Michael D.'s Comments
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Oct 9, 2009 | comments: 2
Michael D. Oct 10, 2009, 9:52am EDT
I am well aware of that insensitivity, too. But to make fun of the very reason he says he went to war is unacceptable. Like a child, he is just happy he got his war, whatever the cost. It had been planned for years before 9/11.
Oct 16, 2008 | comments: 5
Michael D. Nov 3, 2008, 1:08pm EST
I see you found that post!
Apr 2, 2007 | comments: 15
Michael D. Oct 30, 2008, 7:47pm EDT
That's the one nice thing about writing about a time that may or not have ever existed; you can create it yourself. That's why it's called fiction.

Good introduction (sorry, I'm normally a non-fiction writer :-)); very good first chapter.

People can pick anyone's writing apart all day long. Heck, there is some stuff in John Grisham's novels that I think he could have changed for the better. The same goes for Stephen King, Nicholas Sparks, Nelson DeMille. It seems the only writer who never goes wrong and just keeps getting better is John Irving. If you haven't read his stuff, grab it right away. He is a god among writers.
Apr 6, 2007 | comments: 18
Michael D. Oct 30, 2008, 6:12pm EDT
That last line nailed me. "Sunken city" knocked me off my chair. I hadn't read the Prologue first, and actually, I preferred it that way. Probably why I was caught off guard by the last line. Please take a look at my Prologue and Chapter One of my novel, The Line.

You can read it here...well, it doesn't seem to be showing up unless I am logged in.

Good job!
Sep 20, 2008 | comments: 2
Michael D. Sep 20, 2008, 5:56pm EDT
Excuse me, I am not bashing. I am just expressing the truth. There are actually still some conservatives out there who support Bush and stand up for him. I think that is very sad.
Sep 15, 2008 | comments: 1
Michael D. Sep 15, 2008, 6:27pm EDT
No, it was caused by a bunch of companies to whom the GOP is connected that bamboozled innocent ignorant first-time home buyers into payments they could not afford because they were promised terms that weren't delivered. This is all part and parcel of how badly Bush has run this country into the ground. It's a domino effect. Next, the FDIC will default on its obligation to insure American's bank accounts. Then we are all screwed.
Jan 7, 2008 | comments: 256
Michael D. Jan 9, 2008, 10:37am EST
Of course, now I must put my two cents in. I have said it before and I will say it again. The bottom line of these contests is money. Period. Does anyone truly believe that any established publishing company is going to give a book contract to an unknown, first-time author simply as a nicety? The proof of that is that there must be a minimum number of entries before the company will even consider the manuscripts. Why? Well, let's see. The more entries, the more reviewers. The more reviewers, and the more marketing of the contest, the more members who join gather.com. Gather makes its money on advertising, correct? Please excuse me for being a skeptic here, but these contests smack of one hand washing the other. Gather may introduce these contests as feel-good, "we care about writers," competitions, but the truth is the bottom line: money.

Now, as a publisher myself, I would be lying if I said I would take on a book that wouldn't make any money. But there is a fine line between my company and the majors. I refuse to take on a book that I do not believe in. A book has to touch my heart, whether ficition or non-fiction. I cannot sell a book that I do not personally believe in and I WOULD NEVER publish a book just because I think it would make money, even though that is the purpose of publishing companies. I am truly all for the first-time author being published, which is who I seek when accepting manuscripts. And I don't have a big budget to give advances and the like. But when I find something I love, I will put everything I have into it. And everything I have is my sweat and my personal resources, both financial and otherwise.

That said, I think allowing a professionally published writer into the contest is a flagrant disregard and breach of the rules. Then again, the final results are not yet in. All we can do is hope that one of the other entries will beat the pro. Remember, everyone involved is already making their money by advertising these contests. Major publishing companies have the ability to publish a bomb fairly often. They can afford to dump ten or twenty thousand dollars into a book even if they know the odds of a return are slim. For them it is a write-off; just one of many they have every year. For me, however, I cannot afford to publish a book I cannot sell.

I have gone on for too long and probably strayed from my point, which is that I find these contests to be less than what they are presented to be. I highly doubt that anyone is going to become a best-selling author winning one of these contests.
Aug 7, 2007 | comments: 55
Michael D. Aug 21, 2007, 12:27pm EDT
For one, I do not believe anything that the mainstream media tells me, especially the New York Times. They allowed Judith Miller to post, without scrutiny, articles pushing for the war in Iraq; these articles were nothing more than heresay from people she was close to who wanted the war (namely, Ahmed Chalabi). Read more about her and you will see. She didn't serve nearly enough time in jail for me; now all we need to do is put Novak away.

We are not winning the war; not even close. I have been in contact with Iraqis who have lived through it, and are still living through it, and it is anything but what I would call "winning." You cannot possibly win a war on a noun. Look how badly we are doing in the wars on "poverty" and "drugs;" a war on "terrorism" will never work, especially when you consider that this war has nothing at all to do with terrorism.
Jul 11, 2007 | comments: 69
Michael D. Jul 13, 2007, 9:29am EDT
Once again, Gather exceeds the realm of explanation. Why is Gather limiting this contest to the romance genre? Aren't there already enough romance books out there? Gather has already sponsored a fiction contest; how about a non-fiction contest? I have one ready to go.
Jul 11, 2007 | comments: 32
Michael D. Jul 13, 2007, 9:25am EDT
Once again, Gather exceeds the realm of explanation. Why is Gather limiting this contest to the romance genre? Aren't there already enough romance books out there? Gather has already sponsored a fiction contest; how about a non-fiction contest? I have one ready to go.
Jun 11, 2007 | comments: 31
Michael D. Jun 19, 2007, 6:18pm EDT
Good work, Judy, even if it is from your POV. LOL Just kidding.
Jun 17, 2007 | comments: 64
Michael D. Jun 18, 2007, 5:06pm EDT
Number 4.
May 22, 2007 | comments: 93
Michael D. May 30, 2007, 3:37pm EDT
So strange. I was looking for the original posting of the rules. I discovered that it was recently updated and the comments were removed. I posted this comment on that article, but it seems that no one is commenting there. So I will reproduce it here for your enjoyment.

Here is the posting:

What happened to all of the comments that used to be here? I need to see one of the comments. I have a theory on who the winner will be. I had written down my choice on a piece of paper and placed it in my wallet. I wrote down this name BEFORE the first round winners were chosen and this particular author is in the final five! What are the odds of that happening? Believe me, I am not that lucky. If I were, I would have hit Powerball by now. And if I am right, this contest was a scam. I find it highly suspicious that all of the previous comments have been removed. I need to see the comments that used to be attached to this article.
Apr 3, 2007 | comments: 3
Michael D. May 22, 2007, 4:17pm EDT
What happened to all of the comments that used to be here? I need to see one of the comments. I have a theory on who the winner will be. I had written down my choice on a piece of paper and placed it in my wallet. I wrote down this name BEFORE the first round winners were chosen and this particular author is in the final five! What are the odds of that happening? Believe me, I am not that lucky. If I were, I would have hit Powerball by now. And if I am right, this contest was a scam. I find it highly suspicious that all of the previous comments have been removed. I need to see the comments that used to be attached to this article.
May 14, 2007 | comments: 8
Michael D. May 15, 2007, 2:31pm EDT
Please do not ever imply that you know what I support without getting to know me first. I absolutely support our troops; I just do not support our president. I have a nephew who has been called to go to Iraq shortly, and I have a friend whose stepson was killed in Iraq in January. So don't ever accuse me of not supporting our military.

Regardless of whether sitting presidents are "required" to attend funerals, it would be a show of respect for the president to attend a funeral or two. After all, he sent these men and women to be killed in a war; the least he can do is honor them.

There were several funerals in the D.C. area when Bush was in the White House, and not out-of-town. He could have shown his face. He chose not to. Coupled with the fact that he refuses to allow our dead to be shown on the news, his absence from every single one of our military members' funerals smacks of his own guilt for starting an unnecessary and illegal war. It is simple propaganda. (And for your information, Bush did not become president "during" a war; he started the war.

Please get to know me and what I stand for before you generalize. Thank you.
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Michael D.
Nashville, TN
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