The International Writers Magazine Editorial September 2024

TRAVEL

COMMENT

LIFESTYLES

REVIEWS

FICTION

Welcome to this edition of Hackwriters. 25 years on-line, 8,020 + articles - reviews - stories - travel -
share any feature you like and pass them on. September 2024 - Previous Editorial here

Welcome: Editorial - September

Despite the tight poll numbers James Campion believes Kamala Harris is on the ascendent - we continue to pray it's true.

Coordinated pager attacks and walkie-talkie explosions are ingenious and lethal. The world is agog at what Israel did to Lebanon last week but should we be afraid of our phones in future? What is to stop China or Russia learning this lesson from Israel and blowing up all our iPhones or Tesla's (which are mostly made in China now). Of course, it would be commerical suicide for China, but as a tactic in war? Blowing up a million electric cars simultaneously would be a good lethal distraction and tie up highways or lead to buildings burning. If I were an insurance company I'd be quickly revising the premiums right now and adding exclusions. Especially when we fly. When weapons take a new direction to gain the upper hand the laws of unintended consequences quickly apply.

Another attempted assassination of Trump certainly keeps him in the headlines. Perhaps he will learn that this might be connected to his affinity to Putin or that spreading hate all the time creates the condition for anarchy but I suspect this won't be his reaction at all. Will this make people vote for him? Or will they hesitate as they think about Darth Vader Vance with an increasing chance of inheriting the crown...

The debate came - Trump droned on with his racist remarks about immigrants eating cats and Kamala rolled her eyes, as did fifty million Americans watching it. Please God, no more debates. Maybe Democrats should take up Kamala's suggestion that they go to Trump rallies and see just how deranged they are and perhaps video people leaving early...
The verdict - Taylor Swift won it. James Campion comments on the Debate Roadkill moments and the list of fascists Trump will bring with him to the White House if he wins!

Earlier this week I awoke abruptly from a dream, certain that the war in GAZA was over, that Ukraine had defeated Russia and Kamala was President of the USA. Sadly, the spell was broken the moment I pushed the button on my radio and switched Radio 4 news on.  If anything, the situation in Gaza is worse as extremists in Israel are determined to seize the West Bank and drive the Palestinians into the sea. Now Israel has invaded Lebanon with lethal force to try and stop them firing off rockets.

It’s almost a year since HAMAS attacked Israel and took all those hostages. If the aim was to get the whole world to hate Israel by sacrificing their own population, I’d say mission accomplished. Neither side actually wants peace talks for different reasons.

Putin invaded Ukraine in 2014 (did you forget that detail). Obama was President. I don’t recall anyone lifting a finger to stop him. He expanded the war in February 2022 and here we are approaching another brutal third anniversary in 2025.  You might well be tired of this war, but not as tired as the Ukrainian people are.  As I write this the fallout from Zelensky’s invasion of the Kursk region is pretty brutal as Putin takes out their energy supplies, but at least it has refocused attention on Ukraine’s fight for existence. It has also exposed Putin’s weakness, almost a year to the day of the last rebellion against him - meanwhile Putin takes delivery of Iranian long-range missiles.

I expect any day now Trump to proclaim if he’s President again he'll come to his best friend Putin’s aide, such is his hatred of Ukraine.

There will be many twists and turns in the US Election battle all the way up to Nov 5th. Meanwhile Elon Musk, Fox News and other Republican allies on social media will pump out a million lies to keep the hatred warm. If only dreams could make the world a better place. Trump, of course, is his own worse enemy as James Campion points out as he flip flops on abortion in Florida.

You might yet come to envy the two stranded astronauts on the Space Station unable to return until February 2025. As for Boeing, is their dream of getting people up on the Moon in 2026 over? NASA’s Artemis launch might be on the cancellation list by now given Boeing’s shocking quality control issues. Would you get on a rocket or space capsule built by them? If you are brave enough, at least check the door closely properly. Meanwhile the capsule has returned to earth without them and functioned fine - so what gives?

September is wake up and smell the coffee month.  Vacations are over, kids are back at school and the credit card needs feeding.  In the UK we are all dreading the Labour government budget on Halloween and all the freedoms they are going to give trade-unions so they can paralyse the country 1970’s style. If you’re not stressed by now, you’re probably on something. Meanwhile I've been reading Paolo Bacigalupi's new novel Navola which is amazing, check it out. *Just finished Nexus by Yuval Harari.

© Sam North - September 9.24.24

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

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. There are doubts he’ll be able to make the drive, doubts about his bladder, his heart, but he’s determined to go. 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 Road Trip Adventure 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 - the fight for the right to exist

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

Share |

• Back to Index

© Hackwriters.com 1999 - 2024 - (25 years on-line)
We are Carbon Neutral

FICTION . TRAVEL . LIFESTYLES - REVIEWS