Jerry W Martin: Author and Musician
 
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Soaring High (a short story of nature)

11/20/2020

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Blog Update:   November 20, 2020, by Jerry W Martin
 
     While on one of our daily hikes, several red-tailed hawks flew over the treetops. This story came to me, which may turn into a children’s book. There will need to be a least three before I will spend time working out the artwork. For now, here is Soaring High.
 
     Trees were still budding as days were getting warmer. Hank, a red-tailed hawk, watched the ground below searching for food. Riding air currents off the lake he soared above the trees as he swung over the land. Maybe he would spot a mouse, a squirrel, or another snake would be nice.
     Two days ago, a snake was sunning on a rock in the early morning hours. Hank felt lucky to find sure a treat. What a nice break from the mice he dined on so often. Swoop, Hank's friend was off hunting another part of the woods that day, but Hank wanted to stay close to the nest. Rumors around the forest was an owl had been spotted. Owls liked to disrupt hawk’s nests to take it for themselves.
     Suzie, Hank’s mate, had just laid a second egg and Hank was feeling the pressure to bring home breakfast so she could eat. That’s when he spotted something that jumped from a tree to the ground heading across a grassy meadow. As Hank rode the breeze off the lake inland, he picked up speed while diving toward the ground.
     There it was. A plump squirrel the perfect size for Suzie and him. Swinging low over the grassy meadow to keep his shadow from alerting his prey, he extended his talons out embracing the squirrel as he turned toward the trees. In one swift motion, the squirrel was secure within his grasp as they reached skyward.
     When Suzie saw Hank coming, she perked up. Fatigue from laying eggs had caused her to stay in the nest. Now she could build her strength before going on a hunt herself. Worry over the news of an owl in the area concerned her as much as it did Hank.
     When Hank reached the nest, Suzie and Hank had just begun to eat when Swoop called out a warning, “Owl.” Immediately, Hank left the nest and joined Swoop.
     Mr. Owl had used the trees for cover looking for hawk nests. He planned was to disrupt a few hawk nests and take the best one for his very own. Hank and Swoop had other ideas and they chased Mr. Owl between the trees. It was a dangerous game swinging back and forth. Striking a tree limb with a wing would most likely result in a broken wing.
     Mr. Owl was swift and a great flier skillfully maneuvering between the trees and limbs always heading further away from the hawks nesting ground. The chase went on for a long time before Hank began to worry about Suzie. Was she okay? Was there any squirrel left for him? He hadn’t eaten in two days.
     “I’m turning back,” Hank called out the Swoop. “I think Mr. Owl knows not to come back.”
     “You’re right. He’s still running for it.” The two hawks headed back to their nesting ground.
     When Hank reached the nest, Suzie had finished eating leaving more than enough for Hank. Today, they had secured their nest and the two eggs Suzie had given them.
 
     I hope you enjoyed the short story of Hank, Suzie, and their friend Swoop. Hiking is a passion of mine. A trail by the lake is filled with wildlife. Red-tailed hawks are always riding air currents overhead swooping down sometimes within a few feet away from us. Nature is a wonder I hope to inspire you to take in. Take time to see what wonders God has placed in your area. For me, it can be breathtaking.
     Visit www.authorjwmartin.com for more blog posts, books, music, and more. Watch for my next blog.
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Round One, Done

11/13/2020

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Blog Update:   November 13, 2020, by Jerry W Martin

     Triangulum: Earth on Fire is now a complete first draft. Earth on Fire continues where Battle for Earth ends. Emma and Jerry face catastrophic events that affect them personally as old hatreds and the desire for global conquest spring up as World War III ignites. Earth on Fire is much more than a global war. Jerry’s brother gets into a legal issue that could send him to prison for the rest of his life. Politics in WSOC, the World Security Organization Commission, goes against Emma.
     Part of my process, when writing a book, is to make a couple of passes through after the story is written. As a first draft, the story is complete with several stories within the book to give the novel more depth. Overall, the storyline for Earth on Fire takes global tenses from around the world and expounds upon them.
     In the second draft, I make sure that all of the storylines have continuity. You may ask yourself what does that really mean? An example is to be sure a character’s name is spelled the same throughout the novel. A more difficult facet of continuity is the timeline. If events don’t flow in a consistent sequence along the timeline it becomes confusing for a reader. If Joe dies in chapter 5 but is seen again in chapter 8, the timeline is off. There are times a character will flashback in a dream or recall a memory of a person. That is much different than having scenes out of sequence.
     Imagery of the scene is important. Too much can bore the reader where too little isn’t enough for the reader to use their imagination. Conveying feelings characters experiences during a scene is just as important as the setting of the scene. Before my editor is engaged in the process, I try to alleviate as many issues as possible.
     When I worked as a journalist for a college newspaper, our managing editor told us almost weekly that writers write and editors edit. He followed that statement with, “So get your work in early.” He added several descriptive words that I don’t feel the need to share. His message sticks with me echoing through my head every time I rewrite a draft. If you are a writer or want to become one, his message may help you.
     Visit www.authorjwmartin.com for more blog posts, books, music and more. Watch for my next blog “Soaring High.”

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A look to the future

11/4/2020

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     Writing the Triangulum series allows me an opportunity to explore how current technologies might advance in our lifetime and beyond. Might is a principal word when looking toward the future. There are so many theories in various fields of science that could impact our lives. No one knows how technologies will develop as we move forward in time, but it is entertaining when you wrap guesses up in a story.
     Battle for Earth sets the stage for the five books series by introducing the conflict between Triangulum and Earth. By using conflicts around the world as a source of distraction, the characters in the first book are introduced. With a lot of embellishing, I create a scenario leading to World War III. That’s when the aliens attack. Wars throughout history have accelerated the development of technology. This is the foundation for the last three books of the series.
     Emma Henderson is at the forefront of technological advancements that are explored throughout the series when the RAI (robotic artificial intelligent) humanoids are developed. As a spoiler, I will tell you RAIs don’t save the day in Battle for Earth. Emma does have a significant role to play in developing new technologies as she finds and loses love.
     An example of how technology can progress over time is solar energy, a product in our lifetime that has reached the market. In 1839 Edmond Becquerel, a French physicist, at age 19 discovered the effect of photovoltaic. Click the link (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmond_Becquerel) to learn more. Becquerel probably never envisioned how solar power would develop into the products we see today. It wasn’t until 1954 that the first silicon solar cell was developed at Bell Labs, a gap of 115 years. In the 1980s, solar panels gained market share as the price of solar panels lowered and government incentives made them more affordable. What is amazing is that states don’t require solar panels to be part of every new home build.
     I hope you enjoyed my first ever, but brief blog. Look for my next post. Leave me a comment or ask a question.



Jerry W Martin
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    Jerry W Martin

    The future holds so much promise, automobiles powered by electricity, advancements in robotics, and advances in medicine. How can we not look forward to what the future has in store for us?

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