Category: fiction

The Escapist Imperative

     Not long ago, I encountered a gentleman who ran an unusual business: he positioned himself as a writer’s “pre-agent.” That is, he assisted aspiring writers in persuading an actual literary agent to represent them. (I have no idea what percent of his customers actually acquired representation, but he didn’t do badly…for himself.) As you …

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A Writer’s Crosses

     Have you wearied of the door-to-door religious solicitors who insist that you really need to learn about the Latter Day Saints, or the Jehovah’s Witnesses, or the Seventh-Day Adventists, or what have you? You find them annoying, do you? Well, that’s perfectly understandable, especially if you’re comfortable with your faith and don’t feel a …

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New Fiction (Sticky; Scroll Down For Updates)

     It’s finally available:      Paul Larsen’s B&B in Ogunquit, Maine is running him off his feet. Desperate for someone to share the load, he hires pretty, appealing Carol Holm as his assistant manager. Carol is desperate to be gone from Onteora County, New York, where she’s made some highly placed enemies. As time passes …

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A Diversionary Musing

     I know, I know: most of what I write, here or elsewhere, would be considered rather “off-axis” by readers and writers with mainstream sensibilities. But I write first of all for myself. Consider it a purgative that doesn’t produce messes on the bathroom floor. And let us quickly leave that unfortunate metaphor, and proceed …

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Teaser Time: Teaser Two

     As it happens – and it doesn’t happen often – my “Future Columns” tab is empty this morning. I can’t imagine how that came about. Nevertheless, it gives me an excuse to divert to fiction topics for a change.      On the marketing front, Hans G. Schantz has announced another big sale of Based …

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Massive Concurrence

     Every now and then, an artist in some medium will come along to remind us about what really matters. Today, AoSHQ co-blogger “The James Madison” highlights one such artist:      Listening to [Australian film director Peter] Weir in interviews, I find it hard not to really like the guy. He’s soft-spoken, unassuming, and very …

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Tapped Out

     That’s me. Pounding these keys has used me up, at least for the moment. (Memo to me: Remember to unclench your fists next time.) I’m going to use the day for things that won’t involve me with computers. However, I dislike to leave my Gentle Readers with nothing, so have an old short story …

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Love, Possibility, And The Fatal Hesitation

     Writers are constantly on the alert for other writers who can teach them something. I’m no exception. I know my descriptive skills to be sub-par, so when reading I’m especially alert for a display of exceptional power in that aspect of the fiction writer’s trade.      And today, I encountered one in the work …

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Once More…

     …The Big Based Book Sale is underway! A large number of ebooks of all kinds, written from a pro-freedom, pro-reality perspective, are available for $0.99 or absolutely free, and are guaranteed to remain so through June 27. (Yes, my crap is in there again.) If your reading stack is getting short, surf on over …

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The Strike

     [A short story for you, inspired by an observation from retired World Chess Champion Garry Kasparov. — FWP] ***      “We’re not getting anywhere,” Percy growled.      “Did you expect to?” I said. “I’d say that was rather the point.”      “But why? “Don’t they have as much to lose from this as the …

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Inherit The Wind, 2023 Edition

     If you were fascinated by the clash of issues and titans in the Scopes Monkey Trial, whether the movie version with Frederic March and Spencer Tracy or the original “starring” William Jennings Bryan and Clarence Darrow, you can’t fail to be mesmerized by this modernization by Hidden Truth author Hans G. Schantz:      I …

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A Change Of Scene

     [A short story for you today. A dear friend recently told me something I hadn’t expected to hear from her. It was a sad disclosure of a variety I’ve heard before, about a form of abuse the proudly pious often inflict upon those who haven’t yet received the gift of faith. I consider it …

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Free Fiction 3/5 Through 3/11!

     As of this morning (March 5) at Midnight Pacific time, all my novels are free downloads at Smashwords. If you haven’t overdosed on my fiction yet, here’s the link to what I have available there. They’re available in all the currently popular formats.

Terminal Guidance

     [It seems a good moment to post a little fiction. I wrote the story below more than twenty years ago. It holds the dubious distinction of being my most-plagiarized piece. Despite the offense done to it — and to me — I’m still rather fond of it. — FWP] Terminal Guidance      Darius Culloden …

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New Fiction!

     This is a day of rejoicing:      Liberty’s Torch Co-Conspirator Margaret Ball has released a novel that truly has it all: magic, history, intrigue, action, and a delicately paced romance. I was privileged to be her proofreader, and I tell you, quite sincerely, that I have never read anything like it. It is simply …

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Side Effect

     [It’s time for something light-hearted, as I’ve actually been depressing myself with the public-affairs commentary. So have a story about a young man who works at a quack-remedies mill who discovers something that actually works…and finds love in the bargain — FWP] ==<O>==      Harley Crandall is a Texan émigré and a businessman of …

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This Writer Has An Uncanny Foresight

     I’ve mentioned Mackey Chandler’s April series more than once here. I liked it enough that I’m now reading his other works. Just now I’m enjoying his 2011 novel Paper or Plastic, an unusual first contact story in several ways. A moment ago I encountered this passage, in which a very human alien is explaining …

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Conditional Hypotheticals

     “Say, what if there were no hypothetical questions?” – Originator unknown      I found this at Ace’s place:      I can’t speak to whether the figures cited are accurate. However, the suggestion that persons of below-average intelligence would have trouble understanding such propositions seems like that most uncommon of all things, “common sense.” Moreover, …

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Names

     [My Christmas story. Someone – apart from Joseph and Mary – had to be first on the scene. But who might that have been…and what did he take from being first to lay eyes on the Christ Child? – FWP] ***      Census has always been an irritant. There are many — I am …

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Free Fiction!

     Starting today, through January 1, all my novels without exception are free downloads at Smashwords. You can get them in any and all popular formats, suitable for reading on your handheld device or your computer.      Amazon won’t allow me a giveaway promotion any more, so hie thee to Smashwords for the freebies.

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