Welcome to the Republic

Minding The Border: A New Administration

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Mon, 19 Apr 2021 18:39:00 +0000

It's been a few years since we spoke to our neighbors across the river (The Mississippi River). Prime Minister Katherine Anne Morgan was elected to a second 6 year term in 2020 and we were able to catch up with her at Capital District South, commonly called Reno, Nevada.

CG: Madame Prime Minister, congratulations on winning a second term. You may know that we had an election of our own recently.

KM: Is that what you call that farce. We actually have to campaign to get elected around here.

CG: I take it congratulations will not be forthcoming for President Biden?

KM: There will not. The man has the personality of a rock. To be fair, I did not offer any congratulations to President Trump, either. When you have been in a semi-state of war since 1887 it's hard to keep up pleasantries.

CG: So what is the current state of relations between the United States and the Republic of Ansdale?

KM: We have been on high alert since the election. We have mobilized along our southern border since mister Biden has rolled out his welcome mat to our southern neighbors. If they want to flood into Florida, so be it, but the Republic has rules.

CG: How has the Republic handled COVID?

KM: Very well. We are open for business. The good thing about the West is that we have an abundance of the things that make for good health. Fresh air, wide open spaces, moderate population. The scientific prescription for good health. Lockdowns and isolation do not make for vitality. Otherwise the elderly would be the picture of health. They tend to be frail, however.

CG: So my vacation in the Republic is on?

KM: You are coming from the United States, so I assume you have a visa?.

CG: I prefer Master Card. In all seriousness I haven't needed anything but a Passport before.

KM: That's before your president took actions against our pipeline with Canada. We now require Visa's for entry and our Congress is considering the request of the Hawaiian King to expel the United States from Joint Base Pearl Harbor.

CG: Maybe I should cancel my vacation on account of impending war.

KM: (laughs) War, hardly. Just some harmless sabre rattling. The Royal Family is rightfully upset about the foreign interference with our pipeline. The are reliant upon imported oil for the islands needs. At least until they figure out how to harness a volcano or run things on lava. Our Congress is more than capable of stretching the debate out for eternity, and the King will cool down. We should be back to normal in a few months. I would lay a significant bet on it at one of our casinos. If you wait a few months you may not need a visa either. Just because we separated in 1875 doesn't mean the United States doesn't need us to survive. They just need to be taught that again every so often.

CG: Then I shall wait. I have enough news to occupy our people for a while. See you in September, perhaps. Prime Minister Morgan, I thank you for your time.

A Proper Memorial

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Mon, 29 May 2017 16:00:00 +0000

Once again it is Memorial Day, the annual Kickoff to Summer. At least that is what most people know about the day. For those who know about History, and that is a precious and dwindling few these days, it means a whole lot more. While the Old Soldiers from World War Two who will lead our parade brings the Military Nature of The Day into focus, it is not a Day To Honor The Dead from all Wars, as is sometimes said. It should be the day to Honor those Who Fought and Died in The Civil War, which took place from 1861-1865.

A Northerner by birth, I got the official version early and often. It goes something like this "The Good and Pure Union Forces rose up to fight the evil hated racist slave owner southern forces. They prevailed against terrible odds and the Union and Liberty was Saved and freedom given to all. Amen" (Pretty Religious for Public Schools now that you mention it. Where was the ACLU back then). As always, you really can't trust anything that the liberals teach you. The truth is much different. A simple version would be that the Civil War was a war in which the forces of Liberty (Republicans) vanquished (temporarily) the forces of Slavery (Democrats). I see I got your attention. Truth hurts, doesn't it. While Slavery was a minor issue (Less than 5% of Southerners owned slaves, though, due to the fact that Lincoln received NO VOTES in 1860 from the Southern States, it is safe to say that 100% of Slave owners were Democratic Party Members, as were 100% of Klan Members after the war. Prominent Southerners Like Lee and Jackson, Jefferson and Washington knew that Slavery was evil and did what they could to stop it with things like the 2/3 compromise. Contrary to liberal lies, it did not mean that "African Americans" were thought of as only 2/3 of a person. In that case "Native Americans" did not even exist, for the Constitution says "Indians not taxed". No, this was an abolitionist measure. The Southern States wanted to count their slaves to increase their numbers in the House of Representatives while still considering them non humans and property. Northerners felt if they couldn't count their tables and chairs for representation, neither could the South if the slave was only Property. Rather than torpedo a birth of a Republic, the North Compromised on 2/3. A Slave only Counted as 2/3 of a Free Person, thus hamstringing the spread of Slavery. Our Founding Fathers were much wiser than us in Present Times. They did all they could to strangle the institution of Slavery. Given enough time and the spread of technology, the institution may have died off and the war been unnecessary.

But the war did come, and that is why it is an insult to talk of reparations. The Blood of 700,000 Americans more than paid the price for all time. It is time to honor the true Greatest Generation. We owe them an immeasurable debt. We can start by replacing the Confederate Statues in Southern States. You do not learn anything by Pretending that something did not happen. The Democrats have learned nothing. They are still the party of Slavery, only now they control the media sources, so they make it appear otherwise.

The Civil War Was not about Good vs Evil, it was really a State's Rights issue. But telling the truth would be bad for Democrats. Call it a convenient Lie. I will give honor to whom honor is due. Happy Memorial Day.

Catching Up with our neighbors Across the River

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Tue, 08 Nov 2016 20:31:00 +0000

It has been a few years since last we interviewed any members of the Republic. A lot has happened and it is about time we caught up. However, we are not going to fire up the Time Machine. I decided to pick up the phone this time and ring up the current administration in Anchorage. (For those new, that's the traditional Capital. During the cooler months they are in the Winter capital of Reno). Since last year the Prime Minister of The Republic of Ansdale has been Katherine Anne Morgan, one of the members of the Founding Families of the Republic. Remember that the Son of John Hunt Morgan (yes, that John Hunt Morgan) married John Lee Anderson's daughter Katherine. Her grandfather, also named John Hunt Morgan, was Prime Minister from 1967 to 1969. Like the rest of the family, she is a member of the New Republican Party, the original party formed in the Election of 1888. James Davis, the first Prime Minister, served without Party Affiliation. One other thing, I will be questioning the Prime Minister in accordance to "Reality" as according to the United States from Sea to Shining Sea. Of course the Prime Minister will answer according to the Truth: that there is a Sovereign country West of the Mississippi River.

CG: Madame Prime Minister, thank you for granting this interview. Those of us here in The United States are currently in the midst of Presidential Campaigning, and a lot is being said about Hillary Clinton having the chance to be the First Woman President. Any comments?
KM: Who has been President for the Past Eight Years? Last time we checked she was finishing her second term. And your Constitution barred any more time as President.
CG: As far as we know Barak Obama is finishing his second term and Clinton is going for her first.
KM: Really. I thought you didn't allow anyone but a natural born citizen become President?
CM: We don't. Obama was born in Hawaii.
KM: Exactly. And Hawaii is a Sovereign Kingdom associated with the Republic of Ansdale. We came to Hawaii's aid during the Pineapple War and kept the Kingdom intact. Hawaiians are born dual Hawaiian/Ansdale Citizens. The arrangement poses problems for us as well. If the person asserts his Hawaiian citizenship he cannot be Prime Minister, so Obama could not rise to the top here either.
CG: Well at least the Republic got a woman leader first.
KM: I'm actually the third woman Prime Minister of the Republic. Our first was Katherine Lynn Montgomery during World War Two, and the second was Natasha Baranov who was in office at the Same time as Ronald Reagan. And before you say Reagan was a Californian, he was born in Illinois, which is still in the United States, is it not.
CG: Since my questions are shot how about you indulging in fiction and humor me. If Obama was our President for 8 years and Hillary Clinton is going for her first term as President as we assert, What do you think of Clinton's Chances?
KM: Probably very good. Here in the Republic our politics skews more to the Conservative viewpoint, so we wouldn't be in favor of someone so naive as to how the world works gaining office.
CG: Would you be referring to ISIS by any chance?
KM: With all due apologies to any ancient Egyptian deities, yes. By conceding that the Levant exists is agreeing with them that the State of Israel is illegitimate. That we will never do.
CG: So what is your official relationship with The United States?
KM: Nominally they are an ally. However since our founding in 1875 we have been in almost an entire state of tension with them. At least we are not at war.
CG: What about your other two borders?
KM: We have no problems with Canada or Guatemala that I know of at the moment.
CG: I think you missed a country.
KM: No, I didn't.
CG: Just South of the Rio Grande, name of Mexico.
KM: Doesn't ring a bell. All that is there is the Central American Security Zone. If there were a stable government there there wouldn't be a flood of people trying to illegally enter our fair land. Our troops try to maintain some sort of order there. When they learn to behave like civilized people we will withdraw.
CG: Wouldn't a wall work just as well?
KM: I refer you to my previous answer. Still, we in the Republic would much prefer to deal with Mr. Trump.
CG: I guess that begs the question, is it because Trump is not a politician? And would that also would imply that he would be easier to manipulate?
KM: Yes to the first, but no to the second. Mister Trump is a businessman, and despite a politicians protests to the contrary, business people understand the way the world works. Actually he would be harder to manipulate, but would be easier to work with.
CG: Getting Back to ISIS. What would be the difference working with Trump or Clinton?
KM: Since Clinton and Obama are the same, It would be difficult to deal with either of them. It's hard to be allies when one side thinks that a few minimum wage jobs will fix the problem, and the other knows they want us dead. Mr. Trump understands the Islamist Threat. We could partner with him.
CG: We shall see if your hopes are realized. Madame Prime Minister, I think it best if I ended this interview and did some research. May I contact you again?
KM: You have our number, call anytime.
CG: Thank you for your time.

Well that was interesting. I wonder if The Republic will be happy once the Election is over. We shall see. I guess it is easier going back in time. Until next time, I sign off.

Get Stifled

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:00:00 +0000

Beginning today all book tours and author interviews and stuff will be here. I am splitting my music persona, aka The WENC Night Beat, and my writing persona into nice neat halves. All authors will have their background checks and their passports grilled by the Republican Foreign Office. First up is my friend Rainy Kaye. She gets grandfathered in under the old rules, as she let The Night Beat Join her for the Summoned Tour. Today we're celebrating the release of STIFLED, book two in the SUMMONED series by USA Today Bestselling author, Rainy Kaye. A dark twist on genie folklore, SUMMONED follows a reluctant criminal as he unravels the mystery of the paranormal bond controlling him. In STIFLED, Dimitri trails an elusive jinn and finds himself in the middle of a community keeping dark secrets. The SUMMONED series is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA. Scroll down to pick up your copy of STIFLED, get SUMMONED for free for a limited time, and enter to win a $10 Amazon gift card.
Dimitri would like nothing more than to live a low-key life in Naples, Italy. His girlfriend, Syd, has other plans. After three months of researching, she is positive she has found a jinn on a killing spree in San Diego, California. Since Syd gave Dimitri the one thing he thought was out of reach, he feels obligated to use his ill-gained talents for her cause. A few hours back in the US proves that Dimitri and Syd didn't quite make the clean escape they had thought. As they trail the elusive jinn, someone else trails them. What should have been a simple trip to confirm once and for all if the jinn are living among humans, instead reveals a community keeping dark secrets. Unfortunately for Dim, the only way out is in. Get your copy here! Haven't read book one yet? No problem! It's currently FREE on Amazon.
Twenty-three year old Dimitri has to do what he is told—literally. Controlled by a paranormal bond, he is forced to use his wits to fulfill unlimited deadly wishes made by multimillionaire Karl Walker. Dimitri has no idea how his family line became trapped in the genie bond. He just knows resisting has never ended well. When he meets Syd—assertive, sexy, intelligent Syd—he becomes determined to make her his own. Except Karl has ensured Dimitri can’t tell anyone about the bond, and Syd isn’t the type to tolerate secrets. Then Karl starts sending him away on back-to-back wishes. Unable to balance love and lies, Dimitri sets out to uncover Karl’s ultimate plan and put it to an end. But doing so forces him to confront the one wish he never saw coming—the wish that will destroy him.

Rainy Kaye is an aspiring overlord. In the mean time, she blogs at RainyoftheDark and writes paranormal novels from her lair somewhere in Phoenix, Arizona. She is represented by Rossano Trentin of TZLA. Someone told her she's a USA Today Bestselling author. She thought there would be cake.
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Changing Hats

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Mon, 09 Mar 2015 20:31:00 +0000

I think it's about time. Maybe it is because I love research, but I tend to procrastinate with actual writing. But I think I have finally done all I can with part 1. Time to take off my writer's cap and put on an editor's cap. I'll be taking my cues from Ava Jae.

I am doing this kind of old school. I printed out my manuscript and will be looking at paper. Maybe if I had an e-reader, but still, I've been looking at a computer screen while I've been writing. This should be different.

I'm excited. The Tale of The Republic is about to take shape. It's been a long time. I shall keep you posted as I go through the process.

December 7, 1941: The Giants Awaken

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Sat, 06 Dec 2014 18:20:00 +0000

From the moment of its birth, the Republic of Ansdale has seen itself as the Lord and Protector of the Pacific. The first step toward that end was the creation of The Pacific Alliance, a loose alliance of nations within the Pacific Ocean. This in turn led to a treaty with the Kingdom of Hawaii. Lieutenant-Commander Rachel Semmes led the Alliance from her cabin aboard the R.N.S. Prince Maksutov until King David Kalakua and the Hawaiian Parliament granted permission to place a Headquarters on Hawaiian Soil.

The first test of the Alliance occurred during the Pineapple War of 1893-95. The Republic passed the test but the verdict on the alliance is unclear. The other members: Russia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan, Australia, China and Tahiti all remained out of the conflict, saying it was an internal matter. The Republic fended off an invasion by the United States at the urging of American Business Interests. Queen Liliuokalani remained as monarch under the protection of the Republic until her death in 1917. Relations with the United States improved in time and a Joint Use Agreement with the United States came about at the end of World War One. The Pacific Command of both Nations was Headquartered at Pearl Harbor in Hawaii.

On December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor. While the U.S. Casualties have been documented, nothing is known of the effect upon the Republic. Because the Republic has often relied upon Guerrilla tactics it was slow in building a standing navy. As a result, when the day that will live in infamy dawned the greatest casualties to the Republic were airplanes (The RAAF) and buildings. The pirate fleet (RNS Submarines)

were on patrol and untouched.

The Republic will always be grateful for the sacrifice borne by the United States at the outset of WWII while the republic raced to build a Force to assist the allies. The joint force effort was a point of honor and will not be forgotten.

#NaNoWriMo Update

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 18:47:00 +0000

Well, sort of. Though I am not officially participating in the month long Novel Writing Competition, I am always trying to get this story completed. The first "Chapter" of the Republic of Ansdale Chronicles is just about finished. I think I have looked at it long enough. Only one major edit has happened under my eyes, a prologue chapter was put in and after reworking it several times, it just seemed to be a drag, so it was removed. Other than that, nothing. Now I am soliciting help. I admit to knowing nothing about writing a book, just the story. I have heard about beta readers and I have had the pleasure of being one for Jade Kerrion. Anyone who has been through it who would care to fill me in on the process, I would greatly appreciate it. I know it's not as simple as uploading my manuscript to Smashwords. Even they want an artistic cover, something I am not talented to do. (Stick figures are as good as it gets here). That is it for now. I really need to get back to things here, but The Night Beat Demands.

Four Peas to Creating an Authentic Alternative History: Preparation

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Thu, 20 Mar 2014 16:00:00 +0000

We have come to the end of our series. If you haven't been following the series from the start here are links to Premise, Probability, and Possibilities. We now move on to our fourth Pea, what I like to call:

P#4: Preparation

I can hear you scream, "what was I doing during the previous three steps?" That was preparing your premise to make a story. Now comes the fun part (at least for me) researching your characters. I have created little who's who bios for just about every fictional character I have created. I know when they were born, where, where they were educated, who they married, how many children they have, who were their classmates, etc. While this may seem an exercise in absolute tedium, there is a point. Without doing this step your Alt-Hi will become Sci-Fi. Not in the sense of the typical definition of the genre, but because your character will seem an outside "alien" observer to the events you describe instead of being able to seamlessly interact with their surroundings.

Why do you have to do this? You are changing the outcome of one premise, but your character must still be believable within the "correct" timeline. In the case of my story, the key character, John Lee Anderson, is the brother of Robert Anderson of Fort Sumter, went to West Point at the Same time as Grant, served with him in the Mexican War, and during post war assignments in the South, married a distant cousin of Jefferson Davis and retired from active service, and is the father of three sons and one daughter, all of whom have followed their father into military service, to the great disappointment of their mother. Called back into service and assigned to the "Northern reaches of the Nebraska Territory" by President Pierce, he sees his responsibility to the people of the Western States and Territories as outweighing his duty to Washington. That is the bare bones type of research that I do, and I put it into a nice bio that looks like this. (For space concerns I have not done John Lee Anderson but Kenneth Mark Bassett, a supporting character.)

Bassett, Kenneth Mark
b. May 11, 1831 Portland, ME. Graduates from U.S. Military Academy, 1851. Stationed at Fort Kent, ME on Border Patrol 1851-1855. Assigned to command of Brigadier General John Lee Anderson in Nebraska, 1855. Commissioned Captain, 1855. Chief of Police, Upper Nebraska Territory, 1855-61. m. Kimberly Ann Chase, March 21, 1858. Commander Military District Number Five, Wyoming, Dakota Territory, 1861. Commander of Camp Teton (1861-63) and Fort Shoshone (1863-1889). Commissioned Major, 1862. Founder of Territorial Police, 1870. Commissioned Major, Republican Army, 1875. Second Colonel, 1878. Colonel, 1880. Governor of Wyoming (1893-1905). d. Tuesday June 13, 1922 Cheyenne, WY.

I think you can see that, by creating a "life" for your character, you have also created a purpose for his existence in your story (other than a story needs a character). If you do all these steps, you are now in possession of a premise that will survive not only one story, but even being turned into a multi-novel series. You can now begin to write.

Four Peas to Creating an Authentic Alternative History: Possibilities

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Wed, 19 Mar 2014 16:00:00 +0000

My second grade teacher, Miss Kennealy, had a favorite saying: "It's a possibility". Unfortunately following that advice can lead to some pretty weak premises. I am proposing a variation on that advice, and that is the third pea.

P#3: Possibilities

We could also call this, how many links are in your chain of events (or chain reaction). Unless you are interested in writing a very short story, you should try to have your premise create as many new possibilities as possible. Among the possibilities opened up by my original premise.

The obvious one: The initial story of the events leading up to the war, character backrounds, etc.
Without the States West of The Mississippi River being counted, certain election results will be altered

The "Stolen Election" of 1876. Hayes (R) v Tilden (D). Hayes had 185 Electoral Votes. Tilden 184. They each needed 186 to win, but Tilden had won the popular vote by 260,000. The creation of The Republic of Ansdale removed 12 States and 76 Electoral Votes, 29 from Tilden but 49 from Hayes. With a new requirement of 148 Tilden got 155 and Hayes 138. And Tilden's Popular Vote Lead held up.
Using a benchmark that both candidates needed to be born in a State, Territory or Possession East of The Mississippi River after the year 1875 (this only affected elections after 1928, before then all the candidates would have met the rule). The elections of 1952, 1956, 1964, 1968, 1972 and 1996 would be thrown out because both candidates were ineligible. So Watergate never happened (Nixon born in CA), LBJ wasn't elected (b.TX), and Nobody Liked Ike (also a Texan)
The Democrat Party was declared ineligible by that benchmark for the elections of 1948, 1984, 1992, 1996, 2008 and 2012. No birther, but Hawaii is West of The Mississippi. The Clinton Presidency also never happened, Bill having been born in Arkansas, which is part of the Republic. This also has the added what if "What if another President had accepted Libya's offer of Osama Bin Laden. Would 9/11 have never happened." But in a case of misery loves company, George W. Bush could still have been President, as his birthplace was in Connecticut. Reagan as well, as he was born in Illinois. Though Hillary Clinton is also from Illinois, since she made her fame on Bill's coattails, and he would never be President. No Hillary Presidency either.
Republicans also had their chances at the White House altered, but mostly through correcting their mistakes. John McCain could have been eligible. My research on Canal Zone thinks he may, however, since Arizona was in the Republic, it wouldn't have meant anything, since that is how he ran, Senator from Arizona. Herbert Hoover was born in Iowa, which was part of the Republic, so did he cause the Great Depression. Probably not. Bob Dole (KS) and Gerald Ford (NE) would also have been ineligible, thus destroying the chances of Saturday Night Live for becoming a household name.

(3) The Battle of Little Bighorn (aka Custer's Last Stand) would have been a joint Republic of Ansdale/Native American effort to open up a second front in the Civil War.
(4) The Life of the Kingdom of Hawaii would have been extended beyond its traditional end because Queen Liliuokalani would not have been overthrown.
(5) The attack on Pearl Harbor (Dec 7, 1941) would have been on ships docked at the King Kamehameha Naval Base of the Republican Navy, which had United States Ships there as part of a joint operations lease agreement. Two nations were thus drawn into the conflict, not just one.
(6) The assassination of JFK in Dallas, TX by Lee Harvey Oswald, a known Russian agent, would have been a Soviet attempt to start a U.S.A.-R.O.A. war during JFK's friendship tour of the Republic of Ansdale

I think you get the idea. One decision creates almost unlimited possibilities. If you have passed through step three without your original premise being reduced to ashes, congratulations. If you haven't, go over it again until you find a premise that can stand the test. Once you do, you are ready for the "final" step.

Four Peas to Create An Authentic Alternative History: Probability

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Tue, 18 Mar 2014 16:00:00 +0000

In my first post I discussed the Premise of a story as it pertains to its ultimate success, especially when it comes to the genre of Alternative History or Historical Fiction. We now move on to part two

P#: Probability

If The Premise is the "What If?" question, then the Probability of your Alt-Hi is best defined by the "Who Cares?" question. Why do you need a "Who Cares?" question? Because the number of what if questions is infinite. To borrow a Sci-Fi construct, every possible choice results in an alternate universe where that choice has been made. Now I like this theory because it means that somewhere out there there is a version of myself that married his high school sweetheart. Of course, there is a reality where we never met. Now for the sake of time I limited the possible choices to three, but regardless, in the scheme of a novel, all three choices are equally boring and would get a response of who cares.

Now what is the point of my example? Simply put, while any decision in history could have had another possible outcome, unless that outcome can grab even the authors interest, certainly your reader wont come along for the ride. Now the Sci-Fi writer doesn't have to worry about probability. In some cases, the more fanciful the premise, the better. With an Alt-Hi, one of the cornerstones of the genre is HISTORY, as in "Could this actually have happened?".

Still, it has to be fresh. In matters of American History, one of the most overused premises is "What if The South had won the war?" Unfortunately for readers, the answer is almost always "slavery is still around". The problem with this is that the rise of technology even at the time had made slave labor just about obsolete, so that if war had not intervened, the peculiar institution might have died off within ten years. Even so, the continuation of Southern Slavery is most likely the weakest premises to focus on. because its probability is very low.

In the case of my original premise, you have to ask, at any time in "the Old West", did conditions arise that would have created a "Spark" that lit the fuse of civil war like happened at Fort Sumter. In my researching of the premise, I found a number of conditions that would make my premise probable.

At the outbreak of the Civil War, many frontier posts were either abandoned or had their troop numbers severely downgraded and the troops sent South to assist the War, leaving the settlers to face the Natives on their own. Approximately 10 years later, with "Reconstruction" coming to an end, those same troops returned, in true Mighty Mouse style ("Here I come to save the day..."), hoping that the settlers would be grateful for their "protection".
By virtue of the Treaty of Purchase in 1867, the People of Alaska (native Russians and Aleut) were entitled to "The enjoyment of all the rights, advantages and immunities of Citizens of The United States" if they remained there THREE YEARS (1870). In fact, Alaska had not even the most basic of Civil Law and was a true example of the Wild, Wild, West until 1884.
The Western States of Arkansas, Louisiana Texas and Missouri had all been participants in the Civil War, and the first three were subjected to the punishment called "reconstruction" which was instituted in response to Lincoln's assassination and birthed the Klan. These states were chafing under the military yoke and could have been spoiling for another fight.
The first war had reached into the West with more than just membership in the Confederacy. There were battles at Palmito Hill, TX (May 12-13, 1865) ; Pea Ridge, AR (March 7, 1862); Sabine Pass, TX (September 9, 1863); Valverde, NM (February 20-21, 1862); Glorietta Pass, NM (March 26-28, 1862) and Lawrence, KS (August 21, 1863). War had touched the west enough to raise the possibility of an insurrection, but not enough to convince them of its horrors.

I think these four examples are sufficient evidence to overcome the who cares response and establish the probability of the premise. Will that be enough for my story, or for yours for that matter. That is dependent on the third pea.

Four Peas to Creating an Authentic Alternative History: Premise

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Mon, 17 Mar 2014 22:00:00 +0000

I have decided to expand and update a post that I originally wrote for The Undeveloped Story, which has been inactive since 2012. Since most of my new readers have never seen this post, I thought it would be a good idea to pull it out of mothballs, rework it, and expand it.

History has always been a passion of mine. In high school I never got lower than a B- when it came to world history, and when American History came around, my worst wound up being only an A-. Needless to say, If you have any love for the subject, and possibly if you are of a certain mindset, you will come to a time when you will read some historical account and then "What if X happened instead" will pop into your head.

It was probably during some boring class like English (I know, how can it be boring if you're a writer. I know enough to write, but don't ask me to diagram a sentence to save my life) that one such What if popped into my head. "What if we never learned the lessons of The Civil War, and a mere ten years later it happened again, this time in the American West." Thus the seeds of an Alternative History (Alt-Hi) were born, and to one degree or another, I have continued to refine the story from then on.

There are four peas (P's) you need to master in order to create an authentic historical fiction: Premise, Probability, Possibilities, and Preparation. While every part is important, sometimes you can lose the race at the starting line. It can all come apart at the premise, where the question is always, what if.

P#1: Premise

I have already told you the premise of the story I have been refining over the years. Here is it reworked another way.

It has been said that those who fail to learn from history are destined to repeat it. What if, ten years after the conclusion of the Civil War, the United states found itself facing a similar conflict, but this time in the West?

What separates the Alt-Hi from Sci-Fi, is that, while both genre's begin with the What if question, The Alternative History is limited to the inventions and conditions of the timeline they are reconstructing. (For example, Let's say Lincoln doesn't get assassinated. We can't have him saved by being teleported out of the theatre just before Booth fires. We could have him blocked by another patron until the moment is unfavorable.) There are an unlimited number of premises.

A faulty premise will only be fatal if you stick with it. As you work your way through the peas, you may find that your original premise was horribly flawed and should be abandoned. However, the benefit of the process is that a better premise may arise from the ashes that will stand up to the demands of the story.

So you think you have a good premise. Will it make it into a story? Not unless it makes it through another Pea.

Character Interview: Rachel Semmes

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Sat, 15 Mar 2014 16:20:00 +0000

Sometimes you just have to take one for the team. It's a tough job but someone has to do it. We are interviewing Rachel Semmes today, and as things go we were forced to conduct our interview on the Island of Oahu, in the Kingdom of Hawaii. I know, the trials we must endure.

One of the trials is that we had to do the interview at Pearl Harbor Naval Base, instead of, say, Diamond Head. It has also taken us six years to get the interview, the result of red tape at the public affairs office. That has been a blessing in disguise. I was all set to interview Lieutenant-Commander Rachel Semmes, Captain of The R.N.S. Prince Maksutov and architect of the Pacific Alliance. However, my interview today is in the office of the Commanding Officer of PACCOM, Rear Admiral Rachel Semmes. And while a bunch of you will be shocked that there is a woman in this high position here in the year 1881, I'll have to revive some of you when I tell you that she is not yet thirty. And while a rear admiral is the equivalent of a one or two star general, and I have already interviewed a three star in General John Lee Anderson, it always sounds much cooler to be Admiral.

CG: Admiral Semmes, thank you for the interview. Would you mind introducing yourself to my readers.
RS: I would be glad to. My name is Rachel Semmes, I'm twenty-eight years old and have been in the Republican Navy for the past six years. Mobile born and bred. And I am the favorite niece of my Uncle Rafe.
CG: There is so much to follow up here. First of all, Uncle Rafe?
RS: That would be Admiral Raphael Semmes, commander of the C.S.S. Alabama during the last war.
CG: I guess Naval greatness is in the blood.
RS: Our initials are both RS, so that's something as well. Honestly, until I was given command of the Prince Maksutov I never commanded any more than a rowboat.
CG: That would seem to lead to the next question. From civilian to Admiral in six years. Was everyone in the Republican Navy afraid of your uncle.
RS: I wish. Most of them never heard of him. There aren't many naval historians in the West. I owe most of my success to the Pacific Alliance.
CG: So no great Naval Battles to speak of?
RS: I didn't say that. The Reciprocity Treaty of 1875 got The United States in the door with the Hawaiian Government, and then war broke out. And now we wanted to establish a base there, and have refueling rights. We knew that Grant wanted to establish a base there, and we needed to get there first. The Prince Maksutov held her ground against a better armed American Ship, and when they broke off to regroup we pulled out our ace. We had a handful of torpedoes.
CG: A torpedo. How did that work.
RS: It wasn't easy. You have to put them in the water and launch them manually, so we had to set out the lifeboats. The federals thought we were abandoning ship and so never reacted until it was too late.
CG: The press probably had a great time reporting that.
RS: Yes, we were a bunch of pirates who launched a cowardly attack on an innocent party. Massacre and all that. But the end result is, Hawaii is ours.
CG: And the Pacific Alliance?
RS: There are four members at present. Us, Hawaii, Russia and New Zealand. We have entertained a Russian Vessel but that is the extent of their aid. I think we are still on our own. I will not be holding my breath for a Russian Fleet.
CG: Have you gotten any advice from your uncle.
RS: After I got my command I asked his advice. He said do not seek a fight. The federals will find me soon enough. But if I am forced to fight do not spare any cannon. It is better to go down to the sea in defeat than to surrender.
CG: With the war and all the activity with the alliance, have you had any chance at having a personal life.
RS: Prime Minister Davis eldest son, James, has recently begun courting me in earnest. He is a nice man, but I am still not sure if it is proper.
CG: Is he your subordinate?
RS: Everyone is your subordinate when you're the admiral. He is not directly, though. He is a clerk, not in active operations. He is the same age as I, so that helps somewhat.
CG: You said you were mobile born and bred. Was your home like Sauf Asir.
RS: I wish. I wasn't born into such riches.
CG: One last thing. Since you are Minister of The Navy, are there anything new in the war effort going on?
RS: I will give your readers a scoop. The engineers over at Fort Bering are working on perfecting the idea of an armed submersible craft. Now that we have working torpedoes the time seems right. There will be no repeat of a Hunley Disaster.
CG: Minister Semmes, I thank you for your time.

The Grand Tour: The Pacific Alliance

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Tue, 11 Mar 2014 13:00:00 +0000

With the War just beginning our grand tour is going to take a bit of a detour. And to a land of a bit warmer weather.

It takes allies to win a war. From the moment the first shot was fired at Fort Leavenworth it was obvious that the new Republic was in over its head. To win the war all that was needed would be to outlast the resolve of the United States. To win the peace they would have to destroy the East's will to fight.

The path to victory in both respects is charted by Rachel Semmes, the niece of Raphael Semmes, Captain of the C.S.S. Alabama. The path is called The Pacific Alliance.

The Capital of the Pacific Alliance was the Kingdom of Hawaii from its founding through the Pineapple War. Once the war was won by the Republic and Hawaii and Queen Liliuokalani's reign was secured, the capital was integrated with Republican government functions at Reno. From 1893 to 1941 only PACCOM was centered at Pearl Harbor Naval Base. In addition to The Republic of Ansdale and The Kingdom of Hawaii, charter members of the alliance included New Zealand, Canada and Russia. As the alliance grew, new members joined, including Australia, China and Japan.

The prime doctrine of the alliance is mutual defense and aid of fellow members, though all members also agree to provide.

Open Ports of Call for member nations, especially to provide safe haven during times of war and other periods of instability.
Reciprocity concerning Letters of Marque and Reprisal for all member nations, and the establishing of maritime or admiralty courts in every major port.
Diplomatic exchange among the member nations.

The three requirements benefit the Republic almost exclusively, however, they alone, with some small help from Russia bear the military side of the agreement. There is no Hawaiian or New Zealand navy at present.

Despite its diverse membership, the alliance survives. There have been challenges however. The Russian Revolution of 1917 resulted in its expulsion from the alliance, however, it was readmitted when Japan attacked Pearl Harbor Naval Base, at the time jointly manned by the Republic of Ansdale and The United States of America and followed it up with an invasion of China and Australia. Japan was expelled at that time and was not readmitted until sometime after the wars end.

Next time we will talk with the architect of the Pacific Alliance, Rachel Semmes.

The Grand Tour: Kansas

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Sat, 01 Mar 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Let The Bleeding Resume. Our next tour stop is a State born of war. I'm speaking of Kansas. It's not often that a State gets the word "bleeding" affixed to it. It started before the first Civil War. You, know, the North South one, not the current East West one. The lightning rod for the conflict was voter fraud. As the region known as Kansas was about to be organized into a Territory border ruffians from Missouri flooded over the border. When you've got 1,500 registered voters and 6,000 votes cast, somethings wrong, and only a blind man could fail to see it. The Blind man in question was Franklin Pierce, the President of the United States. He Was a Democrat, The Slave owners were 90+% Democrat. As far as he was considered, the election was legal.

The outrage was immediate, and so was the response from the abolitionists. Even the Church was mobilized, most notable among them Henry Ward Beecher, who shipped crates of Sharps Rifles to anti-slavery emigrants that were labeled as Bibles. Well, it says The Word is like a two edged sword, so...

In this case the weapons of our warfare were quite carnal, and things all centered on a town called Lawrence. The town, which was settled by free staters, has been sacked three times

May 21, 1856 - Border ruffians from Missouri burn the Free State Hotel, 2 newspaper offices and houses and businesses
August 21, 1863 - William Quantrill burn the town and kill 183 men and boys, as young as fourteen.
July 10, 1875 - Captain Leah Marie Quantrill of the 1st Republican Cavalry burns several buildings, most of them wrecks already, in a show of resolve and gains the surrender of the town.

Actually, the third one would barely Qualify as a sack, if not for the last name of the Captain. Quantrill. As in, the daughter, though illegitimate, of WCQ, the butcher of Lawrence.

This time, however, the Governor of Kansas was a supporter of the Cause, and so the allegiance of the State was never in doubt. The real problem was Leavenworth, and that had been neutralized a few days before.

The sides have been drawn. Things are about to get very interesting.

The Grand Tour: Missouri

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Sat, 15 Feb 2014 17:00:00 +0000

Welcome back everyone as we re-launch the Welcome To The Republic blog. To old and new readers, I encourage you to experience the tour from the beginning. Our tour so far: Alaska, Nevada, Iowa, Texas, Wyoming, Dakota, Minnesota, Colorado, and Nebraska.

Our tour stop today is Missouri. Enjoy.

"The Enemy of My Enemy is My Friend". Sometimes in the cause of freedom it seems like you have to make a deal with the devil. Such was the case with Missouri. The second of the Confederate States to join the cause of The West. True, in the first conflict the State was officially loyal to the Union, yet Southern sympathies were strong, and Governor Clairborne F. Jackson created a Confederate Government in Neosho.

Unconventional was the watchword in Missouri then and now. The field of battle in Missouri was that of the Guerrilla, and names such as William Quantrill, Frank and Jesse James, William T. "Bloody Bill" Anderson and others have secured their place in Missouri Lore. In the lore of the West, allegiances are strange. Quantrill's daughter leads a new Raiders, aided by her second in command Katherine Anderson. The press has had a field day.

And then there is the James Gang. Frank and Jesse James bank and train robberies would make them Criminals to the United States, but to the Republic, for the moment at least, they are allies. The former Confederates strike out at mainly "Republican" targets, yet they are the allies of the "New Republican Party" of which most of the Ansdale High Command have become part of. As long as the gang behaves, they may remain useful. Once the war is over, they will be dealt with.

Fate intervened with the James Gang, and the Republic was spared the embarrassment. Midway through the war. Jesse was killed by one of his own and Frank "retired" without any charges being pursued against him. And the Republic won, so maybe it wasn't a deal with the devil after all.

Missouri was a Godsend. It gave the Republic control of the Mississippi and Missouri (Ansdale) Rivers as well as the Metropolitan area of St. Louis, which would provide much needed revenues to the war effort. And this time there would be no divided loyalties. There was no U.S. Government in exile, and a United House stood, and so did the Republic.

From the time Missouri joined the cause there was literally no turning back. Within a month Washington would declare war. Freedom always has a price.

The Grand Tour: The War Begins

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Fri, 14 Feb 2014 03:22:00 +0000

Anybody who thought things would be different this time was naive. Events have caught up with our tour. Dreams for a peaceful separation are dashed. The Republic is at war.

Ten Independent Republics, as they style themselves, make up the new nation. While gaps exist, the border stretches from the River to the sea, and from Canada to Mexico.

One thing can thwart the dream. Fort Leavenworth. While it isn't the most powerful fort in the West, Fort Ansdale is that, it is the most powerful fort loyal to Washington. That makes it a inviting target, and one which will not go unnoticed.

Plans for a bombardment of Leavenworth have been underway since Independence and the timing is important. July 5,1875. Forts Shoshone and Pawnee furnish artillery, including a Gatling gun, which cuts down Union Infantry with ease. Ironclads from Ansdale seal the river, and the main assault comes from "Quantrill's Raiders". After a three day engagement Lieutenant-General Nelson A. Miles surrenders the fort. There can be no retreat. Victory or Death.

The Grand Tour: Nebraska

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Sat, 08 Feb 2014 17:29:00 +0000

"To the northern portions of the Nebraska Territory." So begins the adventure that birthed the Republic of Ansdale, for Dakota was originally Nebraska, at least until Dakota Territory was created in 1861. Nebraska could be called the father of territories, for not only Dakota, but Montana, Idaho and Wyoming were created from it.

With those ties existing between General Anderson and Nebraska, it is not surprising that Nebraska became the right hand of the Republic. From the beginning the territory became one of Anderson's most reliable supporters. At the start of the War of Southern Independence in 1861, General Anderson made his first move in consolidating his power in the west when he established Fort Pawnee on the Platte River. Though it was assisted by Fort Shoshone, Fort Pawnee was the site from which Fort Leavenworth was successfully bombarded.

Actually, the choice of Pawnee to launch western independence should not be surprising to anyone familiar with the history of the Republic. From its founding, and for the first sixteen years of its existence, it was commanded by Major Gary White, a member of the original Dakota Expedition, a member of the Corps of Engineers, and the architect of Fort Ansdale.

Major White would get his chance to command his crown jewel, but not before Fort Pawnee would host the Trial of The Century. The trial of Jefferson Columbus Davis on charges of Crimes against The Republic, and for permitting a reign of terror in Alaska. Even by Republican admission the trial was nothing more than a show, for General Davis was merely a pawn. The real criminal was the United States Congress, which had failed to create even the most basic of civil laws for Alaska. But you can't put Congress on Trial. No, for the United States Congress to be "found guilty" the Republic of Ansdale must win the war, and there was far more than reasonable doubt as to that verdict.

The trial proceeded, newspapers on both sides of the river covered the events, the United States was embarrassed, and General Davis was found guilty. His sentence was to be exiled from the Republic, back to The United States "on pain of death" should he return. Like everything else, it was an empty threat. General Davis died on November 30, 1879, never setting foot on Republican Soil again.

As to Nebraska, it's loyalty was never in doubt. Fort Pawnee was the only fort of major importance in the whole state. When it became obvious that the West would pursue its independence then Governor Silas Garber immediately supported the move. In a sort of closing of the loop Governor John Milton Thayer was elected as Governor of The State in order to usher in final independence. At the beginning of the conflict in 1875 he was the Governor of Wyoming Territory. The War began at Fort Shoshone in Wyoming in 1875 and a symbolic peace treaty was signed at Fort Pawnee twelve years later. The war, and history, had come full circle.

And so have I...Welcome back to The Republic, folks. This blog, though just a baby, has required an extended nap time as I worked on the WENC Night Beat, which is much more demanding. Don't worry, your visas have been extended. Enjoy the stay.

Tooting My Own Horn

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Mon, 08 Jul 2013 23:38:00 +0000

Happy Birthday to me, Happy Birthday to me. Not this site. That wont happen until December. Not me, personally, either. That was back in April.

The Cake and Presents are for my main blog The WENC Night Beat. It's been three years since my first post. And while I wish everybody success in their chosen endeavors, I get a slight bit of pleasure when a competitor drops out. One less obstacle in the path of total world domination. Waa ha ha.

I invite everyone to stop by and check things out. I will be rolling out something old and something new in the weeks ahead.

A Writers Thoughts on Writing

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Fri, 21 Jun 2013 20:31:00 +0000

They Say "Write What You Know". For me that means writing about Music and history, especially American History. For the music part I hope all of you will take a gander at my other blog, The WENC Night Beat. Platinum Vinyl Award season has just concluded and the awards have been handed out. The results page has been updated. Look for the year 2012 for each category.

I had thought of calling this post "Books I Can't Write", but then I thought better of it. That's just not it. "Won't write isn't it either". Maybe it should be Genre's I can't get my head around.

I've loved history since forever. If I scored under 92 in American History in High School I was shocked and then it was time to start studying hard. So when I first kicked around some thoughts for a story, American History was the subject, specifically America Post Civil War. Welcome to the Republic was conceived, sort of.

I also think I can do action adventure of a sort, as Falcon is a sort of hero in the vein of the Bionic Woman (I might be the only one who thought the reboot was cool).

Screenwriting speaking, I can't do Soap Operas. I just can't write that poorly. I am convinced that the genre is the last refuge of bad writers. And bad actors too. Now I'm no Shakespeare, but I spend time on things like plot, possibility, grammar. I know, how could you think of a career in Hollywood concerned with that?

That being said, there are a few fiction genres I cant get my pen around.

Romantic Comedy/Chick Lit: We'll go back to that write what you know on this one. And the soap opera's too. But mostly the former. No, I don't think there's much of a market for the Moderately handsome "damaged goods" guy who has given up on love and lives as a hermit in a cabin in the woods. Kind of Like Stringfellow Hawk from Airwolf. Then maybe we could have a long lost love return and turn him into the Prince Charming that he forgot he was. Yeah, I thought so, gag city. If you want Chick Lit, might I suggest my friend +Erica Lucke Dean and her book To Katie With Love
Science Fiction: I wish my Polish heritage could help here, but I am obviously no J.Michael Straczynski. I wouldn't have the first idea how to describe the ships, station, and aliens of Babylon 5. I love to watch it, though. Would probably have to read it more to see if I could write it. I'll throw fantasy writing into the mix here and say to check out the works of my friend +Shannon Mayer and her character Rylee Adamson among others.
Erotica: I was trying to think of something witty here, but decided not to push it. Safe to say you could use the same arguments for Chick Lit here. Even if I admitted to a healthy sense of fantasy that doesn't mean I could put it to paper. Hey, I have trouble coming up with a profanity even if the character used it in real life. Through my contacts in +Triberr I have picked up friends even here. D.C. McMillen comes to mind here.

No, I think I shall stick with what I know. A little action adventure, music writing, and my Alternative History/Speculative Fiction/Historical Fiction. I found out about a new genre lately, Realistic Fiction. Best I can decipher it is Current Event Historical Fiction. Isn't all fiction supposed to be realistic? After all, if it "Reads Fake", nobody is going to enjoy it.

Decoration Day

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Mon, 27 May 2013 12:00:00 +0000

I think it's appropriate that I call this Holiday by its original name. It's time we remember what this nation went through to get where it is Today.

The Day had its origins on May 1, 1865, right after the end of the American Civil War. It was originally celebrated by freedmen, as the freed slaves were called. Appropriately enough for the holiday's Civil War roots, the day was founded in Charleston, South Carolina.

Decoration Day began three years later, at the order of Union General John A. Logan. The date for the celebration way May 30, 1868. A date that lasted for a hundred years, until Congress, in its usual boneheadedness, created the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, also known as the three day weekend law. This law didn't take effect until 1971. By the time I was in High School the damage had been done. Memorial Day was seen as nothing more than the beginning of the Summer Season. As I went to High School on Cape Cod, that was still a big deal, but nothing like what it really meant. A lot of people died so that we could open the beaches. (It really sounds crass when you put it that way, doesn't it).

Supposedly Memorial Day is supposed to honor "The Fallen" and Veterans Day "The Living", yet still, it missed the mark.

More that 3 million men fought in the war, over 620,000 died. If the nation had stayed divided, Slavery would have become an institution in the South to this day. Without a war, I still believe technology would have made slavery obsolete within 10-15 years (1870-75). But with the war, if the South had "won" (i.e. put up enough of a resistance to force the European Powers to intervene, created an arbitrated peace), the result would have been seen as a vindication of the Peculiar Institution, and it would have survived.

Enjoy the cookout, enjoy the Summer, but never forget the cost. The Civil War ensured that our nation would be around today, with freedom and liberty for all. Because of the slavery part of the story, the Civil War is the true "Forgotten War". Nobody wants to talk about it. In fact, there are people out there trying to rewrite the results at best, and purge the very memory of the war from our existence at worst. That is wrong. You don't learn from history if you try to pretend it didn't happen. God Bless You all, and God Bless America.

The Grand Tour: Colorado

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 15:23:00 +0000

Can Loyalty be bought for a price? If so, what price would be enough? Surely it would have to be enough to soothe the conscience, especially when the "loyalty" meant betraying the cause of the West.

While the above question may seem absurd, it is exactly the question faced by Colorado. A territory at the time that war broke out, within the space of a year it was offered Statehood. Now a territory becoming a state in the late 19th Century is not exactly news. What makes it strange is offering that territory Statehood while it is in a state of rebellion. Governor Routt declared as much when he declared the Territory an Independent Republic on June 6, 1875.

The seat of rebellion for Colorado was Cheyenne Garrison, just outside of Denver. Under the command of Colonel Robert McMillan, the metropolitan fortress maintains a constant stream of communication with the Capitol. The purpose of the garrison, at least the purpose they admit to Washington, is twofold: To protect the citizens from Cheyenne encroachment, and to protect the Union Pacific Railroad. In reality both goals were accomplished at the signing of the Cheyenne Treaty of 1862 at the founding of the garrison. Since then there has nothing to do except to consolidate control of the territory into General Anderson's hands.

The War of Western Independence will not have many signature battles the likes of Manassas, Vicksburg, Sharpsburg, Gettysburg and Chickamauga. The Battles of The Mines will rank right up with the Siege of Fort Leavenworth and the Battle of San Diego Bay when all is written. The campaign consisted of five battles between the Federal forces of Fort Lyon and the Republican Forces of Cheyenne Garrison. They were fought during the Winter of 1876 in the snow at altitudes above 7,000 feet. Adding to the rout was the fact that the Republican troops fought on skis with White Winter Uniforms, making them virtually invisible, while the same could not be said of the Blue Uniformed federal troops. The campaign destroyed the Federal army in Colorado, and secured not only Colorado, but Wyoming and Nebraska for the duration of the war.

It was with that humiliating defeat fresh in their mind that Washington offered Statehood to Colorado. Coming as it was from a position of weakness, the offer was rightly refused. Colorado had proved it can whip the Federals on their own turf as a territory. They were better off on their own.

The tide of war has turned. There will be no lost cause of the West.

The Grand Tour: Minnesota

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 21:28:00 +0000

The first state to secede in the second wave was its most reluctant member. Minnesota was its own Territory in 1855 at the time of the Anderson expedition, and was not included in the generals original mandate. Minnesota has ties to the Fort Pierre expedition, however, as one of its members, Major Thomas Garfield, twice commanded Fort Ridgely in the state.

The Land of Ten Thousand Lakes has always been of great strategic value to General Anderson. Minnesota provides the Republic with access to the Great Lakes. Though technically prohibited by treaty from building up a navy on the lakes due to a treaty signed between the United States and Great Britain (The Rush-Bagot Treaty of 1817) to limit naval forces on the lake, the Republic was not going to let a piece of paper stop it from defending itself. The official position of the Republican Foreign Office is that since the Republic of Ansdale is a sovereign power at war with the United States and has no treaty with Great Britain, she is not beholden to agreements signed by the former possessors of the land. As long as Great Britain remains neutral in the struggle, ironclads will move only toward United States owned shores, not toward Canada.

If the diplomatic double talk is accepted by Great Britain, General Anderson will have shortened his theatre of war considerably. Even with trains an invasion of the east is problematic, but access to the Great Lakes opens up effortless bombarding of Wisconsin, Michigan, Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. Since Texas opens up the east coast to attack, the Great Lakes will help the Republic keep the United States surrounded. Now, if they can only build ships fast enough.

Character Interview: Eye of The Lioness

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 16:39:00 +0000

Things change over time. Events happen. So maybe it is a good time to talk to a Character from time to time and see what is going on in their life. It's been over a year since I talked with Susan Bradford of Thames Electronics aka Lioness, aka Falcon. I thought I would see how things fare, so I set up an appointment for an interview.

So I was off to London. Susan had a need for speed, so we had sort of a working date, though I don't think her father can count on any wedding bells. She took her motorcycle an she let me drive the Jag XKR Red, by the way. Going over 100 mph on the wrong side of the road is quite a thrill.

We went back to her Penthouse Apartment for the interview. (Must be a security thing. I guess former cat burglars like to take the high ground). I was a little distracted, I admit. I was kind of hoping to have her change into something more casual but she chose to remain in her curve hugging leather catsuit/racing suit.

CG: Are you sure you wouldn't prefer to change into some more professional attire before our interview?

SB: I guess it all depends on your profession. Modesty shouldn't be an issue. I am covered from head to toe.

CG: And yet I can study every curve as easily as if I were looking at you naked. I'm sorry, did I say that out loud?

SB: You do know you're looking at an android?

CG: Yes, though I haven't noticed anything robotic about what I'm looking at. I think we should change the subject before your father asks me about my intentions toward you.

SB: Why should he? I am dressed from head to toe. I do get the same reaction from the Jihadis. Called me a common whore. Imagine, me, common.

CG: No comment. Are you comparing me with the Jihadis?

SB: Only slightly. The Jihadis say that a woman should not have any flesh exposed, and when I attempt to accommodate them by dressing from head to toe, albeit, as you say, in a curve hugging latex cat suit with high heel boots, they call me a common whore. Honestly, there is no pleasing some people.

CG: I think they would say while you are holding to the letter of the law, you are violating its spirit.

SB: What's the good of a law if there's no loophole?

CG: In the year since we talked, you seem to have opened up a bit more. How are things going with the Falcon Force?

SB: We are looking to fill a vacancy.

CG: Who died?

SB: Mongoose, or at least he will any day now. One of us will kill him.

CG: Sure, kill off the American.

SB: It's not just a European thing, though Red Bear constantly offers to "whack him" pro bono. Even White Fox hates him. Do you know how hard it is to p*** off a Canadian? If Mongoose were to suddenly meet his maker, I think Julie Morgan should join the team.

CG: The Generals assistant? Forgive me for sounding chauvinistic, but that would tip the balance of power on the team to the ladies.

SB: You've got a problem with that?

CG: Not in any eye candy fashion, but a three three tie does make for good symmetry. Besides the mongoose problem, how are things with the team.

SB: We get along pretty well. We have three Chameleons in Chameleon, White Fox and Red Bear. They can get us into about any situation. And Mongoose and Viper get us out. Once we are in is when I take over. I mean, Cat burglar and all. Plus my computer experience is pretty extensive.

CG: Plus you get all the toys.

SB: I love my toys. You know what they say about this job. It's like they say "Except for the people out trying to kill you, it's not just a job, it's an adventure."

CG: I don't remember the navy using that first line, but I get your point.

SB: Unfortunately the adventure doesn't include nightlife. Cairo, Tripoli, Benghazi. Not exactly night club central. Neither is Split. Oh, I'm in Hell. Falcon is going bloody crazy.

Sorry. That's one reason I come back to London, despite my father's matchmaking attempts.

CG: Maybe this isn't a great segue, but how is your relationship with the General?

SB: He has been more of a father to me than a boss. I shouldn't be surprised. I kind of owe my life to him. At least he hasn't tried to set me up on a blind date yet. No, despite the fact that he sends me out on missions where people are trying to kill me all is good. Why couldn't I get sent on a mission to Cannes once in a while?

CG: On that note, Miss Bradford, I shall end this interview. Thank you for the time, and the date.

The Grand Tour: Dakota

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

The Council of Territorial Governors began the second wave of secession activity in The West. Sixteen days passed between the end of the first wave, marked by the secession of Texas, and the beginning of the second, which occurred when Wyoming proclaimed itself an Independent Republic.

Most people at the time would have expected Dakota Territory to have led the way, after all, it was where it all started. If General Anderson had not been ordered to 'The Northern Parts of Nebraska", there would have been no Great Western Empire. Alaska got the privilege of getting things started, and that was its payment for years of neglect and abuse. The second wave went to Wyoming, and considering that the territory is home base for Quantrill's Raiders, deservedly so.

Dakota should not be taken lightly, however. Originally known as the northern parts of the Nebraska territory, it was, as previously stated, the area that Brigadier General John Lee Anderson was assigned to back in 1855. Fort Pierre was the site of the first settlement, and it was a good thing that they encountered the peaceful Ansdale's and not the war hungry Dakota, because Fort Pierre was totally unsuitable for defense. Fort Ansdale replaced the crumbling Fort Pierre three years later. The garrison remains the largest in the territory despite the establishment of Fort Abraham Lincoln further north in 1872.

Actually, it was the establishment of that fort that provided the initial spark for independence, especially with the War Department's choice of commander. George Armstrong Custer, 34, was everything General Anderson despised. The goat of the West Point Class of 1861, brash, reckless, and with an ego the size of the west itself, he rose to prominence in the Civil War and is convinced of his own immortality. Anderson, however, at the top of his class, a veteran of the Mexican War, the picture perfect officer and gentleman, has been rewarded with the actual control of the west, if only because Washington has turned its head. The two seem destined to clash.

At the time War breaks out, Dakota is governed by John Pennington. He is the first governor of the territory to actually live in it, and it has affected the territory for the better. That is not to say that he can't have moments of unpopularity. Politically speaking he is Conservative. Though the territory has been suffering from a Grasshopper infestation for several years, Governor Pennington refuses to ask for Federal relief, believing it will create a territory of beggars.

General Anderson never officially got his showdown with Custer. The Golden Boy met his demise at Little Big Horn. Ironically, like his Confederate counterpart JEB Stuart, the field where he died was also the field where he was first wounded in battle. The Custer Luck ran out.

Custer originally came to the Black Hills of Dakota in search of Gold. The territory is still awash in it, but it is black gold. Between natural gas and oil, the territory is an energy powerhouse. Things are a fracking success. Of course of all its customers, selling to the energy starved United States is the best revenge of all. Washington better hope the spigot stays on.

Jade Kerrion Book Tour

noreply@blogger.com (wencdj) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 16:00:00 +0000

Jade Kerrion's two newest novels, Earth-Sim and When the Silence Ends, are pulling in fantastic reviews. Please take a moment to check them out and take advantage of the book launch sale. Keep reading to find the coupon code!

EARTH-SIM

Amazon Rating: 4.8 Stars (13 reviews)</ strong>

"Earth-Sim starts off awesome and just keeps getting even better...Ms. Kerrion has done an amazing job with her world-building...This is one book that I will find myself rereading over and over - and one that I will encourage all of my friends to read."—Cara Drake, Amazon reviewer

Was the super-continent of Pangaea split because of a management dispute? Is the biblical flood the earliest evidence of why "technology and water don't mix"? If you always suspected that mass extinctions, such as the Black Death, had an otherworldly reason, you just might be right. Is there a real message hidden in the mysterious manuscripts that human sages and savants have created through the generations? Is there life out there, beyond our planet, and why has none of it shown up on Earth yet? Earth-Sim is a unique spin on the history of Earth and the history of mankind. What if Earth and the entire universe were actually part of a simulation program? What if the most iconic and memorable events in Earth's history were decisions (or more frequently accidents) triggered by two college students, Jem Moran and Kir Davos, who are still sorting out the finer points of working together and more importantly, still arguing over the finer points of planetary management? Bring your sense of humor. Earth-Sim is frequently whimsical and often irreverent. Either way, you finally have someone to blame for the state the world is in. E-books available at Amazon</ a>, Amazon UK, Apple</ a>, Barnes & Noble, Kobo, Smashwords Paperbacks available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository BOOK LAUNCH SALE (50% DISCOUNT):</ span> Grab a copy of Earth-Sim for only $1.50 at Smashwords with coupon code MS68F. Valid until April 15.

When the Silence Ends

Amazon Ratings: 4.6 Stars (9 reviews)</ strong>

“Wow! When the Silence Ends is captivating! I laughed, I cried, I could not put it down. Forget Harry Potter and Twilight…every young adult should read this book!”—KatRomeo, Amazon reviewer

When you choose your friends, you also choose your enemies.

Seventeen-year old Dee wants nothing more than to help her twin brother, Dum, break free from the trauma in their childhood and speak again, but the only person who can help Dum is the alpha empath, Danyael Sabre, whom the U.S. government considers a terrorist and traitor.

The search for Danyael will lead Dee and Dum from the sheltered protection of the Mutant Affairs Council and into the violent, gang-controlled heart of Anacostia. Ensnared by Danyael’s complicated network of friends and enemies, Dee makes her stand in a political and social war that she is ill equipped to fight. What can one human, armed only with her wits and pepper spray, do against the super-powered mutants who dominate the Genetic Revolution? America, nevertheless, is ripe for transformation. Exhausted by decades of belligerence between humans and their genetic derivatives--the clones, in vitros, and mutants--society is on the verge of falling apart or growing up. Dee, with her sassy attitude and smart mouth, is the unwitting pebble that starts the avalanche of change. In her quest to help her brother become normal, Dee will finally learn what it means to be extraordinary. When the Silence Ends is a Young Adult novel in the award-winning Double Helix series. E-books available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Smashwords Paperbacks available at Amazon, Amazon UK, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository BOOK LAUNCH SALE (50% DISCOUNT):</ span> Grab a copy of When the Silence Ends for only $1.50 at Smashwords with coupon code FL93Y. Valid until April 15.