[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 …
Category: fiction
May 10 2023
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 …
Mar 05 2023
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.
Feb 18 2023
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 …
Jan 29 2023
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 …
Jan 28 2023
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, …
Dec 15 2022
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.
Dec 05 2022
“Freedom: I Won’t!”
This will be an extremely trying day here at the Fortress, for doggie reasons: our Newf must go back under the knife yet again, this time to correct a dangerous abdominal hernia. So I doubt I’ll be posting anything much. Accordingly, I’d like to recommend that anyone who hasn’t yet read Eric Frank …
Nov 27 2022
The Adventure Of Love
A number of my fiction readers have commented that the romances I write are “different.” Well, I should hope so. Why write what everyone else is writing? Why not follow a unique path that persons bored with “the same old thing” can use for their refreshment? All the same, it raises the question of …
Nov 15 2022
A Sentiment I Have Often Felt
It was unusual to see anyone in a p-suit in the corridors. Walking back suited up with the machine pistol and her sword in her left hand might get a few looks. She was way past caring. April put the badge back in the bag and tossed it to Bob. “Take care of …
Nov 03 2022
May I Or Mustn’t I?
On this third day of November in this Year of Our Lord 2022, I refuse to talk about the upcoming elections. I refuse to talk about the attempts to pre-anesthetize us about the massive, nationwide act of vote fraud we must anticipate. And I flatly refuse to talk about the whining for “pandemic amnesty.” …
Oct 16 2022
Imagination, Orthodoxy, And Faith
Hm. Perhaps that should be “And The Faith,” but let it stand as it is. Yesterday at The Catholic Thing, there appeared an essay, with embedded interview, on Fostering the Catholic Imagination. Let there be no argument: the subject is an important one. There isn’t enough fiction written from a Catholic perspective, which …