tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-72954506455676688292018-03-08T08:33:18.353-06:00SAT & BAF! Memories of a Tower RatDougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.comBlogger109125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-11965431532228584142014-02-28T09:32:00.001-06:002014-02-28T09:35:46.034-06:00I'm back! Good morning, y'all! How's everybody doing? Sorry it's been so long since I did a post. My step-dad had an amputation of his left leg in October that didn't take then they took it off higher in November. He's been in the hospital ever since trying to heal. Been kind of busy. I took my wife to the Nashville Universe award show last weekend in Nashville which was a blast. I always have fun in Nashville. I'm doing a writing test this morning then I'm done with another GED!! I do one a month, so my life is kind of marked in GED tests. Each one is one month closer to retiring. LOL<br /><br />I might take off at noon after the test. My step-dad is getting the test run again today. It was supposed to be Monday, but the wound vac woman came early to check it and change the sponge. They didn't want to take it off at hyperbaric to run the test. She was thrilled with the progress!! It's almost closed in the middle and the ends are healing a whole lot faster. <br /><br />They'll be looking at it down at hyperbaric today. This is the first time the wound care doctor has seen it in a couple weeks. We're kind of excited to see what he says. He told&nbsp;my mom&nbsp;the other day when the test got postponed that he doesn't care what the test says. The wound is healing. His eyes tell him that. Butch has heard them give other people time frames like "five more treatments" or "ten more treatments". We think he might get one today!!! His leg looks like it's about that time. <br /><br />It's healing up nicely now. The pain is quite managable...better than it has been in years. He's missing part of a leg, but that's not a big deal. He's just ready to get home. My mom said this morning that she thinks this is 122 days in the hospital. Time to get home. <br /><br />I have a friend whose dad got a pacemaker a few weeks ago. She told me,"He's been in the hospital for a whole week! He sure is ready to get home." <br /><br />We'll be thrilled when we've only got a week left!!DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-36231769861954051352013-11-03T09:58:00.001-06:002013-11-03T09:58:25.113-06:00Review of "Junie Moon Rising" by June CollinsOne of the best lines I've ever read in a book is in this amazing story by June Collins. I previously read Goodbye Junie Moon, also by this author, and I loved it. I was excited to read this sequel and learn more about what happened to the colorful lady I'd gotten to know. I was not disappointed at all. The same wry sense of humor and love of life is evident in this book.<br /><br />This book picks up soon after June's return from Vietnam and testimony to the Senate. We follow her through the next decade of her life as she struggles with memories of the war, rubs shoulders with the jet set, parties her way through several states, and finally finds love and her beloved children. Witnessing the growth of this incredible woman is something I recommend to anyone. It's a story that deserves to be read. June has truly led an amazing life. I won't share the line that inspired me because I don't want to rob the readers of experiencing it themselves.<br /><br />It's a truly inspiring story. Thank you for sharing it with us, Junie Moon.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Junie-Moon-Rising-June-Collins-ebook/dp/B00CA6BN7Q/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top">Junie Moon Rising</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-12160480372629288422013-07-15T12:52:00.000-05:002013-07-15T12:52:06.056-05:00Been a while! <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's been a while since I did a blog post. Lost happening around here! We travelled to Nashville to see my friend, Becca, play. That was a blast. Then we spent a week&nbsp;in Hawaii. There were a lot of mishaps including a cancelled flight that gave us an unexpected night in Chicago, but it was still fun. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I always have fun travelling with my wife. She's fun. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Last weekend, I had a speaking engagement at a veteran's reunion. That was surreal. They treated my wife and me as special guests and were one of the nicest groups of people you could ever meet. We ended up spending a couple nights down there. I spoke on Saturday night and did a book signing. Several of them were excited to meet me. I was honored. I'm real happy the 202nd MPs found me and my book. They were tower rats in Giessen. It's a small club. I'm glad they found me. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I just finished a book trailer that'll be posted on Youtube as soon as I finish uploading it. I'm pretty proud of it. It's for "Recall! Return of the IRR". Hanging out and doing a book signing inspired me. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I hope everybody's having a great day. There should be more news soon, so stay tuned. </span>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-77016880640280052212013-04-17T10:05:00.001-05:002013-04-17T10:05:01.592-05:00Review of Guitar Aerobics: A 52-Week, One-lick-per-day Workout Program for Developing, Improving and Maintaining Guitar Technique by Troy NelsonI've been playing guitar since the early 1980s as a hobbiest and songwriter. I'm a decent rhythm guitarist, but I never quite understood how to improvise on lead, and my dexterity wasn't good enough. I could accompany myself singing but was never what I'd call "good" on guitar. I bought this book to improve my skills as a lead guitarist. I've only been using it for a few weeks, and it is tremendous!<br /><br />I've worked through the first few weeks of lessons, and my skills already show a marked improvement. My wife has even commented that she can tell a difference. I started at lesson one although a better guitarist could probably skip ahead. I love how the lessons are structured and build on each other. So far, each one gets easier to master because it's a variation of the previous week. It's great, and I am actually seeing improvement in my skills. It's amazing to see the transformation from beginning to end each week. I'm working the program step-by-step and it works.<br /><br />I can't say enough good things about this program. It has made me a better guitarist. By the end of the book, I think I'll be able to say I'm "good" on guitar. Thanks! <br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Aerobics-One-lick-day-Maintaining/dp/1423414357/ref=cm_cr-mr-title">Guitar Aerobics: A 52-Week, One-lick-per-day Workout Program for Developing, Improving and Maintaining Guitar Technique </a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-57742222312072930222013-04-17T10:01:00.000-05:002013-04-17T10:01:57.532-05:00Review of Jesse James: The Man and The Myth by Marley BrantI have a growing collection of books related to the guerilla war in Missouri and bushwhacker's. This book will become a permanent member of it. I enjoyed reading it. <br /><br />This is a well written book that flows. The narrative stayed interesting to the very end. It examines a lot of things that were claimed about the James brother and Jesse in particular with a critical eye. Many possible myths are explored as well as some facts somewhat confirmed. It tells more about Jesse's family than I've seen in other books and follows his many moves admirably. <br /><br />This book does not talk about the war and Jesse's participation as much as I would have liked nor does it include a whole lot of new information about his outlaw exploits. It's not the best book I've read on Jesse James, but it is worth reading. It has a new home on my bookshelf. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Jesse-James-The-Man-Myth/dp/042516005X/ref=cm_cr-mr-title">Jesse James: The Man and The Myth</a><br /><br />DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-60630535544694765202013-04-02T10:11:00.000-05:002013-04-02T10:11:07.595-05:00What a week! <strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Wow! What a week this has been. My friend, Becky's, music is coming along great. Her first single "Dangerous Game" is getting some airplay and finished at #9 this week on Vradio Nashville's countdown. You can visit them here:</span></strong><br /><br /><a href="http://tunein.com/radio/VRadio-Nashville-s136848/"><span style="font-size: large;">Tune In To VRadio Nashville</span></a><br /><br /><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><strong>...or here on Facebook: </strong></span><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/VRadioNashville1">VRadio Nashville on Facebook</a></span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Request "Dangerous Game" by Becca Lee Roberts. Also request her from your local station. Indie artists need all the support they can get. She's awesome!!! </span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">In other news, we got our first granddaughter this weekend! At 1:37 am on Easter morning, Emrey Jade made her appearance. She weighed 7 lbs. 4 ounces and is 20 1/2 inches long.&nbsp;She's already got Grandpa wrapped around her finger. Holding her the first time was one of the most incredible experiences of my life to this point. That little girl will be the most spoiled girl in southwest Missouri if I have my way. </span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Love, love, love her. </span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I hope everybody's having a super week so far. It's a beautiful day in our corner of the world. </span></strong><br /><br /><strong><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Smile. </span></strong><br /><br /><br />DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-43480678207426884242013-03-24T17:29:00.002-05:002013-06-21T12:55:00.399-05:00New Becca Lee Roberts music!! <strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I don't think there have been any updates on my friend, Becky, in a while. Well, there is new Becca Lee Roberts music!! She spent a week in Nashville earlier in the month recording two new, original singles. The first one was mastered last night and is now available for a listen on Reverbnation!! The title of this song is "Dangerous Game", and she is very happy with it. I first heard this song on the phone just before she left for the studio. She'd just finished the first verse and chorus. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">It came out great. You can hear it along with her entire Christmas Album (Christmas Lullaby) for free on Reverbnation. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial;"></span></strong><br /><a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/beccaleeroberts/song/16703038-dangerous-game"><span style="font-size: large;">Dangerous Game by Becca Lee Roberts</span></a><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><strong>It will be available in the Amazon MP3 store and on Itunes within a few weeks.</strong></span> <strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Once the entire record is finished, she'll release the CD!! </span></strong></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Everybody have a great day. It's snowing again here, but summer is just around the corner. Smile and be kind. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Doug</span></strong><br /><br />DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-53827288531438900232013-03-24T17:19:00.000-05:002013-03-24T17:19:35.024-05:00Been a while...<span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, it's been a while since I did an update. We have a lot of news in my part of the world. First, we have a baby granddaughter on the way! We almost got to meet her last night, but it was a false start. This will be the first granddaughter and the first from our son, so she'll always be special. </span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">After twelve hours in labor (several in three minute labor), they sent mama home!! She wasn't dilating any more and was stuck at 2cm. The doctor decided she should go home and sleep. He sent her home at about 3:30 am. I felt soor sorry for poor Michaela. She was exhausted. We spent the rest of the night at their house and waited until she got up this afternoon. </span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">There weren't any contractions after she got up, so it looks like the baby wasn't ready to come yet. The due date is next Sunday, so my wife is holding out hope that she'll wait. That's Easter Sunday, and she thinks it would be cool. </span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I think Michaela would just as soon get this thing over. </span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="color: #0b5394; font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I'll do another update on big news from my friend, Becky. </span>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-65275691507608847262013-03-06T18:46:00.001-06:002013-03-06T18:46:59.587-06:00Review of "Why Whisper?" by Joanne V. MazzottaI bought this book months ago as a resource to deal with serious grief problems I was having. Since that time, I've gotten to know Joanne Mazzotta through social media and consider her a friend. She is a lovely woman with a delightful sense of humor and a deep wisdom. Joanne is an old soul.<br /><br />I didn't have the courage to read this book until a week ago. It sat on my Kindle, and I'd pass it by each time I selected a new book. I always thought,"Not yet." I am thankful that I finally opened it. This book is a tremendous resource not just for survivors of suicide but for anyone dealing with grief. I felt many of the same emotions expressed by Joanne. I cried at points reading her story. Sometimes, I would wake my wife so I could read her a portion of it as I stayed up late at night unable to turn off my Kindle. I got to know her beloved Danny. I travelled through a large portion of her life and truly felt like all of Joanne's children and weebles were my friends. I was shocked at the utter honesty at points. Nothing is hidden from the reader which is the main point of whole thing. Why whisper? It is a gripping story.<br /><br />Yet Joanne is just a regular woman. But for the grace of God, this could be any of us. Joanne just had the courage to tell her story.<br /><br />This is such an honest look at suicide, death, family, religion, and what's important that I recommend it to anyone. It's worth reading. I've read many other books about grief but none quite like this one. Most are more like a "how to" manual. Joanne's is a journey through a real life. If you have yet to experience grief that rocks you to your soul, consider yourself lucky. We all will at some point. This story will show you that you're not alone.<br /><br />Thank you, Joanne.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Why-Whisper-A-Memoir-ebook/dp/B006LD759O/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1362617047&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=why+whisper">Why Whisper? </a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-4333065888005253582013-02-19T09:40:00.000-06:002013-02-19T09:40:17.652-06:00Review of: Goodbye Junie Moon by June CollinsI've read a lot of Vietnam memoirs but none from the point of view in Goodbye Junie Moon. June Collins takes us on an incredible journey from rural Australia to the Senate floor via the clubs of southeast Asia. It's a very entertaining ride. This story includes adventure and danger but is also heartbreaking at times. Ms. Collins is a very good writer, and I found the book quite easy to follow. It flashes back and forth between Vietnam and earlier stops prior to the war. I liked the style. I also enjoyed the pictures scattered through the book. <br /><br />Ms. Collins knows how to enjoy life. There's no doubt about that. However, I take issue with an earlier review that complained about sex in this book. There's very little of it, and it's integral to the plot. It not excessive nor overly graphic. This isn't fifty shades of OD green. <br /><br />This book is well worth reading. It's an important story told by a fascinating woman who lived it. Ms. Collins spent three and a half years in Vietnam entertaining troops. I thank her for her service during the war and after the war during the Senate hearings. I look forward to more work by June Collins. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B008B265ZI/ref=cm_cr_thx_view">Goodbye Junie Moon</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-57519940139703072142013-01-30T19:52:00.004-06:002013-01-30T19:52:50.416-06:00<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, a really awesome thing just happened. A German lady just personal messaged me on Facebook to ask if she could order a signed copy of my book, <em>SAT &amp; BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat,</em>&nbsp;with a personal inscription. She's a major character in the book. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I just finished chatting with her for probably an hour. I told her I'd just send her one as a gift. She insists on paying me. I told her she could order it off Amazon.de cheaper but it wouldn't be signed. She wants it signed. So, I gave her my address and she said she'll send the money with a letter. She still lives in Germany, so I'll send it to her at cost plus shipping. The book wouldn't be nearly as interesting without her and her friend. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I didn't bring it up that she's in the book. I'm sure she knows. I think she's known for quite a while but didn't say anything. We hung out a lot, and we're both in a secret Facebook group specifically for people who hung out in two bars in Heilbronn, Germany in the 1980s! I recognized her immediately even though it's been twenty-five years.&nbsp;We're friended on Facebook now and she's seen my older pictures. I also suspect some mutual (German) friends have probably told her. I used her real first name, and it's pretty distinctive. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I think some of the stories will bring a smile to her face. They were good memories, and it was a magical time for all of us. I won't say who she is, but she'll definitely know who she is. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">That's just awesome to me. :-)</span>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-2442598712473941622012-12-27T08:02:00.002-06:002012-12-27T08:02:55.082-06:00Review of "A Physician's Plight" by Dr. Katherine Klein<div class="reviewText mediumText description" itemprop="reviewBody">I just finished "A Physician's Plight" last night, and Dr. Klein's story broke my heart. It follows her story from her youth through final personal triumph with twenty years of heartache in between. This book is well-written and moves at a good clip. It does a good job of sharing just enough that we can actually feel it from the inside. As the title suggests, there is an interesting contrast between Dr. Klein's escalating personal struggles and stories from inside the hospital. <br /><br />Having lived through my wife's own struggles for custody of her son, I empathized with Dr. Klein's story. It's amazing what family court can sometimes conclude. Reality seems to have very little to do with their decisions in many cases.<br /><br />This was a brave story. I thank Dr. Klein for sharing it and recommend it to anyone who likes a good, personal memoir.</div><div class="reviewText mediumText description" itemprop="reviewBody"><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Physicians-Plight-Professional-Personal-disaster/dp/1450506380/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&amp;ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1356616937&amp;sr=1-1&amp;keywords=A+Physician%27s+Plight">A Physician's Plight</a></div>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-18555782968454989702012-12-03T12:52:00.000-06:002013-06-25T00:00:32.858-05:00The record is finished! <span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I've talked about my friend, Becky on here. Getting to know her again this summer and fall has been an amazing experience. I had no idea how much I missed her all those years until I had her back. I just love her so much. It's just a special bond that goes all the way back to kindergarten in a little town with 47 people. There's no way to describe it. Well, the CD has been much of what we've talked about. After a lifetime of singing, she finally took the plunge into the studio. She's been working on it for months.&nbsp;Well...</span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Oh my goodness! One of the most incredible moments of my life was at 6:00 am last Thursday morning. That was her worldwide radio debut on KZNN in Rolla, Missouri. She was so excited when they let her know that she drove down to her mom's just to sit in her car and listen.&nbsp;That station is a long way from&nbsp;my house, but I took a shot and drove as far east as I could before six...left about ten minutes early. <br /><br />Well, about 5:56, the station started fading out of rock to Garth Brooks. It was going back and forth between the two. She was on a country station, so I pulled over when Garth was coming in strong. I was trying to hear the call letters (KZNN). I never heard them. <br /><br />At 6:00 sharp, I heard my friend's angelic voice, though!! She kicked off the morning show. It was her song "Keep Christ In Christmas" which is very radio friendly. I sat there and cried. <br /><br />My friend from kindergarten who loves nothing in the world more than singing was being played on my truck radio, and I got to hear it. Just a couple months ago, I talked with her for hours helping her decide whether to continue in the singing contest she was in or spend that money to go record this CD. I convinced her the CD would give her more return. I helped her get the CD submitted...three hours on the phone. My wife and I have been travelling a couple hours every couple weeks just to hang with her and hear her sing...and because she's a blast! We've spent hours and hours talking about and working on this CD. I didn't help with the recording, but I did help her get it from songs to a release. She told my wife the other day that I was getting credits on the sleeve "for pure awesomeness". I don't know if she was joking or not. It's hard to tell sometimes. Thursday morning, I heard her on the radio for the first time. I heard her biggest dream come true. By some magic of the airwaves, I heard it across the state. I Mapquested it once I got to work. I was 114 miles away. <br /><br />It was great! </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Since then, she's been put into the rotations on several stations in the eastern part of Missouri with more coming on all the time. It's been a whirlwind this week. The CD isn't even available (but will be very soon), and she's already on the radio!! Hopefully things will calm down soon so we can hang out. Meanwhile, it's been fun chatting with her at night. It's just amazing. She's amazing. You can hear the full album on Reverbnation if you'd like. The originals are the last two songs on the playlist, but the whole thing is incredible. I'm soooooo proud of her. </span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><br />Doug</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.reverbnation.com/beccaleeroberts?utm_campaign=opengraph&amp;utm_content=artist&amp;utm_medium=link&amp;utm_source=facebook">Christmas Lullaby by Becca Lee Roberts</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-66872311714382014122012-11-21T13:44:00.001-06:002012-11-21T14:55:08.436-06:00<strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">As I reflect on the Hank Williams book I just read, I've been thinking about my own life. The Waylon Jennings song "Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way" keeps playing in my head. Those of you who've read my books know how close I came to entering music as my profession. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I'm lucky I didn't. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I have a strong premonition that I would've ended up much like Hank. I have many of the same demons. Where we got them, only God knows. I've always felt the same things Hank did, though. I listened to Hank Williams as I fell asleep as a kindergartener. I know what he felt when he wrote those songs. I wouldn't have made it. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">I think Uncle Sam saved me from his fate. </span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><strong><span style="font-family: Arial; font-size: large;">Just thoughts running through my head as I reflect on the biography I just read. I'm sure Hank done it that way. I'm also lucky I didn't or I wouldn't have survived my twenties. </span></strong>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-76278786817144383312012-11-20T23:06:00.000-06:002012-11-20T23:06:07.233-06:00Review of "Hank Williams: The Biography" by Colin EscottAs a child, I listened to old 78s of Hank Williams that I carefully pulled out of my dad's old cedar chest. Later, I got my very own 8-track player and fell asleep listening to Hank every night. All I can say after reading this book is,"Wow." I bought it at the Ryman Auditorium during a recent trip to Nashville and started reading it immediately. This is a very thorough look at Hank's short, sad life. Mr. Escott has included direct quotes from many of the people who knew Hank personally or were associated with him and has put together what might be the most comprehensive picture of his life yet. <br /><br />I was particularly impressed with how well Hank's childhood and early life were covered. I had absolutely no idea prior to this book how far back his problems went. I was constantly doing math in my head as different incidents of Hank's drinking causing problems appeared to find dates that placed him in his mid-teens.<br /><br />His meteoric rise and abrupt fall are covered quite skillfully. It even includes his earnings each year. A peek into the psychology of who Hank Williams was as a person is granted through quotes from his friends and associates. Learning the sad details of his last few months was horrifying to me, but it's the truth. I appreciate the truth. We also get a summary of the extensive aftermath following Hank's sudden death and the outcome for the people involved including his children.<br /><br />I can't say I'm happy after finishing this book. I do feel like I know Hank Williams better than I did prior to reading it, though. This is the best Hank Williams biography I've read, and I recommend it to anyone interested in country music. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0316734977/ref=cm_cr_thx_view">Hank Williams: The Biography</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-72828210817315542882012-10-17T17:56:00.004-05:002012-10-17T17:56:48.569-05:00Review of "America's Unknown Wars" by William S. Shepard<div>I just finished "America's Unknown Wars" late last night. William Shepard has done a great job in compiling a bit of history that barely anybody talks about in this easy-to-read collection of essays. I've been a history teacher for going on twenty years, and I learned new things in his book. Little discussed history has always interested me the most, so I was eager to dig into this book. It didn't disappoint. </div><br /><div>I enjoyed all four of the sections. The Spanish-American War has always been of particular interest to me, and it's covered quite nicely. That's been called a "splendid little war", but it had a tremendous impact on both US and world history. It was nice to see Mr. Shepard discuss it. </div><br /><div>This isn't an in depth text book. It's a relatively light read that moves along at a good clip. It's an overview. I'd recommend this book to anybody with an interest in US history.</div><div>&nbsp;</div><div><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B006RIC5OS/ref=cm_cr_thx_view">America's Unknown Wars</a></div>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-67652947806840045252012-10-01T20:55:00.003-05:002012-10-01T20:55:23.393-05:00Beautiful review of "SAT & BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat" Here is a lovely review of <a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1432771329/ref=cm_cd_asin_lnk">SAT &amp; BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat</a> by Joanne Mazzotta. <br /><br />Doug Depew stepped off a 747 after it landed in Germany. It was to be the most powerfully memorable annex of his life. Often it is said in written reviews, "This is not the sort of book I usually read." I must say it now. I have not experienced the armed forces. Though I am pleased and proud to be an American and have given due respect to our military men and woman, I would have not read this book if I did not meet Doug Depew on a writer's discussion group. His personality doesn't reveal the jolting experiences he tells of in SAT&amp;BAF. He is likable and has a pleasant friendliness about him.<br /><br />He takes you with him to Germany and introduces you to his platoon, a family of new "brothers" while your mouth hangs open in shock at some of their shenanigans. Aligning himself with the perimeters of a serious mission, he manages to preserve his passion for fun, sex, relationships with beautiful German girls, booze banquets and insane ideas while off base. SAT&amp;BAF is written in a flowing conversational manner. He exhibits a style of his own while he describes the years he spent in West Germany. He goes on to explain in detail his nightlife in the military and his responsibilities as a soldier commissioned to guard a nuclear storage station in a country where he was a foreigner. The menacing fight to keep himself alive while evolving from boy to man, his cohorts often risk that process with some ideas that could have cost him more than his luck had to give.<br /><br />His experience during a time in American history few really know of will inform you and make you rethink the cold war. He had only been on earth for 18 years when he became a tower rat and reading Doug Depew's rendition of the trouble he and his beloved friends got into, I wasn't sure which mission was more dangerous, his outings in Germany or his tower responsibilities as a soldier.<br /><br />Seeing it all from a mother's vantage point, it was hard not to worry about him, and yet harder not to crack up laughing at some of his escapades with the daily threat of death hovering over that tower. When he boarded that 747 for the last time, I exhaled.DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-24256469116018947342012-09-25T02:48:00.003-05:002012-09-25T02:48:57.320-05:00Review of: "Rock & Roll Homicide" by RJ McDonnellMusic and detective work. What a great combination! This book combines two of my favorite subjects. RJ McDonnell introduces us to ex-muscician, private detective, Jason Duffy in this wonderfully written mystery. I found the combination of the music industry and detective/police work was a super mix. As one who's dabbled around the edges of the music industry most of my life and been in or around law enforcement even longer, I truly enjoyed this read. Mr. McDonnell does a tremendous job of building and developing his characters. There are a lot of them in this book, and I never had trouble keeping track of them. They were all developed so fully that I got to know them and care. The relationship with his retired policeman father is particularly interesting. This book takes us everywhere from a recording studio to the Russian mafia. There's even some old-world Ireland in it!<br /><br />The pace is quick. The narrative is done in a lively, friendly voice. Humor is strewn thoughout the entire book. It kept me turning pages late into the night. I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys music, investigative novels, or a fun read. I'm looking forward to another installment in the Rock &amp; Roll Mystery series.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B002E19JLY/ref=cm_cr_thx_view">Rock &amp; Roll Homicide</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-36711729025262054102012-09-18T18:21:00.001-05:002012-09-18T18:21:18.537-05:00Heilbronn Stimme Article! <div style="text-align: center;"> <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">German Bestseller!! <o:p></o:p></span></span></u></b></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">At the urging of German fans on my Facebook fan page, I contacted the Heilbronn Stimme. It’s the newspaper in Heilbronn, Germany where my first book “SAT &amp; BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat” happened. A month or two ago, an editor from the paper sent me a message to send him a book and he’d write about it. I put together a press packet and didn’t hear anything back for weeks. Then another reporter contacted me last week to send some pictures for the article! The original editor had the reporter read it because his English was better. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">The article ran today! Several German fans contacted me this morning to let me know it was in the paper and mentioned on the front page! The reporter sent tear sheets to my e-mail, but I haven’t had a chance to translate them yet. The fans told me it’s a good article. Here it is if you’d like to take a peek. <o:p></o:p></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.75pt;"><a href="http://www.stimme.de/heilbronn/nachrichten/region/Heisse-Erinnerungen-an-den-kalten-Krieg;art16305,2568817"><span style="color: blue; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">http://www.stimme.de/heilbronn/nachrichten/region/Heisse-Erinnerungen-an-den-kalten-Krieg;art16305,2568817</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">I’m on the front page of a major, German newspaper!! In case you wonder if print media still has any power, here are the rankings of “SAT &amp; BAF!” on Amazon.de earlier today:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Amazon Bestseller-Rang:</span></b><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"> Nr. 161 in Englische Bücher (<a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/ref=pd_dp_ts_eb_1"><span style="color: #004b91;">Siehe Top 100 in Englische Bücher</span></a>) <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Nr. 1 in&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_1_1"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Englische Bücher</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> &gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/65140011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_1_2"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Geschichte</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/65597011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_1_3"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Weltgeschichte</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> &gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/65608011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_1_4_last"><b><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">20. Jahrhundert</span></span></b></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Nr. 1 in&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_2_1"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Englische Bücher</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> &gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/58645011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_2_2"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Reise &amp; Abenteuer</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> &gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/58807011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_2_3"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Europa</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/58838011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_2_4_last"><b><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Deutschland</span></span></b></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin: 0in 0in 0.75pt 0.25in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal;">&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; </span></span></span><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Nr. 1 in&nbsp;</span></span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_3_1"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Englische Bücher</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> &gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/65140011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_3_2"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Geschichte</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/65567011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_3_3"><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Militär</span></span></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&gt; </span></span><a href="http://www.amazon.de/gp/bestsellers/books-intl-de/65584011/ref=pd_zg_hrsr_eb_3_4_last"><b><span style="color: #004b91; font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Waffen &amp; Kriegsführung</span></span></b></a><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"> <o:p></o:p></span></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">&nbsp;</span></o:p><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">For the mono-lingually challenged among us, here’s an English translation of the ranks:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span lang="EN" style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-ansi-language: EN; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;">Amazon Bestsellers Rank: # 161 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)<br /># 1&gt; in Books&gt; History&gt; World History&gt; 20th century<br /># 1 &gt;in Books&gt; Travel &amp; Adventure&gt; Europe&gt; Germany<br /># 1&gt; in Books&gt; History&gt; Military&gt; Weapons &amp; Warfare</span><span style="font-family: &quot;Tahoma&quot;,&quot;sans-serif&quot;; mso-fareast-font-family: &quot;Times New Roman&quot;;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Awesome! I’ve been waiting for word to get out in Germany. It has been rising all day. I knew there was a market in Germany! I’d like to thank the Heilbronn Stimme for expressing an interest in the book and for running the article. What a wonderful day! <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">Doug<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-89274443259018639282012-09-18T18:11:00.000-05:002013-06-24T23:58:42.496-05:00Ghosts of the Past<div style="text-align: left;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Social media is amazing. I wrote a while back about an old, Army friend I ran into due to my book. He found me on Facebook. Well, a couple months ago I ran into an extremely old friend named Becky. We were the dearest of buddies in first, second, and third grade at a very tiny school. We were in the same class for all three grades because it was the same teacher. In a town with 47 people, friends take on a whole new meaning. We moved away suddenly in third grade and as Becky put it “disappeared”. She found me and sent a friend request. As soon as we became Facebook friends, she sent a message that said, “Where did you go?” We’ve caught up a bit in the last couple months, and she also became friends with my wife. We mostly talk about music. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Becky invited us up to see her sing last weekend. She’s been singing professionally since she was nineteen years old. It was something I felt like we should do, so we drove the three hours up to watch her in a theater show. We watched her in a country classics variety show where she sang lead on five or six songs. After the show, she invited us to see her, her mom, and her daughter sing karaoke. She wanted a chance to show us what she could do on songs she picked. She said the band that hired her for the show picks her outfits, songs, and everything. She wanted to be able to take requests. It was at a little VFW hall in my old hometown. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">She is incredible!! Seriously, she’s among the best female singers I’ve ever heard live. I don’t know how she’s not a star. She’s an extremely talented singer. I suppose it had something to do with raising four kids. She’s still out there making money off her voice, though. We meant to go home after the show. Then we meant to go home about ten or eleven from karaoke. Then we were staying as long as Becky was willing to sing. She’s that good. What’s the hurry? Watching one of my oldest friends doing what she loves was the most important thing in the world this weekend. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">It was also a lot of fun catching up. She has a whole lot in common with my wife, and I think they both found a new buddy. They were chattering all night long. Becky told all kinds of stories from the old days in Cherryville…population 47. She is so funny! She says things like, “I grew up so far out in the country that a two-lane road meant going to the city.” My wife told me on the way home that it feels like she’s known Becky their whole lives when she just met her. She’s such a sweet girl and incredibly funny! She had us rolling all night long. She’s also excited to collaborate on some songwriting. It meant a lot to her that we were willing to drive up there to watch her, but it was a pleasure. We had her autograph the show tickets before we went home, and she almost cried. She finished the night by performing Martina McBride’s “Broken Wing”, and it was unbelievable. When everybody fizzled out and it was time to say goodnight, everybody hugged. When she hugged me, she said, “I missed you so much!” It’s not every day that you get a chance to touch someone so deeply. It meant a whole lot to her that somebody would travel that far to hear her sing. It meant a lot to me, too. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">All in all, it was a really fun weekend. Facebook is an incredible tool. Our friendship might have been frozen in time during the Ford administration if it hadn’t been for modern technology. Now my wife and I have a very dear new friend. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">I don’t think it’ll be thirty-six years before we see Becky again. There’s some big book news, but I’ll save that for another post. This one is about my old friend. If you ever get a chance to hear her sing, I highly recommend it. She’s great!&nbsp;<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"> </span><br /><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 10pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Doug<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-6491704107254897172012-08-21T18:14:00.000-05:002012-08-21T18:14:09.286-05:00What a terrific day...<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, after a few weeks of insanity at work dealing with an unstable co-worker, I needed a bit of good news. Guess what? Karma came through for me!! It's been a while since I posted here due to life getting in the way, but this has been a wonderful day. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">First, I noticed a review notice in my e-mail about a new review on Smashwords. My second book "Recall! Return of the IRR" just got a five star review today!! Not just that, but it's a terrific review by a woman who was also involved in Desert Shield/Desert Storm in a medical capacity. She "got it" as they say. Here's the text of the review</span><br /><br />&nbsp;<strong>Review by: </strong><a href="http://webmail-classic.windstream.net/do/redirect?url=https%253A%252F%252Fwww.smashwords.com%252Fprofile%252Fview%252Ffiona64&amp;hmac=614596539e7737f401c9d24a05111d46" target="_blank">Sharon E. Cathcart</a> on Aug. 21, 2012 : <img alt="star" height="16" src="http://webmail-classic.windstream.net/do/mail/message/view/attachment;jsessionid=abczPefM4KYHX7qlhzlLt?msgId=INBOXDELIM25209&amp;part=2.2" width="16" /> <img alt="star" height="16" src="http://webmail-classic.windstream.net/do/mail/message/view/attachment;jsessionid=abczPefM4KYHX7qlhzlLt?msgId=INBOXDELIM25209&amp;part=2.2" width="16" /> <img alt="star" height="16" src="http://webmail-classic.windstream.net/do/mail/message/view/attachment;jsessionid=abczPefM4KYHX7qlhzlLt?msgId=INBOXDELIM25209&amp;part=2.2" width="16" /> <img alt="star" height="16" src="http://webmail-classic.windstream.net/do/mail/message/view/attachment;jsessionid=abczPefM4KYHX7qlhzlLt?msgId=INBOXDELIM25209&amp;part=2.2" width="16" /> <img alt="star" height="16" src="http://webmail-classic.windstream.net/do/mail/message/view/attachment;jsessionid=abczPefM4KYHX7qlhzlLt?msgId=INBOXDELIM25209&amp;part=2.2" width="16" /> <br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">This book took me back in time. During Operation Desert Shield/Storm, I was the deputy public affairs officer for a military medical center. During those conflicts, author Doug DePew was recalled to active duty as potential backfill for casualties (some of whom came through the medical center where I worked).<br /><br />DePew outlines his plans to become a recording engineer -- plans he was well on his way to accomplishing -- that were interrupted by his recall. He then shows his readers exactly what it's like to be brought back on active duty during a confusing time (no orders beyond what got the soldiers back on-base, no schedules ... but plenty of time for physical training).<br /><br />DePew does a great job of explaining both the psychological and physiological effects of recall, and brings readers right into the barracks with him. His fellow servicemen become like buddies for us as we get to know their stories and see their hopes and fears.<br /><br />Well-done and highly recommended for those who enjoy military memoirs.</span><br /><a href="https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/80793">Recall! Return of the IRR</a><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">On top of that, guess what I found when I looked at Amazon.de? As you know, Germany is one of the major markets for my first book "SAT &amp; BAF! Memories of a Tower Rat". A lot of Germans are on my fan page. Here's what I found on the German front:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Amazon Bestseller-Rang: #5.124 Bezahlt in Kindle-Shop (Siehe Top 100 Bezahlt in Kindle-Shop) <br />Nr. 3 in Englische Bücher &gt; Geschichte &gt; Militär &gt; Waffen &amp; Kriegsführung <br />Nr. 4 in Kindle-Shop &gt; eBooks &gt; Fremdsprachige eBooks &gt; Englische eBooks &gt; Biografien &amp; Erinnerungen &gt; Politiker &amp; Persönlichkeiten &gt; Militär <br />Nr. 4 in Kindle-Shop &gt; eBooks &gt; Fremdsprachige eBooks &gt; Englische eBooks &gt; Biografien &amp; Erinnerungen &gt; Fachleute &amp; Akademiker &gt; Militär &amp; Spione <br /><br />...in Germany! In English, that says:</span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Amazon Bestsellers Rank: # 5,124 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)<br /># 3&gt; in Books History&gt; Military&gt; Weapons &amp; Warfare<br /># 4 in Kindle Store&gt; eBooks&gt; eBooks Foreign Language&gt; English eBooks&gt; Biographies &amp; Memoirs&gt; Politicians &amp; People&gt; Military<br /># 4 in Kindle Store&gt; eBooks&gt; eBooks Foreign Language&gt; English eBooks&gt; Biographies &amp; Memoirs&gt; Professionals &amp; Academics&gt; Military &amp; Spies</span><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.amazon.de/SAT-BAF-Memories-Tower-ebook/dp/B004OR1I5G/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&amp;qid=1345590638&amp;sr=8-1">"SAT &amp; BAF!" on Amazon.de</a></span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">How's that for some good news? Wow, what a good day! I needed a smile, and the world gave it to me. I hope everybody out there is also having a good day. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-size: large;">Doug</span><br /><br /><br />DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-3254519639039016712012-07-31T20:47:00.001-05:002012-07-31T20:47:31.228-05:00Review of "They Met at Gettysburg" by Gen. Edward J. StackpoleI enjoyed "They Met At Gettysburg". I've studied the Civil War pretty extensively, but much of my reading has been about the Trans-Mississippi and western war. I only briefly studied the big battles of the east in college. I grabbed this book to help expand my knowledge to a more full picture.<br /><br />This book gives a great overview of the major players of the battle on both sides with particular emphasis on Lee and Meade. It draws mainly from secondary sources to paint an overall picture of both commanders' leadership style. This is not a minute by minute account of the tactical actions. It's more of a strategic overview. It kept me interested because I've never been overly interested in blow by blow looks at major battles unless they come from the line soldier's point of view. I liked the style of this story and how it was told. <br /><br />There are maps and pictures throughout the book. I found them very hard to read on a Kindle. In a paperback, they would be interesting. I love to read maps and see pictures as I go through a history book and was disappointed that I couldn't see any details. I must have picked up this book on a free promotion because I see it's now $9 on Kindle. I wouldn't pay that for it on Kindle. It is worth the regular price in paperback to me. <br /><br />Overall, I enjoyed this book. I'd recommend it to anyone interested in learning a bit about a pivotal battle of the American Civil War and the commanders who engineered it. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007EMUOK8/ref=cm_cr_thx_view">The Met At Gettysburg</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-89790757369515239402012-07-26T18:04:00.000-05:002012-07-26T18:04:40.525-05:00Memories...<div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">It's amazing what can stir up memories. My first book "SAT &amp; BAF!" was sparked by re-gaining contact with one of my old team leaders from Germany. He sent me a message on facebook that reminded me of what an amazing, life-changing experience we had over there. That flooded into the book. The memories came back so fast that I could barely get them down on paper. </span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">I tried to find as many of the main characters as I could when the book first came out. I wanted to send all of them a copy. They're really why I wrote the book. It isn't that I think my experiences were all that amazing. It's not that I was some kind of super-soldier. I was just one of millions. I wrote it for all of us. I think I was pretty typical of the American soldiers who served overseas in the Cold War. Yes, we were a unique unit that did an important job, but everybody did <em>something</em> we did. I wrote the book for the guys who were next to me literally and for the million who were figuratively. It's a book for the Cold War warrior. </span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Well, a week or so ago a fan showed up on my Author page on facebook. He's one of the main characters I couldn't find. I tried very hard to track him down because he played such an important role in my life and in the book. I heard from his old roommate that he stayed in the Army and went on to become a helicopter pilot, but the last contact he'd had was in the mid-'90s. Since then, he'd just dropped off the face of the earth. The last time I saw him was in a chow hall at Fort Carson around 1989. Then he showed up on my fan page! I sent a friend request, but I hadn't heard anything back...until early this morning when I got this message. </span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">"Doug, I just finished <em>SAT &amp; BAF!</em> in one sitting. Thank you brother for a fascinating journey through some of the most cherished memories of my life." </span></strong></div><div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">Gregory A. Mc(deleted) aka Egghead</span></strong></div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;"></span></strong><br /><div></div><div><strong><span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: large;">That's exactly why I wrote this book.</span></strong></div></div>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-46945210056305447072012-07-11T17:56:00.002-05:002012-07-11T17:56:38.012-05:00Review of "Plague" by Lisa C. HinsleyI finished "Plague" late last night...probably a huge mistake. It's an extremely detailed account of a family's descent into Bubonic Plague's grasp. It actually could be a town, a nation, or a world's descent. The deeper plotline of love and loneliness made the graphic descriptions even more horrifying. It's well done.<br /><br />I began to feel like this must be how the victims of the plague felt. Ms. Hinsley just managed to move them to a modern day setting. I believe she did a masterful job of capturing that experience. I recommend this book highly. I don't recommend it just before bed, though.<br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/Plague-ebook/dp/B006PDKEE8/ref=cm_cr-mr-title">Plague</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7295450645567668829.post-36514835257189488502012-07-09T12:57:00.003-05:002012-07-09T12:57:26.437-05:00Review of "The Scorpion" by James A. AndersonI just finished "The Scorpion" last night. It's an extremely fast-paced thriller that definitely kept me entertained. Mr. Anderson weaved together several plotlines that flash back and forth throughout the book. We have a terrorist plot, a newspaper story, and a wedding all entwined. They reminded me of the strands of a rope winding through each other until he finally tied them into a knot at the end. It was quite well done. The style reminded me a bit of the Bourne movies.<br /><br />I haven't read Mr. Anderson's introductory novel, "Deadline", yet, but I look forward to it. I recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a quick, high-action thriller. I found it quite entertaining.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B007U78JO0/ref=cm_cr_thx_view">The Scorpion</a>DougDePewhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07889121477954348897noreply@blogger.com0
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