldn't get a publisher but started self-publishing it and they took off so finally, a publisher did print it. I've mentioned Budd before as he has a blog "Airbum" about years of flight, teaching, etc. Just a blast to spend an evening with. We went out to dinner, with Budd his wife, and my brother. My brother is blind (both retinas detached, too many blows to his head from his Army Days '68-'72). We had a great time, I had to point out to Marlene to start with "John" and then ask your question. Blind, he doesn't join a conversation until his name is spoken first. No straws in his drinks, either. You lean forward and stab your eye. So if a drink were served with a straw, I'd warn him. So he was quiet at first, but with Budd, they started talking about Gibson. Budd had done of the first catalogs for Gibson, as was paid with custom Guitar. The next three hours they were going on like crazy. Not bad for my brother who wanted to bail on dinner as he had nothing to say "to an Airbum". Flight Journal is a fantastic magazine, Budd researches stuff like crazy so anything published has many accurate details.

http://airbum.com/

A few years away from retiring, but I have my reading list waiting!

Edit: Corrected. It was Gibson, not Fender. Budd still has an original Les Paul that was his payment. Zero plans to sell it, my brother still plays Bass and owned a Les Paul in his earlier band days. He made good money playing Harmonica. He would hear a tune once and could repeat it with any instrument. Retina's detached some 40 years after his army days, but VA had his records and could document the history. Sadly he is still dealing with his own demons, life hasn't been easy on him.

 

I think I have a copy and have read every book John Grisham has written. Good writer. I have read nearly everything Tom Clancy has written, but it seems that he has put his name on many books written by other authors, many of which are not of his caliber.