Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Re-Writing
I try not to settle for the first words that end up on the page. Writing is about texturizing, re-writing, and avoiding the trap of the automatic. That's why it's such hard work, and such great fun.
Friday, August 26, 2011
The Dirty Window - UK Review
Kate Aaron, English author, says the following about The Dirty Window in her four star review of the short story on the UK Amazon Kindle page:
"This is a sad, touching story about a young man cut down in his prime after being paralysed in a skiing accident. The tone is quiet and introspective, as he imagines how his life could have - should have - been. The conclusion has a terrible inevitability about it. It is well-written and the setting is tangibly described. Some of the description at the end is a bit graphic, but necessarily so. Recommended."
"This is a sad, touching story about a young man cut down in his prime after being paralysed in a skiing accident. The tone is quiet and introspective, as he imagines how his life could have - should have - been. The conclusion has a terrible inevitability about it. It is well-written and the setting is tangibly described. Some of the description at the end is a bit graphic, but necessarily so. Recommended."
Thursday, August 25, 2011
Death of an Atheist: And Other Short Stories
I just finished the first draft of a new compilation of short stories. I will work on the proof over the next several weeks. I am targeting release for late September or early October. Please watch for it. It will be available in paperback and, of course, as an e-book.
The tentative title is "Death of an Atheist: And Other Short Stories."
The tentative title is "Death of an Atheist: And Other Short Stories."
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
Saturday, August 20, 2011
The Dirty Window
Here is what a reader says about this short story: "This is a challenging story. In only a few pages Cairone provides the reader with an opportunity to view the world from someone else's perspective. Written in the first person, the reader is given a fast track into the most intimate thoughts of the protagonist. I was frankly surprised that I so quickly believed I was hearing his thoughts as they raced through his (and my) mind.
The challenge in the story lies in the ultimate take away from the story. My take away is much different now than it was 8 hours ago when I finished reading it. I would be interested in hearing from others who have read it how they felt immediately after reading it and, if like me, they continued thinking about the story the following day, what their take away was -- a somewhat Rorschachian experiment -- Perhaps that is a conversation to be had on the author's blog page.
I am tempted to write more, but frankly do not want to give any of the story away."
You can find it for Kindle in the Amazon Kindle bookstore.
The challenge in the story lies in the ultimate take away from the story. My take away is much different now than it was 8 hours ago when I finished reading it. I would be interested in hearing from others who have read it how they felt immediately after reading it and, if like me, they continued thinking about the story the following day, what their take away was -- a somewhat Rorschachian experiment -- Perhaps that is a conversation to be had on the author's blog page.
I am tempted to write more, but frankly do not want to give any of the story away."
You can find it for Kindle in the Amazon Kindle bookstore.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
A Cup of Tea - Comprehensive Health Care
Yesterday was a beautiful day in Pittsburgh, spring-like. I had a few minutes before a client meeting. So, I bought a cup of iced tea at Starbucks, to take outside in the sunshine.
It was a medium green iced tea. It cost $2.09. First observation, that is about the same price as my full length novel as an e-book. But enough on that lest I go off! Second and more important observation, it seemed expensive for a small cup of tea. But then I thought about how Starbucks, as a company, provides comprehensive health care for all of its nearly 20,000 employees - even those who are part-time. Find me another US company doing that! Find me one putting its money where its corporate policy mouth is! I'll wait, without holding my breath, for a response. I hope there are others out there - I just need help finding them.
Bravo Starbucks! I'll gladly pay your price for the tea.
It was a medium green iced tea. It cost $2.09. First observation, that is about the same price as my full length novel as an e-book. But enough on that lest I go off! Second and more important observation, it seemed expensive for a small cup of tea. But then I thought about how Starbucks, as a company, provides comprehensive health care for all of its nearly 20,000 employees - even those who are part-time. Find me another US company doing that! Find me one putting its money where its corporate policy mouth is! I'll wait, without holding my breath, for a response. I hope there are others out there - I just need help finding them.
Bravo Starbucks! I'll gladly pay your price for the tea.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Perplexing Apathy
The story and pictures from Somalia are heartbreaking. Children are sick and starving and deprived of food and care by despotic terrorists bereft of human compassion. The numbers affected are mind-boggling. So why is there not a greater outcry? Where is the sense of indignation that follows closely behind other catastrophes? Where is the outpouring of help? I hope I am just missing it, but I don't see it and it makes me very sad.
The other day I posted a plea on Facebook for people to consider giving to the relief effort. I gave money that day, so I put my money where my posting mouth was. There were no "Likes," there were no comments; sadly, there was nothing.
The chatter went on, mind you, all around the gentle plea for help for starving children. But went around it is what it did.
I hope this message is not, like my Facebook plea, a vox clamantis in deserto. I hope someone is listening and caring and giving. I continue to hope. I will always have hope in the human spirit.
The other day I posted a plea on Facebook for people to consider giving to the relief effort. I gave money that day, so I put my money where my posting mouth was. There were no "Likes," there were no comments; sadly, there was nothing.
The chatter went on, mind you, all around the gentle plea for help for starving children. But went around it is what it did.
I hope this message is not, like my Facebook plea, a vox clamantis in deserto. I hope someone is listening and caring and giving. I continue to hope. I will always have hope in the human spirit.
Monday, August 8, 2011
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