The International Writers Magazine Editorial 2025

TRAVEL

COMMENT

LIFESTYLES

REVIEWS

FICTION

Welcome to this edition of Hackwriters. 26 years on-line, 8,063 + articles - reviews - stories - travel -
share any feature you like and pass them on.- Previous Editorial here

Welcome: You ain't seen nothing yet ... MAY

The Grifter-in-Chief was in Saudi and Qatar and sure enough a free $400 million Boeing 'Palace in the Sky' was on offer. Not a bribe at all they say... he also says America has resigned from playing the worlds' policeman. Let whatever happens next rip. Then he goes and humiliates President Ramaphosa from South Africa with fake genocide news (Elon smirking in the background). For relief from the headlines I took myself off to see a real hero save the world in Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning.

China tariffs now back to 30% and Trump hailed a genius but wait didn't Biden set that 30% rate on China? This whole tariff thing is a boondoggle of craziness. Doesn't anyone have the guts to say the Emperor has no clothes? Meanwhile the House has passed the Great Big Beautiful Bill that will rip the guts out of healthcare so the rich can have yet more money.

Hollywood reels as Trump wants to put tariffs on 'foreign movies', which includes most Marvel movies, Star Wars, Mission Impossible and many more. A trade deal with the UK still means there's a 10% tariff and that we may have to eat American hormone-loaded beef - thank god I'm vegan.

Carney visits Trump in the White House and informs him that Canada is not for sale. (Trump was thinking of taking it rather than paying for it, I suspect). We wish all of Canada well in this battle. No way Canada should ever be the 51st State. King Charles is there for the inauguration ceremony to show solidarity.

Well, we have zipped by Trump's 100+ days and I'm pretty sure a billion or so words have been spent on contemplating the chaos and havoc he has caused so far. GDP figures are in and the Trump recession has already begun. But I'm not worried about the last 100 days, it's the next 1500+ days left until he leaves - if he leaves, we have all seen those Trump 28 hats that are on sale now...

People think a lot of damage has been done to the US, the world economy and America's reputation in 100 days but imagine how bad it can get with 1500 days! If you haven't read Project 25 yet, I suggest you slog through the 800 pages so you're prepared when you lose freedom of speech, the right to vote and gain White House supervision of academia and of what you can learn. Fascism 101 anyone? Trump promised women on the campaign trail that 'vote for me and you'll never have to vote again'. It's a promise he intends to keep.

For all the high profile Vance is keeping up, it's Donald Jnr who will be on the ticket in 28 and perhaps no one else at all. True autocrat style. After all you should judge a man by the company he keeps - Putin, Oban, Erdogan, Little Kim, none of them are troubled by 'fair' elections. If I were Don Jnr I'd be checking my drinks when Vance is around.

My thanks to the degree students at The College of Charleston who have contributed articles to Hackwriters this month. A lot of writing talent there.

For those of you looking to take your mind off politics - read my new book 'Whatever Happened to Genie Magee?'
Waking up after an accident and not knowing who the hell you are or how you got there, wherever there is, is terrifying. Learning to remember again can be just as traumatic. Print or e-book.
* 'A welcome and ultimately reassuring novel about life, memory, and friendship.' Amazon

© Sam Hawksmoor May 25th 2025

*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

Share |

• Back to Index

© Hackwriters.com 1999 - 2025 - (26 years on-line)
We are Carbon Neutral

FICTION . TRAVEL . LIFESTYLES - REVIEWS