More Than Nothing

My new book, "More Than Nothing" is out. It is a story set in present day where one can be overwhelmed by the problems we face in our time. Luke dwells on the negative and loses sight of the bright side. He finds himself isolated from a support system and basically unhappy with the way things are going.


I settled on that title because it is a running theme of the book. Luke needed 'more than nothing' to look forward to in his life and Ella needed 'more than nothing' to want to remain with Luke. I think we all need 'more than nothing' to get by.


When I was writing the book, I tried my hand at painting. This was my first attempt at portrait painting. I wanted to portray the similarities between sunrise and sunset, their correlation to our own life and death, and how in comparison we are insignificant to the more permanent things like the sun and time.

I wrote a poem to accompany the painting. I will include it here for you. It is published in the book as well.

A Light to Rule the Day

Clouds illuminating, the heavenly bodies

Break the hope that doesn’t matter.

Who can say where they start,

In this tangled stretch of time.

The world ever turns.

Light fades and changes,

The wind, she blows,

And howls at the ages.

Passing with urgency, 

In the slow decay we march towards.

Yet, it exists

With a casual irrelevance.

As it rules over us.

 

 

This intense psychological thriller was challenging to write. I am by nature a very positive person. I always see the glass as full; half water, half air. I hope I will always push myself to write in a way that connects with you, and I hope you can appreciate my special brand of different.

 

I got a rough draft started on a new book, inspired in part by one song lyric and an ages old idea. It will be unique in it's own right as a romantic story. After all, I did tell you that my telling hands are unique... they should tell unique stories too.  

 

 

Jamie Godwin Brooks

 

Get the print version of "More Than Nothing" directly from my print service CreateSpace. https://www.createspace.com

Or download it to your Kindle reading app from Amazon http://www.amazon.com and start reading in a matter of minutes.


Copyright 2015 Jamie Godwin Brooks

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Rain And New Beginnings

I sit here surrounded by the quiet taps of the falling rain. This is the second night of my before-Spring break and it has rained both nights. We are camping at Buck's Pocket again to work on my near by gas-station. The gas station had been sitting unused for 7 or 8 years until I purchased it last year with some money I had tied up in investments and my recent book sales. I guess the store is an investment but of a different sort. I am investing in the future; not only my future, but the future of my small home town.

When the store opens this summer, it will be a whole new beginning. My Dad once told me that the best job he ever had was one he bought himself; meaning when he became his own boss. I think there must be some truth to that. Today I was more excited than one would normally be to see a new toilet installed. With every small step in finishing the store, my vision for it becomes more real.  

I also have a new book in its infancy. I have begun the work with a plot outline; helping me to develop the story.  It is an original take on a romance novel.  I am an admitted hopeless romantic and am looking forward to this new begininning as well. 

I imagine in a few months time, I will be sitting in my gas-station/bait shop, talking with folks and writing a romance novel. I will take the time to visit the lake and do plenty of fishing and swimming. I may even take up water-skiing again. Sounds like fun, doesn’t it? When I first had the idea, I said to myself that it was like I wanted to retire. When people retire, they usually find something to occupy their time with like running a bait shop or writing that book like they always wanted. I just said, “Why wait?” If I want to retire at 32, I think I should be able to. haha.

 

Jamie Godwin Brooks

 

New Book and Interview

Recently, I have ventured out further in the publication world and have both published another book and expanded my reach via Smashwords. Smashwords distributes books to multiple online ebook retailers, including Apple, Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo and others.

It is an amazing time that we live in. I can write a book, upload it to the internet and it can be in the hands of any reader around the world in just a few minutes.

It is also a treacherous time, and that is what inspired my newly released, "More Than Nothing." It is a look into some of the problems faced in our generation and how one might react to it. I set out to tell a story that pushed my writing skills further. I think this book did. It is darker and includes the poem I wrote to accompany my first painting that I shared with you months ago, as promised.

"More Than Nothing" is a fiction/psychological thriller filled with ironies and twists. It looks at society and individuals. It touches on our own mortality and the affects we all have on one another.

Writing this book kinda freaked me out. Who knew I had it in me? Funny though, as a Poe, Steven King, and Orwell fan, I guess it's only natural. I think if I don't try to write in different genres, I'll never know if I should stay in just one.

Also, I would like to share my interview on Smashwords. It answers many of the questions I have received from readers about writing. Please feel free to contact me any time at JamieGodwinBrooks@Gmail.com for other questions or thoughts.

https://www.smashwords.com/interview/Jgodwinbrooks

You can find both my books at that link as well. I am working on the paperback version and I'll let you know when they are ready. It takes more time to prepare and distribute than an ebook.

Prepare yourself for this one.

Thank you,
Jamie Godwin Brooks

Oh, The Irony

"When one looks for the irony in life, one notices it everywhere." I just said that.

I’ll start with the definition, not because I think you need it but because I like definitions.

“Irony is a figure of speech in which words are used in such a way that their intended meaning is different from the actual meaning of the words. It may also be a situation that may end up in quite a different way than what is generally anticipated.”

Wanting to inject a little irony into one of my stories, I looked around and stared out the window.  A writer is working when they stare off into space; thinking is a big part of the job. So, I was noticing all the so called little ironies in life and decided that that is all life is.

You know, it takes sadness to know happiness, the noise to appreciate the quiet, absence to value presence. You have to work to earn money; then you don’t have time to spend the money you earned at work.

I ran into my high school English teacher a couple weeks ago.  We laughed about how much she liked me, even though I didn’t pay very much attention in her class. I might have pulled my very first all-nighter because I procrastinated her assignment of listing all the adjectives and adverbs in “The Grapes of Wrath.” Yes, she gave me two weeks to complete it. No, I didn’t crack the book until the night before. If I had only known that I would go on to humbly try to write books, maybe I would have paid more attention.

This week, my ex Tru-Green man’s truck broke down just down the street. He remembered me and came to my door for help. Obviously, I was able to get the jumper-cables and go rescue him, feeling mighty proud of myself. Then yesterday, my service engine soon light came on and today my truck is in the shop till sometime next week.

I read an article today about how blogs are not very popular anymore, however in spite of that, they are on the web and will stay around forever.  Now I am sharing that with you on my blog.

Do you see the irony?

Alanis calls it “the free ride when you’ve already paid.”

If you’ve ever been too tired to sleep, you know the irony. It’s everywhere.

“Thank you, life for teaching me about irony,” I say ironically, of course. I can't stop seeing it.

 

Jamie Godwin Brooks

 

 

Memories are Priceless

I recently had one of my readers, Mr. R, offer to donate to a charity of my choosing out of his appreciation for my book, "Telling Hands."

While I was writing the book, my dearest grandmother, Darris, passed away after a several years-long downward spiral from the debilitating effects of Alzheimer's disease. As you may have noticed, my book "Telling Hands" is dedicated to Darris, and I bought all the rights to the images used in the book in her memory. She was an amazing woman; humble and hard-working.

 

So, it wasn't very hard figuring out what charity I wanted to have Mr. R donate to. After only a few minutes thought, and some research I chose Cure Alzheimer's Fund.
 

Mission

"Cure Alzheimer's Fund was established to fund targeted research with the highest probability of slowing, stopping or reversing Alzheimer's disease through venture based philanthropy. All organizational expenses are paid for by the Founders and Board, allowing all other contributions to be applied directly to Alzheimer's Disease research. Our foundational research is focused on identifying all the genes and gene mutations that are linked to Alzheimer's Disease. We can then use this genetic information to reliably predict, early in life, those at greatest risk for the disease (with legal safeguards and genetic and psychological counseling). Our foundational research projects include: Alzheimer's Genome Project, Alzheimer's Genome Map, Alzheimer's Brain-Genetic Study, Alzheimer's Clinical-Genetic Study, Alzheimer's Gene Database, MicroRNA's and APP, and Alzheimer's Gene Discovery Project."

 

Charity Navigator gives Cure Alzheimer's Fund an overall score of 99.07 out of 100 in their mission of targeting breakthrough research to prevent and find a cure for Alzheimer's Disease. http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12603#.VNE3gZXnb4g

Memories are truly priceless, let's help cure Alzheimer's.

Sincerely,

Jamie Godwin Brooks

 

My Telling Hands

I self-published my first book, "Telling Hands" last June. Since then I have been working on another book, actually I have switched back and forth between two manuscripts trying to decide which one I would publish and worked primarily on one for a while. Now, I am back on the other, and plan on finishing both.

I have a tentative publish date for one or both of the stories on March 1, 2015. So, we have that to look forward to.

Also, to let y'all know, you can still order my book, "Telling Hands" from Amazon, or if you know me personally, directly from me. Several of my audience has requested copies, but have fallen through on the payment and/or delivery arrangements. Please contact me to finalize that. If you have read my book, please consider leaving a review on Amazon. If you don't feel comfortable with that, let me know how you liked it. I'm always ready to listen to your opinions.

When I looked upon these hands, they told me a story. Then they worked to tell you the story, just to go on and tell more stories. :)


Jamie Godwin Brooks
http://www.amazon.com/TellingHands

 

 

 

 

 

Weirdos Like Me

There was a time a couple of years ago when I was first starting my book, "Telling Hands," that I happened upon a pretty in-depth personality test. Since I was the subject of the book, I thought it research to complete the test. The iPersonic Personality Test takes only a few minutes to take, and it will tell you which of the sixteen Myers Briggs Type Indicators you belong to. I held my usual skepticism while answering the questions, but the results were astonishingly accurate.

The results came back that I was an INFP. The test gives you suggestions on which career you should pursue based upon your personality. It said I should be either a teacher or a writer! I was already a teacher and was working on my first book, so I'd say it was pretty good. I wished then that I had taken the test ten years ago, it would have made the search for a suitable job easier.

Being that I am proficient at research -due to my love of learning- I looked up famous INFPs to get a feel of who would be some-what like me. As it turns out I had already developed a preference for many of the famous INFPs listed. Many of them were authors; George Orwell, J.R.R. Tolkien, C. S. Lewis, J.K. Rowling, Edgar Allen Poe, Shakespeare, and others. One of the artists listed was my favorite painter Vincent van Gogh. I used to have a copy of "Starry Night" hanging on my wall at the age of fourteen. After my wreck when I was sixteen, I threw away my notebooks of poetry and eventually got rid of the van Gogh print, because I didn't understand it. I couldn't remember the connection.

"Starry Night" Vincent van Gogh

After restoring myself to my former self, (confusing, right?) I also restored the connection to my inner world that, as an introvert, is actually my strength. Publishing a book about my life was possibly the hardest way to start a writing career, but it had to be done. I had to put it all together so I could move forward to write about other things.

I have since started painting. I love it. I have completed three, thus far, and like the writing, it feels right. I have so many ideas of what I want to write, and what I want to paint. INFPs make up only 4% of the population, and even though I don't have many INFP friends, I can read the writings of the great creative INFPs that came before me, and look at Van Gogh's paintings; enjoying the other worlds the weirdos like me have created. I know they aren't really weird, they are just different, and beautiful, but in their own way.


Sincerely,
Jamie Godwin Brooks
Telling Hands

Alabama Pines

I noticed yesterday that Alabama native, Jamey Johnson, released a new song and was giving away free downloads. I've been a fan of Jamey for several years. He has a good first name, he is from Alabama -just down the road from where I live now- and he has a realness about him that comes across in his songs.

The song is "Alabama Pines." You can download it here: http://biggassedrecords.com/collections/download

In a note posted on the site, Johnson writes that "Alabama Pines" is his "love letter to the time and place from whence I came."

I think I know how he feels. I wrote my first book "Telling Hands" thinking along those same lines. My love for my home is one of the themes in the book. I tell about my connection to the land, and her people.

In the book, I recall my grandfather, and how he used to sing us songs. Listed in the book "Telling Hands" are a few of the songs he would sing us, one of which was "In the Pines."

"In the Pines" is a is a traditional American folk song which dates back to at least the 1870s, and is believed to be Southern Appalachian in origin. The identity of the song's author is unknown, but it has been recorded by many artists in numerous genres. Traditionally, it is most often associated with the American blues musician Lead Belly, who recorded several versions in the 1940s, as well as the American bluegrass musician Bill Monroe, who helped popularize the song (in a different variant, featuring lyrics about a train) among bluegrass and country audiences with his versions recorded in the 1940s and 1950. -per Wikipedia

When I listened to Jamey Johnson's "Alabama Pines," I thought about my Paw Paw singing "In the Pines." Oh, how I would love to sit with him on the porch and hear him sing it once more.

Someone I know, who used to be a truck driver and make runs to California all the time, told me once that the best part of going out west was coming back home; that moment when you start seeing the pine trees again.

There's just something undeniably lovely about those pine trees, and the way they sway in the wind.

~ Jamie Godwin Brooks
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00KRVTJ9K

The Alabama state tree is the Southern Longleaf Pine.

A Great Gastby Year

The year of 2014 was all very exciting and turbulent. One of the many things I challenged myself to do was look long and hard at "The Great Gatsby." It began at the New Year with curiosity over the Gatsby parties.

Intrigued by, not only the then recent release of the movie, but also of the grandeur of the story. I read the book. I carefully followed the easy flow and roll of Fitzgerald's words as they sank, soaked into my heart.

Following along with the development of the book, over time, I watched the Robert Redford version of the movie. Then, I visited the F. Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald museum and fell farther for their story. I began to see both F. Scott and Zelda differently. I have noticed that great works of literature are oftentimes misrepresented, if not completely misunderstood. That is a terrible shame, writers write because they have something to say, they spend months or years examining their creation, sometimes to say the truest of words and express the biggest ideas of the world.

I have a true appreciation for the craft and hope I can produce a work as beautiful.
 
Bless Zelda, she was a true gem. I have the sincerest of intentions to read some of her writings in this 2015 year.

But, to get back to the story, I did also watch the 2013 film based on the book. It was amazing. I loved it, and hated it, and it made me believe in the ability to create a story so full of romanticism and truths, real enduring characters, and to have it be appreciated.

Fitzgerald's obituary described him as epitomizing the "sad young men" of that time and that, "The promise of his brilliant career was never fulfilled." http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/bday/0924.html

I have to disagree. "The Great Gatsby" did receive critical acclaim when it was published in 1925, but to create a work that is timeless, that can be enjoyed and loved dearly 90 years later is actually; the epitome of a writer's dream career.

This New Year's Eve, I did attend one of those Great Gatsby parties, with the understanding necessary to live in that world, with the ability to step into the book and dance as if I was alongside Gatsby in the less fashionable West Egg, thus concluding my year of Gatsby, 2014.

Sincerely,
Jamie Godwin Brooks



Here's a few pictures; they kind-of go along with the experience.

Reading "The Great Gatsby" poolside.

Exploring the Fitzgerald's home in Montgomery, AL.



The Great Gatsby New Year's Eve Ball