Author Archives: Dennis

About Dennis

Author of The Last Apostle. Teller of Almost True Stories of Life and former Air Force officer. Write for the love of the story. Sometimes speak for food.

My Big Story

Posted on January 21, 2016 by Dennis

I’ve moved my blog to my own website at http://www.DennisBrooke.com. I will no longer be posting stories here–not that I’ve posted anything here recently. That’s in part because of–the big story! The big story is that my novel, The Last … Continue reading →

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Look to the Goal, and Stay out of the Ditch

Posted on September 18, 2014 by Dennis

I took a motorcycle class to get re-certified and learned an important principle that goes way beyond riding two wheelers. The instructor emphasized over and over in both the classroom and on the course that when you’re making a turn … Continue reading →

Posted in Building the Best Relationships, Doing the Right Thing, Leadership, Leadership from the Middle, The Writing Journey | 2 Comments

Writing is a Team Sport

Posted on November 16, 2013 by Dennis

I recently had the privilege of speaking at the Northwest Christian Writers Association, which I joined in 2007. Following are the notes from my talk. Links to segments of the video are provided in the text. Six years ago I … Continue reading →

Posted in The Power of Story, The Writing Journey | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

A Gift for Making Friends

Posted on October 1, 2013 by Dennis

“The only way to have a friend is to be one.”  Ralph Waldo Emerson Why do some people have a knack at connecting with others? Over the last several decades my wife and I had a chance to observe one person … Continue reading →

Posted in Building the Best Relationships | Tagged , , | 3 Comments

How to Get Paid to Sing Karaoke

Posted on August 14, 2013 by Dennis

A friend asked me last weekend why I didn’t show up for the men’s choir practice at our church. I replied that my singing was so bad that, when the crowds get a bit unruly, some local bars hire me to … Continue reading →

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The Power in the Pause

Posted on July 24, 2013 by Dennis

Inexperienced story tellers and speakers often rush through their narrative as if they were a rodent on crack–and overlook the power of pacing. A well placed pause can add suspense and conflict to a tale. For a great example of … Continue reading →

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The Secret of Success

Posted on July 17, 2013 by Dennis

“Eighty percent of success is just showing up.”  Woody Allen Every great cause requires a person to step forward and make that dream a reality. Several years ago I had the pleasure of working with a leader who underestimated her … Continue reading →

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The Power of Persistence: The Sydney Harbor Bridge Climb

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Dennis

The balcony of my third floor apartment was so close to Sydney Harbor that with a running start from the living room I could plant my foot on the rail and  dive into the murky waters below. Directly across was … Continue reading →

Posted in Leadership, The Power of Story, Travels of The Road Warrior | Tagged , , , , , | 6 Comments

A Higher Calling for Story Telling

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Dennis

“The only reason for giving a speech is to change the world.” John F. Kennedy I love telling stories but now is the time to raise the stakes for this blog.  And the best way to explain why is, of … Continue reading →

Posted in Doing the Right Thing, Leadership, The Power of Story, The Writing Journey | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Hope for the Next Generation?

Posted on April 9, 2013 by Dennis

Several friends recently despaired about the fate of grown children raised by their “helicopter parent” friends. According to them these college educated twenty somethings, including one with a Master’s Degree from Notre Dame, had been coddled from the cradle and … Continue reading →

Posted in Doing the Right Thing, Just for Fun | Tagged , , , , , , , | 1 Comment