by Les Hoffman author of Sudden Justice (released) and Border Justice (coming 2016)
Sudden Justice
1) Many people think I have a "Type A" personality. The reality is actually a little different. Although I can be determined and focused, particularly when other people are depending on me, I enjoy relaxing, reading, and developing educated viewpoints on a host of subjects. I remember a funny story when I retired from work at the relatively young age of 51. A co-worker and close friend dropped by my house a week or so later to find out what was wrong. He was sure that I had a terminal illness, because he couldn't believe I would ever depart voluntarily!
2) I am a sucker for kids and animals. As far as kids, I still have a pretty good memory of what it was like growing up, and I feel I can relate with youngsters of all ages. Regarding animals, I have had pets all my life (birds, fish, ducks, dogs). I once taught a parakeet an extensive repertoire of conversation (about 100 words) and taught one of my dogs to count by barking. Today, I volunteer at our local elementary school and animal shelter.
3) Retiring after a long career (30 years) required an emotional adjustment. I know it sounds strange, but you have to give yourself permission to re-invent yourself. You don't have to be "productive" every day.
4) I am a huge proponent of diversity and equal opportunity. There is a profound strength in being open to new ideas and perspectives from people of all backgrounds. If I had the power to make immigration decisions, I would open the door wide for all non-criminal applicants who want to pursue their educational and economic dreams.
5) Being from Texas has had an influence on me and some of my viewpoints. Although generally liberal by nature, I still have a few positions that would be considered conservative. A funny story I remember happened when I was fresh out of school, living in Florida, working my first engineering job. My boss used to give me a hard time about being a Texan. One day, he brought in a newspaper article stating that more millionaires lived in Florida than any other state. Texas was down the list a couple of notches. I glanced at the article, handed it back to him, and said "Yeah, but what about the billionaires?"
6) I have been struggling with what I define as "success" for my writing efforts. I have finally come to the conclusion that I write because I enjoy it, and for the legacy it will leave for my descendants. I give credit to my new granddaughter for helping me reach this conclusion.