Monday, December 16, 2024

December 16, 2024

Finished the first draft of The Short Happy Life of Thomas Higgins 2. There's still a lot of writing/editing to take care of before the book is ready for publication. This is where the drudgery comes in, but it's all part of the writing process. I'll take a few days off before starting in with the necessary run to the finish.

Wednesday, August 21, 2024

August 21, 2024

 The farts and strawberries heard at the DNC gloss over the socialist program that Harris will bring to the White House (if she ever gets there in her own right). The origin of her ideology began with her father who is an avowed Marxist. If you want to see the onward march of the socialist agenda read "The Big Intel" by J. Michael Waller. Waller shows in minute detail how the Trotsky stint in the U.S. led to the establishment of a host of cadres ready, willing and able to carry out the socialist agenda. With Harris at the head of government socialism would become the norm (if it hasn't already) and that would mean confiscation of property (not just guns), leveling out of the possession of wealth (which would hit the middle class the hardest), and a general malaise in the country that would mean unhappiness for all, except the elites who would revel in the suppression of most of us. The lesser of two evils is former President Trump. I hope you see that with all his flaws he is the only one that can set the ship of state headed in the right direction.

Sunday, August 4, 2024

August 4, 2024

The Short Happy Life of Thomas Higgins is out on Amazon. Here's a link if you want to check it out. Click on the thumbnail to the right

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

24 July 2024

Finished the first edit of The Short Happy Life of Thomas Higgins. A few changes, but nothing substantial. Designed and built a cover for the story. Showed it to a couple of friends--they liked it. Another skim edit and final prep before sending it on to be published.

Thursday, July 11, 2024

7/11/24

On this lucky number day (especially for dice) I've finished the first draft of The Short, Happy Life of Thomas Higgins. It became a larger book than I had anticipated when I invented the title, but I think the sweep of the story justifies the title. Now it's on to the usual pre-publication activities.

Friday, April 26, 2024

4/26/2024

Passed 30K on The Short Happy Life of Thomas Higgins. He didn't have the recurrent dream while he was in Santa Clara. Now that he's back in Sacramento will the dream return?

Saturday, April 13, 2024

4/13/2024

The Short Happy Life of Thomas Higgins just passed 20K.  

Sunday, March 17, 2024

March 17, 2024

The Patas Affair is out on Amazon. Click on the thumbnail to the right to check out the book.

Wednesday, February 14, 2024

Valentine's Day 2024




This will be a V-day to remember. Went to Executive Airport to take a flight that had been a Christmas present from the family. Even though it was an introductory flight, son Thomas broke the news that I'd taken him numerous times on flights to various places. With that out of the way we went out to the Cessna 172 that looked a little worse for wear. The instructor pilot, Brashear, was comfortable with the airplane and we soon were underway. He asked me if I wanted to taxi the plane. I pretty much held it on the center line with the rudder pedals (which were stiffer than I remembered). He gave me the liftoff and climb speeds and I got the bird into the air. We climbed to 3,000 feet and he said the plane was mine. I did a few turns to avoid the skydiving areas and with no other planes in the sky we tooled around and I did some Dutch rolls and turns and then with numerous airplane anecdotes from both Brashear and me we enjoyed being in the air. Then it was time to head back. Brashear did the landing and I taxied us back.

Thomas was waiting for us and we all walked back to Executive Flyers and then it was off to meet my brother for a coffee klatch. Here's a photo taken by Thomas before the flight.


Friday, February 9, 2024

February 9, 2024

The first draft of The Patas Affair is finished. The usual rewrite, copy editing, cover finalization, etc. will take place after a few days rest. So far the story hangs together and we'll see whether that conclusion remains after digging into what is on the screen. More as I'm motivated to exercise my fingers on the keyboard.

Saturday, January 27, 2024

1/27/2024

 Just passed 50K on The Patas Affair.  After Kurt's rescue, he and Ted had an overnight in Bangui and now are headed back to the field station to see what, if any, damage had been done by the thieves that had taken the electronic spy machine. Kurt is relieved that he was able to recover the memory chip from his camera.

Tuesday, January 9, 2024

1/9/2024

The Patas Affair just passed 40K (the usual hurdle). Kurt missed his chance to get the mph of a Patas monkey, but he's determined to do so.