[As usual, three weeks lag here, if you aren’t reading this on my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/blazeward). If you’d like your news fresher, and the monthly Anti-Stodgy/Redneck Chef newsletter, all I ask is a buck to help keep the lights on around here.]
Late day today. Started slow and late this morning. Struggled with words. Forgot it was Tuesday until my alarm went off. Of course, I was halfway to the dump at that moment. Been busy since I got home.
Finished Scattered Tribes last week. Was closer to the end than I realized, and may end up slipping a couple of chapters in the middle later, but I like where it cliffhangared. Same as 1, in that we completed a part, and are about to embark on the next phase of excitement.
Started Red Branch #5 this week. Coming forward into the summer of 1950, starting about a month after the Korean War turned hot. (It had been a quieter insurgency on a scale with the US involvement in Iraq before that, but tanks rolled.)
As with other things, I want to be able to mention and reference real events, but not have the team caught up in the middle of them. At least not with any of the stories I have in mind. Working out technology in that moment when the Americans had only one competitor with jets (the MiG-15) and everyone was working out what the future would be like.
Guided missiles are still a few years away, but the US decided to use unguided rockets on interceptors. The logic was that the interceptor blasted up to the Russian bombers and fired something like an explosive shotgun at it. Took them years before they admitted the futility of that, but missiles were working by then.
Smart folks will keep dogfighting with guns for now. But having a Nazi madman genius aeronautical engineer with enough money and rage means that I can do all sorts of fun, crazy shit. #5 certain involves it, after #4 was much more espionage and shadow wars. (You’ll see this summer as they roll out.)
Also working on some small research projects to keep the brain sharp by exploring new genres I’ve never encountered and trying to figure out how to write in them. I won’t spoil the surprise, but might share more later as I get moving deeper.
Everyone who was Tuckerized for A’Zedi Survey Corps Book One, make sure you reach out. I’ll have a paper copy I want you to sign this summer, possibly at World Con in Seattle if you’re coming. I’ll be there. On panels and part of a group that plans to have a sales table, so if you want to preorder books, let me know and I’ll make sure I have them available.
Not much past that. Grinding, but a lot faster than I was this morning, when no amount of coffee could get me in motion. Finish this and time to goof off for the night.
Remember the secret is to keep banging the rocks together.
shade and sweet water,
b
West of the Mountains, WA
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