Written Words, a blog for readers

Sad puppy

Butte, MO (Wasturn Standurd Wire): The states of Montana and North Dakota have seceded from the United States and joined Canada as the 11th and 12th provinces. By Canadian nomenclature law, they will be renamed “Siksikia” and “Lakota.” Greg Gianforte, formerly the Governor of Montana, and Kelly Armstrong, former Governor of North Dakota, announced the […]

Trump looking dumb vs Zelensky looking grim

You cannot deny Trump’s enthrallment any more I don’t know how to express the depth of my disappointment and disgust with the display in the Oval Office today.  It reminded me of nothing less than a doddering, wilfully uninformed grandfather lecturing his grandson about the younger man’s ingratitude for the revocation of his inheritance. Meanwhile, […]

Scott with leg brace

Thank you, everyone, for all the well wishes for my knee that have come through email and social media. I feel humbled and grateful for all this attention. For those who don’t know, about three weeks ago when I was at the dog park, a couple of our furry best friends tumbled into me from […]

Word to resist of the month: concentration

Five companies control more than 80 percent of Canada’s grocery/food market. Five companies dominate global high technology.  Three social media companies have destroyed traditional media and now dominate news and social discourse. Not to mention spreading misinformation. The United States has the largest military in the world—more than the next 10 countries combined. The next […]

Image of e-reader with headline New Years Stuff your reader book giveaway! Totally stuffed with great books!

It’s Christmas Eve—time to put some books on your e-reader. And you could do it FREE through the AuthorsXP New YearsStuff your reader book Giveaway eBook & Paperback Sweepstakes! (2) Winners of eBook "Gift Baskets" of ALL ebooks Other Winners of individual ebooks or paperbacks (randomly selected) You could WIN 35 great full-length e-books, including […]

Trying YouTube advertising for Beyond Barbarossa

I am trying my hand at producing videos for YouTube to promote my podcast, Beyond Barbarossa. For an upcoming episode, I recorded a Zoom interview with Roger Moorhouse, author of seven books on the Second World War. We talked about one of them, The Devils’ Alliance: Hitler’s Pact with Stalin, 1939–1941, and about its subject, […]

Ragnar on computer

He looks relaxed. Safe. Even cuddly. But he’s a killer.  Early this morning, I woke to a commotion. Claws clicking on hardwood. Paws galloping.  I got up got halfway down the stairs to see two cats, Cocoa and Ragnar the Magnificent looking at something on the floor. Something that moved one way, only to be […]

In memoriam: A special reading of a soldier’s story

In honour of Remembrance Day, also called Veterans’ Day and Armistice Day, here is an excerpt, part of a World War II soldier’s account of the reality of being a prisoner of the nazis. This excerpt came from Army of Worn Soles: Volume 1 of the Eastern Front Trilogy, the true story of a Canadian […]

The Bones of the Earth cover 2023

All month, The Bones of the Earth eBook is on sale for just 99 cents. Save until Hallowe’en night! Get it from: And next month, another of my books will be on sale. Which one? Come back here on 1 November 2024 to find out!

Sunrise: a summer solstice sample

From The Bones of the Earth As today is the summer solstice, with the longest daylight hours of the year, I thought I’d share with you an excerpt describing one particular summer solstice, 1,427 years ago. Vorona, the shaman, led the villagers in the hymn to Zaria, the heavenly bride of the sun, to pull […]