StanleyWheeler

James II Stewart, King of Scotland, may be my 13th great grandfather. I'm considering returning to the old country to reclaim the throne. If the records are correct, it would explain many of the impulses I usually refrain from following: " James broke into a fit of temper and stabbed Douglas 26 times and threw his body out of a window. "  I understand how that could be very satisfying--for James, I mean. I'm pretty sure Douglas enjoyed neither the perforations nor the defenestration--but not being the actual king and all, I'll continue to refrain. It also looks like the link to James II is based on a son I don't see in the official records; perhaps an illegitimate son, a wrong genealogical connection, or a fake person. I'll withhold my claims to the throne at this point. *** As for writing this week, I passed 42K words, meaning I'm halfway done. I had a sudden impulse (see above) to kill off a character but decided that the death would be mea...

If you're looking for a reason to read Threading The Rude Eye , you need look no further than this review:   Beyond satisfying!  May 17, 2019 I loved this book! I especially love America's Revolutionary Era and the story set in this period. Characters were complex and varied in their growth, the story was thrilling and captivating. Having read other books by this author, he does not disappoint in his story telling abilities. I consider this author a master storyteller and this book a masterpiece! It's not often that I get that kind of review - the 5 stars are not uncommon; the unconditional praise as a masterpiece is rather more rare. To be honest, I don't consider any of my books to be a masterpiece. Smoke  does come the closest in my opinion - of course, your mileage may vary. I will, however, receive and bask in the sweet warming rays of such praise when I can. You can judge for yourself by clicking the link at the upper left to get your own copy of Threadin...

Someone has said that being a mother means being more concerned with someone else's welfare than your own. That really seems like all one needs to say about the subject, except of course for: Thanks, mom. Some women are ill-prepared to be moms at first--that's probably why the first child must be naturally resilient and able to take a fall--or a ride under the bench in a jeep without disturbing the four-wheeling revelers. Most moms get the hang of it before any permanent damage is inflicted. Then the second child comes along and totally wrecks the paradigm. Life without moms be like: In fact, I guess we would have no life without moms. *** In writing this week, Power to Hurt has passed the 32K word mark. If I were using a three-act formula, I would be starting the second act. That formula actually fits this particular novel quite well. One character has suffered a debilitating injury; another has crossed an important threshold and continues to develop the power...

"A written word is the choicest of relics. It is something at once more intimate with us and more universal than any other works of art. It is the work of art nearest to life itself." --Thoreau I suspect that some might disagree with Thoreau's statement above, but I won't.  Steling W. Sill referred in a talk  to Nicolas Appert and likened his development of food preservation, or canning, to the written word and books as the method for preserving ideas. The following shaded text is an excerpt from that talk: Someone has said that “books are among life’s most precious possessions. They are the most remarkable creation of man. Nothing else that man builds ever lasts. Monuments fall, civilizations perish, but books continue. The perusal of a great book is, as it were, an interview with the noblest men of past ages who have written it.” Charles Kingsley said, Except a living man there is nothing more wonderful than a book! A message to us from the dead, from hu...