Hill City Prevailer

Getting back to fiction writing

Published by admin on Wed, 07/19/2023 - 11:37am

On Sept. 1, 2019, I penned “The End” on the first draft of my second novel. I spent two years pouring my heart and soul onto 389 pages, two years imagining dialogue and plot points to craft into 91,000 words. I had readers, supporters and even a few fans. It felt like I was on a straight-shot path to achieving my dream of being a published author.
Not many people know about this dream today. I’m known as a writer but not a fiction writer.

Let’s get the lead out

Published by admin on Wed, 07/12/2023 - 8:51am
The other day I was playing mini golf with one of my friends.
This is the second time that I played this season. Both times I was a little frustrated by the little pencil.
The first time I played it was quite windy and trying to keep score with a little pencil was quite the effort. The scorecard kept flopping around in the wind and I had to press really hard on the little pencil in order to accurately display my score. The second time I played was during a rainstorm that turned into a hail storm.

Facing fears, finding freedom

Published by admin on Wed, 07/05/2023 - 8:37am
“Why am I afraid of the thing I love most?” This question was posed by a character in “The Green Ember” by S.D. Smith. She was a storyteller. Tales were her passion but sharing them brought crippling fear. So for a long time, she avoided the other storytellers and refused to use her gift. 

Life on life’s terms

Published by admin on Wed, 06/28/2023 - 8:55am
I saw a post the other day on Facebook complaining about the rain and cool temperatures and asking for warmer weather. 
Be careful what you wish for people.
I am not a fan of this weather, either. I’m also not one to say “we need the moisture.”
I want to be riding my harley in 80 degree temps, paddleboarding with Zeus on the Lake and rock climbing every day all day.
But, like most things we have no control over the weather. Like most things we only get to control our own reactions. 

Five ways to show love

Published by admin on Wed, 06/21/2023 - 9:04am
Did you know there are five unique ways to show love? These are more commonly known as love languages and were introduced and popularized by Dr. Gary Chapman through his many books on the five love languages. 
Chapman said, “Much of the pain in broken relationships in our world stems from the truth that many of us in Western culture have never been serious students of love. We haven’t really taken it seriously enough to learn how it actually works.”

Join me for Sunday Mass

Published by admin on Wed, 06/21/2023 - 9:02am
Hi Custer, my name is Father Gabriel Farago. I’m a priest in the Catholic Charismatic Church (Old Catholic Succession). I am going to be saying Mass at the former “President’s Cabins and Camp” on Forest Park Road, East of Custer this coming Sunday, June 25, at noon.
I’d like to share a little about the Catholic Charismatic Church and who I am. 
You have probably seen me around town or perhaps even heard me on the radio. Before I became a priest 10 years ago, I was a pretty well known country singer and had several records in the charts. 

Why your vote matters

Published by admin on Wed, 06/14/2023 - 9:15am
I remember when I turned 18 and I registered to vote. I was so super excited to have that privilege and I voted in the very next presidential election. My candidate didn’t win. 
But did I ever think that my vote didn’t matter?
No.
Here I am several decades later still always choosing to vote. I’m not sure I’ve picked many winners in my lifetime but I still know that my vote matters.
I have many friends who don’t vote because they say that their vote doesn’t matter or because they don’t believe in the system. 

The value of friendship

Published by admin on Wed, 06/07/2023 - 9:06am
Did you know that three in five people feel lonely on a daily basis? 
With this high statistic, one would expect lonely hearts to be easy to spot. And yet in my experience, lonely people are good at hiding it. They are doing their best. They don’t want pity or sympathy. They don’t want a friend who feels sorry for them. Lonely hearts want a friend who genuinely cares about them. 

Let’s show some appreciation

Published by admin on Wed, 05/31/2023 - 8:46am
I appreciate you. I don’t think I say that enough to people. To my friends, to my family, even to strangers that I might meet.
I used to make it a goal to say it all the time especially during Covid when so many people were not showing up to work. Those that did, I made an extra special point of thanking. 
But maybe I forget to say it enough to the people closest to me. You know I take for granted that they’re going to be there in times of stress or when I’m sick or when life doesn’t happen the way it’s planned.

Outstanding Young Journalist? Who, me?

Published by admin on Wed, 05/24/2023 - 8:51am
Young writers always seem to have a goal in mind. They want to get published, win an award, start a podcast, travel on a book tour or what have you. Some achieve their goals early on. They are dubbed outstanding and have a natural talent. 
Others work for years without seeing much progress. The hope of that goal can become a distant dream. But they keep plodding on because writing is in their nature. It can’t be denied.