Fact Checking of Shadows of the Seen

If you are so intrigued, please pick up a copy or contact me for a signed version of the hard cover or paperback. 

 Shadows of the Seen is not anti-gun, anti-ownership  anti-Second Amendment and anti-America

The book is neither pro or anti-gun. 

In general, guns are a vehicle in shooting people, that's why they were invented, no matter what you think.  The book doesn't mention forming of any militias, so that covers that, but it does cover the rally behind that Amendment. The book does mention how easy it is to get hands on powerful weapons, legally or illegally and how politicians ramp up their influence and are paid by gun lobbyists--(who turn around feed us information about guns being "taken away," and how more arming of teachers, or good guys can prevent all of this. It can't--check the facts.)

Shadows of the Seen puts politicians, especially conservatives in a bad light. 

The book holds party-line platforms, for the most part that Republicans are pro-gun, anti-choice, and Democrats and anti-gun, pro-choice. 

Shadows of the Seen  takes a stand about which comes first the chicken (people) or the egg (the guns)

Neither. The book covers both, and the manipulation of those issues. 

Moving to non-fiction: Let's take on Mental Health in the USA. People, because of some serious issues should never have access to guns, but here's the rub in the USA. Mental Health services for those in serious need. 

Why?

Mostly because insurance companies don't want to pay for it. Insurance, if you have it, are looking to treat and discharge care or therapy services. Mental Health is all based on the prescription model and people either a) quit or don't take their medications correctly, b) are on the wrong medications which they take blindly because their psychiatrist told them to, and don't try more therapeutic ones because they don't know any better. The psychiatrist are the "golden Gods." On the other hand will only change things up if people self-report, and if they are not being treated in the best way, their self-reporting is unreliable. 

As for the guns, the manipulation is in that it's believed to be anti-American to not have them. Period.  This also covers the the "American hating" folks that object semi-automatic weapons, which no one really needs.  The problem is about all of the above, people, figure heads, manipulation, need for guns. One of the biggest manipulations in history was pre-political, the Bernard Goetz case, who shot his perceived assailants in the back.  

This case is covered  in the Netflix series, Trail by Media, Episode 2: The NRA helped fund his defense because it opened a window for their agenda. In fact, the NRA was sued afterward for misleading and fraudulent fund-raising drive to pardon the convicted Goetz,

     The National Rifle Association were among the groups that attempted to brand him as a folk hero. Goetz told investigators that he'd bought a gun in Florida and illegally transported it to New York City after he was violently mugged by three teens four years before the subway shooting, and had applied for a New York gun permit as a result but was rejected. This led the NRA to openly support Goetz, raising money for him and asking the governor to pardon him, according to a 1987 Los Angeles Times report. They used Goetz as a poster boy as they advocated for looser gun laws in New York City.   

     Goetz's vigilante hero persona may have helped him at the trial for the shooting. A mostly white jury acquitted Goetz of attempted murder and first-degree assault charges. However, public perception began to turn after an interrogation video was released, which revealed Goetz speaking callously about the shooting and his desire to kill the teenagers.

“I wanted to kill those guys,” he told investigators. “I wanted to maim those guys.”

He claimed to have shot one of the teens more than once because he thought he didn’t seem hurt enough the first time. He was convicted only of criminal possession of a weapon in the third degree for carrying an unlicensed weapon in a public place and served just eight months.

 

Accused "subway vigilante" Bernhard Goetz, who shot four young black men whom he believed were intent on robbing him on the subway, is surrounded by newsmen in New York, 1987. Photo

 Shadows of the Seen  is attempting to change the minds of people that aren't on the same side of this issue as the author.

No. Shadows of the Seen is a book of fiction, a novel that looks at the gun issue from many sides. The story is driven through the narrative of the three main characters, 1) a politician who is internally liberal but runs on conservative values. 2) A mass shooter. 3) A reluctant hero who breaks up a mass shooter for unconventional reasons. 

The hook?

The mass shooter and reluctant hero are not revealed until the end. 

Shadows of the Seen now available for pre-sale

 The hardcover is available for pre-sale. To get this important book in your hands at the first opportunity, and to help get it into the hands of others---thank-you in advance. 

Here are the basic places, but it's up at Ingram so check your locals:

AMAZON

BARNES AND NOBLE

BOOKSHOP.ORG

The launch party is May 10th, in Waltham, at Brewers Tap and Table---info on the poster

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Also, the 2 deans podcast: Dating, Dread and Disaster are listed in Player-FM Podcasts as Podcasts Worth a Listen in, get this, the category of Best Disaster Podcasts. 

To hear the Pilot episode and FOLLOW or mark it for your library go to this post., which takes you to Apple Podcasts and Spotify. 

Episode 2, coming April 8-"The Leg Man" with Guest Lisa Rockwell

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Got a good story about a date so disastrous that it's worth retelling. Contact us at TheTwoDeans@gmail.com 

Coming, May 14, 2025 and you can take a deep dive

 

USE QR CODE OR  "GIVE IT A LISTEN'" LINK BELOW WARNING: BOOK SPOILERS

Coming, May 14, 2025 and you can take a deep dive!

 

        I'm looking forward to the release of my new novel. It's coming out in May, and review copies and ARCs will be out any time now. 

On the Pierian Springs site, there is a podcast which is a deep dive into the book-its characters and some of their motivations.

Give it a listen if you are interested, but for those who like to read and discover on their own, there are spoilers galore, so be dutifully warned.

My Year in Publishing, 2024

     My publishing year was great--the new book that came out from Big Table Publishing Company took up a lot of my time but the experience was wonderful and the final product looked great. Also my last two novels were made into audio-books in 2024. I appeared in three podcasts, and also had four individual pieces of work published. 

BOOKS

Almost Bluing for X-tra Whitening, September, 2024, Big Table Publishing

AUDIO BOOKS

Grand Slams: A Coming of Eggs Story, May 2024, Big Table Publishing

Joe the Salamander, February 2024, Golden Antelope Press

POETRY

Amends I Owed To You
October 1, 2024, Pour Me a Poem Anthology

After You Go
July 1, 2024, Ibbetson 55

Dependents
April 10, 2024 Oddball Magazine

CREATIVE NON-FICTION

"Mom and Pops", December 24, 2024 Oddball Magazine

PODCASTS

November 17, 2024 W.W.A.F.  podcast with Kristy Mickelson

June 20, 2024 Meet the Author podcast with Rob and Joan Carter

March 25, 2024 Appearance with Dale Phillips 

I ALSO HOSTED 26 INSTALLMENTS OF VIRTUAL DIRE LITERARY SERIES

January 2024-May 2024

June 2024-August 2024

September 2024-December 2024

==============================================================

Mom and Pops, on Oddball Magazine, sooooo, Merry Christmas

 

photo by Chad Parenteau

Read Mom and Pops

So, it's creative non-fiction which means there is no story behind the story---it's just the story. I could point out the "creative" parts of this, but I won't. All I want to say about this piece is that I am grateful to people I've already spoken to about similar loss I am grateful to other writers who walked through the same events and wrote about them, giving me courage to write pieces such as this. I've thanked them. They know who they are.

Some say holidays is when you miss the people that are no longer in your life, but I think about my parents every day. 

Peace and Love. 

A 2023 Pushcart Nomination!

      Always such an honor to be nominated. Thank you Robin Stratton and Big Table Publishing for the nomination, and for publishing many of my books. Although I Never Called You Beautiful does not appear on-line. It is within the pages Best of Timothy Gager: Poems, Essays, and Stories, 2002-2022. It also appears in another secret book, whish is sort of like a secret menu  item---and only one of those exists in the world. So, there's that. So very grateful to be nominated for the 18th time.

                                           Maybe #18 will be the charm?

This poem is not published on-line

How to find my latest published piece, "It's a New Year," in Right Hand Pointing #140

 I've decided to start submitting again, so I picked an old favorite Right Hand Pointing who has gratefully published me ten times in the past. This is the first time I've been included since 2017.  I wish some other old favorites were still around, such as Night Train, The Legendary, In Between Altered States were still around, as they liked my work as well. 

    So RHP started in 2004, and it turned 16. Dale Wisely points out that some of the writers included in this issue were born in that decade, so it makes one think of aging, and journals dying.

    RHP is like an old friend, and through the years they have changed the way to browse the magazine. My new flash piece, "It's a New Year," (written before the pandemic so that phrase has nothing to do with 2020), is at the bottom of their issue, the bottom of their scroll. My advice is to read the whole issue and get to mine, but if I wish to self-promote, and you just wish to read, "It's a New Year," open www.righthandpointing.net  and go to issue #140, themed 'distant dark.' 

Then use the search/find tool, which you can do using your keyboard and hitting Ctrl + F

A little search box will appear on your screen, so type my last name 'Gager' in that box

Then next to my name are 'up' and 'down' arrows. Click the down arrow until the story comes up. Right Hand Pointing is all about arrows, and hands pointing, and directional flow, so this should all be very logical. 

And there you should have it....

Oh, before I forget, the story behind this story is based on staying home (ha! Imagine that) on New Year's Eve, and participating in a midnight phone call with an exe...with bad reception (double meaning intentional)

Happy Nomination, Sweet Sixteen

My newly birthed book, Spreading Like Wild Flowers ( PURCHASE IT HERE) was nominated for a Pushcart Prize by Big Table Publishing. It was nominated with these other fine people and books. Overall it's my sixteenth Pushcart nomination. A nomination, some might say, isn't a big deal.  In fact, John Fox says so. Well, I think it's an acknowledgment of all the work published by any given publisher, that out of everything they saw and reviewed this year, yours was one of their best. I still list it in bios (sorry John Fox), because, you know, sixteen nominations is good stuff. Thank you to Robin Stratton, Editor and CEO at Big Table. She's the absolute best!

Tina Barry for "Beautiful Raft"

Timothy Gager for "Spreading Like Wild Flowers"

Christopher Reilley for "One Night Stanzas"

Rob Dinsmoor for "Toxic Cookout"

Jon Sindell for "The Pugilist Poets of Venice."

Sweet 16

How to purchase my latest book, Spreading Like Wild Flowers----

You can buy, Spreading Like Wild Flowers, 
using the suggestions below, but you can also buy any of the books below







Every Day There is Something About Elephants

Chief Jay Strongbow is Real,

Grand Slams: A Coming of Eggs Story

The Thursday Appointments of Bill Sloan 
or any of my books 

                                              the exact same way 

1. Through me, Paypal, (ctgager37@yahoo.com) $15.00   on my website (paypal)

You make out with no shipping, I don't charge any.
Author makes out from you buying direct.
Paypal takes some of the money, unless you use the gift button.

2. Though me, Credit Card, $15.00

You make out with no shipping, I don't charge any.
Author makes out from you buying direct.
Paypal takes some of the money, because this option is through them

Contact me with your credit card numbers (sounds a little sketchy, I know. Sorry).






 


3. Though me, Venmo 
@Timothy-Gager, $15.00

You make out with no shipping, I don't charge any.
Author makes out from you buying direct.
Paypal takes some of the money, unless you use the gift button.

4. Though me, Check, $15.00 (google the word check if this confuses you)

You make out with no shipping, I don't charge any.
Author 's best option.

Contact me for my mailing address. ctgager37@yahoo.com

5.  Through your favorite Indy Bookstore $15.00 + brief wait

You make out by getting the book. Ask store to order with  ISBN-13:  978-1945917363 
For other books Amazon page has the number
Author  makes out by  very small royalty.

6.  At Amazon $14.99 + shipping 

Kindle $7


You make out by getting the book.
Author  makes out by sales number increase on site and the very small royalty. Can you say a dime?'
If you buy from a outside seller listed on Amazon, author gets ZERO






7.  Though Barnes and Noble,  website $15 + shipping, store $15

You make out by getting the book.
You pay a penny more
Ask store to order by ISBN number   ISBN-13:978-1945917363
Author  makes out by sales number increase on site and the very small royalty.

8.  By coming to a reading or appearance. If you don't,  I'm sure I'll have some hanging around, if you bump into me. The trunk of my car. My closet. At work.

You make out by getting the book, saying hello, and hearing an entertaining read. I'll get to thank you. I'll even sign it..
Author  makes out by you buying direct, getting to say hello to you, and receiving all my gratitude--and no shipping cost for me.

Upcoming Readings 2019-2020

With Spreading Like Wild Flowers due out in late October, here is my line-up for appearances---more to be announced. 

 




















Sat., October 12, 2019 Turners Falls, MA

Great Falls Word Festival, 4:00 PM

Upstairs Shea Theater
71 Avenue A
Turners Falls , Ma


Featured poet reading with Tom Timmons, Terry S. Johnson
Jon Wesick and TBA





Book Release Party
Sat., November 9, 2019 Somerville, MA

Center for the Arts at the Armory, 4:30 PM

Cafe
191 Highland Ave
Somerville , Ma
 
Book release for Spreading Like Wild Flowers, with Special Guests





Fri., December 6, 2019 Dorchester, MA

Unearthed Song & Poetry, 7:00 PM sign up, 7:30 show

Home.stead Bakery and Cafe
1448 Dorchster ave,
Dorchester , Ma


Featured poet reading with featured musical act




Sun., December 22, 2019 New York, NY

Great Weather for Media Event, 4:00 PM

Parkside Lounge
317 E Houston St,
New York, NY
 
hosted by George Wallace

 Thur, January 23, 2020 Roslindale, Ma
 Rozzie Reads Poetry, 7:00 PM
 Roslindale House, Community Room
120 Poplar Street,
Roslindale, Ma.
 
Featuring with Pui Ying Wong




Sat., January 25, 2020 Boston, Ma

Boston Italian American Writers Association Event, 6:00 PM

I AM Books
189 North Street,
Boston, Ma.


Featuring with another Italian-American writer
hosted by Julia Lisella and Jennifer Colella Martelli.





Wed., March 25, 2020 Lynn, MA

Speak Up at the Walnut Street Cafe, 7:30 PM

Walnut Street Cafe
157 Walnut Street,
Lynn, Ma

Featuring at this wonderful series, with an open mic