In Search of (Beta) Readers

One of the great problems of being a self-published author is finding an audience. With limited (or no) budget for marketing and publicity, it is difficult, if not impossible to let the whole world know that you have written a book and they should really go out a buy a copy. Right now!

Most indie authors have modest goals for their works. We know we aren’t likely to ever make any real money from our efforts, but most of us are driven by at least a small measure of ego that wishes for some recognition of the fact that we have actually written a book! And yes, it is harder than it looks. Beyond that, many of us just want to share our stories with others. We bare our souls and put our work out there, often in great fear that it will be rejected.

For some of us, the worst form of this rejection is watching our little baby book sitting in the corner of the enormous online store gathering dust, unnoticed by the masses. After we have applied enough guilt to nudge our friends and family into buying copies, we often sit back in misery and watch the sales of our beautiful book fall to near zero.

But that’s okay. Surprisingly, a great amount of joy can be experienced when even a single purchase pops up on the sales report. Someone has discovered my book! And I feel like a writer again!

Long before the torment above begins, we indie authors face an even bigger task, finding beta-readers. In simplest terms, these are our guinea pigs who are willing to read our rough, and sometimes unedited drafts, and provide the necessary guidance in helping us produce a finished product worthy of publication.  For myself, the copy I pass along to any potential beta-reader will have already gone through several rounds of editing and revising. Even so, there will be mistakes and my previous readers have been excellent at finding them.

The biggest help for me is the honest evaluation of the story. As the author and creator, I can easily make mistakes here. I know what’s going to happen, so I may inadvertently leave huge plot holes that swallow up the reader.  I may get so lost in my story that I repeat things. Or change specific details from one chapter to the next. And again, because I know the story too well, having written, re-written, and read the thing four or five times already, I truly need a fresh set of eyes to catch those errors.

The other problem is that no matter how great I may think the story is, someone else might find it flat and uninteresting. And I need to be aware of that! I know for myself that I go through periods of great uncertainty. Sometimes I read a passage and think it is the best piece of literature I have ever written. A day later, I think the same pages are pure crap!  One day, I think the story is fascinating. A day later, the very same tale seems completely yawn-inspiring.  I usually end up asking myself the same question over and over: Is this story actually boring or is it just that I’ve read it sixteen times already?

So, here’s the deal. I have a short novel, a modern retelling of the parable of the prodigal son, which is almost ready to be shared. I also have a second collection of “small town tales” nearing completion. If you or anyone you know would be interested in reading and evaluating, please let me know. Even if you are only willing to take on one or two of my short stories, any help would be greatly appreciated! You might even find your name in the Acknowledgement section of an actual printed book! Of course, you would need to rush right out and buy a copy of something like that, wouldn’t you?

Twitter and the Indie Author

For those of you who are not aware, there is a large and vibrant population of indie authors to be found on Twitter. Over the last year, I have made a concentrated effort to reach out to other struggling authors like myself and have thoroughly enjoyed the connections I have made. Currently, I am approaching 4K following/followers, most of whom are writers like myself. Here are a few things I have learned in the process.

Like all social media, there are some strange folks out there! Someone recently tweeted out a reminder that Twitter is not a dating website. Good to know, because I have received many follows and several interesting DMs (direct messages) from lonely ladies looking for love. (Nice bit of alliteration, right?) I have been fooled into following back on a couple of occasions by clever descriptions, but I usually figure it out pretty quickly and sever the connection. Sorry, ladies, I’m happily married and as I replied to someone a while back, I’m just trying to sell some books.

Another thing I have learned is that rejection is common. I generally follow back anyone who follows me, assuming they are a writer, author, blogger, etc. Occasionally some of these people will unfollow me and I am left to wonder why. Usually, I attribute it to my blog which sometimes expresses a political view that may offend. I certainly don’t intend to offend people, and I state very clearly that my opinions are based on my Conservative Christian viewpoint. If that offends you, then don’t read my blog. I myself follow tons of people who proudly proclaim themselves to be LGBTQ, or Muslim, or Liberal, or Democrat, or any number of associations that could easily offend me if I let them, but I don’t have a problem with writers who have different views. I think I’m fairly open-minded. Apparently, not everyone is.

I love that the members of the #writingcommunity, or #WritingCommunity, or even #writingcommmunity ask lots of questions and freely offer advice about a variety of topics related to self-publishing. I love that writers are so encouraging to one another. I love that writers have a sense of humor and love to post memes and gifs. I love that they will post inspirational quotes of a more serious nature. I also love that Twitter has a mute button.

Unlike FB, where you Block or Unfriend (just sounds ugly, doesn’t it?), Twitter allows you to mute someone and keep their tweets from showing up in your newsfeed. I don’t use it a lot, but there was one person (according to an app I was using at the time) who seriously posted over 500 tweets per day! I’m sorry, but I actually would like to see others’ comments and not just yours. Another person I muted after several semi-pornographic images were posted. I can support you as a writer, but spare me the graphic photos.

Mostly, I love that Twitter makes it easy to promote our books (and blogs). Every day I get to read descriptions of wonderful books by my newfound friends. I’ve even picked up a few copies. And I hope that my tweets steer a few people toward my writings as well. So, if you’ve not already done so, let me encourage you to check out the writing community on Twitter. See you there! #rdperry57

The Great Gender Debate: My Thoughts

Let me drop a huge truth bomb on you. There are only two genders! Argue all you want about it, the truth is simple. Either you have two X chromosomes or you have one X and one Y. Everything else is irrelevant. Check out Bill Nye, the Science Guy (even though he’s now become a Liberal and believes in multiple genders!) for a quick primer https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EseYObcGYbo.

Allow me to provide you with an entire list of things that don’t affect gender.

• How you dress. Wear whatever clothes strike your fancy, it won’t change your gender. You can choose to present yourself to the world any way that you want, but it doesn’t change your DNA, sorry, but that’s just a fact. Like it or not.
• Your preference of blue or pink. My favorite color is actually blue, but that’s not what makes me male. If I truly preferred pink or any other color deemed feminine by society, I would still be male. Of all the arguments I have heard, this one has to be the dumbest. One’s sense of style or whatever else you want to call it, doesn’t change your biology.
• Your preference of Barbies or GI Joes. Again, a really dumb argument. I confess that as a child I was extremely curious about the naked Barbies my sister would occasionally leave lying around the house. All the GI Joes and I would perk up at the very sight. If I had scooped one up and ran off to play in secret would that have meant I was actually a girl on the inside just waiting to get out? Nonsense.
• Your sexual preference. There may be about a hundred of these, if you believe everything you read, but they’re just labels. Go back to my point about clothes. Engage in whatever deviant behavior you wish, it doesn’t change your gender. And not that I really care what you call your particular brand of sin, I think all those labels are nonsense too. If there are only two genders there are only four sexual preferences – homo, hetero, all, or nothing. What else could there be?
• Your personal preference. There’s a really stupid movement these days that parents are supposed to give their child some meaningless gender placeholder label (X in some states) and then wait for the child to get old enough to choose their own gender. I can’t even begin to wrap my head around this level of ignorance. How are these stupid parents going to know how to dress the child or what toys to buy him/her? (Sorry, couldn’t resist.)
• Your choice of pronouns. I’m a former English teacher and this one bothers me immensely. I greatly resent the efforts by many to corrupt our language in their quest for political correctness. You may be able to force others to call you by whatever label you choose (although I strongly object to the attempts to legally force people to conform to your personal language preferences), but that again serves no true purpose. It may make you more comfortable at the cost of making others less comfortable, but in the end, it doesn’t change the facts. (Here’s a good clip from Jordan Peterson debating gender pronouns and free speech https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SiijS_9hPkM)
• Your surgically altered genitalia. Play Dr. Frankenstein all you want, but just because you can, doesn’t mean you should. And whatever alterations you make, a man is a man and a woman is a woman. Just like the man who’s had all that plastic surgery to look like a tiger. He is still a human, despite the appearance. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AKRr94ssnQo)
• Your altered hormone levels. I honestly believe that the parents and doctors who are tampering with the hormone levels of preadolescent children are guilty of abuse. You are making irreversible changes and this practice needs to end. (Just my opinion, but seriously!)
• Etc, Etc, Etc. Fill in the blanks with whatever you like, but the fact is that none of these things change the basic biology that determines gender. And if you think they do, you’re just fooling yourself.

So, let’s be real. There are only two genders.

God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. (Genesis 1:27, NIV)

Disclaimer – This is not meant to be critical or judgmental toward anyone. In all honesty, I have a great dislike for labels and the way people use them to cause divisions among persons. Words have meaning. Words matter. Just my opinion!

Does the Bible Endorse Socialism? The Second Chapter of Acts

One of the most annoying things I hear these days is the suggestion that as Christians we should be more willing to embrace socialism and its concepts. After all, doesn’t the Bible suggest that early Christians practiced some form of socialism? The Liberals (many of whom actually believe some of the things they say) point to the second chapter of Acts to support their argument.

They particularly love verses 44-45:

All the believers were together and had everything in common. Selling their possessions and goods, they gave to anyone as he had need. (NIV)

Consider also a passage from chapter 4, verses 32, 34-35:

All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had. There were no needy persons among them. For from time to time those who owned lands or houses sold them, brought money from the sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone as he had need. (NIV)

Sounds great, right? And honestly, I would love to have been around to experience the early church. But before we all jump on the socialism bandwagon, maybe we should read the rest of the book. (The whole book, not just Acts.)

I say this because context matters. These descriptions of the early church are not provided as a guide or a roadmap to follow. In Paul’s writings, which make up most of the New Testament, does he ever tell the people of the Christian churches to sell everything they own and share it amongst themselves? I don’t recall reading that. Jesus did tell the rich young ruler to do something similar, but that was one comment given to one specific individual in response to one specific question. In His sermons to the crowds that followed Him, I don’t recall Him ever giving this advice to the multitudes.

What else can we say about the passages in Acts?

• Not everyone sold all their lands or houses. The passage says that from time to time, meaning when it was necessary, some people sold lands or houses. (Obviously selling everything in the beginning wasn’t a requirement or none of these believers would have still had anything to sell.)
• Even in community of believers, it didn’t always work. Read the story about Ananias and Sapphira in chapter 5 if you don’t believe me. You can also read chapter 6:1-4 which describes a conflict regarding differences in Grecian Jews and Hebraic Jews, and how some widows were being overlooked in the distribution of goods and services.
• It was a temporary situation. By chapter 8, we read that the church is being scattered and there is a great persecution of believers. Already, the wonderful scenes of unity described earlier have been replaced by stories of Christians being drug from their houses and thrown into prison.
• All this sharing and giving was exclusive to believers. What was happening in Acts only involved the new Christians and not the entire community. Only those people who were willing to make the commitment to Christ were participating. Non-believers were still doing their own thing. Nobody was making them join against their will.

Which brings us to the real point. Christian charity (voluntarily given) is completely different from forced giving directed by government. In Acts, individuals were coming together to help one another out of the goodness of their hearts and in obedience to their own Christian beliefs. They weren’t doing it because the government was taxing them and giving their belongings to their neighbors. (At its most basic level, this is what makes socialism evil or immoral. Remember the commandment Thou shalt not steal? What else do you call it when people take your money or possessions against your will and give them to others?)

I want my church (And by church, I mean the people, not the building) to be compassionate and caring and willing to do whatever it takes to help people in need, but I don’t necessarily want my government to be that way. I don’t want my government to take my money and give it away to others through massive social welfare programs that are besieged with fraud and abuse. I don’t want my tax dollars used to finance organizations (Planned Parenthood, for example) that consistently act in ways that are contrary to my own values and beliefs.

The Bible makes it clear that we should be willing to help our neighbors (even love our neighbors, as ourselves), but I don’t believe the Bible ever teaches us that it is right to take away someone’s possessions and force them to share with the less fortunate. And I don’t believe that the second chapter of Acts is a Biblical endorsement of socialism!

Why I Love the New England Patriots

I grew up watching sports with my brother and we always loved those dynasty teams that dominated their opponents year after year. In basketball, we cheered for the Boston Celtics and in baseball, the New York Yankees. I am embarrassed to say that we once thought the Dallas Cowboys were worthy of our support, but I have repented! Regardless, seeing a team demonstrate excellence over a sustained period of time has always impressed me. In the current NFL, no team has been more successful on a consistent basis than the New England Patriots.

Despite their numerous and vocal critics, the Patriots are clearly the most dominate franchise in the NFL and have created a dynasty seldom equaled in professional sports. The numbers don’t lie! If you listen to the Haters, they cheat, they lie, they steal, etc. The officials give them all the calls. And did I mention they’re just a bunch of cheaters?

Let me just say it – jealousy. And of course, if they are the ones who keep beating your own favorite team every year, I guess I can understand some of the hatred. If your team happens to play in the AFC East, there are obvious reasons for your frustration. But, what can I say, deal with it!

Here’s an interesting article about the many myths promoted by the critics, http://www.espn.com/nfl/story/_/id/25787154/fact-checking-patriots-18-year-nfl-dynasty-real-myth.

So, why do I like the Patriots? Simple, I can recognize and appreciate excellence! In reality, I am a Texans fan. (And a diehard Cowboy Hater!) Once my team is eliminated, I basically just watch the games without really cheering for either side. In that sense, I am not a Patriots fan, but again, every time they win I can appreciate the accomplishments and marvel at their level of success. And wow! Has anyone ever dominated like the Pats over the last 18 years?

Look at the numbers from 2001 (Brady and Belichick’s first Super Bowl win) to the present:

• Winning Records – 18
• Division titles – 16 (including the last 10 consecutive  titles)
• AFC Championships – 9
• SuperBowl Victories – 5 (maybe 6 soon)

The most impressive aspect to me is the length of time that we’re discussing. It’s one thing to assemble an all-star roster and dominate for a few seasons (Golden State Warriors?), but the Patriots have been successful with a roster that has changed greatly over the years. Talk about Brady and Belichick all you want, but the surrounding cast is constantly evolving. Players and coaches have come and gone, but the team remains dominant year after year.

Many people credit them with having the best Coach/QB combo. True or not, Brady may be the GOAT and Belichick may be the best coach ever, but you still have to go out and play the games. Consider 2008. Brady goes out with a season-ending injury and the team goes 11-5. Compare that to the Colts 2011 season. After nine consecutive playoff seasons with 10+ wins, Manning goes out and they finish 2-14? (Or the Broncos who win a SB, Manning retires and they fail to even make the playoffs for the next three seasons?)

And while the Patriots have just kept on winning year after year, what about the pretenders to the throne? Those teams that the analysts and experts are always proclaiming as the next great dynasty?

In 2013, the Seattle Seahawks won a Super Bowl and the experts pointed at a young, talented roster (especially at QB) and predicted they would be the team to beat for the next decade. A year later, they lost SB 49 to the Patriots and have struggled ever since. In the past four seasons, they have made the playoffs three times, but have yet to return to the conference championship game.

In 2015, the Carolina Panthers toyed with a perfect season finishing 15-1. They also had a young roster (and QB) and were supposed to be the next dynasty, but the following year, they finished fourth in their division with a 6-10 record. The next two seasons have produced only one Wildcard round loss.

In 2016, the Atlanta Falcons dominated the league with its high flying offense until they ran into the Pats in SB 51. The following year, they finished third in their division with a 10-6 record. They did make the playoffs, but lost in the divisional round. In 2018, the missed the playoffs altogether finishing 7-9.

Two of the Pats SB losses were to the NY Giants. This year, they won five games. In the 18 year stretch above, they have 2 SB wins and 8 losing seasons. And what about the Rams, this year’s opponent? After the loss to the Patriots in SB 36, the Rams have had 12 losing seasons and only four playoff appearances including this year.

(And didn’t the Dallas Cowboys go 13-3 a few years ago? And once again, their fans began talking about Dak and Zeke and all the rings they were going to win. Hasn’t exactly worked out that way though has it?) Sorry, couldn’t resist!

So, maybe it’s time for the critics and haters to recognize the truth and give credit where credit is due. Win or lose this week, the Patriots are clearly the most dominant franchise in the NFL and if Tom and Bill add another ring to their collection, it won’t bother me one bit. In fact, I might actually be cheering for them.

In Honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Another year has passed and here we are again celebrating Martin Luther King Day. Sadly, we are still suffering from a culture of racial division made worse almost daily by the media and the identity politics of the Liberal Left. I wish people would go back and listen to the words of Dr. King and his messages of non-violence and love. I wish more people viewed the world the way he did. I wish more people had the hope and vision and dream of the future that he talked about. Maybe someday we’ll get there.

Here’s my post from last year at this time.

As a teacher, I tried whenever possible to expose my students to things I felt important, things I felt everyone should know, things I feared that many of them had missed somehow along the way. The “I Have a Dream” speech of Martin Luther King, Jr. is one of those things. For many years I would play at least a portion for my students as we neared the holiday. There are lines that are familiar to almost everyone, but even those are better heard than read. Surprisingly, a large number of people have never heard it in its entirety.

I don’t have a class or students anymore, so this is for my loyal readers. Whatever you may think about the man personally or in the unfortunate case of many young people today, if you are completely ignorant of the man and his place in our history, let me encourage you to listen to a fantastic speech/sermon/lecture, whatever you want to call it and spend some time thinking about the words which are as relevant today as they were in 1963.

Finding a copy should not be too difficult and it is well worth the time it takes to listen to the entire speech. Here’s a link to a pretty good version. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=smEqnnklfYs

A Christian View of Karma – Galatians 6:7

The concept of Karma is widely thrown about in our day and time, but most people have no idea what the word actually means or where it comes from. Regardless of our personal religious beliefs, many of us use the term frequently and most of us think we know exactly what it means. Some of us could be wrong.

According to Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Karma), the word Karma means “action, work, or deed.” We are more familiar with its secondary meaning, the “spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect). Good intent and good deeds contribute to good karma and future happiness, while bad intent and bad deeds contribute to bad karma and future suffering.” The philosophy comes from the Indian religions of Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism.

I often wonder why so many Christians and others who are totally unfamiliar with these religions (or have so many contrasting beliefs) are so eager to embrace the concept of Karma. I also wonder why we are so focused on the negative aspects, considering Karma some cosmic form of revenge. Rarely have I heard people talking about the rewards of having good Karma. Maybe we should examine the facts and consider a more practical Christian alternative.

In its original form, Karma has three main components. First is the basic cause and effect part we generally understand. Second is a concept called ethicization. In simple terms, this means every action has a consequence and because our intent is part of the equation, Karma has an ethical component. Why we do things matters. Third, rebirth or reincarnation plays a part. The consequences of our actions may affect us later in this life or in the next.

So, let’s reconsider. In the natural world in which we live, there are obvious instances of cause and effect. There are also plenty of examples of natural consequences. Often, however, we tend to overlook intentions. We don’t usually think we deserve punishment (or rewards) just because of our thoughts or intentions. In addition, I don’t know any Baptists who believe in reincarnation. Our real problem is patience. I know of lots of people with a history of awful actions and deeds (accompanied by many questionable intents) who are rich and famous and have seemingly received vast rewards despite their evil actions. The same was true in Biblical times.

For I envied the arrogant when I saw the prosperity of the wicked. They have no struggles; their bodies are healthy and strong. They are free from the burdens common to man; they are not plagued by human ills. From their callous hearts comes iniquity; the evil conceits of their minds know no limits. This is what the wicked are like – always carefree, they increase in wealth.

(Psalms 73, v.3-5, 7, 12, NIV)

So, instead of cherry-picking ideas and concepts from religions we don’t follow, why don’t we just stick with the Bible. Fortunately for us, Christianity provides a similar concept.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. The one who sows to please his sinful nature, from that nature will reap destruction; the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers.

(Galatians 6: 7-10, NIV)

Often referred to as the law of the harvest, this Christian concept is similar to the idea of Karma. Basically, we get what we deserve. What goes around, comes around. There are consequences to our actions. Our intentions do matter. And best of all, the decisions are up to God. We don’t have to judge others. We don’t have to reward or punish. We simply have to live our lives, as best we can, doing good hopefully, and let God sort out the rest.

And truthfully, in this life, we may not get all we deserve, good or bad. And we may not get to see the people who have wronged us get what they deserve either, but that’s okay. I don’t believe in reincarnation, but I do believe in eternal life and thank God it’s a gift I hope to claim, deserving or not.