Nightmares and Dreams

Posted on June 28, 2014 by russtowne

I just realized that nearly all of my ‘dreams’ while sleeping are in fact nightmares–at least the ones I remember. I have them virtually every night, and usually remember at least the last one when I wake up. I can’t remember the last time I had a pleasant dream while sleeping. I don’t know why my brain treats me in such a way; I don’t have significant regrets, remorse, or guilty feelings.

Most of my nightmares are of times and places from twenty to forty years ago, and often involve school or jobs I hated early in my career. In the nightmares, I’m often looking for something (my classroom, locker, locker combination, my office, my car, or other things) and no matter how long or hard I look I’m never able to find it.

I’ve also noticed that I’ve never had a nightmare (of which I’m aware) involving my current career as an investment and wealth manager, not even during the extreme volatility of the Great Recession–an eleven-year window of no nightmares set in that timeframe.

I just realized something else: Although nightmares are part of my sleeping hours, I’m living a beautiful, beautiful dream while awake, and that makes me a lucky man indeed.

With Love,
Russ

Posted in Dreams | Tagged , | 14 Comments

Children’s App and Anthology Updates

Posted on June 27, 2014 by russtowne

Clyde and Friends Children’s App
I just heard from the developer of the Clyde and Friends children’s app. The narrator for the app has recorded the sound files. The developer said he has a wonderful deep voice, which is how she imagines Clyde would sound, if he could talk. She is still looking for a few more zany sounds (crashing, rain, etc.) and will start uploading everything next week, as time allows. She’ll let me know the online preview link before it is published, so I’ll have an opportunity to review it.

Palpable Imaginings Anthology of Fiction Short Stories
The cover designer plans to send cover design ideas to me on Monday, and the interior layout right after she sends some cover proofs to me. She hopes to get an interior proof to me before the holiday weekend.

Heart Whispers Anthology of Poetry
I just did a quick review of the main layout of the electronic files of Heart Whispers and didn’t see anything I wanted to change, so I just ordered the physical proof from the printer. For those keeping score at home, the cost of the physical proof was $2.86 plus expedited shipping and handling which brought the total to $14.30. It is scheduled to arrive on July 2! Once I review the physical proof–most likely the day it arrives–IF I find nothing I want to change, I’ll OK it for release to Amazon.com and other outlets. Normally, it would show up for sale on Amazon.com within the next 24-48 hours, but due to the July 4th U.S. Independence Day holiday followed by the weekend, it may not be released until July 7 or 8, still way ahead of schedule.

Slices of Life Anthology of Non-Fiction Short Stories
Nine writers have contributed 24 stories, but at 21,348 words I’ve decided it needs more content before publishing it. I’m targeting 30,000 to 35,000 words. I’m officially re-opening this project for writers to present more of their creations to be considered for possible inclusion in this anthology. Please send non-fiction stories to me at russtowne@yahoo.com. If more production cost money is collected than is needed, the extra will be returned to the writers, prorated based on total production costs paid by each writer. If not enough production cost money is collected, I will pay the difference.

Twists Anthology of Flash Fiction and Short Stories
I initially envisioned this as a collection of all my own work, and to this point that has been the case with 28 of my stories comprising 10,940 words. I’ve just decided to open this project to other writers to present their creations to be considered for possible inclusion in this anthology. Please send non-fiction stories to me at russtowne@yahoo.com. Due to the extreme differences in length between flash fiction (at around 300 words or less) and short stories (which for this publication can be anywhere from a few hundred words to perhaps 7,000), it doesn’t seem fair to prorate costs and royalties per story, so I’m going to try something a bit different for Twists. The cost proration will be 3 cents per word included (using MS Word’s word count), and the royalty proration will be based on the total dollars paid by each writer, rounded to the nearest dollar. If more production cost money is collected than is needed, the extra will be returned to the writers, prorated based on total production costs paid by each writer. If not enough production cost money is collected, I will pay the difference.

With love,
Russ

Posted in Anthologies, Fiction, Fiction I've Written, Flash Fiction, My Written Works Misc., Non-Fiction, Non-fiction Stories I've Written, Non-Fiction Writing I've Done, Short Stories, Teamwork, True Stories I've Written, Writing, Writing Project Updates | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Book Updates

Posted on June 25, 2014 by russtowne

Palpable Imaginings (an anthology of Fiction short stories) and Heart Whispers (an anthology of poetry) are on track for publishing next month.

Despite having about one-third more stories than Palpable Imaginings, Slices of Life (an anthology of non-fiction short stories) is about one-third shorter due to the average length of the stories being much shorter. I’ve been debating what to do about it; whether to publish a thin Slices or open it up for more stories. While I ponder the situation, you are welcome to send more non-fiction stories to me for consideration for possible inclusion in the book.

I’ve decide to add a fourth book to be published this year, titled Twists. It will be an anthology of flash fiction and short stories. Currently, all of the creations were written by me. I may at some point open it up to work from other writers but I want to see how the finances work out on the first three anthologies before I do. If I find I’m eating too much of the expense through poor estimating on my part, I may need to make an adjustment for future multi-writer anthologies or discontinue using the experimental model altogether. My biggest concern at this point regarding the current model for the first three anthologies is that calculating, sorting by title, prorating, and paying royalties applicable to each of the 40-or so writers on an on-going basis is likely to prove to be a quite time-consuming project. I’ve taken it on and will follow through, but I want to see how it goes before adding to my commitments with additional multi-writer anthologies.

Posted in Writing, Writing Project Updates | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

Leaps of Faith and Acts of Love

Posted on June 21, 2014 by russtowne

Last night I started out at about 8pm with the seed of an idea for what I thought would be another flash fiction piece. Over seven hours of non-stop writing later I finished the 7-page story, “Touched.” I looked at the clock. 3:20am. I’d had so much fun putting pieces of the puzzle together I had no clue so much time had passed. It’s as though I was in a time bubble. I sometimes write all night and am surprised to see the sun shining through the window. I used to enjoy putting jigsaw puzzles together, but writing is so much more fun for me. The challenge is greatly increased in writing because I can’t keep referring to a photo on the cover of a puzzle box to see how everything will fit together and how the project will turn out, and I have to create each piece from scratch rather than select pre-made puzzle pieces. There were several times last night when I sat in amazement at where the story had led me to at that point, and that I had no clue as to how it would end or how long it would be. Writing to me is a bit like being a farmer with unknown seeds. I get the seed of an idea. Plant it, water and nurture it, and see what it grows into. It sometimes turns into a poem, a song, or a short story. I’ve learned not to fight what it was meant to be, but rather to go with the flow, and see where this wild writing river adventure takes me. Each seed I plant or writing journey I begin is a leap of faith and act of love. I have no idea what is around the next bend on this writing adventure but I love the ride. With love, Russ

Posted in Acceptance, Adventure, Following Your Passion, Fun, Joy & Happiness, My Written Works Misc., Writing | Tagged , , , , , , | 13 Comments

URL for Imaginings of a Grateful Man (My Fiction Site)

Posted on June 21, 2014 by russtowne

Some readers are having difficulty accessing my fiction site. The link below should hopefully help.

http://imaginingsofagratefulman.com/

Thank you for your patience.

With Love,
Russ

Posted in Fiction, Fiction I've Written, Flash Fiction | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Hang-Dragging

Posted on June 20, 2014 by russtowne

Hang-Dragging
By Russ Towne

When I was in my thirties a friend invited my sons and I to go with him to an introductory hang-gliding session. Ordinarily that would have been just about the last thing in the world I’d have thought to do, but he was a careful fellow. He said he’d checked it out and looked safe, so my son Brian and I decided to participate.

Our adventure started in a classroom. We were instructed on hang-glide basics, the gliders themselves, safety equipment, and how to safely use them. Then we were shown an inspirational video showing how easy and exhilarating hang-gliding can be. It looked like a wonderful experience. I was excited but nervous, and hoped the butterflies in my stomach would help to keep me airborne.

The instructors drove us to a field with a couple of small hills, one was perhaps only ten to twelve feet tall, and the other was two or three times taller. The hills created natural updrafts, a handy thing when hang-gliding. We donned our helmets and watched as the instructors unfolded and set up the hang-gliders.

We started from the smaller hill. A couple of other newbies went first. It didn’t look so hard! Then it was my turn. A jumble of thoughts swirled in my head, “Don’t screw up! This is going to be fun! I hope I have enough insurance! I’ve never had a broken bone before, but if I do break something I hope it’s not my neck! Man, this hang-glider sure looks flimsy! Would you butterflies please settle down, I’m trying to concentrate?!”

It was time. The moment of truth. I took a deep breath and stepped off the hill…and flew! It was exhilarating. The cool crisp wind brushed my face and gently whipped at my clothes as the ground rushed beneath me. I made a perfect landing on my feet. I loved everything about the flight.

It was so fun and easy I got cocky. I figured the next flight would be longer if I started from the larger hill. I mentioned my bright idea to an instructor, but he suggested I continue launching from the shorter hill for “a bit longer.” It proved to be a wise precaution.

My next flight didn’t go so well. A gust of air unexpectedly shot me an extra eight or ten feet into the air, and just as I began to get used to the higher (and scarier) elevation I hit a downdraft or air pocket and plunged just as fast downward. The ground rushed toward me at an alarming rate. I panicked and over-corrected. Bad mistake! I crash landed. Hard. And not on my feet. Let’s just say I knew it would be painful to sit down for at least a few days afterwards.

As an added bonus, my friend’s wife and mine arrived with our younger children just in time to see my embarrassing and painful crash!

My son flew like a bird and my friend flew well most of the time. For my remaining “flights” that day I ended up hang-bouncing, hang-dragging, and hang-crashing. I bounced like a rubber ball while being dragged across the field before crashing like a petrified rock. I did everything BUT hang-glide!

At the end of the day I wasn’t sure what was banged up more, my body or my pride. It was an experience I’ll never forget or ever repeat, but I learned and/or was reminded about several valuable lessons that day:

Getting cocky can be a painful mistake!

A wise man knows his limitations.

Hang-gliding is one of my limitations.

Not all adventures turn out well.

I didn’t give up in the face of repeated failure and painful crashes, but I also didn’t feel the need to go out and do it again the next day.

Panic often leads to painful results. (I just noticed that the first four letters of the words “panic” and “pain” are the same. Coincidence? I don’t think so!)

I greatly prefer to fly with a contraption that has at least one engine, and preferably four.

The pull of gravity can be painful.

An hour in a Jacuzzi with friends and family can work wonders on bruises of the body and ego.

With Love,
Russ

Posted in Adventure, LIfe Lessons, Non-Fiction, Non-fiction Stories I've Written, True Stories I've Written | Tagged , , , | 10 Comments

What This Dad Does for his Ailing Daughter has the Internet in Tears

Posted on June 20, 2014 by russtowne

I just experienced the powerful magic of love transform the expressionless face of a girl fighting for her life into a glorious look of triumph and ecstasy smiling so brightly she lit of the room.

Russ

Kindness Blog's avatarKindness Blog

McKenzie Michelle Carey

McKenzie Michelle Carey was born weighing just over eight pounds, 12 years ago on April 20, 2002.

Eighteen months later she was diagnosed with a life-threatening disease identified as Mitochondrial disease. Mitochondria are considered the cell’s power producers, and the work they do helps generate fuel for the cell’s activities. But McKenzie’s mitochondria can’t do what they are needed to do; sustain life and support growth.

The disease damages cells of the brain, heart, liver, skeletal muscles, kidney and the endocrine and respiratory systems.

But her condition didn’t keep her off the stage for the summer pageant, thanks to her awesome dad.

He dances the sweetest dance with his daughter, to “The Climb” by Miley Cyrus. You can see the happiness sparkling from her eyes.

McKenzie has been responding to alternative therapies, her mother Tammy Carey said. The treatments are hyperbaric oxygen therapy and intensive suit therapy, both are expensive.

If…

View original post 29 more words

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The Best $5 I Ever Spent

Posted on June 15, 2014 by russtowne

The Best $5 I Ever Spent
By Russ Towne

I just had to have a car. I ached for one. Unfortunately, I was only fifteen and had a mere $300 in savings. Earning just a buck thirty-five an hour I knew it would be a long time before I’d have enough to make a noticeable difference in what I could buy.

I was impatient, but about the only thing available in that price range was a 1960 Rambler. It was a big, ugly white box on wheels that was nearly as old as me. I knew instantly I’d be embarrassed to drive it. Other kids in my school drove Mustangs, Camaros, Firebirds, and the like. But back then about the only thing worse than driving an ugly car was not having a car at all, so I swallowed my pride, spent every dollar I had, and got behind the wheel.

Ramblin’ Rosie

I named her Ramblin’ Rosie.

Her steering wheel seemed to be the diameter of a manhole cover, and without power steering it felt about as heavy to turn.

Rosie’s heater took about five minutes longer to warm up than the length of any trip I made.

She had an automatic transmission with different colored shift buttons on the dash board. They lit up like a Christmas tree when her lights came on. She was better looking at night.

Once, I accidentally pushed her reverse button when driving down the street. I knew in a heartbeat I was driving fast enough to blow her transmission. Rosie shook, shuddered loudly, and came to a standstill. My heart plunged to my stomach. I killed Rosie! Out of desperation, I pushed her drive button and held my breath. She lurched forward like nothing had happened.

She’d given another chance to me and I never pushed the wrong button again.

A Lot of Heart but Almost No Muscle

Many cars accelerate like a dream, with Rosie is was more like a nightmare with all the cars blowing past so fast they were blurs, and eighteen-wheelers loved climbing on my rear bumper.

Things got even more exciting when I tried to take her up a hill. Driving her over the Santa Cruz Mountains on Highway 17 was like never-ending, nerve rattling torture. I’d give her a head start by accelerating as fast as she’d go before the slope began, then try to keep her floored all the way up the hill. It was a race to reach the summit before she came to a complete stop. My heart pounded so hard and beat so fast I thought it was going to explode. White knuckles clawed the steering wheel so my sweaty palms wouldn’t slip off. My eyes frantically flew between the rising road and the dropping speedometer as it fell agonizingly closer, and closer to zero. Meanwhile ever-helpful drivers behind us prodded us to go faster in a wide variety of unfriendly ways.

Rosie kept me on the edge of my seat, but she always made it—-though just barely.

We Brake for Police

Once, Rosie got me involved with the police. It started innocently enough. Solvent spilled on her new brake pads when they were being installed. Later as I drove down a four-lane road, a police car which was hidden by parked cars on the side of the road suddenly veered in front of me to chase a speeder. Startled, I stomped on the brakes a little too hard. Alright, a LOT too hard. Rosie’s brakes completely locked up with an ear-splitting SCREEEEECH, thick black smoke, and the stench of burning rubber.

That startled the cop. He slammed on his brakes and did a complete donut in the middle of the road as he tried to decide which vehicle to go after. He took a look at Rosie. I guess he decided no one could have been speeding in a car that looked like Rosie because he ignored us and resumed chasing the speeder.

We didn’t wait around to see if he would change his mind!

Rosie Earns Some Respect

During the CB-radio craze, Rosie helped me to come up with my “handle” (a name one uses while talking on a CB). I became the Midnight Rambler. Like a lot of boys my age, I was a “Casanova Wannabe.” In my case it was too often more “Wannabe” than Casanova, but I liked the handle anyway.

My peers, who were unenlightened by Rosie’s finer attributes, occasionally made fun of her. That was largely corrected one night at a high school dance. The band played a song about a 1960 Rambler and mentioned it had bench seats that folded into a double bed. Those who knew what I drove turned to look at me. I just nodded and smiled, bursting with pride.

The Best $5 I Ever Spent

I paid $300 for Rosie, drove her for a few years, and sold her for $295.

That was the best $5 I’ve ever spent.

With Love,
Russ

Posted in Adventure, Humor, Non-fiction Stories I've Written, Non-Fiction Writing I've Done, True Stories I've Written, Writing | Tagged , , , | 38 Comments

What You’ve Missed

Posted on June 11, 2014 by russtowne

Those who don’t follow my flash fiction and short story fiction blog titled Imaginings of a Grateful Man http://imaginingsofagratefulman.com missed about a dozen flash fiction and short stories in just the last week including those about:

A survivor of the doomed RMS Titanic

What WWII slave laborers in Nazi Germany do to help the war effort

How a young man who doesn’t listen to his mother accidentally starts a war

A group of women who devise a plan to escape slavery

Two stories about how fateful decisions change everything

How getting stranded on a deserted island is the best thing that happened to a man

A club of little old ladies makes a violent purse snatcher rue the day he stole one of their purses

With love,

Russ

Posted in Adversity, Challenges, Choices, Courage, Fiction I've Written, Flash Fiction, Freedom, Ingenuity, Short Stories, Teamwork, Writing, Youth | Tagged , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

A Delightful Visit, an Error, and Some Updates

Posted on June 8, 2014 by russtowne

I had a delightful lunch with a fellow blogger and friend I got to meet in person for the first time last Friday. It occurred to me that I haven’t gotten permission to say who it was so I’ll just mention I had fun time and I hope we get to meet again soon.

All three anthologies should be headed for the publishing professionals either tonight or Monday. I mentioned in a recent post on one of my blogs that over 50 writers were participating. The actual number is about 40. I added the 23 poets to the then-19 short story writers and came up with a total of 52. I must have been tired that night because 23 + 19 is 42 not 52. I apologize for my error. Since that time two of the writers who initially expressed interest didn’t follow through by the extended deadline so will not be included in these projects.

Below are the writers (poets & short story writers) who were selected and who chose to participate, along with the titles of the anthologies that will feature their creations listed in order of the number of their creations included in the book, and alphabetically by surname when the quantity is the same.

I’m honored such fine writers and their creations are featured in these books. It has been a pleasure working with them. You’ll probably recognize many of the names from the blogging community and/or by the books they’ve written or writing awards they’ve won. For some, I’m delighted to say this is their print publishing debut, for others this is one of many publications in which their work is featured. I love that combination.

Thank you to all who are participating. I appreciate the many thank you cards and notes I’ve received. They touch my heart and inspire my spirit to shine. I am indeed a very grateful man.

Heart Whispers (poetry)
Melody Lowes
Michael McClellan
Heather Rheingold
Russ Towne
Marie Lukasik Wallace
Kim Laettner
Linda Moon
Heather Rheingold
Allison Conway
Terri Kurczewski
Diane Rawn
Jan Beekman
Christine Moran
Imelda Santore
Renate M. Bell
Yvonne Deane
Christine Fichtner
Beth Kennedy
Mimi Krumholz
Sherri Mathews
Marie Pozzanghera
Regina Puckett
Venkataraman L.N.

Slices of Life (Non-Fiction Short Stories)
Russ Towne
Sheri de Grom
Koji D. Kanemoto
Mimi Krumholz
Bill Webb
Teresa Karlinski
Kim Laettner
E.H. Landell
Sherri Mathews

Palpable Imaginings (Fiction Short Stories.)
Russ Towne
William Barrett Burton
Vern McGeorge
Christine Fichtner
Brad Latham Fort
Teresa Karlinski
Sandy Lardinois
Scott Schroeder

With Love,
Russ

Posted in Anthologies, Friendship, Writing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 26 Comments