Novel Blog - Writing The Great American Novel

My parents, grandparents, and all who came before them were farmers. They grew gardens to put food on the table and raised cows, pigs, acres of corn, soybeans, milo, and wheat to put money in their pockets.

At five years old, my dad moved our family into a mobile home situated in the middle of a cow pasture. There were livestock, dogs, cats, trucks, trailers, and tractors. And to accompany it all…a lot of hard work, blood, sweat, and tears.

Like a lot of people, I earned good grades in high school. I received a scholarship and earned a college degree.

I attended the U.S. Army paratrooper training school in Fort Benning, GA. I watched two people fall from the sky and “bounce” when their parachutes failed to deploy. I spent 8 years in the U.S. Army Reserves as a Second and First Lieutenant. I attended the Officer Basic and the Officer Advanced courses at the U.S. Military Police School in Anniston, AL.

I was hired for my first corporate job. It was my dream job with a large stock brokerage firm. Things didn’t go as planned and I was delivering pizza and washing windows within a couple of years.

I’ve had grunt jobs, sales jobs, and management responsibilities. I’ve worked as a newspaper reporter, short-order cook, house cleaner, and janitor. I spent some time in inside and outside sales positions with varying levels of success. I was a life insurance agent, multi-level marketer, and a semi-successful car salesman.

For the past 12 years, I’ve worked for a large Fortune 500 corporation. I’ve got health, life, and long-term care insurance benefits. I’ve got a 401K and pension fund benefits (as long as they last).

I’ve put my heart and soul into my career and relocated to five different cities for various assignments. I lived in Nashville, Baltimore, Orlando, Detroit, and Tampa. I’ve worked my way into a mid-level position and I earn a mid-level salary. I’ve been promised promotional opportunities that have not materialized and I’m constantly worried about the possibility of downsizing, layoffs, and cutbacks in benefits. At this point, I have very little control over my time, my salary, or my career in general.

I’m constantly on the look-out for new opportunities. I’ve started several part-time businesses, but none have earned significant revenues. I feel there is a perfect business for me out there somewhere, but at this point I haven’t found it.

I’m a self taught photographer, website developer, wannabe bonsai artist, and a possible future restaurant owner.

A few years ago I started a website about southern-style barbecue that features a how-to section, recipes, and products for sale. I started selling my own barbecue rubs online and cooked in professional barbecue contests.

I’m a homeowner, husband, and owner of a green cheek conure. I’m a son, son-in-law, nephew, and uncle to seven.

I watch football and NASCAR. I enjoy reading mysteries and biographies of famous Americans. I watch 60 Minutes and I like to research things.