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| HarryG's blog |
| Rats! I made it through the worst winter weather -- such as it is in NW Louisiana -- and now have come down with a cold! I went to bed last night with a scratchy throat and woke up this morning with major congestion and achy joints. My son brought it home from work, gave it to my wife, who in turn gave it to me. I knew I shouldn't have kissed her! Bah. I hate colds. |
| Greetings, All ~ I can now reveal what the two secrets I have been keeping for a long while were. In December I was notified by John Reid that my storoem entitled the Old Salty Poems had won 2nd Place in the 2008 Tom Howard Poetry Contest. In addition to being quite an honor, it awarded a $1,000 prize to the winner. Then, in January I was notified that I had won another cash award in the contest. My free-verse poem entitled The Assembled Waiters had won a High Distinction award, with a prize of $200. I was informed that I was the only poet to win two cash awards in the contest. I was asked to please not tell anyone about my winning until they released the official results in mid-February. So, I have been sitting on this great news for over six weeks. The official results have now been released. See them at: http://www.winningwriters.com/contests/tompoetry/2008/tp08_pastwinners.php Needless to say, I am extremely pleased at both the two honors and at the $1,200 winnings. That is more money than I have earned from all five of my published books together; plus it is most pleasing to have my poetic talent officially recognized. Cheers for now! Harry |
| A new review for my contemporary romance novel, White Lightning Road, was posted today by Shannon Yarbrough at Lulu.com at the WLR page ( http://www.lulu.com/content/261801 ), as well at the Lulu Book Review blog ( http://lulubookreview.com/ ). Shannon enjoyed the read! Cheers! Harry |
Way back at the end of December I posted that I had a secret -- a good secret, to be sure -- but could not reveal it yet. Then shortly thereafter I posted that now I had two secrets to keep until mid-February. In just over one week I can talk about both of these secrets. I hope you will drop back then to share in my good news.  Cheers! Harry |
| My wife and I did one of the hardest things we have ever had to do this afternoon. We took our beloved Corgi Rusty to the vet's to be put to sleep. He was 15+ years old and had grown infirm. He had arthritic neuropathy of the hind quarters, causing him to stagger and fall, first one way then the other. It was difficult for him to stand once he fell over. Plus he had become urine incontinent. We hated to end his life because he was still alert and still had his hearing and sight -- he just couldn't walk any more. Rusty was much beloved and was a truly great dog. A Corgi is an intelligent and affectionate breed. We had 15 wonderful years with him. Those of you who read my poetry know that he was the subject of many of my poems, especially our late night walks together. Rusty will be sorely missed. Goodbye, Rusty, old fellow, you were a fantastic dog. We grieve for you... |
| I received an email that I think is worth sharing: Sometimes symptoms of a stroke are difficult to identify. Unfortunately, the lack of awareness spells disaster. The stroke victim may suffer severe brain damage when people nearby fail to recognize the symptoms of a stroke. Now doctors say a bystander can recognize a stroke by asking three simple questions: S *Ask the individual to SMILE. T *Ask the person to TALK and SPEAK A SIMPLE SENTENCE (Coherently)(i.e. It is sunny out today) R *Ask him or her to RAISE BOTH ARMS. If he or she has trouble with ANY ONE of these tasks, call emergency number immediately and describe the symptoms to the dispatcher. New Sign of a Stroke -------- Stick out Your Tongue NOTE: Another 'sign' of a stroke is this: Ask the person to 'stick' out his tongue.. If the tongue is 'crooked', if it goes to one side or the other,that is also an indication of a stroke. A neurologist says that if he can get to a stroke victim within 3 hours he can totally reverse the effects of a stroke...totally. He said the trick is getting a stroke recognized, diagnosed, and then getting the patient medically cared for within 3 hours, which is tough. Remember these four simple tests to give a suspected stroke victim and you may just save a life!! Cheers! Harry |
| Greetings, Y'all ~ I just found out ANOTHER secret that must be kept until after mid-February. Good thing I'm not a female, or I'd swell up and burst having to keep two secrets that long! LOL Cheers! Harry Published 2008: "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man". A collection of my poetry. Lulu Press. |
Greetings, All ~ I have a secret...something of which I am quite proud. But I cannot announce it until after mid-February 2009. My lips must remain sealed. Cheers! Harry Published 2008: "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man". A collection of my poetry. Lulu Press. |
| My latest poetry book, “Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man” has received ten reviews to date. I am pleased to report that all ten have been quite favorable in their comments, with each giving the book a 5-star rating. These reviews have been from various sources, including Reader Views, Lulu Book Review, Book Pleasures, Review Your Book, Rebecca Reads, and assorted other individuals. All have posted reviews on Amazon.com ( http://www.amazon.com/Poetic-Musings-Old-Fat-Man/dp/1435712420/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF... ). Below follow excerpts from these reviews. EXCERPTS from REVIEWS: “Thoughtful, funny, & full of wisdom …I thoroughly enjoyed "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man" from start to end. I was a little surprised at my reaction to this book, because while I enjoy poems, I am usually not as enthusiastic about books of poetry as I was about this compilation. The third collection by this author is definitely one not to miss reading. Harry Gilleland is a very talented writer, … The collection of poems includes stories about every aspect of life. Some of the poems left me with tears in my eyes, while others had me laughing about life's lighter side. … I applaud Gilleland on creating such a well written, thought provoking book. It is one that I will definitely read again. I highly recommend "Poetic Musing of an Old, Fat Man" to anyone who is looking for an enjoyable book to read this summer or for someone who is looking for a gift to buy for that person who has everything.” By Cherie Fisher for Reader Views “One of the true purposes of poetry for a reader is not just to discover what the poet was intending to convey, but to find how you relate to the poem. Gilleland does a superb job of presenting an array of poems that are easy to understand and will certainly capture the attention, and the heart, of every reader. …. Verse after verse, this poet is to be commended for his true talent with words.” By Shannon L. Yarbrough “Harry Gilleland often uses his storoems and poems to reveal life in its glory and its despair. … ‘Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man’ offers something for every one in over 150 pages, which contain rhyming poems and storoems, two limericks, acrostic poems, and free verse poems.” By Vivian Zabel “All in all, I highly recommend this book. Not only will the poems entertain you, but they will also stimulate your mind, as you begin to ponder some of the lessons they put forth. … Very insightful!” By Kristina N. Fountain “This book illustrates my point that seniors should consider expressing their lives and their thoughts in poetic form. This book provides an interesting tour through the author's mind. … Gilleland's observations about life … ring true.” By Marlys M. Styne “These are poems that often feel like having a light bulb switched on in your brain and after reading the poem you unconsciously cry out ‘eureka!’… Probably one of the most outstanding qualities of Gilleland's poetry is his ability in proving that any topic or theme, if handled skillfully, can be transferred into persuasive poetry. This is effectuated with his balancing of his personal convictions and fervour with imaginative meticulousness that speaks to us at another level and touches us in a similar way as music. Moreover, Gilleland employs very little ornamentation in his poetry, which is one of the prime reasons why they contain meaningful content that leave a lasting impression. … Most of poems have a conversational rhythm containing a great deal of bluntness and a clear expression of emotions that brilliantly portray the work of a mature self-confident gentleman who knows what life is all about.” By Norm Goldman, Publisher & Editor Bookpleasures “I must admit that poetry is not my favorite medium. Too often the author rambles on, not conveying his/her point. However, ‘Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat, Man’ is an awesome book. Harry E. Gilleland, Jr. has a talent for poetry. He conveys his message with a unique style that is easy to understand and that brings emotion to his readers. I was hooked from the first poem, … I will long cherish ‘Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat, Man’ and highly recommend it to others.” By Debra Gaynor for ReviewYourBook.com “I have to admit when I first saw the cover of the book I wasn't too intrigued. However, the old adage holds true to not judge a book by its cover. Once I started reading the book I was hooked. Gilleland's writing is very readable and thought-provoking. … ‘Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man’ definitely has something for everyone and, if you enjoy stimulating writing, then I highly recommend this collection!” By Kam Aures for RebeccasReads Cheers! Harry Published 2008: "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man". A collection of my poetry. Lulu Press. |
| My wife Linda read my last post about us getting ready for Christmas and had two comments: She has to shop for presents for over 40 people, not two dozen as I had said. (I seriously underestimated her shopping requirements.) She is completely finished, and I have only one person to shop for and have not done it yet! Hey, there's plenty of time, nearly two weeks left. Only a UGa three-time graduate would spell pretzels as prexels, as I did. (I must have been thinking of pixels...LOL) Holiday Cheer, all y'all! Harry Published 2008: "Poetic Musings of an Old, Fat Man". A collection of my poetry. Lulu Press. |
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