Never believe

Oh the places I'll go to uncover the truth. You see . . . if you're going to write about it, you need to: See it, Feel it and get to Totally know it. Well I'm during just that and as they say, the proof is in the pudding, no I mean picture. I'll post sooner than later if this works out for me.

Love All Your Comments!

Geez, I sure hope not...

I won the Writers Award and Tom Brady came in second. Guess I should've said Im'ma feeling like Nick Foles. This is in response to a comment on my previous post.

Im'ma feeling like Tom Brady!

Just Notified 'The Passionate Jihadist' was awarded First Prize as a Master Novel. Excited and many heart-felt Thank You's go out to the wonderful Catherine York for all her hard work.

"Just the facts, ma'am."

Guess Sgt Joe Friday was an inspiration but yet not. I mean . . . when I write, I stick to the facts. The way it is. Not my imagination. I set down with the players, whether they be soldiers just returned stateside or Muslims. I hear 'em all out, respect their wishes (usually about privacy) and write away. And here ya thought I was all about fiction. Remember . . . reality is stranger than fiction every darn time. 

Double-Take

So wait a tick. Doctor Larry Nassar and Attorney General Rod Rosenstein both hang out in courtrooms. That doesn't seem to be their only similarities. So who is who wise readers?

Stone 'Em?

This hate filled message is brought to you by a christian pastor from good-ol' America. Did you think this kinda thinking was something only barbarians expressed? Who knows, perhaps he'll change his tune when he gets to the part of his bible that states . . . 'love they neighbor' or 'judge not least thee be judged'.

Curt —

Steven Anderson is an American pastor who has called for LGBT people to be executed in his sermons.

Anderson also celebrated the shooting at Pulse Nightclub in Orlando, saying he was happy that 50 people died and that “the bad news is that a lot of the homos in the bar are still alive, so they’re going to continue to molest children and recruit people into their filthy homosexual lifestyle.”

Laughing at Indulgences

What do you think? Is Martin Luther rolling in his grave? 

Third Attack this Week

Ever wonder if all the best intentions have been for naught? Ever wonder why I refer to The Passionate Jihadist as a work of contemporary fiction?

Oh C'mon Man . . . What'd Ya Think?

Everyone loves a Romeo and Juliet story, or do they? Anyways, I was asked to post this for your consideration.

Brian met his college sweetheart Mehraneh when they were both studying landscape architecture in New York. They fell in love and planned to marry, but Mehraneh had to return to Iran after school. And when Trump ordered the Muslim ban, they were locked out of each other’s lives indefinitely:

“We fear that our dreams of being together here in the United States may not be able to come true. America is considered the land of the free, but I feel that my freedom is being robbed from me when I cannot be with the woman I love. I am extremely lucky to have found my soulmate in life, and I cannot lose her and my dreams to this discriminatory policy.”

This whole standing in-front of a Christmas tree may not set well with Iranian Authorities. If that is the case, President Trump will the least of their worries.

Did I or Did I Not?

That seems to be the question. So tell me Captain Flap . . .

An award will be presented to the resident engineer, project engineer and lead inspector at the AGC annual meeting in St. Paul this May. It will recognize the efforts regarding a bridge over Interstate-90.

It would be nice if they named the bridge after you. Can you top this award? Mister Curt and Rude?

Flap

Below are the TOP THREE submissions that advanced to the Agent Round.

SEVEN agents are currently reading their work.

(They are listed in no particular order.

Two of them were actually tied in score! )

______________________________

The Passionate Jihadist   

by Curt Rude

Visit Fatima's pages: curtrude.com

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Read a sample of  The Passionate Jihadist

Judge's comment:  “The Passionate Jihadist is a very engaging look into the world of a young Afghani boy as he navigates the dangers of the world around him both in the specific sense of the war-torn country he lives in and the more universal dangers readers can relate to in regard to bullying and resisting authority.”

--Kevin

I’ll have to defer to you oh ‘Presenter of Difficult Questions’. . . Did I best the bridge award?

You Asked on This Blog

sweet reads only has your first two. where can i find passionate jihadist This story is currently under consideration and/or production and thus unavailable for purchase. Things will change soon😉 . . . so keep checking in.

To be able to look into a child's soul and give it a voice, is a special thing. Thank you From the mouths of children do spout so many truths.

Thanks for stopping by the show. Good to share ideas and insights with you. Love hanging out with Readers, without Readers there would be no Writers.

People have a hard time voicing their opinion...until it is their ox that is being gored. What gets me about that school board meeting, was that the majority of the people seemed to agree with her. What the heck...if they were my back up team, I'd go play for another team. We seem to indoctrinate children with the respect authority notion. Once grown-up and a call for action is initiated many wish to remain hidden and let others do the fighting. Human nature I suppose.

Curt I find your writing hard-hitting with a sensitive side. Now you are going to tell a story through a childs eyes. I can't wait. You are the very best. Please keep it up. Many Thanks!

You are going to love san fran! when you going to HAVE A READING IN minnesota? Lisa Deyo, owner of Sweet Reads, approached me regarding a reading but unfortunately I had scheduling problems. My next reading will be in San Francisco in the Koret Auditorium at 1:00 on 030418. Reception follows and I'd love to meet you if you're in the area.

Give them hell Curt. Your the best damn thing happening. I like to think I beat on a story-line until the Truth Emerges. The Passionate Jihadist involved countless hours of conversations with soldiers, Muslims and research - research and more, you guessed it - research. I guess that is how I give 'em hell!

Once the polarizing of people begin and is tolerated, by those in higher office positions begins, it becomes acceptable. What you tolerate, you accept. The highest office in our country does not set a good example of acceptance of other You bring up important points and thanks for taking the time to post them.

Soul-Making Keats Literary Award - The Passionate Jihadist

Very Honored! One judges thoughts . . . The Passionate Jihadist is a very engaging look into the world of a young Afghan boy as he navigates the dangers of the world around him both in the specific sense of the war-torn country he lives in and the more universal dangers readers can relate to in regard to bullying and resisting authority.

Let it be said that we did not forget the Little Ones.

What do Holly Williams and 'The Passionate Jihadist' have in Common?

They both give voice to a youngster. I absolutely adore Holly and the work she does. For those of you who have read the sample on my website . . . don't you agree . . . this child could've been named Yushua!

Superbowl Sunday in Afghanistan

The Taliban claimed the attack, which began around 9 p.m. Saturday, saying five gunmen armed with suicide vests targeted foreigners and Afghan officials. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid said the insurgents initially planned to attack the hotel Thursday night but postponed the assault because there was a wedding underway and they wanted to avoid civilian casualties.

Five guys, together, prepared to die. You ever wonder why this happens? I did and it is the reason I researched and wrote The Passionate Jihadist. On the one hand, they are all about death and destruction. On the other, they do not want to hurt innocent civilians. Think about it. 

Many Thanks Spanish Readers!

I am gratified you folks feel the 'Americans Curtain of Confusion' is lifted by my books. I hope questions such as . . . 'Why American police seem to break laws themselves' - 'How courts are always getting it wrong' - and 'Why America, the land of the free, imprisons so many' . . . become more understandable. One question not answered is how we put up with Tornadoes. You see I learned something thanks to your questions! I had no idea that these types of storms are basically an American Phenomenon.

Why Write What I Write?

Great question and I thank the reader for it. Let me give one example of why I write. Last week, during the public portion comment of the Vermilion Parish School Board's meeting, English teacher Deyshia Hargrave spoke up. She was arrested and the School Board President called her a 'poor little woman'. Here is what grinds me. Nobody in the crowd was brave enough to stand up and be heard with her. Nobody. If I was there two people, who cherish the 1st Amendment, would have been arrested. I am very proud of my short time serving on a School Board and would not have sat back and allowed this woman to be marginalized like this. Never. My motto? Randle McMurphy said it best . . . "Well, I tried, didn't I? Goddammnit, at least I did that."

'The Passionate Jihadist'

We get to see Yushua thinking through a lot of his turmoil, but there is a lot presented in a matter-of-fact way that both characterizes the everyday horrors these characters experience and allows us some insight into why they  are shaped in the way that they are. Plot details never seem arbitrary; they build upon one another. For example, Yushua decides to help Aga in recovering his gambling debt to Haji, but the boys find the opportunity to fall into an even deeper problem by gambling at the bodana jangi. The details dovetail in clear ways that drive the story ahead meaningfully.

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Sticks and Stones may Break my Bones . . .

but words will never hurt me. Does Mr. Parrish and Ms. Mustafa still enjoy the right to freedom of expression? I'm not so sure, but ones things for certain, Orwellian Newspeak has become a reality.

Back in September — when presidential hopeful Ben Carson declared that America should never elect a Muslim president because “it’s inconsistent with the values and principles of America” — many Americans took it like a slap in the face. Other Republicans not named Trump pushed Carson to apologize to American Muslims. Even bomb-throwing evangelist Ted Cruz (R-Texas) denounced the idea of barring anyone from public office based on religion.

The Minnesota chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR-MN) today called on the FBI to investigate an online threat to shoot Regina Mustafa.

Mustafa, who announced her candidacy for the Minnesota's 1st Congressional District earlier this month, said the threat was posted two days ago as a comment on a YouTube video featuring the candidate.

Recipe for Disaster - Read Carefully

Strychnine is to Candy as Hate is to Religion.

My European Challenge - Valencia, Spain!

I asked for it and I got it . . . Many thanks to my readers in Spain. I'll get you a copy of my latest story, The Passionate Jihadist when it is available. For now, I invite you to visit my website and enjoy a sample read. Again many thanks go out to you. For those who don't know . . . I challenged anyone from outside the U.S. to send me a photo of them enjoying one of my books.

www.curude.com