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I'd be lying if I didn't admit to having a serious bout of trepidation when I headed off the other night to see "Crazy Heart," the new Fox Searchlight film that stars Jeff Bridges as Bad Blake, a hard-drinking, faded country star relegated to one-night gigs at bowling alleys and dingy saloons. After all, if there's ever a subject that been mined deeply in movies, it's the saga of the self-destructive country music singer. With so many real-life role models, from Hank Williams to George Jones to Waylon Jennings to Steve Earle (and about 100 others), it's a trajectory that's hard to avoid.
In the second novel that I’m writing, I was inspired to have my characters, David and Desiree, deal a Tarot card spread. They’d just met in the Rome airport on the way to Venice, Italy, and Desiree is going to a Tarot Ball during Carnival. She produces a deck of Tarot cards, showing David her costume–a nearly naked lady called The World. The cards’ instruction booklet explains how to use them to answer questions. At this point, as yet unknown to the characters, I intended to map out a direction for these soon-to-be lovers. I shuffled then dealt the cards for them, asking David’s question about why he was driven on a quest to visit Venice during Carnival. I was blown away by how close the progression of cards came to the direction I felt the story was headed. But that was nothing compared to what happened last Saturday!
Weeks ago, while writing a scene, I needed an appropriate costume for 20-year-old David to wear to the Tarot Ball. I looked through my deck of Tarot cards and, on a whim, decided on the Page of Cups. The image of a youth in a blue and yellow striped tunic holding a golden cup with a fish sticking out the top somehow felt right.
Saturday, as I plotted out the next scenes, I decided it was time for David and Desiree, now becoming a romantic item, to do another Tarot spread. I asked their question: “What is the future for us?” and dealt the cards. The progression of the seven cards had warnings of foes pretending to be friends and dire obstacles ahead, perfectly synchronized with the story in my mind. AND the Final Outcome card was the Page of Cups.
Sometimes I feel like unseen forces are guiding my imagination. I think I know what I’m going to write then something entirely unexpected will end up on the page. I enjoy the surprise and marvel that it came from me. What fun!
Ken Atchity - AEI
Ken Atchity is probably one of the most prolific manager/producers I know. He's an amazing man who is brilliant in every way. I had the opportunity to speak with him over the phone about something I thought many writers would find interesting, how to turn your book into a film. Here's a glimpse into our conversation:
Jeff Rivera: I'm talking to Ken Atchity from Atchity Entertainment, and he’s going to be talking to us about how to translate your novel from the get go to be ready for film and television. So Ken welcome very much to the teleseminar.
Then Sergeant Faith came to see him. She walked in, upright and proud, and in that moment, everything changed. Sergeant Faith, a mixed-breed dog, was also missing two legs, yet was walking just as a human walks, on two strong back legs. Missing limbs were not holding her back.
“I know he was absolutely moved,” said Jude Stringfellow, Faith’s owner. “He said ‘I know if a dog can do it, I can do it.’”
Frankie continued with his rehabilitation and received two artificial limbs. Before he left Walter Reed, he called Stringfellow on the phone.
“He said, ‘I’m walking out of the hospital, put Faith on the phone.’”
There are other soldiers with similar stories of Faith. Greg, a 19-year-old, had also lost his legs while in Iraq. He met Faith just after his amputation and, said Stringfellow; the dog helped him in his recovery.
“People like to talk to Faith,” said Stringfellow. “It teaches them they’re going to be okay. It brings a smile to their face.”
Jude Stringfellow’s first glimpse of Faith was as a squirming ball of something under her son Reuben’s jersey. Reuben had gone to help a friend bury a litter of puppies that had died nearby in their Oklahoma City neighbourhood, but it turned out that one pup was still alive. The boy couldn’t turn his back on what he saw: a puppy with two big, pleading eyes, two floppy ears, and only two working legs. One front leg was missing completely and the other was misplaced and deformed, ultimately atrophying and being removed while she was still a pup.
Stringfellow, a struggling single mom of three, already had a family dog and surely didn’t want another dog to care for and feed.
“Having another dog was out of the question,” said Stringfellow. But when her son asked, “Can we fix her?” Stringfellow changed her mind, though she “didn’t think she would live through the night. The vet said it didn’t look good.”
But Faith did live through the night. Following veterinary advice, Stringfellow propped little Faith up with pillows to get her off her chest. With constant encouragement, Faith started to develop strength in her back limbs and started moving.
“We put peanut better on the end of a spoon and held it above nose level,” she said. “She’d try to lick it and fall over, like any other toddler. Eventually her back legs became strong enough to sit up like a squirrel then her belly muscles became stronger so she could sit straight up. That took about three weeks.”
One day, the family took Faith out outside, where there was deep snow. To their utter amazement, she started hopping. The family went wild with excitement.
“She kept doing it over again,” said Stringfellow. “Then we watched her hop in the house. She’d hop over shoes and pillows. She’d hop from the floor to the couch.”
As surprised as she was, Stringfellow said she saw from the first moment the determination, intelligence, and ambition in Faith’s eyes.
“I’d watch her play with the other dogs and she didn’t care that she didn’t have legs. They didn’t care either.”
But hopping wasn’t to be Faith’s preferred mode of mobility. Reuben’s birthday was coming up and Stringfellow didn’t have money for a present. Faith provided one—she started to walk.
“She walked upright like a human,” she said. Stringfellow called a local TV station and by that evening, the story of Faith’s walking was being disseminated by the Associated Press.
Stringfellow said Faith has a profound affect on everyone she meets. Three years after the dog came to live with her, Stringfellow started doing motivational talks throughout the country, with Faith as proof that anything was possible.
It was at Fort Lewis, an army base near Seattle, while visiting soldiers stationed there, that Faith became an honourary sergeant for the day. But as she continued to do her military work, everyone continued to refer to her as Sergeant Faith. A general told Stringfellow that was just fine, because once you’re in the army, you’ll always be in the army.
Of course, it isn’t just soldiers who benefit from Faith’s message of hope and determination. A 13-year-old girl in Panama City who was in a wheelchair played hooky from school to meet Faith about two years ago.
“She spent all day with Faith,” said Stringfellow. “She felt important and needed and hadn’t felt that way in a while. She learned that being handicapped doesn’t stop you from doing what’s needed. She became a spokesperson for handicapped kids in her area and ultimately ran for school council and won.”
As much inspiration as Faith has brought to the strangers she has met, this amazing dog saved her best work for home. Stringfellow explained that just prior to Faith’s arrival, her family had endured the awful after-effects of a messy divorce, including a five-year custody battle. She was only working part-time as a teacher and was not receiving any child support for her kids, then aged 17, 13, and 12.
“Before we got her, we were looking and acting like a hand without a thumb. We were working independently. I couldn’t make anyone do anything,” said Stringfellow. Once Faith arrived, the family had to work collectively to make sure Faith got everything she needed.
“Faith is like a thumb—she forced us to be a family.”
Update: Shortly after Christmas, Jude was contacted by a pet rescue organization that had received a litter of pups—including one little guy with only two legs. Tanker, as he is now named, came to live with Jude and her family. Jude plans to love him, hug him, squeeze him, train him, spoil him, and put him in the same category as Faith—a natural dog with a purpose. Like Faith, Tanker will travel around the world making soldiers (and others) smile, teaching that if a dog can do it, you can do it, too.
The Press, The Pharmacy, and the Plumber
Have you ever tried to plan a trip, and you swear that this time it will be different? You will make all kinds of lists of things that must be done. You start a week ahead of time, planning each day, so that this time it will go more smoothly. I was on top of it this time. I knew what had to be done, on which day. I would not become stressed.
Nancy Grace's first novel is out. It's number six on the New York Times list. There are two main characters in her book, and I'm the second one. She uses my real name, and one of my best old dogs is in it. His name was Sidney Sea Biscuit.
The first time I went out of town after Bill died,
The second trip I took, Apache, his sister had a stroke.
This time, two of the wiener dogs backs went out. They are eleven years old, so this is no surprise. It happens every now and then. They may know that they aren't going, so it may be in their minds, but I knew I needed to get meds for them. I called the vet and she said she would call the pharmacy and I could pick it up later.
In the meantime, every faucet in the house became haunted. I couldn't turn them off. The kitchen and the bathroom. The hot water faucet in the shower came off in my hand. Labor Day was coming up and I knew I needed a plumber now. If I didn't hurry, it would cost twice as much because of the holiday.
I forgot about my many lists, and got to work on other stuff. Stuff happens.
The press down on the island got in touch with me for an interview. At least itwas via computer, so I could have a cup of coffee and actually think a little before I answered her questions. There was lots of going back and forth on questions and answers.
This particular paper is not fond of me. They were on the other side of the "beach battle" that we fought and won. Movers and shakers and politicians wanted to pump our beaches with dredge material. We fought the good fight for years and finally stopped the project, but only after I had to run for islands commissioner, and won. So, I'm pretty much on the skids with the press. It will be interesting to see how the article compares to what I actually said to her. At least I have a written copy of what I said, not that it will make any difference.
Nancy Grace couldn't go to the island to sign her books. She's too busy with her show and her twins, so I told Beachview Books that I would come down, and sign for her since half of the book is set on
The interview took the good part of one day and into the next, then it was the running water and the meds that needed to be picked up. Not on my list, damnit.
I had no idea the plumber was going to be here two days. The first day, he fixed everything for six hundred dollars. Gasp.
He was a charming guy. So unlike other plumbers I had dealt with. He actually knew what he was doing. How did that happen? As I was writing the check, I noticed his fly was down. I told him and he got so embarrassed. He said these particular pants just couldn't hold his fly up. Then he says he has to check the pressure. He comes back in and says the water pressure is 150 and it should only be fifty, and that he can't guarantee the work if the pressure isn't right. I told him to talk to the landlady about this, as it was going to cost another four hundred fifty dollars. His company talked to her and arranged for him to come back the next day. He was under the house for hours. No one in their right mind would go under the house. It's a tiny crawl space. Nasty place. But with a big smile he goes in and starts taking away my water pressure.
I don't know if you remember from a previous chapter that my first landlord was foreclosed on last December. The hot water heater died forever and I had no hot water for a month.
I moved back to the island into a house I couldn't afford with lots of dogs, cats and a parrot. I talked to the woman that bought this house after I left and she invited me to come back. Even though it was costing thousands of dollars to do this, I knew I couldn't live in a subdivision. I needed my five acres back, so I agreed and headed back to
After a few hours, he comes back in. He's really dirty, so he takes his shirt off. No big deal. He has an under shirt on underneath. I told him that was fine. So, I thank him, and he says, " How about a hug?" A hug?! Is it appropriate to hug the plumber? I don't think so, although for a second I considered it. Someone told me once that we would die if we didn't get six hugs a day. If I knew six people to hug, it would take me all day to track them down to get six hugs. So, I ignored his request for a hug. A little later we were talking about something else, and I mentioned that any minute now I was going to be turning sixty. It was really hard to say that. It stuck in my throat. I had my back to him. I turned around just as I said it, and I thought the poor guy was going to throw up. It turns out he was born either in 1983 or 1985. I can't remember which year, as I was still in shock myself realizing I was going to turn SIXTY very soon. In 1983, I was busy marrying Bill when this kid was born. If it was 1985, I was in
He even gave me a present. He found a four foot long snake skin under the house. We decided to leave it in front of the door to scare anyone that dared to come visit. It was fun to have company for two days, but I knew that there would be no happy ending. The landlady had just paid this guy a thousand dollars to take away the only thing that I loved more than anything. Water pressure.
After he left, I couldn't wait to take a shower. I knew that the faucet was not going to come off in my hand ever again, and nothing was going to drip or flow when it shouldn't.
I got in my new shower, and sure enough, it was like taking a shower in a third world country. No pressure. The one thing that had convinced me to come back to this house. It seemed kind of strange to pay someone a thousand dollars to take away something you loved. I didn't have much time to cry about lost pressure. I had to get the dogs their meds.
It took the pharmacy three days to get the stuff. I don't know. Maybe they mixed it up in
So, here I am, writing a chapter. I haven't even looked at the list. I'll be running my ass of at the last minute, just like always. I'll forget to do a million things.
The plumber has gone to Disney World.
I probably picked up Swine Flu at the pharmacy, and the doggie meds cost a hundred dollars.
Lists are a complete waste of time. The Travel Gods are laughing at me again.
I just bet ya, it rains all week.
It’s not just Jeff Bridges who leaps onto the Oscar landscape with Scott Cooper’s “Crazy Heart.” It’s possible in a few months that we’ll be talking pretty seriously about Maggie Gyllenhaal in the supporting actress race and, most certainly, T-Bone Burnett’s contributions as the film’s music supervisor.
Fox Searchlight screened the film this morning to a handful of press and will do so again this evening, looking to gauge reactions to what could be a big boost both on the awards front and commercially. With “Amelia” losing money at the box office and a dwindling slate of product for the Oscar push, it seemed almost inevitable that this little mid-summer pick-up would find its way onto the 2009 schedule. More and more, that’s looking to be the case.
But back to the film. I would rather not offer up a proper review for a movie that hasn’t been color-timed, still has some sound mixing work to be done and, on the whole, just isn’t finished yet, but I feel comfortable calling it a slow burn that settles warmly in the tradition of “Tender Mercies” or “Nobody’s Fool.” While it might be unfair to reduce it to a “country-music ‘Wrestler’” (as The Hollywood Reporter’s Steven Zeitchik did yesterday without having seen the film), that is nevertheless a pretty streamlined way of describing the narrative.
More importantly, however, that “performance of a lifetime” from Jeff Bridges that Fox Searchlight was on about when the studio bought the film nearly four months ago? I think it could be this year’s Oscar-winning lead actor turn walking away.
Bridges fully embodies the broken but spirited Bad Blake, an alcoholic country singer touring the Southwest in his 1970-something Suburban, playing any dive that’ll have him. He brings every inch of charisma and charm he has to a role that certainly doesn’t seem made for him on the surface, but somehow ends up entirely owned by the actor come film’s end.
Bridges haunts the stage behind a dark pair of aviator sunglasses, under a silvery, unshampooed mane, unmistakably conjuring the image of Hank Williams Jr. as he belts out a number of tunes from gig to gig. He shares the screen with Maggie Gyllenhaal, who plays Jean, a journalist and single-mother love interest. Gyllenhaal holds her own and provides a complex, emotional core to the story that could also nail down a few kudos here and there.
Colin Farrell has something of a glorified cameo as Tommy Sweet, a famous modern country star who owes his career to Blake, while Robert Duvall (who also serves as one of the film’s producers, along with Burnett, in fact) offers a small but meaningful supporting turn as Blake’s confidante.
Speaking of Burnett, it’s entirely likely (barring any unforeseen music branch silliness…which, you never know) he and his team will be recognized for the original songs that appear in the film, something like seven or eight tracks that should make for a wonderful soundtrack. The title song, “Crazy Heart,” is probably the best bet, as a number of moments in the film’s third act are dedicated to Blake’s writing the song, which draws upon his emotional journey as an alcoholic seeking sobriety. The tune also plays in the final scene and through the closing credits. I couldn’t get it out of my head on the drive home. “Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try.” (Check out one of the songs, performed with Farrell, in the clip below.)
Other nods could follow. Best Picture might be a longshot given the scope of the film, though an adapted screenplay notice for Cooper is certainly possible. But the story here, it goes without saying, is Jeff Bridges.
From where I sit, I’m having a hard time arguing with his potential as this year’s Best Actor Oscar winner — especially when you look at the competition. George Clooney, Daniel Day-Lewis, Morgan Freeman — they all have their Oscar. The potential for a big awards comeback from Robert De Niro was considerably muted when “Everybody’s Fine” landed with a thud at AFI Fest last night, while other contenders just won’t have the strength of “The Story” that a Bridges campaign will have.
The man is one of the great unrecognized American actors. “Crazy Heart” will give voters a chance to both remember his consistency, recognize that he remains Oscarless and, best of all, feel good about checking the box next to his name. Because this really is one of his finest moments.
I imagine we’ll be talking about “Crazy Heart” more and more in the coming weeks and months, but those hoping for a last-minute shake-up certainly look to get their wish. These are the moments I live for in an Oscar season.
We knew Fox Searchlight was in love with "Crazy Heart," the low-budget country music drama that stars Jeff Bridges as a faded, booze-fueled singer named Bad Blake who's trying to get his career back on track. Written and directed by first-time filmmaker Scott Cooper, the film costars Maggie Gyllenhaal (playing a small-town reporter), Robert Duvall and Colin Farrell.
A bloodier Dracula rises again 
| A tour of New Oleans and the people who made and make it special, October 13, 2009
Una Vida is a masterpiece of plot development and the name of the lead character in this remarkable novel. Dr. Bazan introduces us to the interstices of the troubled mind of Una Vida (One Life) a wonderful early jazz singer from New Orleans who now has Alzheimer's disease. While she cannot always recognize those who care for her or love her, her recall of the early Jazz music and those who created it Una Vida: A Fable of Music and the Mind leads her to sing openly along the frequently walked byways of her home. As we meet the companions on her journey we are taken on a tour of that magnificent city, its early history, the remarkable story of the free blacks who lost their rights in the post-Civil War Jim Crow era and the impact of segregation of the development of Jazz. Occasional introductions of seemingly unrelated works of art drive you to search the Web for more background. And then, as we watch the impact of Una Vida on those who grow to love her or who have loved her for decades we are humanized to gain more understanding and a sense of participation in her journey and the journeys of those, similarly troubled, who surround us. I could not put it down and read it in one thrilling day. |
Join Mark Victor Hansen, Rick Frishman, Ken Atchity, David Hancock, Alex Carroll, and more... (read more below to see why you won't want to miss what they have to share with you)
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Mark Victor Hansen | Rick Frishman | Ken Atchity Literary Manager | David Hancock Morgan James Publishing, Author and Speaker | Alex Caroll Best Selling Author, Radio Interview Expert |
 |  |  |  |  |
James Malinchak "The Big Money Speaker™" | Stefanie Hartman “The Expert’s Expert” | Scott Hoffman Folio Literary Management | Berny Dohrmann | Craig Duswalt RockStar Speaker and Author |
 |  |  |  |  |
Loren locum Master Trainer | Tom Antion Internet Marketing Expert | Mike Koenigs | Brendon Burchard Best Selling Author, Speaker and Coach | Gary Spirer Entrepreneurial Leverage Expert |
Are you curious about what publishers like Harper Collins, Morgan James, Adams Media, Wiley, Random House, and Simon & Schuster are looking for? What is the best way to get your manuscript read when you're an unpublished author? Want to know the biggest mistakes to avoid when writing book proposals? You'll be engaged as these top pros share their expertise, reveal the inner workings of the publishing industry, and discuss various approaches to common marketing and publishing challenges.
Additional bonus after hours cocktail party where you'll have the opportunity to network with speakers from the day, industry experts and other attendees.
This is a small intimate event and will sell out quickly
SPACE IS LIMITED - ONLY $399
VIP PASS $149 INCLUDES PREFERRED SEATING, SPECIAL ACCESS TO AGENTS AND PUBLISHERS, FREE DRINKS AT THE EVENING COCKTAIL PARTY, AND AUTHOR 101 2008 7 CD SERIES - A $200 VALUE
Register yourself and a friend and save!!
Only $399 plus a $50 reservation deposit refunded at the event.
Some of the key topics that will be covered include:
What you'll learn
How to create "hooks" for yourself and your business that will make you virtually irresistible to every media outlet and make coverage for yourself a virtual certainty.
How to get rich and become famous by being a guest on radio show without spending a dime on advertising.
How to create promotional materials (media kits, etc.) that will have the media running to you for your opinion every time a story in your area pops up
How to quickly and easily create an automated process to capture leads and sales and to up-sell and cross-sell these people with a minimum of effort.
How to make any book you write or publish an Amazon best-seller with a system that has been PROVEN to work.
If you'd like to learn the secrets of getting your book published or how to turn your book or publishing business into a money machine, this course is for you. Keep reading to find out more.
You'll get more out of this $399 seminar than any event this year offered at any price in the publishing industry. http://www.author101university.comJoin Mark Victor Hansen, Rick Frishman, Ken Atchity, David Hancock, Alex Carroll, and more... (read more below to see why you won't want to miss what they have to share with you)
| | | | |
Mark Victor Hansen | Rick Frishman | Ken Atchity Literary Manager | David Hancock Morgan James Publishing, Author and Speaker | Alex Caroll Best Selling Author, Radio Interview Expert |
| | | | |
James Malinchak "The Big Money Speaker™" | Stefanie Hartman “The Expert’s Expert” | Scott Hoffman Folio Literary Management | Berny Dohrmann | Craig Duswalt RockStar Speaker and Author |
| | | | |
Loren locum Master Trainer | Tom Antion Internet Marketing Expert | Mike Koenigs | Brendon Burchard Best Selling Author, Speaker and Coach | Gary Spirer Entrepreneurial Leverage Expert |
Are you curious about what publishers like Harper Collins, Morgan James, Adams Media, Wiley, Random House, and Simon & Schuster are looking for? What is the best way to get your manuscript read when you're an unpublished author? Want to know the biggest mistakes to avoid when writing book proposals? You'll be engaged as these top pros share their expertise, reveal the inner workings of the publishing industry, and discuss various approaches to common marketing and publishing challenges.
Additional bonus after hours cocktail party where you'll have the opportunity to network with speakers from the day, industry experts and other attendees.
This is a small intimate event and will sell out quickly
SPACE IS LIMITED - ONLY $399
VIP PASS $149 INCLUDES PREFERRED SEATING, SPECIAL ACCESS TO AGENTS AND PUBLISHERS, FREE DRINKS AT THE EVENING COCKTAIL PARTY, AND AUTHOR 101 2008 7 CD SERIES - A $200 VALUE
Register yourself and a friend and save!!
Only $399 plus a $50 reservation deposit refunded at the event.
Some of the key topics that will be covered include:
What you'll learn
How to create "hooks" for yourself and your business that will make you virtually irresistible to every media outlet and make coverage for yourself a virtual certainty.
How to get rich and become famous by being a guest on radio show without spending a dime on advertising.
How to create promotional materials (media kits, etc.) that will have the media running to you for your opinion every time a story in your area pops up
How to quickly and easily create an automated process to capture leads and sales and to up-sell and cross-sell these people with a minimum of effort.
How to make any book you write or publish an Amazon best-seller with a system that has been PROVEN to work.
If you'd like to learn the secrets of getting your book published or how to turn your book or publishing business into a money machine, this course is for you. Keep reading to find out more.
You'll get more out of this $399 seminar than any event this year offered at any price in the publishing industry. http://www.author101university.com
We had some guides for the early part of the journey. Victor illuminated the pitch-black environment with the piercing lights of the MIR. A pod of pilot whales swam alongside our craft. They were attracted by the sonar navigation of our submersible. The pilot whales escorted us down to about 300 metres – like caretakers of the ocean – giving us a personal tour of their domain. It was fantastic. But, as we went below 300 metres, they ditched us, as if to say: ‘You guys are going far too deep.’
To conserve power, the MIR submersibles run without external lights. However, Victor occasionally switched them on to allow us to observe passing marine life. The dive down into the abyss took under four hours. The sea life was unlike anything I’d ever seen. When we descended below 1,000 metres, the bioluminescent creatures started to come into view. They virtually lit up themselves, like Christmas trees, becoming transparent.
After three and a half hours, we finally observed it on the radar screen. My heart was rapidly pounding. It was an outline of the most awe-inspiring structure I have ever witnessed in my life. We were still twenty-eight minutes from reaching the ocean bed, yet the bow of Titanic was clearly visible on the Titanic was clearly visible on the radar screen.
The image grew more vast and clearer. Exactly twenty-eight minutes had passed and then, in a moment of sheer ecstasy, we came upon the bow of Titanic. The bow looked even larger than I expected. As we motored around it, up and down, I was struck by just how vast it was. And yet we were seeing only a third of the bow. The lower two thirds are embedded into the sea floor.
Titanic was over 300 metres long. Every metre that we travelled, we came upon some relic, some treasure. We saw an old chest, suitcases that once belonged to immigrants, china cups, mugs, plates, wine bottles, ceramic tiles, toilets, bathtubs, light fixtures and shoes. We saw pairs of shoes, side by side, seemingly trapped together. At that depth in the salt water, bodies and bones would have decomposed within a couple of years. Those shoes, I realised, were what remained of human bodies.
Thousands of small rocks are littered around the wreck of Titanic. They are called Ilulissat rocks because of the town of Ilulissat on Greenland’s west coast. Experts believe that these rocks beside the wreck were part of the iceberg that the Titanic struck, and that the iceberg most likely travelled all the way from the polar ice caps of Greenland. In effect, Titanic hit a gigantic mass of stones glued together by Ilulissat polar ice cap.
As we skimmed the ocean floor, the two MIR submersibles stayed reasonably close to each other. The amazing sights we saw teased us. We came across Captain Smith’s cabin, with its own bath. We knew where it was located from drawings of the wreck, and the contents confirmed it was indeed the captain’s. We cruised past his marble bath and all the copper piping, still connected.
Travelling the length of Titanic, we moved from the bow section through the debris field until we eventually came to the stern. It’s quite hard to work out which pieces belong to the stern. It looks like the entire stern had gone through a food processor.
The chaos actually surprised me. It’s obvious the stern imploded on impact. When Titanic hit the iceberg, the ship buckled, and thousands of rivets came undone. The impact was on the starboard side. Resting on the ocean floor, the bow and stern lie about 600 metres apart, facing in opposite directions. The stern must have twisted on the way down and imploded. There are thousands of items shattered all over the place.
At the stern section, when we were viewing the propellers, we had a very close call. In order to get down to the propellers, we went deep into the aft section of the stern, beneath the overhanging promenade decking which – at any time – could have entombed us. No-one mentioned the risk. A piece of promenade decking dropped on our MIR, smashing into pieces because of its decayed state. We were forced to use the manipulator arm to wrestle off the remaining piece of promenade decking
After a late lunch, Victor blew the ballast tanks using compressed air, and the MIR became positively buoyant again, allowing us to rise to the surface. Victor was quite relaxed about everything. So calm in fact that he and Reda both seemed to nod off to sleep during parts of the slow journey ascent to the mother ship. Reda was exhausted. I was wide-awake, kicking back and listening to music on my iPod
I sat there thinking about all the marvellous sights I had just witnessed, and staring at the luminescent fish, flicking the lights on myself.
Join Mark Victor Hansen, Rick Frishman, Ken Atchity, David Hancock, Alex Carroll, and more... (read more below to see why you won't want to miss what they have to share with you)
| | | | |
Mark Victor Hansen | Rick Frishman | Ken Atchity Literary Manager | David Hancock Morgan James Publishing, Author and Speaker | Alex Caroll Best Selling Author, Radio Interview Expert |
| | | | |
James Malinchak "The Big Money Speaker™" | Stefanie Hartman “The Expert’s Expert” | Scott Hoffman Folio Literary Management | Berny Dohrmann | Craig Duswalt RockStar Speaker and Author |
| | | | |
Loren locum Master Trainer | Tom Antion Internet Marketing Expert | Mike Koenigs | Brendon Burchard Best Selling Author, Speaker and Coach | Gary Spirer Entrepreneurial Leverage Expert |
Are you curious about what publishers like Harper Collins, Morgan James, Adams Media, Wiley, Random House, and Simon & Schuster are looking for? What is the best way to get your manuscript read when you're an unpublished author? Want to know the biggest mistakes to avoid when writing book proposals? You'll be engaged as these top pros share their expertise, reveal the inner workings of the publishing industry, and discuss various approaches to common marketing and publishing challenges.
Additional bonus after hours cocktail party where you'll have the opportunity to network with speakers from the day, industry experts and other attendees.
This is a small intimate event and will sell out quickly
SPACE IS LIMITED - ONLY $399
VIP PASS $149 INCLUDES PREFERRED SEATING, SPECIAL ACCESS TO AGENTS AND PUBLISHERS, FREE DRINKS AT THE EVENING COCKTAIL PARTY, AND AUTHOR 101 2008 7 CD SERIES - A $200 VALUE
Register yourself and a friend and save!!
Only $399 plus a $50 reservation deposit refunded at the event.
Some of the key topics that will be covered include:
What you'll learn
How to create "hooks" for yourself and your business that will make you virtually irresistible to every media outlet and make coverage for yourself a virtual certainty.
How to get rich and become famous by being a guest on radio show without spending a dime on advertising.
How to create promotional materials (media kits, etc.) that will have the media running to you for your opinion every time a story in your area pops up
How to quickly and easily create an automated process to capture leads and sales and to up-sell and cross-sell these people with a minimum of effort.
How to make any book you write or publish an Amazon best-seller with a system that has been PROVEN to work.
If you'd like to learn the secrets of getting your book published or how to turn your book or publishing business into a money machine, this course is for you. Keep reading to find out more.
You'll get more out of this $399 seminar than any event this year offered at any price in the publishing industry. http://www.author101university.com/
We’ve been continuing a tradition in the November issue of LA YOGA that we focus on Karma Yoga, seva and selfless service and all the ways that we can and do give back, pay it forward and give to each other. It’s a powerful practice, and we’re participating on November 22 with Yoga Gives Back, a nonprofit founded in Los Angeles by Joel Bender, our teacher profile in this issue: and filmmaker and yogi Kayoko Mitsumatsu, people who wanted to give back to India,Kayoko's Story the birthplace of Yoga, since Yoga has given so much to them. Read how they’re facilitating changing lives in India in Kayoko’s story and join us for a team-taught Yoga practice (with LA YOGA editor Felicia Tomasko, Kasey Luber, Gary Margolin, Chris Stein , John Sahakian and Tara Judelle) where the donations will support Yoga Gives Back. November 22, 10:00 A.M. -12 Noon at Yogaglo in Santa Monica.
