C.E. Martin's Blog, page 7
April 1, 2017
Book of Stone: Asgard
For April, Stone Soldiers.info is celebrating the A to Z Blog Challenge with daily letter-themed entries. A separate page with a list of all these entries, plus Character Profiles and Book Synopses will appear on the right hand side of the page in coming weeks, detailing the people, places and things of the Stone Soldiers universe.
ASGARD
First Appearance: Shadow Raiders
Description: Alternate Reality Earth
Last Known Status: Secured by U.S. Armed Forces in Summer 2016
The mythical home of the North gods, Asgard, was found in the summer of 2016, when Doctors David and Julia Hammond led an archaeological expedition to Greenland, to excavate a massive pair of golden doors buried beneath the glacial ice. The Hammonds almost unwittingly triggered Ragnarok by opening the doors however, alerting the army of Odin to the fact the gateway to Midgard was free once more.
Asgard the planet lays in a parallel universe to our own--one of nine suspected parallel planes of existence, all connected by Yggdrasil, an interdimensional network of wyrmholes. The planet was presumably much like our Earth, but has undergone severe climactic changes in the past.
Asgard's axial tilt is far more extreme than our own world. The planet lies on a 75 degree tilt, with the north pole always pointed away from the sun. This extreme tilt has wreaked havoc on the planet, reducing the southern hemisphere to an uninhabitable desert, and the northern hemisphere a harsh, arctic zone perpetually in darkness.
Asgard's sole habitable region also lies in a perpetual state of dusk, well north of the equator. A single habitable region has so far been discovered, near the impact crater of Ymir. This region's capital is the city of Valhalla, which is connected by crude road networks to settlements throughout much of the eastern hemisphere's habitable zone.
The gateway to Midgard and the other suspected seven realities, are accessible through the network of wyrmholes in the Yggdrasil ravines south of the Bifrost Plain. This plain--a flat, grassland region--is so-named due to the constant Aurora Borealis overhead, which extends all the way north, past Valhalla.
Following the event of Operation Cold Flare in 2016, when the Asgardian Fellish army was defeated, a contingent of researchers and soldiers were established near Yggdrasil for the exploration of Asgard and to determine any strategic value. Similarly, the wyrmhole's gateway in Greenland was also fortified and is designated as an Annex of Thule Air Force Base, monitored closely by NATO forces.
Behind the Scenes
Shadow Raiders marked the first split from the regular Stone Soldiers series chronologically, and takes place between SS 11 and 12. Elements of Detachment 1039 will return to the world in future novels, exploring the other branches of Yggdrasil.
The entire story of Shadow Raiders revolves around a recurring theme in the Stone Soldiers universe: that Fallen Angels posed as gods in ancient times, luring humanity to worship them. In the Christian era, no Fallen Angels remain on Earth. In One Dark Step , the Stone Soldiers encountered the first Fallen Angel in the series, Hubal, living on the Moon. Aurg-El, posing as Ymir, and animating his Fellish descendant, Odin, ruled over Asgard, sending raiding parties through to Earth for servants and slaves. However, the little ice age sealed the gateway to Earth, preventing any further travel.
The impact crater revealed in Shadow Raiders is indeed where Aurg-El impacted the alternate Earth, hurled from heaven, his impact tilting the world off its normal axis.
Readers are correct in assuming that of the eight branches of Yggdrasil, only one leads to Earth (Midgard). In future installments, we'll return to the Wyrmhole "tree" and journey to other worlds, each ruled by other Fallen Angels from mythology. The current plan is to release one installment of this Shadow Raiders series per year. For 2017/2018, the next installment will focus on Chinese Mythology and center around a world the inhabitants have named Perdition.
ASGARD
First Appearance: Shadow Raiders
Description: Alternate Reality Earth
Last Known Status: Secured by U.S. Armed Forces in Summer 2016
The mythical home of the North gods, Asgard, was found in the summer of 2016, when Doctors David and Julia Hammond led an archaeological expedition to Greenland, to excavate a massive pair of golden doors buried beneath the glacial ice. The Hammonds almost unwittingly triggered Ragnarok by opening the doors however, alerting the army of Odin to the fact the gateway to Midgard was free once more.
Asgard the planet lays in a parallel universe to our own--one of nine suspected parallel planes of existence, all connected by Yggdrasil, an interdimensional network of wyrmholes. The planet was presumably much like our Earth, but has undergone severe climactic changes in the past.
Asgard's axial tilt is far more extreme than our own world. The planet lies on a 75 degree tilt, with the north pole always pointed away from the sun. This extreme tilt has wreaked havoc on the planet, reducing the southern hemisphere to an uninhabitable desert, and the northern hemisphere a harsh, arctic zone perpetually in darkness.
Asgard's sole habitable region also lies in a perpetual state of dusk, well north of the equator. A single habitable region has so far been discovered, near the impact crater of Ymir. This region's capital is the city of Valhalla, which is connected by crude road networks to settlements throughout much of the eastern hemisphere's habitable zone.
The gateway to Midgard and the other suspected seven realities, are accessible through the network of wyrmholes in the Yggdrasil ravines south of the Bifrost Plain. This plain--a flat, grassland region--is so-named due to the constant Aurora Borealis overhead, which extends all the way north, past Valhalla.
Following the event of Operation Cold Flare in 2016, when the Asgardian Fellish army was defeated, a contingent of researchers and soldiers were established near Yggdrasil for the exploration of Asgard and to determine any strategic value. Similarly, the wyrmhole's gateway in Greenland was also fortified and is designated as an Annex of Thule Air Force Base, monitored closely by NATO forces.
Behind the Scenes
Shadow Raiders marked the first split from the regular Stone Soldiers series chronologically, and takes place between SS 11 and 12. Elements of Detachment 1039 will return to the world in future novels, exploring the other branches of Yggdrasil.
The entire story of Shadow Raiders revolves around a recurring theme in the Stone Soldiers universe: that Fallen Angels posed as gods in ancient times, luring humanity to worship them. In the Christian era, no Fallen Angels remain on Earth. In One Dark Step , the Stone Soldiers encountered the first Fallen Angel in the series, Hubal, living on the Moon. Aurg-El, posing as Ymir, and animating his Fellish descendant, Odin, ruled over Asgard, sending raiding parties through to Earth for servants and slaves. However, the little ice age sealed the gateway to Earth, preventing any further travel.
The impact crater revealed in Shadow Raiders is indeed where Aurg-El impacted the alternate Earth, hurled from heaven, his impact tilting the world off its normal axis.
Readers are correct in assuming that of the eight branches of Yggdrasil, only one leads to Earth (Midgard). In future installments, we'll return to the Wyrmhole "tree" and journey to other worlds, each ruled by other Fallen Angels from mythology. The current plan is to release one installment of this Shadow Raiders series per year. For 2017/2018, the next installment will focus on Chinese Mythology and center around a world the inhabitants have named Perdition.
February 14, 2017
Valentine's Day Sale: Shadow Raiders
Now on sale on Kindle:
SHADOW RAIDERS
For husband and wife team Julia and Richard Hammond, an immense pair of golden doors, buried beneath the Greenland glacier for centuries, should have been the find of two lifetimes. But when they open the mysterious portal, they quickly find that some doors should never be opened...
Together with a team of psychics and super soldiers, the Hammonds are about to turn from explorers to defenders, traveling to another world to head off an invasion by a race of barbaric super humans intent on bringing Ragnarok to Earth and wiping mankind off the face of the planet.
Now on sale through February 20th on Kindle!
SHADOW RAIDERS
For husband and wife team Julia and Richard Hammond, an immense pair of golden doors, buried beneath the Greenland glacier for centuries, should have been the find of two lifetimes. But when they open the mysterious portal, they quickly find that some doors should never be opened...
Together with a team of psychics and super soldiers, the Hammonds are about to turn from explorers to defenders, traveling to another world to head off an invasion by a race of barbaric super humans intent on bringing Ragnarok to Earth and wiping mankind off the face of the planet.
Now on sale through February 20th on Kindle!
February 3, 2017
Cover Sneak Peek: Stone Soldiers #12
All good things must come to an end, and Stone Soldiers is no exception. Book 12 marks the end of a four year story arc, and the final Stone Soldiers adventure. Still in the early stages of rough drafting, but here's the first test cover:
January 29, 2017
NEWEST RELEASE: SHADOW RAIDERS!
SHADOW RAIDERS
In the far North, a pair of ancient, golden doors have been found beneath the polar ice. Buried for centuries, these massive barriers have held back the elder gods of the North, confining them to their own plane of existence.
When a treasure hunter and an archaeologist open the gates to Asgard, all Hel seems ready to break loose on Earth.
Luckily, there are those who have been waiting for just this kind of thing, A modern military unit, comprised of the deadliest fighters humanity has ever seen. But instead of just repelling an invasion of mythical proportions, they are going to do the unthinkable. They're taking the war against the forces of Darkness into the shadows.
Available now on Kindle and in print!
September 11, 2016
Rewriting History in Stone Soldiers: 9/11
Today marks the fifteenth anniversary of the cowardly attack on America by Muslim terrorists financed at least in part by Saudi nationals. It was a horrific act of terrorism that left thousands of noncombatants--including children--dead. And while we should never downplay the horror of this day, or forget how it revealed how far the evil in the middle east will go, we can choose to take away the terror of it that those behind the attacks wanted.
On the Fox TV Show Fringe a peek into an alternate universe revealed that the Attack on the Twin Towers failed. William Bell had his office in the South Tower as he fought to preserve his world from an even greater catastrophe. Visually, that final reveal in the last episode of Season 1 was clear and powerful--it showed without a doubt this was indeed an alternate reality Olivia Dunham had traveled to.
Technically, most fiction takes place in an alternate reality--very few pieces of science fiction or fantasy or horror take place in the real world. They almost all require a subtle suspension of the laws of reality, or some event that didn't happen in our real-world. The Stone Soldiers universe is no different, and even addreses the issue of alternate realities in its upcoming successor series Shadow Raiders. But how about 9/11? Where does it fit in the Stone Soldiers' universe?
Called "the September Conspiracy" in Stone Soldiers, the events of 9/11 are only briefly mentioned ( Mythical ) along with a failed attempt to kill JFK in the 1960s. But what does that mean, exactly?
The Stone Soldiers rely in part on the Oracles--psychics able to see events in the future (Shades of War, Stone Soldiers #4). The more people affected by an event, the stronger the psychic backlash from the future. In this way, events can be stopped. Such was the case with 9/11.
With psychic predictions of a terrorist attack on America, the Detachment simply used their AI, MAX ( Infernal Machine ) to collate data. Here in our world, we know that agencies had an indication about the conspiracy, but as it was compartmentalized and isolated from one agency to another, the attack was not stopped. Identifying the threat and plan, MAX was able to direct conventional forces to intercept those planning to crash the planes that killed so many in our real-world timeline.
For the Stone Soldiers' world, the events that followed were very similar. Americans would have been horrified by this brazen, coordinated attack on our soil. And estimates of casualties might have been in excess of those that did happen. A military response to the situation would have followed in the Stone Soldiers' world, as it did here. A restructuring of Law Enforcement agencies also would have taken place--the government couldn't acknowledge the existence of MAX or the Oracles, so they had to take steps top ensure conventional law enforcement would prevent any future attacks.
And that was it--in just a few moments of typing, I took away the Taliban's victory, and saved fictional, alternate reality lives. Stone Soldiers is all about the good guys defeating evil, and I felt this fit well in their universe.
But in our real world, I'll take a moment today to pray for those lost on 9/11/2001. And for their families. I'll also pray that my fellow Americans don't forget what was done in the name of Islam, and the sacrifices being made daily by our military to fight the same kind of evil in the middle east, rather than let it once more reach our shores.
On the Fox TV Show Fringe a peek into an alternate universe revealed that the Attack on the Twin Towers failed. William Bell had his office in the South Tower as he fought to preserve his world from an even greater catastrophe. Visually, that final reveal in the last episode of Season 1 was clear and powerful--it showed without a doubt this was indeed an alternate reality Olivia Dunham had traveled to.
Technically, most fiction takes place in an alternate reality--very few pieces of science fiction or fantasy or horror take place in the real world. They almost all require a subtle suspension of the laws of reality, or some event that didn't happen in our real-world. The Stone Soldiers universe is no different, and even addreses the issue of alternate realities in its upcoming successor series Shadow Raiders. But how about 9/11? Where does it fit in the Stone Soldiers' universe?
Called "the September Conspiracy" in Stone Soldiers, the events of 9/11 are only briefly mentioned ( Mythical ) along with a failed attempt to kill JFK in the 1960s. But what does that mean, exactly?
The Stone Soldiers rely in part on the Oracles--psychics able to see events in the future (Shades of War, Stone Soldiers #4). The more people affected by an event, the stronger the psychic backlash from the future. In this way, events can be stopped. Such was the case with 9/11.
With psychic predictions of a terrorist attack on America, the Detachment simply used their AI, MAX ( Infernal Machine ) to collate data. Here in our world, we know that agencies had an indication about the conspiracy, but as it was compartmentalized and isolated from one agency to another, the attack was not stopped. Identifying the threat and plan, MAX was able to direct conventional forces to intercept those planning to crash the planes that killed so many in our real-world timeline.
For the Stone Soldiers' world, the events that followed were very similar. Americans would have been horrified by this brazen, coordinated attack on our soil. And estimates of casualties might have been in excess of those that did happen. A military response to the situation would have followed in the Stone Soldiers' world, as it did here. A restructuring of Law Enforcement agencies also would have taken place--the government couldn't acknowledge the existence of MAX or the Oracles, so they had to take steps top ensure conventional law enforcement would prevent any future attacks.
And that was it--in just a few moments of typing, I took away the Taliban's victory, and saved fictional, alternate reality lives. Stone Soldiers is all about the good guys defeating evil, and I felt this fit well in their universe.
But in our real world, I'll take a moment today to pray for those lost on 9/11/2001. And for their families. I'll also pray that my fellow Americans don't forget what was done in the name of Islam, and the sacrifices being made daily by our military to fight the same kind of evil in the middle east, rather than let it once more reach our shores.
September 2, 2016
A Lesson in Military Jargon, Lesson 1
If you're a vet, you no doubt have used a ton of phrases and words with your civilian friends that makes them wonder what you're talking about. Jargon is a military tradition going back centuries.
This week on Stone Soldiers, we're going to talk about WMDs and the USAF.
Sometimes it's easier to spit out a couple of words over the radio, then a long explanation of what's going on. When it comes to WMDs and Priority Resources, the USAF has a whole series of mini phrases to use to explain the seriousness of a situation, quickly.
Broken Arrow More than just a John Travolta/Christian Slater movie from 1996, the term Broken Arrow is used for any accidental event that involves nuclear weapons, warheads or components. And which doesn't create the risk of nuclear war. In the aforementioned movie, a Broken Arrow happens when a bomber crashes with two live nukes on board--causing a serious pucker-factor throughout the chain of command.
Covered WagonNot just confined to Nukes, a Covered Wagon covers an event when there's an unusual incident affecting protection level one two or three resources. The USAF classifies resources as Priority 1, 2 or 3, with 1 being the most rare, special of resources. If Christian Slater caught John Travolta messing with their bomber before taking off, he might have declared a Covered Wagon. Dull Sword This one is for reports of minor incidents involving nuclear weapons, components or systems, or which could impair their deployment. Maybe when a runway is unoperable? Or there's no pilots for an alert bomber?
Bent Spear For nuclear weapons, warheads, components or vehicles transporting nuclear material that are of significant interest, if there's a violations or breaches of handling and security regulations. I guess this would be like a NEST team transporting nukes cross-country in one of those unmarked semis stopping at Bestbuy to pick up a copy of Broken Arrow to watch in-transit.
Empty Quiver The seizure, theft, or loss of a functioning nuclear weapon. E.g., when Travolta stole the two nukes with the help of Howie Long and his team of traitors.
Nucflash The neutrons have hit the fan, or at least the Uranium. Nucflash refers to a detonation or possible detonation of a nuclear weapon which creates a risk of an outbreak of nuclear war. Like when Travolta triggered his stolen nuke underground.
Faded Giant An event involving a military nuclear reactor or other radiological accident not involving nuclear weapons. For example, McClellan AFB in Sacramento, California had a cool neutron imaging machine back in the 1990s. An airplane would be rolled into a hangar and basically x-rayed, to determine the internal structure of the wings. They were looking for rot in the honeycomb, I was told. The imager was fed by a small, four-rod reactor that fit inside a building not much larger than your average high school gymnasium. Say the water shielding the rods all drained out, allowing radiation to spill out onto the base--that would be a Faded Giant.
Got some military-speak you want defined? Got one you'd like to define, email us at DETACHMENT1039 [AT] GMAIL [dot] COM.
This week on Stone Soldiers, we're going to talk about WMDs and the USAF.
Sometimes it's easier to spit out a couple of words over the radio, then a long explanation of what's going on. When it comes to WMDs and Priority Resources, the USAF has a whole series of mini phrases to use to explain the seriousness of a situation, quickly.
Broken Arrow More than just a John Travolta/Christian Slater movie from 1996, the term Broken Arrow is used for any accidental event that involves nuclear weapons, warheads or components. And which doesn't create the risk of nuclear war. In the aforementioned movie, a Broken Arrow happens when a bomber crashes with two live nukes on board--causing a serious pucker-factor throughout the chain of command.
Covered WagonNot just confined to Nukes, a Covered Wagon covers an event when there's an unusual incident affecting protection level one two or three resources. The USAF classifies resources as Priority 1, 2 or 3, with 1 being the most rare, special of resources. If Christian Slater caught John Travolta messing with their bomber before taking off, he might have declared a Covered Wagon. Dull Sword This one is for reports of minor incidents involving nuclear weapons, components or systems, or which could impair their deployment. Maybe when a runway is unoperable? Or there's no pilots for an alert bomber?
Bent Spear For nuclear weapons, warheads, components or vehicles transporting nuclear material that are of significant interest, if there's a violations or breaches of handling and security regulations. I guess this would be like a NEST team transporting nukes cross-country in one of those unmarked semis stopping at Bestbuy to pick up a copy of Broken Arrow to watch in-transit.
Empty Quiver The seizure, theft, or loss of a functioning nuclear weapon. E.g., when Travolta stole the two nukes with the help of Howie Long and his team of traitors.
Nucflash The neutrons have hit the fan, or at least the Uranium. Nucflash refers to a detonation or possible detonation of a nuclear weapon which creates a risk of an outbreak of nuclear war. Like when Travolta triggered his stolen nuke underground.
Faded Giant An event involving a military nuclear reactor or other radiological accident not involving nuclear weapons. For example, McClellan AFB in Sacramento, California had a cool neutron imaging machine back in the 1990s. An airplane would be rolled into a hangar and basically x-rayed, to determine the internal structure of the wings. They were looking for rot in the honeycomb, I was told. The imager was fed by a small, four-rod reactor that fit inside a building not much larger than your average high school gymnasium. Say the water shielding the rods all drained out, allowing radiation to spill out onto the base--that would be a Faded Giant.
Got some military-speak you want defined? Got one you'd like to define, email us at DETACHMENT1039 [AT] GMAIL [dot] COM.
August 28, 2016
Coming Soon: SPECTRAL OPS
Releasing on Kindle, September 16th, 2016!
Eastern France, April 2017... the small town of Moyenne has gone dark. No sign of life can be detected. Police and military forces sent to investigate are never heard from again. Storm clouds hang low in the sky, obscuring the small, idyllic village from the peering eyes of satellites, and thick static prevents any drone from being sent in. Detachment 1039, America's Preternatural Combat Operations unit is inserted from the air, a small squad of supernatural soldiers enters the town, quickly discovering France has been invaded by a spectral army that cannot be killed. A battle between the living and the dead must be won, and quickly, as the spirits in Moyenne are increasing their numbers, one soul at a time, and nothing seems able to stop them...
All good things must come to an end, and that includes the Stone Soldiers... series. Book 12, Winters' Fury will release Winter 2016-17, wrapping up the 12-book story arc about a girl meeting a grandfather she never knew she had, getting superpowers, and joining the fight against the forces of evil.
But the story doesn't end there. Shadow Raiders is in final edits now, to release hopefully this Fall. This new twice-a-year series will follow Detachment 1039 as they battle monsters off Earth, visiting other planes of existence where evil lurks.
The Detachment then returns to once-a-month duty in December, with Spectral Ops a series of shorter, but more frequently released tales of supernatural warfare. As a sneak peek of the new series, Book 1, Spectral Ops is up for pre-order NOW, releasing September 2016. The regular series should then start releasing in time for Christmas, with one new battle per month.
If you don't want to pre-order Spectral Ops, you can get it for free... how? By joining the Mailing List of Stone. Just email "Put me on the Mailing List of Stone" to Detachment1039 AT GMail DOT Com and you'll be added and receive your PDF shortly.
But you better hurry! This offer ends September 16--get your entries in before Spectral Ops is available for sale.
August 20, 2016
A War Against the Living...
If the dead arose, attacking the living in spirit form, who would stop them? Find out this winter in SPECTRAL OPS, a new Stone Soldiers series launching in November...
Eastern France, April 2017... the small town of Moyenne has gone dark. No sign of life can be detected. Police and military forces sent to investigate are never heard from again. Storm clouds hang low in the sky, obscuring the small, idyllic village from the peering eyes of satellites, and thick static prevents any drone from being sent in. Detachment 1039, America's Preternatural Combat Operations unit is inserted from the air, a small squad of supernatural soldiers enters the town, quickly discovering France has been invaded by a spectral army that cannot be killed. A battle between the living and the dead must be won, and quickly, as the spirits in Moyenne are increasing their numbers, one soul at a time, and nothing seems able to stop them...
Can't wait for the series launch in November? Get your promotional copy of Spectral Ops as soon as it's done! How?
Email Detachment1039@gmail.com with your name, email, and favorite Stone Soldiers story title, including "Put me on the Mailing List of Stone" in the subject line, and you'll receive a free PDF of the latest Stone Soldiers/Dark War story, FREE.
If mailing lists aren't your thing, watch Kindle for the release of this new sneak preview installment (Book 0) in the coming weeks.
June 22, 2016
Outlaws of Olympus
As work continues on the upcoming Shadow Raiders, and research begins for Stone Soldiers #12, Winters' Fury, we take a moment to look back--way back--to the late 1800s and the state of paranormal warfare in America during the heady days of the Wild West.
1881, Utah Territory. Immigrants continue to flood into the Wild West, bringing with them their customs, cultures, and legends from the Old World. But it isn't just men that have come to the new Frontier. Darker beings have come as well, intent on once more terrorizing mankind in a Godless land. Can a cursed cavalryman and a mysterious priest work together to stop a supernaturally-fast gunslinger, or will the old gods claim the land and souls of men for themselves?
So what is Outlaws of Olympus , and how does it relate to the Stone Soldiers?
Way back in Stone Soldiers #5, Black Knight Down , readers were introduced to Father Lee Schuler, who turned out to be Hercules, the son of Zeus. Schuler assisted the team in battling the Titans trapped in the Black Knight. He showed up again in the end of One Dark Step (Stone Soldiers #11).
In the recent Shadow Detachment series of prequel short stories that showed the history of Detachment 1039 since the Korean war, another character was revealed: Bartholomew Black, a special operations Army Officer who seemed very at ease in dealing with the supernatural. Black remained in most of the Shadow Detachment tales, rising through the ranks and guiding Mark Kenslir in the war on evil.
Both of these characters now have their own series: Outlaws of Olympus.
Hercules, as Father Sergio "Ercole" Morricone is dispatched to the Utah Territory by the Church in 1881, to investigate reports of a man who can't die. Along the way, he meets the mysterious John Smith, a black cavalryman left for dead by a supernatural gunslinger "faster than lightining".
Together, the duo face off against this adversary, who is revealed to be the Greek god Hermes, the half-brother of Ercole and the fastest gun in the West. Hermes reveals that he is not the only Olympian to descend on the Godless frontier--others have come along...
So begins the adventures of Father Ercole and Bartholomew John Black--a man cursed to live the lives of all the men he's ever killed. Together, this mighty duo will do their best to save the West from the dark grip of monsters and immortals alike.
Outlaws of Olympus releases every three weeks on Kindle, and on print through Amazon.com. Look for audio releases as well, with the first round of the series culminating in thirteen tales of Weird Western wonder!
1881, Utah Territory. Immigrants continue to flood into the Wild West, bringing with them their customs, cultures, and legends from the Old World. But it isn't just men that have come to the new Frontier. Darker beings have come as well, intent on once more terrorizing mankind in a Godless land. Can a cursed cavalryman and a mysterious priest work together to stop a supernaturally-fast gunslinger, or will the old gods claim the land and souls of men for themselves?
So what is Outlaws of Olympus , and how does it relate to the Stone Soldiers?
Way back in Stone Soldiers #5, Black Knight Down , readers were introduced to Father Lee Schuler, who turned out to be Hercules, the son of Zeus. Schuler assisted the team in battling the Titans trapped in the Black Knight. He showed up again in the end of One Dark Step (Stone Soldiers #11).
In the recent Shadow Detachment series of prequel short stories that showed the history of Detachment 1039 since the Korean war, another character was revealed: Bartholomew Black, a special operations Army Officer who seemed very at ease in dealing with the supernatural. Black remained in most of the Shadow Detachment tales, rising through the ranks and guiding Mark Kenslir in the war on evil.
Both of these characters now have their own series: Outlaws of Olympus.
Hercules, as Father Sergio "Ercole" Morricone is dispatched to the Utah Territory by the Church in 1881, to investigate reports of a man who can't die. Along the way, he meets the mysterious John Smith, a black cavalryman left for dead by a supernatural gunslinger "faster than lightining".
Together, the duo face off against this adversary, who is revealed to be the Greek god Hermes, the half-brother of Ercole and the fastest gun in the West. Hermes reveals that he is not the only Olympian to descend on the Godless frontier--others have come along...
So begins the adventures of Father Ercole and Bartholomew John Black--a man cursed to live the lives of all the men he's ever killed. Together, this mighty duo will do their best to save the West from the dark grip of monsters and immortals alike.
Outlaws of Olympus releases every three weeks on Kindle, and on print through Amazon.com. Look for audio releases as well, with the first round of the series culminating in thirteen tales of Weird Western wonder!
April 30, 2016
BOOK OF STONE: Zulu Time
Another A to Z Challenge finally closes out, with a little peak at something from the real world that often shows up in fiction:
ZULU TIME
When you operate around the world, in different time zones, coordinating activities can be problematic. For that reason, some military forces use something we in America call Zulu Time. But what is it?
The primary time zone in the modern world UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). But to understand that, you need to go back before 1972, and look at GMT--Greenwich Mean Time, named for the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London.
GMT was a standardized time used by British Mariners of the past of purposes of navigation. This had to do with the Greenwich Meridian (0) adopted in 1884 at the International Meridian Conference.
Basically, sunset is determined by the distance from the equator and time of year. To calculate it, you need a starting point (Greenwich). By having a clock set to GMT, mariners could determine their position on a map, by observing the position of the sun with an Astrolabe.
Time zones then were designated in hours before or after GMT. For example, Washington D.C. (at this time of year) is at -4 GMT. Meanign the sun rises four hours after it does in London.
As stated above, in 1972, GMT was replaced by Coordinated Universal Time in some countries...
Back to Zulu Time. It's basically one time (GMT/UT) that the military expresses things in. For example, if you wanted to launch an attack on opposite sides of the world, you might issue orders for it to take place at 0600 Zulu Time (GMT). Neither of those actual sites are actually in GMT however, so the local units can either do the math, or use a watch with dual time zone capabilities (showing both their local time and GMT).
So why call it Zulu time?
Since around 1950, nautical time zone (GMT) has been denoted by the Letter Z. Different time zones were designated by letters. GMT got the Z because it was the point of origin for determining time zones. It also refers to the time zone of "zero" hours, used since 1920ish.
Z becomes "Zulu" because of the Phonetic Alphabet...
The Phonetic Alphabet is something used by people broadcasting over radio. In the early, pre-digital days of radio, static, noise, and distortion could make it hard to understand someone. Things could b misunderstood. To prevent this confusion, the military adopted the phonetic alphabet to clear things up, assigning seldom-used words to the letters of the alphabet. To spell out BLOG, for example, you'd say "Bravo, Lima, Oscar, Golf". Most police departments use a similar phonetic alphabet, but use first names instead. And, you guessed it, "Zulu" is the phonetic call for the letter Z.
So there you have--"Zulu Time" is just GMT/UT, but spoken in military style.
ZULU TIME
When you operate around the world, in different time zones, coordinating activities can be problematic. For that reason, some military forces use something we in America call Zulu Time. But what is it?
The primary time zone in the modern world UTC (Coordinated Universal Time). But to understand that, you need to go back before 1972, and look at GMT--Greenwich Mean Time, named for the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, London.
GMT was a standardized time used by British Mariners of the past of purposes of navigation. This had to do with the Greenwich Meridian (0) adopted in 1884 at the International Meridian Conference.
Basically, sunset is determined by the distance from the equator and time of year. To calculate it, you need a starting point (Greenwich). By having a clock set to GMT, mariners could determine their position on a map, by observing the position of the sun with an Astrolabe.
Time zones then were designated in hours before or after GMT. For example, Washington D.C. (at this time of year) is at -4 GMT. Meanign the sun rises four hours after it does in London.
As stated above, in 1972, GMT was replaced by Coordinated Universal Time in some countries...
Back to Zulu Time. It's basically one time (GMT/UT) that the military expresses things in. For example, if you wanted to launch an attack on opposite sides of the world, you might issue orders for it to take place at 0600 Zulu Time (GMT). Neither of those actual sites are actually in GMT however, so the local units can either do the math, or use a watch with dual time zone capabilities (showing both their local time and GMT).
So why call it Zulu time?
Since around 1950, nautical time zone (GMT) has been denoted by the Letter Z. Different time zones were designated by letters. GMT got the Z because it was the point of origin for determining time zones. It also refers to the time zone of "zero" hours, used since 1920ish.
Z becomes "Zulu" because of the Phonetic Alphabet...
The Phonetic Alphabet is something used by people broadcasting over radio. In the early, pre-digital days of radio, static, noise, and distortion could make it hard to understand someone. Things could b misunderstood. To prevent this confusion, the military adopted the phonetic alphabet to clear things up, assigning seldom-used words to the letters of the alphabet. To spell out BLOG, for example, you'd say "Bravo, Lima, Oscar, Golf". Most police departments use a similar phonetic alphabet, but use first names instead. And, you guessed it, "Zulu" is the phonetic call for the letter Z.
So there you have--"Zulu Time" is just GMT/UT, but spoken in military style.
