Skip to content

grin and bare it

A blog by Matthew Dicks

Out of print but still in demand

By Matthew Dicks | October 14, 2009

BookFinder.com tracks America’s most sought-after out-of-print titles and updates their list annually. It’s an interesting list, usually populated by previously unheard-of books, but occasionally you find something interesting. This year’s list includes: Cameron Crowe’s Fast…

Read More

Bad day

By Matthew Dicks | October 13, 2009

Not a bad day. I had a rotten day today. It began as one of those days when I only wanted to stay home and play with my eight-month-old daughter. My wife and I used…

Read More

Okay. Maybe there was one more youthful indiscretion

By Matthew Dicks | October 13, 2009

No sooner had I declared what I thought was my one criminal act than a friend reminded me of another youthful indiscretion. Again, this is not at the same level as Martin, the protagonist from…

Read More

My crime-riddled past

By Matthew Dicks | October 12, 2009

This afternoon, I spoke at a local retirement community, discussing Something Missing and the process by which the novel was written. I read a bit from the book, talked about my life and how I…

Read More

Revelation!

By Matthew Dicks | October 12, 2009

Two minutes after posting about Herpes, a deleted character from Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, I was told by my buddy, Shep, that Veruca Salt (another character from the book) was named after…

Read More

Characters named after electronic device addiction and sexually transmitted diseases

By Matthew Dicks | October 12, 2009

Years ago, I read my students Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. It was the third year that I had read the book to one of my classes, and having grown bored with it, I decided…

Read More

BEST FLAG EVER

By Matthew Dicks | October 12, 2009

Have you ever seen a flag better than that of the Benin Empire?  

Read More

Deep thoughts

By Matthew Dicks | October 11, 2009

I found myself in a conversation yesterday while standing outside a Barnes and Noble bookstore, about the essence of joy as it pertains to the admittedly illogical but unavoidable feeling of euphoria and despair associated…

Read More

Resolution update: September 2009

By Matthew Dicks | October 11, 2009

In January of this year, I established a list of twelve New Year’s resolutions. At the end of each month, I report on my progress to hold myself accountable. 1. Finish my second novel before…

Read More

The invincible Scott, and then everyone else

By Matthew Dicks | October 10, 2009

I was recently criticized for admitting to cataloging the weaknesses of the people I know so that when I am engaged in a verbal confrontation, I have a means of exploiting their flaws, crushing their…

Read More

Subscribe ToThe Grin & Bare It Newsletter

Sign up to conveniently receive my daily blog post from "Grin & bare It" into your inbox daily.

You have Successfully Subscribed!