Payne Stewart: the Authorized Biography

Title: Payne Stewart: the Authorized Biography

Author: Tracey Stewart, Ken Abraham, Mike Hicks

About the Authors:  Recounted by Tracey Stewart, the wife of the world famous professional golfer, Payne Stewart, along with Mike Hicks, Stewart’s caddie, this biography was penned by Ken Abraham, an author known for his collaborative works with celebrity figures such as Paul Azinger and Lisa Beamer.

In 1999, PGA golfer Payne Stewart won the US Open Championship at Pinehurst, North Carolina. Months later he was dead in a plane crash that took his life and that of several companions—an event that struck the heart of the golfing community: professional golfers and fans alike.

Even if you do not follow golf, you may remember Stewart by his signature knickers and tam. A man known for his practical jokes, his occasional arrogance, a sporadic misspoken or misunderstood press interview, Stewart was also a man whose family and faith were the center of his life.

This well-written biography is a quick read. Those who are not golf aficionados may want to skip over the ample details of some of the tournaments, but throughout the narrative you will discover a character who loved life and lived it fully. Tracey, his wife, does not gloss over his short-comings and strengths which give a balanced picture of a whole human being and the struggles, the joys, the growth and successes he enjoyed.

I recommend this book to those who enjoy sports, in particular golf and to those who look for inspiration in a life that was short but well-lived.

Submitted by Victoria Ceretto-Slotto, http://liv2write2day.wordpress.com/

Hollywood Stories Book Tour – Giveaway and Excerpts

 

Just when you thought you've heard everything about Hollywood comes a totally original new book -- a special blend of biography, history and lore.

Hollywood Stories is packed with wild, wonderful short tales about famous stars, movies, directors and many others who have been a part of the world's most fascinating, unpredictable industry!

About Stephen Schochet 

A professional tour guide in Hollywood, Stephen Schochet has researched and told thousands of entertaining anecdotes for over twenty years. He is also the author and narrator of two audiobooks Tales of Hollywood and Fascinating Walt Disney. His latest book, Hollywood Stories: Short, Entertaining Anecdotes About the Stars and Legends of the Movies!  

Tim Sika, host of the radio show Celluloid Dreams on KSJS in San Jose has called Stephen," The best storyteller about Hollywood we have ever heard."  

For more information visit http://www.hollywoodstories.com

Hollywood Stories Book Excerpt

The Universal Maniac 

In 1999, an Australian gentleman told me about an interesting experience he and his family had at Universal Studios. They were on the backlot tour passing one of the theme park’s main attractions, the Bates Motel used in the 1960 horror classic Psycho, about a murderous young man named Norman Bates who loved his mother a little too much. As the guide gave out information about how director Alfred Hitchcock shot the picture, a tall man, dressed in drag and carrying a large knife, emerged from behind the old set and 

charged toward the tram. The narrator seemed to know nothing about the Norman Bates look-alike and clammed up completely. The make-believe killer wore such a convincing maniacal expression that some of the paying customers were frightened and screamed when he raised his weapon. Then the “fiend” pulled off his wig and he turned out to be comic Jim Carrey; the thirty-seven-year-old star was clowning around during a work break. After his laughing “victims” calmed down, Jim was happy to pose for pictures and sign autographs. 

Walt Disney’s Daughters 

Walt Disney’s two daughters, Sharon and Diane, grew up sheltered from the limelight. The children had no images of Mickey Mouse around their home. Their father didn’t go to many parties, preferring to stay in after a long day of work. Sometimes he would playfully chase the youngsters upstairs, cackling like the evil peddler woman in Snow White. When they behaved badly, Walt would admonish them with a raised eyebrow; his stern demeanor inspired the character of the wise old owl, in the 1942 animated feature Bambi. As toddlers, the brainy Diane and beautiful Sharon stayed blissfully unaware that their parents worried about them being kidnapped and allowed no pictures of the sisters to be publicly circulated. Once in 1939, a curious classmate questioned six-year-old Diane about her family. She went home and said, “Daddy, you never told me you were that Walt Disney,” and asked him for an autograph. 

The Lazy Super Dad

     Marlon Brando wanted to work as little as possible when he played Jor-El, the Kryptonian father, in the 1978 movie Superman. The fifty-three-year-old actor told the film’s producers that he only needed to do a voiceover and some object could stand in his place. After all, he would be part of an alien race; nobody knew what they looked like. Perhaps the extraterrestrial could appear as a green bagel. His bosses were both bemused and alarmed. They pointed out that Marlon’s son would look human and be played by an earthling. A grinning Brando agreed to show up on the set. For his ten minutes of screen time, the star made an estimated nineteen million dollars while not bothering to learn his lines. In his most dramatic scene, Marlon held his baby above his head, speculated on the child’s future, and then placed him on the space ship to escape the doomed planet. Brando hadn’t bothered to learn his lines; his dialogue was penned on the bottom of the super infant’s diaper.

Extra: The first Superman movies were low-budget serials made in 1948 starring Kirk Alyn (1910-1999) in the title role. The cheaply made Saturday Matinee cliffhangers got surprisingly good reviews. Alyn was only given credit for playing Clark Kent; the studio claimed that no actor was qualified to play the Last Son of Krypton so he’d appear as himself. One scene required the Man of Steel to rescue two would-be victims from a burning building. After the first take the director said, “That was great, Kirk. But could we do it again without you straining so much? I mean, you’re super strong, lifting a couple of humans should be easy.” Alyn, a body builder in real life, was indignant. “What do you expect? These

people are heavy!”

     “People? Oh my goodness, baby, I’m sorry, we forgot to get you the

dummies!”

Extra: In 1973, Marlon Brando (1924-2004) starred in the controversial and sex-charged drama Last Tango in Paris. This time around, the actor wrote some of his not memorized lines on the bottom of his shoe, and in a few scenes hopped around awkwardly on one foot in order to read them.

Extra: Thirty-nine-year-old Jack Nicholson looked forward to working with the great Brando when they co-starred in the 1976 western, The Missouri Breaks. But Marlon, who eventually became Jack’s next-door neighbor in the Hollywood Hills, disappointed Nicholson by reading cue cards, thus not making eye contact in their shared scenes. Later Brando hired an assistant to read the dialogue out loud into a radio transmitter from Marlon’s trailer, which the actor could then hear through an earpiece. Once, Brando was about to speak his lines when the device inadvertently picked up a police broadcast. The confused performer came out of character. “Oh my God! There’s been a robbery at Woolworths.”

Join in the giveaway here 

Book Spotlight on Donations to Clarity by Noah Baird

About Donations to Clarity

The plan was simple: hoax bigfoot, then sell tours to bigfoot enthusiasts. The plan wasn’t brilliant, and neither were Harry, Earl, and Patch. The three chemical-abusing friends only wanted to avoid the 9 to 5 rat race, but their antics attract the attention of a real bigfoot. When the misogynistic Earl is mistaken for a female bigfoot by the nearsighted creature and captured; it is just the beginning of their problems.

The U.S. Government has a plan to naturalize the mythical creatures living within the U.S. borders.  The problem is the plan needs to be carried out carefully.  You can’t just drop little green men and Sasquatch in the middle of Walmart without warning Ma and Pa Taxpayer. The naturalization program is not ready to be set into motion, and the rogue bigfoot is bringing too much attention to itself, including a feisty investigative reporter who uncovers the truth of the government conspiracy and two bigfoot researchers. No longer able to contain the situation, government agents are tasked with eliminating the bigfoot and all witnesses.

Between bong hits and water balloon fights, Harry and Patch come up with a plan to save Earl and the love struck bigfoot. Where do you hide a giant, mythical creature? In an insane asylum, because who is going to listen to them?

Along the way, the three friends learn Star Wars was a government training film for children, the truth behind Elvis meeting President Nixon, and the significance of the weight of the human turd.

About Noah Baird

Noah Baird wanted to attend the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Clown College, but his grades weren’t good enough (who knew?).  However, his grades were good enough to fly for the U.S. Navy (again, who knew?), where he spent 14 years until the government figured out surfers don’t make the best military aviators. He has also tried to be a stand-up comedian in Hawaii for Japanese tourists where the language barrier really screwed up some great jokes. On the bright side, a sailboat was named after the punchline of one of his jokes.

He has several political satire pieces published on The Spoof under the pen name orioncrew.  Noah received his bachelors in Historical and Political Sciences from Chaminade University, where he graduated magna cum laude. He knows nothing about hoaxing Bigfoot. Donations to Clarity is his first novel.

You can visit his website at www.noahbaird.com or his blog at www.noahbaird.wordpress.com.

Connect with him at Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Noah-Baird-Writer/100193913390453.

Meet Our Writers Week 19 on Thingy

Tell us about yourself

I live in the Midwest. I like cows and hug trees. I'm passionate (some would say, emotional) I yell at vacuums and talk to plants

What's the theme(s) of your blog(s)? What do you write most? Poetry, fiction or novel, or short stories?

I have three blogs, but my main blog is Pondering Life. There is no theme, really. I just wonder about stuff.

Does music impact your writing?

As much as I love music (who doesn't?) it's not a main topic in my blog. 

You are involved with Bluebell Books Short Story Slam writing challenge? How do you feel about it so far? What's the benefits of it?

BBB, short story slam, is challenging. I think the prompts are unusual, actually.  I enjoy seeing what other bloggers come up with when we all have the same prompt before us.

Do you have a favorite book or author?

No, no favorite author or book. Too many to list. 

Do you have a favorite quote?

"The cure for boredom is curiosity. There is no cure for curiosity." -Dorothy Parker

Any tips for those who started blogging and wish to become successful in it.

I'm not one to ask about tips on blogging, but, there must be a reason why someone chooses to blog, so, do it with passion, be kind to your blogger neighbors and try to see the world in someone else's shoes.

What's your writing plans in the near future?

I take this blogging day by day. Who knows, I may chuck it all, one day. She came, she blogged, she boogied into that great night.

Thanks for asking. : )

Meet Our Writers Week 18: Ginny Brannan

Tell us about yourself

I am a New Englander, born and bred!!  I am an only child with ‘four sisters and a brother,’ my family since I was 16. I am a wife, the mother of a 25 year old who keeps me young, and am “owned” by two cats: a Siamese, and a stray that has recently “adopted” me!

Tell me about your blog(s), name(s), what does it mean to you? 

My blog can be found at: http://insideoutpoetry.blogspot.com/

I chose the name ‘Inside Out Poetry,’ because my writing comes from  “inside” my mind, my heart, and “out” to expressed. I wrote the following Haiku to illustrate:

From the inside-out,

the inner poet escapes,

needing to express....

When have you started blogging?

I started blogging in April of 2011. I had a number of completed poems, and my ‘brother’ had broken the ice with his poetry blog, which helped inspire me to do the same.

What's the theme(s) of your blog(s)? What do you write most? Poetry, fiction or novel, or short stories?

I mostly write structured poetry, which is poetry that has a specifically established format-- such as Haiku, Rondel, Quatrain, and Triolet, to name a few. The structure challenges me to keep within limits of syllable and meter--it basically keeps me from “rambling” and limits excessive wording, which I so easily tend to do! Occasionally I will throw a Free Verse into this mix.

What are the inspirations of your writing?

My inspiration comes mainly from the all of the people, places and things that I’ve experienced or that touch my life, though many are not be personally about me. For example, I do not suffer from depression, but have experienced some sad and dark moments in my life. I have drawn and expounded on this in some of my poems. And all marriages have highs and lows. From my experience, I can certainly pull from both to express in my poetry. Sometimes a current event will inspire me, or a past event remembered. And some inspiration comes simply from photo prompts or images. Writing is great ‘therapy’ too. It saw me through losing my job of 18 years, and 2-1/2 years of job searching by helping me to release my pain, anger and frustration.  

Does music impact your writing?

Not directly, however I do have a great appreciation for the poet/lyricists of my lifetime such as Bob Dylan, Simon and Garfunkel, James Taylor, John Denver and many more.

You are involved with Bluebell Books Short Story Slam writing challenge? How do you feel about it so far? What's the benefits of it?

Bluebell Books Short Story Slam has been a wonderful source of inspiration! It challenges me to exercise my skills and creativity with each new picture prompt that’s shared.  And it gives me the chance to read and be inspired by the talent of other writers and poets who share their posts.

Do you have a favorite blogging friend to share? Tell us about his/her blog link and the writing in it!

I know many so amazing poets and writers, but choosing just one, I would like to share my ‘brother’ and dear friend Charlie Parant’s blog site: Appetite For Words at:

http://appetiteforwords.blogspot.com/

Charlie is an amazing writer who takes his inspiration from people, emotions, nature, and current events--so many different topics. His poetry is unique, witty, sometimes acerbic, and always interesting. You will not find pretty pictures on his site; he is all about the written word. His writing has been a source of great inspiration to me; I have him to thank for encouraging me in my writing and the sharing of my work.

Do you have a favorite book or author?

My favorite author is J.R.R. Tolkien. I read The Hobbit and Lord of the Rings Trilogy many years ago just out of High School, and have re-read it several times since. Tolkien’s writing is extremely detailed and intricate, each and every character is unique and interesting. He not only encompasses the classic “good against evil” tale, but he created and incorporated new languages, songs, poetry, written languages--the body of his work as a whole is incredible when you think about it.

                                                

Do you have a favorite quote?

My favorite quote is by a poet and writer that lived just a few miles from where I currently live, Theodor Geisel, better known as “Dr. Seuss”:

"Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don't matter, and those who matter don't mind"

For me, these are words to live by. So often we worry so much about what others think of us, that we fail to express ourselves or become who we are meant to be.

 

Any tips for those who started blogging and wish to become successful in it.

I have three tips to offer:

1) Write from your heart, but remember once your words are posted to the Internet, they are there for the world to see. Be aware of what you share.

2) Be willing to accept both praise AND criticism, especially constructive criticism, as it will only help to hone your skills and get better at what you do. From experience, this is tough to do, because our egos crave the praise, and criticism always feels so darn personal!

3) Enjoy and have fun sharing your work on your blog. It’s not just about perfect form or content, but also about being able to express yourself and share that expression with others. Invite others to follow your site if they like what they read!

What's your writing plans in the near future?

I am still just a fledgling writer stretching my wings! There are so many wonderful poets and writers who inspire me, and who’s work I aspire to. I plan to continue writing, learning, honing my skills, and hope that perhaps some of my words and poetry might inspire others as I have been inspired.

Sunday Interview Week 21 : The Julie Book

What kind of book you have there?

My most recent book is really a trio of pieces in a collection released by ArtPlatform.org (http://www.artplatform.org/home.aspx) through Winter Goose Publishing (http://wintergoosepublishing.com/books/art-poetry/).
The Inspiration Speaks (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0983676410) project, which benefits ColaLife (http://www.colalife.org/), features a cast of talented poets and artists whom I admire and look up to, so I was honored to be included among them.

My chapbook Tracks (http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/published/) is a collection of personal pieces from a transition period of my life—emotionally and geographically. The pieces were written in California, the United Kingdom, and the Mediterranean, and the book reflects the quick, dramatic changes experienced as we set off on our own into the world and find love, loss, adventure, and finally ourselves.

Why do you decide to get published?

I self-published my first book, Tracks (http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/published/), because I wanted to put out a poetry collection while my grandmother was still alive. She always supported my artistic endeavors, from music to dance to poetry, and I wanted to give her something she could hold in her softly wrinkled hands. If I had known she would live to be 103 years old, I might have waited and tried to find an outside publisher for the book.

I decided to submit to Inspiration Speaks (http://www.amazon.com/dp/0983676410) because of the challenge: write a poem based on a piece of art in the ArtPlatform.org (http://www.artplatform.org/home.aspx) collection. I often struggle to write poems from a prompt like this. I still struggled a bit—my accepted poem ended up being based on two pieces by artist Eric Olson (http://www.artplatform.org/artist-eric-olson.aspx).

How long have you been writing?

When I was young, I tried and failed to keep a journal or diary; I’d write for a few weeks and then set it aside. But the words of other authors jumped off their pages, and I wanted to remember them. So I started to keep notebooks of quotes, doodles, and eventually, my own poems. They aren’t diaries, because I let anyone pick them up, peruse them, and even contribute. A friend dubbed them Juliebooks when we were in high school, and the name stuck. I’ve been keeping some version of them ever since.

Do you have previous publishing experiences?

Several of my poems have been accepted to literary journals over the years, but my main published work has been journalistic: I spent several years writing community news, features, and music criticism for The Orange County Register in Southern California, among other newspapers and magazines. I have also edited and designed literary journals, nonfiction journals, and newsletters. I now earn my living as a freelance editor focusing on nonfiction books and articles.

What is the reason you choose the host of your publishing?

I enjoy performing poetry as much as writing it. Sharing a piece aloud helps me find flaws and strengths in its flow, and the audience’s reaction tells me when it sings to others. But I don’t want to create on-the-spot art; I want to fine-tune my pieces and make every word count so that the poem can be read as well as heard.

My blog (http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/) lets me share both forms of a poem, and I regularly post clips from readings of the poems that are on the site. I chose WordPress to host my blog because it allows me to create a free, clean, attractive site for my work.

Which part of the book do you you believe most charming to readers? please include 2 or 3 poems in your book.... for fiction, please pick out a paragraph to share.






When I read at a venue for the first time, I usually start with “next” (http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/2010/07/05/a-blank-page/)

because I’ve read it so often it helps me get out the jitters of stepping up to the mic. It’s also a longer piece, so I know the audience members are with me if they stay captivated through it. “free bird” (http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/2010/07/24/finding-beauty-poem-free-bird/;

Free Bird

Sometimes I feel I’ve failed

Lost my title of artist

of objective

Lost my ability to see

what sits under a mask

I feel I’ve failed

when I can’t see the beauty of

a few pieces of metal and rubber

stuck at a standstill

peeling in the sunlight

I don’t understand what is attractive

about seeing the pavement

through floorboards

I feel no need

 to pull greasy parts from under the hood

or scuffle on my back behind a tire

I just want to move

smoothly and swiftly

curling up between your shoulder and the gear shift

cozy and close and free

—Julie Laing

Tracks

© 1999

video clip here: http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/2011/01/18/reading/) is a favorite among local listeners and readers because it has many elements people in Montana can relate to: old pickup trucks and traveling empty backroads with someone you care for. And when I first released Tracks (http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/published/),

Blond Boys

Little one

Disturbs my sleep

With screams in the night

From monsters running

Inside his head

Trying to capture

His body

His heart

His mind

Until he can’t breathe

His blond hair

Lies damp and tangled

Over his forehead

And he imagines he’s drowning

Until he weighs down the nightmares

With his own voice

That carries from below

Into my ears

Until I open my eyes

Big one

Disturbs my sleep

With dreams in the night

And questions running

Inside my head

Still long after torment

My body

My heart

My mind

Until I only see

His blond hair

Cut close and smoothly

Next to his skin

And I imagine I’m drowning

Until I’m weighed down so I can’t

Hear my own voice

And only his speaks

Into my ears

Until I open my eyes

—Julie Laing

Tracks

© 1999

                    
my little cousin and his parents were excited that he had a place in the collection as the younger of the “blond boys” (video clip here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i09K5uioTSk&p=AA3C8EB4CC1A6804) with nightmares about monsters.

Next

Sometimes I think I (still) love you

Some days I think I never did

But mostly I think I loved you once

And that time has slipped away with the miles

Only recorded as the soundtrack in my head

On cassette, not CD

So I can never skip past a song.

As I punch at buttons with one hand

Hold the wheel with the other

It makes me think of the way you held me

Pushing my buttons with your free

Hand feeding me with words.

Now they only seem like empty calories

But the lines were filling at the time

Until I was so bloated by the words

I couldn't see my own feet of clay

Any more than I could see what you meant.

But I walked that time away with the miles

Shedding the empty weight with every step

Until I could see my own feet carry me

Until I could see you had gone.

Sometimes I think I let you (go)

Some days I think you let me

But mostly I think I loved you once

And I don't know why I feel nothing now

Not even the horrid, color-draining numbness

That froze me, and chilled me

When I found myself alone before

Because now I see how the first time

It was I who lost the boy.

And so now I know that the second time

It was the boy who lost me

Who has felt me wandering the streets

Listening to the songs that fill my head

Listening to many empty words

Wondering which ones I'm supposed to feel.

Sometimes I think the happy (lines)

Some days I think the bitter cries

But mostly I think—well, I don't care

'Cause after so many miles

After so many days and nights

I have come back into this room

Where I can see traces of you

Where your photos make me laugh

Your letters make me scream

I don't even need to

Change the shape of my mouth

As I look from your face to

Your empty promises

Weighing me down with

"I will support you"

"I'll be there for you"

"We'll have plenty of time."

Sometimes I think you meant them (words)

Some days I think you never did

But mostly I don't want to think at all.

And instead I scream because the first time

It was I who lost the boy.

And now I laugh because the second time

It was the boy who lost me

And I wonder what charm I need

To survive a third round

What charm I need for wings

To make these clay feet fly.

—Julie Laing

Tracks

© 1999

Do you have any hints on how to get published?

Try—and keep trying. Know that just because you aren’t accepted to a journal doesn’t mean your piece or collection is bad, and submit it again to another publication or publisher. But before you do, look critically at your work and get as much detailed feedback as you can from other writers and readers. Poems pack so much detail into so few words that even a slight change can affect how a piece is received.

Do you have a favorite author?

I'm passionate about music, so some of my favorite poets are also songwriters, including Patti Smith, Ani DiFranco, and particularly Leonard Cohen. And although many songwriters do not publish poems, I find a lot of poetry in their lyrics if I listen closely.

What are your major inspirations?

Much of my poetry is personal, so I find inspiration in my own experiences and those of others. If I can tell one of my stories in a poem and someone else finds his or her own story in it, then I’ve just received the greatest reward I can imagine for my work.

What’s your writing plan for the future?

I recently went through another emotional period in my life: divorce. I am putting together a new poetry collection focused on the transition from the darkness of a crumbling relationship, through the grays of self-doubt and questioning self-worth, and into the light of self-sufficiency that leads to new love. I have several pieces ready for the collection and am fine-tuning and writing others to round out the project.

Julie Laing

 http://thejuliebook.wordpress.com/