Books… Moar books!!!

Posted on by June 3, 2017

Grrr… Still fighting some scheduler issues… Sorry folks!

Tom Rogneby, AKA DaddyBear has the completed Minivandians opus up!!!

You can hit the cover to get your copy!!!

The blurb-

Elsked, son of DaddyBear the Minivandian and Ruarin, the Lady of Eyre, ventures out into the night to learn the saga of his mother and father.

An ancient storyteller exchanges tales of Elsked’s life for the story of how DaddyBear and Ruarin became the lord and lady of their manor.

Coming Home brings together the stories of Quest to the North, Lost Children, and Lady of Eyre, along with four new short tales of the Minivandian and his family.

Join Elsked as he creeps into the storyteller’s lair and comes to know the next Tales of the Minivandians!

 

Alma T.C. Boykin also two books on sale through the 5th. These are books six and seven in the Colplatschki Chronicles.

Book Six is Circuits and Crises

The blurb-

Danger wears yellow; duty means death.

Emperor Andrew labors to regain the lost secrets of his Lander ancestors, spending weeks peering at yellowing pages and half-shattered machines. Far to the south, a tide of yellow, color of Selkow the Mighty, builds against the Dividing Range’s eastern slope, ready to overwhelm everything in its path. In between stand the fortress of Sigurney and the patricians of Scheel, merchants more terrified of their new neighbor to the north than of the rising tide below.

When the passes open, three men stand between obsession and destruction.

And book seven is Blackbird.

The blurb-

How far can duty and anger drive a man?

One man the Turkowi fear above all others. Like the Blackbird of legend, he fights all the creatures of Selkow the Beautiful, braver than any unbeliever had right to be. “Shh, be quiet, or Matyasa will hear you,” Turkowi mothers warn their children.

It was not always so. Once he was Matthew Malatesta, second son of a mercenary, younger brother of the heir to Marteen, grandson of Duke Edmund Ironhand of Sarmas. Matthew aspired to nothing beyond beating the Turkowi and buying a few books. Then the Oligarchs of Morloke drove him into exile.

Thus began the saga of Duke Matthew Charles Malatesta: the tale of the Blackbird.

And last, but definitely NOT least, Sarah Hoyt has a new Darkship book out, Darkship Revenge

The blurb-

The popular Darkship series returns!

After winning the civil war in Eden, Athena returns to her calling, collecting powerpods with her husband Kit. Now weeks away from Earth, she goes into labor. To make matters worse, a strange ship attacks Athena and Kit’s Cathouse and kidnaps Athena’s husband. That ship is called Je Reviens. It’s a named steeped in history—and not the good kind of history.

Hot on Kit’s trail, Athena discovers that you shouldn’t name a ship Je Reviens unless you intend it to return. The genetically modified Mules are back, and they have a plan to prevent themselves from being exiled ever again. And if the Mules win, the best thing humanity can hope for is slavery.

The worst is death.

While a bio-engineered plague wreaks havoc on the forces of liberty, Athena must risk herself, her husband, and her child for the survival of humanity.

The Mules may be about to find out what revenge truly is: one angry mother.

As I said, you can select the cover to get each of them. I’ve read them all, and highly recommend every one of them!!!

And as always, please post honest reviews! Us poor starving writers depend on reviews to get a wider audience. 🙂

Win some, lose some…

Posted on by June 2, 2017

Sorry about the delayed post, still working out back office issues with the move…

Texas came out pretty good on the gun regulation front so far this year, and the Bloomie minions took hits, I don’t think ‘any’ of their bills actually got out of committee.

LTC licensing went from $140 to $40, effective 1 Sept, renewals also dropped to $40.

Those are wins…

However, VCDL lost their case against Couric and her producer in Virginia. The judge threw it out.

Full article, HERE.

There is a good article on CCW reciprocity, HERE. The author does a good job of delving into the finer points of the law, and the possible consequences.

This is a good article on the ‘power’ of the director position at the FBI, going back to Hoover… And a bit chilling too… I can vaguely remember Hoover’s dying and the ‘concern’ about his files. The local Fibbies knew about them, as did most local LEOs.

After J. Edgar Hoover’s death 45 years ago, personal secretary Helen Gandy spent more than two months in the FBI director’s house on a leafy Northwest Washington street rifling through his personal files — the most powerful archive of blackmail material on presidents, politicians and pundits compiled in American history.

Gandy had served Hoover for the almost five decades that he ran the bureau, and she either trashed or stashed the most damning details in places that remain unknown to this day.

Full article at the Washington Times, HERE.

Rimworld- Into the Green update…

Posted on by May 31, 2017

Update to the update…

Since the blog and/or server it was on was hit with a DDOS attack yesterday, as shown by the log below (20 is a ‘high’ load), and was offline all day, I’m not putting a new post up, per se.

I’ll leave yesterday’s post up, since I wanted to thank readers. And thanks to Barron for the work to get the blog back up!!!

I wanted to take a minute and thank all those who’ve taken a chance on my first foray into military science fiction, Rimworld- Into the Green.

While not burning up the charts, it’s still doing what I consider to be respectably well, for the little ‘advertizing’ that has been done (read blogged here and by other bloggers)

Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #46,331 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

  • #253 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Hard Science Fiction
  • #372 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Colonization
  • #375 in Kindle Store > Kindle eBooks > Science Fiction & Fantasy > Science Fiction > Space Exploration

Reviews are now starting to come in, and are pretty positive, albeit with the inferred threat… LOL I’d appreciate it if you’d leave an honest review if you’ve read it. 50 is the magic number at which point Amazon starts giving it a little better visibility.

I obtained this book through the Kindle Unlimited program.
It’s a thousand years in the future, and some things haven’t changed. The Poor Bloody Infantryman is still the basic unit of diplomacy, and is still trying to take care of stupid officers while getting kicked around by certain factions in higher command. And the Flying Tiger Scrounging Club is still running back-channel operations to make sure things get done.
There are SO MANY good plotlines to develop! This is going to be a great series. If it’s NOT a series, it better be due to the SMOD.
Ethan Fargo is about to launch on his third military career, much to his dismay. For reasons unknown, but related to some higher up covering his behind, he was booted out of the Terran Marine Corps as an officer, and is serving as a senior NCO in the Galactic forces. Exciting things happen, and he gets set on the beach with a secret mission.
Monsters try to eat him.
The bad guys, who are also monsters, show up and they also try to eat him, but it isn’t personal.
The governor is a nasty person with nasty staff members. They try to eat him.
His sister is a maneater, but she just fusses.
There are a couple of cuties who have caught his eye, but he is indecisive.
Did I mention he can read minds?
Yeah, you need this book. Just buy it, okay?

Yes, there IS an intent to make this a series also! Working on the plot lines for follow-on books now.

Here we go again…

Posted on by May 29, 2017

Different verse, same as the first…

First it was reciprocal carry, which got stripped out of HR 218, with the promise of “next year”… OBTW, that was 2004…

Now, it’s the Hearing Protection Act.

The National Rifle Association (NRA) and other gun rights groups are fighting to change the public perception of “silencers” — or “sound suppressors” — that reduce the noise of gunfire.

It’s all about the ‘visual’ if you will. But as always, the banners don’t want ANYTHING that reeks of ‘gun’. Even though there are already over 900,000 suppressors currently in private hands today…

“It’s all semantics,” said Shannon Watts, founder of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. 
 
“Focusing on the name distracts people from the real conversation,” Watts said. “They did the same thing with the debate over whether to use the term ‘assault rifles’ or ‘semiautomatic rifles,’ and then the whole conversation shifted to ‘What are we going to call these things?’” 
 
“They want to get into semantics about the language, so we don’t talk about how dangerous they are.”
Full article, HERE.
Are they trying to punish us? Do they want us to lose our hearing, just because we shoot?
Sigh…

 

Lest We Forget…

Posted on by May 28, 2017

Memorial Day, 2017. It’s not about those of us surviving veterans, it’s the one million plus that gave their all for the United States in times of war and peace. Please take a moment and say a prayer for them and the families that lost them.

PRAYER FOR PEACE, MEMORIAL DAY, 2017

– – – – – – – 

BY THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

A PROCLAMATION

Memorial Day is our Nation’s solemn reminder that freedom is never free.  It is a moment of collective reflection on the noble sacrifices of those who gave the last measure of devotion in service of our ideals and in the defense of our Nation.  On this ceremonious day, we remember the fallen, we pray for a lasting peace among nations, and we honor these guardians of our inalienable rights.  

This year, we commemorate the centennial anniversary of America’s entry into World War I.  More than 4.7 million Americans served during The Great War, representing more than 25 percent of the American male population between the ages of 18 and 31 at the time.  We remember the more than 100,000 Americans who sacrificed their lives during “The War to End All Wars,” and who left behind countless family members and loved ones.  We pause again to pray for the souls of those heroes who, one century ago, never returned home after helping to restore peace in Europe.

On Memorial Day we honor the final resting places of the more than one million men and women who sacrificed their lives for our Nation, by decorating their graves with the stars and stripes, as generations have done since 1868.  We also proudly fly America’s beautiful flag at our homes, businesses, and in our community parades to honor their memory.  In doing so, we pledge our Nation’s allegiance to the great cause of freedom for which they fought and ultimately died.

In honor and recognition of all of our fallen service members, the Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 11, 1950, as amended (36 U.S.C. 116), has requested the President issue a proclamation calling on the people of the United States to observe each Memorial Day as a day of prayer for permanent peace and designating a period on that day when the people of the United States might unite in prayer.  The Congress, by Public Law 106-579, has also designated 3:00 p.m. local time on that day as a time for all Americans to observe, in their own way, the National Moment of Remembrance.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DONALD J. TRUMP, President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim Memorial Day, May 29, 2017, as a day of prayer for permanent peace, and I designate the hour beginning in each locality at 11:00 a.m. of that day as a time when people might unite in prayer.  I urge the press, radio, television, and all other information media to cooperate in this observance.

I further ask all Americans to observe the National Moment of Remembrance beginning at 3:00 p.m. local time on Memorial Day.  

I also request the Governors of the United States and its Territories, and the appropriate officials of all units of government, to direct that the flag be flown at half-staff until noon on this Memorial Day on all buildings, grounds, and naval vessels throughout the United States and in all areas under its jurisdiction and control.  I also request the people of the United States to display the flag at half-staff from their homes for the customary forenoon period.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-fourth day of May, in the year of our Lord two thousand seventeen, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-first.

DONALD J. TRUMP

And a short video…

Remembering…

Posted on by May 27, 2017

We will get together today to do burgers and dogs, and remember those who didn’t come back. 2 Army, 1 Navy, 1 USAF, 1 South African Navy in the same house ‘may’ be interesting…

And this one is particularly appropriate…

May they rest in peace.

If you’re really bored…

Posted on by May 26, 2017

I was interviewed on Bloviating Zeppelin’s podcast last night. You can find his post and link, HERE.

My interview starts about 34 minutes into the show. It was fun, and I spent about an hour chatting with him, until the throat/voice gave up.

Remember, The Grey Man series is on sale through the weekend, at Amazon.com, HERE.

Y’all have a safe one, and take a moment to remember those who didn’t make it home.

Particularly Appropriate…

Posted on by May 25, 2017

Considering the ‘holiday’…

DO YOU KNOW WHAT THIS IS? OR WHERE THIS IS?

Answer below the break…

Continue reading →

More Liability, this time Tennessee…

Posted on by May 24, 2017

As I’d mentioned in an earlier post, HERE, Tennessee is also dealing with similar things. HB 508 is one, and as expected, there is pushback…

Nashville Mayor Megan Barry has asked Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam to veto a bill that would require cities and counties to either implement more security measures at public facilities or allow handgun permit holders to carry their firearms.

In a letter sent to Haslam on May 11, Barry argues the legislation would “negatively impact local governments such as Nashville” by making them “either divert resources away from services or programs to pay for expensive metal detectors and security, or allow the carrying of weapons in public facilities,” the Tennessean reported.

Barry said she was particularly concerned about the bus stop at Music City Central, which is the city’s busiest public transportation hub.

“Our concern is for the safety of our traveling public, a large percentage of which are school age children,” the Democrat mayor said.

Full guns.com article, HERE. Tennesseean link, HERE.

And another one sitting on the governor’s desk is about immediate carry for people with protection orders. This one, IMHO, is LONG overdue, and needs to be nationwide!

KNOXVILLE (WATE) – A bill passed by lawmakers that is on Gov. Haslam’s desk right now would allow some Tennesseans to carry handguns instantly if they have an order of protection signed by a judge.

Hundreds of orders of protection are filed each month in Knox County. Last year 2,300 were filed.

If the governor signs this bill, those granted orders of protection, who can legally have a gun, will be able to immediately carry a gun for 21 days without going through a class or getting a permit.

Full article, from WJHL.com, HERE.

My thought is that John Q. Public is finally waking up and demanding that they have the right to protect themselves, OR force those who would limit that ability to provide security for them.

Of course the POS will immediately decry these as ‘blood will flow in the streets, the chilluns will be killed, ELEVENTY!!!! FEEEELINGGGGZZZ…

Sigh…

 

The Grey Man- Series…

Posted on by May 23, 2017

In honor of Memorial Day, the entire Grey Man series will be on sale starting Friday, the 26th, ending on the 30th. Get them early for the deeper discount.

Memorial Day started as an event to honor Union soldiers who had died during the American Civil War. It was inspired by the way people in the Southern states honored their dead. After World War I, it was extended to include all men and women who died in any war or military action.

Memorial Day was originally known as Decoration Day. The current name for this day did not come into use until after World War II. Decoration Day and then Memorial Day used to be held on May 30, regardless of the day of the week, on which it fell. In 1968, the Uniform Holidays Bill was passed as part of a move to use federal holidays to create three-day weekends. This meant that that, from 1971, Memorial Day holiday has been officially observed on the last Monday in May.

 

Please remember to take a few minutes this coming weekend to remember those who gave their all for their country.