J. Lloyd Morgan's Blog, page 5
April 3, 2014
Papa J
I want to publicly express my appreciation for a truly remarkable man. His name is Carl Chester Jamalkowski, or as I call him, “Papa J.”�
Technically, he’s my father-in-law, though he will always be a father figure to me.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from Papa J is the importance of family. Here is a man who worked the graveyard shift at Attica Prison for almost 30 years. As I understand it, he took the overnight shift because it paid better, so he could provide for his family.
My wife tells stories of how he would be there for them in the mornings, often making breakfast for them after he got home from work. The way she tells the story with such fondness indicates to me it wasn’t really about the breakfast, it was about showing love to his family.
As I got to know him, it became clear to me that he was extremely smart. He taught me how to play different card games and rarely was I able to best him. “Hasenpfeffer� was a family favorite card game. My dyslexic mind often confused “spades� with “clubs,� so to keep them straight, I’d called them “shovels� and “clovers� which seemed to amuse Papa J to no end.
I’m not a short person. At 6�3� I’m often the tallest person in the room. Consider then that Papa J was taller than me and had more muscle in one of his arms than I had in my whole body. When he told me he loved his baby girl and made sure I knew the consequences if I mistreated her, I took him seriously.
I’ll admit that for the first few months I got to know him, I was scared to death. Yet over time, I realized he had a heart of gold. He loved to collect things, thinking of ways to give them to others to help them out.
It seemed to me that Papa J and Mama J had a wonderful symbiotic relationship. She loved to cook, and he loved to eat. I can’t count the times we’d be in the middle of a meal, and he’d say, “Rose, you know what would be good for dinner tomorrow?� And then he’d say what he was in the mood for. Mama J would playfully roll her eyes and say, “Carl, let’s finish eating this meal first!�
Because Papa J worked for so many years during the graveyard shift, even after he retired, he tended to stay up late. It seemed like no time was a bad time to make a pizza—something he made often and was quite delicious.
I had the chance to live with Mama and Papa J while doing my internship in Buffalo for six weeks. It was late spring so Papa J and I would watch a lot of the NBA playoffs together. Being on the east coast meant some of the games would run late, but it was never so late that he wasn’t willing to make a pizza as the games were on.
A skill that my wife inherited from Papa J was being able to spot a bargain. One of the things that could get Papa J up early was the prospect of going to garage sales, also known as “tag� sales. I had a chance to go with him a few times during my internship. It never ceased to amaze me how he was able to “negotiate� with someone until the price was right.
Later in his life, he and Mama J made the move from the Buffalo area to Utah. My wife’s older sister, Lora, and her husband, George, went above and beyond by taking them in and creating a place for them to live.
Papa J passed away on April 3, 2014 at home with loved ones by his side. While his spirit may have left this earth, his family legacy will remain.
Technically, he’s my father-in-law, though he will always be a father figure to me.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from Papa J is the importance of family. Here is a man who worked the graveyard shift at Attica Prison for almost 30 years. As I understand it, he took the overnight shift because it paid better, so he could provide for his family.
My wife tells stories of how he would be there for them in the mornings, often making breakfast for them after he got home from work. The way she tells the story with such fondness indicates to me it wasn’t really about the breakfast, it was about showing love to his family.
As I got to know him, it became clear to me that he was extremely smart. He taught me how to play different card games and rarely was I able to best him. “Hasenpfeffer� was a family favorite card game. My dyslexic mind often confused “spades� with “clubs,� so to keep them straight, I’d called them “shovels� and “clovers� which seemed to amuse Papa J to no end.
I’m not a short person. At 6�3� I’m often the tallest person in the room. Consider then that Papa J was taller than me and had more muscle in one of his arms than I had in my whole body. When he told me he loved his baby girl and made sure I knew the consequences if I mistreated her, I took him seriously.
I’ll admit that for the first few months I got to know him, I was scared to death. Yet over time, I realized he had a heart of gold. He loved to collect things, thinking of ways to give them to others to help them out.
It seemed to me that Papa J and Mama J had a wonderful symbiotic relationship. She loved to cook, and he loved to eat. I can’t count the times we’d be in the middle of a meal, and he’d say, “Rose, you know what would be good for dinner tomorrow?� And then he’d say what he was in the mood for. Mama J would playfully roll her eyes and say, “Carl, let’s finish eating this meal first!�
Because Papa J worked for so many years during the graveyard shift, even after he retired, he tended to stay up late. It seemed like no time was a bad time to make a pizza—something he made often and was quite delicious.
I had the chance to live with Mama and Papa J while doing my internship in Buffalo for six weeks. It was late spring so Papa J and I would watch a lot of the NBA playoffs together. Being on the east coast meant some of the games would run late, but it was never so late that he wasn’t willing to make a pizza as the games were on.
A skill that my wife inherited from Papa J was being able to spot a bargain. One of the things that could get Papa J up early was the prospect of going to garage sales, also known as “tag� sales. I had a chance to go with him a few times during my internship. It never ceased to amaze me how he was able to “negotiate� with someone until the price was right.
Later in his life, he and Mama J made the move from the Buffalo area to Utah. My wife’s older sister, Lora, and her husband, George, went above and beyond by taking them in and creating a place for them to live.
Papa J passed away on April 3, 2014 at home with loved ones by his side. While his spirit may have left this earth, his family legacy will remain.
March 29, 2014
I Don’t Understand You, Therefore, You Must Be An Idiot
Hubris. It is one of my new favorite words. While the word has been around a long time, it seems to be a trait more evident than ever on the world’s stage.
What does hubris mean? Well, depending who you ask or where you look, the basic definition means “arrogance� or “pride,� often in the extreme.
One way I see hubris demonstrated is when a person says, “What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense to me. You’re wrong.�
Think about it: each of us looks at the world a bit differently. Often, what we understand and believe is based on our experience and education. When our beliefs are challenged, we go with what we know to try to understand it. Sometimes what we understand, and what is presented to us, are in direct conflict.
What do a lot of people do in cases like this? They immediately jump to the conclusion that they are right and the other person is wrong. To me, hubris is directly related to how quickly someone will dismiss an idea or concept counter to what they believe.
My wife is an amazing person. We’ve been married for over 22 years now. We’ve learned a lot from each other. One of the biggest things I have learned as we’ve worked on home improvement projects together is that there is often more than one way to do something. At times, she will be convinced that one way to do a project is different than what I had in mind.
I’ll admit earlier in our marriage I’d get frustrated because I thought my way was better. But I learned to swallow my pride and we’d try things her way. And you know what? In doing so, I discovered my way wasn’t the best way after all. To be fair, sometimes we learned my way would have been better, but we wouldn’t know until we tried.
In the end, I’ve learned that when I take a moment to consider a new idea, and try to keep an open mind, I’m more willing to consider it as viable.
Still, there are things I won’t budge on—like many of my core religious beliefs—but I’ve discovered that when someone challenges them, one of the worst things I can do is state, “I don’t understand you, therefore, you must be an idiot.”�
What does hubris mean? Well, depending who you ask or where you look, the basic definition means “arrogance� or “pride,� often in the extreme.
One way I see hubris demonstrated is when a person says, “What you’re saying doesn’t make any sense to me. You’re wrong.�
Think about it: each of us looks at the world a bit differently. Often, what we understand and believe is based on our experience and education. When our beliefs are challenged, we go with what we know to try to understand it. Sometimes what we understand, and what is presented to us, are in direct conflict.
What do a lot of people do in cases like this? They immediately jump to the conclusion that they are right and the other person is wrong. To me, hubris is directly related to how quickly someone will dismiss an idea or concept counter to what they believe.
My wife is an amazing person. We’ve been married for over 22 years now. We’ve learned a lot from each other. One of the biggest things I have learned as we’ve worked on home improvement projects together is that there is often more than one way to do something. At times, she will be convinced that one way to do a project is different than what I had in mind.
I’ll admit earlier in our marriage I’d get frustrated because I thought my way was better. But I learned to swallow my pride and we’d try things her way. And you know what? In doing so, I discovered my way wasn’t the best way after all. To be fair, sometimes we learned my way would have been better, but we wouldn’t know until we tried.
In the end, I’ve learned that when I take a moment to consider a new idea, and try to keep an open mind, I’m more willing to consider it as viable.
Still, there are things I won’t budge on—like many of my core religious beliefs—but I’ve discovered that when someone challenges them, one of the worst things I can do is state, “I don’t understand you, therefore, you must be an idiot.”�
March 25, 2014
All Things Considered, I'm Glad I'm Not Dead
Like many men, it takes a lot for me to go to the doctor. Maybe it’s because I hate sitting forever in the waiting room. Maybe it’s because every doctor I see has me fill out a billion forms. Maybe it’s because when the doctor asks me, “Do you drink or smoke?� and I truthfully answer, “No� they don’t look like they quite believe me.
I’d had a cough on and off for a couple of weeks, and it didn’t seem to be getting any better. Usually a few zinc cough drops will knock it right out, but not this time. It was getting bad enough that I started to have a fever, chills, low-to-no energy, and I was achy all over. Worst of all, any creative juices I had for writing or editing were zapped. Nada. Nothing. Still, I didn’t want to go to the doctor.
However, recently I heard of three men I know who weren’t feeling well and it turned out to be something serious—like operation type of serious. But that couldn’t be me, right?
Then one morning, I was coughing so hard that I started to throw up. That was enough. I looked up the closest urgent care that took our insurance and off I went.
A billion forms later, and after about an hour of waiting, I got in to see the PA (Physician’s Assistant). She was super nice and asked me a lot of questions, especially about the blood disorder I was diagnosed with several years ago (it’s genetic and can cause my blood to clot easier than most people.)
So, she wanted to do a test with a machine called an EKG. It tests the heart to make sure it’s working as it should. After having to shave part of my chest, she attached some wires up to me and ran the test.
A few minutes later, the PA came in, a serious look on her face. She said, “The results on your EKG are concerning. I’m not saying you’re having a heart attack, but you might be. We need to get you to the hospital.�
I didn’t feel like I was having a heart attack. Then again, I’d never had one, so I wasn’t sure how it felt. Still, I’m not a doctor and wasn’t going to argue.
“Okay,� I said. “I’ll head to the hospital. It’s just down the road. Where should I go when I get there?�
The PA shook her head. “If you are having a heart attack, you shouldn’t drive. I’ve already called the ambulance. They are going to take you.�
Ambulance? I was going to be taken in an ambulance? Sure enough, the EMTs came and got me, put me on a gurney, and wheeled me out of the urgent care.
We went through the waiting room full of people. I wanted to say something silly to the people waiting like, “I only came in for a hangnail!� but I didn’t.
The EMTs got me in the ambulance and ran another EKG on me. The results? My heart looked fine. That was a good thing. Still, off to the hospital we went.
Me in the ambulanceI got checked in, mostly correct aside that they thought I was 10 years younger than I am (thank you!). After two more EKG tests, the heart attack was ruled out.
BUT, (and that’s a big but) the PA was concerned I might have a PE based on my family history and blood disorder. PE? As in Physical Education? I asked for clarification. She said PE meant Pulmonary Embolism. Yeah, that didn’t help much. I asked for clarification again. She said, “It means a clot in your lungs.�
Me in the hospitalSo, off I go to get X-rays of my chest. They also want to do a CAT scan. As I’m getting prepped for the CAT scan, the lady asks me, “Are you allergic to any medications?� I give my standard answer of “None of which I’m aware.� For a bit of fun, I did say, “But I’m allergic to cats, so maybe this isn’t a good idea.� She rolled her eyes and got me set up.
For the CAT scan, they have to inject something into your bloodstream. The lady said I’d feel warm all over, get a weird taste in my mouth and it may feel like I’m urinating. Fun times!
Once the CAT scan was completed, I got wheeled back to my room. Only now, I’m starting to itch all over. The lady who did the CAT scan looks me over and says, “You’re having an allergic reaction to the (whatever it was called that they injected me with).� My response, “Hey, I told you I was allergic to cats.�
So, they pumped me full of another drug to stop the itching.
Roughly 45 minutes went by while they reviewed my results. Finally, the PA tells me, “Okay. Good news. No heart attack. No clot in your lungs. Your blood pressure was really high when you got here, but that could be from being told you were having a heart attack. Your blood pressure is fine now. We’re going to diagnose you with Acute Bronchitis.�
She gave me some prescriptions and sent me on my way.
In the end, what do I take from all of this? I’m delighted that I’m not dead. Yes, the medical bills aren’t going to be fun, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Because my dad died when he was only 33 (I was 6 at the time), I’ve grown up with the understanding that we are mortal and can die at really any time. There aren’t any guarantees.
Also, because of my faith, I’m not really scared of dying as much as wanting to be on the Earth a while longer to see my kids grow up, spend more years with my beautiful wife, and writing more stories that are bouncing around in my head.
I’d had a cough on and off for a couple of weeks, and it didn’t seem to be getting any better. Usually a few zinc cough drops will knock it right out, but not this time. It was getting bad enough that I started to have a fever, chills, low-to-no energy, and I was achy all over. Worst of all, any creative juices I had for writing or editing were zapped. Nada. Nothing. Still, I didn’t want to go to the doctor.
However, recently I heard of three men I know who weren’t feeling well and it turned out to be something serious—like operation type of serious. But that couldn’t be me, right?
Then one morning, I was coughing so hard that I started to throw up. That was enough. I looked up the closest urgent care that took our insurance and off I went.
A billion forms later, and after about an hour of waiting, I got in to see the PA (Physician’s Assistant). She was super nice and asked me a lot of questions, especially about the blood disorder I was diagnosed with several years ago (it’s genetic and can cause my blood to clot easier than most people.)
So, she wanted to do a test with a machine called an EKG. It tests the heart to make sure it’s working as it should. After having to shave part of my chest, she attached some wires up to me and ran the test.
A few minutes later, the PA came in, a serious look on her face. She said, “The results on your EKG are concerning. I’m not saying you’re having a heart attack, but you might be. We need to get you to the hospital.�
I didn’t feel like I was having a heart attack. Then again, I’d never had one, so I wasn’t sure how it felt. Still, I’m not a doctor and wasn’t going to argue.
“Okay,� I said. “I’ll head to the hospital. It’s just down the road. Where should I go when I get there?�
The PA shook her head. “If you are having a heart attack, you shouldn’t drive. I’ve already called the ambulance. They are going to take you.�
Ambulance? I was going to be taken in an ambulance? Sure enough, the EMTs came and got me, put me on a gurney, and wheeled me out of the urgent care.
We went through the waiting room full of people. I wanted to say something silly to the people waiting like, “I only came in for a hangnail!� but I didn’t.
The EMTs got me in the ambulance and ran another EKG on me. The results? My heart looked fine. That was a good thing. Still, off to the hospital we went.
Me in the ambulanceI got checked in, mostly correct aside that they thought I was 10 years younger than I am (thank you!). After two more EKG tests, the heart attack was ruled out.
BUT, (and that’s a big but) the PA was concerned I might have a PE based on my family history and blood disorder. PE? As in Physical Education? I asked for clarification. She said PE meant Pulmonary Embolism. Yeah, that didn’t help much. I asked for clarification again. She said, “It means a clot in your lungs.�
Me in the hospitalSo, off I go to get X-rays of my chest. They also want to do a CAT scan. As I’m getting prepped for the CAT scan, the lady asks me, “Are you allergic to any medications?� I give my standard answer of “None of which I’m aware.� For a bit of fun, I did say, “But I’m allergic to cats, so maybe this isn’t a good idea.� She rolled her eyes and got me set up.
For the CAT scan, they have to inject something into your bloodstream. The lady said I’d feel warm all over, get a weird taste in my mouth and it may feel like I’m urinating. Fun times!
Once the CAT scan was completed, I got wheeled back to my room. Only now, I’m starting to itch all over. The lady who did the CAT scan looks me over and says, “You’re having an allergic reaction to the (whatever it was called that they injected me with).� My response, “Hey, I told you I was allergic to cats.�
So, they pumped me full of another drug to stop the itching.
Roughly 45 minutes went by while they reviewed my results. Finally, the PA tells me, “Okay. Good news. No heart attack. No clot in your lungs. Your blood pressure was really high when you got here, but that could be from being told you were having a heart attack. Your blood pressure is fine now. We’re going to diagnose you with Acute Bronchitis.�
She gave me some prescriptions and sent me on my way.
In the end, what do I take from all of this? I’m delighted that I’m not dead. Yes, the medical bills aren’t going to be fun, but I’d rather be safe than sorry.
Because my dad died when he was only 33 (I was 6 at the time), I’ve grown up with the understanding that we are mortal and can die at really any time. There aren’t any guarantees.
Also, because of my faith, I’m not really scared of dying as much as wanting to be on the Earth a while longer to see my kids grow up, spend more years with my beautiful wife, and writing more stories that are bouncing around in my head.
March 18, 2014
Write The Same Thing, Only Different
I’ll admit it. When I started writing my first book, I was pretty clueless about what readers and publishers wanted. All I knew is that I had a desire to create stories.
It wasn’t until later that I began to realize the unwritten rules when it came to authors. It seems like one of the first of these rules is that writers should stick to a certain genre. I get asked “what kind of books do you write?� a lot. I generally respond with the vague answer of “mostly fiction.�
I created the Bariwon series ( , , ). They are liberally included in the fantasy genre, though I disagree since there aren’t any non-human characters or types of magic used in the books. I would classify them as “medieval fiction.�
has a fantasy element to it, the diamond that shines when people touch it, but overall it is a story about human nature which happens to take place in France in 1453.
After my first four books, I realized that my works were of the medieval nature. In a sense, I was harkening to the mandate of some readers and publishers who want authors to “write the same thing, only different.�
But I knew there were other stories I wanted to tell. certainly is a departure from my previous works. Set in 1988, it is also based on a true story, therefore not really fiction, per se.
I just announced my latest book, . It also takes place in the late 1980’s, and though I draw on my experiences from high school, it isn’t based on a true story.
There is no doubt in my mind that Bring Down The Rain will appeal to a different type of reader than my previous works. I’ve gone against the grain of “write the same thing, only different.� But that’s not a bad thing.
Here’s why: another unwritten law of being an author is “write stories you are passionate about.� It’s great advice because if you are bored with the subject matter as a writer, it will reflect in your work.
In the end, I’m harkening more toward the second unwritten rule. The goal is to have yet another book come out later this year. It will be completely different than anything I’ve written before. I’ll say this much about it: the book takes place in contemporary times.
That’s not all. I have a number of ideas bouncing around my head. I make no promises on what will happen or when, but I will most likely write a full novel, or maybe even a series, based on my short story, �.� It will be a work of fantasy, with a twist.
Though I had no intentions of returning to Bariwon after I finished The Zealous Star, it seems like the characters and setting aren’t done with me. Chances are good there may be another book, or two, or three, from Bariwon.
It wasn’t until later that I began to realize the unwritten rules when it came to authors. It seems like one of the first of these rules is that writers should stick to a certain genre. I get asked “what kind of books do you write?� a lot. I generally respond with the vague answer of “mostly fiction.�
I created the Bariwon series ( , , ). They are liberally included in the fantasy genre, though I disagree since there aren’t any non-human characters or types of magic used in the books. I would classify them as “medieval fiction.�
has a fantasy element to it, the diamond that shines when people touch it, but overall it is a story about human nature which happens to take place in France in 1453.
After my first four books, I realized that my works were of the medieval nature. In a sense, I was harkening to the mandate of some readers and publishers who want authors to “write the same thing, only different.�
But I knew there were other stories I wanted to tell. certainly is a departure from my previous works. Set in 1988, it is also based on a true story, therefore not really fiction, per se.
I just announced my latest book, . It also takes place in the late 1980’s, and though I draw on my experiences from high school, it isn’t based on a true story.
There is no doubt in my mind that Bring Down The Rain will appeal to a different type of reader than my previous works. I’ve gone against the grain of “write the same thing, only different.� But that’s not a bad thing.
Here’s why: another unwritten law of being an author is “write stories you are passionate about.� It’s great advice because if you are bored with the subject matter as a writer, it will reflect in your work.
In the end, I’m harkening more toward the second unwritten rule. The goal is to have yet another book come out later this year. It will be completely different than anything I’ve written before. I’ll say this much about it: the book takes place in contemporary times.
That’s not all. I have a number of ideas bouncing around my head. I make no promises on what will happen or when, but I will most likely write a full novel, or maybe even a series, based on my short story, �.� It will be a work of fantasy, with a twist.
Though I had no intentions of returning to Bariwon after I finished The Zealous Star, it seems like the characters and setting aren’t done with me. Chances are good there may be another book, or two, or three, from Bariwon.
March 10, 2014
"Bring Down the Rain" announced
I'm pleased to announce my next book, Bring Down the Rain.
Here is the synopsis:
"Derek discovers going to high school in Utah is vastly different than in North Carolina. After an accident ends his dreams of playing in the major leagues, he starts his senior year by trying to figure out what to do with his life. Derek begins to date Tiffany, the school paper’s news editor. With her help, he learns the importance of a concept he never fully understood: sacrifice.
Set in 1986, Bring Down the Rain is a story of loss, grief, redemption, hope, and making life altering choices."
Here is the cover:
The book is slated for a summer 2014 release.
Here is the synopsis:
"Derek discovers going to high school in Utah is vastly different than in North Carolina. After an accident ends his dreams of playing in the major leagues, he starts his senior year by trying to figure out what to do with his life. Derek begins to date Tiffany, the school paper’s news editor. With her help, he learns the importance of a concept he never fully understood: sacrifice.
Set in 1986, Bring Down the Rain is a story of loss, grief, redemption, hope, and making life altering choices."
Here is the cover:
The book is slated for a summer 2014 release.
March 4, 2014
Why use a pen name?
I confuse people on purpose. Any of my published works have me listed as “J. Lloyd Morgan.� But that’s not the name I go by in real life. My first name is Jason. That’s what most people call me, aside from some aunts that call me Jakey.
Why then do I use a different name when I write? There are two main reasons. First is branding and marketing. That’s right, branding and marketing. “Jason Morgan� is a very common name. However, “J. Lloyd Morgan� is much less common. In fact, if you Google “J. Lloyd Morgan,� you’ll find my books.
The second reason is privacy. There are some readers that are a bit, well, persistent when it comes to their favorite authors. We’ll leave it at that.
But those two reasons aren’t the only ones why writers use pen names. And this is where it gets to be a bit sticky. Some writers are going to be ticked off that I bring this up. So be it. It’s not the first time I’ve brought up something that makes people uncomfortable, or at the very least consider their actions.
Another reason for using pen names, which I think is legitimate, is that some authors write for different genres and will, at times, use a different name for each genre. Let me give you an example: A person who writes horror might use the name “I. B. Scary� for their pen name. The same person may also write romance. Would “I. B. Scary� be a good name for a romance writer? Probably not. Instead, the same person may use a different pen name for their romance novels like “Lotti Kissez.�
So, what’s so controversial? Nothing, yet. This is where I’m going to rattle a few cages. I know of some authors who profess to follow a certain moral code. Most of their written works lines up with that moral code. For example: they don’t believe that people should be slaves to other people. Therefore, nothing in their written works glorifies or promotes the idea that slavery is good. Get it?
However, there are those who then write stories that may indeed include elements that diverge from their stated moral code. Because they don’t want people to know it’s them, the same person who writes stories that sticks to their code, they use a different pen name.
That’s a concept I struggle with as a writer. I’ve written in several different genres: historical fiction, medieval fiction, contemporary fiction, and fantasy. My next two books are different genres from others I’ve written. One thing I’ve been consistent about is sticking to my moral code. There are no swear words or descriptive sex scenes in any of my books. It’s a line I won’t cross—no matter what I write. To that end, I have decided to use only one pen name.
I bring all of this up based on a couple of situations I recently encountered. The first one was at a meet and greet of authors I hadn’t met before. One of the ladies told me she wrote sweet romance under a certain pen name, and erotic fiction under a different pen name. When I asked why, she said, “My mother would have a heart attack if she knew I wrote erotica.�
The second situation came from my kindle. There was an advertisement for a book on the front of the kindle. The cover said something along the lines of “New York Times Bestseller Jane Doe writing as John Doe.� It struck me as odd. Why, oh why, would you have two different pen names if you would openly announce both pen names on the cover of your book? I figured they did that because Jane Doe was a popular author, and John Doe wasn’t, so in an effort to sell more books, the writer had to tell the world they are the same person.
I guess it all comes down to this: each writer has stories they want to tell. Some writers are willing to compromise on their core beliefs for the sake of making more money by writing books that are considered “in demand� by some publishers.
This point was driven home to me one day when I was a guest author at a high school. One of the students asked me, “Do you make a lot of money from writing?� I gave my vague answer of “I do just fine, thank you.� Another student in the class spoke up. He said, “I’ll bet he could make a lot more if he wrote porn. He could even use a different pen name, like Buck Naked.�
Why then do I use a different name when I write? There are two main reasons. First is branding and marketing. That’s right, branding and marketing. “Jason Morgan� is a very common name. However, “J. Lloyd Morgan� is much less common. In fact, if you Google “J. Lloyd Morgan,� you’ll find my books.
The second reason is privacy. There are some readers that are a bit, well, persistent when it comes to their favorite authors. We’ll leave it at that.
But those two reasons aren’t the only ones why writers use pen names. And this is where it gets to be a bit sticky. Some writers are going to be ticked off that I bring this up. So be it. It’s not the first time I’ve brought up something that makes people uncomfortable, or at the very least consider their actions.
Another reason for using pen names, which I think is legitimate, is that some authors write for different genres and will, at times, use a different name for each genre. Let me give you an example: A person who writes horror might use the name “I. B. Scary� for their pen name. The same person may also write romance. Would “I. B. Scary� be a good name for a romance writer? Probably not. Instead, the same person may use a different pen name for their romance novels like “Lotti Kissez.�
So, what’s so controversial? Nothing, yet. This is where I’m going to rattle a few cages. I know of some authors who profess to follow a certain moral code. Most of their written works lines up with that moral code. For example: they don’t believe that people should be slaves to other people. Therefore, nothing in their written works glorifies or promotes the idea that slavery is good. Get it?
However, there are those who then write stories that may indeed include elements that diverge from their stated moral code. Because they don’t want people to know it’s them, the same person who writes stories that sticks to their code, they use a different pen name.
That’s a concept I struggle with as a writer. I’ve written in several different genres: historical fiction, medieval fiction, contemporary fiction, and fantasy. My next two books are different genres from others I’ve written. One thing I’ve been consistent about is sticking to my moral code. There are no swear words or descriptive sex scenes in any of my books. It’s a line I won’t cross—no matter what I write. To that end, I have decided to use only one pen name.
I bring all of this up based on a couple of situations I recently encountered. The first one was at a meet and greet of authors I hadn’t met before. One of the ladies told me she wrote sweet romance under a certain pen name, and erotic fiction under a different pen name. When I asked why, she said, “My mother would have a heart attack if she knew I wrote erotica.�
The second situation came from my kindle. There was an advertisement for a book on the front of the kindle. The cover said something along the lines of “New York Times Bestseller Jane Doe writing as John Doe.� It struck me as odd. Why, oh why, would you have two different pen names if you would openly announce both pen names on the cover of your book? I figured they did that because Jane Doe was a popular author, and John Doe wasn’t, so in an effort to sell more books, the writer had to tell the world they are the same person.
I guess it all comes down to this: each writer has stories they want to tell. Some writers are willing to compromise on their core beliefs for the sake of making more money by writing books that are considered “in demand� by some publishers.
This point was driven home to me one day when I was a guest author at a high school. One of the students asked me, “Do you make a lot of money from writing?� I gave my vague answer of “I do just fine, thank you.� Another student in the class spoke up. He said, “I’ll bet he could make a lot more if he wrote porn. He could even use a different pen name, like Buck Naked.�
February 24, 2014
Only Option?
I get the chance to talk to a lot of high school seniors. I tell them that after they graduate they are in for a shock. If they go to a college or university, no longer will they have to ask for a pass to go to the bathroom. Many of them will live away from home for the first time. They will have the freedom to make more of their own choices than ever before.
And sadly, a lot of them will choose poorly. There is story after story of young adults who go off to college and really struggle their freshman year.
But why? Because many of them haven’t learned to make their own choices. In high school, especially now more than ever from what I’ve seen, students are being forced to do certain things instead of given a choice.
Here’s an interesting word for you: option. What does that mean to you? According to various dictionaries, it means “the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things� and “the power or right to choose� and “a thing that is or may be chosen.�
Now consider those definitions of the word “option� in relation to a saying that is printed on banners posted around schools: “Success is the only option.�
Think about it. “Only option� in and of itself is a contradiction. Having only one choice to make is not really a choice then, is it?
To that end, I don’t think high school fully prepares students for life after high school. That’s a pretty bold statement, though I did include the variable “fully� to give me some wiggle room to explain what I mean.
Here is something I do to help students prepare for real life: I give them the chance and the choice to fail.
That’s right. I believe I learn a lot more from my mistakes than things I get right on the first try.
It’s interesting when I tell students, “Here is the assignment for today. You can do it, or not. It’s your choice.�
Their response? Many will say, “Really? You aren’t going to make me do it?�
I say, “Nope.�
Inevitably, one of the students will ask, “But what if I don’t do it?�
My answer? “Then you will miss out on a chance to learn something. You’ll earn a zero on the assignment which will affect your overall grade.�
If you think about it, that’s how life after high school works. If you don’t do your job, you’ll get fired. You won’t have money. You can’t buy food. And so on and so on.
So why do schools then adopt slogans like “where success is the only option�? Because it sounds good—even though it is fundamentally wrong.
I propose instead: “Where every student can be successful.�
And sadly, a lot of them will choose poorly. There is story after story of young adults who go off to college and really struggle their freshman year.
But why? Because many of them haven’t learned to make their own choices. In high school, especially now more than ever from what I’ve seen, students are being forced to do certain things instead of given a choice.
Here’s an interesting word for you: option. What does that mean to you? According to various dictionaries, it means “the opportunity or ability to choose something or to choose between two or more things� and “the power or right to choose� and “a thing that is or may be chosen.�
Now consider those definitions of the word “option� in relation to a saying that is printed on banners posted around schools: “Success is the only option.�
Think about it. “Only option� in and of itself is a contradiction. Having only one choice to make is not really a choice then, is it?
To that end, I don’t think high school fully prepares students for life after high school. That’s a pretty bold statement, though I did include the variable “fully� to give me some wiggle room to explain what I mean.
Here is something I do to help students prepare for real life: I give them the chance and the choice to fail.
That’s right. I believe I learn a lot more from my mistakes than things I get right on the first try.
It’s interesting when I tell students, “Here is the assignment for today. You can do it, or not. It’s your choice.�
Their response? Many will say, “Really? You aren’t going to make me do it?�
I say, “Nope.�
Inevitably, one of the students will ask, “But what if I don’t do it?�
My answer? “Then you will miss out on a chance to learn something. You’ll earn a zero on the assignment which will affect your overall grade.�
If you think about it, that’s how life after high school works. If you don’t do your job, you’ll get fired. You won’t have money. You can’t buy food. And so on and so on.
So why do schools then adopt slogans like “where success is the only option�? Because it sounds good—even though it is fundamentally wrong.
I propose instead: “Where every student can be successful.�
February 17, 2014
OCD or Good Habits?
I get to travel to all sorts of different classrooms. In doing so, I see how different teachers organize their classes. Some of them are really neat and organized. Some should be declared a disaster area. Seriously.
There was a class room I went to recently that was very organized. There were baskets, clearly labeled, where the students were supposed to turn in their assignments. The white boards were clean. Heck, even the dry erase markers were organized by color. It was amazing.
That same week, I was in a room where there were papers everywhere. The teacher’s desk was covered with assignments, folders, sticky notes and half-a-dozen knickknacks.
I understand that people have different personalities which can be reflected in how organized and clean they keep their environments. I, personally, prefer a clean environment. Granted, if you look at my workspace where I write my books, it may seem a bit cluttered. But that works for me. I know where everything is. It’s not quite the “A place for everything, and everything all over the place� situation, but it’s not as super organized as it could be.
Why do I bring this up? Hang in there a second and it will make sense.
In our current day and age, it seems like certain behaviors are given labels. To be fair, there are real and serious conditions where these terms are valid. Yet, I believe there are times when the terms are used too broadly.
For example, OCD means Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It’s real and can be a big issue for those who have it. But I, personally, think that the term is often used incorrectly. That’s a problem. Why? Because it cheapens the meaning of it.
Consider the word “awesome.� It comes from the word “awe� which means “a strong feeling of fear or respect and also wonder.� And “awesome� as a word? “An expressive of awe or inspiring awe.�
Therefore, when someone eats a taco, and then says, “Awesome!� Is that really what they mean? Did the taco honestly create a strong feeling of fear or respect or even wonder? Possibly, but I doubt it.
The same could be said for using the term “OCD� for an activity when in fact it may be a good habit. If you brush your teeth every night before you can go to bed, that’s a good habit. If you have to brush your teeth every hour on the hour, that’s more along the lines of OCD.
May I be so bold as to make a suggestion? Next time someone uses the term “OCD,� think, “is that really what they mean, or is it just a good habit?�
There was a class room I went to recently that was very organized. There were baskets, clearly labeled, where the students were supposed to turn in their assignments. The white boards were clean. Heck, even the dry erase markers were organized by color. It was amazing.
That same week, I was in a room where there were papers everywhere. The teacher’s desk was covered with assignments, folders, sticky notes and half-a-dozen knickknacks.
I understand that people have different personalities which can be reflected in how organized and clean they keep their environments. I, personally, prefer a clean environment. Granted, if you look at my workspace where I write my books, it may seem a bit cluttered. But that works for me. I know where everything is. It’s not quite the “A place for everything, and everything all over the place� situation, but it’s not as super organized as it could be.
Why do I bring this up? Hang in there a second and it will make sense.
In our current day and age, it seems like certain behaviors are given labels. To be fair, there are real and serious conditions where these terms are valid. Yet, I believe there are times when the terms are used too broadly.
For example, OCD means Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. It’s real and can be a big issue for those who have it. But I, personally, think that the term is often used incorrectly. That’s a problem. Why? Because it cheapens the meaning of it.
Consider the word “awesome.� It comes from the word “awe� which means “a strong feeling of fear or respect and also wonder.� And “awesome� as a word? “An expressive of awe or inspiring awe.�
Therefore, when someone eats a taco, and then says, “Awesome!� Is that really what they mean? Did the taco honestly create a strong feeling of fear or respect or even wonder? Possibly, but I doubt it.
The same could be said for using the term “OCD� for an activity when in fact it may be a good habit. If you brush your teeth every night before you can go to bed, that’s a good habit. If you have to brush your teeth every hour on the hour, that’s more along the lines of OCD.
May I be so bold as to make a suggestion? Next time someone uses the term “OCD,� think, “is that really what they mean, or is it just a good habit?�
February 5, 2014
Us and Them
While attending BYU in Utah, my wife and I elected to by a mobile home instead of paying rent. It turned out to be a good financial investment as we were able to sell it when I graduated and took my first job in Idaho.
The way LDS congregations (known as “wards�) are set up is by geography. This means that the ward you attend is based on where you live. It may seem strange to some people, but it works. The boundaries are selected based on the number of members in a given area ensuring that the wards don’t get too big or are too small to support the needs of the members.
It just so happened that the mobile home park my wife and I lived in was in a ward with a subdivision of nicer homes of people that were fairly well off. Overall, that didn’t cause many issues, but once in a while, it did.
Here’s an example: One Sunday, a church leader was talking about providing service to those in need. A good idea, right? What bothered me personally, and several others in the meeting, was when he said, “We need to reach out to those people over there in the mobile home park and make sure we are taking care of them.�
I’m certain he meant no harm in the statement, but by saying it that way, he basically created an �Us and Them� situation. And I say that’s not a good thing.
As I read the news, many of the world’s conflicts are caused by people focusing more on what makes them different than what they have in common. Labeling people based on any particular trait that makes them different can overshadow shared commonalities.
That’s not to say everyone has to be the same. Heck, I’ll go as far as to say that it’s a good thing for people to embrace things that make them different—as long as that doesn’t become such a powerful representation that it obliterates the things we all have in common.
What kind of differences am I talking about? It can be skin color. It can be religion. It can be economic situation. It can be marital status. It can be sexual orientation. It can be which sports team you cheer for. And the list goes on and on.
I’ll openly admit that in my life I’ve been one of those who have perpetuated the “Us and Them� situation from time to time, and I’ve learned it wasn’t a good thing.
My first job was at McDonald’s. I worked after school and on the weekends. When I was scheduled to “close,� I couldn’t go home until everything was done. Over time, it was clear to me that the morning crew and the evening crew didn’t like each other very much. The morning crew would often complain about how the evening crew left things a mess from the night before. The evening crew would counter by saying “The morning crew doesn’t have it as bad as we do. They can go home once their shift is over and they don’t have to clean up.�
Then I graduated from high school and had a chance to work in the mornings during the summer. What I found out shocked me. The people in the morning were actually pretty cool. They had to deal with stuff we didn’t at night, like switching over from breakfast to lunch. In the end, I came to realize the morning and evening crews had a lot more in common than not. I felt bad for being one of the outspoken evening crew.
Recently, I was once again confronted with an “Us and Them� situation. I won’t go into details because frankly I’m sure there are several people who are cheesed off at me and I’m hoping they will understand where I’m coming from. What I tried to do is to get them to see they were perpetuating �Us and Them� by focusing on what I consider to be small differences and ignoring the larger commonalities.
In the end, let me make a suggestion: when you find yourself at odds with someone, take a moment and step back to look at the bigger picture. Focus on what you have in common with the other person instead of the differences.
The way LDS congregations (known as “wards�) are set up is by geography. This means that the ward you attend is based on where you live. It may seem strange to some people, but it works. The boundaries are selected based on the number of members in a given area ensuring that the wards don’t get too big or are too small to support the needs of the members.
It just so happened that the mobile home park my wife and I lived in was in a ward with a subdivision of nicer homes of people that were fairly well off. Overall, that didn’t cause many issues, but once in a while, it did.
Here’s an example: One Sunday, a church leader was talking about providing service to those in need. A good idea, right? What bothered me personally, and several others in the meeting, was when he said, “We need to reach out to those people over there in the mobile home park and make sure we are taking care of them.�
I’m certain he meant no harm in the statement, but by saying it that way, he basically created an �Us and Them� situation. And I say that’s not a good thing.
As I read the news, many of the world’s conflicts are caused by people focusing more on what makes them different than what they have in common. Labeling people based on any particular trait that makes them different can overshadow shared commonalities.
That’s not to say everyone has to be the same. Heck, I’ll go as far as to say that it’s a good thing for people to embrace things that make them different—as long as that doesn’t become such a powerful representation that it obliterates the things we all have in common.
What kind of differences am I talking about? It can be skin color. It can be religion. It can be economic situation. It can be marital status. It can be sexual orientation. It can be which sports team you cheer for. And the list goes on and on.
I’ll openly admit that in my life I’ve been one of those who have perpetuated the “Us and Them� situation from time to time, and I’ve learned it wasn’t a good thing.
My first job was at McDonald’s. I worked after school and on the weekends. When I was scheduled to “close,� I couldn’t go home until everything was done. Over time, it was clear to me that the morning crew and the evening crew didn’t like each other very much. The morning crew would often complain about how the evening crew left things a mess from the night before. The evening crew would counter by saying “The morning crew doesn’t have it as bad as we do. They can go home once their shift is over and they don’t have to clean up.�
Then I graduated from high school and had a chance to work in the mornings during the summer. What I found out shocked me. The people in the morning were actually pretty cool. They had to deal with stuff we didn’t at night, like switching over from breakfast to lunch. In the end, I came to realize the morning and evening crews had a lot more in common than not. I felt bad for being one of the outspoken evening crew.
Recently, I was once again confronted with an “Us and Them� situation. I won’t go into details because frankly I’m sure there are several people who are cheesed off at me and I’m hoping they will understand where I’m coming from. What I tried to do is to get them to see they were perpetuating �Us and Them� by focusing on what I consider to be small differences and ignoring the larger commonalities.
In the end, let me make a suggestion: when you find yourself at odds with someone, take a moment and step back to look at the bigger picture. Focus on what you have in common with the other person instead of the differences.
January 30, 2014
Snow Warnings vs. Crying Wolf
Everyone has different experiences with snow. Growing up in Utah, I became quite familiar with not only snow, but how it impacts day-to-day activities. It was rather simple: when it snowed, you stayed off the road as much as possible. If you did have to go out, you drove slowly and carefully.
I’ve lived in North Carolina for over six years now. Snow is rare. We may get a little about once a year. When we do, everything shuts down. If you’ve lived in a part of the world where snow is more common, this may seem strange—even to the point of over-reacting.
But consider the following: warmer areas, like North Carolina, simply don’t have the resources to handle the snow because it isn’t common. In addition, people who live where snow is rare aren’t experienced enough to know how to handle it. That’s not a criticism, that’s human nature.
I write this blog on the third day of school being closed. The forecast called for below freezing temperatures and up to four inches of snow to come in on Tuesday afternoon. Our local school district canceled school on Tuesday, even though the storm wasn’t supposed to come until the afternoon.
Some people (myself included) may scratch their heads and wonder why cancel so early for something that might happen later in the day. Here are two things I should have remembered from all my years of working in TV news:
First: weather is very unpredictable.
Second: weather can be dangerous.
Just a few years ago, a tornado touched down a few miles away from us. Here’s a picture of what it did to a sign in the area:
Now consider what happened in Atlanta during this recent storm. According to media reports, the National Weather Service issued a winter storm alert for Atlanta at 3:38 a.m. on Tuesday, 12 hours before the worst of the traffic set in.
It can be argued that officials didn’t take it as seriously as they could have. What happened? People were jammed on the roads for hours. School children were stuck in school buses, and some students even had to spend the night at schools. Photo courtesy of ABC NewsHere, in North Carolina, they took the warning more seriously and we avoided many of the same issues Atlanta faced.
But I say there is room for improvement. I was, and am, openly critical of Wake County Public Schools for waiting until after 9 pm on Tuesday to announce that schools were going to be closed on Wednesday.
Why? Well, when the National Weather Service “cried wolf,� meaning a storm may be coming, the school district acted cautiously—and I agree with what they did. People’s safety should come first.
However, once the storm hit, meaning the wolf was actually at the door, the school district waited until their scheduled meeting time of 9 pm to make the decision.
When school is canceled, it often requires parents to adjust their plans to make sure their kids are taken care of.
Here’s a not so humble suggestion: when the wolf is at your door, don’t wait for a pre-scheduled time in the future to decide what to do about it.
