People, Talents & Hey!

I met Soldwolf, the author of Meeting the Parents, a little over a year ago at one of the places I volunteer with.  He'd been regular there for a while, and very established in his role there, and has been very active with the day to day activities that happen.  The place is lucky to have him there, especially in the morning, and even the paid staff relies on him a lot.  With all that he gives of himself to the center to serve the neediest people in the community, he still takes a lot of guff from fellow staff & especially the clients.

Because the clientele is highly needy to an extent, coming in for a variety of reasons, there are those who are thankful to be there to help make their ends meet, then there are those who want to get anything and everything they can get their hands on.  My friend has no issues firmly telling people "no", and often, because he is firm with his principle, some people misinterpret him as being mean, rude, etc...  





It is interesting, because as much flack as he takes, these people get forgiven, and he faithfully comes in ridiculously early to dedicate a part of his day to ensure that things are going smoothly.  Many people seem to overlook that.  Yet I think there are those who go in that makes it worthwhile for him to go in, such as the very talented resident artist who does an excellent job drawing & painting people/scenes there.  There are also a couple of musicians (a pianist and an aspiring fiddler), and I think I remember someone bringing in a knitting or crocheting project along that line.  Being that I'm pretty crafty myself, I understand why Soldwolf appreciates these people who help brighten the day, when others can be stressful.

In getting to know him, I find that he's smart, funny, and very accommodating.  When he puts his foot down, there is always a logical reason for it.  And, if people were to actually give him 10% of the slack he gives everybody else, they'd realize he's a good guy to know...  And, I really enjoy his military sci-fi story, which is still a work in progress (I've posted chapters in previous blogs), and because I think reading is a good thing, I'm sharing since you know, sharing the love is the right thing to do.

Chapter 39 - Fireworks

Now, who doesn't love a good fireworks show?  But who am I kidding?  Us Asian people love our light & sound shows.  It would be neat to learn how to become a pyrotechnic, and the hero's Japanese friend won't miss it, either.  I like how the author captured authentic cultural characteristics in the story.  It is also cute how certain things can sound really strange to someone from another planet when they don't have a basis for reference.  You're going to have to read about which sweet treat it is...

But of course, even during a celebratory fireworks show, not everything is fun and games.  The hero is in charge of some military operations, and of course, there are always things that need to be done, especially with personnel.  Other things are going on in the background.  Do heads roll?  Is there a death toll? You'll have to find out what kind of damage control is being done yourself.

Chapter 40 - Takedowns

Oh, and what a takedown...  I'd really hate to be in the position of this guy...  When a retired military officer comes out of retirement to see you, you know it isn't good!  And the intel that is being dug up, wow...  It's HUGE!

And with the Hero & his lovely (among those there to support them), being that they have pull within the military, still have to balance the work/life cycle delicately...  The tension & excitement grows, as to what will happen next.

The author's highlighted name at the top will bring you to his writing profile, and for those who want to read from the beginning, the title of the story will take you to chapter 1.  With more people stopping in to read, the better chance he gets of having publishers taking his story, once he's done, and actually printing it into a book.  With how he gives his time, also being a veteran, this would be a great way to be able to give back to him.