Harvey Butaleon Degree Sr.
It is FOR and ABOUT authors. Here we shine the light on authors who we’ve read, reviewed and recommend to others. In this edition we are shining our light on another gifted author...
Harvey Butaleon Degree Sr., a native of North Carolina, wrote articles and poetry as a member of his high school’s yearbook staff and newspaper. He enlisted in the Navy and served duty in Adak, Alaska; Jacksonville where he wrote articles for the Adak Call newspaper. Harvey wrote his first book, “The Pedestal,” in 1995 after successfully writing and performing in three plays for his church. He followed that up with his second novel, “Lone Assumption.”
Harvey is a graduate of the University of Phoenix with a Bachelor of Computer Science degree, Visual Communication and Graphic Design. He also received a Certificate of Recognition from the Cleveland County Board of Commissioners for his volunteer work within the community. Harvey has a wide range of interest that include playing drums, writing novels, writing and recording song lyrics, reading, building web sites, and working on computers.
GETTING TO KNOW HARVEY…
What is the most dangerous thing you have done? Dangle my legs out the cargo door of a Navy helicopter when I was stationed aboard the Aircraft Carrier USS Forrestal CV-59. We were high above the Atlantic Ocean and I was safely harnessed to a long cord secured to the wall of the copter. It was exciting.
Pepsi or Coke? Coke when I drink sodas. Now I only drink Kangen water with Crystal Lite flavoring.
What, in today's society, do you feel should be free but is not? I feel the Internet should be free because Paul Baran, who helped create it, built it to be so. Commercial minds took over and now we pay for it.
I never leave home without: I never leave home without my organizer. It has my credit cards, business cards, to-do list, spare cash, and a copy of my DD-214.
Do you have any allergies? I am allergic to hard work.
You'd be surprised to know that I can't: Do the Electric Slide even though I have won first place in two dance contests. I can’t follow instructions, I prefer free styling.
Who do you think you are most like in your family? I’m most like my Uncle Aqeel El-Amin. I’m an independent thinker, Navy veteran and writer, and so is Uncle Aqeel.
What color best describes you or stands for your personality? I love wearing black because it’s a moody color and an open canvass to creative expression.
What is the ideal comfort food? A good German Chocolate cake is my comfort food.
What is more important than a good night's sleep? When I hit a golden vein and the nuggets of good writing flow, I bleed it dry.
What’s next for Harvey? Currently he is working on his next book, a science fiction novel I titled “Vengeance,” and a play.
PRAISE FOR THE PEDESTAL
“Harvey Butaleon Degree, Sr.'s descriptions made me feel as if I was right there as everything happened or like I was watching a movie. Although it started out slow, it picked up and finished strong.” - OOSA
PRAISE FOR THE LONE ASSUMPTION
"The story line flows nicely and had enough twists and turns to keep the reader engaged and flipping the pages for more.” - OOSA
“This author has put together such a great suspense story that captured my attention from the first paragraph until the final word. The ending was such a surprise that it lead me to reread the book thinking that I missed something. The author relates the relationships between male/female, have/have not, educated/not so educated in such a realistic way. I have referred the book to several co-workers and friends.” - Margie
For more information about Harvey Degree, please visit his blog:
www.inazone.net
Operation Nomination
Stepping to the stage is: All Things Literary: Operation Nomination
Operation: NOMINATION was a success! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all that participated in the nomination process for the ALL THINGS LITERARY Awards.The response was overwhelming and the sheer diversity of the nominees outstanding. It is our hope to honor great writing and great writers, and we thank you for helping us with that.
The nomination process is closed, so what’s next? Now is when the real work begins. QUALITY as opposed to quantity is the driving force behind the awards. As such, the winners will be determined not merely by a popular vote by the public.
A list of eligible entries will be compiled and sent to a confidential advisory committee. The committee will narrow down the nominees. The finalists will be asked to submit their complete novel via electronic submission. The works of the finalists will be read and evaluated by a panel of judges according to specific guidelines. The judging panel is made up of readers from across the U.S., men and women of varying ages whose tastes expand the spectrum and include all genres. In order to get back to the basics – the craft of writing – judging will be done BLINDLY. The panel will receive the final submissions for judging void of any identifying information, meaning they will receive books minus the titles and authors’ names. The nominees will not know the identity of the judges. The judges will not know the identity of the nominees. The judges will not know the identity of the other judges. The judges will not even know which category the submissions are for. To keep with the integrity of the awards and so that there is no partiality or bias, everything is BLIND. It’s all about the writing. The winners will be determined through guidelines, including areas such as creativity, editing and character development, and a point system that will be followed by each of the judges.
Only after the judging process is over will the nominees be announced publicly. However, the identity of the judges will remain confidential. All parties have entered into a legally binding agreement to ensure the integrity and seriousness of the ALL THINGS LITERARY Awards.
One winner will be selected per category (Best Male Author, Best Female Author and Best Book) as determined through guidelines and a point system that will be followed by each of the judges.
The winners will be announced in St Louis at OOSA’s Pajama Book Jam in October.
In addition, the Brenda Hampton Honorary Literacy Award winner will be announced. The winner of this award represents unique individuals who put forth every effort to uphold the standards of African American Literature. This honor includes writers, reviewers, editors, and publishers, agents…all who have remained dedicated to the cause for years, who have inspired many others along the way and who have had a great impact on the industry as a whole.
About Us:
The All Things Literary Awards is presented by OOSA Online Book Club, an award-winning book club and reviewing team founded in 2005.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)