It's All About The Story
Fifty-eight years ago today, a flawed man, one who forever changed American Literature, died at his own hand. Genius is an over-used word, but that doesn't mean it is misapplied. It is applied across many different fields. Often times, it is up for debate if one is or is not a genius. Over used or... Continue Reading →
Please purchase a copy today. https://www.amazon.com/Springs-Eternal-Damaged-Broken-Collection/dp/1722717998/ War Springs Eternal is dedicated to my brothers and sisters in arms - -To those who were asked to do the unthinkable. -To those who HAD to do the unimaginable. -To those who are broken and still fighting. -To those for whom the fighting became too much. War Springs... Continue Reading →
May I trouble you to read the following excerpt, and if you are at all interested, click on the book's cover and please purchase a copy of War Springs Eternal? Thank you, Joe The sea air of The Shore is somehow both foreign and familiar. I can hear the bustle along the boardwalk. People are... Continue Reading →
To say I have been in a bad place lately would be a gross understatement. I am not unique in being damaged. We are all waging our own personal battles with the world. It is my hope through telling stories of the damaged and broken, I may spark discussions. To help us understand ourselves. To help... Continue Reading →
Of his style Hemingway observed, in “Death in the Afternoon,” “If a writer of prose knows enough about what he is writing about, he may omit things that he knows and the reader, if the writer is writing truly enough, will have a feeling of those things as strongly as though the writer had stated them.”
The following is from my debut novel, One Day I Was. In this passage The Old Man and Dominique are discussing Hemingway's suicide. “If my father was such a strong man, then why…” She held back tears, “why did he do something so cowardly and take his own life?” The Old Man stood up. ... Continue Reading →
War Springs Eternal by Joe Leonardi ©2018 All rights reserved. -1- Thunder announces a release from the earth. Fire ignites the darkness. Illuminating the night sky, Hell’s flame explodes bright orange. A yellow, oily rain falls upon the battlefield. It touches the soldiers. Skin boils and blisters. A few will die here. Many, will recover. The... Continue Reading →
The problem with many reviewers is that they are giving their opinion of what they like, not the quality of the story, and more importantly, not the value and understanding of the writer’s heart and soul.
“… the alteration of a word can throw an entire story out of key.” Ernest Hemingway I have had people criticize my work for breaking conventional rules of writing and grammar. Sometimes, these notes are accurate, and I make corrections. More often, they are given by those who believe themselves superior to the storyteller. These over... Continue Reading →
Recently I did a post entitled, Thank You Ernest Hemingway. The post contained seven tips from Hemingway on writing from open culture's website. The #6 tip was to write with a pencil. Hemingway gave three very very good reasons for using a pencil. All three basically boiled down to providing the writer multiple opportunities to... Continue Reading →
Each time I am writing a story, I read the following, and strive to do all except numbers 3 & 6 (which I will discuss in an upcoming post). This particular list comes from open culture. In a writing phase, I read these every morning, every night, and of course, each time before I sit... Continue Reading →
I had always believed living such a great life in my youth was a blessing. Now that I am older and realize my life will never be that great again; it has become a curse. Right out of high school, I began what was believed to be a grand adventure. I joined the navy with... Continue Reading →
Am I wrong in my presumption that by omitting parts of the story, they will understand the layered depth of the world I am creating? Or, is their perception limited only to what the words which appear on the page, or screen, tell them?
Cash can’t be saved. Retirement is nothing but a dream. I will most likely die on the job, or homeless, cryogenically preserved in some street’s gutter.
Thank you for all of you who follow and read my blog. Lately I have been posting almost daily. I am now getting back into writing "The Damaged and Broken Stories," so, will be posting about 2 - 3 times a week. The following are my plans for the next 6 months, I am expecting to... Continue Reading →
I have developed a bit of a disdain for the overuse of the term "mental illness." I truly believe it has become overused for what are normal personality traits and differences. In a country as free as the United States of America is supposed to be, we have a group of medical professionals and pharmaceutical... Continue Reading →
...because at that point in the story, the character is fragmented, and I want to convey that to the reader using the narrative. Instead of telling or showing, I want the reader to experience the story.
I am a self-published storyteller, not under contract by a major publishing house and have sold a very limited number of books. In the literary world, I am insignificant. That is the truth, but that truth doesn't change the reality that I am a storyteller. Storytelling is my passion and drive. Storytelling is my love... Continue Reading →
The fact of the matter is that life can suck. For so many there is no joy, there is no elation, there is no happiness. The treadmill to nowhere keeps moving and there is no choice but to keep pace until the effort causes the body to become frail, the mind to falter, and the soul to flail.
As writers and storytellers, we are often too in tune to our emotions and sensitivities. However, it can lead to unique insights.... There was a time I looked forward to each day. There was a time when I was ready. I now know I wasn't ready. I now know I won't ever be ready. The... Continue Reading →
According to Jenna Blum in The Author at Work, “Hemingway said that only the tip of the iceberg showed in fiction—your reader will see only what is above the water—but the knowledge that you have about your character that never makes it into the story acts as the bulk of the iceberg. And that is... Continue Reading →
Take a tour of Key West, Florida and follow the Old Man as he passes on his accumulated knowledge of being alive for more than 200 years. One Day I Was is a work of historical fiction that follows the Old Man on a journey through U.S. history. During his expansive lifetime, The Old Man... Continue Reading →
In 2019 I am expecting to release at least five more stories in The Damaged and Broken Collection --- • “It Is Never Just A Slap,” which I am currently working on, a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. •“Abandonment and Addiction,” a girl from a broken home who becomes addicted to heroin. •“A Father’s Son,” the breakdown of... Continue Reading →
Take a tour of Key West, Florida and follow the Old Man as he passes on his accumulated knowledge of being alive for more than 200 years. One Day I Was is a work of historical fiction that follows the Old Man on a journey through U.S. history. During his expansive lifetime, The Old Man... Continue Reading →
For many to whom these soulless and heartless messages of tough love are intended, it is only another assault on lives that have undergone repeated trauma. The platitudes are given without care or compassion, sympathy or empathy. They assail the damaged with as much ferocity as the biggest bully on the playground assaults the most innocent.
....doesn't mean you didn't write a good story! On the author pages to which I belong on social media, I see comments from authors distraught that someone gave their writing a negative review. In a profound way, when I read these comments, it pains me. When someone reviews a story, the odds are their review... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/dm_S_-zV-1E “Who am I?” I am an independent, self-published teller of tales. I am an author of scarcely any renown. However, as a storyteller, I know who I am, and with that persona, I am both confident and comfortable. I invite you to visit my website, ShortStoryScribe.com and/or Amazon Author Page, if you are so inclined please purchase a copy and... Continue Reading →
To get started, write one true sentence. Hemingway had a simple trick for overcoming writer's block. In a memorable passage in A Moveable Feast, he writes: Sometimes when I was starting a new story and I could not get it going, I would sit in front of the fire and squeeze the peel of the little... Continue Reading →
https://youtu.be/cuuH4HZ1X44 “Who am I?” The Damaged and Broken Collection I am an independent, self-published teller of tales. I am currently an author of scarcely any renown. However, as a storyteller, I know who I am, and with that persona, I am both confident and comfortable. I invite you to visit my website, ShortStoryScribe.com and/or Amazon Author Page, if you are so inclined please purchase... Continue Reading →
I spent much of my younger years as a vagabond, it is the life to which my very soul was drawn. While not looking. I found someone. That person claimed a desire to move with me. However, over time it was apparent she did not share my wanderlust. Sadly, I had become accustomed to a... Continue Reading →
"I am no longer the boy who came here, nor am I the man I was destined to be." Does a returning war veteran ever escape the horrors to which they bore witness? Shell shock was the terminology of WWI, today it is called PTSD. Whatever it is called, it has long lasting effects. War... Continue Reading →
People mistake conflict and chaos as abnormal. I believe they are the normal state. The universe was created of chaos. Instead of trying to fight it, we must adapt. Our response to the conflicted chaos is important. Chaos and conflict create the story. The concepts of chaos and conflict have led to "The Damaged and Broken Stories."Tales... Continue Reading →
I am a self-published storyteller, not under contract by a major publishing house and have sold a very limited number of books. In the literary world I am insignificant. That is the truth, but that truth doesn't change the reality that I am a storyteller. Storytelling is my passion and drive. Storytelling is my love... Continue Reading →
Take a tour of Key West, Florida and follow the Old Man as he passes on his accumulated knowledge of being alive for more than 200 years. One Day I Was is a work of historical fiction that follows the Old Man on a journey through U.S. history. During his expansive lifetime, The Old Man... Continue Reading →
I have had people criticize my work for breaking conventional rules of writing and grammar. Sometimes, these notes are accurate, and I make corrections. Often, however, they are given by those who believe themselves superior to others. These over analytical people are more concerned with picking out the placement of a comma or a semicolon,... Continue Reading →
Happy New Year And, to all of my author friends, may 2019 be filled a plenty with many Mr. Henry Bemises. Of course, before his glasses broke. 📖 I invite you to visit my website, ShortStoryScribe.com and/or Amazon Author Page, if you are so inclined please Thank you,purchase a copy and leave a review. Joe amazon.com/author/docjoeleonardi https://www.shortstoryscribe.com/
Occasionally, I use quotes of writers I admire to open a blogpost. Today, I am going to quote myself..... "It isn’t about the number of words the author writes, it is about the story the author tells with the number of words written.... " Joe Leonardi I tend to agree with Edgar Allan Poe... Continue Reading →
In 2019 I am expecting to release at least five more stories in The Damaged and Broken Collection --- - “It Is Never Just A Slap,” which Iam currently working on, a woman trapped in an abusive relationship. - “Abandonment and Addiction,” a girl from a broken home who becomes addicted to heroin. - “A Father’s Son,” the... Continue Reading →
I kiss your neck, working my way down each shoulder With your permission I move my hands down the perfection which proves God exists Slowly your pants fall down your legs With great care, I lower you onto your back Gently I rub your body Again, I seek your approval A nod encourages me onward... Continue Reading →
I write short, and novelette length, stories because I am heavily influenced by both Poe and Hemingway. I like to tell a concise story, one that can be completed in one or two sittings. Additionally, in today's day and age, it is more advantageous for the reader to purchase, download and finish reading all in... Continue Reading →
For many, the holiday season is a joyous occasion. A time filled with fun, food and family. However, there are those for whom the time between Thanksgiving and New Year's is complete and unrelenting torment and torture. Sadly, many will take the occasion not to celebrate, but to attempt something they have thought about over... Continue Reading →
Rain strikes upon the glass Wind howls throughout the room My essence departs Along the gusts it rides Yours it seeks Together they again join The passage of time is not relevant The distance between us is erased The realities of life which separate us are no longer tangible Our souls again are entangled Our souls no longer... Continue Reading →
Chaos – a noun: complete disorder and confusion. Conflict – a verb: be incompatible or at variance; clash Two words. One a noun, the other used as a verb. Both connotate similar emotions. The universe was created of chaos. Human beings can’t seem to live for any extended periods without being in some state of... Continue Reading →
I had always believed living such a great life in my youth was a blessing. Now that I am older and realize my life will never be that great again; it has become a curse. Right out of high school, I began what was believed to be a grand adventure. I joined the navy with... Continue Reading →
Since I have yet discovered the path to earning a living as a writer, I have another career, one that takes a great deal of time, attention and devotion. Yet, that does not change the fact that I have a compulsion to write. There are some days, actually most, that if I don’t sit and... Continue Reading →
"I am no longer the boy who came here, nor am I the man I was destined to be." Does a returning war veteran ever escape the horrors to which they bore witness? Shell shock was the terminology of WWI, today it is called PTSD. Whatever it is called, it has long lasting effects. War... Continue Reading →
....more than likely, they are the ones who have never witnessed its horrors. My time in the United States Navy is one of which I am most proud and for all the life lessons I learned, one stands out above them all. I was temporarily assigned to an LHA, one of two on which I... Continue Reading →
Hemingway was counted among the lost generation. Today, are we living with a spoon-fed generation? Has a generation which has been conditioned by an educational system that teaches to standardized testing to be little more than automatons, regurgitating information and data as a demonstration of intelligence, now having difficulty grasping Papa's concept of omission as a means... Continue Reading →
It only took one illness, one which nearly took my life, and the resultant decimation of my business, my finances and marriage for me to learn a valuable lesson.
