StanleyWheeler

  Interview with Fred Phillips Author of The Gold and Fire Series and more Please tell me a little about your current work in progress. I have two projects that I hope to get across the finish line before the end of the year. One is the second book in the "Gold and Fire" series, which will be launching with "Dreams of Gold and Fire" from Raconteur Press on July 30. I think I have the title for the sequel in my head, but I'm not quite ready to commit yet. Things are always subject to change in the writing process, but I can say for sure that it will involve gold and fire. I plan to write the third book in 2026, and I'm pretty certain that it will be titled "Knight of Gold and Fire." That's as far as I have things planned, and that plan is only loose at this point. After that, we'll see where the story goes. Of course, it will be up to Raconteur when or if the others will be published. The second project is a western fantasy for adults ti...

 It's done. Child number 5 has entered the hallowed halls of wedded bliss. There's no guarantee on the earthly duration of the bliss, but if ignorance is also bliss, then turning a blind eye to many little annoyances should help. However, somethings are a very big deal. I shared with son-in-law that much of the rest of his life will be spent in discovering that many things he took for granted or never gave much thought to are now, in fact, a very big deal. The information will frequently come as a complete surprise to him; just as it will surprise her that he could've failed to realize a thing so obvious to her. They're in for some good times. The wedding took place in the morning, followed by a luncheon, and then a reception in the evening. I shot a picture of one of the few outdoor decorations at the reception venue because nothing says matrimony like hyper-salivating lions. We had all our children together again, and they had good news to share.  We had a nice hike i...

  Fun Fact: Sigurd I became king of Norway at 13 when an Irish axe ended his father's life. He received the crown jointly with his two half brothers, Eystein and Olaf, the latter being a toddler. At 17, Sigurd agreed to lead an expeditionary force to the Mediterranean and Eystein agreed to rule the kingdom while Sigurd was away. In 1177, Sigurd took 60 longships and sailed away (without meeting any extra-terrestrials who sang for him to Come Sail Away.)  Sigurd spend some months in England before sailing south and put in at Galicia for another winter. The Norwegians had difficult times when the supply arrangements with a local earl fell through and they had to forage for provisions. Sigurd plundered the offending earl's castle and set sail again. They soon encountered a fleet of Muslim pirates--seizing eight of the galleys and scattering the rest. Sigurd then stopped off in Portugal to plunder a Muslim castle at Sintra and executed the occupants. The fun continued with a raid ...

  It was Independence Day. The Fourth of July. The ogygia of summer. I name it the latter, not because we're trapped there and must choose between Calypso and escape, but because it is the center point about which summer revolves. In Byzantium this year, it brought dark clouds and rain. We usually get our own fireworks to celebrate our right to watch our money become transformed into disappointing fountains of sparks of various ilk, but this year we did something that I don't recall having done before. We watched A Capitol Fourth on PBS. There were non-obnoxious musical acts on or near the White House lawn. They sang patriotic songs, had military bands and anthems, and presented old and new talent. People who wanted to celebrate America attended, waived little flags, sang along, and enjoyed themselves. Even the hosts repeated, "God Bless America," without fear or concern of offense. The fireworks display afterward as the Beach Boys sang a medley of favorites, with oth...