The skies they were ashen and sober

The skies they were ashen and sober;   The leaves they were crisped and sere—  The leaves they were withering and sere; It was night in the lonesome October  Of my most immemorial year; It was hard by the...

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Nov 01, 2025
One Crowded Hour: The Little Bighorn

 David Larson's One Crowded Hour: The Little Bighorn weighs in at over 400 and 60 some pages, so it's not a light read. For those of you new to U.S. History who have never heard of Sitting Bull, Crazy Horse, Gall, Reno, Benteen, or Custer, I...

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Oct 27, 2025
Battle of Raab and a giveaway

  In June of 1809, about 40 miles from Vienna, while Napoleon's main force and those of Austria's Archduke Charles maneuvered for battle on the Danube, Eugene de Beauharnais commanding French and Italian troops engaged Archduke John...

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Oct 20, 2025
That her fair form may stand and shine

That her fair form may stand and shine  Make bright our days and light our dreams,Turning to scorn with lips divine  The falsehood of extremes!--From "Freedom" by Alfred Lord Tennyson--First, enter the giveaway - 2 winners will be...

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Oct 17, 2025
Passing of the Chateau

 Le Chateau au Chat Gris has passed over the horizon. Not to worry; the cat is fine. This weekend we left Byzantium to visit family and look into a replacement for the 1999 Rattling Battle Wagon. The latter is now up for sale, and I'll be cr...

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Oct 13, 2025
Knights of Spain

 I finally did it. I submitted a manuscript for a contest. If all goes well, I'll still be ecstatic about the publication in November of my adventure book for boys, Accidental Pirates, and may forget to be too disappointed if my manuscript i...

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Oct 06, 2025
When I have fears that I may cease to be

When I have fears that I may cease to be   Before my pen has glean'd my teeming brain,  Before high piled books, in charactry, Hold like rich garners the full-ripen'd grain;When I behold, upon the night's starr'd face,&n...

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Oct 02, 2025
Three Hearts and Three Lions

 I finished reading this book, Three Hearts and Three Lions by Poul Anderson. I can't think of another book by the late Anderson that I've read, and my expectations weren't high. They sagged even lower when the story began with the hero find...

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Sep 29, 2025
Bruce Nesmith

 Interview with Bruce NesmithAuthor ofThe Loki Redeemed Series <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US...

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Sep 22, 2025
Warrior of God, man's friend, and tyrant's foe

WARRIOR of God, man's friend, and tyrant's foeNow somewhere dead far in the waste Soudan,Thou livest in all hearts, for all men knowThis earth has never borne a nobler man.--"Epitaph on General Gordon" by Alfred Lord TennysonWe lost another warrior o...

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Sep 16, 2025
Excerpt from Crisis in Fire and Snow

  It's been a long weekend. I'm tired. So tired. You needn't suffer. Feast upon this excerpt from Crisis in Fire and Snow:<!--[if gte mso 9]> <![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 f...

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Sep 08, 2025
Back to the Chateau

  I started off the weekend by traveling across the state. I knew I would get hungry along the way, and refuse to compromise when it comes to nutrition. I walked out of the gas station with the priceless gems pictured below. Actuall...

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Sep 02, 2025
He shambles forth in cosmic guise

Through many roads, by me possessed,He shambles forth in cosmic guise;He is the Jester and the Jest,And he the Text himself applies.--From An American, by Rudyard KiplingDon't forget, September 9 is Constitution Day."[T]he American Constitution is, s...

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Sep 01, 2025
Nick Nethery

 Interview with Nick NetheryAuthor ofRelics of the Fallen <!--[if gte mso 9]> Normal 0 false false false EN-US...

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Aug 24, 2025
Drown Melancholy

 Drown MelancholyBy STANLEY WHEELERAn old sea shanty, a reminder of a curse, drives a pirate captain to the brink of madness… Can the crew make their final score, or will the curse destroy them all?!It's in Cirsova issue 24 which you can...

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Aug 18, 2025