I started this blog on August 21, 2012, with the release of my first book, Titan Encounter. Most of those posts are now in what I call the “Early Blog.” I’m gradually updating their format and bringing them into this new journal. Back then the sole purpose of the blog was to promote my books, but gradually that changed.
That’s how it started but, over the years, I’ve mused about other things that are important to me, such as my family, my farm, rural life, and occasionally about politics and country. However, I try to limit the politics in this journal. If you want to know more about my political leaning go to The Conservative Alternative.
The temperature was -20 as we waited for the plane to arrive in Eek.
That was last Thursday. The plane arrived on time, thankfully, for the flight to Bethel, Alaska. I stayed the night in Bethel and then caught the morning flight to Anchorage and another plane to Seattle. My youngest son was at the airport to pick me up for the hour and a half drive home. It was a long trip, but thankfully, I arrived home safely late on Friday.
Read MoreLeaving Eek during the winter is always an iffy proposition. Since we travel in small bush planes, if it is too foggy or windy we can’t fly, but, fortunately, the weather should be good on Thursday. However, the runway lights are broken at the airfield and no one seems to be able to fix them so we must leave during daylight. There isn’t a lot of daylight up here right now.
Read MoreThree stories, all separated by time, planets, and events, but tied together by war. I’ve been working on a novella and two short stories that I wrote long ago, but never released. I felt they were excellent stories, but I never knew what to do with them. In the end, I decided to publish the stories, totaling about 27,000 words, in a single volume. All are firmly set in the military science fiction subgenre. Here is a synopsis of each.
Read MoreNikki was my dog, or perhaps I was her human. Actually, I’m certain that it doesn’t matter. She grew from a tiny puppy on our farm in Washington State. These last few years work has taken me away from the farm more than I would like, but if I was there she was nearby. Whoever was doing the most interesting task, from her perspective, that was who she was with, but she was always close.
Read MoreWhile I was working I was playing a podcast about current technology called This Week in Google. The name is a bit misleading as they talk about a wide variety of cloud technologies on the program. One thing they just mentioned was a site called Chrome Experiments and some of the fun and interesting projects on display there. I was intrigued and visited the site.
Read MoreToday, I'm rereading and editing three short stories that I wrote while in I was in the navy.
I want to release them in 2013 as an anthology. The first story in this group, The Promise, was written while I was on deployment with the USS Sterett (CG-31) in the western Pacific. I’m certain that writing this story while living in the confined grayness of a navy ship gave it an added sense of realism.
Read MoreHalloween was again a big day here in the village. I think every student between the ages of 5 and 18 went trick or treating and visited my house. There were people both younger and older that knocked on my door, and even a few people I didn’t know—and that’s hard to imagine for a village of fewer than 200 people.
Read MoreIt doesn’t matter how cold or snowy it is on that night, Halloween is a big event in the village. On Halloween in Eek, if you need to talk to someone don’t go looking for them. Just wait at home and they will probably come by with their children or grandchildren.
Read MoreIt was a horrid day to be outside; snow, sleet, and that cold rain that seems to seep inside of you.
So, as much as I could, I stayed inside and wrote. I always feel that I’ve done well after a few hours of writing and this day was no exception. I did some short story editing but mainly worked on my upcoming novel.
Read MoreI’ve known many students who have the daily chore of hauling water to their home or taking the honey bucket to the dump. The first year I taught here I lived in a classroom at the end of the school. The school is one of the few buildings in the village that has running water. Unfortunately, to get to the school restroom, I had to go out one door of the building and back in through another door. I was always afraid I’d walk out some night, forgetting my keys, and freeze to death.
Read MoreLast year my wife and I were preparing to haul the trash out to the village dump when one of our friends said they had seen bear tracks at the dump. So warned, we drove the ATV out to the dump with a trailer full of trash keeping our eyes open for any movement.
Read MoreA few days ago I got an email from Amazon.com asking, “Are you looking for something in our Science Fiction & Fantasy books department? If so, you might be interested in these items.”
Read MoreThe village sits on a bluff just above the river Eek. There are so many lakes, streams, and ponds in this region that most are unnamed. Where there is land it is often marshy. Even in the village, the ground can be spongy this time of year. That is why there are no roads that leave the village.
Read MoreFinally, I spun around intent on giving him a picture he would remember.
Carlton was ready and took the shot.
My expression has garnered many laughs around the school. My fellow teacher, Dirk, titled it, “Kyle – The Bear,” when he sent me a copy.
Read MoreThe mushroom cloud consumes the President, his cabinet, the Vice President, senators, representatives, Supreme Court Justices, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff as they gather for the President’s speech. After witnessing the destruction of the capital city, Caden Westmore embarks on a journey to his boyhood home in Washington State, but over the next few days, terrorists attack other cities and society unravels.
Read MoreThe world of books is changing every day for both authors and readers.
I received an email today from Amazon.com informing me that Titan Encounter is now available in India.
In the past, as an unknown author without a contract with a publisher, I would have to pay to print my books and then try to get bookstores to stock them. Then I would have to somehow market them.
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