So, for those who are interested, how about a little teaser from my upcoming novel, 'The Drifter?'

This excerpt is from 'The Drifter' or 'Test Group Six,' not sure of the title yet.  If you prefer one title over the other, please feel free to comment.   Sorry, I yanked this, but the teaser is back now...  I'll see about some more later.  ;)


I can hear the advertisement coming through the open doors behind me.


“Lucid Stillness, key to space travel and possible panacea for disease and death by old age. Join a test group near you. Colony ships to the Bacchus System planets are taking volunteers now! Escape to the colonies and live the adventure of your life. All made possible by Terratech Corporation and Swansong Petrochemicals!”

Too late for me.

Or is it?

From the balcony on the fifth floor of the Hotel Las Nubes De Sal, I watch the sun go down in a big, blood red ball. Another magnificent Madeira Beach sunset over the Gulf of Mexico. With the sound of surf rolling in, I take a last long drag on the cigarette, then toss the butt toward the garbage can a few feet away. I insert the last slug into the .357’s cylinder and then flick it closed.

The cellular impant phone in my left ear gives a discrete beep and I answer, “Mace here.”

The voice is guttural, but calm, with no trace of the rage boiling within the man. "You know Mace, I don't really care how you do it, I just want you to do to it."

"You don’t care how I kill Wertz, or his goddamned enforcer?"

"Both. I'm trying to be civilized here. I'm becoming more sensitive, you might say."

“It’s all that book-reading you do, Boss. Next thing you know, we’ll be opening a flower shop like that guy, Capone’s enemy. What was his name…Some Irish guy, I just can’t remember now.”

“Doesn’t matter Mace, that was two hundred years ago. Just take care of business for me, ok?”

“You got it Capo!” I say.

The man laughs over a thousand miles away, then hangs up the phone on his end.

Only two people like Fungi and Mold?

Or do I really only have two fans?

Incredible!

What is the truth?  I mean what could be sexier than fungus and mold?  You'd think people would be busting me in the chops for more.  Guess it is a good thing this hasn't caught on.  My job leaves me brain dead by the end of the day.  Not much left---Certainly nothing normal. 

How many people can claim they've sang 'Danke Schoen' over a retailer's   intercom system?   That is just a hint of the insanity lurking close to the surface of my mind.

Good fun too. 

I'll try to improve the content of this blog.  You never know what may happen if I start to use this place to blow off steam.

Steve