The Cloudy Flashback

The Eight Sentences:

“You remember what I told you about sunsets, don’t you?” Lillie had asked.

“Yes, ma’am, I do, I’ll never forget it,” Claudia replied.

“Well, Dr. Thibaut’s passing was one with a beautiful clear sunset. No clouds to be seen, but a beautiful afterglow.” 

Lillie put her coffee cup on the table, raised her glasses and wiped her eyes with the ever-present white lace handkerchief. 

Claudia thought a moment and at the risk of sounding like a challenge, pressed ahead with her question, “Do you think that people can have a cloudy life — one that would have beautiful clouds at sunset, but, aaah, still have had troubles?”

“Honey, no life goes by without problems. We all have our clouds, remember that man in Lil’ Abner?”

                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                                                   Image credit: deniskitchen.com

The Back Story:

  After the death of her masters supervisor, Claudia visits an old friend in Baton Rouge, Dr. Thibaut's housekeeper, Miss Lil. In this conversation, they talk about analogies, sunsets and clouds.

  Many readers, especially baby boomers, will remember the Lil Abner cartoon strip. Joe Btfsplk was a character that featured an ever-present dark cloud over his head symbolizing bad luck. 

What now?

Looking for more viewers, readers, and contacts?

Join us here at Weekend Writing Warriors. The same 

link will take you to the work of dozens of talented writers.

 Check out their work, too. 

     Here's the Facebook link for the

 Sunday Snippett group.

Just who are those guys in the Presidents Club?

The Eight Sentences:

“We got no secrets,” commented Reverend Pritchett.

Pointe continued, “The facts I’ve discovered may not be secrets in this room, but I suspect that they aren’t commonly known in your community. I’ll give you a few examples. 

Three of the eight men, I’m including Louie, whose real name I know, have concealed carry permits. Five of you have had run-ins with the IRS and one is still paying them off. You all know each other’s marital and employment status. I know your military histories and which of you have been checked out by the FBI. 

I also know that the most dangerous man in the room, except for myself and Louie, who has a sawed off shotgun behind the bar, is not the youngest member of your group.”

The Back Story:

        Gerald Pointe is in charge of security for billionaire Julian Thibaut who is about to visit the Louisville Tavern in a few days. In the snippet above, he shares with the regulars of the tavern(aka the "Presidents Club"), a portion of what he's learned about them.

News items:

       1. My first novel, The Tourist Killer, is now available on Barnes & Noble so you can read it with your NOOK.

      2. Starting Saturday, May 4, The Presidents Club increases in frequency. Three chapters a week will be presented on Sat, Sun, & Wed.

What next?

        Want more exposure for your writing? 

        Join us here: http://www.wewriwa.com/

        You can also sample the work of over six dozen other great writers at the same site.

Sex Scene in Seven Sentences

News: 

        

My serial novel, The Presidents Club, a political thriller, is now available twice a week, on Sundays and Wednesdays on the publisher's website. My weekly blog on the same site is presented every Friday. 

The Set Up: 

        Rosemary Woods is executive secretary to billionaire investor, Julian Thibaut. Her unrequited crush on Thibaut's personal security chief, Gerald Pointe, has come to fruition the night before. They are finishing breakfast and we join the scene just after she asks him if he wants to see the morning paper.

The Sentences:

        “I guess not, neither of us are dressed to go get it,” and they laughed together. “What day is it anyway?” he asked.

“Saturday.” She smiled as she got up and walked towards the bedroom. As she walked, she untied the belt of her robe. Then she said over her shoulder, “You must have enjoyed last night if you can’t remember what day it is.” 

As she stepped out of view, the robe dropped to the floor.

...and now:

Are you a writer and interested in showcasing your work?

Want to check out the work of over five dozen other great writers? Visit the home page of Weekend Writing Warriors.

Februrary 24 - Weekend Writing Warriors

News:

        My first novel, The Tourist Killer won an award for "Best Cover Design-Suspense Novel" at Venture Galleries. 

            Kudos to: Claudia Barry for her water color painting

                          David Ammons for his original art work

                          Jeff Bennington for his cover design.

The Set Up

        My contribution for this week comes from Chapter Eight of The Presidents Club, my serial novel on VentureGalleries.com.

        This scene includes a reference to a significant event from my first novel, The Tourist Killer.

        We join a discussion between billionaire-activist Julian Thibaut and his chief of security, Gerald Pointe.

        Thibaut is speaking...

The Six Sentences

        "Jane has done an excellent job of keeping the attempt on my life out of the news. Just a few people at the meeting knew about it. They were focused on Farrell’s heart attack. He got all the attention.”

Pointe commented, “He was dead when he hit the floor. The media said it was a heart attack, but rumors persist that he was shot.”

Thibaut stood and with no emotion, commented, “I wouldn’t know anything about that. Let’s get the calendar set and coordinate the schedules.”

What now?

         Are you a writer/author?

         Want more exposure for your work?

          Interested in checking out samples of over five dozen other great writers?

Then just click HERE and visit the home site of Weekend Writing Warriors.

Sunday, Feb. 17 - sampling The Presidents Club

The Set Up

          In Chapter Seven of The Presidents Club, we join an ominous conversation in progress. The anonymous speaker is shrouded in mystery. The darkness of his private library foreshadows evil. The mood is somber. His companion is uncomfortable with the setting and the topic -- what to do about Julian Thibaut and his "Government Literacy Project."

The Six Sentences

“No,” she replied. “He says he will name the board soon.”

“You know what has to be done.”

“Yes.”

“You understand that if we cannot control one of our own members, our options are limited, don’t you?”

“I’m confident we can deal with Thibaut.”

His hand appeared in the light and retrieved the tumbler,now half full of scotch, from the table between them. He gave it a slight shake to rattle the ice, took a sip, and returned it to the leather coaster. “You didn’t answer my question.”

More...

            Comments, Tweets, and Google +'s very much appreciated.  

To sample the writing of over three dozen "Weekend Warriors", click HERE.

Thanks for stopping by!

Jan. 20 - Six Sentence Sunday

The Set Up

      This week's snippet once again comes from my second novel, The Presidents Club. Regular readers will remember that this book is being presented in serial form, one chapter each week. 
       Chapter Three debuts on Sunday, Jan. 20, 2012, HERE. 
       Today, we join a conversation between billionaire investor, Julian Thibaut and his personal security chief, Gerald Pointe. They're discussing an assassination attempt on Thibaut that occurred last year in my first book, The Tourist Killer.
       These six sentences come from Chapter Three as did my weekly contribution back on December 9, 2012. 

The Six Sentences

“A smaller man would have been on the ground after that shot. What is the knock down power of one of those rounds?” asked Thibaut.

Gerald Pointe answered, “Not sure what hit him, the thing mushroomed and disintegrated in Hixon’s Kevlar vest. Not much forensic evidence to work from. But you’re right. A man my size would have hit the ground leaving you open for a second shot.”

More...

Thanks for stopping by. We appreciate your comments. For samples of the writings of over one hundred great authors, click HERE to visit the home page of Six Sentence Sunday.

How "The Presidents Club" happened

 

     My first novel, The Tourist Killer, was nearing completion.  

     The characters had taken me to places not imagined in the beginning. 

     As the story lines for several of the characters were beginning to converge, one of them, Julian Thibaut, decided to visit a quiet little bar for a drink and some thought.  

     He met a man who knew of a great place that would fill the bill. 

     His new friend had on a name tag, but it wasn't his. The tag read, "Ted."

     The wearer explained, "I borrowed this from another guy I work with. I forgot mine today. My name's Abe, another President."  

     When he said that, a light bulb went off for me.  

     When the two men arrived at the Louisville Tavern, they met a group of retirees that all had first names in common with previous U.S. Presidents.  In addition to the aforementioned Abraham/Abe, the other members of The Presidents Club: George, Thomas, Woodrow, Franklin, Ulysses, and Ronald. The group included a teacher, general surgeon, minister, retail manager, chiropractor, college professor, and a lieutenant colonel in the Air Force, all retired.

     The Presidents Club debuted on Sunday, January 6, 2012 as a free weekly serial on the web site of my publisher, Venture Galleries. We were stunned to have received over one thousand readers for the first chapter. 

     Please accept this invitation to join us on Sunday, January 13, for Chapter Two. Venture Galleries will archive every chapter, so if you miss one, it will be easy to catch up. Eventually, The Presidents Club will be available as both an e-book and a trade paperback.

Here's the pitch:  A group of retirees and the ex-FBI agent hired to protect them face danger as they investigate a murder and uncover the source of ultimate government power.


Genre: a thinking readers’ thriller -- enough action to keep the pages turning and enough information to get to know the characters not only by the information given about them, but how and with whom they interact.

Six Sentence Sunday - Dec. 16

IMPORTANT NOTICE: Next Sunday, Dec. 23, just before Christmas, we will introduce the cover for The Presidents Club.  It was designed by Jeff Bennington and features one of the main characters, John Hixon along with...well, wait on the surprise.  Right here. Next Sunday. 

Now on to SSS...

The Setup

      Many of the conversations, plans, and character development occur in the Louisville Tavern. For the book, I've chosen to locate this "old man's bar" in Marietta, GA.  This venue is modeled after a real bar back in Louisiana.  Watch for a blog about it soon.  This scene sets the tone for much of the action to follow and of course, happens early in the book. 

Image credit:  Donna B. Cooper

The Six Sentences

Louie the bartender had a sawed off shotgun under the bar. His finger was on the trigger as he spoke to the man seated near the door. "We've heard enough of your foul mouth and we're sick of your dirty jokes. It's time for you to pay and go."

The patron with the ugly laugh stood and looked around the bar for a victim. Then, his eyes shot daggers at Louie, he threw a ten-dollar bill on the bar, and said, "Don't go home alone."

Comments appreciated!  Now to sample work from over a hundred other great writers, just click HERE.  And don't forget to return next Sunday to see the cover of The Presidents Club.

More on MLM in the 21st Century

Image credit: Hand-raiser.com

It was the summer of 1976.

Yes, that's it. A pharmacist friend invited us over to his house 

to find out about a business opportunity. He couldn't tell me much about it over the phone, but we went.

It was my first exposure to Amway. We joined.

Between 1976 and 1996 I got involved in multi-level marketing -- three times.  It turned out that I could sell. Recruiting was a problem.  At that time, the company I repeatedly joined was enamored with the“mystery approach.”  Over the years, I think they may have moved away from that method of recruiting. It later became known as "network marketing." Now, it's on the Internet.  No matter, many people around the world have made fortunes not only with this organization, but with the many hybrids it spawned.

Though I never “made” it big in MLM, the concept still intrigues me and so when I wrote my first novel, The Tourist Killer, I chose MLM as a vehicle for one of the characters. It served Julian F. Thibaut as a teenager in two ways.
 
It established a solid financial base for his future.

It helped him build a world-wide network of personal contacts.

In this second article of a series on multi-level marketing, we are joined by guest blogger, Joseph "Marty" Miles.

Here, in his own words, is a bit about him:

Born and raised in the small river town of Parkersburg West Virginia.
After a tragic event at the age of 5, I was left without my mother. This deeply affected my awareness and trust with the world. I served a three year term with the United States Army from February 1998 to February of 2001 and was stationed in Fort Hood Tx with 1-8 Cavalry Mustangs!

Now I focus on being as vulnerable as I can -- to undo my past conditioning. I now reside in the town of Sahuarita Az  spending most of my time with my family and working on building my financial independence, education and leadership development business. I am a personal development advocate and entrepreneur at heart.

I asked Marty, "Does the opportunity still have the same potential today?"

Miles: Multi-level marketing has even more potential than it ever did back in the 70's. As you know, the world is a lot more connected. The new economy will be a global one. Social Capital will be the currency. Network Marketing when utilized with the right business model can be pretty amazing. However choosing the right company in the sea of MLM can be a very frustrating task if you don't know what to look for.

Professional Network Marketers know exactly what criteria it takes to produce the kind of residual income that makes you smile. Beyond MLM, the personal development journey you have when starting your own business is the real gem. In a sense you have to become a better person to succeed in your business. This is the industry that has and will continue to change the world in a positive way. Personal Development is doing what many organizations struggle to accomplish. That is... making better people.

December 9 - Six Sentence Sunday

The Setup

Another scene from The Presidents Club, a spin off work-in-progress from my first novel, The Tourist Killer.  

Enigmatic billionaire, Jay Thibaut [tee'-boe] is chatting with his long time secretary and personal assistant. The subject: her years long unrequited crush.

The Six Sentences

Thibaut stood six feet tall and his 185 pounds were distributed in proportion to DaVinci’s Vitruvian man. The architecture of his face personified character with its defined cheek bones and firm jaw. His eyebrows were darker than his medium brown hair. They framed his hazel eyes, that often twinkled with mischief, and almost met over the smooth lines of a nose never altered by his participation in sports.

He had a protective shield of dignity and reserve that discouraged personal questions. 

Thibaut looked right into Miss Woods’ sparkling dark brown eyes and said, “2012 is a leap year -- don’t miss your chance.”

There's more!

Hope you enjoyed those and will leave a comment. To sample the work of over 100 other great writers, just click HERE.

Multi-level Marketing in the 21st Century

Between 1976 and 1996 I got involved in multi-level marketing -- three times.  It turned out that I could sell. Recruiting was a problem.  At that time, the company I repeatedly joined was enamored with the“mystery approach.”  Over the years, I think they may have moved away from that method of recruiting.  No matter, many people around the world have made fortunes not only with this organization, but with the many hybrids it spawned.

Though I never “made” it big in MLM, the concept still intrigues me and so when I wrote my first novel, The Tourist Killer, I chose MLM as a vehicle for one of the characters. It served Julian F. Thibaut as a teenager in two ways.
 
It established a solid financial base for his future.

It helped him build a world-wide network of personal contacts.

To confirm the relevance of my book in today’s marketplace, I asked several online and MLM veterans, “Does the opportunity still have the same potential today?”

I’ve known Mattias Kroon via the internet for several years. He’s done quite well with online variations of MLM.  Mattias is a native of Smaland, Sweden.  He is a musician [trombone, keyboards, synthesizer] and an entrepreneur.  A background in telemarketing developed skills to become useful later in his own business.  

Mattias Kroon is my guest blogger this week and will be the first of several to address this topic.

Julian F. Thibaut is a man who succeeded in the multilevel marketing industry before the internet was available. He wasn´t born into a wealthy family. He took the knowledge from the principles of MLM to other areas of business in his recruiting.

What conclusions can we draw from this?

Can we use the same principles in the internet business? I would say, not as copycats but if you are an internet marketer you can use some of the principles.Many founders today have revised the first old MLM models and completed them with multiple income streams into one program.The big difference is that you can earn without recruiting at all in many of them but on the other side, where you can get benefits in form of referral commissions on every member that upgrades in the program you invited them to.So, the best of them work, with or without recruiting.

You can also purchase advertising shares in those programs where you get, say a 2% growth on every such share or position in that program.Of course, they must have some kind of a real product or service connected to the program in the design of it.I am earning a regular income from my online business.It has its ups and downs but it works.The measure of shares or positions together with referral commissions, will then decide how much you will earn.

Creating opportunities like this makes a psychological benefit in comparison to the older, typical MLM-schemes where you were forced to recruit  and where you were forced to fill a matrix to begin to earn at all.

Shares, that sounds like a little like funds in the stock market?

Besides my affiliate marketing I am investing in fund shares.The stock market was the second area where this Thibaut succeeded to make a very good profit.If you combine your affiliate marketing with investments in stock funds with a high Morningstar Ranking, you definitely have the ideal combination to make a profit online.Nothing happens “overnight” but with one step at the time moving forward, you can succeed.Diversifying your portfolio is the key in the stock market.Buy low and sell high.Read articles, invest in funds where they invest in typical growth areas.Nowadays you see growth in The Central and Eastern Europe and especially in Poland.

Always keep the long term perspective!

I would like to welcome you to my blog where I am recommending the best programs and tips to you.Sometimes I need to update the list of opportunities.

You are invited to: Creative Marketer.

10-21 Six Sentence Sunday

Julian Thibaut, an enigmatic billionaire, is described (in part) by this snippet from my soon to be released novel, The Tourist Killer.

Baltimore, MD was north enough for Julian Thibaut.
He had long since separated himself from many of the divisive attitudes and cultural incongruences of the Deep South, but he could not forsake his family heritage and locate his corporate offices north of the Mason-Dixon Line. He disdained most of what he knew about everything inside the beltway. Thibaut did not talk slow. He did, however, take the time to caress each word. It was because of this habit that New Yorkers would say he had a Southern drawl.

Comments and feedback appreciated. Now, please check out the work of over 170 over great writers HERE.