As a young boy back home in Oklahoma, one of my earliest memories of my father was of watching him shoot the breeze with good ole boys around the bed of his pick up truck. Usually, I was sitting in the middle, being seen not heard as I listened to the pearls of wisdom that were shared. I had a big black dog named “Killer” and he was usually within an arms reach of me at any given time, especially when I sat there, in the back of that truck listening to my father and his friends speak about current events and try to solve the problems of the world.
There were expressions they all used that conveyed their sentiment in such a way that the meaning was automatically understood; although as a young boy, I never really knew what they were talking about, much less the subject. I did remember some of the expressions though. My dad would often say, “Only time will tell,” Or “Don’t get your hopes up,” or “Hope for the best, expect the worst.”
The other day my younger brother Clay used an analogy that I had forgotten. Clay wrote to me on face book in response to my last blog post, “Six Thousand Miles Later.” He wrote in response to my complaint that, despite all the success I had experienced, I still had not achieved the extraordinary success that is in my heart. He simply wrote, “It is like a thunderstorm.”
I thought about that for a while and he is correct, success is like a thunderstorm. We start with the clouds building and then most certainly there will be a flash or two of lightning. Then we may get a little precipitation and high winds. There may even be a tornado that comes along and wipes everything out, and then a deluge of rain, some hail. When it is all over, if we survive then inevitably the sun will come out and shine brightly. If we are lucky, a rainbow may appear.
I saw a picture of a double rainbow that appeared over Joplin just after the storm had passed. I thought that is Gods way of saying, “There is still hope!” Hope is something that we all cling to. Hope that things will work out. Hope that the storms in life will pass. Hope that we have chosen the right path. Hope that we will succeed. I hold out hope for my wife, for my kids, for my family. Hope for my country and our soldiers. I think we all cling to that word a great deal and by doing so we are able to make a difference in the lives of others.
The other day a young man asked me for advice as he had just joined the army and so I shared a few thoughts with him. “Keep your hopes high and your expectations real. Do one thing everyday to make things better for yourself and your unit. Always, always keep things on the up and no matter what, never quit. If things get really tough say, feet don’t fail me now and drive on. If you are wondering how it will be? Know that only time will tell and never, ever forget about your family. They are the ones that will be there for you when it is all said and done.”
I sure miss my dog, “Killer” but that is a different story.
Friday, June 3, 2011
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Six Thousand Miles Later
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
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
Monday, May 23, 2011
The Taks Force Dagger Ozark Fishing Adventure
Task Force Dagger Ozark Fishing Adventure
This weekend my wife and I traveled to the Twin Lakes area of Northern Arkansas for the Task Force Dagger Ozark Fishing Adventure. The event was staged out of Bull Shoals Arkansas; which is an incredible community of patriotic citizens who went all out to make sure the participants enjoyed their visit. The entire trip was an extraordinary experience for both my wife and I; and so my hat goes off to the Task Force Dagger personnel that made it so enjoyable and worthwhile.
Jimbo Blakeslee and his wife Deb were the driving force behind the logistical organization for the event. They kept the ball rolling with military precision as the participants were given the opportunity to fish for Trout in the White River, visit the National Fish Hatchery below the Norfolk Lake Damn, attend a spaghetti dinner with the entire community of Pontiac Missouri, Fish Bull Shoals Lake several times and then attend an incredible benefit dinner at the Bull Shoals VFW post. The fishing was great, the chow was phenomenal and the local community went all out to show their support for our warriors.
The event revolved around providing Our Warriors with an opportunity to go fishing but the overall effort of the Task Force Dagger Foundation is to provide Our Wounded Warriors an opportunity to discover their new capabilities as they make the transition to becoming a civilian. The “Recreational Therapy” is instrumental in providing our soldiers an opportunity to reconcile their warrior spirit with the reality of civilian life. It is no small task and I salute the efforts of the foundation and encourage my readers to join me in supporting the Task Force Dagger Foundation as we move forward into the summer and fall.
God Bless them all!
This weekend my wife and I traveled to the Twin Lakes area of Northern Arkansas for the Task Force Dagger Ozark Fishing Adventure. The event was staged out of Bull Shoals Arkansas; which is an incredible community of patriotic citizens who went all out to make sure the participants enjoyed their visit. The entire trip was an extraordinary experience for both my wife and I; and so my hat goes off to the Task Force Dagger personnel that made it so enjoyable and worthwhile.
Jimbo Blakeslee and his wife Deb were the driving force behind the logistical organization for the event. They kept the ball rolling with military precision as the participants were given the opportunity to fish for Trout in the White River, visit the National Fish Hatchery below the Norfolk Lake Damn, attend a spaghetti dinner with the entire community of Pontiac Missouri, Fish Bull Shoals Lake several times and then attend an incredible benefit dinner at the Bull Shoals VFW post. The fishing was great, the chow was phenomenal and the local community went all out to show their support for our warriors.
The event revolved around providing Our Warriors with an opportunity to go fishing but the overall effort of the Task Force Dagger Foundation is to provide Our Wounded Warriors an opportunity to discover their new capabilities as they make the transition to becoming a civilian. The “Recreational Therapy” is instrumental in providing our soldiers an opportunity to reconcile their warrior spirit with the reality of civilian life. It is no small task and I salute the efforts of the foundation and encourage my readers to join me in supporting the Task Force Dagger Foundation as we move forward into the summer and fall.
God Bless them all!
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
Support the Task Force Dagger Foundation
My name is Steve Newman and I am the Author of a book titled, “The Night Eagles Soared.” On the cover you will notice that I have used the pen name S. B. Newman and I did that for a reason. You see, there are a million and a half Steve Newman’s in the world and they have all written or composed a poem, a song, a book or a movie. I had to find a way to differentiate myself from the crowd. That is why I used my initials as a pen name and they stand for Steven Boyd Newman.
I haven’t been a writer my entire life. I am a veteran…a twenty year veteran of the United States Army Special Forces and I have become a writer since my retirement from the Green Berets in 2003…after having spent close to a year in Afghanistan.
It was during that time that I came up with the idea for the premise and the title for my book. We used to say that “You have to fly with the Turkey’s before you can soar like an Eagle.” The title also calls upon the memory of that night…that night that was not unlike the Doolittle raid during WWII. That was the night the United States first struck back against our enemies. The book draws it premise from that night we struck back against those who had attacked our great nation on 9-11.
This is my first book, and I have the sequel titled “Burnt Yellow and Red” going through the production process as we speak. I’ve also started work on a third book that hasn’t been titled as of yet. It will be the third book in a series of three. I am also currently working on a screen play based on the story in the “The Night Eagles Soared.”
Often I am asked why I wrote the book and for me I know that there were many reasons. Deep down inside I knew that I had a story to tell, a story worth telling and so I put it in writing. And…even though it is told in first person narrative, the story isn’t about me…it is about all of us who have served at any given point in history. It is about the progression of a young man as he becomes a warrior who leads others into combat.
Today our military is an all volunteer force of young men and women who have been fighting a shooting war for over ten years. The hardships endured…are no less difficult or violent…than in any other conflict in our nation’s history. The difference today is that…this war has a different and some would say…more difficult setting.
One thing I hope that folks will take away from my work is that even though these volunteers become warriors…they are still human beings…with a heart and soul… just like everybody else.
In the following scene from the book, titled, “The Heart of a Soldier,” Mike the protagonist has just performed his cherry blast right out of Jump School. He has performed a Tailgate C-130…Full Combat Equipment…Static Line Parachute operation into Camp Mackall to start the Special Forces Qualification Course. He lands on the drop zone and we pick up the story from there.
(Excerpt from the book, page 44)
I laid there for a second, eyes closed, trying to collect my senses. One of the instructors began yelling, “Get the hell off my drop zone, Airborne.” And the C-130 swooped in, landing as it screamed past me only a hundred feet away. The roar of its engines was amplified as the sound reflected off of the tall pines that surrounded the airfield. The plane spun around, lowering its ramp, ready for another load.
My platoon was forming up. The sergeant gained accountability as we turned in our parachutes and reported back. Once we were all together, we marched back to the camp, singing slowly in a low baritone voice, keeping rhythm with our steps. The sun slowly sank behind us, below the trees, as we marched through the dust and into the shadows.
The heart of a soldier is the soul of a man. He is a knight without armor in a war-torn land. A fast gun for hire is an SF soldier. SF soldier, SF soldier, where have you been? Around the world and back again!
Our first day in the Special Forces was almost over as we marched in the darkness down the hill and into the camp. There were lights on in the large classroom; and the mercury light on the telephone pole outside the camp headquarters was already on, lighting up the gravel parking lot but blocking out visibility of anything beyond that.
That is how life is isn’t it? It is hard to see beyond the light that shines on the moment we are in. Through my writing, I also hope to shine some light on the legacy we leave behind as soldiers and how we all come to that point in our lives, in our lives as warriors when we realize … that we all get out of the military, eventually…for one reason or the other.
It is at this juncture in our lives that we must learn to reconcile our warrior spirit with the reality of being a civilian…with the reality of our new capabilities. That is when we must ask ourselves this question.
“What is it that I can do with the rest of my life that will benefit those I love and care about the most for generations to come?”
It doesn’t matter how old you are. If we can answer that question, we will know exactly what it is we are meant to do with the rest of our lives. The answer will give us a goal that we can strive to accomplish a little at a time by doing something every day in order to achieve it.
I’ve heard it said that the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the next best time is today. Think about that for a second?
It is impossible to become a huge oak tree over night…it takes time. If that tree hasn’t already been planted, if it wasn’t planted twenty years ago, then it needs to be planted today and that is why I support the VFW and Task Force Dagger Foundation.
Both organizations are planting seeds of hope! Seeds of hope that will enable warriors like us to accomplish great things with the rest of our lives…seeds of hope that enable us all to see beyond our present circumstance…to visualize a future that will ensure a legacy of pride and hope for those we love and care about the most for generations to come.
God Bless our nations’ finest…God bless our warriors…God bless the VFW…God bless the Task Force Dagger Foundation! (Pause) Thank you and God bless you all!
I haven’t been a writer my entire life. I am a veteran…a twenty year veteran of the United States Army Special Forces and I have become a writer since my retirement from the Green Berets in 2003…after having spent close to a year in Afghanistan.
It was during that time that I came up with the idea for the premise and the title for my book. We used to say that “You have to fly with the Turkey’s before you can soar like an Eagle.” The title also calls upon the memory of that night…that night that was not unlike the Doolittle raid during WWII. That was the night the United States first struck back against our enemies. The book draws it premise from that night we struck back against those who had attacked our great nation on 9-11.
This is my first book, and I have the sequel titled “Burnt Yellow and Red” going through the production process as we speak. I’ve also started work on a third book that hasn’t been titled as of yet. It will be the third book in a series of three. I am also currently working on a screen play based on the story in the “The Night Eagles Soared.”
Often I am asked why I wrote the book and for me I know that there were many reasons. Deep down inside I knew that I had a story to tell, a story worth telling and so I put it in writing. And…even though it is told in first person narrative, the story isn’t about me…it is about all of us who have served at any given point in history. It is about the progression of a young man as he becomes a warrior who leads others into combat.
Today our military is an all volunteer force of young men and women who have been fighting a shooting war for over ten years. The hardships endured…are no less difficult or violent…than in any other conflict in our nation’s history. The difference today is that…this war has a different and some would say…more difficult setting.
One thing I hope that folks will take away from my work is that even though these volunteers become warriors…they are still human beings…with a heart and soul… just like everybody else.
In the following scene from the book, titled, “The Heart of a Soldier,” Mike the protagonist has just performed his cherry blast right out of Jump School. He has performed a Tailgate C-130…Full Combat Equipment…Static Line Parachute operation into Camp Mackall to start the Special Forces Qualification Course. He lands on the drop zone and we pick up the story from there.
(Excerpt from the book, page 44)
I laid there for a second, eyes closed, trying to collect my senses. One of the instructors began yelling, “Get the hell off my drop zone, Airborne.” And the C-130 swooped in, landing as it screamed past me only a hundred feet away. The roar of its engines was amplified as the sound reflected off of the tall pines that surrounded the airfield. The plane spun around, lowering its ramp, ready for another load.
My platoon was forming up. The sergeant gained accountability as we turned in our parachutes and reported back. Once we were all together, we marched back to the camp, singing slowly in a low baritone voice, keeping rhythm with our steps. The sun slowly sank behind us, below the trees, as we marched through the dust and into the shadows.
The heart of a soldier is the soul of a man. He is a knight without armor in a war-torn land. A fast gun for hire is an SF soldier. SF soldier, SF soldier, where have you been? Around the world and back again!
Our first day in the Special Forces was almost over as we marched in the darkness down the hill and into the camp. There were lights on in the large classroom; and the mercury light on the telephone pole outside the camp headquarters was already on, lighting up the gravel parking lot but blocking out visibility of anything beyond that.
That is how life is isn’t it? It is hard to see beyond the light that shines on the moment we are in. Through my writing, I also hope to shine some light on the legacy we leave behind as soldiers and how we all come to that point in our lives, in our lives as warriors when we realize … that we all get out of the military, eventually…for one reason or the other.
It is at this juncture in our lives that we must learn to reconcile our warrior spirit with the reality of being a civilian…with the reality of our new capabilities. That is when we must ask ourselves this question.
“What is it that I can do with the rest of my life that will benefit those I love and care about the most for generations to come?”
It doesn’t matter how old you are. If we can answer that question, we will know exactly what it is we are meant to do with the rest of our lives. The answer will give us a goal that we can strive to accomplish a little at a time by doing something every day in order to achieve it.
I’ve heard it said that the best time to plant a tree was twenty years ago, the next best time is today. Think about that for a second?
It is impossible to become a huge oak tree over night…it takes time. If that tree hasn’t already been planted, if it wasn’t planted twenty years ago, then it needs to be planted today and that is why I support the VFW and Task Force Dagger Foundation.
Both organizations are planting seeds of hope! Seeds of hope that will enable warriors like us to accomplish great things with the rest of our lives…seeds of hope that enable us all to see beyond our present circumstance…to visualize a future that will ensure a legacy of pride and hope for those we love and care about the most for generations to come.
God Bless our nations’ finest…God bless our warriors…God bless the VFW…God bless the Task Force Dagger Foundation! (Pause) Thank you and God bless you all!
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