John Darkscar: Blog

First, the update- I'm still plugging along on "Blackmail" and have two chapters nearly ready for posting. I know where I want to go with this and I pretty well have the plot blocked out to the end. The bad news: due to my wife's health problems and other real life issues, I haven't had the energy to follow through on much more writing.

Regarding "Whitewater"- i have most of one additional chapter written. I have the plot mostly finished, although parts of it are works in progress. Progress will be very slow here too.

I thank those who have stuck with me this far. I apologize for leaving everyone hanging, but real life is a bit overwhelming at present.

Now, the question: When I was a kid, I was in the Boy Scouts of America. As part of the membership, you received Boy's Life Magazine. They had some excellent original fiction by famous authors, like Arthur C. Clarke. One series of (I believe) three stories followed the adventures of a young Scout aboard a slower-than-light starship (generation ship)which has been in transit for some time (100 years or so sticks in my mind). It was getting close to arriving in the destination solar system in the first story, orbiting the planet in the second, and unloading the ship in the final story.

The Scout troops were heavily involved in the preparation and unloading of the ship, and were using powered suits to move heavy cargo and build things, etc. That was the first time I'd ever read of that concept, and that is part of what made the story stick in my mind. I didn't see the concept again until I came across "Starship Troopers" years later.

Anyhow- the question is: does anyone out there remember this besides me? If so, can you give me a bit more information? This would most likely have been published sometime between 1963 or so and maybe 1970.

That's it! I appreciate the kind and encouraging comments I've received, and am sorry that I've left things hanging in mid-air. I WILL try to finish thses stories up, but it's going to take quite a while, at best.

John

Hi everyone (that's stuck with me all this time).

Just wanted to let you know that I'm not dead (yet). Work has been crazy busy, and as one of two employee/owners, you can't foist it off on someone else.

Secondly, my wife's has a number of health issues that require a portion of my attention. Some of these seem to be slowly resolving, but most evenings, I simply cant summon the energy/mood to do any writing.

That said- I have stumbled along with "Blackmail" to the verge of having another chapter nearly ready to post.

"Whitewater" is a bit more stalled. I have about half of the next chapter done. I'm a little blocked on some details just now. Some friends of mine actually did the river in Labrador that this story is (VERY) loosely modeled on this summer, and looking at their pictures and journals is helping me get my thoughts together. Hopefully I'll see my way to at least one and possibly two more chapters before long.

I truly appreciate the feedback I still get now and then from readers. I try to answer all of them, but I don't check that email account as often as I probably should. If I missed anyone, I apologize. I'm glad you bother to read my scribblings. Thank you!!

Once more- I'm not dead, sick or imprisoned, just too many things going on to keep going the way I'd like to.