Light Hidden by Darkness - Favorite Quotes

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“A real book isn’t one that we read, but one that reads us.”

                                          - W. H. Auden

We all have our favorite quotations. These quotes can come from obscure to famous quoters and are found in books, magazines, movies, televisions shows, and around the water cooler at work. When we first heard or read our favorite quotes, their words and meanings resonated with us or motivated us or just made us feel good. Each person connects with different quotes for different reasons with different results, all based on our individual preference.

W. H. Auden - b. 1907 - d. 1973

One of my favorite quotes is above in red ink. This quote is attributed to W. H Auden. As a voracious reader and author of five books, this quote speaks loudly to me. When I first read this quote, I knew nothing about W. H. Auden and quite honestly, I still know very little. I have never read any of his books or poems. In researching this blog posting, I searched the answer spot, Wikipedia, and read what it said about W. H. Auden. I am going to briefly share what I found out about W. H. Auden, which you may already know...

Wystan Hugh Auden was born 21 February 1907 and died 29 September 1973. He was an Anglo-American poet, born in England and then became an American citizen in 1946. According to Wikipedia, his critics regard him as one of the greatest writers of the 20th century. Wow, I wish my critics considered me the 'greatest' of anything. Well, no, maybe I shouldn't wish for that... ;)



One of the great writers of the 20th Century and I have never heard of him. However, just because I have not heard of W. H. Auden does not mean a whole lot. In the 20^th Century I spent my time reading college books (mostly science), archaeology books, or fictional authors such as J.R.R. Tolkien, Stephen King, Dean Koontz, Clive Cussler, Kurt Vonnegut, and Tom Clancy. These gentleman were or are excellent and prolific writers, and all are commercially successful, but I would hazard a guess that not many people would put them on a short list for greatest writer of the 20^th Century.

What did W. H. Auden write? Wikipedia stated that his work is noted for its stylistic and technical achievement, its engagement with moral and political issues, and its variety in tone, form and content. The central themes of his poetry are love, politics and citizenship, religion and morals, and the relationship between unique human beings and the anonymous, impersonal world of nature. No wonder I have not read his books or poetry... not exactly my favorite genre.  



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"A real book isn’t one that we read, but one that reads us."      


                                         - W. H.  Auden



This quote by Mr. Auden is quite insightful and packs a lot of punch for readers and writers in its thirteen words. I believe Auden was conveying that a real book is just not read, but that a real book actually seeks out and finds readers and connects with them through shared empathy and common experiences. The real book drags the reader into the story with its realistic settings, characters, and / or plot.  The reader and the book become one. When was the last time you read a book that had that effect on you? I would love you to say 'the last John Bradford Branney book you read', but I can only hope. ;).   

A real book knows its readers well  and interacts with them through the story or plot, believable and interesting characters, and vivid settings. When you think about it, all great books have this ironclad connection with its readers. 

From a reader’s perspective, I could not agree more with this quote. I like a real book that draws me in and pushes my interest buttons. As a writer, this must be my goal when writing my books. As a potential reader of my books, you will have to be the judge on whether I write real books or not.  

What do you think about this quote? What makes a

real book in your opinion?

      

Your Imagination and LIGHT HIDDEN BY DARKNESS

Do you believe that humans are losing their ability and desire to use their imaginations? Do you believe the human race has lost some of its potential for imagination?

Not easy questions, I know. Let me give you my opinion. If you look at all of the inventions and innovations that we have in new products in our global society, it would be a hard to convince anyone that the world's imagination was not alive and kicking. But, what about the rest of us, the 'non inventors'?

Use it or lose it...

We have all heard the saying use it or lose it and it is my contention that modern society is less imaginative than our ancestors. How can I contend this without surveys and studies? It is simply my belief and opinion. I believe that imagination is like everything else in our mind or body. We use it or we lose it. Said another way: Practice makes perfect and I believe that the conveniences of modern society has impacted the way we use or don't use our imaginations and brains.

It is my second contention that a high percentage of people spend less time on those activities that actually exercise their imaginations and spend more time on those activities that don't exercise their imaginations. As my mother would call them, time wasters.

As an example, let's pick on social media. People in today's society spend a lot more time perusing and posting on social media sites. Is there much imagination going into reading other people's posts or tweets or is that pretty much a no brainer? I will let you answer that one, but from my experience having gone through social media addiction and rehab, I can tell you that my mind is no better off after indulging in social media fodder. 

How about television? How much imagination goes into watching television? Or what about video games? I am not a video game player, so I cannot answer that one. I am sure there are some games where you have to use your imagination to succeed. Now, as far as television, I am an old hand. Sports, drama, comedy, documentaries, news uses, I have seen it all and I can tell you, at least from my experience, television is pretty much a no brainer. Entertaining yes, exercise for the brain and imagination, not hardly. I usually watch television when I am too tired to think about more productive things. Hmm...case closed? It is for me.

So, how can a person better utilize his or her imagination?

This weekend I turned on my classical music and sat down and read a very interesting historical fiction novel about the Viet Nam War. By the time I had even realized it, the author had sucked me into the story and into the characters' minds. I could actually imagine the water and mud squishing in my combat boots and when the main character in the story swatted a mosquito, guess what I felt, the slap and the sting. There is nothing...I repeat...there is nothing like a good book to make you utilize your ole imagination.

Now, I have a confession to make. I am an author. Not only am I an author, I am an author of seven fictional books, a prime medium for exercising my imagination. If you are anything like me, my imagination works overtime when I am reading a novel from one of the greats or writing my own novel. As an author, it is my goal to get the reader to use every bit of their imagination by creating believable characters and a plot that keeps them interested right up to the very end. For me, the great escape comes from books. There is no entertainment quite like reading and there is no better exercise for the brain. Give it a try if you haven't read a book in awhile.


     


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A Book Review of SHADOWS ON THE TRAIL by John Bradford Branney

 

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The seed for Shadows on the Trail sprouted on an early summer morning in 2010 on a northern Colorado ranch when I found a Paleoindian tool made from a red and gray striped rock from a prehistoric rock quarry in Texas. As I stared down at this prehistoric tool made by one of our First Americans, several questions raced through my mind. How did this tool end up in a prehistoric campsite in northern Colorado, five hundred miles to the north of the prehistoric rock quarry? Who made it? What was he or she like? What happened on its journey from Texas to northern Colorado? Since it was impossible for me to ask the Paleoindian who made it, I wrote my own version of his journey.      

The book review for Shadows on the Trail follows.

 

 

 

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WINDS OF EDEN by John Bradford Branney - A Book Review!

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Hailed for its accurate depiction of life on the prairies and mountains of prehistoric Texas and Colorado, WINDS OF EDEN is a fast-paced read that accurately builds on clues from the archaeological record and traditions practiced by the first Americans.

 

What happens when the hunters become the hunted? That is what readers have been eagerly waiting to find out in WINDS OF EDEN, the thrilling finale to John Bradford Branney’s series of books about a Paleo-Indian tribe in prehistoric America.

In the conclusion of this highly acclaimed historical series of novels, the Folsom People return to the plains and mountains of Texas and Colorado at the end of the last Ice Age, a time of dramatic climate change, rising temperatures and melting glaciers. This was a time when several large mammal species went extinct and when small bands of humans roamed the mountains and plains attempting to survive in an unforgiving and violent world. WINDS OF EDEN quickly propels readers into the story where the first two novels of the trilogy left off. Chayton and the Folsom People are continuing their fight of survival in a violent and unpredictable prehistoric world with little more than their spears and wits.

 

And now the book review for Winds of Eden by Prehistoric  American Journal.

 

 

 

 

 

The four - inch long Alibates discoidal biface, the inspiration
for the Shadows on the Trail Trilogy. 

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John Bradford Branney Books Available at Blue Willow Bookshop in Houston!!!!

For all of you Texans out there or anyone visiting Houston, I want to announce that ALL FIVE of my books are now available at a wonderful bookshop in Houston, Texas called Blue Willow Bookshop. Stop by and have a visit.

Even if you don't buy my books, heaven forbid ;), Blue Willow Bookshop has a great line up of titles and authors to choose from.

My problem whenever I go into Blue Willow Bookshop is coming out with too many books. ;).

Oh, that's right....you can order on line from Blue Willow as well!


Visit Blue Willow Bookshop for John Bradford Branney Books

 

Shadows on the Trail NOW only $4.99 for Kindle Version!

The publisher and author of Shadows on the Trail have reduced the price for its Kindle version to $4.99. NOW, you can buy the Kindle versions of the entire Shadows on the Trail Trilogy for under $15!!! Wow, quite a price for some awesome reading! Get your e books today!!  

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Who is Seamus Winshell in LIGHT HIDDEN BY DARKNESS?



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One of my favorite characters of all time is in my new novel, Light Hidden by Darkness. His name is Seamus Winshell and to say that Seamus Winshell is a complicated character would be an understatement. As the author of Light Hidden by Darkness, I have to admit that more time and effort went into the creation of Seamus Winshell than any other character I have ever written about, including Chayton from Shadows on the Trail.

 If I had to describe an analogy for Seamus Winshell's personality, I would use a crystal prism.  If I aimed a beam of white light at the crystal prism, the prism would absorb the white light. When the  light exits the other side of the crystal prism, the white light has transformed into a variety of colors. Seamus Winshell's personality is much like this. Input from the world strikes Seamus Winshell and his response comes in a variety of colors, much like the colors in a rainbow. Except, in the case of Seamus, his response may not be beautiful or positive or even constructive. 

Highlighted in blue is dialogue from a scene in Light Hidden by Darkness. This particular scene gives one perspective from Seamus’s complex personality. In this scene, he is in one of his few  vulnerable and reasonable moods. Believe me, he is not often this vulnerable or reasonable. In this scene, Seamus is on an outing with a woman acquaintance, a woman named Gloria. See if you can determine anything about Seamus's personality from the exchange. 
        

Seamus walked out of the elevator and instantly looked up and saw the dark sky above. They were on the roof of the building, high enough above the city to touch the clouds. The lights of the city reflected off the clouds, making them glow iridescently in the night sky. Seamus looked up and watched the fast-moving clouds rolling past the roof of the building.

"Come here,” Gloria insisted.

Seamus walked towards Gloria and noticed that she was standing very close to the edge of the roof. Gloria peeked over the edge, balancing herself with her arms as the light evening breeze gently pushed her. She gave Seamus a smile.

“Be careful, Gloria!” Seamus warned. “There is no railing around the roof!”

“I’m always careful when I do this,” she announced.

Gloria slid her toes even further out near the edge of the roof. Seamus offered his hand to Gloria, but she just shook her head, refusing to accept it. Instead, she pushed her feet an inch or so further towards the edge of the roof.

“Back up, Gloria!” Seamus pleaded. “You are scaring me!”

“No!” Gloria refused. “Join me out here, it’s a thrill!”

“Not a chance in hell!”

“Are you scared?”

“I am absolutely petrified and proud of it.”

“Ha! Ha! Ha!” Gloria laughed. “You are afraid! Come join me.”

Gloria held out her hand to Seamus and he reached out, grabbing it. He pulled on Gloria’s arm, trying with all of his strength to pull her away from the ledge, but the more he pulled, the more Gloria fought back. Seamus dug in his heels and pulled hard on Gloria’s arm, but she just pulled harder. Seamus jerked at her arm, causing Gloria to lose her balance. Gloria rotated her free arm and body to regain her balance and to keep from plummeting over the side of the building.

“Stop pulling on me or I will jump and take you with me!” Gloria proclaimed.

“Okay! Okay!” Seamus replied and then stopped pulling on her arm. Seamus let Gloria pull him closer to the edge of the roof.

“Scared?” Gloria asked.

“Terrified is a better word!” Seamus exclaimed.

Seamus looked down and saw that the toe of Gloria’s high heel extended out past the lip of the roof. Gloria leaned out over the ledge and peered down at the street below.

“Stop!” Seamus shouted.

“I won’t stop until you look down” Gloria replied, holding tightly onto Seamus’s hand. “If I fall, you fall.”

Seamus was too petrified to look down. He hated heights. Still grasping Gloria’s hand, he knelt down on his knees and grabbed the edge of the roof with his free hand. Gloria let go of his other hand and Seamus crawled away on all fours, away from the edge of the building. When he was safely away from the edge, he looked at Gloria and saw her teetering back and forth, first leaning out over the ledge and then pulling herself back. A wind gust of any kind would have taken her over the side of the building.

“I am not leaving here until you look down!” Gloria threatened.

Seamus slowly crawled back to the edge of the building, shaking like a leaf in a windstorm. Finally, he held his breath and peered over the lip of the building. Fear enveloped him when he saw the tiny street below. He crawled away from the edge of the building and laid on the roof, rolled up in a fetal position.

“There, I did it!” Seamus announced. “Now, get away from the edge!”

"Ha! Ha! Ha!” Gloria laughed. “You act like such a big tough guy, but you’re not!”

Gloria began hula dancing on the edge of the roof, swirling her hips wider and wider. Her body swayed back and forth. She picked up the pace and her body swung farther and farther, her high heels creaking under the strain of her movement.

“STOP IT!” Seamus screamed…

Without spoiling the book, let's just say this is not the typical mood of the cantankerous Seamus Winshell. Nuff said...



One question that readers ask me often is where I came up with a character Seamus Winshell? Was he someone I knew in the past? How did I create him? I usually reply by telling the questioner that Seamus Winshell is a composite character. His personality comes from a variety of sources and ties back to his various roles and responsibilities in life or in his 'book life'. Seamus Winshell is a father, husband, businessman and acquaintance. For each of these roles, his personality changes. The reader sees Seamus Winshell through the different colors flowing through his crystal prism. The reader sees a different Seamus Winshell for each separate role in his life. The reader gets to see Seamus Winshell's strengths and weaknesses from a bird's eye view.

Jack Nicholson in the movie As Good As It Gets. As
Melvin Udall, he carries several different personalities.  

In his role as a father, Seamus is one person while as a husband he is another person. As  a business executive, Seamus is an entirely different person. It might sound like Seamus has multiple personalities, but I don't think so. He is doing what we all do. He is utilizing  different parts of his personality for his different roles or situations. We all do this. Don’t you?

Bottom line, Seamus Winshell is a complicated fellow and as my main character, he has every right to be!



When I read books or watch movies or TV, I always like to see how an author, writer, or director portrays and develops certain characters. Are the characters single-faceted or complex? Is the character believable or are they like a sheet of cardboard, no depth and flimsy to the touch? I love complex characters, especially those found in books written by skilled authors. A good author knows how to paint a word picture of the basic essence of a character while still allowing the reader the leeway to interpret the character’s behavior. The reader can then develop his or her own perspective of the character within the context of the story. How many debates have occurred when different readers have different interpretations of the same character? Personally, I love to unravel the mysteries of characters and find out whom they really are, what makes them tick, or more appropriately, what I think makes them tick.
     

In, Black Swan Natalie Portman played
one of the most bizarre characters
in any movie ever and she had
but two hours to portray the role.  

 In movies and TV series, much of the depth of the characters comes from the script and the actor/actress who plays the part. Since movies are only about two hours long; the actor, script, and director have a tough time giving the character any depth. When the movie is character driven more than story driven, the producers bring in the big guns such as Pacino and Streep.



Okay, I am beginning to meander all over the place. Let me get back to our protagonist, Seamus Winshell, my character. More than anything else, I wanted Seamus Winshell to seem real to readers. I wanted to demonstrate to readers that he had certain strengths and was successful in some aspects of his life. I also wanted Seamus to demonstrate that he was vulnerable and unsuccessful in other aspects of his life. To me, this is reality. Few people are successful at all aspects of their lives and more than a few people have tremendous challenges in their lives. Seamus Winshell, like most of us, had these challenges and Seamus Winshell, like most of us, had to decide how he would deal with these challenges. There was only one important difference between Seamus Winshell and you and I.



Well, I am not going to tell you what that difference is, you will

just have to read Light Hidden by Darkness to find out.        

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