Stanley Wheeler's Blog, page 8

Rocinante and the Volcanic Slag

  I saddled up and loaded the steel steed with requisite equipment and bags, including a sandwich for the road. We passed the first brief leg of the trip racked with doubt and trepidation. If everything went as planned, it would be our longest ride together. Of course, if things went other than as planned, the ride could be our last.We both took fuel, burdening the visa and lightening the

Tomorrow's news today

 Who can foresee the future or weave it from the past? Who knows what a man will speak or when he'll breath his last?The future lies hidden in impenetrable cloud, while the past, with each expiring second, passes beneath a shroud.The present rests precariously--yet perpetually--on the horns of fugacious dilemma. Where can today's video screen connect with tomorrow's antenna?Show me the

Amanda Muratoff

 Interview with Amanda MuratoffAuthor of The Pantracia Chronicles Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.We arecurrently working on Book 12 in the Pantracia Chronicles! It is the second bookin the final trilogy of the main series, setting us up for the finale in book13. Things are definitely ramping up in these last two books, Where did you get the idea for

About Time

   My, my, my, look at the time. It's that time of the week again. A blank blog whispers for attention. Time is slip sliding away, and slipping, slipping, slipping into the future. Who invented time? Was it a conspiracy by clock makers to sell their previously worthless wares? When did time start? Will it end? Could we have measured time in a different manner than seconds, minutes,

Fun Fact: Bohemond and his Norman troops scale the walls...

 Fun Fact: Bohemond and his Norman troops scale the walls of Antioch, in an engraving by Gustave Doré Gather round and hear the tale of the taking of Antioch in the spring of ten-ninety-eight. A fair Norman prince, Bohemond was--although of the generic sort as far as that title goes. During the first crusade, it was, that gathered princes stormed the gate. For many long months the

The Fall of Generals

 Benjamin West's The Death of Wolfe The Fun Fact today returns us to the French and Indian War and Wolfe's attempt to take Quebec.In September 1759, Wolfe was moving forces up river, but Montcalm believed that was a diversion and that the British attack on the French stronghold would once again be directed at Beauport. In fact, that was what Wolfe had wanted to do. His brigadiers,

Wayne Turmel

 Interview with Wayne TurmelAuthor ofThe Urban Fantasy Series Werewolf PI and more

Marengo

  A little Pub Battles Marengo from CommandPost Games this week.The Marengo Map spreads out large and beautiful. The year is 1800. France is at war with Austria. Bonaparte deftly handled the Austrians in Italy a few years before. Now he has risen to the position of First Consul of the French. With part of his army across the Bormida River from Alessandria, where General Melas has massed

Wrestling Ouroboros

 The winners of my flash fiction contest will be announced tomorrow in my newsletter (click the newsletter link at the top of the page to get signed up for it). The war began this week. I rolled out the war machine and replaced the deck belt. The illustrations and directions I saw for completing the task required detaching the deck. Naturally, I did not do that. Although I'm sure it

Ladyhawke

 I know I just did a movie review last week, but the eclipse approaches for some (not me), and Ladyhawke is available to stream for free on tubi. It's as if the planets have aligned. So, it's a sword and sorcery movie from the 80s for the win. Directed by Richard Donner. Written by Edward Khmara, Michael Thomas, and Tom MankiewiczWe begin with the true star of the show. The character is