The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 48

Click here to read from Chapter One.

Chapter Forty Eight

Soldier Yama

The men and boys were lined up, bow-tips resting gently in the dirt, quivers at their sides, looking down the hill at their targets, sheaves of hay scattered about a hundred yards downslope. He raised his hand high and called the count, "Eyes forward." The men stared downslope, each picking out his target.

"Draw!" Every man, in rough unison with his fellows, withdrew a long arrow from his quiver, nocked it to string, and drew past his ear. They held, straining, waiting for the word.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 48

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 47

Click here to read from Chapter One.

Chapter Forty Seven

Alelu Plots

"Here Jorge, at least take this pillow. I have six and you none," Alelu said, exasperated at male obstinacy. "It's the lumpy one, if that makes you feel better. Don't make me order you to use it."

Jorge took the pillow and held it in his hands. He looked dubious. Alelu tapped her foot. He slipped it under his head and lay back on it, across her doorway. It almost looked like he was trying to keep his weight off of it. She tapped her foot harder, then reached down and, placing her palm firmly on his forehead, pushed him down. She graced him with a smile, turned and closed the door. He wouldn't move until Mat came to relieve him on watch.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 47

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 46

A new chapter, now posted. Click to read.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 46

Red State Blue State

Dr David Brin, an author of power and imagination, as well as being a real live scientist, wrote recently of the dangers we face if a severe solar storm, similar to the Carrington Event, were to strike today. Essentially, civilization as we know it would fall to a mid-nineteenth-century level, at best, and millions would starve, unable to escape the cities when their cars failed and the water was shut off. The danger is real. Click the title to read the whole article.

Red State Blue State

Simple Easy Fishing Techniques That Work

I love fishing, but I don't like to drive far to do it, nor spend piles of money. One time last summer I caught a few dozen fish, using just about the simplest possible tackle and methods. Only a stick, line and bent pin would be cheaper.

Simple Easy Fishing Techniques That Work

Make Good Coffee, No Burnt Taste, Coffee Concentrate

Some suggestions on how to make better tasting coffee.

Make Good Coffee, No Burnt Taste, Coffee Concentrate

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 45

Click here to read from Chapter One.

Chapter Forty Five

Jorjah: The Arming

Black smoke filled the skies. Hammering, loud in the icy air. In the south, the snow was off the land, but here icy drifts, melted and refrozen remained. The Iron Mountain was alive with people, more folk than Jorjah had ever imagined in any one place, more than in the largest town of the south that she had dared to enter in her year-long journey in search of the King.

Spear, sword and gun flowed out of the workshops, made from the accumulated iron stock of hundreds of years of slow and patient mining and smelting. The Eldest had been alive that long, planning, plotting. No one knew how long. No one could remember when the Eldest hadn't been eldest, old when grannies were girls. Jorjah avoided her.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 45

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 44

Here is the beginning of The Tale Of Jon Handshaker.

Chapter Forty Three

Memory, Like A Tiny Crystal

"I've been shot," Jon said, and reached across to touch his wounded arm.

Max nodded.

"I have seen men killed with guns, and wounded," Max said. "In the last war the King finally had to bring out his old weapons. He slaughtered us. But those guns fired many times. This one only fired once, and the King's old guns didn't make clouds of smoke. This was a gun, but something new, not old Mars tech. The gunman fired it then charged with his sword."

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 44

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 43

Click here to read from Chapter One. Here is the beginning of The Tale Of Jon Handshaker.

Chapter Forty Three

An Element Of Danger

Shan Shen stared out over the city, barely visible through the heavy haze of wood-smoke. Rebels had burned the factory that produced the clean-burning coal oil, and now the city was reduced to cooking over primitive wood fires, like any farm village.

There was a small element of danger, standing here exposed. There were guns loose in the city, Mother Earth alone knew where they had come from. Shan suspected the petty Blood had emptied out their cellars and attics for family relics, and were using them to stir up trouble against the Kings.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 43

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 42

Click here to read from Chapter One.

Click here to see an index of all chapters.

Chapter Forty Two

The Party

The snow had finally lifted, only a few, lonely drifts behind walls and under evergreens remained to remind them of the bitter cold of past months. They were picnicking in the sun, on the stoop of the small house Jon and Max had chosen to renovate. In a tree nearby a ragged crow stirred, shifted from leg to leg.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 42

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 41

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker, Chapter One

Chapter Forty One

The Bird

It was getting past noon, and Jon decided to be heading back to where he had left Max. He was feeling a little guilty about leaving Max there all alone. The news about the hot springs would be sure to cheer him up. They would move over to the village the next day, if Max was up to the walk. The hard climb seemed to have taken a lot out of him.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 41

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 40

Chapter Thirty Nine

To Take Advantage Of A Drunk

When Jon Handshaker woke on the morning of what was to be the last day of his journey westward, the hairs on his arm were standing up from the chill, his skin roughly goose-fleshed. Jumping up, he began a wild and silly dance around the clearing, throwing his feet high into the air and walking on his hands. He was feeling quite cheerful, and besides, he needed to get his blood warmed up and moving. He was not quite ready to start using a fire yet, although there had not been any recent sign of people in these parts for nearly forty miles, only the grass grown road he was following, and the occasional tumbledown house or barn.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 40

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 39

Chapter Thirty Nine

To Take Advantage Of A Drunk

When Jon Handshaker woke on the morning of what was to be the last day of his journey westward, the hairs on his arm were standing up from the chill, his skin roughly goose-fleshed. Jumping up, he began a wild and silly dance around the clearing, throwing his feet high into the air and walking on his hands. He was feeling quite cheerful, and besides, he needed to get his blood warmed up and moving. He was not quite ready to start using a fire yet, although there had not been any recent sign of people in these parts for nearly forty miles, only the grass grown road he was following, and the occasional tumbledown house or barn.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 39

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 38

A link to all of my fiction on line, and my other articles.

Click here to read from Chapter One.Here is the beginning of The Tale Of Jon Handshaker.

Chapter Thirty Eight

Old Uncle

The Old Uncle woke with a start, shaking and sweating in the dark. The dream had been clear, as all had since that unexpected first, long long before. He lay back and concentrated in a way peculiar to his kind. He wasn’t worried about forgetting this dream, every dream he had ever had was still as clear as a reflection in a good mirror.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 38

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 37

A link to all of my fiction on line, and my other articles.

Click here to read from Chapter One.Here is the beginning of The Tale Of Jon Handshaker.

Chapter Thirty Six

Jorjah's Journey

A year in one place! Jorjah paused in her work as she considered the strangeness of it. Her clan had never spent more than six months in any one camp in her life. It just wasn’t done. It was nearly impossible anyway, as well as being impolite. Good relations with your nearest neighbors, hard enought to maintain at the best of times, would have been impossible if one clan tried to monopolize a prime spot for longer than that. Better to move on, leaving a garden half harvested than to greedily overuse the land. The flocks had to move, or strip the land of green. The land had to have half a year or more to recover before the next clan moved in.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 37

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 36

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker

Here is the beginning of The Tale Of Jon Handshaker.

"You are the Handshaker, are you not?" Max said quietly. "I would not fight you under any circumstances. Certainly not now, after you..." He stopped, though there seemed to be more that he wanted to say

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 36

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 35

A Push

"I have a knack for making people angry, " Max said.

Jon flushed again and didn't answer. He didn't trust himself not to say something stupid right at this point. His anger still boiled inside him, but the time for doing anything about it had passed. With his sober mind back in control, he didn't really want to hurt Max anyway, in spite of his outrageous behavior. I'll get back at him some other way. Something to surprise him.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 35

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 34

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 34

Training

Jon had an unpleasant day ahead of him, though he wouldn’t have suspected it when he woke that morning. The sun was bright, but with a sweet breeze blowing not too hot. For a change they had had plenty of good food these last few days. Maybe it was the deer liver that made Max feel strong enough for his new, self appointed task.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 33

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 33

Hand Number Seven Dreams

Dream One:

That night I dreamed. You must understand that as with Humans, we need sleep and dreams, though less because of our design, in order to provide the body time to rebuild, and the mind less fettered opportunity to integrate the experiences of the day into patterned memory.

How To Write A Query, Find A Literary Agent And Get Your Book Published Part 2, The Query Letter

How To Write A Query, Find A Literary Agent And Get Your Book Published Part 2, The Query Letter

How To Write A Query, Find A Literary Agent And Get Your Book Published

Is your manuscript ready to present to agents or publishers? Your Query up to grade?

How To Write A Query, Find A Literary Agent And Get Your Book Published

Eden's Rat

Eden's Rat

The first chapter of my new fantasy novel.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 31

A naked blond girl, violence and blood. Chapter 31 is now posted. Sorry, NOT x-rated.
The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 31

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 30

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 30

Blood Trail

Jon woke with his stomach clenched from hunger, his body aching from half-healed wounds. The dawn was just a glow through the trees, and the last, brightest stars were peering through clouds. He looked over at Max, still asleep curled up inside Jon’s cloak. The nights were warm, but Max always felt cold. He hardly slept, the pain from his burns kept him awake.

Click the link above to read.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 29

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 29

Alelu Miami On The Run

Alelu Miami stared down into the black pit at her toes. A knotted rope fashioned from fine silk clothing ran from the door handle, across the floor and down into the darkness, the lower end out of sight even with the lamp lit. Alelu got down on her knees and held the lamp down as far as she could. The lower end of the rope was still out of sight.

Click the link to read.

Why Post Your Fiction On Line

Why Post Your Fiction On Line

Why write on line and lose your chance to get a novel published?

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 28

A new installment is now up! Click through to read. Links to all chapters can be found on my profile page there.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 28

Blood Ties

Jon stood before the door and listened carefully for any reaction from inside the house. All was quiet. He felt cold, though the night was warm early summer. Sweat drenched his body and his breath was still coming in gasps. One down and four to go.

The first had gone according to plan.Almost too easy. Jon tried to bring his breathing under control, and nearly succeeded, though his heart was hammering.I killed a man.

Food That Causes Farts

What food to eat to avoid farting, and what food to avoid.

Food That Causes Farts

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker, Index Of Chapters

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker, Index Of Chapters

A reader suggested that I make it easier to navigate the story on line, so I made this index of the chapters, with a separate link to each. Thanks.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 27

Jon confronts the murderers. Click the link to read my SF novel on line.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter 27

Food Shortages And Higher Food Prices

Food Shortages And Higher Food Prices

Notes on the current round of food price inflation, causes and finger-pointing.

The US Military Meets Politics. What Could Go Wrong?

The US Military Meets Politics. What Could Go Wrong?

Article on the correct relationship of the US military towards the civilian government and the political parties.

Population Bomb, Teen Pregnancy. Oh No! My Kid Just Had A Kid!

Population Bomb, Teen Pregnancy. Oh No! My Kid Just Had A Kid!

An alternative view of teen pregnancy. Click the link to read.

Just Gotta Love Them Tiny Feet

Just Gotta Love Them Tiny Feet

A science fiction short story, the first I ever wrote. Not too bad, with some flaws, but a nice read.

Click the link above to read.

Politicians Love Poverty And Debt.

Politicians Love Poverty And Debt.

Democrat politicians want us to be poor and in debt. Republican politicians don't much care one way or the other. Neither is on the side of the little guy.

Look at the facts. What does the government encourage, and what discourage? Debt is encouraged. What is most peoples' biggest tax deduction? The mortgage. We are encouraged to take on more and bigger debt, in order to qualify for a tax break. We wouldn't need that tax break if taxes weren't so damned high in the first place.

Click the link above to read.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Six

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Six

Click to read about bloody violence.

A Good First Job For A Kid

A Good First Job For A Kid

My first real job was baling hay. Great training for sport and life! Click the link to read.

Is Dental Insurance A Scam?

Is Dental Insurance A Scam?

Read an article from a dental insurance insider. Evaluate your policy, cost vs. benefits for dental insurance. Decide if your policy is worth the money or not, and how to get your money back out of dental insurance.

Stuck In Telephone Hell. How To Get Off The Customer Service Merry-Go-Round

Stuck In Telephone Hell. How To Get Off The Customer Service Merry-Go-Round

SOme hints for how to handle your calls into customer service, avoid problems and get the results you want.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Five

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Five

Jon's escape is in danger. This chapter is the first of several bloody and grim episodes, as Jon's pursuers get ahead of him and wait...

Click the link above to read. I seem to have missed putting up a couple of chapters. Don't worry, all chapters are there and linked together. Find one and find them all.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Two

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty Two

Click the link above to read now. Shan Shen chops off a butcher's head.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty

Alelu Miami In Hiding

"I'm bored," Alelu said to herself, for at least the hundredth time today. Or so she imagined. It was the one thing which she had not prepared for properly. How wonderfully it had all gone, everyone obeying her, falling in with her plans as if they were conscious partners.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Twenty

Click the link above to read.

Alelu Miami In Hiding

"I'm bored," Alelu said to herself, for at least the hundredth time today. Or so she imagined. It was the one thing which she had not prepared for properly. How wonderfully it had all gone, everyone obeying her, falling in with her plans as if they were conscious partners.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Nineteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Nineteen

Click the link above for chapter nineteen of my new on-line novel. A link to chapter one is at the top of the page.

The Bow

Jon Homeless had a problem. The day promised glories, hot sun splashed through high trees, casting shadows of oak and walnut leaf across his broad back, but Jon was sunk in thought. The fish in this little pool between twin riffles were playing hard to get. He had already taken, and eaten whole and raw a few small ones, but that was not what had him deep in a muse. The here and now was lost to him. He mechanically drew and cast his line with casual skill, trying first the bank edge, then the center, then the head or foot of the pool as the random urge took him.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter EIghteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter EIghteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Seventeen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Seventeen

Click the link above to read chapter seventeen or to find a link to the other chapters.

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Sixteen

The Tale Of Jon Handshaker Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen, with links to all other chapters, is now on line. Click the link above to read.