Category: weekend warrior

Swords in Space #werwriwar #SF

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

I was getting a bit stuck with Regency fiction, and decided to try hard SF. Swords and spaceships, no rayguns (yet), but plenty of action and as long as I’m logically consistent I don’t have to worry about historical accuracy (which is problematic as even the authorities disagree about what it was really like).

It seems to be working, the words are (so far) flying off my fingers and into the book.

In any case, here’s the start – a new midshipman is having her first session of weapons training on her first ship. Her instructor is not exactly impressed.

Terry knew he was right, most of her class manned in-system freighters, glorified traffic cops, “I nearly got you.”

“In your dreams, lass; I was going easy; didn’t even break a sweat.”

Terry focused on her tormentor, “You’re right.”

“Spacer born, fleet trained;” The man beamed at her, “I’m used to low-G, you’re not … yet; the sweat doesn’t evaporate, no convection.”

“Oh, but I was … top of my class with the saber.”

The man laughed, “On Terra you’d spit me, but it’s different swinging a 10kg piece of metal when you weigh nothing.”

“55Kilo – all muscle and bone.”

“Nothing when there’s no gravity lass; It’s different.”

“But?”

“I know you can use a projectile weapon and hit a gnat at a half-click; can’t use them inside a ship.”

Radiation is one of the very real problems with space flight. Earth’s magnetic field keeps most of it from reaching us, but outside of that protective shield – say on the Moon or a trip to Mars – it puts a definite limit on human endurance.

In the story I’ve added a drug cocktail called ‘the juice’ that slows metabolism (for time) which incidentally turns off the sex drive, and protects the people from the effects of radiation. One of the characters remarks (later) that 400REM (the LD50) will barely give you a suntan. Of course, when they come ‘off the juice’ things can get interesting.

One thing I’ve not seen in other SF is what happens when a large mostly metallic object encounters charged particles while it’s moving at high speed – as would happen when coming out of a jump (Again one needs to invoke some sort of hyperspace to have anything like real time. Otherwise it’s ‘500 years later …’.) Bremsstrahlung or ‘braking’ radiation are the photons emitted when you stop a moving photon or when you slam into one at high speed. It’s how your dentist produces X-rays in that little box that the tech positions outside your mouth. It’s also somewhat dear to me as in a previous existence I used highly filtered X-rays (from copper) to probe molecular structure.

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my work here.

Sword and Spaceship.

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

I was getting a bit stuck with Regency fiction, and decided to try hard SF. Swords and spaceships, no rayguns (yet), but plenty of action and as long as I’m logically consistent I don’t have to worry about historical accuracy (which is problematic as even the authorities disagree about what it was really like).

It seems to be working, the words are (so far) flying off my fingers and into the book.

In any case, here’s the start – a new midshipman is having her first session of weapons training on her first ship. Her instructor is not exactly impressed.

The chief put his lips to her forehead, “Damn-me, you’re still hot lass;” He stepped back and spritzed her with ice water, “Can’t have a Middy dropping dead from heatstroke; not on her first day of training.”

The sweat streaming from her, Terry said, “I don’t get it; why the practice.”

“You did your training on Terra, didn’t thee?”

“Yes, Annapolis, then Colorado Springs; you know that.”

“Thought so; bloody ground pounder.”

“I can put you on report.”

“Not your training chief, you can’t;” This time the older man put the back of his hand on her forehead, “You’re getting better,” He sprayed her again, “Now that the gravity’s back.”

Terry stood and tried to stare the old man down; he laughed, “You’re not the first I’ve trained. Now sit, and that’s an order.”

“But… I excelled in weapons in the Academy, that and.”

“Lass,” the chief drew a deep breath; “If you hadn’t been top of your class, you would’na have been posted to the Serapis; no ground pounder would have.”

There is a reason she’s having to learn to use a sword well in zero gravity, but that will have to wait for another installment.

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my work here.

Decoding Amanda, Symmetry

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived. Mr Jameson just asked Amanda to dance, despite her interest in a mathematics problem. The set over, Amanda wants to return to her usual pursuits when her mother stops her. Amanda has just said a biting remark about the mysterious Mr Jameson, and her friend Louisa wonders why she is so sour. After the break for refreshments, the story resumes on the dance floor, where Amanda has agreed to another dance with Mr Jameson.

“Tell me, Miss Bentley about those figures; are you a devotee of the cossack art?”
“Until Mother took my copy of Hutton, I was,” Amanda paused, swept away by the figure; shen she returned to speaking distance, she continued, “I was working on symmetric polynomials, not that I’d expect a divinity student to … “
“Interesting area, I feel there is some deep structure there, but…”
“You know about them?”
“Surprised; I wasn’t always … studying for orders; before I received my calling.”
“You were a mathematician?”
“The way to perdition is paved … with equations, determinants and integrals.”
Amanda guffawed; then she blushed as heads turned to her, “No it isn’t and you know it.”
“That’s true, and I retain some interest in the field.”

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons. (The cossack art was the study of ‘x’s’ and ‘y’s’ i.e. Algebra.)

There are a couple of non-obvious links to my day job in this snippet. The most interesting is the idea of “Symmetric Polynomials.” The study of these led a certain Evariste Galois to develop group theory of polynomials in the late 1820’s. He wrote a formidable exposition on the theory the night of May 30th 1832 and promptly was shot in a duel in the morning of the 31st.

Galois theory forms the basis for much of modern communications and cryptography. The error correcting codes that allow us to pump gigabits of information through grotty fibre lines or watch DVDs come from his work. As does the mixing step in Rijndael or AES.

The idea itself is strikingly simple, albeit rather tricky to construct in practice. Prime numbers form simple rings or groups that are closed under multiplication and addition in modular (clock arithmetic). For example, if we keep multiplying by 3 mod 7 we have 1,3, 2 (9 mod 7), 6, 4 (18 mod 7), 5 (12 mod 7), and 1 (15 mod 7). It repeats forever after that and every number from 1 to 6 is a power of three mod 7. Therefor 3 is a generator in the ring mod 7. Cool (at least I think it’s cool). Most of the ways we exchange secret keys on the internet use this math, but with rather larger prime rings (where the primes requires 2000 bits or so).

Galois asked the rather simple question, “what happens if we use polynomials instead of numbers?”

This leads to the idea of irreducible polynomials and polynomial rings. Unfortunately the theory is too large to fit in the margins of this post.

The featured image shows a working modern reconstruction of a Turing “bombe” from Bletchley Park.

This snippet continues formal connection to the previous book in the series (the art of deception). Mrs Hudson’s academy doesn’t just teach deportment and other social skills.

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my, well our, works here.

Decoding Amanda, more gyrations.

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived. Mr Jameson just asked Amanda to dance, despite her interest in a mathematics problem. The set over, Amanda wants to return to her usual pursuits when her mother stops her. Amanda has just said a biting remark about the mysterious Mr Jameson, and her friend Louisa wonders why she is so sour.

Amanda asked him, “What college are you with?”
“New college, why?”
“That’s where my Freddy is,” Louisa almost shouted; she added, quietly, “Though he’s not quite my Freddy.”
Amanda noticed her father, bludgeoning his way through the crowd to join her.
Once he arrived within hailing reach, he said, “There you are lass; I thought you’d enjoy the evening, despite those megrims.”
Amanda said, “Yes, you are right, as usual,” She paused, unsure of precedence, and then introduced her companions, “Louisa you know. This is Mr Jameson.”
“I saw you dancing with my lass; hope she didn’t disappoint, she gets so little practice.”
Mr Jameson nodded to him, “It was my pleasure.”
Amanda continued, “and this is Miss Mapleton – Are you with Mrs Hudson’s academy as well?”
Alice replied, “I’m a governess there.”

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.

We had the power go out last night in Atlanta’s “Snowmaggedon II – the blizzard strikes back.”  No big deal in itself – this time the roads didn’t freeze so people weren’t stuck – and it’s already back on.  It was a decidedly cold and dark evening, although not more than a one dog night.

It raises the question, “How did you keep clean, when like most people, you couldn’t have a hot bath or shower?”

The answer turns out to be a mixture of techniques. One, quite obviously, is to use a cold wet cloth to wash the “pits and smelly bits.” That works, but isn’t actually how people usually cleaned themselves – or at least the rest of themselves. Dry linen cloths are surprisingly good at absorbing oils and grime. Through the end of the Victorian time – when geysers (a temperamental point source of hot water that used gas) and soap  were introduced (or in the case of soap re-introduced, Boudica and her merry gang of blue woaded Briton’s used it) – people dry-toweled themselves with scraps of linen.  I haven’t tried this, but have it on good authority that it works.

Hair, however, is a different story. A regency gentleman’s father had it easy – shave his head and wear a wig. By the early 1800’s this wasn’t an option for men, and it had never really been one for women. Hair powder and brushing served the needs. Somewhat imperfectly. You would dust your hair with an absorbent powder and brush it out.  The iniquitous tax on hair powder to help pay for the war may have lead to a change in style – moving from powdered and massive constructions to more natural looks, but the basic techniques survived until late in the 1800’s. There is a reason Regency Heroines spend so much time having their maids brush their hair.  Shampoo is much faster.

Of course, if these fail, there’s always perfume.

In fairness, I should point out that soap and soap-like compositions were highly caustic until the later years of Queen Victoria (1870’s). They’d have eaten your skin and dissolved your hair much like drain cleaner does today. So there’s a reason that soap wasn’t used for cleaning people.

This snippet continues formal connection to the previous book in the series (the art of deception).  Mrs Hudson’s academy doesn’t just teach deportment and other social skills.

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my, well our, works here.

Decoding Amanda Continued.

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived. Mr Jameson just asked Amanda to dance, despite her interest in a mathematics problem. The set over, Amanda wants to return to her usual pursuits when her mother stops her. Amanda has just said a biting remark about the mysterious Mr Jameson, and her friend Louisa wonders why she is so sour.

Beyond them, the orchestra struck the final chords of the dance; Amanda nodded to Louisa, “Time to join the throng for refreshments.”

“What a crush.”

Mr Jameson slipped in beside them, “It is; Do you mind if we join you in the queue?”

Despite her professed bad temper, Amanda found herself smiling, “Please … Mr Jameson, this is my dear friend Louisa Phillips.”

Mr Jameson bowed, slightly, exactly the correct amount that manners required, “Enchanted Miss Phillips;” he gestured to the woman he had been dancing with, “May I present Alice … Alice.”

The woman said, “Alice Mapleton, Miss Mapleton.”

Amanda said to Mr Jameson, “My friend, Miss Phillips tells me that you’re the chaplain at Mrs Hudson’s academy and on leave from Oxford.”

After glancing quickly at Miss Mapleton, Mr Jameson replied, “News travels quickly in these parts, doesn’t it? Yes, I’m on leave from Oxford and acting as chaplain at that august institution.”

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.

The Chinese reportedly have a curse, “May you live in exciting times.” I’m not sure if that’s true, but the last months have been interesting to say the least. Any road, I’m back.

This snippet introduces the first formal connection to the previous book in the series (the art of deception). While I doubt they had academies for female spies, the British were remarkably organized during the Napoleonic wars. I can heartily recommend Roger Knight’s “Britain against Napoleon” if you’re interested in the real story. Much of the jobbery, nepotism, and blatant incompetence that allowed us Yanks to achieve our independence went by the wayside during this existential struggle. Not all, the army was crippled by cronyism until near the end of the war. It lead to various unrealistic – and costly – expeditions such as the invasion of Holland (the Walcheren expedition in 1809 is a great example).

 

 

 

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my, well our, works here.

Decoding Amanda, the story formerly known as the Divinity School.

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived. Mr Jameson just asked Amanda to dance, despite her interest in a mathematics problem. The set over, Amanda wants to return to her usual pursuits when her mother stops her. Amanda has just said a biting remark about the mysterious Mr Jameson.

“That is unkind of you.”

Amanda blinked, and watched the figures on the floor; then she replied, “Yes … You’re right; I shouldn’t have said that Louisa – I don’t know why I’m in such a way.”

Louisa frowned, “It’s all those books … you used to be so sweet.”

“Was I? I apologize Louisa; my mother took the book I was reading … it was a present from Freddy.”

Louisa brightened at the name, “Freddy; how is he?”

“Well, I suppose; he hasn’t been sent down from Oxford … yet.”

“He won’t be … I hope,” Louisa blushed.

Amanda sighed, “He didn’t mention any females in his last letter.” How could he … Mother reads them first.

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.

 

Amanda’s mother reading her letters is nothing out of the ordinary – the same thing happens to the heroines in Jane Austen’s books (the end of Northanger Abbey excepted).

Not much history this time. I’ve had a bit of a family emergency which is settling into a more routine situation.

 

 

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my, well our, works here.

The Divinity School 7(?)

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived. Mr Jameson just asked Amanda to dance, despite her interest in a mathematics problem. The set over, Amanda wants to return to her usual pursuits when her mother stops her.

Amanda reached for her reticule; to retrieve her notes, when her mother snapped, “Leave that; we should be sociable; you may play with your figures some other time.”

“I don’t know anyone.”

“Surely you do,” Mrs Bentley waved to another woman with her daughter, “You can’t have forgotten Louisa.”

“More hair than wit,” Amanda muttered under her breath.

“Don’t be so snobby, you know that’s not true; she’s a delightful chit and you used to be such friends; come,” Mrs Bentley took her daughter’s hand and dragged her around the outside of the room.

Louisa bounced as she said to Amanda, “I saw you dancing with that handsome Mr Jameson; did you know he’s the chaplain at Mrs Hudson’s academy?”

Amanda said, “A chaplain?”

“Yes,” Louisa bounced, “He is a divinity student … Oxford I think … on leave from exhaustion.”

“Exhaustion; from what – too many compline services?”

 

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.

My coauthor received a hint that our titles are not quite right for the genre. (Thank you for it. There’s nothing like a Friday deadline and a hurricane to put one behind.)

Though not full of hot Gypsy lust, this is a romance.  Albeit one with spies, secrets, and the occasional murder. You wouldn’t know it from the title – which sounds like a theological treatise. (As will eventually be revealed ‘the Divinity School’ is the cover name for a code-breaking establishment.)

So we were wondering about other titles. Such as:

Amanda Breaks the Code (sounds too Hardy-Girlish)

Decrypted Secrets.

Secrets Revealed.

I think we have a great deal of work to do. None of these are much better.

 

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my, well our, works here.

The Divinity School 6

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived. Mr Jameson just asked Amanda to dance, despite her interest in a mathematics problem.

“Yes, but I’m not skilled.”

“Then let me be your tutor.”

Amanda joined him in the line on the floor; the orchestra played the opening chords of a country-dance and the crowd began to move through the figures.

After a few moments Mr Jameson said, “It is customary to converse during the dance.”

“I’m counting my steps,” Amanda watched her feet on the floor.

When they reached a pause in the figure, he said, “Look at me while you dance.”

Amanda looked up and he smiled at her; he continued, “It’s easier if you watch your partner.”

It was their turn to move, circling around another couple; Amanda relaxed with the practice; she said to Mr Jameson, “I should dance more often.”

“Yes … you should, with me.”

“Not two sets in a row; I’m not fast.”

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.

The featured image shows dancing at Almack’s. Actually it shows Beau Brummel giving his critical opinion about the dancing.  Something tells me he was not amused.

Despite Mr Darcy’s comments to the contrary, dancing was a critical social skill.  Amanda, living on the outskirts of the polite world, is doing her best to stay in step. At least she’s aware that dancing with the same man too often would have consequences.

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my, well our, works here.

The Divinity School 5

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived.

The young man, who stood next to her father, said, “I should like the honour of the next dance, if I may?”

Amanda blushed, “Yes,” She rose to curtsey to him; her notes lying, unbidden on the table.

Mr Jameson glanced at them; then he reached over and folded them, neatly, and gave them to her, “Don’t forget your work.”

Amanda curtseyed and blushed again, “Thank you,” she took the paper and replaced it in her reticule.

He said, “It looked important.”

“Just some scratchings – a problem from Dr Hutton’s book.”

“His course in mathematics? I’ve been told it’s an excellent work.”

The orchestra reached the end of the 2/3; the final chords echoed through the room and interrupted Amanda’s reply; a pause in the music preceded the introduction of the next set.

Mr Jameson inclined his head, “Would you care to dance?”

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.

There’s a revolution in transportation that is underway during the time frame of this story. Canals would connect large parts of the UK withing ten-fifteen years.  The Kennett and Avon Canal was finished in 1810. The featured image shows the canal in Bath. Jane Austen would have been familiar with it, although it was a rough place in her time.

This bridge, in the middle of farmland, and almost literally in the middle of nowhere shows Regency decorations. It feels as if it were Mr Darcy’s moonshot, and in some what that’s true.


This lock, in Bradford on Avon, would have been there while Amanda worked on her math problems.

As would this, the Avoncliff Aqueduct. It’s next to the Cross Guns which is an elegant pub – though that doesn’t stop the chavs from decorating the path with technicolour yawns (I know that’s Australian).

The last locks to be finished, in 1810, were the Devizes steps. They make for an exhausting day, even with modern canal boats.

If you’re a yank and want to try a canal trip, the trick is to go directly to the UK sites. The US ones tend to double the price.

I’ve put up a couple of things on instafreebie. The first is a short story, To Court a Dragon.

The second is the start of a science fiction story in the same universe as Cynthia the Invincible, but set in 1893 Dartmoor, The Curious Case of Miss James. It’s available on Amazon.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

You can find my, well our, works here.

The Divinity School 4

wewriwa
Welcome to weekend writing warriors. Many fine authors, and me, contribute short snippets for your delectation.

Since it seems that our Regency spy romance is much more popular than our science fiction, this post introduces the sequel to The Art of Deception. Amanda’s reading was interrupted by a summons to attend on her mother. Amanda’s mother made it clear that she must attend the assembly. After a short carriage journey, it only being six or so miles between Coalpit Heath and Chipping Sodbury, they have arrived.

The carriage’s arrival in front of the hall interrupted Mrs Bentley’s cutting reply; a servant, dressed something like a footman, opened the door; he offered an arm and at her mother’s urging, Amanda descended; not gracefully, as her mother would remind her in a few moments, but nonetheless without tripping.

She waited for her mother and father before entering the hall.

It looked entrancing, an orchestra scratching out a dance, and – far more important – an excess of young men.

That did not last long; a veritable flock of young ladies, chattering among themselves came through the door behind them.

The excess of gentlemen vanished in an instant; Amanda sighed, found a seat at the side of the room, and pulled a small sheet of paper from her reticule –  You can take the book from the mathematician, but not the mathematics – she started writing out a problem in symmetric polynomials, at least what she could remember of it.

Her father interrupted her a few minutes later, “Amanda, dear.”

“What is it, now?” She did not look up.

“May I present Mr Jameson?”

Amanda’s attention snapped away from the paper, and she managed to squeak out, “Delighted.”

My sincere apologies for abusing semi-colons.

Coalpit Heath is a real place on the outside of Frampton. Most of it is rather nice, unlike this farmhouse next to the tracks.


It’s literally on the wrong side of the tracks.

I don’t have a good picture of the remains of the coal works from the early 19th century because we were always either in a hurry to get walking or it was too dark by the time we returned. They and numerous pit mines supplied the fuel for the iron works at Iron Acton. The villages remain, but little sign of the industry is visible.

Google maps shows the site, if you happen to be in the area.

The Art of Deception, first in a series of late Georgian/early Regency spy novels is now up.. You can get the first part here.

Illegal aliens is up for order on Amazon. In the end, the way to fix my mistakes was to issue a new edition. I still used kindle create but in a more native way to produce a “reflowable” book.

You can get a copy of the first four chapters on instafreebie.

You can find my, well our, works here.