C James

But until LTMP 37, it was said, very, very often, that I never used cliffhangers. So therefor, what caused this change? It must be my unwilling and unjust occupancy of Shadowgod's cliffhanging throne. I'm telling ya, it's giving me vertigo! It teeters on the very edge of soaring, dizzying, malevolent precipices! All I seek to do is to return Shadowgod to his rightful place... in fact, wouldn't that be a nice "getting out" present for him, for when he's released? Steve, I'm shocked, shocked I say! I have said nothing regarding Shadowgod's whereabouts that is untrue! Granted, i can't come right out and say where he is, or what he's charged with, as that would be a violation of confidentiality, but suffice it to say I do feel he should be free again by early in the week. CJ

Now, now, I already pointed out that it was Shadowgod's cliffhanging throne that gave me virtigo and compelled me to write a cliffhanger. I merely propose that we would all be happier if Shadowgod was returned to his rightful place. BTW, speaking of His Shadowyness, I'm sure we have all noticed his absence. I do know the reason behind it, but I'm afraid I can't share it publically. Suffice it to say, I feel that with luck, and a good lawyer, he should be bailed out and back with us in a couple of days.

Great post. An example I wanted to cite is somewhat political, so I made my reply in the soapbox.

I noticed some discussion on what The Scar is really after... I can't divulge any future details, but I can help out my mentioning a few key passages in the narration. The biggest is this one in 38:

Happy Birthday, Graeme!!! May you have a wonderful day, and an even better year!

Whoa! It's Shadowgod who is the one prone to suggesting all manner of horrific things... Sweet, innocent me would never do such a thing as that! Remember, it's Shadowgod who is always unspeakably cruel to his characters. (for anyone who doubts me, recall the motorcycle in LiS!) Anything is possible! The issue here is that I can't say they are antagonists. If I did, that would be a spoiler, and the Echidna would get me.

I voted: I'm not a vegetarian and am not likely to ever be one. I voted that Vegitarianisim is about the same in the GLBT community, becuase as far as I know it is, but, if its not thats a very intriguing subject. I have no idea what percentage of the total US population is vegetarian, though I'll see what I can find out. I only know one vegetarian in offline life, and only see him a few times a year. OK, my take on this is that I basically agree with James Savik's point; I feel that humans are natural omnivores. The reason I feel that this is important (I don't care if something is natural or not in and of itself) is that I have my doubts whether vegitarianisim is nutritionally sound for humans. The fact that there is strong evidence that it is not healthy for infants is not conclusive for adults, but it is an indicator that has to be considered, IMHO. However, even if it is nutritionally okay for adults, I've yet to see convincing evidence that its better. For myself, I love most kinds of meat, and won't give it up, mainly becuase I see no reason to do so. If someone wants to be a vegetarian, that's their right and I support them, but I certainly won't be joining them. In my opinion, one of the best approaches to nutrition is a varied, balanced diet, with nothing to excess, so that's what I follow. An the whole animal issue, I've jest never been able to understand the point. I have a PETA sticker on my SUV: People Eating Tasty Animals. I feel strongly on that issue, becuase I simply can't see the logic in saying that it would be better for the animal never to have lived at all rather than raised for meat. Some people even give up dairy products "for the sake of the cows". I'm guessing they would prefer the cows to never have existed at all? That just makes zero sense to me. (maybe there's something I'm missing, but that's my opinion at the moment) I'm not fond of some meats.. For example, the only lamb I'll eat is New Zealand lamb; it doesn't have as heavy a flavor as other varieties, and as a rule I don't like lamb. I do however very much like beef, especially Argentine beef. (A store about a hundred miles from me imports it, it's quite reasonable in bulk and, if claims are to believed, has less harmful chemicals and saturated fat). Kobe beef from Japan is superb nutritionally, and I highly recommend it, BUT, it's so expensive that I've only had it twice. I'm also very fond of Pork, chicken, and turkey. I'm also a huge fan of cheese. The store I mentioned that imports the beef is also the best source I've ever found for imported cheeses; in many cases those aren't as expensive as one might think (barely any difference in price from US cheese at the supermarket, in fact), and some of them are superb! (and in fairness, some of them, to me, are awful). English red cheddar, for example, is IMHO just made to be mixed with chili peppers in an omlette. If you're concerned about fats, look into the hard cheeses such as Romano and Parmesan; almost pure protein, very little fat. (just get the good stuff, not the supermarket variety; it's well worth the few extra pennies IMHO). Ok, dang it, I've gone and made myself hungry.

Thanks you!!! I enjoy varied subjects, and also learning things. For example, for this chapter, i had to learn a bit about forensics. I knew about the micro-pitting that a bomb causes, but I had to find the chemicals used in primer cord. Also, I almost made a huge plot error; The altitude was always intended to cast doubt on the bird-strike theory, but when I came up with the plot I didn't know about the african vulture ingested into an engine at 37000 feet over West Africa. I did know the height limit for a Canada goose (9000 feet) but the West African incident was something that, for a few moments, made me think I'd written myself into a corner. The problem was the Condor, which is native to an area close to where they were flying, and is a vulture. Only when i discovered that thunderstorms were the cuase of the West African incident did I know I was safe. (The Condor has, however, been seen at 15,000 feet.). OOps, I was thinking that Gary meant the payoff for the bikers, not The Scar. And yes, The Scar has received what essentially amounts to a small down payment. And BTW, it was Mike who helped with the typos and the CO issue. Thank you Mike!

I only have a couple of miniutes (I haven't had time to post the announcment yet, lol) so I'll have to be quick... I'd like to express my thanks to the person who PM'd me over some errors. I won't disclose his name unless he says it's ok, but my sincere thanks. The errors are: I had Dimitri mentioning It's carbon monoxide, not carbon dioxide. Granted, Dimitri might have just been mistaken, but seeing as that mistake is not for plot reasons and is just a goof on my part, I have changed it. Also, I had the sound of the shotgun described as a thunderous rapport. Apparently rapport does not have "bang" amongst it's synonyms, so I goofed. I tried "Report" but that too does not fit. Most likly, I just misremembered when I thought "rapport" could fit there. Hence, I have changed it to "roar". Is there a word that sounds similar to "rapport" or "report" that means "boom"? or did I just totally misremember? My guess at the moment is the latter. The chapter length was about average; 5600 words. It might seem short becuase 36, 37, and 38 were all longer. As for the payoff, all we see here is them arranging to collect the money from the bank. Any actual paying can't occur until the money actually arrives.

Ahh, but the Cody Liberation Front will do what it must to save Cody from your Dark Designs! Poor Cody, haunted by a Dark Deity... Can't you let him be safe and happy?? You've already put his life in grave danger once, which is one too many times!!

I see your new siggy! I guess I'm never going to be able to say "I never use cliffhangers" again. However, do bear in mind that the cliffie was Shadowgod's fault. It was his cliffhanging throne that compelled me. It's making me do eeevil things... For the sake of Instinct, shadowgod must return to his rightful place on his throne, before eevil strikes LTMP again! Yep, I updated my "stuff" page about a month ago; I felt I had to put something there other than an under construction icon, LoL.

Awww, one measly cobalt-salted fusion-boosted nuclear weapon goes off in the neighborhood, and people get sooo touchy.

Lol.. Well, to be honest I had a blast with "when worlds collide". I think His Shadowyness did too. I'd love to work with him again, even though he's evil. You know what he'd do, don't you? His chapters would be putting the charachters into all sorts of dire circumstances, and mine would be struggling to extricate them from the predicaments! He's evil like that, you know.

Thanks. What I had in mind for Helen and barbra wasn't graphic, more of a single line like "Hand in hand, Barbra and Helen retreated to the bedroom, anticipating the pleasures to come." You're right; graphic sex isn't my style, either as a reader or a writer. That doesn't mean I never write it, just that it's rare and if its there it has a very specific reason to be there.

I've already started my next two novels. They are mainly just outlines and a few disconnected scenes at the moment, but they are underway. I would like to get the first chapter of at least one online before LTMP ends.

Telluride Colorado is a very, very popular spot for celebrities, so you do see Paparazi about. I've spent time in Telluride. It is a truly incredible area, and I love it. My only advice is; if you go there, don't eat: the food sucks. BTW, the next chapter of LTMP is named "Wheels within Wheels". I'm going to try to return to weekly postings. And speaking of titles, I forgot to answer the questions abotu why 38 was named "Death Above and Death Below". The Death Above was the pilot. The Death Below was Gunter. In 38 we find out for certain that both are dead. Also, though, given the events in 37, I couldn't resist that ominous title.

Yes indeed, Shadowgod may well surpass LiS 26. Just becuase he hasn't done so yet doesn't mean he won't. It;s His Shadowynesses Cliffhanging Throne that is causing me to write cliffies! He must be restorned to his throne, forthwith!

All I can say is, LTMP 37 "Fire in the Sky" was not the dramatic climax of the story, and the story is coming to an end here soon, just a few more chapters.

Hrmmm, you hope Instinct and Helen all die? And Jerry gets Paraguay? Well, ok, if that's how the story ends, now I have a place to point to when people scream "Why did you do that!?!?" Well, that makes two votes for that scenario... Hrmmm.. I remember reading somewhere that one should always give the readers what they want? I do indeed love Irony.

Great questions!!! I tend to allude to sex (though there are a couple of sex scenes in the posted chapters of LTMP and FTL) becuase I find them damnably hard to write. Its hard for me to make them unique, and I also (more recently) try and avoid graphic anatomical words becuase, to me, that makes it read like porn (and I hate porn). For Barbra and Helen, although I say they are lovers, you're right, I haven't really even alluded to sex between them. I feel I should have alluded to it, it would have made it more realistic. I guess the reason i didn't is I have zero interest in lesbian sex, but I could have at least alluded to it. Thanks for pointing that out; I hadn't realized it myself. You're right; LTMP is not, primarily, a relationship story, so I tend not to focus on relationship issues. Brandon and Chase haven't been shown having a major argument, or any of the other travials that are part of real relationships. I think there could have been a little more of that, and I'll try and to keep it in mind for the next one. However, there will be some things coming up in LTMP that will fit some of what you mention. On the top-bottom issue, I was vague there for a reason; I prefer to leave it to the reader's imaginations. My own personal opinion would be that they are like Chris and Steve in FTL: they do a number of things in bed, and are versitile in many ways. However,l that's just my opinion; any other opinion is equally valid.

But, but, but... Shadowgod is too evil!! He does all sorts of nasty, unspeakable things to his characters...

I''ll happily admit that Shadowgod writes absolutely superb and devastating cliffhangers. They are EVIL! Hey now! A cliffhanger or two? I think His Shadowyness has set a new record for understatement! And whats all this about a Millennial reign? Shadowgod is hoping y'all have had your memories dimmed by time, but surely LiS 26, the Mother of All Cliffhangers, will never be dulled or diminished by the passage of time. And remember, it was SHADOWGOD'S cliffhanging throne that caused me to write the little cliffie in Chapter 37; so therefor, he should get at least some of the credit. And, ummm, unless y'all put him back in his throne where he belongs, I fear his throne will force me to write more cliffhangers!

My guess, knowing His Shadowynesses EVIL ways, is that he will twist Eric's gift to some EVIL scenario. We know he's horribly cruel to his characters. The Cody Liberation Front needs to keep a watchful eye on this situation, and veto any malevolent developments!

He does have a way to know. We'll see that in 39, though it is almost spelled out in 38. If they go back to Los Angeles, he could do it at the push of a button. :nuke: Good memory Graeme! I'm not saying whether or not they will recognize him, but you're right, they have met him, when he came to pick up The Scar and the scooter (the one Eric had, with the Kryton switches in it). The airlines do tend to frown upon bending the airframe. Yes indeed! And not only am I delighted that you've raised these questions, I think here is the perfect place. Yes, I'm a big fan of Tom Clancy's actual stories. (not the ones written by others and marketed under his name). I'd have to say that Clancy is my favorite author. My favorite of his books is probably "Red Storm Rising" but I very much liked the Jack Ryan series up through The Bear and The Dragon as well, plus his non-fiction books. In fact, the nuclear detonation sequence he described in "Sum of All Fears" was part of what inspired me to write the one in Ch 36. I was careful to use a very different weapon design, and tried to present it in as different a way as possible. I also checked my copy of Sum of All Fears when I was done, and found a few bits that were too similar (such as the way he used the term "Fission" as a separate paragraph) so I changed mine. Basically, I made it as different as I could, the only problem being that the basic physics are the same (due to them being the same in the real world, too). The best analogy I can give is a sex scene; others have done them before; the challenge is making it different. I haven't read The Bear and The Dragon in years. It was good; a war between Russia and China. I loved it; he's very good on the hardware and accuracy, and the details. He was also precisely right; the ICBM intercept with an Ageis cruiser was considered far-fetched at the time, but what he described is very close to the system used by an Ageis cruiser to shoot down a satalite a few months ago. That was an exoatmospheric intercept that required a third stage (a varient on the two-stage SM-2 missile) but he got it right, and this was before it was actually done. That was downright priescent in my view. Now, about the outline, the best answer I can give is "sort of". Yes, I do write from an outline. Stories tend to pop into my head (proving that nature does indeed abhor a vacuum) and I write down an outline. For LTMP it was fairly complete. However, my written outline is just a few sketch notes; I keep most of it in my head. I also sometimes find the story changing as I write it. Sometimes these are just details, but sometimes there are plot changes too. For example, when i first envisioned the story, I knew that the nuke would be detonated, and probably in Australia and definitly in a city, but not where. Toowoomba was chosen later. I also had the bits about the DEFCON 1 alert, the missiles, and the bomb on the plane in the original outline, but, not the goose. My original idea was to use the same method as Dimitri used on the airliner in Ch 8. However, it just didn't feel right, so I decided that a more creative way was needed, and I felt the bird-strike ploy was the best choice. Another cantidate was electrical sabotage, and another was structural sabotage (weaken a window mount so it blows out at around 35k feet; that would most likly be lethal to everyone on board) and a few other ideas as well. Coming up with scenarios is the easy part; picking the best one is hard. LoL Sometimes I write out of seqence; I'll jump ahead a few chapters, and work on whatever is inspiring me. That's how 36, 37, and 38 were written; I was on about Ch 25 at the time and the plane scene kept bugging me, so i had to jump ahead and write it. I've never tried writing anything in the technothriller genre before, and I have to say that not only did I find chapters 36, 37, and 38 easy and fast to write, but they were fun. I do a lot of research online and in reference books, but fortunately for me I'm knowledgeable on military hardware and tactics so it was fairly easy.