'E lifted up my 'ead,

An' he plugged me where I bled,

An' 'e guv me 'arf-a-pint o' water-green:

It was crawlin' and it stunk,

But of all the drinks I've drunk,

I'm gratefullest to one from Gunga Din.

   It was "Din! Din! Din!

--From "Gunga Din" by Rudyard Kipling

I'm writing chapter 13 of book 3 of the boys' adventure book series - and I've got posters from the cover of the first book arriving next week.

Caroline Furlong had a post in which she criticized Captain Picard of Star Trek The Next Generation. I couldn't disagree with her assessment of that bland character. She went on to contrast Picard with Janeway. She made some valid points, and I was prompted to reply. For some reason, my reply didn't go through or save or something - probably because I was trying to do it from my phone. Now I can't find the post to add my comment. Therefore, I'll make my brief rant here:

Picard is the anti-Kirk. Picard is the prime-directive-bound social worker to Kirk's common sense cowboy. The problem with Janeway is that the writers had her out-Picard Picard and out-Kirk Kirk, making her a terrible captain who frequently exhibited insane behavior. Caroline's post gave some specific examples of Janeway's conduct in contrast to Picard -- and I thought those examples illustrated my point perfectly. Oh well.

I didn't finish reading any books this week. I most of the way through Tim Power's Declare, which was recommended reading for those want to submit for the Raconteur Press anthology: The Spy who Conjured Me. I'm wrestling with a Napoleonic idea and using Desaix and/or Gavrel and his friends from my hussar stories and an assassination attempt on Napoleon. On the other hand, I'm also toying with a nursery rhyme idea in a civil war or revolutionary war setting - or maybe, on the third hand, I'll go complete fantasy. If I don't make up my mind soon, it'll be too late to write and submit anything.

You can check out all my books and anthologies here.

The motorcycle threw the chain a while back--on my way to work. I got it back on and made it to work without further difficulty. When I got home, I discovered the cause: I had lost one of the tensioner bolts. A little research revealed that this was not an uncommon problem on this model. I ordered $100 in parts (apparently they have to be forged by the fae at midnight under a full moon) to take care of both sides if necessary. Only one bolt and an end piece were needed. So far so good. I'm itching to take a ride up in the hills and go fishing.

My playlist this week--it's one I frequently go to--features some ELO tunes, like "All My Life" and "Rain is Falling" along with some big band music including "Begin The Bequine" and "Bei Mir Bist Du Schon" and Elvis and The Statler Brothers and Styx, The Osmonds, Jethro Tull, Johnny Horton, Rush, Badfinger's "Baby Blue" and the "Jonny Quest Main Theme" to name only a few. It's a 79 song list featuring many artists. I'm eclectic. What can I say? That sounds better than, "I'm strange"--which reminds me of another song..., which isn't on the playlist.

Thank you to those who respond to the newsletter. I enjoy your comments.

Here's a load of free sci-fi and fantasy available for a limited time.

If Grimdark warms your ghoulish heart, there's heap here you'll want to get.

Finally, if the only topia you crave is dystopia, walk this way.

“The moment you doubt whether you can fly, you cease for ever to be able to do it.”

― J. M. Barrie, Peter Pan

I'm so glad I don't do this anymore. Grew up on a dairy. I never loved milking cows.