Starting back in February, we had our first scheduled book signing in 2011 for “The Night Eagles Soared.” It was there in Charleston S.C. that I started speaking publicly when I practiced my material on my sister –in-laws book club. I finished the tour over the Memorial Day weekend at a joint book signing with author Jeff Falkel on Fort Knox Kentucky; both of which was a huge honor for me! Since February, we have traveled to the East Coast, the Midwest, up North and down South. I’ve met some incredible authors and fantastic readers in an effort to get the word out about my writing. Now my big “Spring Offensive” has come to an end as my wife and I start our move to our new home in Charleston, South Carolina.
Some of my favorite memories over the last five months came from the times when I was given a chance to speak publicly. I started my “Academic Lectureship” at Lake Erie College by speaking about the “Creation of Legacy”. I finished my speaking engagements at the Task Force Dagger Foundation’s, Ozark Fishing Adventure. It was there that I was given the opportunity to speak at the Bull Shoals Arkansas, VFW Benefit Dinner; which was held in honor of Our Warriors who attended the event.
One of the most memorable events at which I was given a chance to speak was at the 1st Annual Northern Oklahoma, Literary Arts and Book Festival in Ponca City, Oklahoma. For some reason it struck me to tell the story of my mother and her wayward ways. I spoke of how she named me and the dream I had a few weeks after her death in which she confirmed to me that there is a heaven for good people, for everybody with a kind heart, even if…throughout their lives they had claimed to not believe in God. I’ve since titled that story, “The Trust Fund My Son, The Trust Fund” and one day I may put it on paper. Still, the highlight of the NOLA festival was meeting fellow authors; Eyvonna Rains, Elaine Littau, Ursula Gorman, Kristi Burchfiel and many more!
Since we started the New Year, I have also completed my second book titled “Burnt Yellow and Red,” outlined a third book and I am in the process of writing a screenplay just for the fun of it. The places I’ve been, the people I’ve met, the fellowship shared has all meant a great deal to me. There were a great many lessons learned as well.
It has been a long road, six thousand miles, fifteen events, the screen writer’s workshop, and an interview on KTLO 101.7 Fm in Mountain Home Arkansas. I hate to admit it, but it was all punctuated by an indescribable need to jump on face book and tell everybody what was going on. For those of you who have brushed across my path during the great Spring Offensive of 2011, I will forever be grateful. Now it is time for me to work on my Southern accent since I hope to become a “Gentlemen Fahmah from South Kha-OH-line-ah.” My accent is like my war face…I need to work on it!
Steve Newman Aka….S. B. Newman, Author
Sent to my via email from my good friend and fellow author, Joyce Godwin Grubbs: Author from the Grassroots
ReplyDeleteThis blog post is such "fun" as we are "with you" on this journey. And it is a journey that reveals the success you have found not just because you have written a stellar novel as your debut effort, but because there is an underlying power in the message that novel delivered. That is a message for everyone regardless of age, gender, religious or political persuasion. That is because we all are protected by the valiant military who keep us free, and many of us, the novices, have no idea the cost or process of that happening.
You, S.B. Newman, pulled back the curtain and revealed to us the secrets" and "mysteries" and did it in such a way that even a 68 year old woman from Iowa, formerly Oklahoma, could be mesmerized and unable to put down the book until she had read it cover to cover.
I am better for having read your book, and I am blessed to understand more about the sacrifice our warriors make. I am comforted as my nephew serves in Afghanistan that there is no better support group than his military family to see him through.
I am now hopeful that our country is still in "safe" hands and it causes me to give thanks. God Bless the U.S. Military, and God Bless you, Steve Newman. Keep writing, keep sharing from your heart and your experience. You have much to share, and we all need to hear it.
I would like to "second" that for a "second time" Steve. It looks as though we will find that "war" like the "poor" will always be with us as foretold in the Bible. Therefore, we all need to "arm" and "comfort" ourselves with knowledge: knowledge of what to expect as one goes into the military, and comfort in the camaradarie they will find and the commitment of their comrades to "stand by them" and "not leave them behind."
ReplyDeleteThese books show just that, in detail. It has been my blessing to have read "The Night Eagles Soared" and to have been a content reader for "Burnt Yellow and Red."
Often we "throw around" the term "Never Forget" and perhaps we should consider amending that by knowing that to "Never Forget" we must first understand what happened to our military people. To fully know what it is we should "Never Forget we must "put ourselves in their boots and walk a mile saluting and living with discipline."
It is my continued opinion that the writing of S.B. Newman is empathetic, spot on and an honest revelation of those experiences and the valor that make our military the very greatest in the world because it is, at its core "real men and women filled with the tradition of American principles." The military is an equalizer where service personnel can be poor farm boys (girls). Ivy league educated, rock n'roll enthusiasts, faith-based clergy,and any of those who feel called to service or make a strategic career choice based on sound economic goals.
Thank you Steve for your continued sacrifices of time and effort in order to get these books out there for the benefit of others. My very best and continued wishes for your every success.
Thank you Joyce! Thank you! I enjoy writing the stories, and I am glad to see that you and others enjoy them. The fact that there is a take away lesson involved is like Icing on the cake! You will recognize the original manuscript in the final version of the book that has now been expanded by over 25k words since you last read it. There was one scene in particular that I struggled with, one scene that spells out exactly what the Title "Burnt Yellow and Red" is all about. I've rewritten that scene several times and now without fear, without question...it clearly spells out the message in the title. Still the symbolic colors described in the title will prove to represent so many things to many different people. God Bless you Joyce, Always!
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