Train Wreck Completed

If you were following this blog during last April’s A to Z Challenge, you will remember that I was attempting to finish a novel, and although I didn’t succeed in that goal, it nevertheless gave me a huge impetus and ten months later, the job is done. The cover, above, I made using photoshop and 3D AutoCAD, and it shows the climactic action at the end of the book, taking place at the LaGrange point where everything hangs in the balance.

‘Train Wreck’ is science fiction, but like much sci-fi, it is really about human beings and in this case, it sets out to explore the Utopian dream through the lens of a sci-fi setting, framed as a mystery/thriller…

Some of you were good enough to leave very helpful comments last April, and should you wish to receive a pdf of the finished book, then please let me know how I can send you a file. I would truly value feedback at this stage as I contemplate how much editing is required – where to expand, trim or omit…

If you don’t want (sensibly) to share your real email address, then here is a place to get a temporary email address

Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award

Thank you Jamie of uniquely maladjusted but fun for this nomination – I “met” Jamie through the 2021 A2Z Challenge this year where she wrote an intriguing story in instalments following a double date with a twist at the end – give it a whirl… Challenging questions Jamie!

https://uniquelymaladjustedbutfun.blogspot.com/

Rules for the Award

  • 1. Thank the person who has nominated you and provide a link back to their blog.
  • 2. Answer their questions.
  • 3. Nominate up to 9 other bloggers and ask them 5 new questions.
  • 4. Notify the nominees through their blog by visiting and commenting on their blog.
  • 5. List the rules and display the “Ideal Inspiration Blogger Award” logo.

Jamie’s Questions…

  • 1. If an employee under extreme stress says (verbally or written) something that is construed as insensitive to a group of people (age, gender, religion, orientation, etc), should that employee be terminated/ not have their contract renewed, or should they be given one more chance if they agree to some sort of approved sensitivity training reeducation program? 
    • There are two issues to be addressed here – “If an employee (were) under extreme stress…” such that it is implicated in anti-social behaviour, then the nature of that stress needs to be examined and if it is in the remit or ability of the employer to ameliorate that stress then that should be done anyways. As for the insenstive comments, then certainly a second chance should be given but surely subject to that person satifactorily undertaking ” approved sensitivity training reeducation program”. It’s not just a “give a second chance” principle but with the exception of a few gross misdemeanors, employment rights – certainly here in the UK – mean there are a whole progression of warnings which have to be applied before you can fire someone.
  • 2. At what age is it no longer appropriate to Trick-or-Treat for yourself? (Meaning exceptions are in place if accompanying a younger child, such as taking a younger sibling ToT so parents can stay at the house and give out candy.)
    • I think that the age at which children stop believing in Father Christmas should be the guide here! After that you only get to Trick or Treat when you have children of your own (below the age of Santa disbelief) then again when you become a Grandparent you get another bite of the cherry. Stealing other people’s children (Kidnapping – Ho! Ho! Ho!) to go Trick or Treating is not to be recommended!
  •  
  • 3. Would you support or oppose a mandate that 75% of the human population be required to be vaccinated against Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2 including variants and mutations)? Would your answer change if this mandate were global, your country only, or your local area only? Is there a number or percent of deaths that would influence your support or opposition of such as mandate?
    • I would consider myself to be Libertarian, but the thing which which many objectors to vaccination (and certainly mandatory vaccination) forget, is that Libertarian means you should be allowed to do whatever you want but only if it doesn’t hurt other people! If we didn’t have vaccinations, we would still have Smallpox. The anti-vaxxers have been responsible for an unwelcome return of measles and mumps – diseases which some doctors had never encountered, so successful had immunisation become and these are serious diseases for pregnant women and for causing infertility respectively. I blame Trump and the unrestrained spreading of misinformation on social media, but I also think we have missed an opportunity during Covid, to spread some positive social behaviour. In China and Japan, wearing a mask whenever you have the “Common” Cold (which can be another form of coronavirus) – is quite normal behaviour so that you don’t spread it to your fellow human beings – that’s just the kind of societies they are! People who think they haven’t got Covid 19 don’t know – that is the whole reason why it has inevitably become a pandemic – and wearing a mask to protect others (and hoping they do the same) is at one end of the scale and at the other is an even better example of the “selfish” benfits of altruism. The UK government crows about how successful it’s vaccination programme has been, but until they, and all the other first world countries make sure the whole world is vaccinated, then variants will multiply and we shall never be free of the disease. So I am happy to have 100% mandatory vaccination but few governments will go there let alone the right wing idiots who tout it as an issue of right-to-choose…
  • 4. Should celebrities be given exceptions to laws, rules, and terms of service? If so, how famous does one have to be to get that exception?
    • Get away! If anything – celebrities should be held to a higher standard of account since what they do influences lots of other people so – its tough love, or just say no to being made into a celebrity…
  • 5. What is your favorite recipe to use with leftover cooked turkey? Or, what is your favorite summer pasta salad recipe?
    • I love to make a good stock from the carcass and then make a Christmas Dinner Soup with all the tiny bits of tukey but also leftover potatoes, gravy, sprouts, stuffing – Yayyy!!! 

Nominations

All of my nominees commented on my blog during the April A to Z Challenge 2021. So in no particular order and many nationalities…

  1. Tamara – https://thethreegerbers.blogspot.com/
  2. Anne M Bray – https://www.anne-m-bray.com/blog
  3. Sara Zama – https://theoldshelter.com/
  4. Frédérique – https://quiltingpatch.blogspot.com/
  5. Zalka Csenge Virág – http://multicoloreddiary.blogspot.com/
  6. Sharon E. Cathcart – https://sharonecathcart.wordpress.com/
  7. Pooja Priyamvada – Second Thoughts First

My five questions to my nominees:

  1. Have you ever met anyone online (blogs, dating sites – whatever) and then taken it from the virtual to the “Real” World and what happened?
  2. If you could meet anyone – Historical or Present Day – who would it be and why?
  3. Who would you want as a Creative Writing Coach?
  4. What is the Blog Post of which you were most proud but which got less of a response than you hoped – (please link to the post)?
  5. Do you agree with the idea that we make a choice as to how we are going to die at quite an early age and do you think that choice influences whether that death will come to pass oh, and if you have made such a choice – care to share?

PLEASE let me know if you make a post with your answers! I don’t want to miss reading it.

Roadtrip 4 AtoZ 2021 Challenge

A trip round some of the blogs I didn’t manage to visit during the Challenge in April!

Farida at Chapters From my Life, writes about her struggle with cancer. But she also writes poems, campaigns against child abuse and about her own family. Her reflections will resonate not just with others who are struggling with the big C, but the thoughts will inspire anyone who is struggling with Life in general. This will not be everyone’s idea of a blog they want to read, but blogging is a broad church and you never know the day when you will be struck down by something, and if you are, having bookmarked this blog might be the best thing you do today…

Big Wheel…

Lisa – Musings of a Middle-Aged Mom writes about American Recipes and I know not whether you would call these “Classic” American Recipes or not but I can tell you – if you want an insight into the nature and flavours of American cooking – Lisa fits the bill. The link I have made, is to W is for Wheel – Big Wheel and big is the word – a compound sandwich made from a whole loaf of bread and baked in the oven (pictured at right).

Another recipe leaves me pondering ingredients such as Oyster Crackers, Cheez-its, Goldfish Crackers and Hidden Valley Dry Ranch Mix – it’s another language! But Lisa will be your guide if you step her way…










Beth at Through my Looking Glass reflects (see what I did there) on what she has learned from participating in the 2021 challenge – and has come to the conclusion that its the photographs rather than the travels that should have been her theme. The selection provided in her reflections piece are just that – pictures of reflections and they show a definite style. Now I know photography, like all art, is subject to personal taste but I have seen blogs with very poor photographs and these are quite the opposite!

Beth also writes a Dog Blog…

Road Trip 3 A2Z 2021 Challenge…

A trip round some of the blogs I didn’t manage to visit during the Challenge in April!

Janet’s Smiles – subtitle Life is One Big Adventure, made San Francisco and some of its more favourite landmarks. It is great when someone who lives in or near an iconic city acknowledges that they haven’t seen it all as they might and sets out to rectify it! And Janet takes us around a city we all know bits of from the many films that have been made here – in fact, I sometimes wonder whether a trip to America might not find one constantly beset by deja vu… Anyway, Janet gives us an entertaining and well-illustrated account of her journey!

HSD (Home School Dad) gives us in the post I dipped into, a post about Racial Recognition through the stories (and picture) of Branch Rickey, Jackie Robinson and Rosa Parks. A great way to imbibe history…

The eponymous Cathy of Curious as a Cathy was someone I got hooked on during the 2020 Challenge and although she has popped up in my inbox all year, I didn’t manage to visit her this year when she chose Looney Tunes characters to reproduce in her own inimitable style. As well as her pictures, Cathy writes a lot – taking up various challenges…

Road Trip 2 A2Z Challenge 2021…

A mini review of some of the blogs I didn’t manage to visit during the April month of the A2z Challenge…

Sue’s Trifles gives me a problem -as a Humanist who is atheist, I am not usually interested in sites that base their theme around issues pertaining to belief in God but fortunately, Sue has included links to all the years she has participated and whilst 2021’s theme is about Words of Biblical Significance, in previous years she has written about Musical Instruments, Jobs, Physical Space and Rhyme whilst for those of a religious persuasion, Sue has also covered Names of God and the Bible. So plenty for everyone…

In Content Creative by C.E. Flores, the theme this year was Women Writers many of whom were helped by the blog’s author, to promote their books. C.E. Flores gives very good advice on self-publishing and how to then promote your work. This was of particular interest to me as my challenge – unsuccessful – was to finish a book that may well end up going down that route, so I will definitely be back…

This, That and the Other is the kind of site I love and you had me at the title! The pseudonymous author Fandango is a prolific blogger as the email links in my inbox will attest, there are serious posts, flash- fiction and various challenges besides the A2Z. A septuagenarian, self-confessedly cantankerous at times, the main point is that the writing is cogent and entertaining – I thoroughly recommend…

Are you on the Road Trip – what gems have you found?