Author: Richard L. Fricks

Writer. Observer. Builder. I write from a life shaped by attention, simplicity, and living without a script—through reflective essays, long-form inquiry, and fiction rooted in ordinary lives. I live in rural Alabama, where writing, walking, and building small, intentional spaces are part of the same practice.

Sanity Snippet: Speaking of God

As of October 24, 2021, Sanity Snippets are snapshots of my daily life, those things I’m doing—such as reading, writing, biking, photographing, and gardening—to maintain sanity while living in the most regressive state imaginable. Alabama.

Richard L. Fricks

Just finished this excellent book. Whether you are a believer or non-believer, you will gain by absorbing these words.

Kindle cover

This is a splendid book. I’m almost certain it did not expose me to any new arguments. But, after six plus years of reading hundreds of essays and books arguing for and against the Christian God, it impressed me how cogently the author addressed the issues. His writing is brilliant, meaning you don’t have to read and reread to grasp his points. Further, I suspect his story is not as rare as many church-goers would think.

For all my Southern Baptist friends, I encourage you to grab a copy (learn more https://www.dbramsey.com). At a minimum, you will learn a lot about how and why agnostics don’t reach the same conclusions you reach. Don’t fret. If your God is who you say He is, there’s no doubt He can weather a few penetrating questions.

Or not.

Here’s something to ponder.

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?

Epicurus (341 BC – 270 BC)

Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.

Sanity Snippet: Biking & ‘Reading’–11/27-28/21

As of October 24, 2021, Sanity Snippets are snapshots of my daily life, those things I’m doing—such as reading, writing, biking, photographing, and gardening—to maintain sanity while living in the most regressive state imaginable. Alabama.

Richard L. Fricks

Yesterday, 10.69 miles.

Today, 10.69 miles.

Here’s a six-minute video from yesterday’s ride. I know, I know. I need a better camera and mount.

Clip: From Holland Motors to The Lion’s Den.

While biking, I’m still listening to and enjoying The Hunger Games by Susan Collins.

Read the abstract, and if it suits your fancy, grab a copy and start reading or listening.

Abstract of The Hunger Games from Amazon

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Still, if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.

The Boaz Slavemaster

Update:

The first episode of The Boaz Slavemaster is now available. You can read it here.

Previous post:

The first episode of The Boaz Slavemaster will soon be ready on Amazon’s new publishing platform, Kindle Vella. This is where authors present their stories to readers in 600 to 5,000 word episodes.

You can find stories in the Kindle Vella store on Amazon and in the Kindle iOS APP.

I’ll share a link to The Boaz Slavemaster as soon as the first episode is ready.

Sanity Snippet: Biking & ‘Reading’–11/25-26/21

As of October 24, 2021, Sanity Snippets are snapshots of my daily life, those things I’m doing—such as reading, writing, biking, photographing, and gardening—to maintain sanity while living in the most regressive state imaginable. Alabama.

Richard L. Fricks

Yesterday, I made a seventeen mile round-trip on my bike to my mother-in-law’s for Thanksgiving lunch. This afternoon, I made a fifteen mile round-trip to the post office and learned I have the wrong type of gloves for such cold weather.

Tonight, my left side is hurting. Hopefully, the Bengay will help.

Here’s a seven-minute video from today’s ride. I know, I know. I need a better camera and mount.

Sardis football stadium to Bama Buck’s

While biking, I’m still listening to and enjoying The Hunger Games by Susan Collins.

Read the abstract, and if it suits your fancy, grab a copy and start reading or listening.

Abstract of The Hunger Games from Amazon

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Still, if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.

Scrivener—An Introduction (Lesson 1)

I’m certain I never would have written eleven novels since November 2015 if it hadn’t been for the wonderful writing software known as Scrivener. It is the best way to simplify the complex process of writing, especially an extensive work.

In this post I’m making my first attempt at using Screencast-O-Matic’s screen-recording software to provide a brief introduction to Scrivener.

To watch, click the following link. The video is only sixteen minutes long.

https://screencast-o-matic.com/watch/crXTfIVIpN5

I’m sorry about my Civil War ignorance. Yes, I caught my error. Gettysburg is in Pennsylvania, not Virginia.

Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.

Sanity Snippet: Fresh collards from our garden

As of October 24, 2021, Sanity Snippets are snapshots of my daily life, those things I’m doing—such as reading, writing, biking, photographing, and gardening—to maintain sanity while living in the most regressive state imaginable. Alabama.

Richard L. Fricks
Collards from our 2021 garden.
Picked. Awaiting washing, rewashing, and cutting.
Collards from our 2021 fall garden.
Straight to the pot
Homemade pepper sauce 2021.
2021 homemade pepper sauce

The collards (with a few stems of unexpected lettuce) turned out scrumptious, especially over Donna’s magnificent cornbread, along with our homemade tart and tangy pepper sauce. There’s no better eating than straight from your own garden. It’s a lot of labor, but worth every minute.

Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.

Beemgee/Character/Action

In early September, I started a series about Beemgee’s story development tool. Although I no longer provide book coaching services, I still wholeheartedly encourage you to write, particularly, a novel. From my experience, writing will change your life.

In hopes you have an interest in learning the craft of fiction writing, I will continue this series but limit my posts to what Beemgee provides without injecting my thoughts, comments, and opinions (well, maybe a few every once in a while).

Now to Beemgee/Character/Action.

“The action is what the character does in response to the task. The action is usually the character’s attempt at solving the external problem. Action here refers to acting as in doing (not in the sense of pretending to on stage or screen, and not as in action-movies either). The reader/audience gets to know and care about a character through what the character does. Action might be representative of the archetype of which the character may be an example. This means that while a character does lots of things in a story (i.e. performs a succession of individual acts), there might be an overriding connection that can be summed up in one verb. As in, the good guy FIGHTS the bad guy. Usually the action leads to conflict, even if it is peaceful, like loving, because it is in opposition to another character’s action. Often for main characters, there is one central action which is indicative of their true nature. For a protagonist, such a key deed is well-placed in the centre of the story, at the midpoint.”

If you want to read Beemgee’s, “The Character Action that Pivots the Plot,” click here.

Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.

Sanity Snippet: Biking & ‘Reading’–11/22/21

As of October 24, 2021, Sanity Snippets are snapshots of my daily life, those things I’m doing—such as reading, writing, biking, photographing, and gardening—to maintain sanity while living in the most regressive state imaginable. Alabama.

Richard L. Fricks

My new bike continues to perform admirably. Today’s ride was 10.56 miles and took 1 hour, 10 minutes, 52 seconds. Here’s a portion of that ride. Again, I’m sorry for the quality, and lack of editing. I’m filming on an old Motorola cell phone.

Path: Happy Hill Cutoff Road & a hundred yards or so on Cox Gap Road.

I love to ‘read’ while I’m biking. Okay, I’m listening to a book through the Kindle or OverDrive App. Today, I continued listening to The Hunger Games by Susan Collins. So far, I’m enjoying the story by this talented author.

Read the abstract, and if it suits your fancy, grab a copy and start reading or listening.

Abstract of The Hunger Games from Amazon

In the ruins of a place once known as North America lies the nation of Panem, a shining Capitol surrounded by twelve outlying districts. The Capitol keeps the districts in line by forcing them all to send one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen to participate in the annual Hunger Games, a fight to the death on live TV.

Sixteen-year-old Katniss Everdeen regards it as a death sentence when she steps forward to take her sister’s place in the Games. But Katniss has been close to death before-and survival, for her, is second nature. Still, if she is to win, she will have to start making choices that weigh survival against humanity and life against love.


Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.

Sanity Snippet: Biking & ‘Reading’–11/17/21

As of October 24, 2021, Sanity Snippets are snapshots of my daily life, those things I’m doing—such as reading, writing, biking, photographing, and gardening—to maintain sanity while living in the most regressive state imaginable. Alabama.

Richard L. Fricks

I’m really enjoying my new bike. Yesterday’s ride was 11.11 miles (a current record for me!) and took just seconds shy of 1 hour 9 minutes. Here’s a portion of that ride—sorry for the quality, and lack of editing. Also, I’m filming on an old Motorola.

11/17/21

I love to ‘read’ while I’m biking. Okay, I’m listening to a book through the Kindle App. Yesterday, I finished Robert Dugoni’s fifth novel in his Tracy Crosswhite series. Man, I aspire to be such a talented author. Read the abstract and start reading or listening to this series through Amazon’s Kindle Unlimited.

Abstract of Close to Home from Amazon:

New York Times bestselling author Robert Dugoni’s acclaimed series continues as Tracy Crosswhite is thrown headlong into the path of a killer conspiracy.

While investigating the hit-and-run death of a young boy, Seattle homicide detective Tracy Crosswhite makes a startling discovery: the suspect is an active-duty serviceman at a local naval base. After a key piece of case evidence goes missing, he is cleared of charges in a military court. But Tracy knows she can’t turn her back on this kind of injustice.

When she uncovers the driver’s ties to a rash of recent heroin overdoses in the city, she realizes that this isn’t just a case of the military protecting its own. It runs much deeper than that, and the accused wasn’t acting alone. For Tracy, it’s all hitting very close to home.

As Tracy moves closer to uncovering the truth behind this insidious conspiracy, she’s putting herself in harm’s way. And the only people she can rely on to make it out alive might be those she can no longer trust.

Sign up for my Myths, Mysteries & Murders readers’ group for news, special offers, and to receive a FREE digital copy of The Boaz Scorekeeper: dl.bookfunnel.com/i9qbcspivt.



Sanity Snippet: Biking 11/14/21

As of October 24, 2021, Sanity Snippets are snapshots of my daily life, those things I’m doing—such as reading, writing, biking, photographing, and gardening—to maintain sanity while living in the most regressive state imaginable. Alabama.

Richard L. Fricks
New bike. Tired of being fat and out of shape.