Aeros Dynamics















I just spent the night looking at all the hockey teams in the AHL, just to see what’s going on in the league. I seen some team include their cheerleaders and some did not. I’m a guy so NATURALLY I looked. Call me bias, call me a typical guy, all I have to say is HOUSTON has the best looking cheerleaders in the entire league. Way to go Aeros Dynamics.




My Interview

When I took creative writing in college one of the assignments I was given was to conduct an interview with myself. An interesting idea but one I never did, until now. The following is an interview I did with myself.

Sitting down with Max one of the first things you notice is a bookshelf that is so full it is overflowing. A very good mixture of books and DVDs. Seems like that bookcase holds a lot of value to Max. It seemed like a good place to start the interview.
You have just as many books as you do DVDs, is there a reason for that? Yes. I love to read. I have been collecting books since the days of SEE SPOT RUN. RUN SPOT RUN. Ha, ha I can still see that little panda running.
So you have books from your childhood? Not anymore. The closet thing I have to a book from my childhood is a book that I bought for my daughter that I use to love as a kid.
I see you have a wide range of books. What is your favorite? I have two but for different reasons. My favorite book for the story is Cracker Jackson by Betsy Byars. That was a book I read over and over. You can tell which books I have read more than once, the front cover is torn apart and the back cover is missing completely.
Star Wars, without a doubt is the second. I am a huge Star Wars fan. My favorite book is a gift I received. Even though I had the original Star Wars trilogy in paperback my nephew bought me a hard back copy while he was out of town for a medical conference. For some reason he kind of ambushed George Lucas at a book store and asked him for his autograph, for me. That is my prize possession.
I bought my first Star Wars book for a quarter when I was fourteen at a garage sale. The cover was torn and falling apart but I loved it. I read it over and over so much I broke the spine and held it together with tape. That was the first of many Star Wars books to come.
But I only see three Star Wars books. I have some comic books in the back but that’s all I have left.
Have left? At one time I had almost had every book printed of Star Wars from the time I was fourteen till I was twenty. Then I started working two jobs and going to school and I did not have the time or money to keep up. I actually had over thirty books then Tropical Storm Allison hit Houston and I lost most of my books.
So you had more than what you have now? Yes. I only have a third of the books I had as a teenager.
Okay, so you like books. Where did you first get started? My grandmother, my mom’s mom. She got me started reading. I remember in elementary the teachers use to order books from a placed called TROLL. My parents would order a book or two every three months. Grandma came for a visit and then started sending my mom money so my brother and I could buy books to read, even if it was just comic books. As long as I was reading that’s all that mattered.
Is there anyone that you are currently reading now? Yes. I read an interview in Writer’s Digest with Laurell K. Hamilton. Afterwards I just had to read her Anita Blake Vampire Hunter series. I am getting ready to start book number three.
What about all the movies you have? What can I say; I’m a big movie buff. Movies are nothing but stories told the old fashion way, with passion that makes people talk, sometimes for years to come.
Speaking of stories being told, you call yourself a story teller, what do you mean by that? Sometimes I feel like I was born in the wrong time period. In medieval times the common people could not read or write. History and basic entertainment was passed down by telling stories. These story tellers kept the attention of any who would listen.
I firmly believe that the art of being able to tell a story and hold someone’s attention is dying. True, some writers can write a book that is over five hundred pages and have every little detail present but they can not hold someone’s attention, well at least not mine. I hear it all the time, people have to force themselves to read through something that is boring just to get to what is said to be the juicy part of the books. I, myself, am guilty of having to force read through something because I do not want to just give up the book. My goal and hope is that my readers do not feel that way about my work.
Let’s talk about your writing career. In your author bio you say you wrote your first poem for a girl. Tell us about that. I am a shy person. I can hear the moans now about how out spoken I am but it’s true, sometimes I am very shy, to the point of blushing. Her name was Anita and she lived in my neighborhood, on the opposite side of the neighborhood but still within walking distance. We went to middle school together. I had the biggest crush on her and when we went to high school we separated. I went to one magnet school and she went to another.
At the end of summer before school started I went over to her house and we hung out for the day. I gave her the poem that I wrote while I was walking to her house and she hugged me and told me that I was sweet but she liked girls. I was crushed, my young heart was broken, and I wrote another poem. I hated her for breaking my heart. Two years later I saw her at the grocery store and we talked. We stayed friends until our senior year.
After you wrote those first two poems, is that when you knew you would become a writer? God no. To be honest I hated to write. I wrote poetry to girls because I wanted to be liked and I knew girls liked poetry. If the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach then the way to a woman’s heart is through poetry. But FATE was not so kind to me. It never worked. Sure girls wanted me to write poems for them and guys asked me to write poems for their girlfriends but it never brought love to me. It was kind of like a double edge sword, I hated to write but it’s what was asked of me.
So when did you want to become a writer? Actually I never wanted to be a writer; I wanted to be a pilot. I had an English teacher my junior year that pushed me to write, in turn making me hate it more. In class we had to write an essay a week but I had to write three. With my father being a school teacher himself I was not allowed to challenge a teacher giving extra school work.
One day after class I pleaded the teacher to stop. I felt like she had been picking on me all year, giving me extra assignments and then always reading them out loud in class. She sat me down and told me that I was a writer and I should not fight it. I told her I wanted to be a pilot and that was my life goal. She did not want to push so she agreed to stop. Before she let me go she told me that someday I would embrace my writing. Something would happen to me and the flood gates would open up and my story would come out. She was right.
So you owe your writing career to this teacher? Yes and no. I feel I owe my writing career to two people actually. Mrs. Jones, my English teacher, for planting the seed in my head. The second is Tyra Banks.
Tyra Banks the supermodel? Yes
How do you owe your writing career to Tyra Banks? Well it’s an interesting story. Mrs. Jones said something would happen to me and that something was the attacks of 9/11. I was working at the airport as a ramp rat on the private terminal and remember how hectic that day was. I started writing a story and it was very rough getting started. I was starting to get discouraged and was about to stop writing.
One day I saw a commercial for the upcoming Tyra Banks show. Tyra was standing in front of her childhood home and telling her story. At the end of the commercial Tyra said, “That’s my story. What’s yours?” Those five words hit me hard. No one had ever asked ME what my story was. Granted, Tyra was not talking to me directly but those five words woke something up inside of me and the flood gates opened up inside me. I found my story and it poured out of me.
I have some questions from people your fans. Are you up to answering some fan fair questions? Sure. I’m up for it.
First question, where do you plan on taking your life over the next ten to twenty years? That’s really hard for me to answer. When I was in high school I did not think I would make it to graduation. When I graduated I did not think I would make it to the year 2000. Y2K, what a scare. There is always something that is suppose to end life as we know it so I don’t tend to plan that far in advance.
What would be nice is if in ten years I no longer have to work full time. Writing can be my full time job and I can make enough money to get a good home and take care of my family.
You mentioned your full time job. Security is a big leap from writer, why did you choose security as your profession? I didn’t choose security as my profession, it chose me. Right out of high school I joined the AmeriCorps that President Clinton set up. After one year in the Corps I was given money for college so I started flight school at San Jacinto College and flew out of Ellington Field. While in flight school I needed a job that was not demanding so I got a job working nights as security. I was at an apartment complex and was shot at so I quit.
Four years later I lost my job and no one was really hiring. I had two choices, flip burgers or go back to security. I figured if I was going to get shot at then I need to be able to shoot back so I went to school to get my commission. I became a natural at it. I worked to pay the bills but soon I was wanted and requested. I was good at my job or I should say I am good at my job. Now I have job security, no pun intended.
Speaking of job security, what do you think of the current political/economic crisis in our country? I try not to. Don’t get me wrong, I understand the argument of if you don’t vote you have no right to complain but if I really felt my vote counted then I might vote. Politics is a topic I don’t get into much because I am very passionate about it and passion has a way of becoming heated.
We are in a bad fix right now and all I can do is try to take care of my family. Economics has never been my strong suit but then again, the economy has always been a roller coaster that none of us can get off of. Every roller coaster has its ups and downs so I am along for the ride.
So will anything change in the way you spend money or vote? Actually it has. My spending in a way has increased, not decreased. We are on this planet for a short time and whatever we gather here we can not take it with us. I firmly believe that good deeds will be rewarded. I am trying to do good now while things are bad so when they are good again I know they will stay good.
As far as voting, I will not be voting this time around either. I have my reasons and before anyone says anything negative about voting, I know all the arguments. I have the right not to cast my vote just as others have the right to cast their vote. Now if Jessie “The Body” Ventura was to run for president that is someone I would actually go out and vote for. That man has been more level headed and honest then most people I have ever seen running for any office.
Let’s get back to your writing. Why do you write? I write primarily because I am a passionate person. Writing is a good way to channel that passion. I have an active imagination and it’s kind of like seeing a mini movie in my mind. I write down what I see and that is how I get my stories.
Some of your writing can get pretty dark. What goes on in your mind when you write about your dark topics? Does writing about dark topics lighten or darken your mood? Yes I can get pretty dark. I even scare myself sometimes. Growing up I always struggled with depression, not knowing what it was. Later on in life I found out that depression runs in my family and that the demons I had been battling all my life, I was not alone. Sometimes those demons can come on pretty strong, writing what I’m feeling helps me to deal with it. I guess you can say the darker I write the lighter my mood gets. Don’t worry though, the truly dark stuff I keep to myself.
Okay, writing dark materials makes your mood lighter. How do you create your characters? What is your inspiration? My inspiration can come from anywhere. A show, a movie, kids playing, the rain, the zoo, nature. Sometimes I hear a story and try to put my own spin or twist on it. The one thing that is consistent in my inspiration is passion. No matter what I do, it is done with passion and conviction.
As far as creating characters, they create themselves. I know that may not make sense but like I said before I watch their story unfold and write it down. People ask me all the time what is going to happen next in the story and the funny thing is, I don’t know. I look at it this way, if I want my stories to sell then my characters need to live and breathe. They need to be someone others can love or love to hate. They need to be real and like real people things can change at a whim.
Do you still have anything from your early high school days? If you do, what is the earliest you have? Yes I do. I still have a lot of my poems from high school. You can tell they are my early work because they are very raw and rough.
So you have been writing for a long time now, how do you write? What are your rituals? Haha, ritual, that’s good. I have no rituals say for one, I have to write everything down on paper first. A notepad and pen go with me everywhere cause you never know when an idea can strike and if I don’t write it down right away I could lose it. After I have written it down on paper I type it on the computer.
So what do you do with your drafts after you type them? I destroy them. I know a lot of writers keep that stuff around or keep a journal but I honestly do not see the need. Whatever notes and changes I make they are my own. The final draft is my gift to my readers. I want people to talk about my work, not what did not go into it or what I was thinking when I wrote it. To me, that takes away from the story and I don’t want to take that away from my readers.
Speaking of journals, do you keep one or recommend keeping one for others? I use to write in a journal for school. I was forced to write in it. I have tried writing in one before a bunch of times but I just can not do it. When I write it has to flow out of me. If I feel forced then I can not write, I can even develop a block and I hate those. Everyone has different things that helps them to write and if keeping a journal helps you to write then I encourage that. Me personally, I can not.
You mentioned blocks, a writer’s worse nightmare, how often do you get them? I don’t know, they come and go. The bad thing is when I get one it can last a few hours or it can last months. I had a block that lasted eight months.
So when these blocks end how long does it usually take you to write your short stories or novels? That question is a very tough one to answer. I have written a short story, for example, THE PILLOW FIGHT, in ten minutes while HELL’S PLAYGROUND took me over a year to write. One book took a month to write while another is not complete and it’s been two years since I started it.
When I have a story idea I write and I write till the story stops speaking to me. I might get hit all of a sudden by another story and I have to start writing that story till it stops speaking to me. I have been known to work on three to four stories at once.
To date, just how many novels do you have completed? I have a total of ten short novels that I have completed. I just need to transfer them from paper to computer.
Ten books on paper? Aren’t you worried about losing them? Not really. I know it sounds bad but I do believe everything happens for a reason. If these books are meant to be read then they will be, if not then at least I had fun writing them. Publishing them is important to me but not so important that I have to give up time with my family to get them printed.
Well you have one book that has been published and another due out around Christmas. When did you know you were ready to be published? Honestly I’m not sure that I’m ready to be published even now. I’m my own worst critic. Others like my work and that gives me something to look forward to. I know I have to do my best so that I do not disappoint anyone with my work.

This interview was written on October 17, 2008.

What's In a Name

This is a subject I have written on over and over again. No matter what people wish, humans are very shallow people. We judge each other by so many aspects but the most common judgment is based on our names. When we hear a name we automatically have a picture in our mind of who this person is, before we ever meet them. For the purposes of this article I will only use my own experiences because I know this is a touchy subject.
First off, stereotypes are stereotypes for a reason, most of the time they are true. I say most because while some stereotypes have been applied to me, they do not fit. While the name attached to this article is Max M. Power, it is not my real name. I am of Latin decent and my family comes from Mexico. However, since I was born in the United States I call myself an American. I do not feel the need to hyphenate, and my personal opinion is that you either are American or you are not.
My first name is Miguel, and for protection of my family, that is the only part of my real name that I will reveal. Now with a common name like Miguel I do get stereotyped that I have to speak Spanish, I work hard labor, and that I get drunk on the weekend. Only one of these stereotypes is true.
I speak Spanish – NO. I speak very little Spanish. Again, my name played a role in this. When I was little, before I started school, I spoke Spanish as much as I spoke English. When school started my father told my family that we needed to speak English at school. If we spoke Spanish at school we would be pulled out of regular classes and put into ESL, English as a Second Language. Sadly an ESL class was thought in Spanish and they were not taught the same subjects as regular classes. Translation, a lesser education.
My father, being a school teacher, believed that a good education is the most important thing a person can get. So at five years old a decision had to be made, speak a language that my ancestors spoke or get a good education. Education was the choice made and while some think negative because I do not speak Spanish, I am happy with my education and with my life.
I work hard labor – YES and NO. I work hard at everything I do. I was raised with a sense of pride in myself and everything I do. If I’m a toilet scrubber then I’m going to be the best damn toilet scrubber I can be.
I have worked hard labor before, working construction with my in laws family since I was ten. That in itself is a good trade to have, but it’s not for me. It’s not what I want to do for the rest of my life. However, when people hear the name Miguel they think I’m a day laborer. Just not so.
I get drunk on the weekend – NO. This is the one that I laugh at the most. I do not even drink and I can hear the gasp now, a Latino man that does not drink, OH MY GOD! Again, a stereotype that is mostly true, just one that does not apply to me.
As a writer my ultimate goal is to get my work published. Publication means people get to read my work. The more people read my work the more they want, the more they want the better the sales, the better the sales the more money I can make, the more money I make the better chance I have at making a good living.
I have gone to a book convention and have met with a few publishers. I submitted the same work to two different publishers and they both loved it, the only difference was the name attached to the work. They both told me to change my name and it was for the same reason. So why was I not signed? Simple, it’s my name.
Publisher number one received the manuscript with my real name attached. I was told that my Latino name would hurt my sales. I needed a name that sounded more "White" because people make judgments based on the name. Both the title of the book as well as the author’s name will determine if someone will pick up a book and read the cover.
Publisher number two received the manuscript with my pen name attached. Again, the publisher loved the work but did not want to meet me because he only published Latino writers. When I told him I was Latino and what my real name was he told me that he would publish my work but only, and I stress only, if I published under my real name.
I often wondered, what’s the difference if you like the work? But my answer was very clear, which is why I chose to use a pen name in the first place, when a name is all you have to go by, that name needs to speak volumes.
Yes there are stereotypes when it comes to names. Sad but true, it is how, we as humans are programmed. It’s just another thing that needs to be overcome. Whether you want to believe it or not, there is a lot in a name.
Max M. Power

Four A.M.

Growing up I kind of felt like a Gypsy, traveling back and forth across this vast country of ours. Like most of my family I was born in the beautiful state of California. When I was five I was taken to Texas, where I now live. I was taught the importance of family but at a great distance. While 95% of my family was still in California, we were all spread apart, living in other cities and opposite ends of the state.
One thing remanded the same, no matter where ANY of us were, we all longed for the affection of one person, my grandmother. She was the glue that kept our family together, or at the very least, kept us in line. We learned quickly, do NOT let this little lady fool you, after all dynamite comes in small packages and my grandmother was the ultimate firecracker.
My grandmother taught me that there is a huge difference between hearing and listening. Listening to her for five minutes, you knew she had a life time of stories to tell. The wonderful thing though, even in silence, she could speak volumes.
With everyone pawing for attention and we being half way across the country, my time was limited to short visits. A week, a month, a summer. It really did not matter; we always made the best of it. In 1989 the visit lasted a year, and when school started, I got four a.m.
It started with a summer visit, grandma taking my brother, my cousins, and myself to our huge family reunion at the largest park in Stockton, California. At the park we were allowed to go to the pool. Throughout the summer we went to the pool on our own, taking the city bus, but when grandma took us, there was no silence. Oh no, not my grandma, she taught us how to talk smack to the players.
The Stockton Ports was a minor league baseball team but they were OUR team and grandma said they needed OUR support. So to the game we went, buying a Coke and a hotdog or popcorn. It was un-American to go to a baseball game and NOT get a Coke and hotdog, a lesson I passed on to my own child.
Screaming at the other team, telling the ump he needed glasses, those were good times, and the ONLY time we were allowed to say things like that without getting our butts tanned.
Soon summer came to an end and it was time for school. Over ten people living under one roof, with three bedrooms and one shower, fighting for time was a big issue. I had to be out the door at six in the morning to catch the city bus to school. I took my showers in the morning before anyone else was awake. Four a.m. was my time to wake up.
With sleep in my eyes I stumbled into the shower with my school clothes, having to dress quickly in the bathroom. Wet towel in hand, I walked back to my room to put it into the hamper and grab my backpack. As I closed the door to the room I looked over to the kitchen to see the newspaper floating over the table, my grandmother hidden behind the pages.
Breakfast was sitting on the table waiting for me. Grandma made what she made and there was no complaining allowed. I could complain but it would result in getting slapped in the face, breakfast taken away, and having to wait until lunch for my next meal. Like I said, no complaining allowed.
I would sit down, good mornings were exchanged and I would begin to eat. No other words were spoken except an occasional, “Will you look at that…” “I can’t believe they did that…” or “Well, I’ll be…” Grandma never treated us like fragile children but more like young adults so she would read certain articles and ask my opinion.
We never had “conversations” per say but I learned a lot from grandma. At five a.m. the rest of the house would begin to wake up and I would have to clear my place from the table and finish getting ready for school back in my room. It was everyone else’s turn to spend the morning with grandma before she went to work. We all had to share this wonderful woman but at least I had her all to myself at four a.m.

Max M. Power
Written November 24, 2008

Paper or Plastic

No I'm not talking about your groceries. I'm talking about shopping. In this age of electronics, where almost everything can be done on a hand held device that fits in your pocket, more and more people are turning to the internet to get their entertainment. In fact I am writing this article on a hand held Palm Pilot PDA.
Things are more convenient online. Stores are going out of business while their website counterparts are thriving. People don't have to fight for parking, stand in long lines, or deal with rude people. Your purchase can be delivered to your address so you never have to leave the house. If you know where to look most times you can get what you want for cheaper than you can in the store.
Want to see a movie? Going to a movie can cost over $20 per person when you add in popcorn and a drink. That same movie can be downloaded for less than $3 depending on who you use. Makes you wonder how long DVDs will last at $15 to $20 a movie.
Books? Average paperback will not cost less than $8 while a hardback is closer to $22. An e-book can range from $0.50 to $7 depending on the book. Depending on the handheld device an e-readers can be a fairly cheap add on. A paper book can be bulky; especially if it’s a Stephen King novel, and is can not fit in most pockets.
Amozon.com has The Kindle, other websites offer E-Reader Machines, Palm has a downloadable program that can turn any Palm Pilot into an e-reader, and even cell phones can be turned into e-readers. The great thing about any e-reader is that depending on your memory size you can store anywhere from a hundred files or books on up into the thousands. No more looking for a dictionary, they can be downloaded too.
With this age of technology the question still stands, paper or plastic? While plastic may be more convenient nothing beat good old fashion rough paper. The sound of a newspaper rustling as you turn the pages. The smell of a brand new book as you open it for the first time and let the ink breath. The feel of a crisp new dollar bill between your finger tips.
The best thing about paper that outweighs plastic, no power needed to operate. If you live in an area where a strong story can knock out power for days or weeks at a time you know how wonderful paper can be. So what will it be, paper or plastic?

Max M. Power
Written November 15, 2008

Solitaire

What is up with this game? I can’t stop playing it but I am going bald from pulling my hair out. I think this computer is cheating. Dang, I just lost another game. I mean it’s a simple game, one that I can play anywhere with a deck of cards but I have to play this game here on the computer.
Then there are different versions of this game. Draw one card, draw three cards. Auto jump to the ACES. It’s enough to drive you batty. Dang, lost another game. I’m hooked, I just can’t stop. Then again, I can’t get any work done either because I’m playing this game. Wow, that was a fast game. I swear this computer is cheating. I really hate this game, I wish I could stop playing it. I… I... I won! I LOVE THIS GAME!!!

Max M. Power
Written December 15, 2008

What Do You Believe?

It’s a valid question, what do you believe? It’s a question that can take a lifetime to answer. God gave us all FREE WILL and with that our minds are open to countless possibilities.
There are literally thousands of topics that this question, these four little words, can apply to. You have the three deadliest topics; Sex, Religion, and Politics, there’s a bomb just waiting to go off. But there are others that can really blow your mind: The Supernatural, The Unknown, The Paranormal, Ghost, Shadow People, and The After Life.
Do you believe in Vampires? I do. I know they exist because I am one. I’m not the kind that you’re most likely thinking of, I do not like blood. I’m an Energy Vampire. Look it up, you might be surprised in what you find.
What about aliens? Well, yea, of course they exist. Just because I have not personally seen one myself, I do believe they exist, sorry but the Goobly Goos are a story I made up. If they are not real then it seems like a very bad waist of space.
Ghost? I would not be an amateur ghost hunter if I didn’t. I have had my own experiences all my life with ghost, even having a ghost attached to me for a few years. Now that my ghost is gone I actually miss her playfulness.
So now I ask you, what do you believe?

Max M. Power
Written December 10, 2008

Swing Away



The wonderful thing about the internet is the unlimited supply of things to read. I am always reading and looking for great new authors. I love to read and no doubt you do to, that is why you are a member of my fan club. I found a young writer who will someday soon hold the title of AUTHOR. The following is a recent article she wrote. You can find out more about her here:





When life throws you curveballs…


SWING AWAY!





From working at Royals Kauffman Stadium I’ve learned a few things. Aside from the fact they don’t have a half-time and that they have innings and not quarters, I’ve learned that you cheer for the home team. Even when they’re the underdogs. Especially if they’re the underdogs every game. I’ve been shown that, in its own way, life is like baseball. You’re playing the same game every time but the pitcher isn’t always the same person. And sometimes, maybe most of the time, the pitcher is bigger, badder, faster, and in every way stacks the odds higher and higher against you. But you still step up to the plate because people are counting on you. There are people who will still cheer you on, wearing YOUR name across their back, rooting for the underdog which happens to be you.
You can’t just say, “Sorry coach it’s just not my day and I don’t feel like playing.” No. Maybe you’re not playing for yourself or for the love of the game, maybe you don’t even know why; but you do it anyway, because that’s the name of the game.
You’re on the roster and it’s your turn at bat. There’s no backing out now and you’ve got to give it your all. You see everyone in the stands, and the determination on the faces of the opposing players, all of them, trying to get you out one way or another. You step up to home plate and try your best, even when you know it’s not good enough you still grip that bat and swing.
The crack of the bat compels you to run like you mean it. First Base. The stadium lights glare and your muscles burn. Second Base. The adrenaline continues to propel you as you approach your goal. Third base. You can see home base as sweat kisses your lips. You begin to feel anxious and triumphant. You’ll make it home but maybe not. Just then, dust is thrown in the air as you slide into home plate and you hear the pop of the ball in the catcher’s mitt.
Anticipation.
Anxiety.
And finally,
Victory as the Umpire shouts, “Safe!”
The crowd roars, sharing your joyous relief.
Sometimes it pays to step it up and swing.
Who do you play for?
“You don’t play for the name on the back of the jersey, you play for the name on the front.” – T Shirt Tuesday Giveaways.
Written by Kimberly Crowley on Saturday June 27, 2009