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Saturday, September 26, 2020

After another long absence,

WE are back. To be sure, I don't maintain this blog as I should, but in my defense, I can only say that life just keeps getting in the way. Much water has gone under the bridge since last I posted here, so let me see if I can bring you up do date.

The Spanish edition of The Last Giant: Transgression has been completed and is available as an e-book from several sources---see the sidebar for details and links. Jan did a new cover for it using an earlier trial cover and making some changes. We think it is a very nice cover.

The Italian translation by Giuseppe Raccosta has been completed and awaits a cover. Jan has promised she will get that done next week. We shall see! 

Volume 2 of the Last Giant (Retribution) is still in the works, unfortunately. Menannon gets put through the wringer, of course. He matures quite a bit, as you no doubt have surmised. We learn a great deal about him as he comes to know himself and the part the High One has set for him to play. This book will bring his story to a pause as it sets the stage for the next two books which take up the tale of the Teluri, Lindrahier and in which our Giant plays a major supporting rôle. Actually, he plays a part in most of the rest of the series which is why we are telling his story first. His story has another book yet to appear which will bring it to a close, but that is several volumes down the pike.

Our household continues to undergo many changes. As of this writing, it consists of ourselves (of course!), two cats (Griffur and Lady Claire) and three Cocker spaniels (Lily, Bradley and the newest, Sandy). Lily is the Grand Dame of the bunch and the two boys do defer to her...or else! Griffur's full name is rather a mouthful---Sir Tristan of Grayhill, third Baron Gray Fur---so you can see why we shorten it. Lily is more fully known as Darling Lily, Bradley is really EBS Seriously, but Bradley is soooo much better. We named the pup---he's only 6 mos old right now---in honor of two special critters. The first was my very first dog, also a golden cocker, whom I named Sandy. I got her when I was in second grade. Now, the second honoree is Winnie-the-Pooh, whom, as we all know, lived under the name of Sanders. So, this little guy is Mr. Sanders, informally called Sandy. There you have it.

You may note that I have made a few changes to our suggested reading list to the right, and I will continue to do so from time to time. The books listed are titles that reside in our library and have either read or am reading, or at least started.

One of our hobbies is collecting and using in a safe manner sharp pointy things. To be precise: swords. We recently enjoyed an outing with some neighbors who are equally afflicted and cheerfully dispatched numerous plastic water-filled gallon milk jugs. We deployed Jan's German zweihander and my lovely Chinese jian. Our neighbor used his brand new Han Dynasty replica jian and it cut like a dream. Mine has a dragon motif in its hardware, his uses a plain design, yet is quite elegant in its black, lacquered sheath.

Here is a photo of one of my swords. It is a replica arming sword made by Angus Trim some years ago. Nice sword. It has been slightly customized. I had the roundels on the pommel added and I did the work on the ends of the guard.

 

Here is a photo of my dragon jian:

A closeup of the hilt:





I suppose some folks might be curious as to how the COVID-19 business has affected us. It has affected us, simply put, not at all. Our lives have gone on pretty much as usual aside from having to slap some piece of cloth on our faces whenever we enter a medical facility. It helps that we live in Montana.
 
Well, that about does it for now. If I linger longer over the keyboard, I will begin to ramble on aimlessly, searching for something to write. I will spare you the agony of that experience.
 
Until next time!
 
-- Richard for J. R. Hardesty
 
P. S.:  It won't be another year until the next post. Just until I have something worth posting.