Retirement!

As of the end of this month, I am officially retired from my career as a diplomat! It feels good. I'm happy I did all I did over all these years (I began in 1993), but I'm ready to move on and pursue my own personal dreams in what remains of my life. I want to write more books, act in more movies, play chess and basketball, and generally try to get healthier from reduced stress and more exercise. My very first tour as a diplomat was to Moscow, Russia. October 1993, just when the big coup attempt happened and Yeltsin managed to retain power after blasting the Duma with tanks.

Burned Duma building

I met and married my wife Victoria there, for which I'll always be grateful.

Victoria in Moscow

And I played chess against four world champions. My first tour was perhaps my most memorable.

Me playing Anatoly Karpov

I went on to live in eight other countries, including Croatia, China, Iceland, Azerbaijan (twice!), Hungary, The Bahamas, Italy, and Luxembourg. I've had amazing memories in each of these places. I'll never forget this life, but I'm a little exhausted from traveling so much, and I'm ready for a more settled life near our oldest son in Wisconsin.

Newly-Released Novelette Free!

 Many years ago I wrote a novelette called Dragon Play that was published in the anthology called The Dragon Chronicles. I decided to publish it as a stand-alone, and since it is new and has no reviews, I have made it free for Amazon Kindle through Monday, hoping to entice people to read this fairly short story and hopefully leave a review. Anyone who loves fantasy, Vikings, or dragons, please give it a try and tell your friends! Here is the blurb:

All their lives the group of young Vikings had heard of their clan's past glories, but all they have known is the terror of being relegated to living within the shadow of a dragon's mountain. When the chieftain's daughter finds an ancient scroll showing a hidden back entrance to the dragon's lair, she and her three friends decide to sneak in and retrieve the lost talisman that holds the luck of their clan.

Artwork by Shane Tyree

What I Read in 2022

 At the end of each year I do a summary post of what I read throughout the year. I find it interesting to see my reading habits, and to make note of what the best books were each year. I read only 28 books this year, which is much worse than last. I use a standard five star rating method with five stars meaning I loved the book so much I intend to re-read it throughout my life, so there are rarely any five star books.

1. A Perfect Union of Contrary Things by Sarah Jensen ***

2. Oliver Twist by Charles Dickens **

3. Tigana by Guy Gaviel Kay ****

4. The Last Light of the Sun by Guy Gavriel Kay *****

5. Infiltrator by C.T. Phipps ***

6. Men of Bronze by Scott Oden ***

7. Carrion Comfort by Dan Simmons ***

8. Apocalypse Nyx by Kameron Hurley *****

9. Swan Song by Robert McCammon **

10. Contact by Carl Sagan ****

11. Troubled Blood by Robert Galbraith ****

12. Everything Matters! by Ron Currie, Jr. ****

13. The Iron King by Maurice Druon ****

14. The Saints of Salvation by Peter F. Hamilton ****

15. The Strangled Queen by Maurice Druon ****

16. The Best Science Fiction of the Year: Volume 1 edited Neil Clarke ***

17. Project Hail Mary by Andy Weir *****

18. 36 Streets by T.R. Napper ****

19. Cold Summer by Gwen Cole ***

20. Lily Narcissus by Jonathan Lerner ****

21. Memnon by Scott Oden ****

22. The Fireman by Joe Hill ***

23. Tomorrow, the Killing by Daniel Polansky ****

24. Cemetery Road by Greg Iles ****

25. The Summer Tree by Guy Gavriel Kay *****

26. Sleep No More by Greg Iles ****

27. Use of Force by Brad Thor ***

28. The Wandering Fire by Guy Gavriel Kay ****