Blog Entry 87

Updates on the process, and obstructions facing DP Tolan, author of The Tessera Trilogy.

TNO, a novel planned as a sequel to the Tessera trilogy, is now on permanent hold. The reasons are manifold, too much to do on Sooley Base and Kashan Kashmeeri, and projects which linger in the yard and home. A trip waits to see my oldest brother in RI, and to continue on to Maine for a fiftieth High School reunion. In the fall a visit to Texas to see family also is on the

So, will DP Tolan achieve the deadline of completion of Sooley Base – hopefully! Will the price of Golden Gate remain stable – YES!  Are copies of Golden Gate still available at Barnes and Noble, Amazon.com – YES!

Progress on Sooley Base continues, with the novels’ characters being developed, interactions explored between competing organizations and nations, and the author’s recent near-death experiences incorporated into the storyline. Keep your fingers crossed and become a follower of this blog, and read Golden Gate.

Here, to the thrill of my many readers, is another segment from Golden Gate, the first novel of The Tessera Trilogy.

The plan was to secretly ship some of America’s most radioactive waste to Saudi Arabia, and bury it in the desert. “Tooley, the plan seems sound, but such things are rarely as simple as they seem. Can the Saudis keep a secret, the genie in the bottle? Failure not an option I think. Is this too hot to handle?”

This burial scheme seemed straightforward, but its scope and audacity alone took their breath away. Tooley felt and showed unease, but smiled with a questioning look - “What are they going to do to me if we fail, send me back to Viet Nam?”

Hung flinched … “Well, maybe not you, but almost certainly me!”

Blog Entry 86

In the grand scheme of things fragging utterly ruins someone’s day. A new tragedy among US forces in Nam, it occurred when a soldier, pissed off at being needlessly endangered by his NCOs or Officers or often under investigation for crimes, rolled a frag grenade into that NCO or officers’ quarters. The result was usually an untraceable death; grenades leave no fingerprints.

“Damn, what did that slope say?” Yuri looked down, under his desk. There it was, a grenade, at his feet. He screamed. Oh shit! and started to get up. 

Blog entry 85

I’m back at home, after about two weeks giving a huge number of docs and nurses some memorable learning experiences. Glad that it is over – I can still hear the docs laughing in the hall outside my room.

It necessarily interrupted any writing, but was an experience. I can even say I was researching medical protocols for my second and fourth novels. One doc I intend to put in one of the books said – “make me taller.” I’ll humor him, as he plans to buy my first book, as he just bought a Nook.

I can say I didn’t go into the light, but only just barely. I went to see my PCM for an appt for numerous bad symptoms; she’s a general practice doc. I literally collapsed in her office, with vitals going in alarming directions as I turned blue, shivered and collapsed. They carted me off to the ER, and somehow decided I was worth saving. I wish I had a video of my collapse in her office; it would go viral on You Tube. Did I just say that? I must be feeling better. I can’t wait to see how she treats me the next time I go to see her. She’ll probably have a flak jacket on and refer me to counseling. Feeling better, looking forward to life, more away of what goes on in hospitals.

Perhaps the experience will let me save one of my main characters. Keep your fingers crossed.