Forum: Author Hangout

Um - since Paladin said they DID exist, your whole post was simply pointless.

If that is true, then a LOT of people are going to have sand in their vaginas over my writing.

I usually write as historically accurate as possible, using real life stories as the basis for actions and happenings.

I write what I know, and try to avoid the vapid fluff that has become entertainment and "news" of late.

My latest "book" (and it will be for sale in the future) follows real life on the southern border and tells of actual events through the eyes of my character.

It is a "modern western" if you prefer. With all the trappings and culture that goes with.

Nothing in my Tommy Gunn series of books will ever be "high fantasy", and I refuse to avoid telling of the many problems facing people in "flyover land" just to pacify those who choose to deny reality.

I also won't pussyfoot around the very real dangers and illegal activities that occur DAILY down there, especially not just to please people who have never even been there.

So they can "cancel" me all they want.

What you see is what you get, 24/7. The PC crowd be damned.

I have faith that reality and actual events will be more interesting to the readers.

Not really sure those who would cry even read, just gripe about what they heard about someone else reading.

If that is true, then a LOT of people are going to have sand in their vaginas over my writing.
I usually write as historically accurate as possible, using real life stories as the basis for actions and happenings.

I refuse to avoid telling of the many problems facing people in "glyover land" just to pacify those who choose to deny reality.
I also won't pussyfoot around the very real dangers and illegal activities that occur DAILY down there, especially not just to please people who have never even been there.

So they can "cancel" me all they want.
What you see is what you get, 24/7. The PC crowd be damned.

I wanted to write a story about events in the 21st century, in particular the military activities of members of the USA (and Allied/"Coalition") armed forces, as well as the "Spoos" intelligence, para-military, and other "Shadow Warriors" who have performed their duties in Afghanistan, Iraq, and elsewhere in the Middle East, Africa, Asia and the Pacific... Constraints currently prevent me from writing about actual experiences of those I served alongside (2 deployments as an Infantry NCO, and 2 deployments with USSOCOM totaling a bit more than 5 years out of more than two decades of service). So, I am writing a story of "modern warfare" with Science-Fiction/Fantasy elements in a fictional story to tell much of what I want people to learn a little about.

I had considered several locations, in the Pacific/Oceana, and elsewhere, including India, or China. For various reasons, mostly geography, I chose Mexico. In particular the Barranca del Cobre (Copper Canyon), the Mexican 'Grand Canyon' in the Sierra Madre Occidental Mts. of southwestern Chihuahua state, of Mexico. Research revealed that the nearest town/small city is Cuauhtemoc; for a decade (c.2006-2015 aprox.) there were more murders in and around the town (per capita) than anywhere else in Mexico. Numerous mass graves have also been discovered there. The Mexican state of Chihuahua is between two major Cartels. The Los Zetas to the east, and the Sinaloa cartel to the west. The border city of Ciudad Juarez and the interstate freeway south to the capital city of Chihuahua is an (unstable) "Borderline" between the cartels. Cuauhtemoc is roughly forty miles west of the city of Chihuahua, and some 25 miles NNE of the Barranca del Cobre. There was a severe problem of corruption of the law enforcement in and around the town municipal, state, and federal.

For my story to develop. For the invaders to be able to establish a viable "beachhead" and actually pose a threat, they had to have time and not be immediately crushed. They had to face enough opposition to realize they needed at least sufficient (if not overwhelming) Force to achieve Their Objectives. If in the first 15 to 30 days POTUS understands the threat, and has the will to deploy a couple of "Heavy Divisions" such as the US 1st Cavalry Division, 2nd Armored Division (both at Fort Hood, TX), and the 4th Mechanized Infantry Division (Fort Carson, CO) {Cavalry, Armor, and Infantry are merely historical; all three are "Heavy Divisions" each with 10 Battalions of either Infantry or Armor (tanks) {4-6 of each}, a Cavalry Squadron, a Helicopter Brigade, 3 Artillery Bn (SP 155mm), etc., etc., etc.} along with airpower, etc. The story would be far less the Alien Invaders and instead the Media and Woke, as well as the Mexicans and the "Global Community" reacting to the "USA INVASION of Mexico" and the political maneuvering of various forces and factions. Perhaps interesting, but not the primary story I want to tell (much of this will eventually come to pass later in the saga, but Not the immediate focus).

Corruption and incompetence among Mexican LEOs, (and least, but most importantly) among the "Federales" (Mexican Federal Police; in RL "replaces" {re-named) the Mexican National Guard c.2021), is essential to the success of the alien invasion. The Mexican armed forces have No ZERO Tanks, only 4 fighter jets, and are equipped with a "Dogs Breakfast" of weapons and other military equipment. The only purpose (other than a few annual parades) of the Mexican military is to preserve the Mexican FEDERAL Government (in Mexico City); for the most part the armed forces are kept out of the conflict(s) with the (Drug) Cartels. "Political Reliability" is the paramount consideration of the government about (commissioned) Officers. The NCO corps is understrength and compared to the USA weak and poorly trained. Mexican soldiers are (generally) patriotic (of Mexico, not any particular party). Mexican soldiers are disgusted by the Cartels, and Mexico's weakness, however, individuals can be bought off or intimidated.

Mexican Federal Police are nearly as heavily armed as the Mexican Army, and in many cases better trained. MFP are less corrupt than the poorly paid and trained state and municipal police.

Thus, much of the early combat is between Mexican LEOs vs alien invaders. Despite significantly superior equipment, the Mexicans are heavily outnumbered. Further, corrupt officers are not likely to risk their lives in a desperate fight. They already decided to not risk their lives in the conflict against the cartels, why would they suddenly change, especially since death is even more likely vs. the aliens! Many of the members of the cartels are patriotic (of a fashion) but it's not like the are trained or prepared to fight aliens. Mexico, similar to China with Peking ("Bejing"), Russia with Moscow, France with Paris, is hyper focused on the national capital (also financial, cultural, etc.); the "Provincial" hinterlands are of far less consideration.

"Believing" that "Aliens are Invading Earth" is problematic; Despite YouTube and Tic-Tok videos, etc. No "credible" politician or public official wants to be the first to make public statements that may well make them appear to be a fool. It is a Major Plot Point! In RL we (military/intelligence personnel) have solid information; yet Bureaucrats (including in the Pentagon) and Politicians disregard, even denigrate information about WMD's in Iraq, Iran, and elsewhere, or terrorist attacks, such as upon the Boston Marathon, etc., etc., etc. Bureaucrats (in Mexico, the USA, etc.) typically have their own agendas (usually far different from what the public thinks, or their legal mandates). My story could help people understand Why we "lost" in Iraq, Afghanistan, and elsewhere. Corruption, the cartels, drug smuggling and human trafficking, and other RL situations in Mexico (and the USA) are depicted in my story. "Political Agendas" as well as individuals' personal goals and biases have a significant impact upon the course of event s in my story.

I am sure that most of the "Wokerati" would accuse me of being "Racist" despite the fact that many of the military personnel selected for various operations in my story are Latinos and Latinas (many are Utes, Apache, etc.) it is much more a matter of individual ethos, combined with much better training and resources. I believe it is more courageous to fight outnumbered when you can't trust your superiors, nor many fellow "Federales" than for a "Spec-Ops Operator" with a Predator RPA overhead to do his duty.

I am enjoying your story, and have added it to my Library.

I have a feeling that Westerns are like single player PC games. They've been "dying" for decades and are still going strong with large communities of people.

Yellowstone & 1883.
Look at how it has already influenced Americans.

Yellowstone & 1883.

I didn't like Yellowstone, but 1883 was really good.

I loved the Western movies done in the 1950s. But watching them now, they're not so good. The reason the original "Magnificent Seven" was so good (and is still today) is because of the characters. They are cool and complex.

I only wrote one Western, "The Breeder," but I didn't set out to write a Western. I just needed it to take place before artificial insemination so I chose the 1880s. And I knew more about the Old West than any other part of the world during that time period. At least Hollywood's version of the Old West which is quite sanitized. Literally. The people really smelled back then. I did do my research. My most difficult part was the clothing, especially when it came to sex.

But I even screwed up with the clothing. I had my women wearing dresses. I learned later that they actually wore two pieces — a skirt and a top. But it would have messed up my sex scenes to change it so I left it alone.

But I even screwed up with the clothing. I had my women wearing dresses. I learned later that they actually wore two pieces — a skirt and a top. But it would have messed up my sex scenes to change it so I left it alone.

In the 1880's, even in the Western USA they had both Dresses, and Skirts+tops. There were even more than a few women who wore Pants! (rarely in "Public")

I have been researching the era, clothing in particular, for decades. I have more than a dozen books on the subject. I have visited museums, seen clothing from the era, and talked with re-enactors and costumers. People who devote considerable energy to the subject. I inherited a room full (as in I had to squeeze in sideways) of clothing from the 1950's back to the 1890's much of it "Western Wea" (and photos too). I had other obligations, and was not able to take the time to clean and prepare it for sale; so, I donated it. I did gain connections to folks.

I have also researched men's and women's fashion(s) in 1830's/40's Paris.

On my shelves I have numerous books, as well as binders full of research material on uniforms and other clothing. Firearms and other weapons are also of considerable interest to me. Reading Western novels, even more than watching movies and TV shows, sparked a life-long interest in such things for me.

From the 1860's until at least the 1890's Ranch Hands ("Cowboys") didn't wear denim pants. Denim was mostly worn by Miners, and sometimes farmers. Cowboys didn't want to look like Them! Also, wool or corduroy pants were considered preferable for sitting upon a horse for extended periods. Cotton is less than desirable for getting wet, and even in the Southwest, ranch hands got wet, and not just in rain, quite a bit. Also, perhaps because many were quite young (under 30), Cowboys seem to have been much more "fashion conscious" than most other men. ("Tooled" boots, conchos, etc. were commonly worn by Cowboys, few other laborers were as concerned about their appearance in that era.)

I have a feeling that Westerns are like single player PC games. They've been "dying" for decades and are still going strong with large communities of people.

Yellowstone & 1883.
Look at how it has already influenced Americans.