My Guest Will Be Dianne Sagan, Ghostwriter

Starting on Monday, I will be hosting Dianne Sagan, a ghostwriter and author. Stop by and get to know her, beginning with some background material about her career as a writer in my first post about her on Monday. In the meanwhile, you can check her out at http://dgsagan.tripod.com/ or at http://www.authorsden.com/diannesagan .

Cheers!

Harry

Mailing Lists & Charities

Today's mail just came a bit ago, and I had more than an inch-high stack of mailings from various charities. I've gotten to where I discard most of them unopened nowadays. I gave to one military-associated charity a few weeks back, and now I seem to be on some list for other military-associated groups. Two more came in today's mail. I wish charities I donate to would NOT put or sell my name and address on some mailing list to other charities. All the environmental groups seem to be particularly bad about sharing their lists, but the worse I've encountered has to be the Native American charity organizations.

A year ago I received a mailing from a Native American school. I have always felt sorry over the treatment the Indians received from this country as it drove them from their native lands so whites could expand west. It is a shameful chapter in U.S. history to be sure. So, I gave to that charity. Shortly thereafter, I received mailings from several other Indian charities representing various tribes or associations. I gave to a several of these. Then I started receiving two or three different mailings from Indian charities every week. That was followed by telephone calls for larger donations. Soon I was getting multiple Indian mailings every day and several phone calls every week. It was bordering on being harrassed. Finally, I started telling the telemarketers to please take my name off their list. My favorite line to tell them was that "I had more Indians after me than Custer had after him at the Little Big Horn." Sometimes the woman at the other end would laugh, but sometimes she would say coldly "I doubt that!" or "Hardly". Whatever, after six months of saying that and throwing away all Indian mailings unopened, it has finally slacked off ... not quit entirely, but greatly decreased.

Why must charity organizations turn donating into such a chore? A week after making a donation, many will send you a thank you letter with an envelope enclosed and ask for another, bigger donation OR they start sending you a request for more money every few months OR they call you and ask for an emergency $500 donation to save the whatever, winding down to "Surely you can afford to donate just $15 to help out". Well, this particular goose is running out of both patience and golden eggs! And Christmas holiday season charity giving is just getting ramped up...

Cheers!

Harry

Happy Thanksgivings!!

I hope everyone has a great Thanksgiving holiday, even the turkeys among you ... and you know if you are one. :-)

Holiday Cheers!

Harry

I Entered A Couple of Book Contests Today

I received an email yesterday informing me that the Reader Views Literary Contest for 2008 deadline was fast approaching (15 December). I checked out the submission guidelines and decided to submit my poetry book, Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man (http://www.lulu.com/content/2057931), in the poetry catagory. Then, I remembered that I had received information about the 2009 National Indie Excellence Awards for books a week or so back. So, I decided what the heck, why not submit PMOFM to that contest as well. I spent a few hours this afternoon filling out the entry form for each contest, writing out the entry fee checks, packing the books for mailing, and then driving to the post office to mail them.
And that is probably the last I'll be hearing about that... LOL.
How many poetry books do you suppose each contest will receive for this year's contest? But, you have to submit to even have a chance of winning some recognition, eh? Have any of you even entered a book contest? If so, did you win or place? Authors are filled with eternal hope!

Cheers!

Harry

Red Tail Project - Tuskegee Airmen

A few months back I received a mailing from the Red Tail Project asking for a donation to help restore a WWII Mustang fighter like those flown by the black pilots called the Tuskegee Airmen. I had seen a movie about them several years back, and I admired what these men had achieved in the face of racial discrimination during the 1940s. I read more background on-line and then wrote this poem as a tribute:

The Tuskegee Airmen

In 1942 America was in World War II.
For black Americans, “back of the bus”
and segregation was all they ever knew.
Yet, they pled, “Give this chance to us.“

Let us fight as pilots; let us do our part.”
Many opposed: “Negroes lack intelligence
to fly a plane; in combat they’d lack heart.
To become a first-rate pilot takes diligence!”

Approval finally won, the Tuskegee Institute
began to make fighter pilots out of black men.
They became heroes, turning their critics mute.
Let’s review what they accomplished back then.

Flying P51-C Mustangs with tails painted red,
these black men were courageous and skilled
when escorting bomber missions. It’s been said
they kept many bomber crews from being killed.

The statistics are extraordinary:
1,578 total missions flown
15,533 total sorties flown
Over 260 German planes destroyed
Hardly any escorted American bombers downed
950 train cars, trucks, and other vehicles destroyed
150 train locomotives destroyed
1 naval destroyer sunk with crewmen drowned
Of 450 Tuskegee airmen deployed overseas,
66 died in combat and 32 became POWs
Awards won: 1 Legion of Merit, 1 Silver Star,
2 Soldier Medals, 150 Distinguished Flying Crosses,
14 Bronze Stars, and 8 Purple Hearts

These gallant black lads made their country
proud. White bomber squadrons requested
escort by the “Red Tails” fighters. “You see,
I want my boys to get home,” so suggested

one bomber squadron commander. In all,
994 black men graduated as pilots from
Tuskegee Institute. Each could stand tall.
At war’s end, the return home for some

was hard. Despite their having risked
injury or death serving their country
so bravely and well, they were whisked
back to prewar “second class citizenry”.

The gallant exploits of these black airmen
would play a major part in ending segregation
in the Army, but now as civilians once again,
they suffered indignities across the nation.

Although admonished to “know their place”,
these black pilots won glory for their race.

I sent my poem to the Red Tail Project, along with a $50 donation. They responded that they might use my poem in the supporting material traveling arround with the plane on tour to teach young Americans about the history of the Tuskegee Airman so that this episode of black history will be perserved. It would be nice if they do decide to include it on the tour. I would be greatly honored, if so.

Cheers!

Harry

What Readers Have To Say About The Carny Kid

I enclose some comments from readers of Kenny Kahn's book, The Carny Kid.





"I just finished reading Kenny's book and I thought it was the most fascinating true-life story that I've read. While each page is filled with incredible details of Kahn's life, whenever I would take a moment to sit back and think about the reality of what happened, I felt bad that I enjoyed reading about someone else's pain. Then I'd come to be OK with it, because Kenny has clearly persevered and the life he has led made him the brilliant and hardworking man he is today. I just can't wait to read the sequel!" - M. Lesherman

"Very inspirational and very interesting life story. The only book I have read from cover to cover after leaving school; a must read. This coming from a person who hates to read." - Angel, Hollywood, CA


"I got this book as a gift and didn't open it for a while. When I did, I could not put it down. What a story! I like Kenny Kahn's style. He makes his story fun." – David

"The book was an easy read. I'm a retired police officer and was able to visualize where Kenneth grew up, lived, and later practiced law. Life on the streets became real and now I give ”The Carny Kid” to my son who is a police officer. May he learn and come away with a better understanding of life and especially being raised without privilege."
Rich and Patti, Downey, CA

"The Carny Kid is not only very inspirational and readable but gives the reader a look at worlds most of us have never seen." - Dale




Get the whole story. Be entertained. Be inspired. Order The Carny Kid.
http://kennykahn.com/contact.asp

Two Helpful Websites for Poets

Two websites that I visit often when writing poetry are:

Bob's Byway, A Poetic Diversion. This site has among other things a glossary of poetic terms and examples of poetic terms. Whenever I encounter a poetic term or poetic form I am unfamiliar with, this site will usually be quite helpful to define it and give examples. Check it out at:
http://www.poeticbyway.com/

The second website is for writing rhyming poems. To check to see if words actually are good rhymes or to get hints for words to use for a rhyme, I use
RhymeZone Rhyming Dictionary and Thesaurus. You enter a word and it will supply rhyming words. I find this very helpful at times. In addition, the site will find the word's definition; check spelling; find synonyms, antonyms, related words, similar sounding words, and homophones; search for the word in Shakespeare; and search for quotations. This site is a must-visit for rhyming poets! Check it out at: http://www.rhymezone.com/

I hope you find these sites useful.

Cheers!

Harry

Come see me at: http://www.gillelands.com/poetry/