Have you ever been bullied?  How bad was it?  Did it ever stop?  In the movie Bully, for some, it ended in tragedy.

The victims and their parent’s pleas to the school for help met with failure.

With the parents hands tied and the bullied kid all alone at school, the consequences were unimaginable.

What is a kid to do when some heartless jerk stabs him with a pencil, punches him repeatedly, and calls him ungodly names?  For one, he found peaceful escape in being a loner, until the bullies came knocking.

“Violence begets violence.” I agree. Somewhat.

When I was thirteen, two bullies harassed me and a girl who sat next to me. She finally broke down one day and wet her pants to the amusement of those fools. Fed up with their insults, I kicked the crap out of both boys. No more bullies for her or me. Period!

It was so worth the two-week suspension.

Am I advocating violence? No, I’m not. What I am advising is that people need to find ways to protect themselves from abuse.

Bullying can be as silent and as deadly as a venomous snake. Listen to the non-verbal cries for help:

• Unexplained minor bruises, such as small scratches
• Moodiness toward parents
• Aggressiveness toward younger siblings

But are you a bully yourself? Do you…

• Rule your house with an iron fist?
• Spank or beat your child? There is a difference.
• Allow your children to make mistakes?
• Confuse aggressiveness with assertiveness?

As a parent, I know how difficult it is raising and protecting children. But as challenging as it is for us, it’s even more difficult for our children to learn how to protect themselves.

Remember, if we stand together, we can stomp out this senseless crime.

Share your bully stories in the comments below. Let us know how you survived.

On March 02, 2012, I drove a stake through the heart of the beast Tomorrow.

As a family we wrote short stories with the hope of one day publishing them. For years our hard work languished in flash drives and drawers.

On that morning, I was fed up. With determination burning inside me, I gathered the family and said, “No matter what,  this week we’re going to write a whole new short story collection and publish it next Friday on Smashwords. Period!”

In that week, every conceivable and inconceivable thing that could go wrong did go wrong. People we hadn’t heard from in years called; both cars broke down; we butted heads with neighbors, and family spats suddenly increased. However, this time we would not let the dream assassins win. This time we would not be denied.

On March 09, 2012 we released our first book-Poies: A New Beginning. Two weeks later, we went through hell again and eventually released Swan Song.

Gone forever was the beast Tomorrow.

Slay your tomorrow beast just like Rocky did. Battle that monster, and you will emerge victorious.

Check out the book trailer for Swan Song and Poies: A New Beginning.

No, not that.

When it comes to eBooks, the answer is a resounding “NO!”

There is a belief that books have to be of a high page count to really be worth reading.

That’s nonsense! And those who perpetuate that lie are robing you of living your real life. Books with countless pages are often times pumped with so much filler they make a hot dog look wholesome.

How many times have you purchased one of these clunkers with high hopes of truly being entertained? Long before you force yourself to its disappointing conclusion you feel your blood boil.

“Another twenty-five dollars for a book that wasn’t good.”  And there’s no place for it on your overcrowded shelves.

A 400 (or more) page novel often taunts its readers: “My bloated book is more important than your life. Let me steal you away from your family and friends. Help me make my dreams come true while I rob you of yours.”

Short stories are vastly different. They tell the story faster and better. (For example, check out Swan Song at http://www.smashwords.com/books/view/146704 it’s less than 2500 words, but it packs a powerful punch.) Short stories writers spend time with you, not steal time from you. This way, you have more time to work on your treasures.

When you get those precious few hours to yourself, do you want to spend all of it reading about empty characters when you can be living the life you desire?

This cautionary plea goes out to all aspiring writers with the hopes of becoming a better writer by reading other long-winded writers. STOP. You will become a better writer by writing. Period.

Unleash that novel of respectable size that’s locked inside your head. Or that new movie idea that’s sure to be a hit- if you can just get to it. Then you’ll breathe that full breath that you haven’t breathed in a very long time. Don’t let your death clock run out by wasting time on fluffed writing. Better get going.

 

JUST SAYIN’

Hello, I hope everyone enjoyed our first Good Friday. Also, check out Justin’s Peanut Butter Cups, usually sold at Whole Foods Market. The dark chocolate ones are vegan and gluten free. A word of caution: they’re very additive. You have been warned. Top Ten Reasons Why I Love Sweet Dark Chocolate 1. It’s chocolate-it helps keep me sane. 2. It’s a great reward after a very long walk. 3. The very smell of it makes my mouth water. 4. As a gift, it’s always the perfect fit. 5. It goes well with other tasty treats, like peanut butter (see above picture). 6. Watching my kids eating dark chocolate bunnies on Easter morning: priceless. 7. The last bite. So sad, but sooo good. 8. Red wine and sweet dark chocolate. Need I say more? 9. Finding a hidden bite-size piece I tucked away on the pantry’s top shelf. 10. While in Paris, my wife and I visited every chocolatier in the one mile radius. Every time I eat chocolate it reminds me of that moment. Just Sayin.’