John Lewiston: Blog

I love the girls, and I can't deny.

"Anne's Night" answers a question that I wondered about ever since I wrote "Stewart's Third Mission." What did happen when Ruth and Yoo Jin took Anne away, letting the sponsors alone?

I could say this advances the story, but that would be a lie. It's just a romp.

Thanks for all of those who sent me kind comments on the "Stewart" stories.

As a thank you to those of you who have been kind enough to send me feedback on my "Stewart" stories, I've posted two small vignettes.

The first is "Anne's Goodbye." It falls after the events in "Stewart's Third Mission."

In this story, Anne Henderson says a temporary goodbye to Richard Stewart before her and her sponsor leave for their orientation cruise. Anne was a very minor character in "Third Mission," but she seemed like someone who had more story to tell.

"Anne's Goodbye" doesn't advance the Clan story line much, it's just a bon-bon. Please enjoy it!

I looked on the Clitorides Nomination pages and saw that two very kind readers have nominated my story, Steward's Third Mission for Best Science Fiction Story and myself for Best New Author.

I am truly glad that my words were enjoyed. I am gobstopped that someone would consider them worthy of such accolade.

Thank you.

"I want to thank all the 'little people' who made the story possible. Especially Rudolfo, who brings me my morning latte."

I really hadn't thought much about what's next until a reviewer asked.

I am working on the story that falls after "First Cruise" and before "Third Mission." It's about Steward riding along with a Marine unit when they attack a Sa'arm-held planet. It's starts with the kind of gentle comic tone that I seem to fall into when writing these stories, but the combat and aftermath of combat are pretty grim.

More?

Well, somebody has to man the trade mission, selling "Genuine Dirt" artifacts to the Elder Species of the Confederacy. Eddie can't offload shipments himself.

I wonder about the next set of concubines that will be brought into the clan.

And somewhere there is a backstory to Ruth. She is so sweet, but it's bittersweet.

Let's just hope I don't play with these stories for three years like the first ones!

I knew that if I wrote anything about Wild Bill Hickock that the long knives would come out.

Yes, I knew that Bill died with his back to the door. What I was commenting on was the almost unconscious habit that I and some other veterans exhibit of placing our backs to the wall.

My good Marine friend, the Late, Great Roy, would always try to arrive at a restaurant or coffee shop before me, so as to have the most secure seat.

Rest easy, Roy. I've got your seat.