The Blog

So, Cindy McCain, the secretive recluse wife of wood-be prez John McCain, has backed out of a deal to write her memoir (no doubt rivaling Miley Cyrus in depth of experience), probably out of concern that it would cause more damage than help. I knew a young woman whose name, swear to God, was Candy McCain. Waitress at the Bethel Road Cooker in Columbus (Ohio, which seems odd to think it necessary to include the state of a city with roughly a million people). As far as I know, no relation. To John McCain, that is. Or Cindy.

For the record, we have assigned John McCain’s book, Faith of My Fathers, as an official Exploration here at DelMio. I promise we’ll have it done before November, book fans and McCain fans. We outsmarted ourselves early in the race, thinking Rudy Giuliani would run away from the field. Jeez.

I liked McCain a lot more before he morphed into a Jerry-Fallwell’s-ring-kissing right-wing toadie after he got Bushwhacked in 2000 by dirtball politics. He once referred to Falwell, Pat Robertson and their ilk as “agents of division.” He was right then. But then he flip-flopped! He seems stunningly tone-deaf, veering off to the right just as Bush’s approval ratings swirl ever lower in the political crapper — although he did just come out vowing to fight global warming, which sent Rush Lintball into a tizzy today. I love it when he gets all apoplectic. Such great theater. Alas, so many dittoheads out there actually believe him and his half-baked half-truths, which are harder to detect than outright lies.

The conservatives don’t trust McCain because of his “maverick” reputation, and the libs can’t get past the war in Iraq. Or his health care “plan.” Or his stand on abortion. Or his justice-nomination votes. If it weren’t for Hillary and Barack still exchanging body blows in their Democratic Smackdown, I can’t imagine how McCain would be competitive with either Clinton or Obama. The press (even the left-wing drive-by MSM) loves it, because it breaks the monotony of a slow news day.

But enough of politics. Nice weather today, huh?

Dave Wilson is the Grand Pooh-Bah of Editorial Content at DelMio.com, a site developed by SunLit Communications LLC. He also is at times janitor, chauffeur, chief cook and bottle washer. Once upon a time he was a metro editor and copy editor at the Akron Beacon Journal. Send love letters and trash talk to dave.wilson@delmio.com. Or post a comment.

I actually drank a little of Our Daily Red yesterday. Figured it’d be a good luck charm or something. Whatever. Yesterday was Mother’s Day, for those not paying attention to the calendar. Made brunch and dinner. Baked bread. I never bake bread. Yesterday I made an exception. I just had a hankering for fresh, still-warm bread and the ensuing floury, gooey mess left in its wake. Bread (good), wine (also good) and a criminally overcooked London broil (bad). I was afraid my older one, the one with braces, was gonna spring a wire on that Worcestershire-flavored leather. Won’t be doing London broil again. For an extra buck a pound, get something edible.

Random thought

I just noticed a small leak in the adjoining office’s ceiling. There’s a dental office above us, and it sounds like a sink is the source of the leak, judging from the sound of running water overhead and the gentle tap - tap- tapping of the occasionally falling drops.

Random thought II

Just heard our office suite was burgled over the weekend. Apparently nothing was taken. They must’ve been looking for some drugs, came to the wrong floor. Memo to burglars: Go upstairs for the Novocaine. You might have gathered by now that we are not housed in the penthouse suite. True, but we can’t complain about the price.

It occurs to me that nothing in this post has anything remotely to do with books. Slow news day. OK, here’s a feeble attempt: In anticipation of the summer release of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian,” read “Inside Prince Caspian” for all the inside dope on the book, the movie, the wardrobe. Then, at the movie debut, you can annoy half the people in the theater by telling friends what happens next and why Lucy would do such a thing. I actually thought the first movie was pretty decent, especially for kiddie fare. If you had to sit through “Epic Movie,” you understand my baseline for ratings.

Dave Wilson is the Grand Poobah of Editorial Content at DelMio.com, a site developed by SunLit Communications LLC. He also is at times janitor, chauffeur, chief cook and bottle washer. Once upon a time he was a metro editor and copy editor at the Akron Beacon Journal.

This is not my first blogging effort. There are bits and pieces all over this site and at our old home, and few scattered postings on other, even more obscure blog hosts. But I think I’ll come back to here fairly often. In my quest for book news and between various and sundry editing duties, I find stuff that’s interesting but doesn’t quite fit any of the usual pegs, round or square. That’s stuff I’ll dump on you, the unsuspecting and unfortunate reader of this blog (Yes, all three of you). I think I’ll call it Our Daily Red. I know, the name’s been taken. It’s a decent red wine for everyday dinners. Probably a blog out there too. So sue me. Maybe I could call it Our Daily Sandwich. I dunno. Our Daily Ned?

Dave Wilson is the Grand Poobah of Editorial Content at DelMio.com, a site developed by SunLit Communications LLC. He also is at times janitor, chauffeur, chief cook and bottle washer. Once upon a time he was a metro editor and copy editor at the Akron Beacon Journal.

Describe your creative process for writing this book.

I become inspired when I am discussing my thoughts and ideas with others. And, I can discuss the topics that I have written about in my book very easily because I have been researching these topics and devoting my life to furthering the understanding of brainwaves and their correlation to positive states of consciousness such as peak performance, meditation, forgiveness, and joy ever since I was a student in college. So, to write this book in the midst of 18-20 hour days, I spent time with enthusiastic advocates and supporters of my work who interviewed me and recorded everything I said until I had enough material to organize into a book. I was lucky to have a supportive Graduate from my Biocybernaut Institute’s training program become interested and motivated to take the time to put all the interview material into writing. From there it was a matter of organization and of editing and expanding upon what I had said.

Written by Mayra Calvani

Read more here: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/03/10/211734.php

 The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence is the story of Hagar Shipley told in flashbacks.Hagar Shipley was a mean woman, but yet I felt sorry for her because she wasn’t a bad woman. The daughter of a successful businessman in a small Canadian prairie town, Hagar was raised with a certain class-concsiousness. So it is rather surprising when she falls in love with Bram, a good-looking, shiftless, hard-drinking farmer who definitely does not belong to her class. Perhaps because he has the allure of the bad boy, exuding danger and sex, she is determined to marry him even though it means being disowned by her family.Margaret Laurence tells a good story. Not once did she intrude or write a wrong word. Hagar is so truly written I am able to recognize in her bits of people I know and have known. This, to me, is a sign of a good writer; she has taken the heart of a stone angel and given it life.

Written by Stefanie H

Read more here: http://somanybooksblog.com/2008/02/29/the-stone-angel/

 Jennifer Gladen has written for most of her life. Her first children’s picture book, A Star in the Night, will be coming out this summer  by Guardian Angel Publishing. Jennifer is also working on another book which comes close to her heart, a story about a little girl waiting for a liver transplant.

What advice would you offer aspiring writers?

My advice to aspiring writers is to stick with it. Be persistent in your dream. Don’t give up in the face of rejections. Just pick up your manuscripts, dust it off, revise (yes – for the umpteenth time) and send it out elsewhere. This is your dream and your goal. The only one who can assure your success is you.

Written by Mayra Calvani

Read more here: http://blogcritics.org/archives/2008/02/28/132445.php