Al Past's Blog, page 2

Ana and son explain another cool math puzzle

Remember the card trick on YouTube , where the poster begged someone to explain how it worked? Ana and her son Julio figured it out and the explanation is here , in Ana's own handwriting.
Now they've done another one. She and her son loved a puzzle Will Shortz used on his regular feature on a recent Weekend Sunday, on NPR. It's simple (but not that easy). Here's the puzzle: 
Using only standard mathematical symbols (x, ., /, ,  etc.) make three nines (9, 9, and 9) equal 20. 
Ana was...

El Chapo or El Checo? Distant Cousin scoops the news again. Twice!

Fans of the Distant Cousin books already know the series has anticipated many recent and surprising events in the world today, in politics, medicine, athletics and more. (There are EIGHT examples here.) Now, in quick succession, there are two more.

In Distant Cousin: Santa Muerte, Earth's favorite extraterrestrial Ana Darcy Méndez and her daughter run into one El Checo, a notorious drug kingpin, in northern Mexico. Let's only say that their encounter turned out a little differently than the on...

The problem with "real" books

The problem with "real" books is painfully obvious to any book lover:


E-books, as far as we know, weigh nothing and take up no space. Anyone who can make a case to the contrary is invited to comment.
Another huge advantage of e-books, at least in the case of the Distant Cousin stories, is that the price-to-entertainment ratio is super-attractive. Each one creates the type of mental movie that appeals to almost everyone. (Several could be double features.) Fast readers with time to spare could b...

Announcing Distant Cousin: Santa Muerte!

We are thrilled to announce the publication of the next story in the Distant Cousin chronicles:

Distant Cousin: Santa Muerte


...at a budget price both in electronic and paper versions! Here's the publisher's info:
I highly recommend that any intellectually curious reader begin with the first book in the series. You will not be able to put it down. I also recommend a perusal of the Ana Darcy Blog to see the complete three-dimensional story that Al has created. Note that the story has been contrac...

Distant Cousin: Santa Muerte SAMPLE

“Unit 212.”“212. Go ahead.”Ken Stackhouse, senior sociology major at The University of Texas at El Paso, did his best to follow the terse exchange of information between Sergeant Molina and his dispatcher, but it was confusing. Police communications were not chatty. “You follow that, kid?” Molina asked.“Maybe. They’re asking you to back up another unit somewhere, right?”“Right: a fight at a sports bar just off North Mesa, about a mile from here.”“Did one of those codes mean lights but no...

Uh-oh! Presidential Advisor regrets not disclosing UFO files!

Presidential advisor John Podesta has said his biggest regret in 2014 was not disclosing the the truth about the existence of UFOs.

Ana Darcy says "Whew! That was a close one!"

The government knows that Ana is the first alien to have landed on Earth. So do many others, especially her readers. The government could probably locate her if they really tried. Readers will have to be content with knowing the general area where she lives. (Several have expressed a desire to have lunch with her. That...

Early returns: what are readers saying about Two Worlds Daughter?

Excerpts from readers at Amazon:

1. This is an excellent continuation of the Distant Cousin Series. We've watched Ana come to Earth, cause some trouble, get into some trouble, settle down, get married, get into more trouble, have two wonderful kids, etc., etc. I've really enjoyed watching the characters grow and become part of my family. Al Past can really spin a yarn.

2. Unbelievable! Just when I think the series has come to an end, wow!! another book that I can't put down but don't want the s...

Distant Cousin a movie? It could happen! (PART 2)

Announcing the purchase of the movie and television rights to the Distant Cousin stories by an agent in Hollywood!




The many readers who said they saw a movie playing in their heads while they were reading may some day get the chance to compare visions. Those who are not readers may come to see the fun they have been missing!
It's wonderful that an agent in the entertainment industry believes the Distant Cousin books would make a terrific movie. He also says the set contains enough material to...

What do a ten year old and a journalist have in common?

Both are fans of Distant Cousin, and Ana Darcy!

The column above explains how Ana's stories prompted the reporter and her daughter to vacation in West Texas, where they had a wonderful time seeing the McDonald Observatory, other places Ana has been, and some she has not been (yet). Quite a few readers have commented on how West Texas and southern New Mexico come alive in her books. Ms. Jackson goes on to say she's no sci-fi devotee, but that the Distant Cousin stories are "more a mirror in the...

News got you down? Not feeling that great? Need a pick-me-up?

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1. “Things have been extremely difficult around here…. The adventures of the Mendez family provided a wonderful distraction. And the ending filled me with hope, for some inexplicable reason. I love the warmth and togetherness of the family.”
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Here are a baker's dozen comments from readers and reviewers of one or another of the six Distant Cousin books to date: the stories of the human extraterrestrial Ana Darcy and her family. Not only have many people have found them refreshing and upliftin...