Bedtime Story for the ADD: Clone McClain, pt 2

I strapped baby Clone McClain into the custom-built cockpit … and held my breath.

I’m still holding my breath, a decade later.

McClain’s craft shot off into the fray and pounded at the ships all around him in the light-punctuated darkness of space. We knew he saw every living thing as a target—the original had—but we hoped against hard odds he would find our enemy more challenging than us.

After he dispatched a few Earth boys and girls, he switched attention to the whelming alien horde. Could our Great and Terrible Hope win? Could he be satisfied by victory?

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The Heart of Love

I went on a date today. I won’t be giving any details about that other than to say that I had a good time and hope she did too. Times like these, I’m reminded of a line from Death Cab For Cutie’s I’ll Follow You Into the Dark. The line I mean is And I held my tongue as she told me “Son fear is the heart of love.” The narrator of the song takes is … unimpressed with the statement.

The meaning to the line seems to be that the lady doing the stating believes love is really about fearing being unloved, rejected. Perhaps that’s what she’s saying, maybe not.

My probably she didn’t mean this, but maybe it would be poignant if she did interpretation of the meaning is that maybe love inherently brings the fear of that love not being returned. Not that fear really is the center of love, but that it’s an integral part of the process. The thrill comes partly from danger. Not danger of loss of life or limb, but of everything else.

Hopefully my rambling hasn’t annoyed you too much.

If you’re wondering about Tactical Highlighter, it will be coming back but in a slightly altered format. The little progress box is full of lies at the moment. I’m editing my novel, writing two major short stories, sitting on one that I’ve finished writing but didn’t get to use for its intended purpose, and … I haven’t made any submissions lately. Bad writer, bad. Except for the parts that are coming along well, like The Capriwort. The advance squad enjoyed the first thousand-or-so words and I suspect I’m within two hundred words of a finished first draft.

The advance squad seems keen on an audio version of that, but I may try to sell it.

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Bedtime Story for the ADD: Clone McClain, pt 1

It was risky cloning the Captain. We weren’t sure McClain was actually dead. Also, if his reputation was accurate, cloning the man might be the last thing we ever did.

What other choice did we have?

Clone McClain learned Standard in three weeks. We had not enhanced him so this was unexpected.

When he was two months old, he told us to quit the bullshitting and tell us what we’d made him for.

I’m not a stutterer, but I could hardly put two words together. “To save the world!” I spurted.

He was everything we’d hoped and everything we’d feared.

#40

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Murder at Avedon Hill

Hey, y’all. Just wanted to let you know that P.G. Holyfield’s Murder at Avedon Hill is finally available in print. If you’re a fantasy fan, a fan of murder mysteries, or just a fan of good fiction, this is a great book.

It would be extra awesome if you could buy it today either in physical form, Kindle form, or both if you’re so inclined. That will help bump P.G.’s visibility up and help expose him to an even larger audience.

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Bedtime Stories for the ADD: Cause of Death

“He went the way he wanted.”

“He wanted 18-wheeler decapitation.”

“Yeah. But dramatic, right?”

The alien STD was that.

#37

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Bedtime Stories for the ADD: Newsletter

He didn't hate annual family newsletters in general. He just hadn't expected so many updates from relatives long dead.

#36

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