About the Author: Kent Wayne

Hello everybody, my name is Kent Wayne.  I’ve started getting requests for personal info so I thought I’d put up this author page.  I know it’s commonly practiced social media etiquette to post lots of pictures and stuff about personal life, but I tend to veer the other way—I like my privacy.  Sorry if that offends you; I’m not trying to be rude.

I spent ten years in the military.  I was never a sex-nuts strong, roided-out Bin-laden-wasting-stud, nor was I a fat, whiny, high-and-tight (it’s the stereotypical military haircut) wearing pencil-pusher that lived to yell at people about uniform and haircut regulations because he was bullied in high school and couldn’t get a date.  Within those two extremes, I fall somewhere in between.  I’m not going to specify what units or branches I was in.  That was a different person, and it doesn’t matter now—I’m out and done with that stuff.  While it definitely informs my writing, the chapter has closed on that part of my life.

I prefer not to be thanked for my service.  There’s plenty of great articles out there that can express why better than I ever could.

My view on the military, just to give you some insight on my perspective:  the military is a reflection of society.  Of humanity.  Within it, you can find behavior that is villainous, heroic, idiotic, and genius.  The full spectrum.  And just like life, one person can exhibit some of each.  Nobody is a badass 100% of the time.  Nobody is a piece of shit 100% of the time.  I find most portrayals of the military reductive in that it doesn’t recognize this basic fact:  the military is made up of humans, and they are subject to human nature.  When it becomes clear that “shitbags” can be amazing and “heroes” can be child molesters, then the folly of using a label to reduce somebody to hero, baby-killer, badass, or brainwashed is revealed to be shortsighted and childish.

This is everywhere, not just the military.  I’m resigned to the idea that humans love to reduce the complexity of life into an easy-to-get-riled about, simplistic viewpoint.  But I have seen it get better as I’ve gotten older, so I still have hope.  I think the internet—and the increased ease of sharing information—has a lot to do with that.

The great lesson I learned from the military:  Ideals are nice and soul-stirring, but people tend to get blinded by them.  It is the ability to perceive the minutely relevant changes from instance to instance, from circumstance to circumstance, that will carry you.  It is not comfortably reductive idealism, but all-inclusory awareness that will let you navigate not just life, but all of existence.

(Hops off the soapbox)  I know that’s a poor bio, but I hope that my obnoxiously grandiose statement reveals more about me than if I were to list a boring series of life events.  And I hope it wasn’t too pretentiously poetic.  As a character from one of my favorite authors says (about a bunch of mentally masturbatory goth vampire wannabes):  “Too much time on their hands.  Leads to poetry.”

(Just kidding.  I love poetry.  Some of it.  Maybe.)

Thanks for checking out my work!  To all you writers, I wish you inspired drafting and insightful editing!

Kent Wayne

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898 thoughts on “About the Author: Kent Wayne”

    • Still, you served during the Vietnam era, which was like a completely different universe than the military I observed. If some of the stuff that went on back then (fragging officers, going on patrol while high, etc. etc.) it would be a major news story today. I bet you’ve experienced or have heard your fair share of craziness!

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  2. I thank you Kent Wayne. Most excellent site. The architecture is bee-yoo-tiful. many obligin’s for the follow. Must admit I wanted to say, “following what?” Namaste

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    • Thank You So Much for the compliment! I try to get in some follows and likes on a daily basis in order to put out some good karma. (It also, it seems, has a side effect of getting people to follow me back and get interested in my work, which is pretty darn nice!) If you need stuff shared or advertised let me know and I will be happy to do so! I’m a bit scatter-brained due to my multiple irons in the fire, so please don’t feel shy about asking me; it’s not an imposition. Good luck with your blogging adventures! 🙂

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      • Wouldn’t that be multiple ions in the fire. Indeed, I will. Trying to ex-cape the rat race and I think I’ve found a small hole…must gnaw it bigger..
        I do have a kindle app, let me know. Title, author, etc. Got class in an hour, must dash…

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    • I particularly like these lines in your post “Ideals are nice and soul-stirring, but people tend to get blinded by them. It is the ability to perceive the minutely relevant changes instance to instance, circumstance to circumstance, that will carry you.” You are so right as I think you actually need to develop a really sensitive antenna as to what is the right thing to do in a circumstance rather than be railroaded into a response by your “ideals” I am against extremism in all forms – even in the recovery 12 step community I live in there are a lot of extremists who I disagree with – and fixed ideals tend to be connected to extremism in my view. Glad your blog has been so successful keep writing. Thanks for your support for my blog Caroline

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      • Thank You So Much, Caroline! Yep, to me it’s all about what’s most effective within ethical confines, and then quality-checking it to make sure it stays ethical and effective. That means questioning yourself and old operating systems, which isn’t comfortable, but I believe in the end, necessary.

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    • I’m working on the paperback right now, but I’m still in the process of editing and getting the logistics together. It’ll probably be a few more months. It is possible, however, to use a smartphone, tablet to get the kindle app and read the book that way if you don’t have a kindle. Also, the kindle website has an app that allows you to read an e-book through your browser, no download required. Thank You for your interest Tangential! I’ll try to push that paperback out as fast as possible! 🙂

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  4. Kent, I appreciate your follow of my new blog. May I quote/paraphrase you when it’s time to change my Odd compelling quote? “Ideals are nice and soul-stirring, but people tend to get blinded by them. It is the ability to perceive the minutely relevant changes instance to instance, circumstance to circumstance, that will carry you. It is not comfortably reductive idealism, but all-inclusory awareness that will let you navigate not just life, but all of existence.” This pretty much sums up my leading edge these days. Thanks, Lana

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  5. As a child of the military, I spent the first 16 years of my life on bases in lots of places near and far. I completely agree with you about it simply being the same as any other population, except there is a comradery there that you don’t find in a lot of other places. Coming to a new station, you were expected and welcomed. That helped combat the fear you felt as a child in a new place.
    Also, thanks for the like. I appreciate all of those!

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    • No problem, Ms. Sharron! The camaraderie I believe, is gained from people bonding in adverse conditions. It’s weird, but I’ve seen people get way tighter in combat, then turn backstabby in the rear. Sebastian Junger outlines a good case for this in his book “Tribe.”

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  6. Hi Kent!

    I was wondering if I could grab a short quote from you in regards to: how did you go about attracting so many subscribers/followers?

    I’m writing a blog post on the subject and would love to get your input (sorry I couldn’t find an email address to pester you with haha). The rest of the bloggers I’ve contacted have submitted anywhere from 40-100 words. There will be a link to your blog in the heading as well 🙂

    Anyway thanks!

    Milly Schmidt

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  7. Thanks for following my blog, and I’m happy and grateful to be following yours. I like your background info. Your balanced outlook and blend of practicality and optimism are solidly good traits. I promise to read your work and comment on it as it prompts me to do.

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  13. Hi Kent,
    Thanks for the Like on my blog and the publication of Guardians’ Betrayal. You probably thought the title had to do with sci-fi, so I had to disappoint you there. I like the art work of your titles, beautiful.
    You might like my next novel about a military man; it is insprired by my dad’s years in the WWII, its title: Dutch Nazi Lover. I am shopping for a publisher, because I think it is valuable enough to be picked up by an established publisher. Good luck with your novels and your blog. It looks terrific.

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    • Thank You Ms. Johanna! I’m not really a genre stickler, to be honest. Thank you for the compliment, and I wish you the best with your publishing adventures! Very motivating to connect with another author who’s pushing their work—I know the long, thankless hours that go into drafting a manuscript, and then the longer and even more thankless hours that go into making it readable, lol!

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  14. I like the way you went about writing your bio. Mine, in comparison, is pretty stuffy. I appreciate you sharing your take on the military. I don’t often meet people with much to say about it that isn’t, as you pointed out, reductive.

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  15. “I’m resigned to the idea that humans love to turn something into an easy-to-get-riled about, simplistic point of view.” And boom goes the dynamite. Spot on. Brilliant. And for the record, there is no proper “bio” or “meet-and-greet” style for a blog; the more unique it is, the better it rolls off the page. Looking forward to reading more of your stuff.

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  16. Hello Kent, it is nice to get to know a little about you! I am happy that you got out of the military okay!! I do look forward to reading more of your posts. (I shall look around now!)

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  21. Hey Kent – really enjoying exploring your site. Appreciate you reading some of my stuff. I’m relatively new to this so every single interaction I have with someone else feels awesome! Look forward to reading more of your work.

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  23. Thanks for sharing yourself, Kent. This morning I was reading the lengthy article, “Why I Don’t Support Veterans” written by my friend who was a veteran of 3 wars and it was all very intense. It was interesting to read your “bio” coming from that experience. Very best wishes on your journey as a writer. You have a wealth of information about the human condition and life for your stories. Two questions: What is the provider for your site? Are you going to the Smarter Artists Summit in Austin?

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    • Thank You So Much Pam!!! Yep, any label—veteran, olympian, CEO, whatever—is something I take with a grain of salt. Everyone gets the benefit of a doubt, but what matters is what they do TODAY. Not sure what you mean by site provider—I use wordpress, as I assume you do. And nah, I’m not going to Austin; I’m staying in San Francisco, working on my book and enjoying the beautiful scenery. 🙂

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  24. Your views on the military sound so much like my husband. I’m a spouse, my father was in, both my grandfathers (I joke I’m third generation dependa). I’ve been so saturated in “military” I can’t really imagine it not touching at least the fringes of my life – but my husband and many of his friends hate being thanked for their service too. For a whole host of reasons, some of which might be similar to your own.
    I enjoyed reading this.

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  27. Hi Kent Wayne. I am a big fan of your writing and your blog. I really like your rather blunt approach to marketing. I have a question for you. I have a science fiction series (Meniscus: Crossing The Churn under the name Alexandra Tims). I want to put the second book in the series on my blog for free. I like your approach of a few free chapters and a Wattpad option. Have you had any problems with this approach, especially with respect to pirating? Any troubles with Wattpad??? Thanks very much for your response!!! Jane Tims

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    • You know, I’m not sure if I have, and right now, it’s not a concern and I’ll tell you why (bear with me here, I’ll try to be concise). A dollar bill has little inherent value except as a symbol of trust (me and other party trust in it to exchange $1 worth of goods). And when you start giving away stuff for free that you put your heart into, you may not receive that trust in the form of $ initially, but you’re building trust through reviews and word of mouth. When your trust accumulates into a reputation, and then a brand, it’s worth more than just numbers in the black (like Amazon, who operated at a deficit for decades before turning a profit). So because books are so hard to sell and become successful with, I’m focusing on building a brand rather than pure sale numbers right now. Anecdotally, I’ve seen on the forums that some full-time authors attribute their success PURELY to giveaways. (Andy Weir is the best example). So yeah, hopefully that makes my approach clearer. Good luck with your marketing! 🙂

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  29. Hi again. Many thanks for your response. I keep having to remind myself that from this writing effort, I don’t want money (?), I want people to read my words. I will take your advice and think about building reputation/brand. All the best!!!! Jane

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  30. Hi, Kent,

    Great “About the Author” post. 🙂 I appreciate your balanced and moderate approach with respect to the military. As the daughter of a retired thirty-year Air Force Colonel judge and lawyer (may his memory be eternal), and the wife of a retired twenty-one-year Air Force Civil Engineer, I can relate and understand where you’re coming from. From my own background and feelings, I grew up with a very patriotic and nationalistic mindset and hardcore politically right worldview to later change to a more left-leaning to moderate worldview in the years since my husband’s retirement in 2010. His worldview mirrors mine.

    Your comments “That was a different person, and it doesn’t matter now anyways. I’m out and done with that stuff. While it definitely informs my writing, the chapter has closed on that part of my life” are very similar to how my husband has felt since getting out. To say he was ready would be an understatement. In any case, I thank you for liking my blog post I put out this morning. As a fellow writer in the midst of many writing projects, I wish you success with your book and a wonderful Valentine’s day. 🙂

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  31. Hello!

    I wanted to drop in and thank you for checking out my blog. I’ve been looking around, and I like what I see! I really appreciate your idea that a human being shouldn’t be reduced to a single label, forever judged for their best or worst moment. It shows a depth of thought about the nature of humanity, and I’m interested to hang out and see what else you have to say.

    Thanks!
    -HL

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    • It’s the ouroborous—the snake swallowing its own tail and a model of existence itself. So in Echo, people use machinery to hurt themselves and keep themselves from progressing, but things are changing, which is why the organic part of the snake is eating the rotted mechanized portion.

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  35. Hi, thank you for liking my posts (I’m surprised anyone is reading them at all, LOL). I’m down with the flu, so low energy, but your blog seems interesting (and you write sci fi, always a plus), I’m going to check it out when I feel human again.

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  36. No ‘contact author’ section? 😦 Dammit… I’ve looked high and low for one.
    *Mutters to self* Guess I’ll have to try another avenue…
    I’ve been following your blog for a few months now but never comment. I always enjoy reading your musings–they’re very insightful!

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    • Hey Thank You Jackie! Your kind words warm my cold black heart, lol! And don’t thank me for serving the country; I had a great time in the service and I got way more out of it than it ever gave to me—it was a pleasure and a privilege! 😀

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  41. Hi Kent,
    First off, thanks for stopping by my blog, I appreciate new eyeballs as much as you. Second, I was also in the military and I totally understand your perspective on us all being human beings. I served for 4 1/2 years and since I never saw any action, I don’t feel like I did anything that respectful. I loved the time I spent in the service, got to travel around and meet many amazing people. At the same time, when we are in church and they want to recognize us on Veterans Day, I stand up because I’m still proud I served my country in whatever capacity it was. Does that make sense?
    Keep reading and writing, hope to see you around.

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  42. Responding to new likes on my blog is kinda like answering the door on Halloween: I never know what I’m gonna find on the other side when I open it. Such is the case here, where you kindly liked one of my posts. Then your blog name intrigued me. So here I am, enjoying your writing style: personal, intimate, real, not gaudy, clearly skilled. I’m looking forward to following you and reading more. Your categories are certainly different than a lot I’ve seen; tantalizingly teasing. Thanks for your swing-by of my site. Those kindnesses are always appreciated.

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    • Hey thanks muchly, Rich, but I’m not a Vietnam veteran, I’m an Iraq veteran, and I wouldn’t dare to compare my experiences to yours. Your war was in a different world, and in a collective sense, much harder than mine. Good to connect with you, brother!

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  45. Thanks for sharing that insight! Coming from a largely military family, I couldn’t agree more with you. People are people, no matter where they are, and we would all be smarter remembering that. And that people are nuanced. I hardly think anyone would believe my super strict military grandpa (you know, the kind that makes people pee their pants) would spend his free time buying any and every fun stuff ‘for the grandkids’, aka for himself lol

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  46. What about Perry Rhoda? Yeah. I was in the Army a long long time. We stacked cordwood like bodies. I slept through two wars. I listened to oporders once… once. I was schooled by a race that time forgot. Killeen was deadlier than Iraq…

    Remember, if you ain’t Cav: Peace be the Botendaddy

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  50. I loved this bio, because I find a striking similarity between your views and mine. People like to fit the stereotypes, like to fit into little descriptive boxes.
    And when they finally realize that – oh no!- they’re fit to a type, it does indeed lead to soppy and sentimental poetry, which is the kind I, too, dislike.
    I love the way you think – most people I know needed several degrees to get on this level of thought and I admire that you’re the (seeming) exception.
    I can’t wait to submerge myself in your writings.

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    • Thank you Katelynn! Good to meet a fellow “let’s find a solution instead of pound our chest and spew our dogma” type, haha! I dread your reaction to my writing, as Echo 1 bears all the hallmarks of my undeveloped noobery. If you manage to keep going, I promise it gets better. 🙂

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