Month: September 2015

Although my third novel, The Methuselah Project, released a month ahead of schedule, book reviewers and bloggers have already discovered it. To learn more about the book (or about yours truly), take your pick of the following resources. (I planned on posting every review here, but I simply can’t keep up. The ones below will get you started. Google The Methuselah Project and–praise God–you will find many more reviews and interviews.)

Interview by Lena Nelson Dooley at her site “A Christian Writer’s Word ~ Characters Who Grip Your Heart”

 

 

 

Review by Kelly Bridgewater at the site “Creating Justice One Suspense at a Time”

 

 

 

Review by writer/editor/reviewer Tom Threadgill — “The Methuselah Project”

 

 

 

Author Elaine Stock’s interview —  “Do You Have Regrettable Elements from Your Past?”

 

 

 

Author Kathleen Rouser’s interview — “Rick Barry — WWII Buff Blending Historical and Speculative”

 

 

 

Interview by Literary Agent Linda S. Glaz — “The Methuselah Project Interview and Giveaway”

 

 

 

 

Interview on Hoosier Ink, site of the Indiana Chapter of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW) — “Author Interview with Rick Barry- The Methuselah Project”

 

 

Book review by author & blogger Adam Blumer — “Book Review: The Methuselah Project”

 

 

 

 

Lynne Chapman’s review at “BellaOnline: The Voice of Women”

 

 

 

 

There I was, Googling on the Internet, when I found an ad for extras to appear in an “upscale party” scene for Captain America: Civil War.

“What a long shot,” I thought.

Just for fun, I replied to Casting with a dressy pic of myself in a double-breasted suit. I laughed. The photo made me look more like an upscale funeral director than a party-goer.

The next morning I received a shock: an email from Casting. They didn’t need me for the party scene, but could I come for a funeral scene? A week later, I was on the set, “mourning” the death of a VIP. (Sorry, no spoilers.)  I would‘ve done it for free, but they paid me. The day was fun and educational for this writer. (Dare I saw it was Marvel-ous?)*

What’s all this mean for you? Here’s my advice… Try new things, even if they’re a long shot. Visit new places. Collect novel experiences. Some of my life experiences include hiking and mountain climbing in Colorado, camping in Russia, riding a hot-air balloon with Pam, exploring deserted buildings in Chernobyl, and jumping solo out of perfectly good airplanes. Not only did I enjoy these adventures, but every one became a deposit in my bank of life. They enrich me and help me to write from experience.

True, some experiences cost money. You might want to save bigger ones for vacation. Yet, if you find yourself going through the same old routine each year, it might be time to break out of the pattern. Start locally. Maybe try an ethnic restaurant instead of the usual burger place. Visit touristy sites in your state. Be on the lookout for fresh opportunities—then don’t be afraid to try!

*Disclaimer: I don’t guarantee you’ll see my mournful face in Captain America #3. Plenty of footage ends up on the cutting-room floor, and I was merely a guy in the crowd. But the memories are mine to keep. If I ever need a movie-shoot scene in a novel, I can write what I know!

 

#CaptainAmerica