The Throttle is Set to Idle ...

Portrait of Gaspar Melchor de Jovellanos
Francisco de Goya, 1798

So we haven't seen any new fiction here for some time. I'm just not feeling it.

Health issues (nothing serious), deaths in the family (both by blood and by choice), and an upcoming eye procedure have all been weighing heavily on my mind. Kinda saps the creativity dontcha know?

But in truth, I've been taking advantage of being retired. For years I was at the beck and call of others, now I have no boss, no one telling me what to do and when. I'm my own man, though I do have a partner in crime, The Missus Herself and I are a team, no one is in charge and it works for us. When I'm not being a selfish prick, which does happen from time to time.

I do have some story ideas floating around, nothing firm, just ideas. One involves real-world events in an abstract sort of way, another involves World War II and the Italian Campaign. James Holland's books on that campaign are an inspiration, to be sure. I'm about halfway through the first volume, Sicily '43: The First Assault on Fortress Europe, and I'm learning a lot about that fight. Fascinating stuff, Mr. Holland does the sort of thing I enjoy, looking at all sides, the Americans, the British, the Germans, the Italian soldiers, and the Italian civilians. Everyone suffers in war, this book shows that well.

Bear with me, things will get back in stride eventually. But I'm taking my time about it, after all I'm not getting paid to do this, I do it because I enjoy it. So when I'm not, I ease up on the throttle.

So hang in there.

Ciao!