The Ladder Climber - C.E. Lemieux Jr

March 2, 2019March 2, 2019

Oh, Spring

02/26/2015

So, how’s the year treating you? I know in my neck of the woods we’re looking forward to spring. The winter hasn’t been all that harsh; certainly not as harsh as it has been in the northeast portion of the country, but it starts to wear on a person after a while. Of course, we’d take those truckloads of moisture they’ve been hauling off up in the northeast any day.

The world has been frozen in grays and browns for months, and we are looking forward to the signs of green popping up through the ground. Unfortunately, our area is prone to the tease of spring. We get these little indications that the season is changing, the trees start budding out, and then spring runs a little further down the road leaving the buds covered in frost.

For me, the coming of spring means baseball season is right around the corner. Hopefully, my Rangers will have a better season. Last year was a true disappointment after the accomplishments of the two previous seasons. It also means it is almost time to get the fishing gear ready. That too was a disappointment last year. We spent way too few days around a lake.

Winter hasn’t been totally unproductive though. I published The Ladder Climber in October and I’ve worked on several other novels over the months. I think another novel is on the horizon and life has added a few more experiences to deepen my knowledge and creativity. My middle son got married and our family grew a little larger. The Bulldog teams had strong basketball seasons.

The seasons change, just as life changes. We struggle through the winters and relish days in the sun. Toward the end of summer when the heat becomes unbearable, we’ll long for the cooler days. I suppose if I had a choice, I’d spend most of my days in either spring or fall. Those are the seasons which are my favorites. I like the mild weather, the rebirth of spring and the nostalgia of fall.

Until then, we face at least a few more weeks of winter. It appears more snow is on the way, and the cooler days will continue to try our patience. Even though spring is on the calendar, it doesn’t always show up when it is scheduled. All I can say is at least opening day usually makes it on time. While we wait, let’s think about green blades of grass beneath our feet, laughter and giggles echoing around the neighborhood, the fragrance of flowers blooming, and the popping sound of the ball meeting the pocket of leather glove. Spring is just around the corner, folks.

March 2, 2019March 2, 2019

The Latest

10/15/2013

I apologize. I’ve been incredibly bad at updating this blog in the last year. I actually did write a couple of blog articles which I will post in the future, but I’ve just struggled with getting back to the blog. The good news is the time away from the blog hasn’t been a total waste; I’ve worked on several projects.

There’s Something About Henry published in September. Both the Kindle version and the paperback are available exclusively on Amazon until the end of the year. I hope you find it interesting. Although I tried to write it as a standalone novel, it follows the ending of Whispers in the Wind, telling the story of Henry Newburn.

I have finished two drafts of Some Kind of Life. The cover is ready and a proof has been ordered. I enjoyed the characters in this book so much. Sophie is a bit of a geek, transplanted to Oklahoma by her dad’s new job. She has a very sterile view of life and looks to science for answers to her most important questions. Cole is a happy-go-lucky guy, not terribly popular, but able to use his humor to get him out of most of his social difficulties. There is a considerable amount of conversation and both Sophie and Cole have fun, lively personalities.

The Ladder Climber is most likely to be the next novel published and it is my sincere hope to have that ready before the end of the year. So far, the pre-published reviews of The Ladder Climber are very good. Nick Gordon is a district manager with the world’s largest retailer. He is at the top of his game and he’s reaching for the next rung on the corporate ladder. Then his world gets thrown off kilter and he finds himself spinning out of control. Caught in a web between three very different women, Nick is on a search for a way to get his life back on track. The Ladder Climber is set in Colorado.

The Blemished Rose is in proof stage and needs some more editing. My plan is for this novel to be published after the first of the year. The Blemished Rose is a darker story which gets down and dirty on the streets of Houston.

The Suicide Squeeze is moving along nicely. This story has a bit of a baseball influence, thus the title. I’m having a great deal of fun with these characters as well. Josh and Sam are both lively and it’s been a joy weaving baseball into the story line.

You know, conflict is the driving force behind a story. I’ve tried to experiment with different types of conflict. Both Some Kind of Life and The Suicide Squeeze use conflict in unique ways and still keep the emotional impact of the overall story.

In addition to these stories, there are at least four more manuscripts in varying stages of progress. So, as you can see, even though I may not be doing a terrific job of keeping up with the monthly blog articles, I have been busy. As always, thanks for following along. I appreciate your continued support. If you haven’t picked up a copy of There’s Something About Henry, it is available on Amazon and Kindle. If you have read There’s Something About Henry, please consider leaving your comments as a review. Whether you liked the book or not, I really want to hear from you.

March 2, 2019March 2, 2019

Time Is A Commodity

2012

I’ve had this thought on my mind for a while now. Recent events have tweaked and twisted it, but still it remains. Time is a commodity. It is something of value. It is something with which we barter. It is something we trade, sell, or donate. In looking back at my first blog of the year, I find this is a bit of a continuation of that theme.

You know, all books and all authors have some theme or meaning lying underneath the surface of the words. Themes can deal with nearly anything – internal conflicts, external conflicts, personal value, search for happiness/contentment, etc. You follow me on this I’m sure. In my book, Loving Deacon, the theme focuses on personal value. Deacon has found happiness in his wife and his family, but what he is missing is his personal satisfaction with who he is and the purpose his life has served. In Whispers in the Wind, Abby thinks she has found happiness by following her dreams, only to find true happiness somewhere else. The Ladder Climber is yet to be published, but its theme deals with finding the right balance to life and work. The Blemished Rose, which also has not yet been published, deals with misplaced guilt.

One underlying theme in each of these novels is time. In every instance, time plays a major role because life is much about time and how we use it. Time is a commodity. We trade time to our employer for pay. We put in a certain amount of time on the job and they give us a certain amount of money for that time. Of course, when it comes to how much money we are able to get for that time other factors come into play, such as technical skills, experience, and the difficulty of the task. This particular blog article isn’t about discussing the fairness of the trade, a discussion which could go on and on, but rather the fact that time is something which is limited and valuable.

Although much of our time is necessarily devoted to work or earning a living, we chose how we use our time. We try to portion our time so we can keep at least some of it for ourselves and our families. Some people save enough time to golf, fish, read, watch movies, or whatever makes them happy. Parents save time to go watch their kids play sports or attend a Christmas concert. Families look forward to taking time for vacations. People donate time to charities.

Perhaps if we knew just how much time we had, we would prioritize it better, but the truth is we don’t. When we are young life seems almost endless and we find ourselves believing we have plenty of time. We take more risks, we live carefree, and time appears to be on our side. And yet, plenty of young people never see their eighteenth birthday; they just didn’t have much time. As we grow older and people pass from among us, the limits of our time start to become more real.

Based upon my core beliefs, I believe there is a purpose to the amount of time we are given; a purpose for life and a certain amount of time in which to accomplish it. Deacon says we are like dominoes and each of us impacts the other. Therefore, my purpose could lead you to your purpose or vice versa. The ripples of your life may flow into mine. Even a life which seems cut short may have been just long enough to help shape another life or provide the catalyst necessary for another to find their purpose. These are my thoughts and you’re welcome to your own, of course.

I must admit, much of mine is wasted on things with little importance. So much time is spent worrying about things which really don’t matter in the grand scheme of life. These things become a distraction, sucking away time which could be better served if focused upon things of value. Such squandering of time is much akin to the accumulation of things; things which will waste and wither away; things which simply aren’t needed in order to live happy and comfortably.

What about you? What’s your purpose? Are you to do something which catches worldwide attention changing the course of history? Maybe you’re doing something just as important by changing someone else’s history; nurturing children who will shape the world in which they live. Perhaps your life was meant to rub up against someone else who has a completely different purpose. Will you look back on your time and find it was used wisely or squandered on a pot full of irrelevance? We probably all have things in our lives which are well worth the time as well as things which aren’t worth a minute and though I don’t think it is healthy to question ourselves on every second of our time, I do think it is healthy to realize that life is largely about how we spend our time.

Make the most of it my friends. Hug those grand-kids. Kiss your own kids. Stop and smell the roses. Take the time to offer roses. Write a book. Read a book. Plant a tree. Give some blood. Visit with someone. Spend some time alone. Just use it for what is important to you and to those you care about.