Peter H. Salus: Blog

I'm quite gratified. So many readers responded to the first chapter of The Hollisters that I feel quite overwhelmed. Please accept this in lieu of personal notes.

In response to two specific queries: I'm not certain how long this will be. I would like to cover Henry, Henry's offspring, and Patrick's grandfather. Perhaps these should be separate tales. (Of course, we know that Patrick's grandfather (= Gordy's father) had a holding in Mitchell.)

I thought I'd let folks know that I have begun writing. The story begins in the mid-1880s, with Henry Hollister, one of Gordy's great-grandfathers. I hope to post the first chapter around the end of next week. Progress will depend on response.

A happy new year to all!

I wish I could announce a new story, but I cannot. I've written several brief fragments, but am unhappy with them. I've been thinking (always a bad sign) and believe I may begin posting again in a few weeks. We'll just have to see.

Briefly, I've made no progress.

I began a tale, beginning a few years after Samuel's birth, but abandoned it after a few hundred words. I've been reading about the beginnings of railroads in NSW and Queensland and am thinking about Gordy's great-grandfather, who emigrated to Australia in the 1870s. This would be historical fiction.

Today being St. Lucy's Day, I'm hoping for 'lux in tenebris' (John 1.5).

The next episode posted (probably on Thursday, 30 November) will mark the end of the current story, "Problems and Solutions". I am planning the next one, but it may not begin before the new year. While still concerning the Hollisters, this will be sf/fantasy, as it will involve the future. I hope it won't prove a disaster.