I have an idea for the next Vic Gonnella book. While it simmers in my head, I think it best to wait for the reviews of Silent Partners. The book won't be out for a while—probably November or December—so I have plenty of time to let the sauce simmer.
Right now, editing is the next process, followed by book cover selection, marketing plans, and bills to pay. In September, I'll be making an announcement I've been holding off on for a while. A bunch of good things are in the works.
I love creating stories. As a young boy and teenager, I was influenced by Rod Serling and his Twilight Zone series. I wondered how he and other writers got their ideas onto paper and then onto the screen. After each episode ended, I would dissect the story in my mind, replaying scenes and remembering the dialogue almost word for word.
I should have been studying—trying to do better in math or French—but it simply was beyond my reach. Or maybe I just didn't care about algebraic functions, Pythagoras' theorem, or how to pronounce "merci" correctly.
There should be more schools for people who are creative in the artful sense, but I think I know the reason why there isn't. Society needs more people who can build bridges, cure ailments and diseases, sue the hell out of people, and straighten teeth than those who can write a good mystery or design a book cover.
Who was more important to society—Picasso or Oppenheimer? Jonas Salk or Tony Bennett? It's all a matter of your perspective on life, I suppose.
The arts, while important to the human spirit, are nothing without the smart people who have shaped the future for humanity. Elon Musk is necessary for our development as a species. Leonardo DiCaprio can make life a bit more palatable. No Elon, no electric cars and no SpaceX. No Leo, and life would be boring.
The genius of Leonardo da Vinci bridged both worlds. As a scientist and engineer, da Vinci was able to envision and design tanks, planes, and helicopters way before they were put into practical use. As an artist, his drawings, paintings, and sculptures have transcended time.
I have seen the Mona Lisa in Paris, The Last Supper in Milan, and the Vitruvian Man in Venice. These were great moments of my life. I also didn't get polio, stemmed prostate cancer, and witnessed engineering feats ranging from the Roman Colosseum to Elon's rockets.
I suppose we can't have a truly balanced life without the creative mind and the scientific mind blending together. Somewhere in this equation, the concept of God fits in.
