I never posted photos from the2022 Lowertown Arts & Music Festival in Paducah, Ky. It was fantastic. I was so happy I was picked to be an attendee of such a wonderful gathering of artist and musicians from all over. The event far exceeded my expectations and the reception for my books left me speechless. I sold out. I met so many people who loved asking me about my writing and their love for books of which I share. I am so looking forward to attending again in 2023, and maybe a few other festivals I will apply for. Getting to meet people face-to-face is truly the best experience for all parties. It is rewarding and one I hope to repeat as often as I can. Thanks to all who supported my effort to spread the word on a wonderful adventure.
 2023…I Still Haven’t Found…
I am sure you can finish the line, the thought, and seemingly, the title track to my life. To be sure, I am not alone in this sentiment, but it got me thinking. As I listen to the song, which is a favorite, from a favorite band, on the surface it seems such a depressing song. But underneath there are the elements of several things I love: passion, longing, and a hope that one day, even if it is the last, a dream may be realized. This is my mantra for 2023 as I strive to do something, even if it is a small something that will make a difference to me in all the ways that matter. As time passes me faster like a river after a storm, I worry I will not complete the projects and goals that I have assumed I would have time for. The crush of pressure I try to avoid so as to enjoy the life we are given, for the short time we are given to experience it, is also an almost necessary ingredient to fulfill the very events I wish to enjoy. I am a natural worrier, a by-product of several ingredients I will not discuss here, but I feel I may need to sprinkle in a little more of that pressure as to spur me into the action needed. My vagueness is frustrating even as I write this and I hope it is not too much for you my dear reader. Just remember, I’m a writer who hates to give away too much. Hopefully that is why you enjoy my work. And it is the work I keep looking for. Work I had taken a break from, a respite to recharge the banks of my imagination and the will to endure the process, the pressure, the madness that comes with only wanting the perfect story to be delivered in the perfect way. You see, these things I do are the sum of me and will be the only semblance of something I bequeath unto the fold of time. I guess that is why they matter so much to me. My books, my stories are the bits and pieces of me and all that I hold dear, want to be, the hope for something more, and sometimes, the darkness we all keep at bay. I have too many stories pent up inside and I know not enough time to get them all out, but…I am looking for the one that most needs to be told. That is a struggle and one I am currently cherishing. I have not written one of these in a while. I believe I have been wandering in the woods, searching for some better idea to follow. The mistake is typical, I have the ideas and the right one is the one I decide to run with. Perfection is an illusion, unless you realize that what moves you in the moment is perfect. Run with abandon if running is necessary. Contemplate deeply if you need to see the depths of something more than what is just before your eyes. Do all of these things if they are the secret to gleaning one moment of understanding. My focus is narrowing and I am excited like I have not been in a while. I hope to deliver something different, and something that satisfies the soul in unexpected ways for myself, and maybe for anyone else hopefully who makes that journey. Give me some time, but not too much and maybe, just maybe we will all find…what I’m looking for. Michael W. Glover All Glorious Credit to U2  Do you know the saying? “You don’t know what you got till it’s gone.” It’s one of those old sayings that I love, they have so much truth to them that we often overlook. Recently I have thought of that old saying pretty often. I am not sure if that happens more once you reach a certain age or not but none-the-less, it has preoccupied some of my thoughts lately. Change will often do that to you. I’m not saying it’s always a bad thing, just something that requires getting used to.
 What is the saying, “When life gives you lemons…?” That is how I’m feeling right about now. It’s been about twenty-four hours since the bad news came crashing down. Since then I comforted myself with a good meal with a couple glasses of wine, not much sleep, and a drive with the windows down. In the interim I have read countless post in my private Facebook pages with many of my author friends. Life has once again reared its ugly head and thrown my existence into chaos. I found out yesterday that my publisher is closing their doors and all of the wonderful books written by some amazing authors will be pulled out of publication as of May 31. Needless to say I am crushed at the moment, since it has only been a short couple of months since my debut release of my little love, my book saint Sebastian: The Rose, Book One The Lonely Tower Series.
I’m conflicted to be sure, I am forever grateful that my book, that I have toiled over for some time was given the chance to see the light of day by my publisher and I believe it deserved it completely. But now I feel like the rug has been pulled out from under me. Going into any business is a risk, many publishers don’t make it, and timing is just really bad right now. So on that note let me say to my team who helped me along the way, thank you so much again for helping me achieve a life goal that I almost never dreamed would come true. I know we will keep in touch and we will work together again, if I have anything to do about it. The opportunity is special, I feel more whole than I have in a very long time. I will never forget you and maybe just maybe, we will reach new heights very soon. So here is the lemonade part, I have been knocked down, kicked in the teeth, and left for dead…pardon the drama but I am a writer, I have some license to go there…but this is not the end by a long stretch. I have overcome many hurdles to get to this point and this is one more bump in the road on a very bumpy road. The publishing industry is tough, especially tough on its writers, which is ironic and disconcerting. I have a lot of work to do to get my book back in the real world but please be patient with me…this will not deter me. I will be working as hard as I can to get it back and have the next installment ready to go. Can you say determined? That is me right now, frustrated but determined. I shall not be daunted, I think Robin Williams from The Dead Poet Society would say I look daunted; he still inspires me to be undaunted and undaunted I will be. The other good news for my fans, I have a few thankfully, is that for all of those who purchased a print copy of saint Sebastian, thank you very much by the way, you will have a very limited first edition; you heard it right. That puppy is special, more special to me than most know; maybe one day it will be worth some money to go along with the enormous sentimental value it has for me. In the short time it has breathed life it has done better than I expected but it still has a long way to go. I still have books from the first edition and it can still be ordered until May 31; truly I am not hawking my book today, this is just me venting, announcing, and trying to come to terms with a new reality. I read a little today and how extra special it seems, the first edition, an expression I never thought I’d say, something that will never happen again for my baby. The expression, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade,” is interesting to me, it assumes lemons are bad and I actually like them, many of us do; maybe they aren’t a first choice of food but through lemons we get some amazing things, lemonade being the most obvious. This makes me think about my book and the words of wisdom it actually contains, for those who have read it, they will hopefully understand; my main character speaks to life and how the struggle is real and the precious few moments that are awesome come and go, while we spend most of our time trying to find them. I take comfort in my own characters thoughts, they are mine but they are the characters as well; I would have never been able to express everything I have without them. That may seem strange to some but it is absolutely true, ask any writer. I am rambling for sure but my brain is in panic mode and problem solving mode. If you follow me I ask that you keep me inspired, keep me on track, and keep me grounded. Today I’m drinking lemonade from the proverbial lemons I have been handed but I’m ready to take on the world and reclaim what is mine. For those who think you only win if you finish first, do not know what the hell they are talking about. Life is about putting it out there and doing what is important to you and forgetting what others say or think, that’s a hard lesson I learned a long time ago. It’s not that you won the race; it’s that you were in the race to begin with. Okay, that’s it. In the mean time I will be working diligently to find the mountain top again. Wish me luck. Thanks to all.  After watching a night at The Oscars, I am like so many who love movies, I love seeing my favorites and I get excited about new movies coming out every year, especially in the spring. Good stories are a magical thing and when I see something on the big screen I fall in love with, it is truly a special time for me. I get inspired by the ideas and creativity produced from a lot of hard work. I am biased with the types of stories, movies, and directors that I think of as great; just ask me and I will tell you which ones are the best.
Hollywood counts on us loving movies and it would be a sad day for me not to love at least one new movie, but the thing is they aren’t all new. The remake has pervaded Hollywood for so many years now it seems normal and that is a shame. Don’t get me wrong, some of the remakes are good and I’m happy to see them if the remake made sense and was done well, but some are remade and remade to the point of absurdity. I can’t say this loud enough, some movies should never be remade, period; I believe there are certain ones that are so iconic it’s a crime to attempt it. If you don’t understand which movies I’m talking about, then you don’t know some of the great movies. We all know the reason they do remakes, the story is tried and true, it has a following, the platform is already there for some level of success, they don’t have to spend more for an original story. At least that is why I think they do remakes so often and I don’t believe I’m far off. This is the part where I make a pitch just so I’m clear. I am a writer, a hack, a beginner, a dreamer, but someone who desperately loves telling a story. I have more ideas in my head than I have time to write down on paper, that is a shame but I’m trying. There are so many like myself who have some amazing stories, some finished, some in progress, and like I said, some we desperately want to tell. So Hollywood, take a look at these wonderful stories however small or weird or far-fetched, maybe a gem will be found and you will grow your audience. Like I said, I love movies and for the most part I love Hollywood, after all they’re responsible, if you include the writers. Yes, you need the big wigs with the backing, money, and any innumerable things to make the magic happen but you must have writers, you must have stories that attract the attention of the audience. How awesome would it be to have such a wide variety of movies out instead of the formulaic system of expectation we have now. I know we need the blockbuster action movie, we need the horror films around Halloween, we need the romantic comedy etc…but for me I would prefer to have something at the theater every season that is completely different than anything we are familiar with already. Is that asking too much? Is that a herculean task? Maybe but with the dearth of material out there is it possible? The answer is yes, absolutely. I can think of just a few books in my meager collection that would qualify. Oh Hollywood, we love you, I love you, don’t stop making great films just be sure to shine that spotlight on the untold stories. My soul hurts every time I see a movie that is completely void of any soul, story, or breathe of experience. I need two things in life besides the obvious, books and movies; they give me a reality that is far more preferable to what I see every day. My books give me the quite retreat where my imagination is alive and well, my movies give me the visceral visual experience I need sometimes and is made that much better by the incredible talent out there. I think there should be a place on every motion pictures website where there is a feedback section, where anyone can voice input on stories out there that could be made into a movie. How awesome would that be if some of the truly deserving stories found their way onto the big screen because of the support generated from everyone who cared, and not some of the truly tragic ones that arrive every year for us to endure. I honestly believe with the right story, regardless of budget can make an impact given the right direction. To quote the man himself, George Lucas, A special effect without a story is a pretty boring thing. I agree whole heartedly, a special effect is needed to translate something visually but if you pair it with something that has meaning it is extraordinary in the effect. Isn’t that the point of a movie? Please, let’s not lose our focus in this beloved medium we call film, movies, or the cinematic experience. Oh Hollywood, we implore thee, the little guy or girl, with a big story with more heart than something we just endured for a couple of hours. We don’t fault you for trying, but when we constantly redo we aren’t really trying are we? The complexity of everything we see and understand so far is fascinating. Connections persist everywhere without our knowledge and that is fascinating to me, once we do see them my fascination grows that much more. Discovery can be a crazy thing, sometimes it is amazing and sometimes it is crushing. Sometimes a new idea, a new theory, or some mind expanding thought that changes our consciousness makes the world seem just a little better. The brain fires up and you feel alive. Every time I see an article that attempts to expand our understanding of existence I get a little excited. What wonderful idea may change my perception and open up new doors for me to travel down is slightly exhilarating. I often wish I was the messenger of such monumental thoughts. Maybe one day. The idea of time is fascinating, don’t take my word for it, there have been a few notable people considering what time is for…ever. From philosophers to scientist and everyone in between, time has been talked about, pondered over, mathematically broken down, theorized, worshiped, feared, and the list goes on for shall we say eternity, haha. For some time is a linear path, for some it is dimensional, for some it is just a place that can be visited at any time. As a writer I am concerned with time as a time line for a story, the natural order of events that lead to circumstances or confluence of events. When I write I find myself at a point in time with a character or a situation and I am sometimes left unsure of their path forward. When this happens I practice what Einstein called ‘thought experiments’; he would let his mind wander without a distinct direction while considering a certain idea. As I consider my character, I am aware of their past and present point in time, and then I take that character and let them walk down as many paths in my head as possible. It’s like a lucid dream where you are aware of everything but you are not completely directing it; you just let it go wherever, sometimes something you would have never thought of happens and everything clicks. One of man’s attempts to measure time mechanically and visually is the hourglass, a beautiful device in form and function; an object that is simple in its design but amazing in use, I love looking at them and watching the sands filter down by the means of gravity. Gravity and time, I think there is something there according to some of our greatest minds who have considered it. How sublime is the connection and combination in the most simple of artifacts. Sometimes the most simple objects and ideas are the most profound and sometimes the hardest to realize. I also love that with an hourglass there really is no end to time, once the sand has moved from the top to the bottom, simply flip it over and time continues. The shape has always intrigued me, one large end that gently narrows to a fine point in the middle, then gently expanding to another large end. The symmetry and design speak to something grander that we fail to truly comprehend. We merely see what is before us without appreciating the greater truth behind it. The shape once again brings me to life, time, and writing; there were many paths and possibilities in the past which brought us to the present, that one point in time where you are now, nowhere else, and ahead of you is infinite possible paths that expand before you. Life’s timeline is like an hourglass on its side if you consider the linear timeline, where your past was a full of possibilities leading you to one point and your future is a mirror of the past with just as many possibilities going forward. For me, it’s fascinating. Time fly’s, time is fleeting. We kill time. We waste time. We lose time. We watch time as it goes by. Time drags by. Time marches on. The list of sayings goes on and on. We love the idea of time sometimes, a good time and sometimes we are under a time crunch and maybe we don’t love it as much. When we are having fun time races by and when we are bored time slows. As far as we know our time is limited and most struggle to make the most of it. I look back over my life and understand where I am now, then with a little trepidation I look forward. Often when I think about this I see the hourglass standing there with the sands constantly moving from one end to the other and I understand that it will not stop. Other times when I think about my time I see the hourglass I imagine on its side as a timeline representing the past, the present, and the future but my perspective is different; I don’t see time my time draining away in a race to death or whatever, I see so many possible paths before me and what an adventure it could be. Perspective is an amazing thing and something I love to ponder often. So I have to ask, is your hourglass half full or half empty? Do you see the sand running out or do you see the many and varied paths ahead? I try very hard not to dwell on those small grains of sand telling me what I already know, that one day I will find out if my time is limited. Personally, I try to see the hourglass on its side and envision the journey that hopefully I get to choose. It may not turn always turn out the way I thought but I do prefer a little mystery, a little suspense, and I am a sucker for a surprise ending.   On this day of love I will keep it simple.
Imagine if we practiced it more? Imagine if we replaced hate with love? Imagine if we took the time to understand the meaning of love and what that would really look like? Imagine if we listened to our own hearts and not those who would tell us otherwise? Love is simple if we were to truly see its nature. I ask everyone on this day to imagine their life with more love. Close your eyes and remember those moments when you experienced it most deeply; now imagine those moments increased exponentially. If you smiled, then remember in the days to come when the moment hits you, replace hate with love and see what will come. Just imagine. Michael W. Glover Unfair or not, I am blaming everything on him, that evil man, Stephen King; he is in large part the reason I wrote a paranormal book. He scarred me terribly and it was awesome. Besides the urge to write, be creative, and do something that was a bit of a challenge, he was part of something that would fester in my subconscious since my early teen years. People have asked me why I wrote a vampire novel and I have often responded, “Stephen King’s second book was a vampire novel; if it was good enough for him, then its good enough for me.” There was always more there than just a vampire story, he showed us more, so much more. Plus, I have always loved the mythology and lore of vampires, so if you are going to write, write what you know.
I was scared from an early age by his work, Salem’s Lot, a story I was first familiar with through the movie. I can remember watching it on TV, I was young and it scared the hell out of me. I wasn’t exposed to the book till later, I love them both but the book is awesome for any who have not dared to read it. The impact Stephen King had on me didn’t stop with Salem’s Lot, his many books in the paranormal world kept me up at night and made the wheels in my head turn; especially when I couldn’t sleep at night. He cemented my fear of many things with his follow up The Shining, need I say more. Who knew a hallway could be scary? With the ability to make the mundane creepy, I never knew what to expect in what seemed to be an ordinary and boring world. Some of Stephen King’s characters are indelibly burned into my psyche and I know I’m not alone. With a wonderful combination of unique characters and fascinating story telling he showed me the possibilities and I didn’t even know it. There was a seed planted somewhere deep down that was finally spurred into action when I decided to take the journey down the path of writing he so brilliantly laid bare. My journey into insanity is a pleasant one and personally rewarding, I often think to the wide variety of books over my life that made everything possible. C.S Lewis, J. R.R. Tolkien, S.E. Hinton, and R.A. Salvatore made me who I am today but without King making me hide under the covers or look over my shoulder I would not be the same. When I say I blame Stephen King I mean it in the most thankful manner, he did his job impeccably by having the desired impact on his reader, me. As an artist in the truest sense, he captivated me and generations of others. One of the goals of any artist is to inspire others to the craft you love and hopefully someone else will be there to carry on the tradition. I am just beginning to weave my tales, I plan to hone my abilities and maybe, just maybe I will have the slightest impact similarly to what Stephen King has had. If only it could happen, what a perfect ending to my story would that be for me and hopefully to the master himself, Mr. King. I say here’s to you sir, a toast on the house because, “Your money is no good here.”  Being thankful is so important. We sometimes forget to remember that it’s not all bad. I have to remind myself often to smile, take a deep breath, and understand life could be worse. Life is full of much that is hard, often not fair, and much that is the effect of circumstance; through all of that there are things in life that we are thankful to have at the end of the day. I have been very busy lately and it has been stressful, but I am still thankful for the opportunity. My first world problems are laughable really and I just have to watch the news to understand this. So let me begin.
Thank you to everyone who has humored me through this process. Thank you for listening to me constantly blab on about this little book for so long. I hope I have not gone on too much about this journey. Thank you for sharing my story with any family and friends, it really is special for others to put forth someone else to everyone they know without anything in return. Thank you for encouragement. Thank you for beating me with a stick at times to make me work harder. A special thank you to my early readers, who took the time to read a very rough draft of my book and not throw it in the corner; you provided me with just enough confidence to keep me going when I wasn’t sure just how crazy I was. The very first feedback I received were words of encouragement and surprise at just how much they liked my story. Thank you for the technical support, because I am not a computer whiz by any measure. I muddle through with much frustration and mumbling. Thank you to the other authors I have come to know and have offered invaluable advice and support. I hope to be able to return any and all favors in the future. I am so thankful for team who helped me get a fantastic finished product that I can be proud of and without a doubt, I am proud of this book. My poor editor Mary, who had to grapple with what I was trying to say and had to deal with too many simple mistakes, my proofreader LIsa, who helped polish the manuscript even more, and my poor cover designer Amalia, who had a really hard task of creating an image from my ideas that would please someone as picky as myself. I know that when I read my book it is the best it has ever been in every way. The book reads better than ever and the cover is the best hook ever. Everyone loves the cover art, it tells the story so well. Let me say that each and every one of them came through magnificently and I am grateful. Thank you to my publisher for taking a chance on me, you have my gratitude. To my copy editor, Heather who began this journey with me years ago, whose suggestions and encouragement showed me the path, thank you so much. For those that choose to take a chance on me and my little story, by the way I think its epic; I must thank you from the bottom of my heart. I started writing this story for myself and never really envisioned I would be able to share it with such a wide audience. Just the thought of everyone reading and enjoying my insanity is completely humbling. I encourage anyone, who has even the smallest things happening in their lives, to stop and be thankful for these special events. They are not always big or life altering but sometimes, if we do take the time to realize just how good it is, then we will appreciate life just a little more. If I forget, remind me and I will say again; thank you. Michael W. Glover  My name is Michael as most of you know; it’s a very common name, I once looked it up and it was either the number one boys name most of time or second or third for over forty years. I have often said we have our own secret society intent on taking over the world; we are still working on that in case you were wondering. I can remember from an early age being familiar with Michelangelo di Lodovico Buonarroti Simoni, or as most know him simply as the artist, Michelangelo. Art has always been a part of my life in some way; I took lessons at an early age and created some of my own. I love visiting museums and staring for long periods of time at the masterpieces of painting and sculpture, trying desperately to see each brush stroke and the subtle lines in the sculpted form that capture reality in canvas or stone. Because of this Michelangelo was, of course, one of my favorites as he is with so many.
As a youth I was more fascinated with him than many others probably were for the simple reason of the coincidence with our names; with Michael being so close, maybe a shorter, simpler version of Michelangelo. I fancied myself a young Michelangelo with my work, a fantasy for sure, but something that was a secret goal in my younger days. What is it with idolizing someone or being so enthralled with a persona that you seem to relate in some odd way? Connection is something everyone searches for and feels on so many different levels depending on their unique situation. There are names that we all recognize for different reasons: friends, acquaintances, the famous, and the historically significant. Michelangelo is easily recognizable by the vast majority of the world’s population, while Michael is common; the likelihood of someone recognizing me without my middle and last name is somewhat far-fetched. I really have no illusions that my name, as common as it is and with my simple life, will ever attain the near god-like status of Michelangelo; truthfully it’s not a realistic goal, simply because the possibility of that happening is far further than winning the lottery. We all need hero’s, he was one of mine; for me he was the epitome of success or maybe more accurately the top of the measuring stick form which all others would be compared. Time is a standard, not just a schedule; it is the very standard on how things are judged, to stand the test of time someone or something is deemed great. Achilles will forever be known as the greatest warrior, Miguel de Cervantes will live on in literature world forever, and Michelangelo will be synonymous with art. Make no mistake I do not categorize myself in any way with these giants, they are my idols, my personal hero’s, and they are my goals; I will hold them up as my attainable desire though lofty as it is. As the expression goes, ‘Shoot for the stars, so if you fall you land on a cloud’, is something that we all should consider. The fantasy of imagining oneself as any of these people is a good goal at first, but not to be mistaken as reality; you must begin the work that will take your name and get it carved in stone. My name is Michael W. Glover, not catchy, not mysterious or odd, just a simple name that tags me as not the person next to me. Don’t get me wrong I like my name; maybe if I want something more intriguing I will come up with a pen name. I have thought about it, but I guess I wanted everyone to know who I was with everything I am working on now. I want them to know it was me who did that, not that mysterious person they don’t believe they know. I think just being oneself is hard enough much less trying to be someone else, it’s a hard battle to both conform to what the world wants and simultaneously be something unique and special. Being me has its struggles, we all have that; I have learned as most of us do, to forget what others think and just be you. I am Michael; I can be fun, contrary, inquisitive, unrealistic, supportive, thoughtless, creative, and selfish. I am all of these things and so much more, good and bad. The goal is to be more good than bad, to be more than less; to try to make this life something that not only I am proud of and look back fondly on, but maybe just maybe, a life that will be remembered. I will not be Michelangelo and that is okay, he was awesome. I am Michael and that is great. |
AuthorI'm a writer and a foodie who loves to experience life. 
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