rlfj: Blog

Several people have asked if I am still working on the Grim Reaper series, specifically a third story based on becoming a consultant. The answer is yes, but not for a while. I have several scenes blocked out in my mind. However, certain things will require a few years to develop. Much of the story will take place in the near future, up to about 2028. I need some time to see how various trends work out. While I do not plan to get political, politics can still intrude. For instance, Bo Effner, the Republican District Attorney and godparent to Grim's eldest - does he become a US Attorney or Georgia Attorney General? Not going to happen if Georgia goes Democratic or Trump is out of office! What job does he have then? Do we have another recession (realistically, we are due for one) and what effect will that have on police work, etc. I am going to have to see what happens in the next few years.

For those curious that my name is not rlfj, it's an acronym for "Really Large Fucking Johnson!" Trust me! Would I lie?

For those who asked about my retirement, more interesting is my kid brother, two years younger than me, who spent his entire career at one of the Bell Telephone companies. He started there back in the Seventies when the pension plans were amazing, and he turned down all the offers to cash it in. He finally got an offer too good to refuse and retired at the age of 53. He told our mother (who is 90) he would find something else to do in a few months. It's been eight years now and I doubt he is going to start looking for a job anytime soon.

I was asked does a person need to read The Atlantis Crystal to read your story? Or does it stand alone? Answer - I totally rewrote the story. Within the next few chapters you will see where it begins to vary from the original. I simply mention the original story because A) I believe in giving credit where credit is due, and B) I can absolutely guarantee that if I don't mention it, somebody is going to complain that I am plagiarizing a story!

Proof that somebody is going to notice came very quickly! I learned what happened to Robber Baron when I received the following email from him:

"I'm not dead yet. I quit writing when I discovered I had cancer and began treatments. Now, the cancer appears to be in remission, but I have lost the will to write, though I think about it every now and then. You should have inquired of me or Lazeez before rewriting and continuing my story. However, I am interested in finding out where you take this story. I demand that you recognize me as coauthor. Once that is done, I will be happy to allow you to continue it."

Fair enough. My apologies to Robber Baron. I made the request and Lazeez has listed him as co-author. I sincerely hope his health continues to improve. He also wishes it known that:

"Please state that I have no further part in the story and that all the changes and additions are your work alone."

Enough said.

Foreword, Chapter 1-2

For those curious, I am still alive. For those really curious, I retired from my prestigious job as an administrative assistant in the sale of manufactured homes and modular housing and have now embarked on my new career of unemployment. God bless Social Security and the 401(k). I think I make more now than I did before!

Make sure you read the foreword to my latest story. As I mentioned, I liked the premise behind a story called The Atlantis Crystal by Robber Baron. No idea why it is 'Incomplete and Inactive' but since all his stories are listed that way, I have two choices. Choice One (probable) he lost the muse for writing. As I mentioned in my foreword, it happens, and I have a bunch of stories like that on my hard drive. Choice Two (horrible!) he was eaten by a great white shark while scuba diving off an exploding volcano during an attack by murderous terrorists in the middle of an invasion of genocidal Martians! Let's all hope it was Choice One!

I took his story, expanded it, changed the names, got rid of some extraneous characters and subplots, and took it to places I don't think Robber Baron expected. Because the basics of the story are already published, I am putting up the story two chapters at a time until Chapter 10, after which it will be my standard chapter at a time, Tuesdays and Fridays.

FYI - I recommend a show on television called Sex Sent Me To The ER on TLC. It is absolutely hilarious! Despite the low-end production values, C-rate acting, and white-trash stories it is filled with ridiculous tales of people getting injured or sick while having inappropriate or adventurous sex and ending up in the emergency room. My wife and I were watching it the other night and a story came on that reminded both of us of my two heart attacks. Yes, sex actually did send me to the ER - twice! We both couldn't stop laughing!

Enjoy!