23
Jun

Reality Rules

Written by Don Reid. Posted in General

Well, yes, it has been six months since I posted anything. I sort of stepped away from everything for those few months and took a deep breath. I have heard from so many of you asking if all was well and this note is to assure you that it is. I sometimes feel I have something to say of interest and then sometimes I don’t. It seems that the happenings of the days are more intriguing than anything I might add to them. I have to slap myself often anymore to be sure I’m even reading the news right. For instance:

#1- Did I just hear the POTUS say the N-word on national radio and TV? I think I did. This is something I would never have dreamed would happen in this millennium. That is a fighting word to most and a word of endearment and friendship to others. My hope and prayer is that any young folk who hear it will understand who can and who can’t use it. I was taught not to use it at all and that, I think, is the safest and most respectful route to go.

#2 – Is that the same Bruce Jenner who won the Gold Medal in the Decathlon event in the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal? The same father of six who published a Father’s Day picture with his family dressed in a flowing gown and red locks to his shoulders? Okay then. Now I’ve got it. And now you know why I haven’t been writing more fiction. I just can’t compete with what’s happening out there in actual life. My imagination has been topped by reality.

#3- Sean “Puff Daddy” “Diddy” “P Diddy” Combs has been arrested. It seems he attacked a University of California football coach with a deadly weapon. You see the coach was yelling at his son and that is something that football coaches never do to football players. They never raise their voices. They always quietly ask, “Would you mind running that play again until you get it right, please? Thank you very much.” So Diddy took offense and ……what? What was the deadly weapon? No, it wasn’t a gun or a knife. No, it wasn’t a bow and arrow. It was a kettlebell. A KETTLEBELL!! Col. Mustard in the kitchen with a rope? No, P Diddy on the 50 yard line with a kettlebell. Did I just say I’m not writing fiction because I can’t keep up with reality? Well, if I didn’t, I meant to.

I promise to write more often as soon as my head quits spinning.
God bless and have a great summer!

DSR
6/23/15

14
Dec

Right Here At Christmas

Written by Don Reid. Posted in General

I get notices from my publisher all the time about special promotions that are happening with the books and they ask me to pass this information on to you. I always hesitate because I feel like some kind of snake oil salesman pushing my own stuff. Then I hear from so many of you who ask about the books so I will try to bring the twain together in an honest and humble manner.

David C Cook, the publishing company, has announced a promotion that includes O Little Town. The eBook will be free on December 15 and 16 – this Monday and Tuesday. Then it will be on special for $2.99 through January 4, 2015.
One Lane Bridge eBook will go on sale for $1.99 from December 15 to January 5, 2015.

So if you didn’t get it for Christmas, you can get it for yourself after-the-fact.

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And speaking of books! My son, Langdon, who is one half of the singing duo WILSON FAIRCHILD, also writes a human interest column which the Staunton News Leader publishes bi-weekly. He covers just any subject on his mind from childhood memories to current events to patriotism to raising kids. It’s always funny, touching and relatable and all of that simply adds up to good writing.

Well, he has just published a book of 52 of those musings called Wink @ Life. And here is where I am going to go all snake oil on you for sure. You can buy this book at www.WinkAtLife.com. The column is very popular around our area and the book is just an absolute joy. But then you expected me to say that. So get one for yourself and see if I’m not right!

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Now for the shocker of the year. I thought you might find this as funny and as awakening as I did.

I got a request a couple of weeks ago from Billboard Magazine, the keeper of all music data for the world of music. It has been called the Bible of the music industry and it is used and respected by everyone who has ever had a career in releasing music of any kind and any field. It publishes weekly charts of the top 100 for rock, country, rap and anything else you can think of.
They asked if I would do an interview with them. I agreed as I assumed they wanted to do a story on the fact that the STATLER BROTHERS were atop the charts again after 12 years of retirement with the video of our last show, Farewell Concert. Wrong! They acknowledged that and congratulated us on that, but the reason for the interview was a commemoration of something that brought a smile to my face and a chill up my back. They wanted to do a story in celebration of Flowers on the Wall being 50 years old come 2015!

After laughing at the thought and gathering my senses, I said, sure, I can tell you all about it. And, yes, it was in late 1965 when that first hit of ours first went on the country and pop charts and I remembered all those young and exciting feelings the four of us enjoyed together. It was a fun time and I loved reliving it. You can check out Chuck Dauphin’s column at http://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615

It’s time to finish up some of that last minute Christmas shopping, so here I go.
Merry Christmas to all of you and may God bless each one of you in a very special way.

DSR – 12/14/14