Keith B. Darrell's Blog, page 21
July 4, 2016
An Independence Day excerpt from My Book
And now, on this Fourth of July, an appropriate excerpt from my new book,
Collected Essays of a Reluctant Blogger
:
On this day commemorating the founding of our republic, it is appropriate to take a moment from our barbecues and fireworks displays and reflect on the state of our country and our society. Recently, the Supreme Court, in the Citizens United case, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts backing political campaigns and spurred the development of superPACs, effectively...
On this day commemorating the founding of our republic, it is appropriate to take a moment from our barbecues and fireworks displays and reflect on the state of our country and our society. Recently, the Supreme Court, in the Citizens United case, which allowed corporations to spend unlimited amounts backing political campaigns and spurred the development of superPACs, effectively...
June 30, 2016
The Best Laid Plans of Mice and Men
I’m sure you’re familiar with the old expression “the best laid plans of mice and men ofttimes go astray.” The quotation comes from Robert Burns’ poem “To a Mouse”, written in 1786. Probably the first known apology by a farmer to a field rodent, it relates his regret at having upturned the mouse’s nest while ploughing a field:
But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane [you aren’t alone] In proving foresight may be vain:The best laid schemes o’ mice an' menGang aft a-gley, [often go awry] An’ lea’e us...
But, Mousie, thou art no thy lane [you aren’t alone] In proving foresight may be vain:The best laid schemes o’ mice an' menGang aft a-gley, [often go awry] An’ lea’e us...
June 26, 2016
Mackenzie Mortimer Takes an Unexpected Detour in Time
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
Mackenzie found himself standing beneath a lamppost. It was night, which surprised him because moments before it had been daytime. The streetlight illuminated the curb on which he stood and a portion of the cobblestone paved road running parallel to it. The road curved at a 130-degree angle and there were rows of two and three-story buildings on either side. Even in the dim light, Mackenzie could tell...
Mackenzie found himself standing beneath a lamppost. It was night, which surprised him because moments before it had been daytime. The streetlight illuminated the curb on which he stood and a portion of the cobblestone paved road running parallel to it. The road curved at a 130-degree angle and there were rows of two and three-story buildings on either side. Even in the dim light, Mackenzie could tell...
June 24, 2016
Return of the Fox
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
The sleek silver sedan pulled up to the curb outside the Mortimer Enterprises building. Mackenzie Mortimer stepped out of the car and straightened his jacket. He leaned inside and addressed the woman in the passenger seat. “Drive around the block a few times. I’ll phone you if it’s safe inside, and you can park in the garage and join me. Otherwise, drive straight home.”
“Mac,” she replied, sliding into...
The sleek silver sedan pulled up to the curb outside the Mortimer Enterprises building. Mackenzie Mortimer stepped out of the car and straightened his jacket. He leaned inside and addressed the woman in the passenger seat. “Drive around the block a few times. I’ll phone you if it’s safe inside, and you can park in the garage and join me. Otherwise, drive straight home.”
“Mac,” she replied, sliding into...
June 22, 2016
What Awaits Young Mackenzie?
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
“I told Dad to use my watch to return to his own time.” Alex shook his head. “But you know what he’s like. Do you think he’ll do it? Or will he try to be the larger-than-life hero, as usual?”
“Mackenzie’s loyal, but he’s not stupid. He knows he’s out of his depth and there’s nothing he can do. He’ll have no choice but to use the watch, and in doing so, permanently remove it from the grasp of the author...
“I told Dad to use my watch to return to his own time.” Alex shook his head. “But you know what he’s like. Do you think he’ll do it? Or will he try to be the larger-than-life hero, as usual?”
“Mackenzie’s loyal, but he’s not stupid. He knows he’s out of his depth and there’s nothing he can do. He’ll have no choice but to use the watch, and in doing so, permanently remove it from the grasp of the author...
June 20, 2016
But… You’ll Die.”
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
Mackenzie leaned in to Gemma, with a concerned look on his face. He whispered, “What are you going to do the next time Brandy needs a vital organ you don’t have two of? You’ll have to make a decision then, whether to give up your life for Brandy. If you leave now, you can go anywhere in the world, and never fear having someone cut out your organs.”
“Don’t you see, Kenzie. I have everything I’ve ever wa...
Mackenzie leaned in to Gemma, with a concerned look on his face. He whispered, “What are you going to do the next time Brandy needs a vital organ you don’t have two of? You’ll have to make a decision then, whether to give up your life for Brandy. If you leave now, you can go anywhere in the world, and never fear having someone cut out your organs.”
“Don’t you see, Kenzie. I have everything I’ve ever wa...
June 18, 2016
Who Let It Out? Suppose It Runs Away?
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
On the trail of the chronal radiation residue, Drake had arrived at the park. He was following the path when he looked up and saw Brandy with Gemma and Mackenzie. He blinked, as if to clear the image from his eyes, thinking he was seeing double. The girl beside his sister was her identical twin. He knew that wasn’t possible, since he was Brandy’s lone sibling, but then the epiphany hit him: Brandy’s t...
On the trail of the chronal radiation residue, Drake had arrived at the park. He was following the path when he looked up and saw Brandy with Gemma and Mackenzie. He blinked, as if to clear the image from his eyes, thinking he was seeing double. The girl beside his sister was her identical twin. He knew that wasn’t possible, since he was Brandy’s lone sibling, but then the epiphany hit him: Brandy’s t...
June 16, 2016
I’m Not Good Enough
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
Mackenzie glanced up from the park bench where he was sitting with Gemma. Skyscrapers blocked out the clouds and the sun darted between the tall buildings, as if playing a celestial game of hide and seek. “The first time I came here, I was so small that I thought this was a jungle. I was afraid a lion was going to leap out of the bushes and eat me. Now, it’s turned into a concrete jungle.”
Gemma grinne...
Mackenzie glanced up from the park bench where he was sitting with Gemma. Skyscrapers blocked out the clouds and the sun darted between the tall buildings, as if playing a celestial game of hide and seek. “The first time I came here, I was so small that I thought this was a jungle. I was afraid a lion was going to leap out of the bushes and eat me. Now, it’s turned into a concrete jungle.”
Gemma grinne...
June 14, 2016
I Never Realized How Hard Choices Were
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
“There’s only one option: we use the watch, but not to freeze time. It’s time for me to say goodbye to my father and Alex, so I can bring you home with me where you’ll be safe.”
Gemma looked conflicted. “I can’t go, Kenzie. Not now, not yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve just met my original. There’s so much I want to learn about her. I’ve been looking forward to seeing Brandy again, today. I have an opport...
“There’s only one option: we use the watch, but not to freeze time. It’s time for me to say goodbye to my father and Alex, so I can bring you home with me where you’ll be safe.”
Gemma looked conflicted. “I can’t go, Kenzie. Not now, not yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’ve just met my original. There’s so much I want to learn about her. I’ve been looking forward to seeing Brandy again, today. I have an opport...
June 12, 2016
Uh Oh! Zigs Has Figured Out the Truth
An Excerpt from The Tomorrow Paradox (Book Two in The Adventures of Mackenzie Mortimer):
Alone with Mackenzie, Zigs decided to confront him. “Do you read much? That’s a silly question, I suppose. Kids these days watch holo-vids and surf the neural net. Reading books is passé. But when I was a boy, I read lots of books. They were gateways to adventure. Alice tumbled down a rabbit hole and found herself in a peculiar Wonderland; later, she fell through a mirror and found herself in another...
Alone with Mackenzie, Zigs decided to confront him. “Do you read much? That’s a silly question, I suppose. Kids these days watch holo-vids and surf the neural net. Reading books is passé. But when I was a boy, I read lots of books. They were gateways to adventure. Alice tumbled down a rabbit hole and found herself in a peculiar Wonderland; later, she fell through a mirror and found herself in another...
