Saturday, November 26, 2011

Holiday Ramblings

Well Thanksgiving is over now and Christmas lies just ahead. It is a time to take stock of what is important in our lives and express our gratitude for those things. I find it amusing that everyone says that they are thankful for this or that in their lives but they fail to say who they are thankful to. Christians and people of other religions give thanks to God as they see Him, but who does the Atheist give thanks to? Well since I am a firm believer that I didn't survive my life to this point by accident, it was with God's help I will leave that question to those who believe in no god to answer that question.
The truck has been keeping me pretty busy but I have found time to get my first book up (as an independent since I am also the publisher) on Kindle and out in paperback after a few real screw ups on my part. That is what happens when I get in a hurry and don't check things out before hitting the approve button. The corrections have been made and everything is up and ready for sale. Use this link to find it, A Tree for America.
I also finished the edits for The Last Raid and published it on Amazon in Kindle format only. Since it is only a novella I was leery about publishing it as a full length book. Even though it is about the same length as A Tree for America since it is not a Christmas book I didn't think it would sell well. If you think differently please let me know.
Here is hoping that you get the things that will benefit you most over these holidays and that they may bring joy to your life no matter who you believe in.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

11-11-11

Some people are making a lot out of this, but they are missing the main thing about the date. Above all else it is the day we set aside to honor our Veterans. So in honor of my brothers and sisters who served I offer this attempt at poetry.


Who Are They?

His hair if he has any has turned to gray
Nothing like it was in his younger day.

His back is bent and he doesn’t stand as straight
He doesn’t move as fast with this slower gait.

But when he sees the young ones standing proud
The band is playing the Anthem so he sings right out loud

For he walked among them when he was a younger man
No matter what the trouble they never turned and ran

They wore the uniform of green, or white or maybe blue
In the Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force and the Coast Guard too.

He was young back then and so was she
The woman who served by his side on land air or sea.

Their country called and they gladly went the extra mile
Even when so many others said it wasn’t the thing in style

Through the times when it was not the thing to do
They went to serve our country and protect me and you.

Some faced the enemy and fought in the fires of hell
Others barely got more than some funny tales to tell

But all of them served where ever needed, and never asked “why”
And they stand a little taller when the new ones go walking by

Because a Veteran comes in many shapes, sizes and colors
Less interested in themselve’s than in helping others.

Call them many things but always call them veterans
The backbone of our country, and Pride of all Americans.





Edd Voss  4/6/11

Also if you have the time check out the interview on my friend Robert Bidinotto's page. It is about me and the book Rambling. It is all here at The Vigilanty Author

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Roy Rogers 100th birthday

Well October is gone and November is here. Where has this year gone? I found out that the 5th will mark the 100th birthday of one of my childhood idols, Roy Rogers. Saturday morning was not complete without a half hour spent with Roy, Dale, Pat Brady, Bullet, and of course Trigger. When my mother passed just before my 10th birthday, I had this dream the he and Dale would adopt me. Obviously that didn't happen but he continued to be an influence in my life. In an article written about him just after his death, I read that he quit drinking beer, even when he was out of the media's eye. He was concerned that it might set an example to kids that drinking was okay. Can you imagine a modern entertainer taking a stand like that in their personal life? Roy tried to set the standard that we wanted to believe all cowboys lived up to. Of course it was a standard that very few could actually attain but it was the one you wanted at least try for. Since those days we have taken our heroes and tried our best to turn them into villains but Roy managed to stay above all of that. His image still remains untarnished. While in my writing I try to treat the west honestly not whitewashing, the European settlers, the freed blacks, or the Native Americans who settled the area, I wish that they were all like the world I saw watching Roy Rogers every Saturday morning.