The International Writers Magazine Editorial 2025

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Welcome to this edition of Hackwriters. 26 years on-line, 8,058 + articles - reviews - stories - travel -
share any feature you like and pass them on.- Previous Editorial here

Welcome: April Editorial -
The world says goodbye to the Pope.
What evil will Trump do now as he turns another page on Project 25?
Attacking Higher Education is the latest demolition scheme. Harvard is right to resist. Having the far-right climate deniers and anti-science monitors telling Universities what they can teach is what they do in Russia and China isn't it? Denying citizenship to American born babies is the next goal - now left up to the Supreme Court to pass judgement on. Hey, maybe he'll make it retrospective. Are you safe?

Meanwhile the Trade Wars are ongoing - 145% tariffs on China - 90 day pause for everyone else but still 10 percent baseline tariff and 25% on autos and soon auto parts. Will China negotiate? Or is this a game of chicken? The news updates hourly and is too hectiv to keep up with stock market ups and downs. Trump says he's ready to sign 200 deals over tariffis but provides no details and no one believes anything he says...

As Thomas L. Friedman states in The New York Times (April 7th) America and Trump in particular doesn't understand that they have already lost the battle for world dominance. Beijing has made a huge technological leap forward since covid and already controls one-third of all global manufacturing and their tech, whether cars, robots, phones or AI are all cheaper, faster and better than anything America makes. Decades of investment in education, infrastructure and research are about to pay off big time and all America can think about is tariffs,TikTok and invading allied countries. An isolated unhealthy and uneducated backwater is the future for the USA. *See Shipbreaker by Paulo Bacigalupi for reference.

April started extremely badly in the UK (aside from all Trump's tariffs that have overwhelmed the world). We have price rises well above inflation on just about everything. It’s like we woke up in Venezuela. Water, electricity, gas, council tax, car tax, national insurance, mobile phones, broadband, stamp duty (house purchase tax), TV licence and food all rise (I’m pretty sure I forgot something) and this will impact on everyone. Already coffee is just over £4 quid a cup ($5.20) and restaurants as well as supermarkets don’t think they can afford to keep staff on as their costs rise and customers will cut back. The government foolishly gave £20 Billion to the trade unions when they came into office and this ‘black hole’ needs filling and although it has been nice having a few months when the trains and medical staff aren’t on strike – now they are striking anyway as the cost of living rises again.The IMF has noticed and downgraded UK prospects.

People are unhappy and no doubt regret voting for a socialist government who is yet to pass a new labour contract which will kill employment entirely. (Which essentially gives workers’ rights to go on sick leave on full pay from day one of being hired.) First casuality seems to be the steel industry - watch that space.

Regret might well be a theme in the USA right now as Liberation Day will dramatically increase prices for all imports and result in huge layoffs in the car industry as 25% tariffs are imposed on top of the 25% tariff on steel, aluminum and copper. Wall Street is factoring in a 60+ percent chance of a deep recession in the USA. It’s almost a certainty that the rest of the world will also enter a recession despite a revival of the defence industries in Europe.  Foolishly our own prime minister Starmer hasn't ruled out buying US warplanes (F-35) especially since Trump has threatened a kill switch or at the very least stop anyone who buys American warplanes updating their software. (See Canada).

Will MAGA voters stick with Trump? Will they realise they’ve been conned when they lose access to healthcare, federal standards in education and see all those beautiful trees being chopped down in the National Parks for lumber or are they hoping for real estate bargains in the 51st State or Greenland? Probably the latter I guess. The latest CNN poll seems to indicate 98% will stick with him. I feel sorry for all those penguins stuck with tariffs in the Antarctic and elsewhere. Must be gutting for them.

Maybe they won’t care, but I suspect if you re-released the movie Civil War into theatres (Dir Alex Garland) right now, the current situation might make more sense to MAGA as Trump talks up his prospects for a Third Term.
I guess we all live in ‘interesting times’.

© Sam Hawksmoor – April 26th 2025

PS a thank you to the writing students at the College of Charleston for submitting their work this Spring. A diverse range of topics and some good writing from Dr Devet's Class as always. And James Campion who has switched from politics to music these day. To cheer yourself up go see or stream FLOW the movie.

*Sales of Sam North's and Sam Hawksmoor's books help keep Hackwriters alive. Sam Hawksmoor's Books below

Whatever Happened to Genie Magee?

Whatever Happened to Genie Magee? • Sam Hawksmoor - Published 3.10.25 ASIN ‏: B0DZTLNJHW ISBN-13: 978-1-7385181-1-1 USA Amazon link In a world where rich people want to live forever - a girl who never seems to age would be a tempting target. Her DNA would be very valuable indeed... Genie wakes up with a head injury from serious car wreck. She has no memory of the crash, or who she is. It appears this might have been a kidnap gone wrong. The abrasions on her wrists indicated she was tied up in the back of the burning vehicle. As she begins to recover her identity, she accidentally discovers a graphic novel is serializing her life, in horrific detail.  Her therapist is deeply skeptical this could be true and worries for her sanity. But all she can think of is, why is this happening to her? And how can she stop them? No 4: In The Repossession of Genie Magee series ...

The Restoration of Ami: ASIN: B0CVQMH78C - Kindle ISBN: 978-1-7385181-0-4 - Print UK Pub: Hammer & Tong/KDP 2.29.24 Remy has one last obsession – to complete the restoration of his ’57 Studebaker Golden Hawk.  He’s planned a road trip to Montreal to find a part he desperately needs. It’s a long way from Florida; his Chevy truck is almost as old as he is. At the very first urgent stop in the pouring rain, a dog appears from nowhere and jumps into his truck, quickly followed by a drenched teen. Scared, the girl, Ami, urgently needs a ride. She has escaped from a nearby religious cult and is desperate to find the mother who abandoned her there when she was just five years old. One old man, a troubled teenage girl and Stan the dog are on a road trip into MAGA America. With each mile they travel Montreal seems to get further away. 'Fabulous, can't-put-down story with quirky, original characters, a loveable dog and a great adventure'. ***** Roxy West on Goodreads.

A MAGA Road Trip by Sam Hawkmoor

The Book of Ashes • Sam Hawksmoor ISBN: 979-8-837434-952 ASIN: B0B85HFK86 Hammer & Tong - print and kindle 'an immensely satisfying story' - Walli Leff on Goodreads. 'a fun read with unique elements ... exemplary in its voice and style' 'Judge, 10th Annual Writer's Digest E-Book Awards An extract from the Book of Ashes		The Book of Ashes - Some secrets are meant to be kept forever The Case: Delaney and Asha run their own investigation company now. Hired to find a writer who stiffed a client of $10,000 - things go bad pretty fast. "This was supposed to be a simple track and trace job. Find the writer, bank the money. Now it's a horror show."

'We Feel Your Pain' by Sam Hawksmoor ISBN-13: 979-8699087693 Published by Hammer & Tong Print & Kindle Book One in the Delaney & Asha series		We Feel Your Pain – So you don’t have to. The Case: Delaney (42) and Asha (22) run the Office of Berg City Oversight. Their role is to expose the scams, keep the city safe from unscrupulous people.  When something looks too good to be true – it’s a scam, right?  But what if the scam works?  What kind of scam is that?

MISSION LONGSHOT: how far will you go to save one life? 2024: Honorable Mention in the Purple Dragonfly Awards (Sci Fi) Gerry is convinced aliens are going to attack on Millennium Eve - Y2K night. Everyone else is preparing for the end of civilisation. That night only Gerry notices aliens land. He and his spacenut pals Jolene and Kali race to be the first to greet them... 'Climate change, lost alien civilisations, adventures in deep space. Great fun with endearing characters'. Kitty Thomas

The Sam North Novels - still available to order Amazon or Lulu

*Keeping Hackwriters archived is supported by sales of our books - so do buy, print or kindle, we aren't picky.
Magenta - A chilling story of kidnapping, burning and strangeness set in the wilds of Lincolnshire

** The Heaviness, & The Repercussions of Tomas D - 'best time travel WW2 story in a long while'

The new edition of 'ANOTHER PLACE TO DIE: ENDTIME CHRONICLES By Sam Hawksmoor & Sam North There's no safe place to hide from a lethal pandemic Print & Kindle - Q&A interview with the authors here A city gripped by fear. People are petrified of being thrown into quarantine. Best friends Kira and Liz once parted are scared they will never see each other again. Teen lovers, Chris and Rachel, prepare to escape to the islands. a taster here The Last Ferry Review from the First Edition: 'Beautiful, plausible, and sickeningly addictive, Another Place to Die: Endtime will terrify you, thrill you, and make you petrified of anyone who comes near you...' Roxy West - Amazon.co.uk

Girl with Cat (Blue) - Shortlisted for the Rubery International Book Award 'a funny, bloody, colorful narrative that never fails to surprise the reader. Girl with Cat (Blue) provides great entertainment'. * Screenplay a quarter-finalist in the Screencraft competition 2024

'This book was amazing! I was hooked from the first few pages and couldn't put the book down.' Judge, 26th Annual Writer’s Digest Self-Published Book Awards. - Honorable Mention

J&K 4Ever - A post-apocalypse love story Sixty years after the end of everything the city of Bluette survives, controlled by a malignant sect.  A place where men rule, girls receive no education and are matched at 16 to the highest bidder.  No one is ever permitted to leave the city and outside is a murderous wasteland of despair. Orphans Kruge and Jeyna have been devoted to each other through all the years of terror in this harsh regime and sworn never to be parted.  But the beautiful Jeyna has been betrayed by the Warden. Kruge has been swiftly banished to the Scraps, under the control of the Keeper. Jeyna is heartbroken; she will not accept her fate and escapes to find Kruge.   'A genuine romance in a bleak but plausible and terrifying setting'.

J&K 4Ever

MARIKKA- exclusively on Amazon Print only Based on a tragic real life event, Marikka flees from an arson attack on her home to the sea, where she meets Starfish boy – a runaway working for Jackson, a scarred man hiding a sinister secret from the world. Meanwhile her real father searches for her with the aide of Anya, ‘the girl who can read objects’. More about the writing of this book ‘Long after my tears dried, my heart stayed with Marikka, Starfish Boy and the strange girl who reads objects.’ CT You will smile, and you will struggle to read the words through your tears. Gemma Williams - Amazon.co.uk

Spy/Romance thriller set during the Blitz in WW2 - Kindle download The Repercussions of Tomas D A Hero? Or Englands Greatest Traitor? USA Paperback here 'Disturbing and very poignant YA love story that presents a chilling alternate future for an England that lost the war.' Marcel d'Agneau 'A brilliant imagining of living in the Blitz, well researched.' Amazon UK 'This is Man in the High Castle for teens and scarily plausible ' *download the Kindle version or buy the paperback from Hammer & Tong

'The Heaviness' betrayal, revenge, relationships and the laws of gravity. Genie & Renée have just 36 hours to save Rian or he dies. 'Without a doubt, one of the best YA Sci Fi series out there.' Evie Seo - Bookish * Also published as Rüya by Marti Yayincilik - The Turkish publishers of TOZ & Golge Part 2: The Hunting of Genie Magee - fight for the right to exist

*December 9th: Sara Troy interviews Sam Hawksmoor on Self Discovery Wisdom

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