The Pigeon Tunnel is a documentary on John le Carre, whose real name is David Cornwell. As a writer I found it fascinating as his
A single event can have strange historical ripples. In 1702 a yellow fever epidemic wiped out 10% of the population in less than three months.
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] The streets of Southern Manhattan, including areas like the Financial District and the Village, are seen as disorganized
That Dark and Bloody River by Allan W. Eckert is a historical novel that tells the story of the American frontier in the late 18th
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] The three books of the Liz Danger series which we’ve been teasing people about for a long time
Happy Valley is a British crime drama series created by Sally Wainwright and starring Sarah Lancashire as Catherine Cawood, a police sergeant in the West
Introduction In the middle of nowhere on the way to nowhere is the way I describe Area 51 in my books. Nestled in the remote
As usual, the first of the month brings a plethora (Yes, I know what the word means) of free and discounted books. Free today only:
How AI Will Cripple Authors’ Livelihood versus the Uncanny Valley Something lost in all the talk of ChapGPT, Bard and the newer programs focused specifically
Understanding Wet Bulb Temperature and Its Dangerous Implications I saw Wet Bulb temperature used in a science fiction short film and decided to investigate further
Someone on twitter asked me about this, referencing several recent disasters, where people experienced flash floods. So here goes. Flash floods are sudden and powerful
I saw someone pose the question on twitter the other day about what would happen in Phoenix if the power went out for three days
I don’t think I’ve ever seen a film do so much with so little dialogue and action. The Quiet Girl is a very quiet film.
A lot of discussions lately among those of us in the creative fields such as writers, whether AI will replace us. So I went to
I stumbled on this series on Amazon Prime knowing nothing about it. I thought “that actress is familiar” and, of course, it’s Emily Blunt. Loved
Who Are Patience and Fortitude? My two favorite lions guard the front entrance of the main branch of the New York Public Library. Long before
Every disaster requires seven things to go wrong. Six Cascade events leading to the 7th event, the disaster. At least one of the Cascade events
I just rebinged Man in the High Castle on Amazon Prime. I noted a number of things I hadn’t picked up on the first time
April Fools Book Blowout from Bob Mayer. For Real. Lots of good deals today. This is not a prank. So many, I just have to
On July 29, 1976, serial killer David Berkowitz – who would become known as the Son of Sam – committed the first of his murders
The first rail tracks on the lower west side of Manhattan were laid along 10th and 11th Avenues south from Penn Station. The problem was,
For today, 1 March, both these books are free for the first time on my Freebies page. I’m making the Area Study Guide free because
With multiple plot lines running in 1923, one constant is the epic “waiting on Spencer” to come back home so they can fight for their
Let me start by saying this is an entertaining movie. And it was very successful given its budget of 3 million. And kudos to the
[et_pb_section admin_label=”section”] [et_pb_row admin_label=”row”] [et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text admin_label=”Text”] The first episode of #Pokerface sets up the premise of the series and sets the protagonist in motion
This series from the BBC and on Epix is amazingly true to history, although you might not believe it when you watch it. At the
I love writing fiction that finds amazing fact and “coincidences” of history and weaves them together into a thriller. These are facts: On the 25th
When I was with the 10th Special Forces we initiated a program initially called, believe it or not, Jedi Warrior. That was changed to Trojan
Gary Oldman reprises his Smiley character, albeit with a different name and a different time, in the series Slow Horses. The title refers to the
I’ve got a lot of free and discounted books—the most ever, but let’s focus on what your priorities should be for 2023. First, real basic,
As a caveat, I’ve never been into the Star Wars universe. Saw the first one in 1977 and I think that’s it. I enjoyed it
In 2019 the Whakaari Volcano erupted. Briefly. For just a couple of minutes. 22 people died. Tourists. Visiting an active volcano that had erupted twice
As we went the “we’ll circle back to that next year” time of year, I’m giving away a free book many have found useful. Life’s
A conference held on the southwestern tip of Staten Island, New York on 11 September 1776 A.D. in the Billop House, which still stands. This
They nailed it. Each character’s plot line ended up where it should have. Spoilers ahead. Let’s start with the deaths. Did Tanya deserve to die?
A quick note to wish everyone a joyful holiday season. Some thoughts on unusual and thoughtful gift ideas. The Green Beret Pocket Survival Guide makes
The recent attack on the power grid in North Carolina raises a lot of questions and also signals how fragile our infrastructure is. The area
‘Now this is not the end. It is not even the beginning of the end. But it is, perhaps, the end of the beginning.’ Winston
Years ago I pondered the problem of increasing Presidential power. It seemed we were losing our ability to hold in check the executive branch. The
I went into the University of Tennessee cardio unit yesterday for a scheduled appointment to check out my heart. I ended up getting a stent
One of the mantras of my Area 51 books, indeed all my science fiction, is we don’t know as much as we think we know.
Unless you’ve actually done it, starting a fire seems easy. I see so many movies and shows where people get a fire going with no
The original idea for this book came from my son, who wondered what would happen if a natural disaster occurred at a nuclear missile base.
Branching off from serious military thrillers and the other extreme of epic science fiction, I wanted to write something a bit more fun and personal.
Interstates are a necessary evil. You can get from here to there in your auto fast. But they’re numbingly boring. And you’re competing with a
Cades Cove is one of the top destinations in Smoky Mountains National Park. Because it is indeed beautiful, especially early in the morning. But because
This was a very depressing book to read. It also should be required reading for all involved in Special Operations, especially the Navy Special Warfare
Out 10 days early as a Halloween treat, Phoebe and the Traitor is out in Kindle, Kindle Unlimited, trade paperback and hardcover. The prequel, Shane
I remember watching Led Zeppelin’s last concert in the current Garden from ‘Blue Heaven’. Also attending the Millrose Games when they were held at the
New York City was not where the first Europeans settled in the area. They bypassed it. Maybe they knew something? The reality is that the
Yesterday I did a one-day loop along the border of TN and NC. I’ve done all these roads before and camped in the area a
If you fly into or out of LaGuardia, coming in or going out over the Bronx—which a plane seemed to do every two minutes while
I tracked down his grave while doing research for a book, The Jefferson Allegiance, which has as the premise that Hamilton and Jefferson brokered a
NEW YORK CITY’S LITTLE BLACK BOOK Today is publication day! It’s in Kindle Unlimited so feel free to thumb through and check out all this
In addition to the usual permanently free titles. The Green Beret Preparation and Survival Guide is discounted to .99 or Kindle Unlimited. Today, Psychic Warrior
This Danish Movie from 2021 was titled in its home country as The Shadow In My Eye. It is a devastating movie about a real
Prison ships in New York Harbor. More American soldiers and sailors died in prison ships (primarily Wallabout Bay in the East River, now Fort Greene
Will it finally cool off a bit? Labor Day weekend looms. Fall beckons. On a more serious note, because you know me, here’s a link
Since people have been asking, I’m going to start posting quick notes on various survival, camping, and boondocking gear. It’s taken me a while to
Part of the history of the north-east Bronx, but more recently, was the short lived amusement park, Freedomland. It was a theme park built in
The Battle of Long Island on 27 August 1776. We lost. George Washington, fresh from his victory pushing the British out of Boston, came south,
Yep, that’s a lot. To start with the Green Beret Pocket Sized Survival Guide is free on kindle today and through Saturday. Other book deals
We caught the first two episodes last night on HBO Max and were sucked in. We came in cold, not having seen the latest movie,
A few years ago, I was wandering around southeast Utah, which happens to be the last place in the lower 48 states that was mapped.
At the very least, it will save you some expenses and repairs. We have one under every sink in our house and near the sump
I consider Paul Newman to be one of the best actors ever. Ethan Hawke produced this six-episode documentary about Paul Newman and his wife, Joanne
I recently read an essay about exposing MFA students too much to the business of publishing and being a writer. The theory put forth was
I’m a big fan of Gaia GPS software. I have it on my computer, my phone and my iPad. I use the latter two in
I was impressed with Strange New Worlds as I watched the first episodes. Yes, it’s hokey in many ways, but it does pay homage to
I’ve watched the first three episodes of the new season (4) and am happy to report the show is still running strong with solid writing
This 10 part series on Starz featuring Martha Mitchell, the wife of the once Attorney General for Richard Nixon. tells the story of Watergate from
As we head into the holiday weekend, I hope everyone has a fun and safe time. In celebration, Independence Day (Time Patrol) is free until
So I made some predictions in my last post and, of course, I wrong. I love being wrong when following story. It means the writers
Jeff Bridges is The Old Man in this new series. A former CIA agent who is targeted now well into retirement, because he did something
In celebration of the publication today of The Writer’s Little Black Book, the first book in the series, Life’s Little Black Book is only .99
During World War II, researchers examined planes that were damaged on missions but managed to return. In essence, they counted bullet holes. The thought was
I think of lost team-mates on this solemn day. Two in particular: Master Sergeant David Boltz and Chief Warrant Officer James O’Callaghan. Great soldiers, great
I watched Moonfall because my wife had rented it. It had some good moments. But. It missed the mark because it couldn’t decide what tone
The first book in a new non-fiction series of Little Black Books comes out today. Each of these books offer over 100 bite-sized snippets of
I really got into Raised by Wolves as the first season developed. So much so that some marketing company working for the studio sent me
This movie is in the news again because the Wolverines rallying cry is being painted on destroyed Russian armored vehicles. The consensus is that Red
Between this series and From, we have two new series that are definitely mind-twisting. I’ve already posted on From, which has completed its first season
I put shorts on for the first time yesterday so it is officially spring. Maggie and Scout agree. To celebrate I’ve prepared a number of
I really don’t want to give any spoilers so this is going to be short. I’ll just give my reactions. I liked it as I
I predicted a pandemic when I wrote the first draft of my Survival Guide in 2001. That doesn’t make me a genius. Anyone who spent
Was today, 14 April, in 1865, when Abraham Lincoln was assassinated. In some ways, this tragic event is subdued by the fact that the Civil
Made in 2005, some elements of V is for Vendetta feel quaint. The death toll from the virus that is released on the population to
I love Ken Burns’ documentaries, starting with the epic Civil War many years ago. The West is another favorite. His latest, Franklin, is a fascinating
The first ten episodes finished this past weekend and we have more mysteries than we started with. Normally, that’s not a good thing, but there
What if the Japanese had succeeded in developing a nuclear weapon at the end of World War II, but were stopped before deploying it? But
Reign of Fire happened two years ago! How time flies when we’re having fun. And we should have had flying cars the year before. But,hey.
The six episode series, The Tourist, on HBO Max starts with a trope: a man is in an accident and when he recovers, can’t remember
Deep Water is based as a psychological, erotic thriller. Well, Hmm. It stars Ben Affleck as an older husband with a beautiful, younger wife who
Dog, starring Channing Tatum and Lulu (played by a Belgian Malinois) is a charming movie, and I say charming in the positive sense of the
Who gave the green light to make this thing? There are movies so bad that it draws you in because you just have to see
I’d heard about this series for a while before dipping my toe in. Once I did, I was engaged. Taylor Sheridan is a master storyteller.
Set in the near future, this Swedish film starring Noomi Rapace, hits too close to home given recent events. Images of bombed cities and dead
I’ve seen people grow frustrated with this latest season because Midge, the protagonist, still shoots herself in the foot. Whether it be inappropriate routines in
It’s doubtful that 2022 will be better. I keep getting asked what are the priorities for preparation that someone should do. Of course, it would
That is the headline from an article in The Atlantic today. It focuses on insurance policies and the way homeowners look at threats and how
