Covering Amy

"What would you do if I sang out of tune, would you stand up and walk out on me?
Lend me your ear and I'll sing you a song, and I'll try not to sing out of key.
I get by with a little help from my friends." With A Little Help From My Friends, The Beatles, (Lennon and McCartney), 1967

Writing is, for the most part, a solitary pursuit. Quality alone time and immersion into the story produces hundreds, sometimes thousands of words. Rarely does a good working environment include multiple interruptions. Sometimes (as now) the wrong music - even LeAnn Rimes doing the glorious How Do I Live - is intrusive.

That's where the "I, me, mine" of writing ends. It is especially true of aspiring, small-market authors. Even those lucky enough to attract the attention of a publisher do a lot of the work themselves. Layer on self-publishing and.... I get by with a little help from my friends. Friends who offer suggestions, help develop characters, preview dialogue. Friends who read raw text (God love them!), friends who endure countless questions.... Friends who can take pictures of friends wearing uncomfortable cop gear.

A Cold Day in Hell

Fit no stereotypes. Don't chase the latest management fads. The situation dictates which approach best accomplishes the team's mission. Colin Powell.

Desperate and armed, a parolee on the run forced his way into an Arvada home and took a thirteen year old boy hostage. Initial efforts aimed at persuading him to surrender failed. SWAT was called.

Did I mention it was snowing, the temperature near zero?