Summer is Coming! Read All About It…

[LEGAL USE OF THIS PHOTO LICENSED AND SECURED VIA DREAMSTIME - June 2015 - Credit: Mike Brake ]

Step aside, wicked White Walkers…Summer is coming!

(No, I couldn’t resist a Game of Thrones reference…)

Okay, perhaps there’s still a few days left on the calendar before the official summer solstice begins. However, now is definitely the time for you to get busy.

Busy doing what, you ask?

Cleaning the grill to get ready for endless summer barbeques? Sure.

Putting away your sweaters and unpacking your shorts and swimwear? Of course.

Unboxing your collection of gaudy, plastic margarita glasses? Well, yeah.

But most importantly, it’s time to begin picking out your summer reads!

C’mon, it’s time again for more memorable hours spent taking some family vacation time and escaping into realms of enjoyment while your spouse swims, the kids play, and the dogs snooze.

It’s time for you to fall head over heels for the juiciest romances, kick back with the most charming chick-lit, patio chair lounging over plot-twisting mysteries, lying pool-side with paranormals, tree hammock haranguing with some horror, and umbrella sitting with sci-fi. Remember last year when you experienced some of the best reads that you could have ever set your eyes upon?

Well, it time once again to “read-rave-repeat,” my dearest bookworms!

Below are the two novels that are prominent on my summer reads list. In fact, they’re already purchased, downloaded onto my Kindle, and ready to delve into.

First on my list is Old Man's War, which is book #1 in John Scalzi’s epic space fantasy series of the same name. First debuting in 2007, Scalzi had made quite a name for himself with this unique spin on the space-faring hero, only this time in the body of a much older person than we’re used to rooting for. Since then, the series has continued a successful reign and Scalzi has become as a proven high-quality author. I’m excited about reading the first book!

Next, I selected a work from one of the most gifted and inspirational masters of fiction, the incomparable Neil Gaiman. His 2013 hit, The Ocean at the End of the Lane, captured my attention and practically insisted to be purchased. Coming from an amazing author like Gaiman, how could I possibly refuse? Suffice to say, I’m more than eager to read it.

But enough about me, let’s get back to YOU.

What’s on your summer read list? Drop me a line and let me know.

Now, get busy and go purchase some summer reads.

Oh, and while you’re at it, perhaps you could refill my iced tea glass and made sure my barbeque has a side order of extra sauce.

Ahh, thank you.

As always, enjoy life; be kind to those around you, and Happy Reading! Peace.

Weekend Forecast: Fair to Partly Castle

(Photo used from Oklahoma Renaissance Festival official website - 2015)

During the Memorial Holiday weekend, I took a road trip back in time with a few friends to Muskogee, Oklahoma for the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival, which marked its 20th anniversary this year. We had a fantastic “ye’ olde” time!

(Map of castleton - Image used from Oklahoma Renaissance Festival official website - 2015)

We were transported to the European Renaissance community called Castleton, a bigger than life area covering many acres of period-looking structures, including quaint merchant shops and bazaars, tournament grounds, public stages, and craft stands. The costumes worn by Castleton’s denizens are immersive and realistic and the personalities of all players are both welcoming and socially engaging. One denizen confronts anyone who has their hands in their pockets with, “You can pick someone else’s pockets, but you can’t pick your own!”

In the middle of town, there’s a rustic little bank where you can trade in modern currency for hearty coins of the realm equivalencies that you use with vendors and merchants for making purchases. And, oh how the vendors love to engage you about their wares, many of which were handmade (leather goods, and crafts) or home-conjured (soaps, herbal remedies, etc.). The entire environment is like the cross between a Renaissance community and Disneyland in the 1600s!

(Photo used from Oklahoma Renaissance Festival official website - 2015)

While it wasn’t like taking an actual TARDIS trip back to the 1600s, it was immersive and highly socially engaging. Face it; properly masked technology is appreciable. I mean, it’s not only nice to be able to use modern currency or a debit card when paying for one’s chicken Shawarma or lamb kabobs, but modern plumbing is wonderful when it’s time for those infrequent restroom breaks. In fact, those tactfully placed “Ye Olde Privy” signs are a hoot, too.

(Ladies of Castleton -- PHOTO COPYRIGHT 2015 BY JAZ PRIMO)

It was my second year in a row to attend the festival, and my love for it continues to grow. I loved the boisterous welcome provided at Castleton’s entrance by some lovely ladies who placed visible lipstick kisses onto you, only to have Castleton’s residents and players poke fun at you for having visiting the “wenches” as you wander the town. One of my friends – her character’s name is Pearl – was one of those lovely ladies, and she played her role to the hilt! (Pun intended…)

(Lady Knight on Horseback -- PHOTO COPYRIGHT 2015 BY JAZ PRIMO)

Of particular interest was a rare lady knight on horseback. She participated in both the equestrian events and the actual helmed joust. She was amazing! I genuinely appreciated her posing for a photo, too.

Oh, there are foods galore to choose from, too. The fresh scent of cooked meats permeates the air and there are both wine and beer merchants when you’re ready to imbibe. As for treats, I purchased some blackberry and black raspberry jams from one of the merchants, as well as some tasty honey-roasted almonds. Next year, I plan to patronize both the chocolate fudge vendor and the kettle corn merchant.

If you’re interested in learning more about Castleton or the Oklahoma Renaissance Festival, please click HERE to go to their website. I highly recommend a visit!

However you choose to spend your weekend, don’t forget to pause for a moment in reflection for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for their country and for us. Certainly, none elected to become a statistic, but we nevertheless owe them at least a silent acknowledgment that we appreciate their sacrifice.

As always, enjoy life; be kind to those around you, and Happy Reading! Peace.

The Newest Marvel and DC Plans Go on Forever? Hell, Yeah!

Recently, I’ve read online tweets or snarky blog posts about Marvel’s aggressive grand plan for interweaving the various superhero franchises into common threads of storylines, including movie crossover events. One sardonic reviewer for the film Avengers 2: Age of Ultron (which I loved!) had the audacity to sound shocked that there was already a seven year strategic plan by Marvel to develop continuing sequels for both individual and team-based superhero events. Shocked? Seriously?

My response to that person is, you must have never read superhero comics during your lifetime. Personally, I couldn’t be HAPPIER that Marvel has a strategic plan for their superhero franchises. The fact that they plan to continue interlocking characters and storylines as the films progress is particularly encouraging. So often in the past, films and television programs based upon comic book heroes have operated seemingly independent of the various superhero universes, which always seemed strange to me because comics have a long history of crossover storylines and cameo appearances with heroes, villains, and the casts of key supporting characters.

I’ve primarily been a Marvel fan since childhood, especially Iron Man and Spiderman. The tangible angst and personal failures of Marvel heroes always seemed both believable and often germane to real-world problems that I was experiencing. I identified with Peter Parker’s self-confidence issues, as well as his desire to do the right thing even when it ran contrary to either public opinion or political machinations. As for Iron Man, Tony Stark’s personal demons were palpable and helped provide his hyper-intelligent wealthy aura of perfection with a real-world counterbalance that I could also identify with. Hell, even Tony’s and Peter’s personal relationships were challenged and imperfect. Who couldn’t identify with that?

By contrast with DC, though I was (and still am!) a huge Wonder Woman fan, few of the heroes from the DC universe seemed anywhere near realistic compared to the rest of us mere mortals. I never saw Clark Kent or Bruce Wayne struggle with ANY problems that real-world people seemed to have. Even the way their characters’ lives were conducted seemed not only idealistic but unrealistic. While idealistic in nature, I believe that most readers want to see shadows of themselves, or at least their real-world problems, reflected in the fictional characters they invest their time (and money) into.

But I digress…

Back to Marvel’s Master Plan for Success. Interestingly enough, DC appears to be catching on.

Yes, for all of you DC lovers out there, take heart. It appears that DC’s management team has FINALLY managed to get their collective acts together and take a few key ideas from Marvel’s playbook. First and foremost, DC has begun linking the character and storyline universes together. Next DC has established a timeline for release of their future films and television programs.

If there is a challenge to both DC and Marvel’s strategies, it’s the prospects of maintaining the momentum for filming schedules, strong storylines, and compelling character developments over a series of arcs and seasons. Still, as a longtime fan of all things superhero, I’m hopeful that these new developments will provide fans with everything they have patiently waited for quality conversions of their heroes from the small comics pages to both the big and small screens.

Thus far, I’ve been pleased with The Flash and Daredevil, and I’m cautiously optimistic regarding how well Gotham has progressed. And of course, I’ve loved all of the Marvel films that have been released in the past five years. Moreover, I’m feeling hopeful for the upcoming Supergirl show, as well. Now if they can just get Wonder Woman right on the big screen, I’ll be one step closer to completely satisfied.

Which superhero films or programs have you been anxiously awaiting? Also, which current superhero films and programs have you been enjoying?

As always, enjoy life; be kind to those around you, and Happy Reading!

Jaz Has His Own YouTube Channel!

Hi! I hope that all is well in your world.

I have great news to share with you today. I have my very own YouTube channel, and you can subscribe to it right now by clicking HERE!

I’m very excited to have a video log so that I can speak to you directly versus merely in textual format. I’ll be able to cover a number of topics related to me, my novels, or various events or developments that I want to share with you verbally. For those who are hearing impaired, I’m actively working on the transcription function for closed captioning. I’m very new at this, so I appreciate your patience as I work through things.

There are already a handful of videos available for you to watch, including some background about who I am, why you should read my novels, and what makes my Sunset Vampires different from traditional vampires in films and literature. I’m really excited about the potential that a YouTube channel brings to reaching out to you through another modality.

I enjoy a number of YouTube channels, including Emergency Awesome, which is operated by a nice guy named Charlie who covers films and television shows related to fantasy, superheroes, science fiction, and comic books. If you’d like to subscribe to Emergency Awesome, click HERE.

After you get to my YouTube Channel, you’ll see a series of playlists. My official Jaz Primo videos are stored under the playlist titled “Official Jaz Primo Videos.” Okay, so I realize that you could probably easily figure that out on your own, but it makes my OCD feel assuaged by saying it.

Please try out the videos and let me know what you think. I hope that over time I’ll get the hang of adding enhancements to the videos such as clickable links and overlay images during the videos. I’m all about baby steps. Besides, I’m also trying to keep writing on my novels. How’s that sound?

Thanks for all of your support, and please try out my YouTube channel as soon as you can.

Peace.

Excellent Tips for Improving Your Reading

[Photo by Dreamstime Studio. – Legal use licensed via Dreamstime - May 2015]

If you’re like me, there never seems to be enough time to read. While life has a way to stripping away our free time, more often than not, each of us don’t necessarily do a great job of managing the spare time we have available. That’s why I was happy to run across some helpful advice in a blog posting in Publisher’s Weekly by author Gretchen Rubin where she recommended ten steps to improving a person’s reading abilities.

I found most of her tips very helpful and I’ve begun to incorporate them into my reading routine. Here’s some of her tips that I found particularly helpful.

 Tip #1: Quit reading.

At first, this sounded shocking. However, that simple statement is much more than it appears. In fact, it’s excellent advice! Instead of slogging through a book that you’re simply not able to appreciate, don’t feel guilty or obligated…just STOP READING and put it aside. Move on to something else that catches your eye that perhaps will be more satisfying. Reading shouldn’t be a chore, you should enjoy it. Don’t waste valuable free time reading something you don’t like. Of all of Gretchen’s tips, I appreciated this valuable nugget of wisdom the most.

 Tip #2: Skim.

It’s important to read the things that are most important or that interest you, so quickly glance through media such as newspapers, magazines, or Internet content to find the most relevant content. Only select key items to explore further or in more detail. Spend your reading time wisely and with the focus of maximizing both your reading pleasure and knowledge.

I recall that while completing a graduate course in financial institutions for my master’s degree, my professor mentored us on how to efficiently read the Wall Street journal, as well as most any daily newspaper. He advised us not to spend more than a minute per page scanning article titles and subtitles for content of interest or value to our industry or expertise, and he cautioned us to select only a handful of the most interesting or pertinent articles to read in total. Since then, I’ve regularly applied those principles to reading magazines, newspapers, and online content and it’s paid off handsomely in saving valuable time.

 Tip #3: Set aside time to read demanding books.

Learning and expanding my intellectual horizons is very satisfying to me. As such, it’s good to occasionally read material that challenges or expands your own intellectual horizons. That may include simply reading some classically-written literature or poetry that requires careful consideration to successfully comprehend. (House of the Seven Gables by Nathaniel Hawthorne, anybody?)

For style purposes, classical literature and poetry demonstrates how writing styles have changed. From a practical point of view, not only will you learn new and compelling things by broadening your horizons, you may also acquire helpful and essential knowledge that will aid in writing your next novel. Besides, one never knows when they will end up as a contestant on Jeopardy someday. (Hey, I personally know a fellow author, William Bernhardt, who was a successful, winning Jeopardy contestant.)

 Tip #4: Always have plenty of reading material on hand.

You never know when you’ll find yourself pausing at length, so always try to have something to read handy. Today, it’s so easy to install an app on a smartphone or tablet that enables you to download and read eBooks, so this should be relatively easy advice to embrace.

 Tip #5: Keep a reading list, and keep it handy.

For best results, keep that list on your smartphone or tablet so that it’s handy at a moment’s notice, both to reference and to add to when the moment strikes. I started this over four years ago and it’s been invaluable and convenient. It’s even helped me in conversations to recall a book title or author. In truth, I’ve expanded that advice to “books read” and “movies to see” as well.

*pausing* Okay, let’s hold the Type-A personality quips to a minimum, shall we?

At the very least, I’ve graduated to a Type-A-minus nowadays…

 Tip #6: Don’t fight reading inclinations.

Read what you feel in the mood to read and not only will you read more material, you’ll feel more satisfied about reading it. Seriously, this works! For authors, I take that to another level by adding: write what you want to write whenever the mood strikes you. You’ll write more passionately and be happier with the content that you’ve written.

 All in all, I’ve found those six tips invaluable, and they have already improved my reading satisfaction, as well as made better use of my available spare time.

There are a number of other tips that I didn’t list here, so if you’d like to read Gretchen Rubin’s full blog post regarding her reading advice, click HERE.

Happy reading!

[5-2-2015: The link has been corrected for the blog article by Gretchen Rubin. - Jaz]

TV Show-ing Instead of Reading or Writing

Hello and welcome to my unadulterated (because I’m still such a kid!) confession.

Whatever I reveal can – and likely, will – be held against me in a court of public opinion.

Forgive me, reader, for I have sinned…but I’m LOVING it!

Foremost, instead of diligently writing on Bringer Unleashed, much less making any progress on recent novels I’ve begun reading, I’ve spent my time watching programs. Sometimes, I’ve even been…*gasp*…binge-watching.

Yes, I’ve been “TV show-ing” more than writing or reading.

Marvel's Daredevil Season 1 is on Netflix.

First and foremost, I’ve fallen under the spell of Netflix’s Daredevil. In my defense, the entire 13-episode first season was tantalizingly dropped into my lap all at once, creating an immediate urge to plop onto my couch and stare at the huge plasma TV screen before me. Let’s face it, Daredevil is well-conceived and has marvelous character development with engaging plot lines. Who wouldn’t want to get lost in quality programming like that? It seems as if the Marvel properties have reached near-atmospheric engagement in recent years; a development that, as an avid Marvel fan since childhood, has pleased me to no end. Compelling storyline aside, the masterful casting of Charlie Cox as Matt Murdock and Vincent D'Onofrio as Wilson Fisk (aka Kingpin) has skyrocketed this new series to the top of my binge-watching, even momentarily knocking Castle binging from my daily activity. (Fear not…Castle season 6 returns to my daily activities once Daredevil is complete.)

Wait, there’s more?

Game of Thrones Season 5 on HBO has elevated the fantasy drama genre for viewers.

Yes! The new season of Game of Thrones has begun, so I’ve been watching (and re-watching) the newest episodes. Add to that, I’ve discovered a marvelous YouTube channel called Emergency Awesome that’s run by a pleasant, informed, and highly knowledgeable person named Charlie, who I now follow and check daily for informative and engaging revelations and insights into some of my favorite programs, films, and comics, including Game of Thrones, Daredevil, The Flash, Gotham, Agents of Shield, the upcoming Star Wars and Marvel superhero films, and the entire DC and Marvel character/comic universes. Charlie’s simply amazing!

You can subscribe to Emergency Awesome by clicking here.

What have you been binge-watching recently?

The Modern Nightmare of Mid-Life Dating

[LEGAL USE OF THIS PHOTO LICENSED AND SECURED VIA DREAMSTIME - August 2014 - Photo by Lsk]

Recently, and after much reflection and observation, it’s occurred to me that dating among adults in the twenty-first century is intriguing, and yet, oddly nightmarish.
For those in their teens and twenties, dating is a natural state of social development and maturity. It’s a nearly magical time when the discovery of someone to share the prospects of career development, raising children, and building upon the hopes and dreams of youth. Dating at any age carries many of the same caveats and challenges within the dating process. Yet, with regard to dating in one’s twenties and thirties, there’s nevertheless a sense that, if one didn’t get it right the first time around, there’s still many years ahead remaining to get it right.
As with shampoo, lather…rinse…repeat.
Fast forward to mid-life, when one may already be well along in their career journey, perhaps actively raising children into their pre-adult years or preparing for the burgeoning college experience. Yes, there are still hopes and dreams for the future, but typically by this time in one’s life, they have become much more seasoned in their life experiences. This is the stage where many people may have adopted a negative mindset regarding prospective suitors, in addition to a keen eye on the relationships that color their past. Often, there’s a guarded sense of reservation that’s also coupled with someone’s proverbial lists of what a prospective suitor “must-have” and/or “must-not-have.”
Oh, don’t get me wrong; love can be found at any age, which is a nearly-magical prospect in itself, providing hope and encouragement to all. Yet, when adults plunge into the foray of twenty-first century dating, there’s not only more variables to contend with, there’s also a heightened sense of self-preservation involved. Essentially it’s oft viewed that one mustn’t make the mistakes of the past regarding their selection of partner, nor can one permit themselves to be made overly vulnerable to be taken advantage of, nor too emotionally involved to walk away unscathed. That’s not to say that I blame someone for feeling that way.
Add to that, the ephemeral first-date concerns to confront with each new date, which is familiar no matter what age you are. Will they like me? Will I feel good chemistry with them? Should I arrive relatively early to the first-date location to display my anticipation, or will that make me appear too desperate? Should I dress smartly to make a really noteworthy first impression, or should I dress tastefully, yet comfortably? Will my conversational topics be a hit or a miss? Do they love cats? (Hint: In my book, they must at least like cats. No cat-haters allowed. That’s one of the few “must-haves” for me.)
Gawd…how I feel a simultaneous sense of equal parts anticipation and dread over the prospect of a first date. Essentially, given everything, it’s a wonder that today’s mid-life adults date at all.
As a romance author, I consider each of these variables part of a rich tapestry from which to develop future storylines, emotional challenges, and character arcs with which to entertain readers. Yet, I’m left wondering if the romance novel “happy ending” is actually realistic in today’s society.
But then, was it ever really?
I’m left pondering my own personal fear about dating and modern-day romance.
What is it, you ask?
Chiefly, that I’m much better writing about romance than actually living it.
Dating in the twenty-first century….what are your thoughts?

Spring Fever!

[LEGAL USE OF THIS PHOTO LICENSED AND SECURED VIA DREAMSTIME - March 2015 - Photo by Stephen Orsillo]

It’s official…spring has arrived! I hope that things are going well for you thus far.

Like many people, amidst the beautiful, warmer weather, I’m experiencing the strong attraction to do fun things like walking outdoors, cooking on my outdoor grill, and reading novels in the shade of my back patio. Given those marvelous distractions, I’m perpetually finding excuses not to spend time at the keyboard. As such, a number of my creative endeavors have suffered: my blog, writing on Bringer Unleashed (book #2 in my Logan Bringer urban fantasy series), my social media posts, and a host of online communications.

In addition to the call of spring, I’m completely enamored with binge-watching what has become one of my all-time favorite shows: Castle. I’m not typically drawn to crime drama procedurals, but the chemistry between Nathan Fillion’s character (Richard Castle) and Stana Katic’s character (Detective Kate Beckett) is compelling and often sizzling with passion and emotion. I’m now completely hooked! The entire supporting cast is wonderful, making for interesting and amusing personalities to add depth to the show. Even better, the storylines are engaging and often immersive. Currently, I’m halfway through season 5 and I couldn’t be happier with how things are developing between Beckett and Castle. My couch hasn’t spent as much time with me in quite a while.

However, fear not, my muse is far from completely dormant. Some recent music downloads from iTunes have begun to stoke the creative juices inside me. To borrow from famed author George R.R. Martin, I assure you, “keyboard time is coming!”

Some of the recent songs that have stoked my emotions and creative urges include Bea Miller’s “Dracula”, Owl City’s “Fireflies”, Tove Lo’s “Talking Body”, Alt-J’s “Something Good”, Geographer’s “I’m Ready”, and Adam Levine’s “Lost Stars.”

Oh, and as creative ideas arise, I’m also in the process of world-building and character creation for a forthcoming adult-themed fantasy series that is set on a world other than Earth. The characters are diverse in their backgrounds, individual storylines, and personal challenges, yet they each find themselves tied to central themes and events filtering throughout lands both near and far. It’s unlike anything I’ve written, but as a long-time fantasy fanatic, it’s something I’ve always wanted to write. I’m likely a couple of years away from the release of the first novel, but I wanted to share with you that my imagination has long-term projects in its vision.

For now, happy reading and I hope that your own spring fever diversions result in smiles and a great deal of personal satisfaction.

Peace and good times for all!

Freedom of Speech Has Consequences

[LEGAL USE OF THIS PHOTO LICENSED AND SECURED VIA DREAMSTIME - November 2014 - Graphic by Dawn Hudson]

In the United States, the first of our coveted constitutional freedoms under the Bill of Rights is Freedom of Speech. While there are some limitations to that freedom, primarily centered on not inciting riots or causing immediate harm to the citizenry, it’s generally accepted that you can write or say pretty much anything you would like and make those thoughts and feelings publicly known while being protected from actions against you by the government or fellow citizens. That being said, it was never written that what you decide to say or write might not have social-related consequences.
For example, my Sunset Vampire series focuses on two controversial protagonists, a dominant and assertive female vampire named Katrina and her beta-male human love interest named Caleb. I’ve received a number of scathing reviews in blogs and on retailer sites for my writing.  While there are a percentage of readers who find a dominant and assertive woman threatening and slightly off-putting, there are numerous readers who are insulted – and vehemently resent – reading about something far-more forbidden: a beta male who permits a female to protect him, and perhaps even worse, serve a dominant role in their relationship. *collective gasps ring out across the globe*
It’s okay. Go ahead and gasp, curse my name, and wag your fingers at me if it makes you feel better. Because of its outside-the-norm and highly controversial central protagonists, the novels in my Sunset Vampire series will likely never make it onto any best-seller lists or make me tomorrow’s next member of the Millionaire’s Club. (There is one, isn’t there? *shrugging* I’ve heard stories…) However, I’m not going to cease writing about Katrina and Caleb until their Sunset Vampire story is complete.
The truth is that, while it’s my constitutional right to write about my characters, it’s the constitutional right of others to openly disagree with me. While no author likes to read negative reviews, I’m perfectly at peace with receiving negative feedback, if only because I respectfully acknowledge views that oppose my own.
With that in mind, I’ve watched and listened as many stories surfaced about citizens and public figures openly targeting various minority groups in society. One only has to watch the news, read tweets, or read a report on a website to hear about the latest fraternity members who are making racial slurs, or the Southern conservative legislator who proposes laws that protect citizens who openly discriminate against alternative lifestyle people in the marketplace, or hear about people who speak out against those with non-Christian based beliefs. Essentially, there are haters out there in the world who hate people who are different from themselves. Worse yet, when those individuals are chastised by the general public for their initiatives or remarks, they tout their First Amendment protections and claim that others have no right to publicly shame them for their beliefs.
However, there is something that’s very important to remember: Just because someone has the constitutional protection to say or write something controversial, it doesn’t mean that others don’t have the right to publicly chastise then for it. If someone says something controversial, they should be fully prepared to OWN IT. Essentially, they should not be surprised when others in the general public give them a “bad review” for their constitutionally protected views.
For years, people were publicly shamed and shunned for their anti-establishment views, whether it was mixed race coupling, same sex relationships, or non-Christian religious beliefs and practices. Numerous people lost their jobs, friendships, and sometimes familial connections due to thinking and opinions that were socially outside-the-box. Fortunately, as time has passed and the social conscience has evolved, many of the formerly mainstream mindsets and ideals regarding those topics have become socially unacceptable or unappreciated. There are even a growing host of laws that protect those citizens who once suffered discrimination.
Businesses and corporations aren’t immune to the circumstances, either. Businesses are being forced to accept the evolving standards of behavior and socially conscious manners being adopted by the public at large. Failure to do so may sometimes result in their products and services being boycotted, or at the very least pronounced losses of profits or market share.
It’s at moments such as these that I reflect upon the historical trek of society and culture, and I marvel over how quickly – or conversely, how slowly – contemporary thought can change, depending upon the issue at hand.
As an author, I’m grateful that I have the constitutionally protected right to extemporize on controversial topics or conditions both for entertainment purposes and perhaps, if I’m fortunate, to generate contemplative thought on those topics or circumstances. But I’m also ever-aware that negative reviews might be forthcoming for my efforts. It’s over that realization that I issue my sincere and heartfelt thanks to each of you who supports me and my creative works. Without advocates, I might truly feel that Katrina, Caleb, and I are out there on a proverbial island by ourselves. And while I’m willing to accept that possibility, it’s so much happier to enjoy the shared company of others on the island, as well. I cherish your fellowship and support.
Peace!

A Legend Passes Away

Leonard Nimoy (From @TheRealNimoy -- All Rights Reserved and Copyrights Acknowledged)

Leonard Nimoy passed away at age 83.
Those words caused an immediate sense of sadness to permeate my thoughts and spirit today. He was much more than a mere actor, director, celebrity, author, and photographer. He was someone who inspired generations of us who pursued fields in astronomy, science, technology, and yes, even entertainment. More importantly, he inspired me.
I have been a science fiction fan for as long as I can remember. Some of my earliest recollections of science fiction television shows included re-run telecasts of the original 1960s Star Trek program, which had premiered before I was born. Nimoy’s portrayal of a half-human, half-alien being from the planet Vulcan confronted the controversies of being from a mixed race background while also delving into the meanings of both friendship and examining the social and cultural qualities of what it meant to embrace one’s inner sense of humanity.
As I grew older, my fascination with Star Trek continued. It spurred my own interests in astronomy, technology, science, and reading science fiction literature, both comic books and novels. After I had re-watched the original television series episodes and watched the films multiple times, there were still fresh stories to explore in books, continuing the exciting interstellar adventures and journeys of Mr. Spock and his peers.

( Mr. Spock and the Enterprise -- All Rights Reserved and Copyrights Acknowledged))

Many quotations from the character Spock -- and, in one case below, a citation from another original source -- have become eternal for us fans.
"Without followers, evil cannot spread." (Spock, Star Trek: The Original Series, "And The Children Shall Lead")
"Once you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth." (Spock, Star Trek (2009), citing Sherlock Holmes)
"It is curious how often you humans manage to obtain that which you do not want." (Spock, Star Trek: The Original Series, "Errand of Mercy")
"The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few, or the one." (Spock, Star Trek: The Wrath of Khan)
Even as I grew older, Leonard Nimoy seemed eternal.
In 2009, the gifted producer J.J. Abrams brought the magic of Star Trek and Mr. Spock – newly portrayed by actor Zachary Quinto – to a whole new generation of fans using a rebooted and unique time-conundrum storyline. Even then, the memorable Mr. Nimoy reprised his epic role as a future version of Spock who had traveled back in time to confront an enemy, only to confront his younger self in what became a memorable piece of cinematic history.
But now, the talented soul who mesmerized millions is gone. And even though the magic of Mr. Spock will continue, forever preserved in digital archives, his passing reminds us all that, even for heroes who defy death time and again, everyone’s mortal journey is destined for an eventual end.
Leonard Nimoy’s final Twitter message sent on Monday, February 23, 2015 was both prophetic and inspiring: “A life is like a garden. Perfect moments can be had, but not preserved, except in memory. LLAP”

(Jaz SAYS LLAP -- PHOTO COPYRIGHT 2015 BY JAZ PRIMO)

Rest in Peace, Mr. Nimoy. Thank you for all of the wonderful memories and for entertaining audiences for generations since, and for generations to come. You will be missed.
Though I will miss you, within the rich expanse of my imagination, you will always live long and prosper.