Monthly Archives: July 2013

Two New Chapters Available

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in Fiction, News

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Image courtesy of Magickcanoe.com blog

I’ve fallen behind a bit in my blogging, I admit; I was traveling for work-related reasons, and I have found that when I travel, at the end of the day all I want to do is sit in my hotel room like a sack of suet, order room service, and watch a movie.  Usually a cartoon. I’m not particularly good at traveling, and it takes a lot out of me.  (Ironically, I enjoy being different places–it’s the getting there that I have a problem with.)

Also, this was in Ft. Collins, Colorado, at about 6000 feet of altitude, and given that I was only there for 3 days, I didn’t acclimate very much.  I mean, jeez, just a flight of stairs had me gasping, and I’m not in that bad a shape.

Be that as it may, allow me to compensate for those three or four of you not in my immediate family who are actually reading my book chapters as they come out, and tell you that I have posted both Chapter 12 and Chapter 13 of my mystery novel on Wattpad.  Surf on over, read, and (let us hope) enjoy.  And comment!

Zimmerman Trial

14 Sunday Jul 2013

Posted by in News, Opinion

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Photo of Florida courthouse courtesy of Inside the Belly of the Beltway Beast

I haven’t followed the Zimmerman trial because I’ve been trying to avoid stress, and I knew that no matter the verdict, if I paid any attention to it, it would stress me out.

Now that the verdict’s in, I’m not going to write about it except to say this:  An unarmed boy was shot and killed by an armed adult and the adult faces no consequences.  All else is lawyering and obfuscation.

If you believe the worst of Martin–that he savagely beat Zimmerman–and think that Zimmerman’s response was appropriate, then there’s no point in discussion; you and I live in completely different worlds.  Even in the Old West, which people nowadays regard as the height of armed anarchy, the other guy had to draw his weapon first for it to be okay to shoot (and kill) him.  This kid didn’t even have a weapon.  So if you believe that it’s okay for the law in 21st Century Florida to be more regressive than in the anarchic Old West, hey, go right ahead, but I have nothing to say to you.

As for me, I’m simply disgusted.  And that’s all I can really say.

And We’re Up to Chapter 11 on Wattpad!

07 Sunday Jul 2013

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Image courtesy of IRMacGuyver via the IGN boards

Now up to Chapter 11 of my mystery, which (in case I haven’t beaten it into the ground enough) is a novel that I wrote during last November’s National Novel Writing Month.  I’m pretty happy with it.  A few people are reading it.  One vanity publisher contacted me about it.  (Answer:  “No thank you.”)  It’s a start.

I’m hoping to soon finish a short story set in the same milieu, a young adult steampunk novel (the setting of which I think is pretty unique and don’t want to reveal until I’m ready to either send it to agents, publishers, or publish it myself), and a science fiction/urban fantasy novel.  I’ll finish the short story first for sure and make that available on Wattpad; the other two, I’ll just keep plugging along on, with occasional input from my friend Tim, my daughter Maggie, and (as always) Sam.

If you’re interested in watching the ongoing development of a fiction writer, from unpublished hack with stars in his eyes, to (one hopes) published author, you’ve come to the right place.  In the meantime, there’s “A Study with Slugs”, Chapter 11.  Surf on over and take a look.

Chapter 9 Up on Wattpad

01 Monday Jul 2013

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The likelihood of running out of banana slug pics appears low
(Image courtesy of The Oregonian, where they obviously have slugs too)

I’m not getting any comments from anyone who’s not a friend or acquaintance, so I have no idea really if my stuff is any good.  My friends tell me it is, and that they are enjoying it, but they’re, ya know, my friends.  I’d like to think they’re good enough friends so if my stuff sucked they’d just tell me, but you never know, right?

But in any event, in my continuing effort to be an author of fiction and not just technical documentation for big computer companies–which, don’t get me wrong, is not a bad gig, and something that I enjoy–I have posted Chapter 9 on Wattpad.  Take a look, if you so desire.