Nathan Culper

I 'm well into novel #3, tentatively titled The Nathan Culper Ring or The Nathan Culper Family, or Brotherhood or Syndicate. A group of hyper-,  right wing "patriots" are determined to complete ethnic cleansing in US university and college faculties. One page into chapter 14 (p. 61). Yes, Ryan and Gillian play the key roles! Any suggestions about the title?

James Fenimore Cooper

I'm reading  Fenimore Cooper's The Spy which is based on the Culper Ring, the first espionage group;  it was created by George Washington.

I'm familiar with Mark Twain's article, published in The Atlantic I think when William Dean Howells was the editor, entitled "The Literary Offenses of James Fenimore Coper." As I slog through The Spy, I think Twain actually gave Cooper a pass. I feel like I'm pushing a snow plow.

Ryan Graves

Ryan called me to tell me he was weary because I  seem to want to speak for him all the time. You may remember him in Songs of Sadness, Songs of Love. Or, maybe you met him in The China-Africa Parallax: A Ryan and Gillian Mystery. (I'll admit Ryan is also prominent in The Nathan Culper  Brotherhood: A Ryan and Gillian Novel.)


To make a long story a shorter one, Ryan Graves has his own page at facebook. Since there are so many Ryan Graves in the world, Ryan's using the initial for his first name, James. You can find him on facebook at J. Ryan Graves.

Another new title?

Indeed, it's another new title for Novel #3. I've already explained about Nathan Hale and the Culper Spy Ring. There's another Nathan, Nathan Bedford Forrest, a highly-ranked Confederate officer during the Civil War. He helped to form the KKK, saying it was a good idea to keep "the n-----s in their place." Consequently, Novel #3 is now carrying the working title of The Nathan Culper Brotherhood.

New Title

Last week I asked readers to comment on the title of my third novel. Well, you history buffs will be pleased, I  hope, to know that I've gone back in US events to 1777 for my title. Perhaps you've heard stories about how the US government began gathering intelligence for George Washington. Given that bit of fascinating history, which, by the way, served as the foundation for James Fenimore Cooper's The Spy, novel #3 has a new title: The Culper Brotherhood.

Novel #3

I finished chapter 11 of my third novel this morning just before noon. It's carrying the tentative title of Death to Rights. It's about a small number of university faculty members, 90-100,  who belong to a  secrete national organization who are attempting to overturn or bring violence to the civil rights legislation enacted in the 60's

Novel #3

 I  started Chapter 11 of #3 today, tentatively entitled Intolerable Inalienable Rights. A civil rights work about a man who finds inalienable rights intolerable. I'd accept an alternate title suggestion. Help......

Jules Verne and Ray Bradbury

This is the 183rd birthday of the Father of Science Fiction, Jules Verne. It was another science fiction writer, one of my favorites, Ray Bradbury, who said that writing is 99% thinking, the rest is typing.

Gillian and Ryan Busy Again

The China-Africa Parallax: A Ryan and Gillian Mystery  --  Representatives of China and Africa conspire to steal research data from major US universities. They will kill anyone who gets in their way in order to achieve their ultimate goal: global economic and military domination. Ryan and Gillian assume perilous, key roles central to the FBI plan to thwart the devastating conspiracy. 

Available at authorhouse.com/bookstore, or at amazon.com.

Voice from the Past

I mailed a copy of my first novel to a dear friend who moved from Lincoln 20+ years ago. He called Sunday afternoon and went on and on about how much he enjoyed the novel. I'm happy. If I have contributed one happy reading experience to someone, that's all the motivation I need to continue writing!

Ryan and Gillian Sequel

The China-Africa Parallax: A Ryan and Gillian Mystery  --  Representatives of China and Africa conspire to steal research data from major US universities. They will kill anyone who gets in their way in order to achieve their ultimate goal: global economic and military domination. Ryan and Gillian assume perilous, key roles central to the FBI plan to thwart the devastating conspiracy. 

Available at authorhouse.com/bookstore, or at amazon.com.

A Novel Idea

An idea for a novel about the consequences of different kinds of violence based on what's happening in Cairo, Egypt, as I post this entry. A novel written from 6 different perspectives. Three characters live in Cairo, Egypt: a 13-year old, a 33-year old and a 63-year old. Three characters live in Cedar Rapids, Iowa: a 13-year old, a 33-year old and a 63-year old.