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May/June 2025

4/30/2025

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Hi, everyone. 

Best wishes for a Merry Month of May. 

There is a bit of writing-related news.  Just when we thought the final release date for the military history book was totally nailed down, there has been another change. The marketing director for the publishing company called to say that the release date was being pushed back until September 2. The reason apparently is that added time was needed to enable them to get additional drafts to their networks of distributors, reviewers, catalog publishers, and outlets such as Publishers Weekly, etc. I hope that is good news – that they are trying to reach out in depth to prospective clientele (and perhaps they were a bit behind in the production schedule.) 

A writing colleague noted that the Amazon system still shows a release in June. I mentioned that to the marketing director who said they would try to get that corrected to reflect the later date. The September release will be a hard cover version. 

A second news item: there won’t be a June newsletter. (Please, hold the applause.) If things go as planned, we’ll be on the road and mostly off the grid from the end of May until mid-June. You may be subjected to some boring touristy Norway and Iceland stuff in the July newsletter. (I’ll keep it brief.) 

Since The YouTube Candidate was published, the subject of real life close, unusual, or disputed presidential elections in our nation’s history has come up more frequently in conversations with those who are interested in the subject. I ran across a book titled America’s Deadliest Election: A Cautionary Tale of the Most Violent Election in American History that details the 1876 election and the cycle of events leading up to it. Wow, what a mess – it may indeed have been the nastiest and most questionable of any of our elections. Samuel Tildon, the Democratic candidate, won the popular vote over Republican Rutherford B. Hayes by 250,000 votes. He received 184 electoral votes, falling short by one vote. Hayes initially received 164. At issue were 20 disputed electoral votes from Florida, Louisiana, South Carolina, and Oregon (the one disputed vote from Oregon dealt with a technical question regarding an elector’s public office). Each of the three southern states submitted two sets of electors after chaotic elections that featured rampant electoral fraud, voter intimidation by armed paramilitary groups, disenfranchisement of black voters, and more than 150 deaths attributed to election-related violence. 

The entire election process was brought to an impasse with Tildon one vote short and no resolution regarding the 20 disputed votes. Eventually, as time was running out prior to inauguration day, an Electoral Commission composed of members of Congress and judiciary was convened to decide the outcome. The commission was comprised of 15 members of whom eight were Republicans and seven were Democrats. Perhaps not surprisingly given what we are witnessing in the present day, the commission voted along strict party lines. All 20 votes were awarded to Hayes who thus won the election 185-184. 

It still was not over. A lengthy Senate filibuster prevented the results from being made official. Eventually, that was resolved when the Democrats agreed to stop the filibuster if the Republicans (and President-elect Hayes) would agree to remove Federal troops from the South, where they had been posted as peacekeepers since the end of the Civil War. That agreement was officially anointed in what was called the Compromise of 1877. What happened next may perhaps be attributed to the ‘Law of Unintended Consequences’. The withdrawal of Federal troops in effect brought an end to the Reconstruction Era and contributed to decades more of segregation, violence, and Jim Crow laws throughout the south. On a national level, the U.S. military was not desegregated until 1948. In 1954, the Supreme Court ruling in Brown v. Board of Education led to the desegregation of public schools, though President Eisenhower had to send troops to Little Rock to enforce it. Meaningful civil rights legislation in housing, voting rights, etc., did not occur until the 1960s. All of those were long, long times to wait for what should have been birthrights for all Americans. 

New subject: At the moment, I’m about half way through a book on the Crusades. I ran across something that was too good not to mention. In the First Crusade, one of the participants, the Count of Anjou, was called ‘Fulk the Repulsive.’ Isn’t that the greatest name? His looks apparently were somewhat less than George Clooney-ish and he was described as being “querulous.” Another crusader was called ‘Hugh the Berserk.’ I mean, picture yourself as a knight in the First Crusade sitting around a campfire at night trading war stories with guys named Fulk the Repulsive and Hugh the Berserk. How cool would that be? 

And now: TRULY AWFUL PUNS 

NASA launched several cows into space. It became known as the herd shot around the world.

What do you call two birds stuck together? Velcrows.
​
Best wishes until we chat again in July. Have a great summer.
Tom

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April 2025

4/1/2025

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Hi, everyone. I’m writing this on April Fool’s Day – so the joke is that you probably thought you were going to get something useful, interesting, or worthwhile. (Well, actually, we do have a pun or two at the end – hopefully that will make it all worth your time.)

There are two pieces of writing news to mention. The first is to respond to questions from readers that asked about the outcome of the session with the University of Colorado Alumni Book Club. (The club had sent word that they were going to be discussing The YouTube Candidate in their monthly meeting in March.) I didn’t know beforehand that the book was their first discussion of a work of fiction – so that made it an especially neat meeting. Up to this point, I guess, the group had always discussed academic/factual works of history, science, psychology, astronomy, current events, etc., often written by faculty members.

Anyway, the outcome was delightful. The Zoom session we had planned on didn’t work, so the moderators collected questions from the audience and sent them to me. I answered them in a single consolidated message which was then sent to all members of the club. A few days later, I did a long telephone interview with staff members who called to gather more information regarding areas of the book that piqued the most interest at the meeting and in the written responses. A very good time was had by all.  

Here is a sample of the most interesting or frequently asked questions.

Did you write this as a fairy tale or a call to arms? I’m just finishing the book and feeling the acute lack of a Matt Anderson in our country. Is he perhaps you? Dare we hope?

Answer: Re fairy tale vs call to arms. Perhaps somewhere in between. I didn’t have either of those extremes in mind when I was putting words on paper. The story is more fiction than fairy tale in that the major stepping stones it draws on along the way to inauguration are quite real and embodied in statutes or in the Constitution. Thus, they are possible in a legitimate sense although seldom called upon (only once in our history in the case of no candidate receiving an Electoral College majority). Even the strange quirks such as would allow the selection of a VP from a different party than the president are factual.

Answer: Re call to arms. What I was hoping was to write an entertaining story that would perhaps cause readers to take more interest in the real-life happenings that the story mirrors. Then, depending on the depth of the convictions that result, respond in whatever way suits them best.

Answer: Re Matt Anderson is he you? Matt Anderson is me only to the extent that with varying degrees of intensity, I agree with the policies he talks about and share his concerns with the about the divisive atmosphere in the country and what it might mean for our future. On a personal basis, I have never thought seriously of running for office. Anyway, as the Carl Haglund character in the book says, I am now “too long in the tooth” to aspire to that role. Even if I wanted the job, I would face a critical short coming … I don’t play golf. That clearly disqualifies me from major political office! 😊

Note: What I didn’t include in the answer was that after several years of being in a job that required keeping a telephone within immediate reach, there is no way I would ever again desire a position that would make me go back to that. One of the first rules of thumb that I developed as a commander was that when the phone rings at 3:30 in the morning, the voice at the other end is not calling to let you know that things are going well. Also, the notion of almost always being within range of a camera or a microphone strikes me as being a truly uncomfortable way to spend the days of your life.   

Why didn’t you write down the transcript of the Presidential speech (the YouTube speech at the kitchen table)?

Answer: the contents of the speech speak to things that in different ways inspire most Americans – our quest for individual freedom, the value we place on it, our dreams for the nation, our visions for the future, the unique way we view our country, etc. Within those broad headings, though, people view the things that shape those feelings in different ways and assign them different degrees of importance. I did not want to detail a list of specific properties within those categories that might in certain areas not conform with the beliefs held in the minds some readers. Better, I thought, to provide a clothesline that readers could hang their own images on. Also, I very much wanted to set the stage and get into the story quickly. It seemed a good way of doing that was to describe the reaction to the speech rather than go into detail on the speech itself.

Did you base Matt Anderson on someone, or is he a mix of many people?

I did not base Matt on a specific person. I did have certain personality traits in mind for him and most other characters before I started writing – although some of them ‘grew’ and changed as the story developed. I was generally tuned in more to placing Matt and other characters in situations that I thought were necessary to tell the story, and then deciding how the characters might react in those circumstances.

Why did you choose to write a fiction book? Why now?

I’ve written fiction short stories, but I have always hoped to do a work of novel length. Time is not necessarily an ally for me and as I looked in the mirror each morning and saw the wrinkles and grey hair reflected back, it seemed clear that if I was going to get that done, I needed to get on with it. As it turned out, I had an extended break between writing obligations for military history books and used that time to draft The YouTube Candidate. That period coincided with the beginning run up to the recent election. I have long had an interest in this topic, but I had not really determined the subject matter beforehand. Then, as I became increasingly concerned with the divisive climate in the country and the possible implications of that for the nation’s future, it seemed an avenue worth pursuing – and it was a subject that seemed to be of interest to others as well.

Note: There also were questions along the lines of: how long did it take you to write the book? What was the publishing process like? Are you currently working on a new writing project?  Etc.

The answer to the latter has been mentioned in previous newsletters. In fact, on March 29, with the assistance of one of my techie daughters, I sent back to the publisher what I devoutly hope will be the final editing of the manuscript page proofs for Taking Command. Fingers are crossed when I write this, but as of the moment, we are on track for the book to be released on June 17. That date has already been published on Amazon, so it appears that the publisher (Stackpole) has indeed locked in on that date.

And now, clearly the most important part of the newsletter: TRULY AWFUL PUNS.

The doctor gave the patient some anti-gloating crème. Now all he wants to do is rub it in.

Alcohol and calculus don’t mix. Don’t drink and derive.

/////

Take care, everyone – and have a great April.
​
Tom

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March 2025

2/28/2025

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I promise to close this note with some brief writing news concerning an upcoming event, update you on the status of the next military history book, then finish with a few rambling thoughts that I would welcome your feedback on.
 
First, though, kindly indulge me while I take few paragraphs to talk about two books that have recently been suggested to me that have very special, personal meaning in my life and that of my family.
 
The first was introduced to me by my friend and Air Force colleague, Ed Jones. The title is Black Ops: The Life of a CIA Shadow Warrior. The book was written by Ric Prado, a retired CIA operative.
 
Prado’s book is good reading throughout, but one chapter in particular relates to an event that touched both Nita’s family and my work in the Air Force. “The Afternoon of Darkness” chapter describes a time when Prado was in the Philippines to help combat a burgeoning Marxist insurgency. Prado and his crew lived in Manila, but a portion of their classified gear was kept in a secure facility at Clark Air Base, a USAF military installation located some distance north of the city.
 
 Nine miles away from Clark Air Base was Mount Pinatubo, a volcano that had been inactive for centuries. In the spring of 1991, earth tremors and steam venting began to occur on a persistent basis. Those episodes had the ultimately positive effect of allowing time for contingency evacuation preparations to be made. On June 10, the volcano blew clouds of ash into the air and magna boiled to the surface.  Officials immediately – correctly -- decided it was time to go. At 5:00AM the call went out to evacuate the 15,000 Air Force members and families stationed at the base. Long streams of traffic flowed south to Subic Bay (site of a large U.S. Naval facility) and aircraft were redeployed to bases out of harm’s way. Two days later, the first massive eruption occurred. “… within seconds, millions of tons of ash boiled skyward, creating a mushroom cloud twelve miles high.” Compounding the catastrophe, on June 15, “Typhoon Yunya swept across the island with peak winds of 120 miles per hour.” Torrential downpours triggered flash floods.  At the same time, Mount Pinatubo exploded again. This time the eruption was truly apocalyptic. The mountain blew apart “with the force of two hundred atomic bombs … (t)he main event blasted volcanic ash and pumice twenty-four miles into the atmosphere.” Six more eruptions occurred that day.
 
As the typhoon raged, rain soaked the ash coming from the volcano creating clumps of pumice/ash/mud that plunged down for miles around mountain. “The wet ash acted almost like concrete, crushing rooftops and buildings and destroying vehicles. Later estimates concluded that a cubic foot of this stuff weighed thirty-six pounds.”
 
During a lull in the eruptions, Prado and a small team made a dash to Clark to recover as much of their stored classified gear as possible. Their trips to and from the base bordered on the nightmarish. “Entire villages had been scrapped away by tsunamis of volcanic mud. Flooding was widespread and road damage was pervasive. After several hours the team reached Clark. They found that widespread looting had added further to the devastation. Prada’s notes, scribbled down at the time, reveal the extent of the catastrophe.  “Community totally destroyed by looting. Every single house had been stripped down to the studs”… furniture, appliances, copper wiring, houses little more than skeletons.” The CIA facility was buried in hardened ash. Prado’s group “had to use axes, picks, and shovels” to gain access.  They escaped just as another eruption occurred and rode through darkness, surrounded by falling ash on the way back to Manila.
 
After the eruptions ended, the Air Force sent a team to assess the damage. They found that Clark AB had essentially ceased to exist. The events at Clark had special significance for my family. Nita grew up on Clark AB. Her dad, an AF Master Sergeant, had two tours there, the last one as First Sergeant of the Security Police Squadron. When the Air Force team returned from their inspection, I got copies of the photos they had taken and showed them to Nita. The scene looked like a lunar landscape.  Few things were discernible. We thought perhaps we could identify the general location of the housing area where Nita and her family had lived, but we could not be certain. The base was never reoccupied.
 
Despite all this, there was a “good news” aspect to all of this that also touched us in a special way. When those 15,000 Air Force members and families departed Clark AB at 5:00 in the morning on that day in June, the worldly possessions they took with them consisted mainly of suitcases. Nearly everything else was left behind. Almost before they arrived at Subic Bay, assignment makers at the Air Force Military Personnel Center were identifying follow-on duty locations for them. At the time, my unit had the title of “Office of Plans, Programs, and Analysis” (later it became “Personnel Operations”). Names aside, I was blessed with a cadre of analysts and computer techies – smart, caring people that many ‘Fortune 500’ companies’ would drool over in admiration. They were the ‘good news’ in this story. In a remarkably short period of time, they matched up the evacuee families waiting at Subic Bay with host families at the locations they were being assigned to. To the maximum extent possible, they sought to mirror the size and composition of the family – even in terms of ages of children, etc. -- that would greet and care for the newcomers at their new location. Project officers were assigned at each stateside base to oversee the arrival process. It was quickly and masterfully done. The shock and sudden trauma that was inflicted on so many was eased by the welcome and the support that was immediately available to them. Many lifelong friendships resulted.
 
One of my favorite daughters sent me a book about a subject she has a special interest in. A few years ago, before Russia invaded Ukraine, Laura spent two days touring Chernobyl. The book, titled Chernobyl Roulette: War in the Nuclear Disaster Zone, covers the period at the outset of the war when Russian troops occupied the facility and the surrounding nuclear exclusion zone.
 
It is a very interesting – and sometimes harrowing – tale that describes how close at times the world was to another nuclear disaster. The Russian troops and officials that took control of the site had almost no understanding of any aspect of the plant’s operation or the dangers associated with it. The Ukrainian supervisors, technicians, and support staff – held essentially hostage because they could not travel through the war zone to their residences outside the exclusion area (nor could replacement shift workers journey to the site) – struggled to maintain around the clock operations and safety at the several reactors and nuclear waste facilities housed there. Battling fatigue, stress, and illness, the stranded staff worked twelve-hour shifts for more than forty consecutive days devoid of changes of clothes, fresh toiletries, and other amenities.
 
As events unfolded, several unsung heroes emerged. Among them was the night shift foreman, Valentyn Heiko, who was on duty when the Russians took control. Described as calm, considerate, unruffled, and vastly experienced – he had begun working at Chernobyl in the immediate aftermath of the 1986 disaster – Heiko invited the Russian commanders to his office, and surprised them with his comments. Unintimidated, he advised them that “they were not merely in an atomic station but in a post-accident atomic station.” They were advised not to interfere with operations or venture without escort into any of the operational facilities. He politely told the Russian officers that “they were taking over a highly contaminated territory and it was his obligation, no matter who they were, to instruct them, like any other visitors, on safety regulations.” He proceeded to do that in detail – radiation checks, designated safe areas inside and outside, etc. “He invited them to study the instructions and manuals and observe them for their own safety.”
 
The Russian officials were taken aback by Heiko’s remarks and were obviously unaware of the dangers that confronted them. From the outset, “power in the relations between occupiers and occupied slowly shifted to Heiko … Heiko emerged in the moment of crisis as the unquestioned leader of his staff and a master negotiator who managed to turn weakness into strength.”  There were several close calls along the way. Chernobyl Roulette is a very interesting story.
 
Now for the small bits of writing news … On the 13th of this month, I’m scheduled to be a video participant at a discussion of The YouTube Candidate conducted by the University of Colorado book club. Apparently, it is quite a large organization. With the emergence of Coach Prime as such a major figure on the Boulder campus, I will be curious to see if I’m greeted by an audience wearing dark shades and gold chains … I’ll let you know.
 
At this point, it appears that Taking Command, the military history book, is still on track for a mid-June release. I am scheduled to get the first full manuscript draft at the end of this month.
 
Now for those rambling thoughts mentioned at the outset… As I’ve said before, I suspect that Taking Command is the last full-length book that I will write. I have been looking through some notes and drafts of possible writing projects that I might consider taking on at some point. As noted in the past, I’ve been asked to do a poetry chapbook. That effort might turn into a short book that combines poems and short stories (some of both of which have been previously published). A small book devoted strictly to short stories -- given current events, the book would probably lead with “Doomsday 3.0” -- may also be worth thinking about. Finally, so much for the serious stuff …several years ago when I was still actively playing softball, I scribbled out a short draft titled “The Art and Science of Slo-Pitching.” It was a hoot to write. I didn’t really push hard to find a publisher for it – and at any rate, it may be too short to be seriously considered. It might be fun, though, to dig it out if for no other reason than to soak in the memories it would bring back.  
 
Well, this has clearly rambled on long enough. It is time to turn to your favorite feature and close the newsletter with a TRULY AWFUL PUN.
 
Studies show that cows produce more milk when the farmer talks to them.
It is a case of in one ear and out the udder.
 
As promised, really and truly awful.
 
Best wishes for a great month of March and a special springtime soon to come.
Tom

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February 2025

2/10/2025

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Bear with me please: the next few paragraphs will eventually wander into some stuff associated with writing.
 
Nita and I first rented the house we have lived in since we moved to Lincoln 27 years ago. We especially liked the wonderful set of neighbors and its location – close to the hospital where Nita worked and convenient short distances from grocery store, theater, drug store, restaurants, park, and other amenities. So … when a few years later the residence came on the market, we quickly decided to buy it.
 
When we first moved in, tucked away in the corner of the basement was a small (9’x 11’) bare, cement-walled, concrete-floored room that had been used for storage and left unattended during the life-span of house. In the middle of the room, floor to ceiling, were several exposed pipes which disappeared among rafters that were also completely desolate and uncovered. It was a space that did not exude a lot of warmth or promise.
 
For the first couple of years we left it like that, rarely even venturing into it other than to occasionally deposit some item that was not going to be used very often or was earmarked for donation or discarding.
 
That began to change when I first started to write mostly full-time. Many of the articles that I read in preparation for doing that recommended a “writing space” – a comfortable, secluded spot with materials close at hand – a place conducive to concentration and reflective research. It occurred to me that the perhaps something could be made of that small (really less than 99 sq feet because of those pipes in the middle of the room) space with the cement walls and bare rafters.
 
It quickly became obvious that my carpentry skills are not world-class. (If ever you see the room, please don’t look too closely at the moldings.) But, it was actually fun to do and to see the room change and progress. The ceiling is covered, western-style wood paneling adorns two of the walls, and pseudo brick graces the wall behind the homemade desk and portions of the wall that adjoins it. Paneling also encases those nasty looking pipes. The was a strangely placed second door in the original space. There is a larger main door into that small room, so the second entrance served no purpose. I removed that door and turned the door frame into a set of shelves. The wood paneling serves as a nice backdrop for some Air Force memorabilia and framed book covers. Over the years, the room has transformed from a place largely avoided into one where I have occasionally spent so much time that Nita believes that if there was a microwave and water closet close by, I’d probably be down there all the time.
 
Okay, so what does any of that architectural digest stuff have to do with a monthly newsletter? It is this: I have just finished my once a decade deep cleaning of the room, discarding unneeded material – duplicates, drafts, projects for which there was seemingly no hope, etc. – rearranging things for convenience (realizing that I will probably soon forget where I put the stuff I moved). I took several large bags of stuff to recycling and donated various other things. In the midst of all that I rediscovered some fascinating things and recalled again some warm memories.
 
The really interesting things involved coming across items that have been mostly forgotten over the years. Like, for example, the first-ever monthly newsletter. That very first one was dated July 2011. So, this summer will mark the 14th anniversary. Give or take one or two months that I skipped for holiday or travel reasons, this month’s newsletter will be about the 163st edition. The first versions of the newsletter were indeed published in July and August, 2011. Soon after, at the suggestion of a couple of publishing companies, I began sending advance notices to address groups advising readers each time a new update was available. September was the first newsletter which went to a wider, established audience.  
 
The format of that September newsletter was in most ways similar to that which continues to this day. The writing-specific material talked mainly about work on a project that at that time had a working title of “Forgotten Heroes.” When it was eventually published by Casemate, the title was transformed into “In the Shadows of History: America’s Forgotten Military Leaders 1776-1876.” There was no pun in that first expanded edition. There was, however, the following verse.
 
Three Years at Sea: Factors Influencing the Outcome of Magellan’s Voyage
 
The thing that made palatable the voyage of Magellan
Was that the ship had a cabin boy
Whose real name was Helen.
 
Wow, that’s almost as bad as the puns.
 
A few months later, the verse of that type that for some reason drew the most comments was
 
The Division of Labor at the Lone Ranger’s Campsite
 
With the Lone Ranger’s hemorrhoids aflame and sorely aching
Tonto chased the bad guys
While the Ranger did the baking
 
Over the years, there have been some things that have touched readers (and me) deeply. One of the most profound was “The Poem Code” (officially, “The Life That I Have”) and the story behind it. During World War II, British agents were assigned specific poems which were then encrypted for their missions behind enemy lines. “The Life That I Have” was assigned to a young woman named Violette Szabo who, after her husband had been killed in the war, joined a clandestine unit whose members worked with the French underground as they fought the Nazi forces that occupied the country. Violette was eventually captured whjle on a mission and later died at the Ravensbruck concentration camp. “The Life That I Have” was the poem assigned to her.
 
The Life That I Have
 
The life that I have
Is all that I have
And the life that I have
Is yours.
 
The love that I have
Of the life that I have
Is yours and yours and yours.
 
A sleep I shall have
A rest I shall have
Yet death will be but a pause.
 
For the peace of my years
In the long green grass
Will be yours and yours and yours.
 
A second piece that has special significance for me and, for many reasons, brought back many memories, was a small verse that I wrote regarding the events of 9/11. It was published soon after that event and in subsequent years various periodicals have sometimes reprinted it on the anniversary. The poem won the Iliad Press and National Authors Registry Grand Prize and the President’s Award for Literary Excellence. The title comes from the fact that 9/11 occurred on a Tuesday.
 
The Day After Tuesday
 
History crashed into our living room
Irreversible, mountainous, cruel.
Transgressor from a nether world
Where dark, not light, would rule.
 
Sixteen acres of tears remain
In avenues of shattered dreams.
Reason answers not the cries at night
Or the days of silent screams.
 
Shards of glass and fire and dust
Bear witness to the pain.
Testimony to the power of hate
And beauty made profane.
 
But voices answer from the pile
Like beacons on the martyred sky.
They speak the victory of hope and love
And of spirit that will not die.
 
Resurrected through tears and fire
Indomitable, magnificent, strong.
Certain as tomorrow’s sunrise
Right will triumph over wrong.
 
So, please pardon the walk down memory lane. It has been quite a journey since the phone rang one morning nearly 14 years ago and a high school classmate I hadn’t talked with or heard from for years said “Hi, Tom. This is Carl Knopf. You need a website.” Carl had come across one of my books somewhere and tracked me down. He was right. I did need a website. He wanted to build one for me. He did that with, at his insistence, a handshake agreement that he would get the first copy of every new book. Carl did that for several years until his health began to fail. For a time, the website occasionally showed the effects of his increasing infirmity, but I felt so beholden to him for his kindness that there was never any thought of making a change. When Carl passed and I began looking for a webmaster to take over the site, another classmate, Louis Lawson, suggested a friend and Chamber of Commerce colleague of his in Vero Beach, Florida. I have come to think Louis’s advice to contact Maureen Nicolace (Nicolace Marketing) was the some of the best advice I have been given regarding anything associated with the writing business. In addition to her wisdom and thoughtfulness, I am especially grateful for the many improvements she has made to the site and for correcting my numerous glitches before they see the light of day. I can provide full assurance that any mistakes that may appear in the website are my doing and not hers.
 
After going through all of the stuff in that room, I feel like I should award medals to all of those who have persisted through many of those 163 newsletters. Special thanks to all of the readers who have so kindly shared comments regarding the site or its contents and to those who have helped in a variety of ways with many of the writing projects. Each of you deserve an extra cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll.
 
And now, at long last, two small pieces of writing news. The miliary history book Taking Command has entered the production cycle. I should receive initial page proofs at the end of March. The company is aiming for a mid-June release. Second, there is a large book club associated with the University of Colorado that has chosen The YouTube Candidate as their book for discussion in March. If arrangements work out, I will participate from home during the last segment.
 
Have a great February. Pitchers and catchers report to spring training later this month.
 
Best always,
Tom

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January 2025

1/3/2025

3 Comments

 
Hi, everyone. Welcome to 2025 – and please know that those words bring with them every good wish for the best and happiest NewYear for you and all those who bring warmth and joy to your life. 
 
2024 was a pretty good year for us – probably far better than we deserved.  We are looking forward to some travel, good times, and good memories with friends and family. (All of which will be made even better by days that begin with a good cup of coffee and a cinnamon roll.)  And, of course, we hope to put some words on paper that perhaps a few people around the globe will be foolish enough to spend some time with.
 
As noted in earlier newsletters, if all goes well, Taking Command, a military history (Cold War to the present day), is scheduled for publication in June. I think that will probably be the last full length novel that I will attempt while I can still find my way to the computer and (most days)  remember how to turn it on. At some point there may be that anthology that we have mentioned before and that some friends and book stores have been gracious enough to ask about. That work would consist at least in part of short stories and verses that have been published elsewhere over the years. We’ll see what happens.
 
In the meantime, we are continuing to work with book stores and gift shops to help smooth the path for The YouTube Candidate, the fiction novel released in Great Britain and the U.S. by Vanguard Press (Pegasus Publishers Ltd) last fall. Early on, some Barnes & Noble outlets advised that they hesitated to stock the book in their stores (although they were pleased to order it on behalf of readers) because they understood (mistakenly it turns out) that the British publisher had a “no return” policy on purchases. After correspondence back and forth, Pegasus clarified that the “book is available for return if ordered through our international distributor Ingram.” Pegasus has requested that Ingram interface with the Barnes & Noble organization and advise them of that policy – or reiterate it to them.  That information seems to be filtering down to some stores. There are two Barnes & Noble outlets in Lincoln. One, at the town’s biggest shopping center, had already stocked the book at two locations in their store one of which had   quickly sold out. The other store ordered copies from Ingram when I showed them the information from Pegasus. So … altogether those results made it an extra cup of coffee and cinnamon roll morning. (Fortunately, there was a place close by.) I hope that pattern will continue as the information reaches buyers at individual stores.
 
The timing of the book – making its presence visible in stores – is especially important. The principle theme of the story parallels on-going events of the present day. The recently completed political campaign and its aftermath began a period of especially intense interest in the subject matter that will continue over the next several weeks with the inauguration of a new president followed by selection of cabinet members, initiatives by the new Congress, anniversary of the January 6 assault on the nation’s capitol, etc. So, acquainting potential readers with it in the near future may have special impact.
 
If I do additional book length work in the future, I probably will not use a British company. I did so this time based on the company’s promise (which they fulfilled) that the book would be released within a year – and would thus be available during the course of the presidential election campaign. Most U.S. based companies anticipated a much longer production cycle. For the most part, the staff at Pegasus was enjoyable to work with, although the ping pong back and forth with repeated revisions to replace ‘British English’ spelling and usage with ‘American English’ turned out to be a bit of a hassle. I cautioned the company at the outset that the text should be presented as shown in the manuscript because the novel was aimed strictly at American audiences. But, for some reason, the initial printed drafts contained enormous amounts of ‘British English’ – ‘Colourado’, ‘honour’, standardise’ versus ‘standardize’, ‘half six’ as opposed to ‘six thirty’, etc., etc. It took several reviews to get rid of most of those. Many were rather humorous but eventually it all got to be more than a little frustrating.
 
The next – and hopefully final – step in the marketing process will be to explore the possibility of placing the book on the national ‘Good Reads’ list.
 
The events in New Orleans on January 1st make describing issues associated with a small work of fiction seem very inconsequential in comparison. I hope I have not imposed too much on your time by doing that. One purpose was simply intended to be a reminder that restoring normality – maintaining and preserving the patterns of our day to day lives – is enormously important. Indeed, it is perhaps one of the surest guarantees that the bad guys will not succeed. On a December night in Italy many years ago, Nita and I and our two small daughters found ourselves in the midst of a terrorist episode that lasted for many days. It is not a fate that I would wish on anyone. With enormous precautions, assisted by Italian and American security personnel – bless them all – we found that the best way to persevere was to get on with our lives and, despite the hassles and inconveniences, to continue doing the things that meant the most to us. There is a time for all of us to mourn. But, ultimately, the bad guys will not win: we are a people with brighter and more inspiring dreams than they have.
 
Well, enough of the dark news. It is time for a moment to turn our thoughts to other things – to nonsense, for example. That is, to TRULY AWFUL PUNS.
 
Three conspiracy theorists walk into a bar … you can’t tell me that’s just a coincidence.
 
(Golden Oldie)  Two antenna got married. The ceremony was just average, but the reception was excellent.
 
(Golden Oldie)  Why did Little Miss Muffett have a GPS on her tuffet?  She kept losing her whey.
 
 /////
 
Welcome again to all new readers to the website newsletter and – again -- special thanks to all who have offered such gracious comments regarding The YouTube Candidate and have taken the time tell others about it on social media.

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December 2024

12/2/2024

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     MERRY CHISTMAS, everyone … and every best wish for all that follows.
 
     As promised, this month’s newsletter will essentially dispense with writing news. (Please hold down the applause – the cat is trying to nap in front of the fireplace.) The one brief exception is to thank all of those who have sent kind notes and congratulations on the publication of The YouTube Candidate. Special thanks as well to those who have so graciously taken of their time to mention the book to acquaintances on Facebook, X, and other social media. I hope that process will carry on and the network will continue to expand and touch additional readers.
 
     And now … in lieu of a Christmas letter or writing-related news, here is a bit of mirth that may bring a smile as we enter the Christmas season. I hope you will enjoy the story.
 
 
THE DASHING BRIGADIER: A TALE OF ADVENTURE AND ROMANCE
 
General Sir Reginald Faversham Drysock, a brilliant young brigadier, was stationed at an isolated post deep in the Sahara. When his fiancée, the beautiful Lady Hyacinth Shrillwhistle, came to visit him she was tragically kidnapped by a passing band of Bedouins who took her to Casablanca and held her for ransom. Drysock set out immediately on a near-sighted camel named Earl, traveling across hundreds of miles of trackless desert in an attempt to rescue her. His quest was delayed when, due to Earl’s near-sightedness, they took a wrong turn at Marrakesh.
 
In the meantime, while Hyacinth waited for his arrival, a Norwegian sardine fisherman whose boat was blown far off course by a storm in the North Sea happened to wash ashore in North Africa. Hearing of Lady Hyacinth’s tragic circumstance, he sold his entire catch of sardines and purchased her freedom. The Bedouins were enthralled by the taste of sardines, which had not previously been a standard part of their diet. So overwhelming was their response that the fisherman decided to stay and open a chain of drive-in sardine restaurants. He later expanded the menu to include elk meat and frozen tundra salad.  Lady Hyacinth was understandably grateful to him for securing her freedom. She also took note of his growing affluence and began a romantic relationship with him – Drysock had, after all, been on the road a long time. She and the fisherman fell deeply in love. They eventually married, had eleven children, and lived happily ever after.
 
When Drysock finally showed up in Casablanca he was understandably distraught at having lost Lady Hyacinth. He resigned his commission and for several months simply wandered the globe dejected and alone. For a short time he served as an itinerant preacher for a little-known sect that believed that a divine intelligence permeated the entire universe except maybe for Texas and a small part of southern New Jersey. Eventually, his meanderings took him to an isolated hamlet deep in the mountains of Switzerland. There he settled for a time, immersed in the beauty and serenity of the surroundings. As the weeks went by, he came to increasingly look forward to the nightly yodeling and flugelhorn concerts – a tradition in the village – presented by his Swiss neighbors. Immersed in the magic of the music, his enjoyment continued to increase until his happiness knew no bounds. Eventually, he felt himself fully cured from his malaise. Overjoyed – and convinced that the enchanted music had restored his health – he made it his life’s mission to carry the good news of yodeling and flugelhorn music around the globe. He committed his life to travelling to the ends of the earth – even to the most remote, isolated places on the planet – to introduce the music to the millions who regrettably had not yet heard it or benefited from its healing magic.
 
To describe Drysock’s venture as successful would be a vast understatement. In the shortest possible time, travelers to out of the way places like the middle of the Sahara Desert would come across Bedouin tribesmen yodeling around the campfire in the evening. Passengers on cruise ships docking at remote locations like Papua New Guinea would find themselves greeted not by salesmen hawking shrunken heads (made in China) as had been the custom for decades, but by flugelhorn ensembles serenading them on the pier.
 
Quite soon the yodeling and flugelhorn initiative became a worldwide phenomenon. Drysock himself endowed Yodeling Chairs at Harvard and Yale. The Boston Pops and New York Philharmonic quickly added flugelhorn sections to their orchestras.
 
Even the world’s great literature succumbed to the charm of the music. A Nobel Prize winning poet retranslated the most famous stanza from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam to read
 
                                       A Book of Verses under the Bough
                                       A Jug of Wine, a Loaf of Bread – and Thou
                                       Beside me, yodeling in the darkness
 
What pleased Drysock most of all was that on a trip through Casablanca, he met the sardine fisherman who had rescued Lady Hyacinth. They immediately became fast friends. The fisherman was so enamored with Drysock’s business model that he decided on the spot to join him in a partnership. Very soon, from places like Avenue des Champs-Elysees and Times Square to Main Street in Chugwater, Wyoming, patrons could drop in to an attractive venue for  yodeling and flugelhorn lessons and then walk next door for a sardine sandwich.
 
Drysock wound up marrying a beautiful Miss Universe contestant who had yodeled to the tune of The Battle Hymn of the Republic during pageant’s talent competition. Life was good for them. They remained together, happy and productive, accompanied by Earl the camel – his near-sightedness having been cured with Lasik surgery. 
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November 2024

11/1/2024

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Hi, everyone.
 
November is upon us. In Nebraska, that usually means an anticipation of upcoming holidays combined with an expectation that chilly (or worse) weather will soon (sometimes too soon)  follow. Although … I was just looking through the family history chapter that we keep and discovered that in February Lincoln recorded an all -time high temperature of 81 degrees. Who’d have thought? You just can’t tell where climate change is going to lead us. Maybe by December the place will be sub-tropical and we’ll be going to the grocery store in speedos (or maybe not … especially the speedos part).
 
We had a very interesting October. I will not bore you with a travelogue or tourist chatter, other than to say that we filled a marvelous sort of informal “bucket list” item that my daughter Karen and I first talked about several years ago. We had both run across descriptions of Banff National Park in the Canadian Rocky Mountains. The photos and comments about Lake Louise and other locations made it sound especially appealing. So, Nita and I met Karen in Detroit and the three of us flew to Calgary – Karen had arranged a BnB near the park, rental car, and all the other essentials. (That is one of the unforeseen benefits of senior citizenry, by the way – Karen did all the driving (and essentially all the work) while Nita and I simply savored the moments.)  Several million pictures were taken and a great time was had by all. You will be pleased to note that when we got back, all three of us were speaking fluent Canadian. Beauty, eh?
 
One last item to pass along. Karen is developing a personal “I Thought It Would Be Bigger” Top Ten list of famous attractions. Here is her list so far: the Mona Lisa, the Statue of Liberty, the Alamo, Plymouth Rock, and the Mayflower. To that existing list, we added Lake Louise. Please don’t misunderstand: it is a spectacularly beautiful place, surrounded by some of the world’s most majestic and picturesque snow-capped peaks. You can, though, stand at one end of it and see the lake in its entirety. If you would like to suggest additions to the list, please let us know.
 
A couple of brief book-related updates: It has been good to see The YouTube Candidate begin to percolate outward and make some modest inroads in the outside world. The book is printed in Britain and there is sometimes a delay of a few days in getting the books to buyers. The major U.S. bookstores are pleased to accept orders from customers but thus far have been reluctant to carry quantities in stock in part because of the British publisher’s policy on returns (none accepted). So … if you buy the book and don’t like it, please consider using it to line the bottom of your bird cage or some other worthwhile purpose. Please let me know if you find the story beyond redemption and feel it necessary to employ it as bird cage material (or some similar use). I’ll commiserate with your hurt feelings and treat for coffee. We are hoping that if the book continues to do well that the book stores may adjust their policies and keep stocks of it on their shelves. Amazon seems to be filling orders fairly quickly as is the local Barnes & Noble.
 
In the meantime, the publishers of the forthcoming military history book continue to make preparations for next year’s (June 17) release. The company recently sent a copy of their announcement regarding the book. I think it is the best one of its kind of any of the books I have written. The announcement follows below. I will probably pester you with it again in the days before the official release.
 
“Military history is often seen through the lens of a small group of military commanders who have become enshrined in the collective consciousness of the American people, leaders like Eisenhower, Patton, MacArthur, and Nimitz who became the faces of their wars. But, many influential, innovative, and successful commanders have shaped the course of American conflicts in the decades since World War II – but they remain in the shadows cast by the pantheon of military giants. Taking Command celebrates some of these soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines, and through them crafts a compelling military history of the United States from the Cold War through the War on Terror.
 
“Among those covered are one Air Force general, known as “Tonnage Tunner,” who led the Berlin Airlift, which landed 1.8 million tons of supplies and logged 92 million flight miles in a span of 15 months, and another who oversaw the development of Atlas, Thor, Titan, and Minuteman missile programs. O.P. Smith commanded the Marines at the frigid battle of Chosin Reservoir in the Korean War, where he famously uttered, “Retreat hell we’re just attacking in another direction.” Notching aerial kills in both World War II and Vietnam, fighter ace Robin Olds pioneered tactics for the jet age. In Vietnam, Marine general Brute Krulak pushed for the tactics he believed would win the war, costing him his chance at commandant. Also covered is the Army general who came up with the “Be All You Can Be” recruiting slogan and went on to lead Operation Just Cause in Panama. In 1989, David Petreaus, graduate of West Point and Princeton, developed the counterinsurgency strategy that changed the Iraq War in 2007. As Special Operations commander, Admiral William McRaven oversaw the raid that killed Osama bin Laden (and later went viral on YouTube for his “make your bed” motivational talk).
 
“In all, Phillips tells the story of two dozen military leaders who innovated and made a difference on the new battlefields of the post-World War II world. Taking Command is not only stirring reading about the difference one commander can make, but also a primer on what makes a great leader.”
 
Wow, they did a good job with that. I may even buy a copy myself 😊.
 
And now, for your reading pleasure (or displeasure): TRULY AWFUL PUNS.
 
My doctor said told me my sugar was too high.
So when I went home, I moved it to a lower shelf.
 
The student asked his teacher to marry him as soon as he got out of jail.
She refused.
Apparently, you can’t end a sentence with a proposition.
 
Have a great Thanksgiving.
 
Best always,
Tom Phillips

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October 2024

9/30/2024

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Hi, everyone. 
​
This morning felt like Halloween weather – in the 50s overnight with just a hint of a chill in the air early this morning. Beautiful day with little or no breeze (a rarity for Nebraska). 

First a small order of business: I recently received a puzzling email addressed to me and also – allegedly – sent by me. The note’s content was a solicitation for a political candidate running for office. If any others have received an email ostensibly sent from me that solicits a donation for a politician of any variety, please know that I did not send it. I am not at all into that sort of thing. 

Just a small bit of writing news regarding The YouTube Candidate fiction novel. The publishing company intends to reach out with a news release and communicate directly with book store outlets across the country. I had expected that to take place earlier in the process but I suppose later is better than never. I reminded them (it’s a British company) that release during the political campaign would be very timely; campaign coverage in the U.S. seems all-encompassing. It is the lead story in almost every newscast – local as well as national – that I turn to and all too often it’s the dominant topic in private conversations as well. I expect that peak interest to at least carry through the election next month and the presidential inauguration in January. I got back a thoughtful note from them advising that they would accelerate their campaign with news releases and information for book stores. I hope it will have the right effect. Most of all, I hope the people that do read it – that likely readership of 12 people worldwide that I have mentioned before – will enjoy the story. 

The publisher’s protocol is that individual bookstores have to request copies of the book. They do not automatically send new releases or work through a distributor. So, I tested their information with a trip to the local Barnes & Noble. The store manager said she had a customer inquire about the book the previous day. She immediately ordered a supply for the store. I felt so good about that – so good that I walked next door to the HyVee grocery store and had a cup of coffee and a large glazed cinnamon roll.  There are some things in life that have to be properly celebrated. 

Meanwhile, the military history book seems to be percolating along pretty well. The only action this month was final selection of the photo that will appear on the cover. Release date is still far in the future – June 17 of next year if all continues to go well. As we get closer to that date, there will be a lot more action with final proofs, edits, and so forth. It is always a busy and hectic time. I have occasionally been known to swear (both literally and figuratively) that I will never go through that #%@ again. Each time, though – so far at least – when the completed book is at last in my hands, I have decided that maybe one more would be okay. I do think though that the military history book may be the last one. Time is not an ally and while at this point, I can still remember how to get to the computer, I’m thinking that it may be about time to focus on short stories as the inspiration strikes, or ride off into the sunset. 

While browsing through Barnes & Noble several days ago, I picked up a copy of Stephen King’s latest book. I’m not really a major fan, but I’ve read a couple of his books and years ago especially enjoyed one of his early ones - The Stand. This latest one (released last year) is titled Holly. It is relatively short by his normal standards (446 pages). As usual, there are kinky elements to the story. {Do not read further if you would prefer not to know the outcome.} This one extends over several years. The main perpetrators of the kinkiness are a married couple, both retired university professors, who are what I would call “closet cannibals.” It for sure is not your typical Agatha Christie or Mickey Spillane -type mystery. If you are a King fan, you will enjoy it. As usual, his work is well written and interestingly plotted with some unusual twists. 
Well folks, along with other shortages in this country, there is apparently an absence of really good Halloween puns. Seriously, none that I could find were good enough (that is, bad enough) to make the cut for the newsletter. In the absence of material that meets my exacting standards, I decided to reprise last year’s material. Hope you won’t mind. In the meantime, I will launch a dedicated search for better material for Halloween 2025. 

Warning: Viewer’s discretion is advised. These are totally bad. 

Why did the scarecrow get a promotion? He was outstanding in his field. 

What did the skeleton bring to the potluck dinner? Spare ribs. 

Why did the headless horseman go to college? He wanted to get a head. 

Where does a ghost go on vacation? Mali boo. 

So bad. 

/////

 Best wishes, always

Tom

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September 2024

9/3/2024

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August 29 turned out to be a memorable day: the fiction novel The YouTube Candidate was released in the U.S. and Great Britain. For those on the mailing lists, please excuse the brief repetition that follows. Some readers reach the site without being members of the address groups that provide notification when a new monthly update is posted. So … please indulge me for a few paragraphs while I share that information with them also.
 
The blurb on the back cover of the book describes the story pretty well. “The YouTube Candidate is a political thriller set in the divisive atmosphere of the present day. When Matt Anderson stands behind the family’s kitchen table and makes a speech that a president might deliver to the American people, his intention is to help his daughter with her class project. Instead, his presentation captivates the nation and elicits calls for him to enter the on-going campaign. Replete with warmth, humor, and unexpected moments of high drama, the story traces the formation of an advisory “Dream Team” whose “outside the box” campaign innovations and dynamic ideas seek to overcome the new party’s late start and underfunding. Results on election night lead to employment of a little-known constitutional process and the nail-biting suspense of determining the next President of the United States.”
 
The book is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and Waterstones – or, it can be ordered directly from the publisher at 1-800-223-2336. (The publisher is Pegasus, a British company, but Simon & Schuster handle distribution of the book in the U.S. and Canada.) Their email address is [email protected] Snail mail address is 100 Front Street, Riverside, NJ 08075. The international book distributor is IngramSpark.
 
As also mentioned on the note to the address groups, as a result of COVID, many book companies remain short staffed in areas such as editing, publicity, and marketing. Thus, they are asking those readers who enjoy the book to kindly assist by telling others about it via Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, or other social media networks they are part of. I hope that you will like the story and, if you do, that you will pass that news on to others.
 
Okay, time to move on to other things.
 
The other book that is in the works – the military history book titled Taking Command (followed a subtitle) – seems to be progressing on schedule. (The schedule is a long one, though.) The initial draft manuscript, pictures, and maps, have been provided to the publisher (Rowman & Littlefield). The projected release date is June, 2025.
 
One of my daughters loaned me a fascinating book that was of interest for several reasons. The book is titled Conspiracy: A History of Bullocks Theories, and How Not to Fall for Them. It dissects conspiracy theories of all kinds from antiquity to the present day: assassinations, UFOs, political intrigue, COVID and other immunization controversies, and numerous others. Original sources are identified and the cross-currents of information and misinformation associated with the theory are discussed. There are some nice discussions of ways to determine the validity of specific theories and theories in general – sources of information, validity checks, etc.
 
The other thing that was of interest to me was one of the names on the cover of the book. It was a familiar name: Tom Phillips. Full disclosure: it is not me. It was written by one of at least two other authors who share the name. As I’ve said before, who’d have thought that the name would be that common. It is probably too late to change mine to avoid confusion. The Tom Phillips that wrote the Conspiracy book is British. He previously ran a highly regarded fact checking organization in the U.K. The other Tom – or Thomas – Phillips is a historian who has also written some military history works. One of those is titled Black Regulars. It is about the African-American soldiers and units – such as the “Buffalo Soldiers” – who have served in the U.S. Army. It is a very good, well written book. The interesting circumstance is that when you  google up my name and ask for a list of my books, that one is often erroneously credited to me. I have tried on two or three occasions – so far to no avail – to correct that entry so the other Thomas Phillips gets proper recognition for it. If anyone has had a similar problem or ideas on how to resolve it, please let me know.
 
And, finally, some puns to tide us over until next time.
 
Not to brag, but I just went into another room and actually remembered why went there. It was the bathroom, but still …
 
What disease did cured ham actually have?
 
You’d be surprised how quickly employees at Lowe’s assist you after ignoring you for 20 minutes when you try to start a chainsaw.
 
/////
 
Best wishes, always
Tom

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August 2024

8/2/2024

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Welcome to August, everyone. That seems a good way to start. As it turns out, July was an eventful month in the writing business. (Go straight to the puns if you don’t care to read about them.)
 
Two major things happened.
 
 We now have publishing dates for both the fiction novel and the military history book. The fiction novel – The YouTube Candidate – will be released on August 29. The company is preparing marketing material and information packages to coincide with the release. I’ll send more information as it becomes available. It will be good to have it published at long last. Several events in it mirror what is going on in the real world, so we were hoping to have it available as soon as possible during the election cycle and thus, perhaps, enhance its impact. Who knows – it may sell as many as 12 copies worldwide.
 
If you are so inclined, your assistance in reaching those 12 readers would be appreciated. The publishing company’s marketing staff encourages reaching out through Twitter (X), Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, etc., as a way of further extending the scope of their information. I am not a player in any of those networks, so any mention in those venues would be most sincerely welcomed. I will keep you posted as further information comes available.  
 
The tentative release date for the military history book is June 17, 2025. That information reached us in an interesting way. When a website reader “googled up” a list of my publications, the title of the new book – and its provisional publishing date – was included in the display. The title – the final decision was made by the company – is Taking Command: The U.S.’s Unsung Miliary Leaders, Innovators, and Difference Makers Since World War II. I had suggested “Taking Command” and then something a bit different as a tag line. This will be okay, though. I am anxious to get it published. As I have mentioned before, for a considerable time my goal has been to write about forgotten military leaders in each of our nation’s conflicts – those officers who have done extraordinary things for which our country owes them enormous debts – but their feats are little known by the American public. The first two of these books – titled In the Shadows of Victory and In the Shadows of Victory II – took us from the War of Independence through World War II. This third book picks up with the Cold War and continues through Korea, Vietnam, Grenada, Panama, Desert Storm, the War with Iraq, Afghanistan/ Iraq, and the Global War on Terrorism, extending to the present day. We felt the title of the third book had to divert from the In the Shadows of Victory labels since the outcomes of a few of those conflicts have constituted something less than victory.
 
An interesting, minor side story associated with the manuscript has recently developed. One of the leaders I wrote about in the Global War on Terrorism section is Admiral William McRaven. He’s the officer who planned and led the raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound, yet few in our country recognize him for that achievement. (Ironically, though, millions – mostly of younger generations – know his name from a five-minute motivational presentation titled “Make Your Bed” which has something like 15 million viewers on YouTube.) In recent days, at least one source has mentioned his name as a long-shot possibility as Kamala Harris’s choice for Vice President. He would indeed be an extreme dark horse. That would be in interesting selection though – after retiring from the Navy McCraven was Chancellor of the University of Texas and was considered for the Secretary of Defense position by President Obama. Anyway, if by some chance he would be named as VP nominee, a bit of rewriting would be necessary in that portion of the manuscript. Fortunately, there would be sufficient time to do that.
 
AND NOW SOME PUN-LIKE OBSERVATIONS
 
Last night the internet stopped working so I spent a few hours with my family. They seem like good people.
 
If Adam and Eve were Cajuns, they would have eaten the snake instead of the apple and saved us all a lot of trouble.  
 
Just once, I want a username and password prompt to say CLOSE ENOUGH.
 
/////
 
This is an exciting time of year. Pennant races are heating up. Football season is approaching – in Nebraska, that is a very big deal. Hope springs eternal.
 
Best wishes to all,
Tom

 
 
 
 
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