Jack of Harts

Forge of War

by Medron Pryde on November 27, 2016 at 12:01 am

Posted In: Diaries

I’ve been pretty happy this week with the release of the Third Edition of my first book. Everybody’s first book feels like a masterpiece when you complete it. Then it hits the real world and you see what other people think about it. In my case, most people liked it and it has sold very well over the years. But there were some warts. One of the amazing things about the modern digital platforms is the ability to fix the warts and release the book again. Ten years ago, this would have been impossible. But the modern marketplace has been revolutionized by platforms like Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Smashwords. We live in a new age, and I am amazed and overjoyed that my words typed here in the comfort of my home can reach all of you out there, wherever you live. That is just…fantastic. 🙂

Comment

Battle of New Washington

by Medron Pryde on November 26, 2016 at 12:01 am

Posted In: Diaries

“Stay on my six, Mischief,” Jack ordered as they drifted towards the Shang ships.

“On it like glue,” Katy answered and her Hellcats used their maneuvering thrusters to slip into formation behind him.

“Promises, promises,” he said with a smirk and flexed his fingers, preparing for the next stage.

“The Shang are painting us with sensor sweeps,” Betty reported and glanced towards one of the displays where it showed a complex diagram of colors. “We’re scattering and jamming below detection levels. But I think they’re getting suspicious.”

“Prepare to break and attack on my order,” Charles transmitted as they continued to close the range. “Use old weapons packages only. Let us keep our full capabilities to ourselves for now.”

“Roger that,” Jack returned with an approving smile.

“Approaching detection levels,” Betty reported as the sensor display began to flash. “I can’t keep them in the dark much longer.”

“Break in three,” Charles ordered.

Jack tightened his hands on the controls and ran his hands over a display.

“Two.”

A T&J song about bad guys biting the dust began to play.

“One.”

Power flowed from capacitors, flooding defensive and offensive systems with enough power to light up small cities.

“Break! Break! Break!” Charles ordered and the world exploded in time to the screaming of a steel-stringed guitar.

Deflection grids came alive and fire control systems locked onto their targets. Gravitic cannons reached out and twisted the very fabric of gravity between the Shang formation and the incoming Cowboys. Deflection grids collapsed and armor buckled as focused gravity tore the plates apart. Laser turrets pulsed into unshielded flanks, vaporizing armor and weapons alike…

###

You can read about the Battle of New Washington in Forge of War, available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble right now.

Forge of War on Amazon

Forge of War on Barnes and Noble

###

Full size image available for free on Patreon.

Battle of New Washington at Patreon

Comment

The First Battle of Alpha Centauri

by Medron Pryde on November 25, 2016 at 12:01 am

Posted In: Diaries

Jack jiggled the stick in his hand, feeling the Avenger shift around him in nervous anticipation of the battle about to start. The missiles were getting closer with each wave before exploding on the point defense fire the squadron lay down. Soon they would be on the squadron. He watched the Germans fall back until they faded into the multicolored bands of hyperspace. Only the relays kept the two squadrons in communication with each other.

“All Cowboys,” Charles began as targeting solutions appeared on the screens. “Bring deflection grids to full power. Concentrate forward.” He paused as the Avenger hummed up to full power around Jack, and all deflection grid power shifted to the forward screens. “Open fire.”

“Hang on to your shorts,” Betty ordered and the grav cannons began to twist gravity on either side of him.

Jack released the stick and throttle and grasped the shock frame in the cockpit. He licked his lips as the grav cannons came up to full power, punching through their forward deflection grid and ripping into their target, a Chinese destroyer.

“Oh God,” Jack whispered and held on tight as hyperspace itself bent to the will of their weapons. Looking at anything in hyperspace was always an exercise in trying to focus on something that was by definition out of focus, especially at longer ranges where it became impossible to correct for the light bending. Everything just went completely out of focus until it blurred into the background multicolored hue of hyperspace. Even at short range, you had to squint and concentrate to see anything clearly.

When the Avenger’s twin gravitic cannons fired and hit the Chinese destroyer, they calmed hyperspace. They brought order and as the gravity bands bent to his fighter’s will, the Chinese destroyer came into perfect focus ahead of him. He watched the grav beams pierce the deflection grid and saw them rip armor panels off the warship.

“Betty?” he asked.

“Hold on,” she answered and her lasers began to fire in rapid-fire pulse mode, sending a spray of destruction through the holes to punch deeper into the destroyer. Atmosphere belched out, flash freezing into crystals that reflected the multicolored hues of hyperspace that seemed to rage against the edges of the gravitic beams.

“Holding on,” he answered, swallowed, and set his teeth. This was going to really hurt.

###

You can read about the First Battle of Alpha Centauri in Forge of War, available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble right now.

Forge of War on Amazon

Forge of War on Barnes and Noble

###

Full size image available for free on Patreon.

First Battle of Alpha Centauri on Patreon

Comment

Happy Thanksgiving

by Medron Pryde on November 24, 2016 at 12:01 am

Posted In: Diaries

Today is Thanksgiving Day in America. We teach it was first celebrated between hungry Pilgrims looking for freedom from tyranny and helpful Indians giving them the food they needed to keep from starving. As with most things, truth is more complicated. But it is a good story, and closer to reality than fantasy. The modern Thanksgiving was initiated by President Lincoln in the middle of the Civil War. It seems like a strange time to be thankful for much, but there was method to that madness. And it has remained a yearly holiday ever since, the beginning of America’s Holiday Season.

I am thankful for many things. I am alive. My appendix exploded this year. The doctors at Saint Marys saved my life.

And then a car pulled out in front of me and I fell off my motorcycle, breaking five ribs. I was wearing full protective gear, and that saved either my life or my quality of life. And the other driver stopped. His insurance is not fighting it. I still hurt, but at least they are taking care of me financially. And I can heal. I am healing. I will heal.

I am thankful for the good tenants I have who pay rent and help me pay my mortgage. I am thankful for the family who is buying my house up north, so I can afford to pay my medical bills.

I am thankful for everyone who buys my books. You have no idea how much it means to me that you enjoy my stories. And the money is amazing. You have exceeded my every expectation on a stellar scale.

I am alive. I am financially solvent. I wake up each day happy to be alive. I go to work with a smile. I come home with a smile. I have a good life, in a nice city, in a nice State, in a nice country.

There is much for me to be thankful about.

My thanksgiving is real.

And so I wish a Happy Thanksgiving to all of you as well.

Comment