Press On – Official Site of Author Jeremy Brown

I Like Star Trek

Posted on 12. May, 2009 by Jeremy in Press On, Writing

I saw Star Trek yesterday and had a great time. My criteria for a good movie is whether or not I feel like one of the characters when I walk out of the theater, and when I left my seat I prayed for a Romulan to pop out of the garbage can. As long as it wasn’t Eric Bana, because I like that guy. If you haven’t seen Chopper, rent it today.

I don’t care about the new film’s faithfulness to the franchise – I abhor doing something because that’s the way it’s always been done and love new perspectives on old and dusty material. I read an interview with director (and genius) J.J. Abrams, who said this about his storytelling process:

“People never know what they want, though everyone says they do. If they did, nobody would ever be surprised. The truth is, what you want is a story that is engrossing and surprising. And at the end of the day, a good story is a good story, whether you’re a fan or not.”

He tells a very good story in Star Trek, and turned me into a fan.

What the What is Going on with Suckerpunch?

Posted on 20. Apr, 2009 by Jeremy in Books, Press On, Publishing Suckerpunch, Writing

The latest revision is being reviewed by my agent, and will hopefully go out to editors soon.

Back up – what the what is Suckerpunch?

Suckerpunch is the first book in a series featuring heavyweight mixed martial artist Aaron “Woodshed” Wallace, who is stuck on no-name cards for tiny organizations. Woody is trying to put his violent (and, ahem, possibly illegal) past behind him with help from his trainer and mentor, Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Gil Hobbes.

When Banzai Eddie Takanori – president of MMA’s largest organization, Warrior Inc. – offers Woody a short-notice fight against a highly favored poster boy, Woody sees his shot at salvation.

By the time Woody figures out he’s just a pawn in a high-stakes game between psychopaths, he’s in way too deep.

Good thing he knows how to take a punch.

And give a few back…

Site Revamp

Posted on 16. Apr, 2009 by Jeremy in Press On, Writing

Hey now,

I switched the site over to WordPress, because it’s super.

Jeremy

Raccoons Don’t Care About MMA

Posted on 24. Jun, 2008 by Jeremy in Outdoors, Press On

I went camping and kayaking with Megan over the weekend, and it was a blast. Kayaking is a great way to spend the day, but the real adventure didn’t happen until the sun went down.

We were sitting by the campfire, having polished off a couple s’mores, when a bag of food moved on the picnic table about ten feet away.

Then it fell on the ground.

Megan shot out of her chair, which was closer to the table, and stood next to mine. I used my Tracker School and MMA training to sit in my chair with my mouth open.

Then it started sliding across the ground. It was one of Megan’s Chico bags, a reusable canvas bag that she takes to the store and uses instead of paper or plastic. We both watched it disappear around the corner of the tent.

I decided I should get the bag back. (This could eventually be referred to as “Poor Decision #1″)

I ran around the corner of the tent and saw the bag about to disappear into the dark woods and underbrush. It was being dragged by a raccoon powered by twin diesel engines. I stepped toward the monster and he stopped, turned, and yelled at me to stop following him.

I stopped. He kept on, and I decided it would be a good thing for me to have a flashlight. I considered driving the hour and forty minutes back home to get one, but there was one in the tent that would probably work just as well. Dammit.

I got the flashlight and went into the woods. Megan, in an amazing display of sanity, stayed by the fire. I could hear the raccoon moving through the underbrush ahead. I moved toward the noise and five steps later my flashlight beam fell on the skeleton of a deer.

I immediately realized the raccoon killed this deer and left its bones as a warning. I paused. The beast was near; I could smell him. He stank of tyranny and arrogance.

I ignored the warning and pushed on.

Two more steps and the varmint loosed a growl that may or may not have summoned a bog demon. I wasn’t sure where the raccoon was, but he was close. I snapped a dead branch off a nearby tree to use as a spear in case of ambush.

The flashlight showed several deer runs that he could have used, but I had the feeling he was to my front right. I headed that way, hoping I wasn’t putting the monster between myself and the camp. If Megan started yelling, I’d know it was all a clever ruse to lure me away from the cash and car keys.

A few more steps, and my feet squished into thick swamp mud. The river wasn’t too far ahead, so it would only get worse. I wondered what a harassed, surly raccoon would do when cornered against flowing water, and I didn’t think my insurance would cover it.

I returned to camp. For the next hour, I heard noises from the woods that let me know he was thoroughly enjoying his snack. Sore winner.

The next morning, under the protection of sunshine and Blackhawk helicopters, I ventured into the woods again and found the remains about ten feet from where I’d stopped.

The strawberry container was open and empty.

The Ziploc bag of cookies was shredded and empty.

The Chico bag, which had been tied shut, was neatly untied and completely intact. Except for a few holes from when he’d dragged it, the raccoon had treated the bag quite gently.

So he got a tasty treat, and Megan got her bag back. I think all is well.

If you don’t hear from me soon, you’ll know I was wrong.

MMA on CBS, Still on Hold for Me

Posted on 01. Jun, 2008 by Jeremy in Press On, Sharpening, Writing

The MMA training is still on hold while I figure out how it will affect everything else I like to do, like everyday workouts, trail walks and biking, typing, breathing, etc. Another aspect I need to consider is whether or not it’s fair to the other guys at the gym. If they’re training for a fight the next weekend, am I doing them any good when I’m there for research?

I watched the debut of MMA on network television last night, and it while it was exciting to see the network treatment of this great sport, I’m not sure the production represented MMA as well as it could have. The fighters were all great and the commentary was smart and informative, but the dancers and some of the clowns cornering the fighters were amateurish.

The crowd booing at the slightest lack of action was also disappointing, especially during the Lawler/Smith fight. When the guy you’re facing has one-punch KO power, a little distance and feeling-out is understandable. It’s not hesitation, it’s strategy.

And after even the limited MMA training I’ve done, I marvel at the conditioning of these athletes. During last night’s event and UFC 84 last week, I found myself doing a lot less “He should just…” speculation. I was taking deep breaths just watching them try to suck air with another person’s full weight on them, working for and against submissions while throwing and blocking strikes.

The Kimbo/Thompson fight was a great example. Both men exhausted, battered, and looking like they were one solid punch away from lights out, and they each were able to dig a little deeper to bridge into a reverse, roll the other’s weight, even go for double-leg takedowns.

Good stuff, gentlemen.

They showed that the fighters and the sport are enough to make MMA a success. I hope the networks figure that out before the next broadcast.

Suckerpunch is still being looked at by publishers; hopefully some good news on that front soon.

A Different Kind of Workout

Posted on 23. May, 2008 by Jeremy in Press On, Sharpening, Writing

From what I’ve seen and felt, the only thing that can prepare one for an MMA workout is an MMA workout. I went into Tuesday’s class feeling pretty good despite a tender thumb (tweaked during my first class one week prior when I stumbled into a rack of wooden swords – if they’d been real, I’d be typing with stumps right now), and ready for more boxing drills and sparring.

Ah, surprises. We warmed up as usual, then went right into 5-minute rounds of agility and power movements:

• Footwork through a rope ladder on the floor
• Forward high jumps over little hurdles with our knees as high as we could get them
• Hopping on one foot in and out of a rope ladder on the floor
• Lateral high jumps over hurdles
• Moving laterally along a rope ladder on the floor, touching the toes of each foot inside each square
• Start over and do it all again

We did three rounds of that with 30 seconds rest in between, and I had to take a few breathers during the last round. It doesn’t feel good to let the other guys down by taking a break, but I didn’t want to dig a hole I couldn’t get out of.

Then we moved on to something I was really interested in; the instructor, Fernando Neto, an MMA fighter and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt from Brazil, showed us how to transition into an armbar from the guard when our opponent postures up and plants a foot for balance. This is the kind of stuff that will really inform my writing and give me an understanding of MMA strategy. How to set something up and execute it with all the details on where to put your hands, feet, hips, etc.

After that we sparred. I find it fascinating how two people who’ve never met can say, “Wanna go?”
“Sure.”
“I’m Dave.”
“Jim.”
Then they touch gloves and begin to kick, punch, choke, and crank each other. When it’s over, they touch gloves again and say, “Nice work.”

It’s honest and real, and incredibly refreshing. There are no facades, at least not for me. I don’t have the energy to spare for it.

Driving home, one week after the first class that left me barely able to dial a phone, I felt great. A few tweaks here and there, but the long Memorial Day weekend should be ample time for those to heal.

The Good News: I Haven’t Been Kicked in the Head. Yet.

Posted on 18. May, 2008 by Jeremy in Press On, Sharpening, Writing

The second day of MMA training went much better. I’m not nearly as sore as I was after the first day, and since I knew what to expect I didn’t have the tension that wore me out so quickly last time.

After warming up with jogging, air squats, leg lifts, jumping rope, and shoots & sprawls, we started with some boxing combinations. Jabs (1), crosses (2), and lead hooks (3) with footwork, doing combos of 1-1-2-3-2 ( so jab, jab, cross, hook, cross). It can get pretty tiring, especially in the shoulders, to keep my hands up while punching then holding the mitts up for my partner to throw his punches. There was a lot of “shaking it out.”

I got some great pointers on keeping my punches solid and smooth without flailing around and getting off balance. Form and technique first, then speed. Power comes later.

We did three rounds of 6-minute sparring sessions with 2 minutes rest in between. The stand-up was a lot of fun and increased my respect for fighters who stand in the pocket. It’s unsettling to be within range of punches, kicks, knees and elbows, even at half speed.

When it went to the ground I managed to get an Americana (raise your hand like you’re getting sworn in and tilt your hand back and push your elbow forward, putting torque on the shoulder), a quasi-Anaconda Choke without the gator roll (I tried it once with the roll and failed miserably). I tapped out to an armbar and was close to getting submitted via Americana myself, but my partner wasn’t very familiar with it so we went through the steps until the round was over.

It was another great session, and it’s already informed the writing for book two of the Woodshed Wallace series. I’m very happy that the class won’t leave me too sore to type, which would kind of defeat the purpose.

Day One of Understanding Woodshed Wallace

Posted on 13. May, 2008 by Jeremy in Press On, Sharpening, Writing

Today was my first day of mixed martial arts (MMA) training at the Grand Rapids Brazilian Jiu Jitsu and Mixed Martial Arts Academy in Grand Rapids, MI.

I’ve trained a little before in Judo, Jeet Kune Do & Combat Kempo, a tiny bit of BJJ, and I warm up before every workout with some time on the heavy bag. I’ve also been doing some high-intensity workouts for the past year with lots of bodyweight exercises, interval sprints on the AirDyne, kettlebell swings, and various big-movement lifts.

I wanted to see how all of this prepared me for some serious MMA training.

It was much like microwaving mac & cheese for 15 years then trying to cook a 20-course meal underwater while someone punches you in the face. I got crushed. And I loved it.

Everyone at the gym is great; they’re serious about training and learning but don’t take themselves too seriously, and they are more than happy to teach each other how to better beat each other up. They were all very courteous and stepped around my prone form after 12 minutes of light sparring.

I’m not comfortable sparring on my feet yet, so my partners were nice enough to start on the ground. In the first two 6-minute rounds, I got submitted via armbar, can opener (yeah, I know), and exhaustion on its way to kimura. I’m probably forgetting some due to brain sweat.

During the can opener submission, I distinctly recalled a Joe Rogan UFC commentary in which he was watching a fighter in the guard crank on his opponent’s head, and he said something like, “I don’t know what he’s doing, unless he’s trying to get him with the can opener, but he won’t get caught in that unless he’s a knucklehead.”

I hope the knucklehead belt comes in my size.

I sat out the next two rounds and tried to get some water down my neck. Every time I brought the water bottle up and tried to squeeze it, my hand shook with fatigue. I’m going to have to get a softer water bottle. Do they make them out of Nerf?

I jumped into the last round and sparred with a guy who’d been going the whole time, so the kimura and Von Flue choke he tapped to must be accompanied by an asterisk.

If I had sparred every round, I would have tapped to a frown.

We’ll see how it all feels tomorrow. Right now I’m worn out and happy.

Thanks to everyone at GRBJJ & MMA!

Moorsbridge Elementary

Posted on 03. May, 2006 by Jeremy in Crime Files, Press On, Writing

Thanks to everyone at Moorsbridge Elementary for making my time there fun, and for buying so many books!

Detective Day at Schoolcraft Upper Elementary

Posted on 18. Apr, 2006 by Jeremy in Crime Files, Press On, Writing

I had a great time visiting with the students at Schoolcraft Upper Elementary during Detective Day!