Tom Swift Writer’s Notebook

Thanks to Rob Hardy for the Q&A published at Northfield.org. Rob, a fellow writer and a keen reader, also has a personal blog that is worth the time. I especially enjoy Rob’s ruminations on writers and books.

Last month I pushed 30 percent off signed copies. Here’s a slightly different approach to book promotion.

I was talking to a high school class last week and a student asked why Charles Bender was such a fascinating subject. There are many reasons. One that came immediately to mind: He was such an interesting human being. Bender had a rare ability to throw a ball. His story was and remains an inspiration. [...]

You mean all I needed to do hit No. 1 at Amazon was insert some lies told by George W. Bush?
Actually, that would have been even easier than you might think. Bush has given more than one Iraq speech at the Army War College. What was the Army War College before it was the Army [...]

Good to see Charles Bender included in a PiPress piece about 150 years of moments that defined Minnesota.

Charles Bender was a pitcher’s pitcher. Though he could throw hard, he wasn’t one of those guys who relied on the strength of his arm. He used a variety of deliveries — often flicking his leg high; he was one of the first pitchers known for a big kick — and threw an assortment of [...]

I had jotted some notes for a riff about the E-word that went stale before I could assemble anything coherent. Stanley Crouch does it better anyway.

Charles Bender and his wife, Marie, did not have children. So there are no direct descendents. Bender did, however, have ten brothers and sisters who lived past infancy and during the research process I contacted as many sibling descendents as I could find. Funny, but since the book was published they have — I am [...]

Writing Charles Bender’s story forced me to learn — with a level of understanding I did not acquire as a student; probably my fault more than my teachers’ — how important it is to recognize the cruel manner in which native peoples were treated over a period of time longer than this country has been [...]

I want more Jeremiah Wright like I want hair in my coleslaw. But Bill Moyers raises an important question: Why has the reaction to Wright’s remarks been so much more intense than the reaction to equally preposterous and offensive statements made by prominent white pastors?
Post script: While catching up on some reading, I noticed that [...]

I addition to bookish podcasts, I appreciate finding those that serve useful information in bite-sized portions. For one thing, the radio in the old Corolla barely functions — and that’s when the sky is clear. More important, I need options while at the gym, as I bench my 125 pounds and simultaneously try to avoid [...]

As I always say, it’s good when your name is attached to worthwhile projects.

David Bender writes with a message that makes me warm inside:
As an ancestor of Charles Albert Bender and as an American Indian, I’d like to thank you from the bottom of my heart for writing “Chief Bender’s Burden.” I haven’t read it yet. I actually just discovered it today on the Borders Web site. What [...]

As noted in the acknowledgments section of the book, I am a proud member of the Loft Literary Center — a terrific resource and a sturdy leg in a unique partnership. Cool to see the New York Times take note.

I appreciate a Fresh Air contributor’s essay on the oft-talked about but seldom defined E-word.

I appreciate the chance to listen to great writers speak about their books and the craft. Two recommendations for others who do as well:

The first installment of To The Best of Our Knowledge’s new series on premier authors has me looking forward to the second one.
I’ve subscribed to the National Public Radio: Books Podcast for [...]

The pooch park is a brilliant invention. The savage beast can run as he should, amongst his own, unencumbered, and I don’t have to intervene until blood is spilled or the others go home. It’s even better when the kinder, gentler person in my marriage is there, too, as was the case last night. After [...]

Here I thought I was merely reading a fun little item about a man who had been hogtied and paraded about town in the back of a pickup after being shocked with a Taser (who among us has not done that after tipping back a few on a Saturday night?), when I learned something incredibly [...]

I recommend Bill Moyers’ program from Friday night. Especially this segment. And this one is worth a view, too. I had the earbuds in, but the video probably adds something I missed.

There are a few things I learned right-quick in the South. Most likely the driver one car ahead aims to use a turn signal only when Johnny Law is near. I know to flip on the radio only if I’m in the mood for a song last popular in 1982. Or white-man rage about Hollywood [...]