A Teacher Shall Lead the Way

Writing is, and should be, its own reward. The need for constructive criticism creates thick skin for a writer, though invariably there is no intention of assistance by readers. Certainly most professional reviewers are serving their own agendas. In my case, I have exposed a part of my life to the scrutiny of anyone so inclined to judge me. Sometimes its tough to be a writer.

But then, just when you need it, a brilliant spear of sunlight breaks through the clouds and gives you what you need. In my case, a fan gave me the single greatest compliment I have ever received. For those who adore education like myself, you may find this refreshing.

"I am currently teaching 12th grade English in a suburb of Allentown, PA. It's a challenge to keep them interested in any way, so I find that being able to tell them stories helps keep them listening... even if they're only semi-related to the curriculum. We just got done reading Hamlet (which is why it was so cool to be reading your book at the same time).

Aside from the obvious humor and intrigue of your stories, I have to tell you, it has been a valuable tool in my classroom. One of my goals is to teach my students that what we're learning in the classroom is actually relevant in the real world because they insist that 'nobody actually uses vocab words' and 'Shakespeare has no use in the real world.' Therefore, I always encourage them to look for and share examples of what we're discussing. It seems like every day I have been going into class saying 'I found one!!' And then I would share with them the vocab word you used in the chapter I had just read, or yet *another* Hamlet reference you had made in your book. So I guess I just wanted to say it's really nice to see a 'non-school book' that shows me and my students just how relevant our boring lessons can be."

Now, when I was younger I had a tremendous internal debate about whether I wanted to be a teacher or a writer. My college degree is in Art History, after all. In the end my lust for adventure won out and I chose the latter, also figuring that I could teach through writing. I have always believed that we need to raise the bar, and that even regular, pop entertainment need not be dummed down to the point of oblivion. Once a friend gave me a general reading schoolbook for twelve year-olds, from 1924. The level of erudition was so high I could not read it comfortably. Teacher Sandy Utsch of Pennsylvania, this blog goes out to you.

Criticism, its benefits, and beautiful people

I am well aware that an author should never read reviews of his/her work. Being a champion of constructive criticism I thought I could glean something useful from my readers reviews and comments, not to mention the professionals who did so. Boy, was I wrong! Actually, I have learned a lot from this rather painful process. There seem to be three schools of thought regarding criticism of my book Cruise Confidential. I am open to all of them. Well, most of them.

School #1: those who expect me to be an investigative journalist. Some readers expect a 60 Minutes-style expose and are shocked when the story is, in fact, simply not dirty laundry but a man's life. Had any of those folks read any of the blurbs on the front or the back cover of the book, they would see I had no intention of being an investigative journalist. Descriptions like ANIMAL HOUSE should have been a clue. 'nuf said.

School #2: those who feel they are morally superior to me. Many readers are disgusted by the level of drinking described, as if sailors have a reputation for saintly behavior while in port. Some stop reading immediately after I mention my religion. Many attribute to me the behaviors I observe in others, making me guilty by association. That's all fine and to be expected. This school also encompasses all us Americans who bristle at any even hint that America is not being a shining pillar of perfection in all things. Everyone makes mistakes, people, governments, all. Some choose to acknowledge the obvious, while others choose to ignore it. 'nuf said.

School #3: there are many who refuse to believe there are as many attractive people on Carnival ships as I say. I like this one! For the record, some were only pretty on the outside. A little ethnocentrism happens here, and certainly beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Cruise ships are in the entertainment industry, and how many fat pop stars and actors do you know? When hiring internationally, you can hire based solely on appearance if you want, and many cruise lines do. Like everyone else who is no longer college-age, I was and am jealous of all the hot people around me that are, well, hotter than me. That's life.

I decided to give a little treat to my fans who want to see some of the people I speak of. Many of the juicier, more personal tales I cannot reveal who they are out of courtesy, but I thought a sampling of some of the beautiful people I hung around with would be fun. My new, stream-lined website has pictures of Leo, Xenia, Juci, and a few others. And to think, this was from before I hung out with the entertainers on the ships!
CruiseConfidential.info

Wanderlust and Lipstick

Is it just me, or is that the coolest name for a travel blog ever? While this very well-done blog offers the talents of numerous writers, I was thrilled to see a review of Cruise Confidential by Myscha Theriault. She is a food enthusiast after my own heart, and loves those ethnic cuisines. It was Romanian food (actually the produce harvested the old-fashioned way by yes, peasants) that lured me to Romania as much as my chasing after the women. I guess my first marriage to a vegetarian chef had some benefit!

Read what Myscha has to say about Cruise Confidential, then follow the link to the wonderful Wanderlust and Lipstick site. You'll find some of Myscha's other food-related blogs, too. Bon appetit, or rather as they say in Transylvania, pofta buna!

Review from Wanderlust and Lipstick:

This Traveler’s Tales title by Brian David Bruns chronicles the author’s crazy year working for a cruise line and living aboard ship. Following his heart and going where most Americans fear to tread, Brun suffers through a brutal training period to follow his love interest who works for the same ship line.

An inside peek at the industry in general, Cruise Confidential also provides international insight through numerous stories of multicultural interaction between crew members from countries all over the world. Because the story is so personal and the living and working conditions so intimate and intense, perspectives of various cultural groups are illustrated in a way that can only come from living and working in constant close contact for an extended period of time. A helpful read for those considering employment in the cruise industry.

Click here for Wanderlust and Lipstick: Your Destination for Women's Travel