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In a word: Incline

When you first think of this word, it is with a slippery slope in mind.

I’ve been on a few of those in my time.

And while we’re on the subject, those inclines measured in degrees are very important if you want a train to get up and down the side of a mountain.

For the train, that’s an incline plane, the point where traction alone won’t get the iron horse up the hill.

Did I say ‘Iron Horse’?  Sorry, regressed there, back to the mid-1800s in the American West for a moment.

It’s not that important when it comes to trucks and cars, and less so if you like four-wheel driving; getting up near-vertical mountainsides often present a welcome challenge to the true enthusiast

But for the rest of us, not so much if you find yourself sliding in reverse uncontrollably into the bay.  I’m sure it’s happened more than once.

Then…

Are you inclined to go?

A very different sort of incline, ie to be disposed towards an attitude or desire.

An inclination, maybe, not to go four-wheel driving?

There is another, probably more obscure use of the word incline, and that relates to an elevated geological formation.  Not the sort of reference that crops up in everyday conversation at the coffee shop.

But, you never know.  Try it next time you have coffee and see what happens.

Featured

Writing about writing a book – Day 2

Hang about.  Didn’t I read somewhere you need to plan your novel, create an outline setting the plot points, and flesh out the characters?

I’m sure it didn’t say, sit down and start writing!

Time to find a writing pad, and put my thinking cap on.

I make a list, what’s the story going to be about? Who’s going to be in it, at least at the start?

Like a newspaper story, I need a who, what, when, where, and how.

Right now.

 

I pick up the pen.

 

Character number one:

Computer nerd, ok, that’s a little close to the bone, a computer manager who is trying to be everything at once, and failing.  Still me, but with a twist.  Now, add a little mystery to him, and give him a secret, one that will only be revealed after a specific set of circumstance.  Yes, I like that.

We’ll call him Bill, ex-regular army, a badly injured and repatriated soldier who was sent to fight a war in Vietnam, the result of which had made him, at times, unfit to live with.

He had a wife, which brings us to,

Character number two:

Ellen, Bill’s ex-wife, an army brat and a General’s daughter, and the result of one of those romances that met disapproval for so many reasons.  It worked until Bill came back from the war, and from there it slowly disintegrated.  There are two daughters, both by the time the novel begins, old enough to understand the ramifications of a divorce.

Character number three:

The man who is Bill’s immediate superior, the Services Department manager, a rather officious man who blindly follows orders, a man who takes pleasure in making others feel small and insignificant, and worst of all, takes the credit where none is due.

Oops, too much, that is my old boss.  He’ll know immediately I’m parodying him.  Tone it down, just a little, but more or less that’s him.  Last name Benton.  He will play a small role in the story.

Character number four:

Jennifer, the IT Department’s assistant manager, a woman who arrives in a shroud of mystery, and then, in time, to provide Bill with a shoulder to cry on when he and Ellen finally split, and perhaps something else later on.

More on her later as the story unfolds.

So far so good.

What’s the plot?

Huge corporation plotting to take over the world using computers?  No, that’s been done to death.

Huge corporation, OK, let’s stop blaming the corporate world for everything wrong in the world.  Corporations are not bad people, people are the bad people.  That’s a rip off cliché, from guns don’t kill people, people kill people!  There will be guns, and there will be dead people.

There will be people hiding behind a huge corporation, using a part of their computer network to move billions of illegally gained money around.  That’s better.

Now, having got that, our ‘hero’ has to ‘discover’ this network, and the people behind it.

All we need now is to set the ball rolling, a single event that ‘throws a cat among the pigeons’.

Yes, Bill is on holidays, a welcome relief from the problems of work.  He dreams of what he’s going to do for the next two weeks.  The phone rings.  Benton calling, the world is coming to an end, the network is down.  He’s needed.  A few terse words, but he relents.

Pen in hand I begin to write.

 

© Charles Heath 2016-2019

“Sunday in New York”, a romantic adventure that’s not a walk in the park!

“Sunday in New York” is ultimately a story about trust, and what happens when a marriage is stretched to its limits.

When Harry Steele attends a lunch with his manager, Barclay, to discuss a promotion that any junior executive would accept in a heartbeat, it is the fact that his wife, Alison, who previously professed her reservations about Barclay, also agreed to attend that casts a small element of doubt in his mind.

From that moment, his life, in the company, in deciding what to do, his marriage, his very life, spirals out of control.

There is no one big factor that can prove Harry’s worst fears, that his marriage is over, just several small, interconnecting events, when piled on top of each other, point to a cataclysmic end to everything he had believed in.

Trust is lost firstly in his best friend and mentor, Andy, who only hints at impending disaster, Sasha, a woman whom he saved, and who appears to have motives of her own, and then in his wife, Alison, as he discovers piece by piece, damning evidence that she is about to leave him for another man.

Can we trust what we see with our eyes or trust what we hear?

Haven’t we all jumped to conclusions at least once in our lives?

Can Alison, a woman whose self-belief and confidence are about to be put to the ultimate test, find a way of proving their relationship is as strong as it has ever been?

As they say in the classics, read on!

…

Purchase:

http://tinyurl.com/Amazon-SundayInNewYork

If I only had one day to stop over in – Brisbane, Australia – what would I do?

One‑Day Brisbane Stop‑Over: The One Spot That Turns a Quick Layover into a Memorable Adventure

You’ve just landed in Brisbane, the sun‑kissed capital of Queensland, and your flight schedule gives you just one day to soak up the city before you’re back on a plane. The clock is ticking, the luggage is already on the carousel, and you’re wondering: What single place can I visit that will make this 24‑hour lay‑over feel like a mini‑vacation rather than a rushed transit stop?

The answer: South Bank Parklands – Brisbane’s vibrant, riverside playground.

It’s not just a park; it’s a compact, walkable micro‑city that bundles everything a first‑time visitor craves—stunning river views, iconic attractions, a taste of local cuisine, and a splash of Australian wildlife—all within a 30‑minute train ride from the airport.

Below is my insider’s itinerary, plus practical tips so you can maximise every minute without breaking a sweat.

Why South Bank Beats All the Other “Must‑See” Options

FeatureSouth Bank ParklandsLone Pine Koala SanctuaryMount Coot‑tha LookoutBrisbane River Cruise
Proximity to Airport20 min via Airtrain (Civic to South Bank)30 min + bus transfer35 min + shuttle20 min + ferry
Time Required3–4 hrs (full experience)2–3 hrs (animal‑focused)1 hr (view only)1 hr (scenic)
What You GetCity skyline, beach, restaurants, museums, art, playgrounds, free Wi‑FiKoalas, kangaroos, farm‑style demosPanoramic city & Moreton BayNarrative history + photo ops
All‑Weather?Yes (covered cafés, indoor museums, heated “Streets Beach”)Mostly outdoorOutdoor (best on clear days)Dependent on rain

South Bank delivers the most diverse, self‑contained experience in the shortest amount of time, making it the perfect single‑spot highlight for a whirlwind lay‑over.

The 4‑Hour South Bank Sprint

Quick note: All times below assume you’ve already cleared customs and stored your luggage in an airport locker (or are traveling light).

1️⃣ Arrive & Orient – 20 min

  • From the airport: Grab the Airtrain from Brisbane Airport to South Bank (stop “South Bank”). Trains run every 10 minutes; the journey is 18 minutes.
  • Ticket tip: Use the TransLink go card (or the “QR‑code & go” option on your phone) – it’s cheaper than buying a paper ticket, and you’ll need it later for a quick ferry ride if you’re feeling adventurous.

2️⃣ Stroll the Parklands – 40 min

  • Enter via the Civic Centre gateway and follow the riverside promenade.
  • Snap your first photo at the Mural Wall—a massive, ever‑changing street‑art canvas that instantly feels “Brisbane”.
  • Head toward the iconic Streets Beach, a man‑made lagoon with a gentle wave‑pool and sandy shoreline. Even if you don’t dip in, the beach‑side loungers make for a perfect Instagram moment.

3️⃣ Lunch with a View – 60 min

  • Choose a waterfront eatery:
    • River Quay (modern Aussie, great seafood)
    • Mosaic on the Park (Asian‑fusion, vegetarian‑friendly)
    • The Milk Bar (classic Aussie café fare, perfect for a quick bite).
    All have outdoor seating that overlooks the Brisbane River—so you can watch the ferries glide by while you refuel.
  • Dish recommendation: Try the Moreton Bay bug (a type of flat lobster) on a herb butter or the locally sourced beetroot & feta salad for a fresh, Queensland twist.

4️⃣ Iconic Experiences – 80 min

ActivityTimeWhy It’s Worth It
Wheel of Brisbane15 min (ride)Offers a 360° view of the skyline and the river—great for a quick “I’m on a Ferris wheel in Brisbane!” selfie.
Queensland Museum & Sciencentre30 minA compact, free‑entry museum that showcases Aboriginal culture, natural history, and interactive science exhibits—perfect for a quick cultural deep‑dive.
GOMA (Gallery of Modern Art)20 min (quick wander)If you love contemporary art, GOMA’s rotating exhibitions are always provocative and photogenic.
Picnic at the Arboretum15 minGrab a takeaway coffee, find a shady spot under the native eucalypts, and watch the river’s gentle current—this is Brisbane’s version of “slow living”.

Tip: If the weather turns rainy, head straight to the Queensland Museum and GOMA, which are both indoor and free, ensuring your day stays memorable regardless of the sky.

5️⃣ Depart – 20 min

  • Walk back to South Bank Station, hop on the Airtrain, and you’ll be back at the airport in under 25 minutes—plenty of time for security and a final coffee at the terminal.

Pro‑Tips for Making the Most of Your One‑Day Stop‑Over

TipDetails
Luggage LockersUse the secure lockers at Airport Domestic Terminal – Level 1 (AU$7 for 24 hrs). This frees you up to roam unburdened.
CurrencyAustralian dollars are the norm, but most venues accept major credit cards. Have a small amount of cash for food stalls or the occasional tip.
Dress CodeBrisbane’s climate in summer (Dec‑Feb) is hot and humid (30‑35 °C). Light, breathable clothing + a hat + sunscreen. If you’re visiting in winter (Jun‑Aug), a light jacket is enough; temperatures sit around 12‑20 °C.
Sun ProtectionThe UV index can be “extreme”. Reapply sunscreen every two hours, even on cloudy days.
Wi‑FiFree public Wi‑Fi is available throughout South Bank (look for “South Bank Free Wi‑Fi”). Great for checking flight updates on the go.
Time ManagementSet a timer for each activity (e.g., “30 min at the museum”) to avoid getting stuck and missing your train.
Emergency ContactDial 000 for police, fire, or ambulance. For non‑emergencies, call 131 444 (Queensland Police Assistance).

A Quick Recap: The South Bank Blueprint

TimeActivity
00:00–00:20Airtrain to South Bank
00:20–01:00Stroll the parklands & snap the mural wall
01:00–02:00Lunch with river views
02:00–03:20Wheel of Brisbane → Queensland Museum → GOMA → Arboretum picnic
03:20–03:40Return to Airtrain, head back to airport
03:40–04:00Clear security, grab a final coffee, board your next flight

Final Thought

A stopover can feel like a logistical hurdle, but when you zero in on South Bank Parklands, you’re essentially plugging into Brisbane’s heart in a single, seamless stretch. From dazzling river panoramas to world‑class art, from a beach‑side lounge to a bite of fresh seafood, South Bank delivers a compact, unforgettable taste of Queensland—all without the need for a rental car or a marathon of bus transfers.

So the next time your itinerary gives you a 24‑hour window in Brisbane, skip the checklist of “must‑see” spots and let South Bank be your single, unforgettable destination. Trust me: you’ll step back onto that plane with a grin, a handful of great photos, and a story that says, “I only had a day, but I made it count.”

Happy travels, and may your lay‑over be anything but ordinary! 🌞🚉📸

“Echoes From The Past”, the past doesn’t necessarily stay there


What happens when your past finally catches up with you?

…

Christmas is just around the corner, a time to be with family. For Will Mason, an orphan since he was fourteen, it is a time for reflection on what his life could have been, and what it could be.

Until a chance encounter brings back to life the reasons for his twenty years of self-imposed exile from a life only normal people could have. From that moment, Will’s life slowly starts to unravel, and it’s obvious to him that it’s time to move on.

This time, however, there is more at stake.

Will has broken his number one rule: don’t get involved.

With his nemesis, Eddie Jamieson, suddenly within reach, and a blossoming relationship with an office colleague, Maria, about to change everything, Will has to make a choice. Quietly leave, or finally, make a stand.

But as Will soon discovers, when other people are involved, there are going to be terrible consequences no matter what choice he makes.

…

https://amzn.to/2CYKxu4

newechocover5rs

365 Days of Writing, 2026 – 278

Day 278 – Acceptable writing

…

Embracing the Writer’s Growth Mindset: Lessons from Anne Perry’s Quote on Acceptance and Improvement

“I never assume that what I write will necessarily be acceptable. I take very little for granted – fairness, help, yes, but not acceptance. I am always trying to improve. Aren’t we all?”
— Anne Perry

Anne Perry’s words cut straight to the heart of what it means to be a writer today: a relentless pursuit of betterment, grounded in humility and an openness to feedback. In a world where likes, shares, and instant validation can masquerade as success, her reminder is a powerful antidote. Let’s unpack the quote, explore why acceptance shouldn’t be taken for granted, and see how we can turn this mindset into concrete, daily habits that elevate our craft.

1. Why Acceptance Isn’t a Given (and Why That’s Healthy)

The Myth of Instant Approval

  • Social media metrics can create a false sense of “acceptance.” A post that garners thousands of likes may still miss the mark with a core audience or fail to advance your skills.
  • Editorial gatekeepers (agents, publishers, editors) often reject work not because it’s bad, but because it doesn’t fit a current market need or lacks a specific polish.

The Value of Humility

Accepting that acceptance is uncertain forces us to:

  1. Stay curious – We keep asking, “How can this be clearer, more compelling, or more true?”
  2. Remain teachable – Feedback becomes a gift rather than a threat.
  3. Focus on process, not outcome – The act of writing improves, even when a particular piece isn’t published or praised.

SEO Tip: Sprinkle the phrase “writing acceptance isn’t guaranteed” naturally in the first 100 words and again in a subheading to capture long‑tail queries around writer’s doubt and resilience.

2. The Core Pillars We Can Count On: Fairness and Help

Perry distinguishes two things she does take for granted: fairness and help. These are the bedrock of a supportive writing ecosystem.

PillarWhat It Means for WritersHow to Cultivate It
FairnessBelieving that effort, honesty, and integrity will eventually be recognised, even if not immediately.• Set personal standards (word counts, revision cycles) and stick to them.
• Celebrate incremental wins (finished draft, solved plot hole).
HelpTrusting that mentors, peers, and resources are available when we seek them.• Join a critique group or writing forum (e.g., Scribophile, local NaNoWriMo meet‑ups).
• Schedule regular “help hours” – time to ask a beta reader or coach for specific feedback.

By anchoring ourselves in these reliable supports, we free up mental energy to focus on improvement rather than chasing fleeting validation.

3. Building a Growth‑Oriented Writing Practice

A. Adopt a Growth Mindset (Carol Dweck)

  • Fixed mindset: “I’m either a good writer or I’m not.”
  • Growth mindset: “My abilities expand with deliberate practice and learning.”

Action: After each writing session, jot down one thing you learned and one tweak you’ll try next time.

B. Set Process‑Driven Goals

Goal TypeExampleWhy It Works
OutputWrite 500 words daily.Builds habit, reduces perfectionism.
SkillStudy one dialogue technique per week.Targets measurable improvement.
FeedbackShare a scene with a critique partner every two weeks.Externalizes blind spots.

C. Embrace Iterative Revision

  1. Draft – Get ideas down without judgment.
  2. Rest – Step away for 24‑48 hours.
  3. Read Aloud – Spot awkward phrasing and pacing issues.
  4. Edit for Clarity – Trim redundancies, tighten logic.
  5. Seek Feedback – Incorporate specific, actionable notes.
  6. Polish – Focus on grammar, style, and voice.

Repeating this loop transforms each piece into a stepping stone rather than a final verdict.

4. Practical Steps to Keep Improving (SEO‑Friendly Checklist)

  • Read Widely & Critically – Alternate between genres; note what works and why.
  • Study Craft Books – On Writing Well (Zinsser), Bird by Bird (Lamott), The Elements of Style (Strunk & White).
  • Take Online Courses – Platforms like MasterClass, Coursera, or Reedsy Learning offer targeted lessons on plot, voice, SEO copywriting, etc.
  • Analyse Your Own Metrics – Use Google Analytics or platform insights to see which topics retain readers longest; treat data as feedback, not judgment.
  • Attend Live Events – Writer’s conferences, webinars, or open‑mic nights provide real‑time interaction and inspiration.
  • Mentor Someone Else – Teaching reinforces your own knowledge and highlights gaps you might have missed.

Keyword Integration: Throughout this section, naturally include phrases like “writing improvement tips,” “self‑improvement for writers,” and “continuous learning for authors.” These align with common search queries and help the post rank for long‑tail traffic.

5. Community: The Help We Can Rely On

Writing may feel solitary, but the most resilient writers build support ecosystems.

  • Critique Circles: Small groups (3‑5 members) that exchange work weekly.
  • Accountability Partners: Pair up to share goals and check progress bi‑weekly.
  • Online Forums: Reddit’s r/writing, Absolute Write, or genre‑specific Discord servers.
  • Workshops & Retreats: Immersion experiences that combine learning with networking.

When we view help as a given, we’re more likely to ask for it—turning isolation into collaboration.

6. Aren’t We All? – The Universal Call to Grow

Anne Perry’s closing question—“Aren’t we all?”—is an invitation to recognise that the drive to improve isn’t exclusive to published authors; it’s a human trait. Whether you’re drafting a novel, crafting SEO copy, journaling, or posting on LinkedIn, the same principles apply:

  1. Assume nothing about acceptance.
  2. Lean on fairness and help as constants.
  3. Commit to tiny, consistent upgrades.

When we internalise this mindset, every piece becomes a lesson, every critique a gift, and every day a chance to be a slightly better writer than yesterday.

7. Conclusion & Call to Action

Anne Perry’s succinct reminder packs a lifetime of writerly wisdom into two sentences: humility fuels growth, acceptance is a bonus—not a guarantee, and the journey of improvement is shared by all who dare to create.

Your next step: Choose one actionable item from the checklist above and implement it today. Whether it’s setting a 500‑word daily target, joining a critique forum, or reading a chapter of a craft book, commit to that habit for the next 21 days. Track your progress in a simple log or spreadsheet, and revisit this post at the end of the month to see how far you’ve come.

Remember: The path isn’t about achieving perpetual acceptance; it’s about showing up, learning, and getting a little better each time you put pen to paper (or keyboard).

Ready to grow? Share your commitment in the comments below—let’s build a community of writers who never take acceptance for granted, but always strive to improve.

…

‘What Sets Us Apart’ – A beta reader’s view

There’s something to be said for a story that starts like a James Bond movie, throwing you straight in the deep end, a perfect way of getting to know the main character, David, or is that Alistair?

A retired spy, well, not so much a spy as a retired errand boy, David’s rather wry description of his talents, and a woman that most men would give their left arm for, not exactly the ideal couple, but there is a spark in a meeting that may or may not have been a setup.

But as the story progressed, the question I kept asking myself was why he’d bother.

And, page after unrelenting page, you find out.

Susan is exactly the sort of woman to pique his interest.  Then, inexplicably, she disappears.  That might have been the end of it, but Prendergast, that shadowy enigma, David’s ex-boss who loves playing games with real people, gives him an ultimatum: find her or come back to work.

Nothing like an offer that’s a double-edged sword!

A dragon for a mother, a sister he didn’t know about, Susan’s BFF who is not what she seems or a friend indeed, and Susan’s father, who, up till David meets her, couldn’t be less interested, his nemesis proves to be the impossible dream, and he’s always just that one step behind.

When the rollercoaster finally came to a halt, and I could start breathing again, it was an ending that was completely unexpected.

I’ve been told there’s a sequel in the works.

Bring it on!

…

The book can be purchased here:  http://amzn.to/2Eryfth

…

The cinema of my dreams – Was it just another surveillance job – Episode 66

This story is now on the list to be finished so over the new few weeks, expect a new episode every few days.

The reason why new episodes have been sporadic, there are also other stories to write, and I’m not very good at prioritizing.

But, here we are, a few minutes opened up and it didn’t take long to get back into the groove.

Things are about to get complicated…

Behind me, I could see Dobbin moving towards the door.

“You really don’t want to do this,” I said.

“He offered me a better deal.”

“I give you these, you will probably have about an hour, two at the most before he kills you.”

She shrugged.   She was a deadly shot, so it was not an option to talk her out of it.  I threw the plastic bag to her.

“This way, at least, you live.  You’re good, but too trusting.”

Dobbin opened the door.  “Enough chit-chat; let’s go before someone else turns up.  Walk away Jackson, don’t do anything you’ll regret.”

I watched them leave, then turned to Anna.  “This should please you immensely.”

“You mean you couldn’t see it coming?  Hell, with all that analysis it wasn’t hard to work out Dobbin was the one orchestrating everything.”

I pulled out my phone and dialled Joanne’s number.  When she answered I said, “They just left.”

“With the data?”

“With what they think is the data.”

“You have it?”

“No.  O’Connell had it, and someone got to him.  He’s dead next door, by the way, and we have two medical cases, one relatively serious, both requiring an ambulance sooner rather than later.”

“On it.  And thanks.”

I went over to Anna and sat beside her.

Jan was glaring at us.  “You said no one would get shot.”

We watched her slide over and join us against the wall.

“I said Jennifer was an unknown quantity.  I didn’t think she’d take me so literally, but on the other hand, the signs were there.  In training, she shot at three of the recruits.”

“Well, she didn’t recognise me, which, I guess, is something.”

“Who are you again?” Jan asked her.

“Yolanda.  I was at the training camp with Sam.  Severin made a pass at me, I kicked him in the you know what’s, and he kicked me out.  I never gave back the comms unit, and I used to listen in to the exercises and discovered they’d finally been activated, so I went to have a look.  Things got very scary when the target started taking out the surveillance team.  They were out of their depth.  Then I caught up with Sam, called him, and asked him what was going on.  He said the target was going to the café and for me to go around the back, no time for hello’s.  A minute or so later I see a guy toss something into the back of the café and take off.  Then it goes up and all hell broke loose.  Naturally, I got the hell out of there, and called him later, asked if he needed some off-book help, and here I am.”

“Could have been the death of you.”

“Nah.  Sam and I were the best two of that bunch, and then maybe Jennifer.  Damn that bitch to hell now.  Hope they give us five minutes with her.”

“So,” I could see Jan was still wrestling with details.  “Anna died in that explosion?”

“Yes.”

“Did you know who Anna was?”

“Not at first, but when I saw a photo of her, and the similarities I shared with her, Sam suggested I take her place, and we took it from there.  Sam told me where I could find O’Connell and it wasn’t hard to reconnect, it was six months and he didn’t notice the changes in Anna, which, to me, is a sign of bad tradecraft.  He still had the money, I pretended to still have the USB but not with me but back at the flat.  He tested the USB and found the right level of encryption, then gave me the five million pounds, and we parted.  Now he’s dead.  When Sam arrived, I thought it was going to be me next.”

“How did you know what sort of encryption was on the USB?”

Good question.  Jan was thinking outside the box, which is what any agent should be doing.

“We spend a few weeks off and on in training, studying encryption techniques, but concentrated on one, for reasons we were never told.  I realized that it was related to the eventual mission.  It wasn’t hard to emulate.  I made up about a dozen USBs just in case.”

“Just out of curiosity, what’s on those USB’s?”

“A PDF copy of War and Peace.”

…

© Charles Heath 2020-2023

PI Walthenson’s second case – A case of finding the ‘Flying Dutchman’.

Known only to a few, there is a legend that a ship named the ‘Flying Dutchman’ left Nazi Germany in the last weeks of the war and set sail for America, escorted by U-boats, under a different name. Aboard was a trove of treasure and gold worth a ‘king’s ransom’.

It was said that it had been sent to a group of American Nazis to create the Fourth Reich at an appropriate time. Over the years, many expeditions off the coast had searched, but found no trace of the vessel or the treasure.

In other words, it was just a legend created to boost tourism.

…

Fast forward to 2024. Our intrepid private detective, Harry Walthenson, overhears a conversation at Grand Central Station. It was the oddness of the message that caught his attention. An investigation turned up nothing out of the ordinary, and he thinks no more about it.

Then Harry is kidnapped, interrogated, and asked questions over and over about a date and a place, why he went there, and when he could not give satisfactory answers, he was beaten half to death and left for dead on a rubbish heap. He was lucky that it was a living space for homeless men; otherwise, he would have died.

In the aftermath, he once again gives it no more thought.

…

After resolving his first case successfully, there’s no rest. Harry’s angry mother comes to his office and demands that he find out where his father has gone. She believes he has run off with a mistress, not for the first time.

Perhaps it was not the wisest decision she has made, because Harry promises to investigate, and adds that she might not like what he finds.

He soon discovered he does not like what he finds, that his father’s friends, a cabal formed at University, have two who are his mother’s current lovers, and another, a criminal blackmailing his father.

Felicity, now his partner, working on a different case, and trying to get answers, uncovers a crime family involved in guarding a disused warehouse on the docks, where she believes Harry had been taken for interrogation, and subsequently dumped nearby to die.

Why are they up to? What is so important that the empty warehouse needs guarding? Who is employing them?

Harry, following up on the death of the blackmailer, traces his death back to an enforcer employed by his grandfather. His mother’s grandfather was a pre-war industrialist who made his fortune in war munitions and shipbuilding.

He was also a member of the American Nazi party.

When Harry also discovers a logbook belonging to a so-called wartime Liberty ship the “Paul Revere” in brackets ‘Freiheitskämpfer’, hidden by his father, and written in a code that is not readily identifiable.

It is no longer a matter of a father who has run off with his mistress; it is a very frightened man in fear of his life, running from a group who will stop at nothing to get the logbook back. And when Harry discovers a family connection to the group, it becomes a race against time to decode the log and find his father before his grandfather does.

…

Coming soon: Harry Walthenson’s new adventure – A case of finding the ‘Flying Dutchman’

The cinema of my dreams – I always wanted to see the planets – Episode 31

A meeting with a nuclear scientist

…

Tara Benson was not my idea of a typical nuclear physicist, but then I always had been a bad judge of matching occupations to personnel.

I had read her biography and service record, mainly the one-paragraph summary, and it said she was one of the best in the world.

Criteria indeed for anyone on this ship apparently, though I didn’t regard myself as fitting into the category, someone must have thought I had the potential.

On the way down I had a few moments to contemplate her ordeal, not only being taken prisoner, but being transported back in the manner we had used, when it was a means I would not willingly use on myself.

It was why the first thought I had when I saw her was to apologise.

She was sitting in one of the special chairs that could analyse everything about you, what ailed you, what diseases you had, the state of your body.

When I had my first medical examination, they put me in an earlier model of that chair and it picked up the missing anatomical parts, the fact I once had several broken bones, that I was slightly anaemic, and the reason why I sometimes had bouts of indigestion.

They fixed all that, and a slight imperfection in my eyesight which I didn’t know about.

The doctor was looking at the monitor when I arrived.

“How is she?”

“Better than we expected. Other than being exposed to radiation for longer than prescribed, and which we can fix, she is in perfect health.”

“Mentally?”

“You can ask her yourself. I’m about to sign off on her going back to work, after a good night’s sleep.”

He spoke to her for a minute or so, then helped her up out of the chair.

“I assume you are the new captain,” she said when she saw me.

“Not by choice, but for the time being, yes.”

“I have a few questions, if I may?”

“Now?”

“If it’s possible”

There was a consultation room free, so I escorted her inside and closed the door. It was odd, I thought, that she sat behind the desk.

I also felt like she was making a mental assessment of me, perhaps thinking that I was not what she might have considered Captain material. To a certain extent, I may have once agreed with her, because everyone expected a captain to be much older and therefore wiser.

It was an analogy I’d heard before.

“Whose idea was it to transport me across to this vessel?”

I had expected that the means might be questionable, but in the moment, and considered along with the course of action I’d taken, it was the right decision.

“Mine. After discussion, of course, with the relevant experts. The risk was acceptable, proven by the fact you’re here now, and relatively unharmed.”

“It was a surprise, I’ll grant you that, and a first. From what I managed to overhear, the plutonium was sent down to their bunker to provide power to the facility, under the surface of the moon, and only accessible by the transporter. Given the risks, it also surprised me they were so committed to using it.”

“Since most of that crew were escaped convicts from the Mars mining prison, any means would be acceptable.”

“Prisoners, not aliens?”

“Yes. The ships were old personnel transports, and the big ship, where you were being held, an old freighter.”

“The Orion.”

I knew it well and surprised that I’d not recognised it. They had managed to disguise it well.

“A ship, I’m sure, you might be familiar with,” she added.

Perhaps my captain’s bland expression was not so bland.

“Ancient history,” I said, “from a time that I would rather leave in the past.”

There was a story, and not a pretty one, of a voyage not so long after commissioning, where systems failed and crew members died, all part of the experience in those early years in space. The quest for profits had outweighed the necessity for proper testing, and we had borne the brunt of the ‘test as you go’ mentality that had reigned before Space Command had taken over.

“You must tell me, one day.”

Her expression was one of curiosity and not one to be mistaken for anything else.

“Is there anything else?”

“If you are considering retrieving the plutonium, let me know and I’ll be happy to help. I suspect the people on Venus would like to see it sooner rather than later.”

“You know where this base is?”

“Of course.”

“Good. I’ll let you know after I’ve spoken to the security people.”

…

© Charles Heath 2021-2023

A photograph from the inspirational bin – 13

I came across this photo:

This is like so many roads off in what is known as the Gold Coast hinterland, that tract of land between the ocean and the mountain range that runs along the eastern side of the country, known as the Great Dividing Range.

This is the road that runs behind where friends of ours live, and runs on down into a valley where a river runs, and when the rains come down, floods.

It’s hard to imagine that a few hundred years ago all of this would have been tropical jungle, and intrepid explorers would be making their way north or west, just to see what was there.

I imagine in another 100 years, all of this will be gone, given over to housing, shopping malls, and factories, and anything that resembles country living will have been moved out to far beyond the mountain range and towards the what is called the ‘red’ centre.

Or over that time there is a reckoning with mother nature, and if there is, I know who I’d put my money on.

But, as for a story…

…

It was quite literally the road to nowhere.

You just had to follow it until it disintegrated into a dirt track, and then for another 20 miles before you finished up at a rusty gate attached to a dilapidated fence that surrounds the a house that was cleverly hidden behind a grove of trees, the only place I knew as home. We had no phones, no television or radio, no real contact with the outside world.

Until, one day, my fairy godmother came and rescued me.

Yes, it felt like that.

Little had I realized that there were any other people in our family, and it took until the death of my parents to find out I had grandparents, and a much larger extended family.

There had been, according to my father, no reason to leave. Or for anyone else to come, and the few that ventured to end of the road, found there was nothing to see, and no reason to stay.

For all intents and purposes we didn’t exist, and, oddly, I was content with that.

Until I decided to venture further afield, run into two people, a man and a woman, both of whom said they were related to my father, and ask me to take them back with them to meet my father,

A bad choice, but I didn’t know it at the time.

Not until my father ran them off at the point of the gun he always had with him.

He knew who they were, and it surprised me to see the change in him, from the strong silent type, to a man greatly afraid, though he would not tell me of what.

He just told me to lock myself in my room, and not to come out for anything.

I heard him leave, but not come back.

It took three days before I left that room, to find I was completely alone in the house. Outside, it was a different story. There, half way between the back door and the barn were the two people I’d brought home, both dead. A little further away were my parents, also dead.

And another man, who was leaning over my father.

I stopped when he looked up in my direction.

“You must be Jake.”

How did he know my name? I nodded, warily watching him in case I had to run.

He went from body to body, checking to see if they were still alive, then stood and turned around to look at me.

“Do you know what happened?”

“No.”

“Do you know who the other two are?”

I assumed he was referring to the visitors.

“No. The man said he was a relative, asked me to bring them here.”

“How did you…”

Escape? “My father told me to hide and not come out.” If this man was associated with the other two…

Perhaps he saw my trepidation.

“I’m a friend of your father’s, a policeman. You were supposed to be safe here.”

We were, until I brought the harbingers of death. “Not any more,” I said.

…

© Charles Heath 2021

What I learned about writing – There is no such thing as free [whatever you need]

There’s nothing more certain than a favourite website you go to and use often, sooner or later starts charging a subscription ‘fee’.  I guess nothing in this life is free, they have to raise advertising to make it so, but…

The alternatives that charge do not give you the facilities you need unless you pay an exorbitant monthly or yearly charge.  And, if you accept the minimum charge, you get nothing other than a visual display of your books, and that’s about it.

And what author starting out can afford the $200 a month for the premium site to get all the bells and whistles, which coincidentally is the stuff the author needs just to sell.

Anyway…

I remember when the NANOWRIMO site had been updated, and the changes looked good.  At that moment the site was free, but you do get a lot of emails and requests to purchase products, which I think is a reasonable way to raise money for keeping the site free.

But, how long is this going to last before a ‘fee’ is introduced, and then a ‘fee’ to enter your book?

It’s the airline principle, it was a flat charge for the ticket, now you pay for this tax, that tax, fuel tax, baggage tax, tax on the tax, and then if that’s not enough, a charge for the food and water.  Soon it will be a charge for toilets, and then the air you breathe.

It’s inevitable, and once these charges start they don’t stop and only get higher with each passing year.

A lot of the sites I use are free.  Some have since started to charge and have put up a firewall to stop you from getting any free information.

I’m not a rich author, so sadly I have to discontinue using these sites.

Perhaps the problem is that the owner of the site has come up with a good idea, thousands of people sign up, and suddenly a small website becomes a big one, and hosting costs suddenly go through the roof.

Like airlines, it’s the user that pays.

Often I see or get an email from, various people with what looks to be a useful site.  Some start out by giving you a month free to have a look and use the facilities.  In some cases they are quite good, in others, well, there are a dozen others like it that are still free.

But, after a month, you have to pay.  What gets me with some of them, they are asking somewhere between 50 and 200 US dollars a month, you heard that right, a month, which you can basically double that for me after the exchange rate and a dozen bank fees.

Sometimes there are different levels, but basically, if you look at the fine print, the lowest level set, which gives you very little, is set low deliberately.  Say it’s 10 dollars a month.  It’s no different to the free version except they probably don’t have annoying ads and advertise, what for many, is non-existent 24/7 help (via an email, no guarantee they look at it more than once a week, if at all).  Money for jam for the site owner, as the saying goes.

Why can’t there be a more reasonable option?

But I get it.  Everyone wants to get rich quick, it’s an objective that’s built into all of us, but it seems I missed the inoculation given the day after you’re born.

I also get it that these people worked hard on coming up with the websites and facilities, and they deserve a reward for that hard work, but to me it would make more sense if they sold the service for 10 dollars or even 20 dollars a month if the systems were available and they worked.  And flowing from that wouldn’t 20,000 sales at 20 dollars, be better than 2000 at a 100 dollars?

The same seems to go for the so-called decent website hosts, like WordPress, Wix and GoDaddy.  The free option is good but just for show and tell, but I’m sure they deliberately nobble it so it’s slow and kludgy just the sort of attributes that turn potential visitors off.

I thought if I paid a monthly charge for Wix, and reading the inclusions for what my site could do over the free one was very persuasive, so I signed up.  The site was no better than it was before and half the options that were on the list weren’t available, and still aren’t.  But I suspect if I paid them 100 plus dollars a month or more for their premium package I’d get it.

But, to pay for it I would have to be selling a million books a month, and I doubt, no matter how good my web site is, it wouldn’t attract that kind of business.

Not one of the basic packages, read affordable for me, has the ability to allow downloads after sales.  You can’t even have a sales page where you can actually sell books to people like you were a bookshop.  That’s in all of the premium packages, so they say, and that costs far too much.

GoDaddy was by far the worst, telling me if I signed up for the 60-dollar-a-month package I could have sales and downloads.  I tried to add it to the web page, which I might add was as difficult to create as all hell, and when it didn’t work, rang up to ask why I couldn’t have downloading after sales and was met with silence.

No, that’s not available at the moment, I was told, and not likely in the future.  What am I paying all this money for?  I don’t have a GoDaddy site any more.  I had a Wix site that I paid for, and I don’t have that any more.  They don’t offer anything useful, and they too, make it virtually impossible to create a useful site, so it sits out there in the ether with disappointment written all over it.

Perhaps others have had better luck, or things have changed in the last few years but I won’t be going back.

Maybe one day someone might understand the needs of the majority who can afford to pay exorbitant monthly charges but just not as much as we are expected to, for very little in return.

What’s that saying, hope springs eternal.

PS Sorry about the rant!