Contributing Writers

Contributing authors are invited to submit pieces for publication under any and all categories.

HOW?

Just email your piece as a Word document to michaelconner@att.net. That’s it.

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Ask A Hoosier.com was founded in 2009 to be a forum to observe and discuss happenings across the globe from a distinct Hoosier perspective; to seek out and promote original thought, provocative and intellectual commentary and lively discussion of all facets of the human condition from the unique points of view of Hoosiers.

Now we are inviting high school, college and university students from across Indiana to become contributing authors for regular publication in this unique and dynamic new forum.

Above we mention our interest in “all facets of the human condition”. This is described more fully by the current categories under which AAH articles are published:

Society and Culture
Politics and Geopolitical Affairs
Religion
Work and Career
The Monthly Top 5
Unique Indiana
Family
Sport
We Like

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So why is AAH doing this?

As AAH has evolved we have realized there is great potential in involving Indiana student writers: AAH can offer them the unique opportunity to be published and read by many while yet students – and not just locally and not even just state-wide, but on a national and even international level. Such is the reach and power of the Internet.

This is also an opportunity to give back to Indiana in a unique and creative way, to open a door to students ground-level development of their writing careers – and simply for those who are interested in writing for writing’s sake – to practice their passion or offer their views. Participation with AAH can also be considered either key or supplemental for certain academic assignments through coursework in English, journalism, public affairs, and creative writing as well as other disciplines such as high school yearbook staff or college and university intra- and inter-campus publications.

And . . . a consideration that must not be underestimated: the importance that every graduating student – whether from high school, technical college, or university – ought to have a superior-quality resume in hand. The ability to demonstrate on their first resume that they are already published can be of immense value and the advantage cannot be overstated.

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We invite you to look over Ask A Hoosier.com, especially the Home and About pages. As you do, you will find this, the “Contributing Writers” page. You can see the bios of those already on the AAH “staff”. If you want to be there, just email us. That’s it!

While there is no promise that every piece submitted will be published or published without edit, it is our desire to publish you. We want to know; the whole state, the world, wants to know what you have to say. AAH is a place for student writers – lots or little experience, hopefuls, dreamers, experimenters and others – to build their portfolios and hone their skills, and maybe just to have their say – all by getting published at Ask A Hoosier.com.

We are excited about the “Contributing Writers” program at Ask A Hoosier.com and invite those interested to contact us.

We look forward to hearing from you.

michaelconner@att.net

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Contributing Writers at AAH

NICK POPADITCH

Nick Popaditch was forever immortalized as “The Cigar Marine” after AP photographer Laurent Rebours captured him smoking in the turret of his battle tank just before Saddam’s iconic statue was pulled down in Firdos Square on April 9, 2003. The image appeared on the front pages of newspapers around the world.

Nick is a medically retired United States Marine Corps Gunnery Sergeant and recipient of the Silver Star and Purple Heart. He was severely wounded in action during the First Battle of Fallujah in 2004, when he was struck in the head by an enemy rocket propelled grenade (RPG). He lost his right eye and his remaining eye was severely damaged, leaving him legally blind and partially deaf in his right ear.

Nick is a highly sought-after speaker and author of Once a Marine: An Iraq War Tank Commander’s Inspirational Memoir of Combat, Courage, and Recovery (Savas Beatie LLC, 2008) and The Ultimate Marine Recruit Training Guidebook: A Drill Instructor’s Strategies and Tactics for Success (Savas Beatie LLC, 2012).

Nick was born in East Chicago, IN, grew up in Terre Haute, and worked as a Correctional Officer in Indianapolis. Residing in Chula Vista, California, he and his wife, April, have two children, Richard and Nicholas.

You may read Nick’s contributions to AAH here:
The Cigar Marine (excerpt)

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ZACK KEATON

Zack Keaton has the distinction of being the first Contributing Author to AAH. He is a native of Colorado and and as a junior during the 2012-13 season plays varsity baseball at Sand Creek High School in Colorado Springs. He has two older brothers, also in baseball; one pitches for Otero Junior College and the other at Washburn University. An accomplished pitcher in his own right, he is considering for his future, among other things, sports journalism.

Read Zack’s blogs here:
Could Have, Should Have, Would Have

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HUGH HEWITT

Hugh Hewitt was good enough to grant us permission to reprint his post-election article from this last November. For this reason he is, at least, an honorary contributing writer at AAH.

Professor Hugh Hewitt is a lawyer, law professor and broadcast journalist whose nationally syndicated radio show is heard in more than 120 cities across the United States every weekday afternoon. Professor Hewitt is a graduate of Harvard College and the University of Michigan Law School, and has been teaching Constitutional Law at Chapman University Law School since it opened in 1995. Professor Hewitt has been a frequent guest on CNN, Fox News Network, and MSNBC, and has written for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and the Los Angeles Times. He has received three Emmys for his work as co-host of the ground-breaking Life & Times program, a nightly news and public affairs program that aired on the Los Angeles PBS affiliate, KCET, from 1992 until 2007. Professor Hewitt also conceived and hosted the 1996 PBS series, Searching for God in America. He is the author of a dozen books, including two New York Times best-sellers.

Read Hugh’s AAH contributions here:
With A Deep Sadness And No Little Fear

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EOIN YOUNG

Mr. Eoin Young has been good enough to permit AAH to reprint his fascinating and insightful recollection of the 1970 Indianapolis 500, and that lands him as AAH’s most experienced and celebrated contributor. We are honored to have him join us.

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For over thirty years Eoin Young wrote a weekly Diary page for Autocar. “It was always a comment on the news rather than the news itself. I always wrote it as I told it when I got back to the Barley Mow, my favourite watering hole in West Horsley, Surrey, after a Grand Prix. My mates already knew the results. They had watched the race on TV or read the reports in the Monday papers. They wanted to know the gossip and the funny stories”. That’s what the Autocar readers enjoyed for a longer period than any writer had ever written for the oldest English-language motoring magazine.

In 1966 Eoin set up his own business as a consultant working with the McLaren sponsors and travelling with the drivers between CanAm or Indy Car races one weekend in North America and a Grand Prix in Europe the next. Heady stuff. In 1967 he wrote his first of the weekly Autocardiary pages and when he was dropped for reasons that were never totally clear, his readers were left waiting for the page to reappear. Now it’s back at the web based motor sport magazine www.pitpass.com.

Eoin Young now writes regular columns for various publications including ‘Cars for the Connoisseur’ in the UK, Victory Lane” in the USA, “NZ Classic Car” in New Zealand and “Am Klassiek” in Holland and as well as www.pitpass.com. After spending more than three decades in the UK he has now relocated back to his native New Zealand.

You may read more about Mr. Young at his website: www.eoinyoung.com.

For another biographical perspective, read The Many Facets of Eoin Young by Thomas L. Bryant, of Road & Track magazine here.

Mr. Young’s posts are listed here:
I was a Rookie at Indianapolis

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PHILLIP D. SPARKS, PhD

Dr. Sparks is an author, public speaker, certified counselor, and blogger.

He is a retired administrator from Murray State University and a former Professor of Biological Sciences in the University of Wisconsin System. A graduate of both Purdue and DePauw Universities he is a certified Christian Counselor by Elijah House in Spokane, Washington.

He worked as the leader of a student Christian organization at the University of Wisconsin-LaCrosse and served six years as the chaplain of the Murray State Racer football team under Houston Nutt (most recently Nutt was the head football coach at the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss), 2008-2011).

Dr. Sparks has assisted in the professional work of various Christian Counseling Organizations in Murray, Kentucky and Lafayette, Indiana. He has mentored both boys and men assisting in their emotional development.

He is the author of several books, including When Reality Breaks Through, Healing for the Bully and the Bullied, A Biblical Approach to the Resolution of the Bully Crisis, and Coaching Beyond the X’s and O’s (coauthored with Steven G. Newman, former chaplain to the Green Bay Packers football club).

He currently resides in Indianapolis with his wife.

You can read more about Dr. Sparks and check out his work at www.drphilofindy.com and www.lifecoachingconsultants.com. You may contact him through either of his websites or directly at sparks39@tds.net.

Dr. Sparks contributions may be found here:
The Evolution/Creation Debate
Old Verses Young Earth: The Evolution-Creation Debate, Part I
Old Verses Young Earth, Part II: The Evolution-Creation Debate

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