UnAmerican

The American Flag at Fort McHenry

Baltimore, Maryland

Pss. 136:1 “O give thanks unto the LORD; for he is good: for his mercy endureth for ever.”

UnAmerican

I’m jumping on the bandwagon here. I’ve been called un-American so many times it makes my head spin. Why? Not standing for the National Anthem? No. Not picking left OR right? No. I’ve been called un-American because I don’t like chocolate or fatty foods like bacon and enormous amounts of cheese. Well I’ll be!

I don’t think this post is really about being un-American as much as it is going to be about what riles the world, gets under their skin, irks people to no end. If the cause does not fit into the norm, meaning the [supposed] majority, then you are on the outside, the minority. If you’re black you’re in the minority, orange, minority, alien minority. What if you’re Irish or German does that count you as a minority too? Are the majority of Americans Irish and German? I don’t think this day and age they are. 

It makes you think. What does it mean when someone calls you un-American? I respect soldiers who were drafted at a young age and basically forced to fight for this country. I admire the men and women who choose to continue to fight for this country day in and day out. But does it make me un-American because I don’t and won’t conform to what YOU might want me to post on facebook, Instagram, or twitter?

I was and never will be someone who votes because you tell me I HAVE to vote or be called un-American. When the National Anthem is on, STAND, place your hand over your heart! Say the pledge of allegiance daily. Well, we want our kids to pledge allegiance to a flag for twelve years of their life and we get all riled up because some lying meme says it’s going to be taken out of schools? Americans want everything THEIR way and you’re UNAmerican if you disagree with one or two people who don't think like you think.

I think that our founding fathers when writing the Constitution knew back in the day that God (or mere mention of Him), our rights or our liberties would continue to be an issue in the distant future. I don’t think they thought that allowing people from other countries here was going to be such a big issue but here we are being our American selves and not wanting immigrants to share in our wealth and prosperous land. (I say that loosely as I look around at other countries, impoverished nations and their debts.)

You know, I find it quite amazing that individuals are not allowed to think for themselves, speak out about something they don’t believe in or are shamed because the small brained feel it necessary to be louder than the minority of people who just want to be heard. I thought we had rights to protect us but year after year, political figure after political figure wants to change the way things are run.

I blog today because it is my right as an American to say what I want to say but to lump me together with the other billions of Americans is offensive to me because I am not like them or you for that matter. I don’t read the ‘what people are talking about today’news. To be honest, I go to facebook and see what people are griping about, reeling about, who is offending whom on this or any given day. Then as the writer in me takes over, I research and see if it is worth blogging about. More times than not, the answer is no because I won’t conform to what the masses expect from me. I won’t be a part of the hate brigade and if that makes me un-American, then so be it, off with my head!

Yup, I’m all about God and I’m sure that offends the majority of people but I don’t care. I don’t live to serve man and debate about who’s right and who’s wrong; I live to serve God. Not a country, not a flag, not a battalion, not a president, not anything but God, so yes, if serving ONE God makes me un-American, then Hail to the King of Kings! 

God you reign, God you reign!

Forever and ever… God you REIGN!

POD

Print on Demand ~~

Print on Demand is the term for digital printing technology that will bring your complete manuscript to be printed and bound in a mere matter of minutes. A lot of author’s are going this route so they are not stuck with hundreds of books that sit in the garage and they have no way of selling and promoting their work.

What’s the catch? It is this: you are paying to publish your own work. In other words it is self-publishing all of your hard work for a fee. All self-publishing is costly but there are quite a few out there that are reasonable.

POD allows you to print up say, as little as three books, and market them to the right places and see if they are well received.

Self publishing vs. POD
SP - The writer controls all aspects of the publishing process, from cover art to print style to pricing.
POD - You get limited services depending on the package you choose.

SP -You retain all rights with self-publishing, you remain in complete control depending on the package you’ve chosen, and with self-publishing you get all of the proceeds
POD - You get ‘royalties’. They get paid twice, once when you choose a package and have made the final decision, and then they get part of the royalties from your book sales

SP - You retain all rights.
POD - You basically give up those rights when you choose a POD service.

These publishing houses don't provide proofreading, editing, or marketing (although some publishers offer these as add-ons to the basic publishing package, at additional cost mind you). READ THE FINE PRINT!

The POD houses look like vanity publishers to the unknowing writer, and some are. They are there to take your money, make your dreams seem hopeful, and in the end, the vanity publisher wins AGAIN and who gets left behind? You, the hard working author who has waited years upon years to see his/her work in print.

There are a lot of things to consider before shelling out the money for a POD book. Besides being expensive, the quality might not be up to par, your book will not be publicized, they will be frowned upon in professional venues and many book sellers will not be putting YOUR book on their shelf.

So once again I say, DO YOUR HOMEWORK before getting all worked up. Think things through and see if your work wouldn’t be better placed with a real publisher who is ecstatic about what you are offering. Don’t set yourself up for a fall. Be patient with your work and all the success will be worth waiting for.