Yes, I've been mostly out of the loop and a bit behind schedule, due to real life and whatnot. Be assured, though, I haven't forgotten or abandoned my stories. I just have to focus on certain ones for now, with limited time and such, with a view toward continuing and completing others...and eventually starting some new stuff.
Concerning the main story that I've been updating somewhat regularly of late, "Start The Revolution Without Me," I've made a point of moving toward a more plausible ending than was consistent with the series/universe that inspired it, New Order by Freddie Clegg. He has written a fascinating, if disturbing universe, but I felt it necessary to explore the more realistic kind of outcome in that unlikely situation. One thing that, while necessary to the plot behind that universe, irked me in terms of my pedantic, autistic nature, was the unrealistic passivity of the menfolk in this kind of world. With nothing to lose, there would just be no reason not to stage uprisings, to refuse to work for their oppressors, to stage general strikes, and most of all, to shut down the kinds of infrastructure without which women will always be at the mercy of men. I cannot fathom a scenario happening in reality where that wouldn't be the most probable outcome....along with embargoes, boycotts, emigration, military intervention, a suddenly red-pilled King/Prince Charles (nothing like being oppressed himself to achieve that outcome, bye-bye, simpy Charles!), secessionism (only bared headed off in this version), strikes, and a global male backlash almost certain to hurt female candidates at the polls.
In any case, any scenario where civilization is either partly or wholly in decline or collapse is almost certain to be a backward step for feminism and feminists, let alone any kind of push for matriarchy. Gynocracy is unsustainable because it is ultimately unenforceable, because in the end, no system or social order can preserve itself without a clear option for organized violence. Government is, by its very nature, coercion, compulsion, in other words, force. Anyone who imagines that any kind of form of government or state or social order can survive without defending itself through deadly force is living in a pipe dream. Also, without men actively maintaining the infrastructure, no such systems can endure for long, and they would have no incentive to preserve one that enslaves or oppresses them. That's the trouble with generalization and collective judgments, with unrealistic fantasies about some kind of reverse injustice or oppression....the so-called oppressor class isn't going to just take it lying down. It has no incentive to do so. Many men already view feminism as a breach of the social contract imposed upon them without their consent. If they balk at changing gender norms and roles within the home, putting them on curfew and making them carry passbooks in some kind of gender apartheid model will almost certainly lead to a revolution.
And not the kind that the feminists intended...not at all.
Far too many people seem to think that science fiction must always involve a lot of hardware, technological savvy, etc. For those of us less technically oriented, that's far less of a concern than the broader interpersonal, social, political, economic, etc. effects of living in a certain sci-fi setting. Some of the best sci-fi is heavily about people and how we live in such a different world, while still being the same naturally wanton primates that we are.
It has been a wild ride, but this phase of the Lilith/Maurice saga has come to a natural end. The next part of the anthology is more focused on Maurice than on Lilith, though she'll certainly have a major role and visit quite a lot, I imagine. Aunt Lilith is more of an introductory serial and I always envisioned the story eventually moving forward with Maurice, with him becoming the focus, though with her still being very prominent as his mentor and lover.
As you can see, while there have been gaps, interruptions, writer's block issues from time to time, I do finish my stories whenever I can and I seek to continue more of my unfinished work. This includes my latest tales, such as Looking Forward and Expelled From Mankind, the former far more utopian, the latter arguably more dystopian than not seen that way by its architects.
I'm definitely far from done with Great Pulse/Valentin's Day stuff as well. After all, it's alternate history now, and that's kind of liberating when you consider that the rules of this universe no longer apply in any meaningful way anymore.
Thank you for your patience and continued readership.
Yes, the perhaps oversexed space saga of the Mormon family and their many kindred souls is nearly at an end. Perhaps I will do a sequel or spin-off for after they reach the colonies. I'm certainly thinking of it. I thank all of you for your patience with the slow and uneven pace of posting with this and my other stories, but a variety of RL factors do at times interfere with my writing.
Incidentally, I have had some thoughts of revising one or two of my stories, but I'm not sure if I actually will. I'd be interested to hear your thoughts through feedback, though I can't promise to follow your suggestions. I will at least read and pay attention to them, if nothing else.
In response to the criticism of too much emphasis on sex in a few of my stories, I would note that Swarm stories in particular are what the author chooses to do with them in his or her own way, as long as they comply with the canon. They cover a wide gamut of responses to the whole Swarm mess, and one of the social changes repeatedly stressed has been a growing openness and exploration of sexual oddities and variations, as well as just a lot of actual increased sex.
I hope that you enjoy my writing still and what I am doing with my universes as well, as I fully intend to resume and continue posting on them, too.
Thank you,
Col. Jack Harrison
Well, that allows me to move on and catch up with several of my other stories that I haven't updated in a while. Lately, just when I think that I am about to write some more, something in RL happens to delay me, for which I apologize. I certainly haven't planned to go this long between chapters.
On another note, now that my "Valentin's Day" universe is officially alternate history, I find myself motivated once more to work on it when possible, though not at the expense of the others. I may even incorporate some events from real history, prior to the POD. Some prominent political figures, such as President Obama and Governor Palin, might get a brief mention. Given my Libertarian leanings, however, don't be too shocked if the references are a bit negative in tone.