John Ploetz Livin Life

Hi! This website, John Ploetz Livin Life, is all about a journey; livin life through writing. Hope you enjoy my two blogs, Johnploetzbloggin – business and personal improvement topics and Shortypman – poetry and photos. Oh, and feel free to purchase any of my books that look interesting.

“Life is a journey that leads you along many paths. Livin life is a marathon, not a sprint or a short race. So if you can’t take time out to laugh along the way, get a bite to eat, and do a little reading, you aren’t going to have much fun living it.”

Oak Eternal: A House Concealed

An ancient oak, the shrouded history of an old Minnesota farm, and the oldest house in the neighborhood, weave together as pieces of a hundred year old murder mystery uncovered by an amateur sleuth. Sometimes a simple path to get to the truth is anything but. Paperback version (eBook version also available).

Words and Photos of Shortypman Paperback

The Words and Photos of Shortypman: A Collection of Poems and Photographs

A book of poetry and photographs by John Ploetz through the eyes of Shortypman. It is simply a mix of thoughts and images that capture the emotions and ideas of the author. Enjoy! Paperback version (eBook version also available).

Mind of Darkness I and II: 12 Tales of Dark Mystery

Do you enjoy dark mystery and horror? 12 stories make you rethink what is real and what is imagined. Then this series is for you. Paperback version (eBook version also available).

Discussed on John Ploetz Bloggin

15Oct

Once I started reading this book (Oak Eternal), I couldn’t put it down. It is a fascinating read and has the great addition of interwoven stories within stories. The writing is excellent with believable, well described characters who are brought to life through exquisite detail.
I cannot recommend this book enough.

Lois Wood
Reader
Memories from My Mind – You know we have all these memories in our mind. John is uniquely able to capture the memories we all have into words on paper. He recognizes the humor and the irony in life and helps us to see our memories in a more thought-provoking manner. His stories will make you re-think your current habits and find peace in old memories.

Ken Plaski
Reader
Oak Eternal is a beautifully crafted tale of the oldest house in the neighborhood and it’s dark history back to the days of pioneers settling St. Paul, Minnesota. John Ploetz is a clever writer, creating flawed characters mired in their human flaws and the difficulties of their worlds. Oak Eternal will give you pause to re-think what you believe to be real. You’ll never look at that old house down the block in the same way again. You may also watch that neighbor a little more closely as he walks the neighborhood in the evening.

Ken Plaski
Reader
Oak Eternal is a quirky read, weaving together the history of a strange house and a strange neighbor. The narrator weaves an alternate reality of the old house, his neighbors and the history of the neighborhood. He is the neighbor you wonder about as he walks the neighborhood in the evenings.

Mary Plaski
Reader
Mind of Darkness – The stories are a good length for grabbing your attention quickly and giving a good ending without the reading getting tedious at all. The writing is very smooth and easy to understand. The endings to the stories are the best part; they’re not outright shocking, but are eerie and make you think back over what you just read because all of it now has a different meaning. Kind of a psychological twist. Would definitely read more!!

Emily Plaski
Reader
As a college student, I rarely have time to read anything other than textbooks…which are often very dry. I was suggested this set of short stories (Memories from My Mind) and enjoyed all of them! There are a good variety of stories, some happy, sad, funny (in my opinion), and others to think more deeply about. I can tell that this writer has a great vocabulary and is able to describe things so well just from reading this set. I look forward to reading more. Great work!

Kelsey Hanson
Oak Eternal is beautifully woven. An historic record from the time Minnesota was settled and the Native Americans clashed with the farmers. The narrator adds to the fabric will his off-center perceptions and modern struggles of a man without a focus in life, craving direction unsure of which reality to grasp.

Mary Plaski
Editor