From Here To 1137 AD; Episode 1, Alone

This is episode one of the novel, From Here to 1137 AD. Three episodes will be posted weekly, on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. At that pace, it will take about 20 weeks to complete. 

The complete novel is available in both Kindle and paperback formats at Amazon. 

From Here to 1137 AD is a story about a 19-year-old Tom Bales. Both of his parents have died, and he’s left with the family farm. He is contacted by an alien from a faraway galaxy who gives him a simple task. However, it becomes complicated. It takes him to unimagined places, adventures, and emotional awakenings.

Alone

Tom opened the door to his farmhouse home. The phone was ringing. It sat on a small stand next to the door. He switched on the overhead dining room light. 

He picked up the phone. “Hello.”

“Is this Thomas Bales?”

“Yes.”

“This is Nurse Langley at Memorial Hospital. I have some bad news. Your mother has just passed away.”

Tom stood motionless. He relaxed the phone from his ear. He knew the words but could not make sense of them. It was like hearing a foreign language and mentally translating it before it could be comprehended.

“Mr. Bales, are you okay?”

“I just left her, and she was fine.”

“We can’t be sure of why she died, but she had a weak heart.”

Tom tried to take a deep breath, but could not. A tear rolled from his eye and dripped from his cheek. He sniffed.

“Is someone there with you?”

“No,” Tom said, “Mom and I live alone. My dad died a few years ago.”

“Do you have a close relative nearby?”

“All my aunts and uncles are gone, and my cousins have moved away. I have a brother. He’s away at college.”

“Where is that?” Langley inquired.

“Harvard, it’s near Boston.”

“Would you like me to call him for you?”

“No, I can do that.”

“Are you sure?” Langley asked.

“Yes, I can take care of it,” Tom said somberly.

“Is there anyone I can call for you?” Langley asked.

“No, not really,” Tom said. “It’s just that I don’t know what to do.”

“Maybe I could at least take the first step for you,” Langley said. “If your mother had a preference for a funeral home, I could call them.”

“I think it was Castle and Dunn,” Tom said. “That’s where my dad was.”

“I’ll call them,” Langley said. “And they’ll contact you. I know them. They’re nice folks. They can help you with all the arrangements.”

“Thank you, Nurse—I’m sorry, I forgot your name.”

“Langley.”

“Thank you, Nurse Langley.”

Tom set the phone down. He pulled out a chair from the dining room table. He sat and buried his face in his palms. He wept.

He wiped away the tears and blew his nose. He reached behind him, grabbing the phone. He placed it on the table and dialed his brother, Edger.

The phone picked up. Laughter and music echoed in the background. 

“I’m sorry,” Edger said, “we’ll hold it down.”

“Edger,” Tom said, “this is Tom.”

“Tom,” Edger said jubilantly, “I was going to call you in the morning and surprise you and Mom. I passed the bar. Your big brother is a lawyer now. We’re just having a little celebration. Wish you were here.”

“Edger, do you have someplace where we can talk privately?”

“What is it? You sound downright glum. Out with it.”

“Mom has passed.”

“What do you mean?” Edger said and let out a slight chuckle of disbelief.

“I just got home from the hospital. I got a call from them just as I walked in the door.”

Tom heard a jubilant female voice from Edger’s background. “Hey, Tom, it can’t be that important. Get back to the party.”

Tom heard Edger’s muffled voice, “Hey, I’ll be right there. My brother is congratulating me.” 

The muffling left the phone. “Hey, Tom, I have guests, and I don’t want to spoil things. You get some sleep, little brother, and I’ll call in the morning.”

“Edger,” Tom softly pleaded, “help me, I don’t know what to do.”

“Look, Tommy gun,” Edger said, “we’ll work it all out in the morning. Get yourself some sleep.”

Edger hung up.

Tom placed the phone down.

He leaned back in the chair. His head turned toward an old desk, built by his grandfather. It was where his dad did all the paperwork and paid the bills for the farm. When he died, Tom’s mother took it over. The entire desk and papers were like a bank’s vault; he had no idea what lay inside. The mere thought of opening the first bill made him queasy. 

‘Mom handles all of that,’ he thought. ‘She was going to teach me, but there was never the time. Mom always said that a day of worry is a week’s worth of exhaustion. She never seemed to worry. But I know she did. She carried a lot, and most of it was that she felt inadequate after Dad died. She did it. She managed the farm and got Edger through law school. Geez, I wish Edgar could have called a couple of hours ago. I wish she could have died knowing that Edgar is now a lawyer. She would be so proud of him.’

Tom looked past the dining room table and at the buffet beyond. On top was the last family picture with Dad, Mom, Edger, and Tom. It rested prominently, framed in ornamental gold. 

‘It was a good day. Mom wore yellow. Yellow was her color. Dad bought a new suit. He said he liked wearing that suit so much that he just might become a banker. And, look at Edger, handsome, winning smile; he already had success written all over him. And there’s me—at best, plain and ordinary. He was a head taller than me then. Now I’m almost a head taller than him. He was swift and coordinated, and I was always the oaf.’

“It’s just me and him now,” Tom murmured. From deep inside came a restrained laugh. “Nah, it’s just me.”

The Desperate Summer Of '62

   At the age of 15, a young man named Rich Larsen faced the prospect of growing up without a family to nurture that growth. He faced a number of situations that challenged his understanding of the world around him. 

  The Desperate Summer of '62 explores that world. 

  Young Rich Larsen feels he has reached his limit. He faces a decision. That begins a journey of nearly seven years. It unfolds into a series of six additional novels, taking Rich Larsen to some of the remotest places on earth. 

  The Desperate Summer of '62 is the beginning of that journey. Read, and go on the journey with him.

  Here is the link for the Kindle or digital format, and here is the one for paperback. 

Sci-Fi; From Here To 1137 AD

 As previously announced, I challenged myself to write a science fiction novel. It is now complete. It will appear on this site starting Monday, March 23rd, 2025. The title is From Here To 1137 AD.

There were many unknowns before taking on this project. I'm a babe in the woods. I've never read a sci-fi novel. I've only watched movies. Thus, my sci-fi will likely not follow the formula of others. 

During the writing, there was far more research into this project than any other book I have written. I know more about the universe than before and certainly more about 12th century English history. 

It would be remiss if I failed to mention the help of my friend, Mike Webster, and my grandson, Roman Gandara. They are both sci-fi and superhero aficionados. I bounced ideas and pitched plot twists their way. Unless they got up and left the room, I assumed they were okay. 

As expressed before, I never expected to have as much fun writing something as I did with this project. That’s not to say I’m ready for another; however, I did leave room for a sequel. 

With science fiction, the imagination can run wild. However, caution must be exercised to stay within the bounds of reason. Also, when delving into the past to emulate everyday life in early medieval times, accuracy is absolutely necessary. A peasant can not pick up a cell phone and order out for pizza. At times, certain words had to be researched to see if they were even in use during the 12th century. However, I’m certain more than a few slipped through the cracks.

Again, the first episode of From Here To 1137 AD starts Monday, March 23rd. I hope you have as much fun reading as I had in writing.

The Double-Cross In Paradise; Episode 50 (Final Episode), New Crew

This is episode forty-seven in the sixth novel of The Troy Adventure Series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. Here are the links to  The Double-Cross In Paradise: paperback, Kindle. 

New Crew 

Trace felt a relaxed, warm feeling. A soft, contented smile fell across his face. He turned around. Sage stood nearby.

“It’s over,” Trace said.

“What do we do now?” Sage asked.

“We have to muster a crew,” Trace said. “We need two deckhands. Tom told me he worked as a short-order cook when he was in college. It’s easier to find deckhands than a good cook.”

“Back to Fiji?” Sage asked.

“Yeah,” Trace said, “I’ll check with Allie. She may know some guys who’d like to sign on as deckhands. There’s always Sneaky Pete’s. Dad said back in the day, he could always find deckhands there. They may not be the best of character, but who knows what we’ll find, maybe a diamond in the rough.”

They sat on the hatch to the forward hold. They chatted and watched the Royal Australian Navy’s frigate set stationary like a gray metal island. 

“Welp, they’ll be gone soon,” Sage said. “Prison for Franks, Paul, and Makani. Patterson, I hope he gets a break and uses it to do good. And Kelsey, it will all start over for him again, going after the bad guys.”

“Kelsey may end up back in the cattle business,” Trace said. “I always got the feeling it was in his blood.”

“The sea can teach you a lot,” Sage said. “I’m glad I’m doing this. What about you?”

“I sometimes wonder when it will be enough,” Trace said, “You know, pack up and head back home.”

“Are you thinking about it?” Sage said. 

“If I hold that thought for more than five minutes, I’ll know it’s time,” Trace said. “What about you?”

“No way I’m leaving my partner out here to fend for himself,” Sage said. “And I gathered by what you said to Makani about eventually turning The Tramp Islander over to somebody, that you will be grooming someone to take her over.”

“That would be the way I want to leave her,” Trace said, “but when I’m ready, and there’s no one to take over, I’ll just sell her outright. The first offer that comes along. I’ll always worry about her, though, so I might be just a bit choosy.”

“Ahoy!” A voice came from the frigate.

Trace turned toward the frigate and waved at an officer on its deck. 

“You’re free to go,” an officer yelled from the deck of the frigate. “Get on the radio.”

Trace went into the pilothouse and turned on the radio. 

“Troy, here.”

“Troy, this is Kelsey. While we were risking our lives and scraping our collective arses, a solid case was being put together on everybody.”

“That’s good to hear,” Trace said. “Take care, over.”

“Where are you heading, over?”

“Nice and slow back to Suva, over.”

“Have a safe voyage, over.”

“Likewise, over and out.”

The Tramp Islander gently sailed through pleasant seas with gentle breezes back to Suva. The nearly nine-hundred-mile voyage took a week. They sailed late into the evening and dropped the sails. With a crew of only three, Trace did not want to overburden anybody. If bad weather or a critical situation occurred, he wanted everyone to be well rested.

After docking at Suva, Trace immediately called Allie.

“Allied Freight, Allie speaking,”

“Guess who?”

“Trace, when did you get in?”

“Five minutes ago.”

“What took you so long to call me?”

“Give us a week before getting any cargo.”

“No problem. I heard you had quite a stir in Vanuatu.”

“Yep. We’ll get together and tell you all about it.”

“It’s a date.”

“I need a couple of deckhands. If you come across anybody, can you steer them my way?”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“I’ll catch up with you later. Bye.”

“Goodbye.”

Trace grabbed the intercom mic. “Anybody who wants to go to Sneaky Pete’s, the cab will be here in ten minutes.”

Ten minutes later, Trace, Sage, and Tom crammed into a cab and drove to Sneaky Pete’s.

“Why are we going there? Tom asked, squeezed in the backseat between Trace and Sage.

“Remember Pete, don’t ya?” Sage said. “He owns a bar.”

“He’s a friend,” Trace said. “It would be wrong not to see him. If he heard we’d been in town and didn’t stop by, he’d think there was something wrong or that our friendship didn’t mean much.”

“Friendship means a lot to you guys,” Tom said.

“Before we get there, we should be on the same page,” Trace said. “You want to be the cook, right? If you don’t, we look for a cook and one deckhand. If you want the cook’s job, we need two deckhands.”

“I like being dry,” Tom said.

Soon, they stopped in front of Sneaky Pete’s. Trace paid the driver, and he drove away.

They walked in. The bar was half full. The smoke hung heavy and kept the odor of beer from escaping. Pete was busy behind the bar. He smiled and waved.

Trace glanced to his right. Two men sat at a table. One was very familiar. It was Kelsey.

Kelsey smiled and gestured to sit. “Have a seat.”

They sat at the table.

“What are you doing in town?” Trace asked. 

“Well, everything is moving smoothly back in Brisbane,” Kelsey said. “My job is done. There’s a pretty solid case against all of them. And it looks as if Patterson will have to do only six months.”

“That’s good to hear,” Sage said, “but what are you doing here? You aren’t arresting us, are you?”

“Nah, no way,” Kelsey said. “I quit my job on the force. I need a job. You wouldn’t need a deckhand, would you?”

“I thought the sea made you sick,” Trace said.

“My last day, I felt as good as I’ve ever felt since the days when I was a young jackaroo, ” Kelsey said.

“Well, sure,” Trace said, “I’ll take you on. But I need another deckhand.”

“Remember, I told you about my brother?” Kelsey said and nodded toward the man with him. “This is my younger brother. He’s a bit soft, but he’d like to come along with me. The sea is a good place to get to know someone. We want to get to know each other better.”

“Let’s drink to that,” Trace grinned. He rose in his chair. “Hey Pete! A round for the crew of The Tramp Islander.”

The Double-Crosse In Paradise; Episode 49, Skeleton Crew

This is episode forty-seven in the sixth novel of The Troy Adventure Series. It is titled The Double-Cross in Paradise. Here are the links to  The Double-Cross In Paradise: paperback, Kindle.   

Skeleton Crew

Tom volunteered to take over the kitchen duties. 

Trace ordered Makani, Franks, and Paul to stay in their seats. He felt there was no need for them to be guarded. 

Trace, Sage, and Kelsey climbed up to the pilot house and waited for the Navy’s frigate. Trace sat in the captain’s chair, Sage at the chart desk, and Kelsey on the bench opposite Trace and Sage.

“That was some good detective work,” Kelsey said.

“Thanks,” Trace said. “No matter how it turned out, I knew it wouldn’t be good. There were times I trusted Makani with my life and the lives of my crew.”

“He was a good cook,” Sage grinned.

“Well, partner,” Trace said to Sage, “We’re going to have to sail her with a skeleton crew.”

“Should be no problem,” Sage said.

“I’m not doing too good when it comes to crews,” Trace said. “In all the times I’ve owned The Tramp Islander, I’ve had four crewmen turn on me. I wonder what the average is?”

“Don’t try to compare this with ranch hands in Texas,” Sage said. “You know as well as I do that some of those guys will rustle a steer or two for his own. It’s just baked in. It’s expected. Your dad and my dad turn a blind eye to it, as long as it's under control.”

“I wonder what Makani’s motivation was,” Trace said. “He had plenty of money.”

“It’s something we’ll probably never know,” Sage said.

“If I may,” Kelsey said, “some guys don’t need motivation. Some guys do it to improve their lot in life. They might have an addiction to feed. Some like the challenge, which gives them an adrenaline rush. And some guys—well, l it’s like getting up in the morning. It’s just something they do. They’d rather still have a dollar than even have it given to them.

“Looky there,” Sage said, pointing starboard, behind Kelsey.

Kelsey turned around. “There ya go, mates, the Royal Australian Navy!”

The frigate hailed The Tramp Islander. Arrangements were made for the frigate to move alongside at a distance of 50 yards.

The frigate stopped, and they lowered a launch. It motored cautiously to The Tramp Islander. Sage and Tom grabbed the tossed lines. Two Naval Police Coxswains awaited to receive Makani, Franks, and Paul.

Trace stood close to the launch. He wanted to speak to each man before leaving The Tramp Islander. 

Franks faced Trace. 

“You’ll be tried in Australia this time,” Trace said. “You won’t be able to buy your way out, there. I can’t be angry at a snake that bites me, because that’s what he does.”

Franks stepped onto the launch.

Paul smirked, facing Trace

“You still have a chance,” Trace said. “Don’t waste it as your dad has. Break away from his spell. That’s your weakness, admiration of men you perceive as great.”

Patterson walked by next. He stopped. “Kelsey said he’ll put in a word. He said probation might be all I’ll get. I can live with that.”

“It’s sure better than murder,” Trace said. “Good luck.”

“Same to ya,” Patterson said.

Makani walked by, ignoring Trace.

Trace grabbed Makani’s shoulder. He turned Makanii to face him. “Why?”

“White men come here and make big money off us,” Makani said. “They use people. Treat like not smart. Treat like dog. I was going to show white man how to be really big. I wanted to have many white men work for me.”

“I always treated you good,” Trace said.

“Yeah,” Makani said, “you treat me like poor dumb island boy.”

Makani stepped onto the launch.

Kelsey stepped next to Trace. 

Trace shook Kelsey’s hand.

“It’s been good, mate,” Trace said with an Australian accent.

“Same to ya, partner,” Kelsey said with a Texas accent and went back to his normal accent. “Don’t leave until you get the all clear.”

“I’ll wait,” Trace said.

Sage tossed their gear aboard the launch.

Kelsey stepped onto the launch, and it motored back to the frigate.