Give me your best proposed second paragraph to follow this first paragraph below for a short story:

The clouds in the summer sky burned in the red-orange rage of a dispossessed sun crashing below the horizon. The dark hills--recumbent silhouette--shielded the landscape from the final fury of the sinking disk. Seven riders passed along a narrow trail away from the shadow and into the flat expanse separating them from the village. Sharp noses and the harsh lines of many campaigns marked their faces. Neither kindness, mercy, nor remorse found place in the experience etched in their features.

I'll choose from the proposed paragraphs and include the selection in the next newsletter so we can come up with a third paragraph--OR I may include a couple proposed paragraphs and take your vote on which one to use. We can then try for a third paragraph. (This is for fun only, and if we successfully complete a story, I'll post it on the blog or my webpage with attribution to all who contributed who would like to be mentioned.)

Here's the picture that inspired the first paragraph.

I'm looking forward to reading your paragraphs for the story.

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That talk I mentioned in the previous newsletter went extremely well. My companion speaker was truly inspiring.

I completed a short story and got it submitted in record time (with thanks to my Skirmish Team for reviewing and providing comment and correction). I'm about to submit another story on a different call for submissions later today or tomorrow.

The short story writing clobbered my novel writing time -- so Book 6 of the Tomahawks and Dragon series remains in chapter 22.

I just finished reading the E. Hoffman Price Exotic Adventures Mega Pack -- and really enjoyed it. It went well with DJ Butler's Between Princesses and Other Jobs, which I'm about half through. Princesses is more fun than the first Indrajit and Fix book in my opinion. I'm sure I'll have more to say when I've finished it.

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Here are three giveaways that might interest you:

Defend the Realm books for free

Brave New Worlds books for free

Fantasy Book Giveaway

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Honor Roll with special thanks to these subscribers:

Lois for her stunning review and heroic defense of The Shrinking Zone.

JBudd for reviews of Threading the Rude Eye, In Death Bedrenched, Power to Hurt, The Shrinking Zone, Clamorous Harbingers, Promise of Carnage and Flame, and Truth in Flames

Colleen for leaving ratings for several of my books on Amazon

Rob for leaving a review of Threading the Rude Eye

Michael for leaving reviews of Threading the Rude Eye, and The Shrinking Zone

Mayra for a review of Threading the Rude Eye

Gloria for a review of Threading the Rude Eye

ShannonC for a review of In Death Bedrenched

Jan for reviews of Threading the Rude Eye, Power to Hurt, Clamorous Harbingers, Promise of Carnage and Flame, In Death Bedrenched, The Shrinking Zone, Truth in Flames, Justice in Season, and Justice Resurgent.

Bonnie for a review of In Death Bedrenched.

PAR for a review of Threading the Rude Eye

-There are many other reviews of my books, of course, but I don't know whether those reviewers are also subscribers to this newsletter.