R.A. Mathis's Blog
April 21, 2017
March 26, 2017
HOMELAND: BOOK 3 PRE-ORDER!
Get your copy
here
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They thought we wouldn’t fight back. They were wrong.
Now that the truth is revealed, it is clear that America’s Second Founding is not what it was promised to be.
The grid is still down, food is scarce and each day grows colder than the last.
The fruited plain is now dotted with work camps, refugees, and extermination centers.
It is up to the few surviving patriots to band together and take action.
The odds are long, but they have to try.
The stage is set when Tennessee declares independence—a decision that can only end in liberty or death.
It’s time to learn what fate has in store next for the characters you love and those you love to hate in book four of the Homeland Series: Every Blade of Grass.
They thought we wouldn’t fight back. They were wrong.Now that the truth is revealed, it is clear that America’s Second Founding is not what it was promised to be.
The grid is still down, food is scarce and each day grows colder than the last.
The fruited plain is now dotted with work camps, refugees, and extermination centers.
It is up to the few surviving patriots to band together and take action.
The odds are long, but they have to try.
The stage is set when Tennessee declares independence—a decision that can only end in liberty or death.
It’s time to learn what fate has in store next for the characters you love and those you love to hate in book four of the Homeland Series: Every Blade of Grass.
March 25, 2017
Book 3 Finished!
I just finished book three of the Homeland Series, Every Blade of Grass.
We will soon find out what fate has next in store for the characters you love and the ones you love to hate.
The alpha copy will go out to the Advanced Reader Team in the next few days. Preorders should open very soon, I'm shooting for Monday at the latest.
But for now...
I'm going to celebrate with a tasty treat.
Thanks to everyone for your great feedback and encouragement.
You are what keeps me writing.
Sincerely,
Rob
We will soon find out what fate has next in store for the characters you love and the ones you love to hate.
The alpha copy will go out to the Advanced Reader Team in the next few days. Preorders should open very soon, I'm shooting for Monday at the latest.
But for now...
I'm going to celebrate with a tasty treat.
Thanks to everyone for your great feedback and encouragement.
You are what keeps me writing.
Sincerely,
Rob
February 10, 2017
Update! (finally)
After foolishly squandering most of the second half of 2016 on work and family, I’m back to writing every day. It’s going well and I hope to have book three of the Homeland Series out next month.
I’m sorry for taking so long to continue the story of Eduardo, Amber, Martha, and the Sexton family, but I hope you find it worth the wait.
The struggle for America's future continues... The Tophet regime and its minions continue to commit atrocities and trample freedom in the name of the Greater Good. They aren’t letting up, but neither is the resistance.
A new American Revolution is about to begin.
The forces of The Second Founding will soon see what it’s like to see rifles behind every blade of grass.
Do you want exclusive updates, news, and content? Do you have what it takes to fight for freedom?If so, join the resistance here!
October 27, 2016
Cover Reveal: Every Blade of Grass
Hi Everyone,
It's been a while since the last post and hope this one finds you all well.
Writing was slow this summer, but it's getting back on track. I'm actually working on two projects right now.
One of them is the third book in the Homeland series. This installment is titled 'Every Blade of Grass' and is proving to be very enjoyable to write. Why? If the title sounds familiar, you can guess what's in store...
I'll post a preview soon. But first, here's a look at the cover idea I like best so far.
What do you think?
It's been a while since the last post and hope this one finds you all well.
Writing was slow this summer, but it's getting back on track. I'm actually working on two projects right now.
One of them is the third book in the Homeland series. This installment is titled 'Every Blade of Grass' and is proving to be very enjoyable to write. Why? If the title sounds familiar, you can guess what's in store...
I'll post a preview soon. But first, here's a look at the cover idea I like best so far.
What do you think?
Hi Everyone,It's been a while since the last post and hop...
Hi Everyone,
It's been a while since the last post and hope this one finds you all well.
Writing was slow this summer, but it's getting back on track. I'm actually working on two projects right now.
One of them is the third book in the Homeland series. This installment is titled 'Every Blade of Grass' and is proving to be very enjoyable to write. Why? If the title sounds familiar, you can guess what's in store...
I'll post a preview soon. But first, here's a look at the cover idea I like best so far.
What do you think?
It's been a while since the last post and hope this one finds you all well.
Writing was slow this summer, but it's getting back on track. I'm actually working on two projects right now.
One of them is the third book in the Homeland series. This installment is titled 'Every Blade of Grass' and is proving to be very enjoyable to write. Why? If the title sounds familiar, you can guess what's in store...
I'll post a preview soon. But first, here's a look at the cover idea I like best so far.
What do you think?
July 6, 2016
'Executive Orders' is live on Amazon.com!
Executive Orders: Part 2 of the Homeland Series is live on Amazon.com.
Buy it here!
We thought it could never happen in America. We were wrong.
The second installment of the Homeland series begins as America reels from economic collapse, terrorist attacks, and the loss of the power grid. For some, these hardships bring out the best qualities of the human spirit. Neighbors help neighbors as Freeport pulls together to feed the hungry and maintain rule of law.
But there are others determined not to let this crisis go to waste. The new regime enacts currently existing executive orders to seize control of the population and fundamentally change the country. Patriotism is labeled terrorism. Dissent is deemed treason. Citizens must register and turn over their firearms in order to eat. To resist is to die. To disagree is to disappear. The American people are soon plunged into a hellish, collectivist nightmare that grows worse each day. Something must be done before all hope is lost.
Thematically, Executive Orders lies at the intersection of Jericho, Red Dawn, and Schindler’s List.
We thought it could never happen in America. We were wrong. The second installment of the Homeland series begins as America reels from economic collapse, terrorist attacks, and the loss of the power grid. For some, these hardships bring out the best qualities of the human spirit. Neighbors help neighbors as Freeport pulls together to feed the hungry and maintain rule of law.
But there are others determined not to let this crisis go to waste. The new regime enacts currently existing executive orders to seize control of the population and fundamentally change the country. Patriotism is labeled terrorism. Dissent is deemed treason. Citizens must register and turn over their firearms in order to eat. To resist is to die. To disagree is to disappear. The American people are soon plunged into a hellish, collectivist nightmare that grows worse each day. Something must be done before all hope is lost.
Thematically, Executive Orders lies at the intersection of Jericho, Red Dawn, and Schindler’s List.
June 24, 2016
On Brexit
Is June 23rd, 2016 one of the most important dates in this century thus far, possibly on par with 9-11 in historical significance? I think so. The Citizens of Great Britain voted yesterday to leave the European Union by a margin of 51.9% (17,410,742 votes) to 48.1% (16,141,241 votes). I think this was a good move on their part. Here’s why.
1. Economics : The European Union never lived up to expectations. It was sold to Europeans as the means to band together to create an economic super power which could compete with Asian and North American rivals, much the same as five small lion robots combined to form one giant robot, Voltron, Defender of the Universe. In practice, it became more of a European wealth redistribution program. The taxpayers of donor states like Germany and Britain were forced to turn their hard-earned tax dollars over to Brussels bureaucrats who then gave it to receiver states such as Greece and others. After the Greek economy crashed, their government was bailed out by the E.U., whose only request was that Greece adopt austerity measures to ease the burden on the people paying their tab. Greece promptly refused. The first cracks in European unity appeared.
2. Immigration : This was the game changer. As I understand, it was this issue that really forced yesterday’s vote. A key facet of the E.U. system is open borders among member states. An open border in Germany constitutes open access to France, Belgium, Italy, and the rest of Europe. The Syrian immigrant crisis of 2015, which saw millions of Muslim refugees flood into Europe and continues as of this writing, exposed a key flaw in the open border system. If Britain can’t control German immigration, it can’t control its own immigration. I realize that some countries have enacted border security, but these are temporary measures and go against the spirit of the E.U. fraternal intent. In effect, no E.U. member state has the right to control its national borders on a permanent basis.
3. Politics : The best government is closest to the people. The idea of super states like a European Union, North American Union, or African Union, etc. is in direct opposition to this idea. When the E.U. decided a few years ago that European construction workers were no longer allowed to work with their shirts off due to skin cancer concerns, what recourse did these workers have? What if British workers and their E.U. representatives opposed the idea? Too bad. Majority rules. Now shut up and put your shirts or pay the fine. The fine goes directly to Brussels by the way. This does not take into account the rights and recourse of the individual citizen. What if a person’s property was adversely affected by an E.U. decree? If you can’t fight city hall, how can you fight all of Europe? Good luck with that, Nigel Six-pack.
4. National Sovereignty : It all comes to this. Britain was wise to keep the pound and not adopt the Euro. I believe the same instincts of self-preservation are what led to Brexit. Brits knew that the longer they remained in the E.U., the harder it would be to leave. After all, is a country which loses control of its borders and currency still a country? I don’t think so. According to yesterday’s vote, neither do the Brits. Good on ‘em.
June 15, 2016
Executive Orders is now available for Preorder!
Eager to find out will happen next to Sheriff Hank Sexton as he tries to hold the town of Freeport together in the face of overwhelming odds? Maybe you stay awake at night, wondering if Hank's son, Army Sergeant Cole Sexton, will ever make it home. And where in the heck is Eduardo going?
Go here to preorder Executive Orders, the second chapter in the Homeland Saga and be among the first to find out!
Order now to get the early reader appreciation price of only $0.99!
May 31, 2016
The Political Spectrum: Right vs Left or Citizen vs State?
I have always loved history. In conducting research for the Homeland series, I have had to go back and reexamine some of the things I thought I knew about history, politics, and the way the world works. This post is dedicated to a long-held paradigm that was challenged and ultimately changed by this research.
Conventional wisdom places communism on the extreme left of the political spectrum and fascism on the far right, but is that really true?
I submit that it is not. The mutual fanatical hatred and savagery toward each other by the Nazis and the Soviets in World War II is usually pointed out as the prime example of the opposing natures of the two systems. But this point of view overlooks the fact that Hitler and Stalin were allies at the outbreak of the war. Stalin watched with glee for years as Germany consumed much of Europe. He even helped, invading Poland from the east shortly after Germany blitzed the country from the west. Those arrangements were made between the two dictators before the first panzer rolled. This mutual admiration society lasted until Adolf screwed his neighbor to the east in 1941 via surprise invasion. Stalin was so shocked by the betrayal of his ‘friend’ that it literally took him days to regain his senses and put up a defense. Thus, the hatred toward the evil fascists was born of betrayal and brutality more than from philosophical differences.
The similarities of communism and fascism are brought into focus when we consider the life at the ground level of each government. Both fascist and communist regimes have centrally planned economies. Both control the internal movements of their people (papers, please). Both spy on their own citizens. Both have secret police (Gestapo vs KGB) to quell dissent. Both imprison or execute those who dare criticize the regime. Both have government-controlled healthcare. Both control the media. Both systems claim to promote ‘the greater good for the greater number.’ Both populations live in perpetual fear.
I could go on, but you get the point.
Is life appreciably different for citizens living under these supposedly opposite systems? If you found yourself in 1938 Berlin, would your thank your lucky stars you weren’t living in Stalin’s Russia? Would the opposite be true? The truth is, life under both states would be pretty similar.
In both systems, the rights of the individual are trampled by the needs (or whims) of the all-powerful state. Additionally, said individual has no recourse to correct harm to himself, his rights, or his property. He is powerless to resist, thus the individual has no rights save those arbitrarily granted by the State. It should be noted that what the State giveth, the State also taketh away. As such, communism and fascism are merely different breeds of the same animal. That animal is Statism, also known as collectivism.
When we adjust our view to see fascism and communism less as opposing ideologies and more as estranged siblings, we see that they are just two of the most recent forms of statism to join socialism, despotism, monarchy, and others among the ranks of collectivist systems which crush the individual under the weight of centralized governmental authority.
This is why The United States was designed to be a Republic and not a democracy. Democracy may appear on the surface to be the best defense against State tyranny. In reality, it is also a form of collectivism.
But that is for another post.
This false paradigm may also help explain why many people don't believe their vote matters. If your choices are between two flavors of the same tyranny, how could your vote matter?
Voters sense this false dichotomy at some level, though may not be able to put their finger on why it doesn't make sense. I was in that spot for a long time.
The popularity of candidates like Sanders and Trump demonstrate voters' desire to break free of 'the Establishment' by electing people they see as outsiders. But as long as we are still operating (and voting) under false assumptions, little will change aside from the natural growth of the State.
Conventional wisdom places communism on the extreme left of the political spectrum and fascism on the far right, but is that really true?
I submit that it is not. The mutual fanatical hatred and savagery toward each other by the Nazis and the Soviets in World War II is usually pointed out as the prime example of the opposing natures of the two systems. But this point of view overlooks the fact that Hitler and Stalin were allies at the outbreak of the war. Stalin watched with glee for years as Germany consumed much of Europe. He even helped, invading Poland from the east shortly after Germany blitzed the country from the west. Those arrangements were made between the two dictators before the first panzer rolled. This mutual admiration society lasted until Adolf screwed his neighbor to the east in 1941 via surprise invasion. Stalin was so shocked by the betrayal of his ‘friend’ that it literally took him days to regain his senses and put up a defense. Thus, the hatred toward the evil fascists was born of betrayal and brutality more than from philosophical differences.
The similarities of communism and fascism are brought into focus when we consider the life at the ground level of each government. Both fascist and communist regimes have centrally planned economies. Both control the internal movements of their people (papers, please). Both spy on their own citizens. Both have secret police (Gestapo vs KGB) to quell dissent. Both imprison or execute those who dare criticize the regime. Both have government-controlled healthcare. Both control the media. Both systems claim to promote ‘the greater good for the greater number.’ Both populations live in perpetual fear.
I could go on, but you get the point.
Is life appreciably different for citizens living under these supposedly opposite systems? If you found yourself in 1938 Berlin, would your thank your lucky stars you weren’t living in Stalin’s Russia? Would the opposite be true? The truth is, life under both states would be pretty similar.
In both systems, the rights of the individual are trampled by the needs (or whims) of the all-powerful state. Additionally, said individual has no recourse to correct harm to himself, his rights, or his property. He is powerless to resist, thus the individual has no rights save those arbitrarily granted by the State. It should be noted that what the State giveth, the State also taketh away. As such, communism and fascism are merely different breeds of the same animal. That animal is Statism, also known as collectivism.
When we adjust our view to see fascism and communism less as opposing ideologies and more as estranged siblings, we see that they are just two of the most recent forms of statism to join socialism, despotism, monarchy, and others among the ranks of collectivist systems which crush the individual under the weight of centralized governmental authority.
This is why The United States was designed to be a Republic and not a democracy. Democracy may appear on the surface to be the best defense against State tyranny. In reality, it is also a form of collectivism.
But that is for another post.
This false paradigm may also help explain why many people don't believe their vote matters. If your choices are between two flavors of the same tyranny, how could your vote matter?
Voters sense this false dichotomy at some level, though may not be able to put their finger on why it doesn't make sense. I was in that spot for a long time.
The popularity of candidates like Sanders and Trump demonstrate voters' desire to break free of 'the Establishment' by electing people they see as outsiders. But as long as we are still operating (and voting) under false assumptions, little will change aside from the natural growth of the State.
