Porter Rockwell

Working Vacation

mikemjensen Cursing Black's Gold, Porter Rockwell, Vanity, Writing Tags: , , , 5 Comments
On the deck, "working"

On the deck, “working”

Hey Kids,

Today was Monday and it was awesome.

I spent today writing.

I had vacation time from my day job I needed to take. So I used my option to take a vacation. My vacation consisted of spending the day at the apartment and writing.

I worked most of the day picking out words, fleshing out characters, and developing storylines.

It was one of the best days ever.

Do I think I should be a full-time writer?

Since I took a vacation to play one, I think yes.

Find a job you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life.

 

Day 154

June 9, 1878

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IMG_20150609_160415_400Hey Kids,

Riding home, I had the thought to stop by the Salt Lake City Cemetery and see my old buddy Porter Rockwell. I’m in a spot where the storyline of my work in progress about him is not working for me, something is wrong. A visit with my main character seemed a good idea; see what he thought about it.

It had been a little while, at least the other side of the winter, since I last stopped. I never know what I’ll find there. I’ve seen empty bottles from someone sharing a six-pack, coins, and a guitar pick. There’s a picture on the internet of someone leaving a .45 caliber cartridge at least once. Often, there’s flowers and the grass in that spot is worn out. Obviously, I’m not the only one who visits.

I should’ve already known this, but when I looked at the headstone, it was 137 years to the day that he passed. June 9, 1878. I try not to be spooky but it seemed an odd coincidence.

IMG_20150609_160437_391137 years after I die, I doubt anyone will be visiting my grave.

And that’s where the reality of what I’m doing hit.

He’s not just a character in my book, Porter Rockwell represents something to a lot of people. Even after 137 years.

It’s not just his rebellious spirit. It’s not just his bad assedness. It’s not just his loyalty. And it’s not just his Wild West Marshalling stories. It’s all of it put together. And that is what’s not setting right with me. In my story, I’m not maintaining the whole man. Even in fiction, he’s larger than life.

I think in my first book I got it right. But somewhere in the “artistic license” of the sophomore project, I strayed from what he means to me, and strayed from his 137 year-old legacy. I strayed from the reason people share a beer with him, share their music, bring him flowers, and leave him bullets. I missed the mark the straight-shooting, dead-eyed, gun slinger had set.

In the spirit of the man, I need to redo it, stretch higher, and dig deeper. This work is not just for and about me, it’s about Porter and for the people who, like me, still find inspiration and strength from a man that has long since moved on.

Thanks Porter. You’re still amazing.

 

Day 106

 

The Wild Westerners

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Hey kids,

History of the West doesn’t exaggerate in the description of how tough guys were.

Doc Holiday.kit-carsons-horseback-duel

Wyatt Earp.

Kit Carson.

Bill Hitchcock.

Buffalo Bill.

They and many others were the real deal.

I know there are stories stretched and stories made up. But the whole of the thing is that you had to be tough to make it then. And even more so to be thought “Tough” back then.

As a writer of a famed western bad-ass, and reading stories of many of these tough guys of the past, I often wonder how I would stack up against those times.

Don’t say anything. I’d like to live with my delusions.

**Picture borrowed from True West Magazine**

Day 28

Surrounding History

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broadwayHey kids,

Last Sunday we went to the movies, one that I had not been to in some time, Broadway Cinema, downtown Salt Lake City. State Street and Broadway to be more precise. It’s a unique theatre, so much different from the ones built nowadays. Tucked away between buildings, it’s barely noticeable and within the company I escorted, only I knew of it. For me, it holds some nostalgia and some history.

It is where I watched the Return of the Jedi on its original opening run in the early 80’s. I’m not sure what winds your clock, but that’s some history in my neighborhood.

But the site played host to at least one more nugget of historical events that shrouds them all. At least in my book. State Street and Broadway, a time ago, represented the address of the Colorado Stables. Owned by Mr. Porter Rockwell. It is in these stables that Rockwell met the end of his trail, dying on a cot in the back office.IMG_20150304_213936_017-1

I wonder as I look at the surrounds, how many people know that? How many people who would care to know that, know it?

I wonder how many historical ghosts I pass daily unaware.

Is it important to remember the past? I vote yes.

 

Day 9

A Humble Summation

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a18c2b14be267d88057121afa27d1e09Located very near to the gravesite of Porter Rockwell, I found this head stone. It has since deterorated even more than this photo.

Despite having lived through the incredible time of Nauvoo, crossing the plains, establishing the Salt Lake Valley, serving as a Bishop, the simple summary of his life was inscribed as follows:

Sacred to the Memory of Bishop John Mills Wooley

Born November 20, 1822 in

Chester County, Pennsylvania

Baptised Nauvoo Oct 7, 1840

Ordained Bishop of the Ninth Ward October 1856

Departed this life August 18, 1864

Died by a blow from rocks by a sliding log in Cottonwood Kanyon

 I find the forgotten history sad. I find the deterioration of the headstones tragic. And I find the fact that all this will be my fate harrowing.

I know I mean very little to the world. I hope I mean something enough to someone that when my head stone begins to fall apart, someone cares.

The Work in Progress- April 26, 2014

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Writing-desk

So I thought I would take Saturdays and use them as updates to where I am in the writing/publishing process. I know boring stuff, but I get asked every once in a while so why not.

I am still struggling along in the edits of the second book  the OPR series currently titled Cursing Black’s Gold. I just can’t seem to get it just right. I’m very pleased with the ending, but the middle part needs some work. After attending a writer’s conference, I did get some insights in what was stalling my progress. I refocused and things seem to be moving now just a bit. By next week I hope to have more progress and maybe an estimate on the publish date.

Ain’t Dead Yet continues to sell at a slow but steady pace in the kindle store. The most common thing I do hear from those who talk to me about the book is “When is the next one out?” (see above). It’s a nice thing to hear.

Under the category of “Pay more attention to your reports”, I learn upon reading a few of those reports that Twice the Christmas during the December special, was down loaded in Great Britain, Denmark, and Italy. I think that’s rather cool.

I can’t wait to get started on the finishing touches of this year’s Christmas story. I won’t talk much of it right now, but it is waiting for me as soon as Porter II is done. I’ll shed more light on the story once I get back to work on it. The working title is The Biggest Little Christmas in the World. Some out there might recognize the origin of that tag line. And yup, it has to do with there.

OK. That’s it for now. Stay tuned for more riveting writing news next week.

mmj

 

My Year in Review (2013)

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Here are some of things that I did or were of importance to me:

Fred

Fred

Got a new fish. My first fish in my adult lifetime.

IMG_20130210_152754

Visited Hardware Ranch to see the Elk via horse drawn Sleigh.

Dinner with a Vampire Valentine's Day

 

Valentine’s Dinner with a Vampire at Castle of Chaos.

Mercur Cemetery

Mercur Cemetery

Visited Mercur Cemetery.

Salt Lake Marina

Salt Lake Marina

Visited the Great Salt Lake

Visited Great Basin National Park.

Arrowhead Hunting

Arrowhead Hunting

Arrowhead Hunting

Strawberry 20" Cutt

Strawberry 20″ Cutt

Ice-Off at Strawberry

Little Red

Little Red

100 Mile Bike Ride for Annette

Pony Express Station Remains

Antelope Island Farm

Antelope Island Farm

Meeting of the Rails

Meeting of the Rails

Porter Rockwell's Cabin

Porter Rockwell’s Cabin

Visited many Historical Sites

Hunter Graduation

Hunter Graduation

My Eldest Son’s Graduation

Manti Mountains

Manti Mountains

Motor biking.

Kayaks

Bountiful Pond

Tried out some Kayaks

Geodes

Geodes

Dug up some Geodes

Farmington Canyon

Farmington Canyon

Mueller Park Canyon

Mueller Park Canyon

Hiking

IMG_20131110_123316 IMG_20131110_081846 IMG_20130918_140841 IMG_20130918_181947 IMG_20130811_105440

Fishing (Including November 11th trip to Strawberry)

IMG_20130927_223627 IMG_20130927_223639 IMG_20130927_223648

The Wheel Bearing Incident

twins

My books making Kindle and Print version debuts (TTC was out in Kindle in 2012)

Christmas with my baby

Christmas with my baby

And Finally Christmas with my baby!

A New Year, Same Ol’ Me

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tumblr_my14iv7Xng1s5qhggo1_500

This morning felt just like the last one and I didn’t take on any grand resolutions to begin on this “magical date.” but that doesn’t mean that I’m not excited about this new year.

I woke up early (confession- I fell asleep way before midnight last night), and after helping Annette get off to work (way bummer), I finished the second edit of a chapter of my work in progress, and hit the gym.

Now I know that there are many people who join the gym in January. But I joined in December. I know, Big Diff! But I joined because I needed to and a new gym opened and I took advantage of the cheap sign-up.

Anyway, I made an awesome Ham and Cheese Omelet and am now settling down for another writing session. If I could make a resolution to copy this day everyday, I would. But I digress.

A new year does not a new me make. I have to be realistic. My goals have to have meaning. They have to be consistent with what I have done, who I am, and what’s realistic.

So for the record, here are some of my goals for this next year, or so:

Finish the second Porter Rockwell Novel “Cursing Black’s Gold”. Release in Kindle and Print this spring.
Finish 2014 Christmas story (working title “The Biggest Little Christmas in the World”) to be released by November 1 in Kindle and Print.
Begin Third Porter Rockwell Novel (working title “The Devil’s Due”).
Evaluate editing of “Inmachuk Confabulations”, determine if it is right for publishing.
Maintain my work out schedule to be ready and able to climb Mt. Nebo this late summer.
Plan one major motorcycle tour this summer.
Fish a lot.

I have some wishes concerning being able to see my kids, and some personal relationship needs; but those are not really right for this forum. And they dependent on others. I’ll stick to those things in my control.

Wow. What a boring post. I’ll avoid such nonsense in the future. But of that, I can’t be resolute either.

A Unique Spurtle to Stir the Porridge.

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imagesCA9F2PRD

While doing a little research on, of all things, the history of oatmeal for the next Porter Rockwell novel, I stumbled upon this Scottish poem. It’s fun to read, so I leave it for you to enjoy as well:

Our gudeman came hame at e’en,
And hame came he,
And there he saw a shining sword
Where nae sword should be:
What’s this now, gudewife,
And what’s this I see ?
O how came this sword here
Without the leave o’ me ?
A sword! quo’ she,—aye, a sword! quo’ he.
Shame fa’ yere cuckold face,
And waur may ye see,
It’s but a porridge spurtle
My mither sent to me.
A spurtle! quo’ he,—aye, a spurtle ! quo’ she.
Far hae I ridden, love,
And meikle hae I seen,
But silver hiked spurtles
Saw I never nane.

(This is one verse of a song collected by David Herd in 1776.)

A Happy Day with the Pappy

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I’ll make this entry short because my batteries are as low as my cell phone’s.

Spent the day traveling to see my parents and ended up going fishing in the Manti Mountains at Blue Lake.

Image

The Manti Mountains just happens to be a major setting for my book Ain’t Dead Yet. And the lake sits at about 10,000 feet.

We were joined by his brother, my uncle Russ, and we enjoyed a beautiful afternoon catching Tiger trout.

Russ caught the biggest. Dad caught the most. And I was happy to have at least caught two.

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We might be going back up tomorrow and I’ll try to include some good mountain picture.

Riding in the truck, I can’t help but think that these mountains were the perfect setting for the mountain scenes. If the sound of patting myself on the back hadn’t drown out all other sounds, I swear I would have heard Porter and the boys running and shooting up the countryside.