Tuesday, June 22, 2010

My Guest Today - Fellow VBT Author Marvin D. Wilson

My guest post today is from Marvin D. Wilson. He calls himself "The Old Silly".  Don't be fooled. Marvin has a lot he can teach young writers (and older ones like myself.). Marvin has three books to his credit and is also an editor. I'd call him "The Wise One". So let's get to know "The Old Silly" a little better. And please, utilize the links at the end of his post to purchase his books and visit his blog. Enjoy!!




Mari, thank you so much for having me on your blog today. It’s a pleasure to share with your readers. Today I thought it would be interesting for your readership to get a glimpse, a sneak preview of my new novel, Beware the Devil’s Hug, slated to be released later this summer or early Fall. So here is the Prologue in Parts One and Two. Enjoy, all, please leave any comments/feedback, and I will stop in occasionally to answer any questions and interact with y’all.
Oh – before getting into the Prologue, here is the short adblurb for the book, giving you some idea what it is all about...


What if a homeless, smelly, ugly, unkempt old man had a hug so powerful it could cure cancer? Cause a prostitute to stop hooking and seek true love? Shake the demons of addiction free from a junkie? Make a radical terrorist Muslim want to befriend and love a Christian and visa versa? But rare is the beneficiary of his divine embrace – nobody wants to come near him out of fear.

Ok ... now on with the short preview-

~~~~~
Prologue – Part One
In a dim, small room with no walls was a lit candle, its tiny flame flickering. On a sturdy wooden table it sat, perched in its pewter holder like a glimmering, waxed, miniature monolithic Cyclops. One sat on one side of the table, Eye sat on the other. Shadows were cast in all directions, but appeared nowhere around this boundless microcosm. 
One said, “You sure you want to do this?”
One knows everything, right? So Eye said, “No doubt.”
One said, “Incarnation hurts. There is carnal pleasure, yes, but there will be pain. The whole trip, and especially the exodus, most cases.”
Eye knew that. “Tell me some thing Eye does not know.”
One said, “There is no thing you do not know.”
“Then why does Eye not see all of It?”
“Because your focus has been upon your self.”
“Get out of here.”
“No, you get out of here … if that’s what you desire. Have your self a good look around.”
One laughed and disappeared.
Eye went to Terra.
~~~~~
Prologue - Part Two

Ali raised his rifle to shoot. As he was about to pull the trigger, he heard a voice from behind.
“Wait—take me.”
Ali whirled round and saw The Old Man, sitting cross-legged on the floor, his hands clasped together in a prayerful pose of petition. He glared at The Old Man and said, “What is this? Who are you and how did you get in here?”
The Old Man wagged his hand in the air. “That is of no significance. I am here to ask to take this man’s place. Please—kill me instead.”
Ali regarded The Old Man for a moment. He lowered his rifle. “And why … why should I do this?”
The Old Man shrugged, raised an open palm and nodded toward the rifleman’s captive Christian. “He is a young man, his entire life ahead of him, and has done nothing to deserve such a fate. I am old, and have lived my long life to the fullest. In the Qur’an it says to kill an innocent being is to kill the entire human race. He is innocent, a good man. I, my friend, have made many mistakes, committed many sins in my life. It would be best, for all concerned, if you were to shoot me for your cause rather than him.”
Ali looked deep into The Old Man’s eyes, clucked his tongue and gave a slow nod. “Very well. You are a brave man. If you wish, I will honor you with a final request before I take your life. Do you have one?”
The Old Man paused, then smiled. “Yes. Just one.”
“And that is?”
“I can ask anything of you?”
Ali looked down and checked his rifle absently, fiddled with the chamber. “Anything within reason, old man, other than sparing both yours and this other man’s life.” He looked back up at The Old Man. “So—out with it. What is your last wish?”
The Old Man stood and held his arms out wide. “Let me hug you.”

Marvin D Wilson is the author of three previous books, I Romanced the stone (Memoirs of a Recovering Hippie), Owen Fiddler, and Between the Storm and the Rainbow. Marvin, known in the world of Bloggydom as “The Old Silly, has a popular blog, The Old Silly’s Free Spirit Blog, at http://theoldsilly.com. Marvin is an editor with All Things That Matter Press and also does freelance editing.
              

15 comments:

Unknown said...

Marvin,

What a pleasure having you guest post today. I absolutely love the premise for your new book. I can't wait for it's release!

Darcia Helle said...

Marvin, your teaser was captivating! I'm looking forward to reading Beware the Devil's Hug.

Mari, thank you for sharing this post with us!

Anonymous said...

I'm finishing Marvin's MS and its a winner. Marvin also editied my MS and the difference is like night and day. The Old Silly is indeed The Old Wise One.

Stephen Tremp

Carolyn Howard-Johnson said...

I love reading about Old Silly. He's the kind of author who does much for others--both bellow writers and his readers. So, glad to see you so successful, Marv. A new book! Right on!
Best,
Carolyn Howard-Johnson
Blogging at Writer's Digest 101 Best Websites pick www.sharingwithwriters.blogspot.com

Nancy Famolari said...

Loved the teaser. It does make you want to read Marv's latest. Good luck with it!

Martha said...

Love the premise of your book. How did you come up with it?
Martha Swirzinski

Jane Kennedy Sutton said...

OK, I’m intrigued. More, please!

Janet Ann Collins said...

The book sounds great, sort of like C.S. Lewis combined with... oh, well, you know what I mean. I wonder if it's a bit autobiographical because Marvin sounds like such a wonderful person.

Anonymous said...

Completely original. Excellent hook.
Blessings,
J. Aday Kennedy
The Differently-Abled Writer
Children's picture Book Klutzy Kantor
Coming Soon Marta Gargantuan Wings

Karen Cioffi said...

Marvin, your prologue, part 2 is amazing. Now I want to know what happens. I agree with Jessica - you have an amazing hook here.

Unknown said...

Thanks for the glimpse into your mind, marvin. It's amazing. I hope your book makes people examine their lives in a new way. Good luck!

VS Grenier said...

Your books sounds very interesting. Thanks for sharing a bit about it and I can't wait for its release.

Dallas said...

I loved this teaser -- the book sounds great! Marv is such a wonderful, goofy spirit and so encouraging of other writers.

The Old Silly said...

Mari- thank you so much for such a nice formatting and feature post. You are wonderful! I'm sorry to be so late showing up here - was working all day yesterday and when I got home my doggone computer crashed! So anyway, online now at a wifi cafe, and wanted to reply to so many nice visitors as well as yourself, thank you again!

Darci- thank you, the "teaser" has been with me for like 5 years! I could never write the darn book until just this year, lol.

Stephen - thanks, man, and you KNOW how highly I think of YOUR new novel - it's a winner, too!

HoJo- So good to hear from you, my friend. I attribute much of my success to the mentoring I received from you, my dear.

Nancy - thanks - hope you like the book as much as the teaser.

Martha - the idea came to me one day when I was pulled up to a red light and watched a homeless begging man on the corner being accosted by people in their cars. I gave him a dollar and drove away thinking, "what if that was Jesus?"

Jane - more to come, that's for sure! ;)

Janet - CS Lewis is my all time absolute favorite Christian author, so to mention me with him is like an ultimate compliment ... THANKS!

J. Aday - Glad you liked the hook!

Karen - Prologue Part 2 also gets picked up later in the book as part of the story line.

Kathy - very interesting comment - that IS one of my major intents when writing in the spiritual/inspirational genre.

Virginia - glad you liked the idea, and thanks for the good wishes!

Dallas - Now how you gonna go and tell people the truth about me - that I'm such a goof!? LOL, I loved your comment, so true...

chasong said...

FUN READ!!

I am currently running a blog at http://chasong.blogspot.com and I am talking about the end time at the moment. Feel free to come by

- and don't stop being a blessing

:)

cheers