The trickling began this week.

Words. Those malleable bricks composed of variations of 26 unique elements representing sounds manifested in the English language which itself is spoken with such extraordinary differences around the globe that it's not one language but several. But I digress. And I will do it again, if I please. I do. The digression continues. We place various combinations of letters into words--and then we don't even pronounce some of the letters; or we pronounce them differently even though they are arranged in precisely the same way. What a language! What a rich history! Back to my point, if I had one. I did. I shall begin again taking up after the trickling thought.

Words. Those malleable bricks composed of variations of 26 unique elements representing sounds in the English language began a procession into my newest book this week. Like camels, horses, pilgrims, slaves, and taskmasters with tents and rugs and provisions all bound in colorful rugs and cloths with bright silken ends slithering fluttering upon the breeze, the caravan began its march across the dry, barren expanse of empty pages. I should actually describe this caravan as one consisting of soldiers adorned in bright uniforms; natives with colorful accents upon bronze skin, dark hair, and leather clothing; sailing ships with broad sails stretched above the blue, frost-capped waves; gryphons (or griffins, if you prefer) banking against the azure sky; and feather-winged dragons painting the night sky and landscape with the intense red-orange flame of agony and destruction. Such is the caravan that is trickling its way onto my screen, leaving footprints, tail-drags, hoof-marks, feathery traces, bayonet stabs, tomahawk chops, bloodstains, and ashes in the shapes of those 26 little elements that will unite into tiny word squads, equip themselves with punctuation and rally into regimental sentences, divisional paragraphs, and chapter corps in conquest of the empty space. En avant!

So what I mean to say with this surplusage of verbiage is that book three in the Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series has begun. I'm not holding myself to the thousand words per day standard until I've resolved a few things about how this part of the story is going to get to the end that I've planned. The first book started in short spurts, written five minutes at a time before the full mustering of the might of the keyboard. This one may do so as well.

Just now the muse looks at me like this:

...uncertain whether to give me the secret of the pages balanced upon her knee, to first use the sharp blade in her hand to take an eye as the price of her gift, or merely to open one of my veins so that I'll have ink to match her gown. We shall see how it goes. Maybe it will be a choice between Odin and Van Gogh.

The most pressing matter for you, Dear Reader, is to obtain post haste and to read the prior two books in the series (as well as all of my other books) so that you will be prepared to receive the turbulence, wrath, and promise to be delivered in book 3.

Having started with a ramble upon some minor points of the English language, it's only fitting that I should end with something from Shakespeare. These are both from King Henry VI First Part Act I:

"What! Shall we curse the planets of mishap that plotted thus our glory's overthrow?

Or shall we think the subtle-witted French conjurers and sorcerers, that, afraid of him, By magic verses have contriv'd his end?"

"Hark, countrymen! Either renew the fight or tear the lions out of England's coat; renounce your soil, give sheep in lion's stead."

I was looking at these to snip some words to use as the title of book 3. Can you guess which words I consider from each quote?

 It began when the princess fled from her father's wrath by taking her flier and leaving the city before dawn. At dawn, as she slept on the floating craft, a party of Zarhoons shot down the flier. Warriors returning to the city on foot saw the flier and recognized the princess' personal insignia before it went down. The princess was injured in the crash but managed to hide herself within the ruins before she passed out from her injuries. The warriors and the Zarhoons search the city for the princess.

This was the Wreck at the Ruins scenario for play testing my new skirmish rules in a Barsoomian setting. Of course, it went fabulously. The miniatures are from Bronze Age Miniatures:

 At one point while searching the city, one of the Zarhoons was set upon by a massive pale simian.

 While his partner tangled with the pale simian, the other Zarhoon found the unconscious princess but could not get away with her before being set upon by her loyal warriors. This multi-armed Zarhoon, Bak Badja, received a wound or two and fled from his multiple attackers. Meanwhile, his companion, Vak Voka, disengaged from the pale simian and rushed to attempt to take the princess from the warrior who was carrying her to safety. Just when it appeared that the warrior would escape with the girl, he fell, dropping his precious cargo. Another warrior, Han Tadron, moved to intercept and engage Vak Voka. His head rolled freely upon the street and his eyes watched his decapitated body drop in a blood-spurting heap. Nantos Nan who had been carrying the princess rose to his feet but before he could once again take up his burden, Vak Voka and the simian react first. The simian charged the warrior Dav Ravo, taking the warriors focus from the Zarhoon. Vak Voka engaged Nantos Nan who stood defiantly between him and the helpless princess. The Zarhoon failed to wound the warrior but did knock him to the ground beside the princess.

Tense change, because it provides a more "you are there" feeling--or because I'm lazy and didn't want to change it.
Another warrior, Mardos Tors, wants to assist Dav Ravo against the simian but duty calls him to protect his princess. He charges the Zarhoon, wounding and knocking him down with his ferocious onslaught. Vak Voka's morale holds. Mardos Tors attacks again. Although wounded, Knocked Down, and facing multiple opponents, Vak Voka cuts Mardos Tors in two and rises victorious above bloody corpse.

Dav Ravos hears the urgent calls of Nantos Nan but the simian has seized him and he can't escape. The monster lifts Dav Ravos above his head and hurls the warrior. Dav Ravos miraculously lands on his feet, escaping injury.

  VV has the initiative. (Pictured above) - He is wounded. At his feet NN and the princess are on one side and DR is approaching from the other side. On his first activation attempt VV gets doubles, so therefore gets an extra action. With two actions to use, he elects to attack NN. NN is forced to use his Deflection Skill and his last Heroic Point to avoid a wound. VV chooses to ignore the maneuver opportunity and remain in contact; he attacks again with his bonus action. NN barely avoids a serious wound, taking a simple wound instead. NN panics and attempts to flee, giving VV a chance at a Parting Gift, which he takes, his second blade scoring another wound on the frantic man--and requiring him to take another Morale Check. The twice-wounded warrior runs for his life, leaving the helpless princess at the feet of the Zarhoon. VV uses his next action to pick up the princess. He cannot avoid DR so he moves into contact with the warrior and the initiative passes. DR activates and attacks VV. VV elects to keep hold of the princess, so will not benefit from his Two-Weapons Skill, but will not otherwise be hindered by her. He is, however troubled by his wound. DR delivers a serious wound to the captor of his princess and Knocks Down the Zarhoon. VV struggles to rise, dropping the princess and allowing DR a free attack which he blocks. VV is on his feet but no longer has the princess. DR uses his third activation to attack again. DR rolls a Stunning Success, killing the Zarhoon.

Were it not for the pale simian, Dav Ravos could escape with the princess. He is forced to drop the princess when the simian leaps, seizing him once more. After a terrible struggle, the simian flings Dav Ravos once again. The warrior is seriously injured and rendered hors de combat. No one remains to protect the princess from the simian.

After modifying the scenario specifics to boost the warriors' morale while fighting to recover and protect the princess, and playing again, the warriors did save the princess. She randomly turned up in the same location as the first time and the pale simian did not appear for the second go-round.

On the third play with more emphasis on shooting, and in which both the simian and the trap to the pits figured significantly, the Zarhoons stole the victory (and the princess) over the dead bodies of the warriors. Although he found the princess, Han Tadron could not escape from the building in which she had hidden. First the simian (see above)--which soaked up a mountain of damage before finally taking a fatal wound--blocked his way and added to the wounds to Dav Ravos and Mardos Tors.

Then Bak Badja engaged Han Tadron, the last surviving warrior, in a lengthy duel. Using his Wounded Warrior Skill, HT succeeded in wounding and knocking down his bigger opponent, but after taking another wound he couldn't hang on against the four-armed attacker. HT went down fighting for the princess.

This scenario was a great test of my skirmish rules. I did create some special scenario details to account for the four-armed Zarhoons and the simian. In addition to giving the Zarhoons the special Two Weapon Skill, I gave them a bonus action anytime they rolled doubles on an activation attempt. The simian had a similar benefit. The simian also only used the grapple maneuver option so those rules got a work out -- the grappling details are the only thing that I'm considering revising; they worked, but not as smoothly as I had hoped.

This is definitely my favorite rules set.

I may have to run a scenario from my Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series to see how the magic provisions play.

First this: The best baseball movie ever made is--and there can be no argument about this as the film is very nearly a religious experience; the angels don't quite sing but they do play instruments (and I'm not talking about the Willie Nelson number that seemed particularly appropriate)--

The Rookie, staring Dennis Quaid. Every man should watch it at least every five years as a reminder to chase those dreams. Of course, women might enjoy it too. Quaid is perfect in the role of Jim Morris.

A reader this week said about reading Power to Hurt, "I finally understand those one things, but I don't know what they are." -- High praise indeed. She was referring to the gryphons. Apparently she had confounded the gryphons and their riders, not realizing that they were two separate species. Speaking of Power to Hurt (which I know I do often, perhaps too often) my author copies arrove arrived this week. They are, of course, beautiful. The fire-orange color reminded me of how I described the voice of one of the women in Smoke, another of my books. I read some of the latter work while making a few corrections pointed out by the gentleman I mentioned a couple weeks ago. I easily slip back into that book after reading only a small bit and have difficulty prying myself away to to take care of the tasks to which I must attend. It's certainly an enjoyable journey which beckons me with soft, sweet whispers and subtly flirtatious glances whenever I skim the pages.

I finished one book and started another this week--that's reading, not writing. This is the book I started:

I'm only to chapter 7 -- the 20% mark -- and I'm enjoying it immensely. I've never before read anything by Will Wight and I'm pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing and of the story. The writing doesn't call attention to itself (which I think is a good thing) and tells an intriguing story so far. Last month or the month before, Will Wight made a significant number of his kindle books available for free and I availed myself of the opportunity to get every one of them at that price. I hope they all prove to be as enjoyable as this one is so far. I should post a review when I finish.

I finished this book:

I also got this book for free. I found it a refreshing bit of space opera, a genre I've not touched in a few years. I like the author's style. He knows how to tell a good story. I would fault the book for the cliche of a woman in every port and the infrequent vulgar word. Otherwise, I thought it was good, better than most. While the characters didn't stand out as new and original (if that's even possible anymore), the author crafted them in a believable and fun manner that invited me to continue reading. That is something that many of the books I've picked up recently no longer do. The writer is a Vietnam war vet and this book, published in the 90's, emits the not-so-faint fragrance of Vietnam. I would give it a solid 4 stars out of 5.

Finally, what I have been writing are rules to my own skirmish game. I haven't named them yet but I believe they work for anything in the age of muskets and I'm confident they'll work for more modern weapons as well. I plan to use them with some Barsoom adventures. I first tested them with the rescue from the hangman's noose scenario that I had made for some rules which I had purchased. After playing that scenario with my new rules, I had made a few adjustments and played a scenario I'm calling "Encounter at the Docks" (that's the watery rather than the medical for those of you not tipped off by the spelling). I played it a couple times over the week and found it to be terrific--simple yet with more interesting possibilities than I found in most other skirmish rules. I should have done an AAR, but didn't take any pictures. I will another time. Note: I did not paint that figure pictured above. It is from the Redoubt Miniatures website. I, of course, did not need to note that fact as the the figure is in fact quite well painted--unlike my own slipshod workmanship.

                                     An Interview with David J. West 
                                    AKA James Alderdice Author of:

                                                      The Brutal Saga
                                                The Dark Trails Saga
                                                In My Time of Dying
                                                   And Many More

Please tell me a little about your current work in progress.

I usually have at least three or four things I am working on at any given time. I’m currently working on a follow up to my Gaslamp fantasy MEMENTO MORI, the sixth book in my Brutal Saga- WRATH, a sequel in another fantasy series THE SERPENT CITY and playing around with a weird paranormal thriller WINE DARK SEA. I’d probably get farther if I focused better, but it’s hard to do.

Where do you get your inspiration for these books?

I’ve always been a fan of sword and sorcery, and I like the hero who fights the monster/wizard and gets the girl. With Serpent City it’s fun to play around with expectations and just who the monster is.

Do you write in more than one genre?

Always. I can’t stick to one thing.

Tell me about something that you believe makes your writing unique or worthy of attention.

I think the only way we are unique is because it is all coming through our own filter, my life and experiences, along with my influences etc. We could all read the exact same books and listen to the same music, but our life experiences make it unique. SO I accept that I work with standard tropes, but the way I tell the story is unique to me and hopefully the reader can be entertained by my own take.

But remember we are never gonna please everyone, that just not possible, so please yourself.

Is there anything about your personal history or personality that manifests strongly in your writing?

I’d like to think I have lived a full life and drawing on all the adventures I did in my teens and twenties comes in handy for characters who are now doing wild and crazy things in the books. I have camped in every kind of weather, so that comes in real handy writing weird westerns. I have traveled a lot so again that comes into play for getting the smell/feel/nuance of a place right and adding in some small piece of authenticity that you might not be able to garner from just a Wikipedia perusal. Fistfights and martial arts are also a good plus for someone who writes about fights as much as I have. I know what getting kicked in the face feels like.

What else would be helpful for readers to know about you?

I love my characters and my stories. I get excited going on the journey with them and sometimes I’m surprised at what happens to them as I’m writing. I hope that surprise is transferred and shared with the reader.

Excluding your own work, what underrated author or book would you recommend that more people read? Why?

I’m a huge fan of Robert E. Howard –(Conan the Barbarian etc) but I wish more people were aware of Karl Edward Wagner and his stories of Kane. It is savage and mystic, but the language is so lush and visceral, I can’t recommend it enough, IF you like the kind of things I write about = swords and sorcery, cursed cities and creeping dooms.

Which of your books do you most highly recommend? Why?

That’s a tough one, but for now I suppose I would say BRUTAL, because it is the most successful.

Which break, event, decision, or fortuitous circumstance has helped you or your writing career the most?

That’s hard to nail down too, but I suppose I would say, the first time I won a writing contest back in 2009. I won first prize for best first chapter in general fiction for Dance the Ghost With Me and that moment when I got feedback from 4 out of five judges on how much they loved it and wanted more gave me a lot of confidence to keep going. It also gave me the taste of one judge who absolutely hated it and thought everything I did was derivative and a rip off.  (I called the character's horse Hoss – in a western - and they thought I was ripping off Bonanza???)

It gave me balance to that success and the hard lesson that not everyone will like what you do and that’s fine. Life goes on.

What question do you wish you would get asked more often?

Where can I buy a signed copy?

Do you have a catch-phrase or quote that you like? What is it? And why do you choose it?

I don’t think I do, but I like to be funny on social media and engage with people there and only then after I have made them laugh a few times, then I share a book link. So be likeable, but be you.

1. You use more than one pen name, don't you? What is the purpose behind that? Are you trying to associate JA with Grimdark and DW with other genres? 

I only have the one at the moment though I have plans for more with different genre’s. I like to read a little bit of everything, BUT most people read their favorite and stick with it, so when I David J. West write historical’s, horror, fantasy, science fiction and anything else I choose too, Amazon skews their algorithms and readers toward the person that buys all of those (that’s a small pool) so to coax the algorithms in my favor, I manipulate it by starting over. I came to this conclusion when I decided that I wanted to be read more than just known for name – yes it was an ego thing. So now, I’m having David West stick mostly to weird westerns – though there are still a few things out there beyond that with my name attached. I have been slowly but surely moving all my fantasy to James Alderdice (my dad’s name and maternal grandmothers name).

2. Why do you think Brutal has done so well?

I think t did well, because I had already built up a fan base with my own name and told everyone that JA was me – but I was also able to take all I had learned of marketing and start fresh with the pen name. The pen name outsells my name by a mile. Because of starting over as it were but also its just a bigger genre that weird western.

3. Has writing become your full-time gig or do you still hold down a day job?

 I’ve still got a day job, but am hoping to make the shift to writing only in the relatively near future.

4. I understand that you go to many Cons. What keeps you going back? Does the financial return match the enjoyment rating?

I go because most of friends that hang with regularly are other writers and it  just a fun gathering to be with them. I also get to sign books and interact with fans and that always brightens your day. You never know when you will meet someone that your work will just resonate with. I sold a book of my short stories at this last con to a guy who started reading the first one and while he was still there, he came back and bought two more novels after that. That made my day. The financial return never matches the enjoyment rating. I would not recommend cons for the sake of making money, its just a nice byproduct of doing something you enjoy.

5. Do you have an author web page or even an Amazon Author page address you would like to share?

I have my blog and a webpage but the most useful thing I can think to direct people too are the author pages themselves

David J. West Amazon Author Page

James Alderdice Amazon Author Page

6. Is there anything you would tell your younger self, from say 10 or 20 years ago, if you could send that message now?

I sincerely wish I had started doing what I love sooner, instead of thinking I’ll do it when I’m older. I should have started in earnest sooner and then I would be farther along than I am now. So now I try to talk to my kids and get them focused on what matters to them earlier. And so my son Mathias (who is 14) is finally doing art for me as his breakin to the industry. He did the chapter heading illustrations for the print copies of IN MY TIME OF DYING.

***
There's another interview with a world famous author completed. If you are, or know someone who is, or who would like to be a world famous author with time to answer a few questions, send them my way. Literally dozens of people frequent this blog so it's really the kind of publicity that you just can't buy -- at least no has offered to buy it so far.

If you like swords and sorcery, and have not yet read Brutal, pick it up. I enjoyed it.

If you would like to read something a little less grimdark, a completely different kind of fantasy, but beyond faeries and elves, with fierce dragons and mysterious powers set in the re-imagined new world, check out my own Tomahawks and Dragon Fire series. Go to the top of the page and click on the top two books to find them on Amazon where you can read a sample.

A gentleman this week did me a favor. Actually, I don't mean that he's only a gentleman this week; he's probably always a gentleman. It was this week that he did me the favor. I encountered him upon another site which I frequent and suggested that he read my slightly silly noir detective novel, Smoke. I made the ebook available for free on special for two days so he could get his copy. The gentleman purchased the paperback instead; he sent me some thoughts and noted a number of minor typographical errors that could use correction. (It seems that I left out several question marks and a couple words--I will correct those errors and republish both the ebook and the paperback before the end of the month). I wasn't able to rescind the special free book deal. I did no advertising of the sale and gave away over 500 books in that 2 day period. That's a new record for me. Now if only those good people who were interested enough to get the book for free will read it and post a nice review--and buy my other books.

Speaking of my other books...I did get Power to Hurt up in paperback this week. Here's the link:

GET THIS BOOK AND THE PREQUEL FOR ONLY $0.99 EACH

It does have one review from someone who has also read the first book. The review summary: They like it. The embellished version: They will live a tormented half-life until they can get their new fantasy fix with the next book in the series. Of course, I'm reading between the lines a little.

I'm considering an audio book of the first book in the series. I need to look into the matter further before I can make a decision. Who would get the audio book?

***
On a completely different note, instead of mocking something I found on the internet this week, let me present something I found back in 2016 when I was looking for motorcycle gloves. Don't ask me why a motorcycle needs gloves. I don't think I got the pair described in this screenshot:

I hoped the quantity referred to 1 pair as opposed to a single glove. Although I was impressed by the "taking into account aesthetics and security" language, I was concerned that the "attached hand is not easy sliding." I wasn't sure whose hand was attached. If it wasn't easy sliding, it could obstruct my grip and I'm not sure that the "hand-dimension drop resistance protective hard shell" would be that useful in the resulting crash. Too many not easy sliding hands on the throttle are a recipe for road burn in my opinion. 

The rest of the description left me  confused. However, the poetry at the end very nearly pushed me to make the purchase: "Fingers type version with a rare song refers to the design, so that gloves fit perfectly with his hands more, feel manipulated hundred percent."

Who doesn't like to feel manipulated hundred percent? If only I knew what the rare song was, I might have been a buyer. "Flirting with Disaster" would concern me. "Easy Rider" or "Born to Be Wild" would interest me. The fact that the song was rare led me to believe it would be something that I had't heard before. Such a tune could refer to riding clouds or eating asphalt. I couldn't take the chance on the latter--or the gloves.

I saw a boy today. I saw a boy eating bread. Today I saw a boy eating bread like I've never before seen anyone eat bread. He ascended to an entirely separate plane of existence as he consumed the bread with a passionate fervor usually reserved for far more complex fare. It was an intimate moment between lovers.

The eight-year-old boy began by opening the transparent zip-lock bag, placing his nose inside the bag and inhaling deeply, savoring the smell captured within the sleeve of plastic. The promise of flour-fueled ecstasy flooded his mind. He removed one of the two white slices and held it to his nose, again inhaling the fragrance of baked nirvana. Taking the slice in both hands, he tore three-fourths of the crust away and shoved it into his mouth. While he chewed that tasty crust, he tore the final remnant of the light brown cover from the bread segment and sent it to join its kin amid the marching grind of his dental mill.

Before the last of the crust had been swallowed, he tore the tender, pallid flesh of the portion that remained. He stuffed the torn bit of loaf into his mouth, boosting the transcendental rise with each champ of his teeth into the impotent comestible. He rent a small piece from the diminished slice and popped it quickly into his mouth. He ripped away another morsel and tucked it to his mouth before bringing the last of the slice to his lips and over the pink threshold. Nothing existed beyond the bread and the pleasure of its consumption.

He removed the second slice from the baggie. Raising it to his nose, he drew in the hearty perfume, letting it swirl among the olfactory sensors to bump the supernal experience even higher. Space and time fell away. As he once again ripped away three-fourths of the crust and plunged it into his mouth, the union of bread and boy in the expanse of existence began. The remnant of the crust followed quickly. Tearing, biting, and chewing the soft, roasted dough without relent or remorse sent him soaring beyond his own existence to the highest dimension where nothing but bread, its odor, texture and taste--the ultimate ambrosia--could be conceived or believed.

When the last pliant fragment had passed from his mouth and been sent to repose with the earlier-consumed chunks in a well-filled belly, he raised the transparent plastic sleeve to his face. He took a final, deep drag, pulling the very memory of the bread's lingering scent from the bag to become a part of his own essence. It had been good bread. It had been inestimably good bread, and he was glad.

Some days the writing flows smoothly like yarn passing through deft knitting needles; other days the experience is more akin to stapling down strips of cloth; and at other times it's like throwing globs of cooked spaghetti noodles at a sheet of paper stapled to a cat chasing a ball of rolling yarn. Each of those days are worthwhile, but some are more productive than others.

As you can see from this link here, my newest book is live at the big river site. And the first book in the series is FREE.

Here's the link to the FREE BOOK. -- for only 4 more days.

Here's the link to the SUPER LOW-PRICED SEQUEL -- only $0.99.

I really like this book. I enjoyed writing the sequel even more than writing the first book in the series. The final five chapters are worth the rest of the book (which is pretty exciting anyway). I would rather read this book than use baby chicks in place golf balls on the driving range. If that's not compassion for animals and a fine show of humanitarianism, I don't know what is. I like the cover even better than the cover of the first book--probably because the flames look a little bit like a dragon, which is entirely apropos.

As with the first book, Threading the Rude Eye, the title to Power to Hurt comes from something Shakespeare wrote. The reference is in the Author's Foreword. The first book shows today ranked at #15 in the alternate history category. Magic, Flintlocks, Dragons -- What's not to like?

***

Speaking of things that I may or may not like, there's this:

These have creamy peanut butter centers with the sweet succulent deliciousness of diced unicorn heart. As for the granola coating, it gets a firm "meh" from me as I like the rolled oats but something else in he mix gives it the texture and taste of gravel shards in syrup. Maybe I can make my own using just peanut butter and oats.

Instead of contemplating the taste of unicorn hearts and feeling disgusted that anyone would consider putting baby chicks to such an ill use, go read the sample pages from the two books above. You'll kick yourself if you miss this opportunity.