Plain Runner

Five years in the making… I am excited to announce my first novel, "Travel By Star" is available today in paperback (details in the replies). Inspired by the works of C.S. Lewis and Louis L'Amour, it is a story of fallen days and homeward hopes. Of sons adrift, and prodigal daughters. And what it takes to find the way back. Many good friends, both in in real life and here on X, have helped bring this book to completion, but I want to especially thank my editor and layout designer @JohnBLeonard for his faithfulness and friendship. A lot of life has passed since we first began. We are finally here, brother. I also want to thank once more my brilliant cover artist, @BarbaraBrendt. She showed me what these characters could be. More than that, she believed in me. I am forever grateful for her talent and her kindness. I only wish I could write faster so that I might be able to work with both of them again. Sincere thanks, as well, go out to @HeidiAHill1 and @KingAriPress. They were among my first writer friends in the world of social media and I was blessed to happen upon such steadfast encouragers. To everyone else who has befriended me here, offering timely advice, or a gentle query, or a friendly jab in the side - and to those of you who gave your time to my short stories - you are deeply appreciated. I hope you enjoy this story (at last). More than anything, I hope you come away from it resolved to fight your own good fight, and to run well, even into the sunset, knowing its light will reach back to draw you on. Thank you, all, truly. To the City!

“Closing Out,” by Plain Runner A will to see my feet In guilt’s hardened grip Filed in darkness Till blistered hands Where chains wore raw Iron touched blood Where rust caked Yet scars prevailed Time of hidden mercy Patient to fasten Her kindly cords, leads Now to love the light

@DaveBuzan Lone Wolf McQuade made an early impression. Always admired his work ethic.

Chuck Norris was a cinematic icon who made an indelible impression on the industry. His action films are as legendary as the man himself. A new Chuck Norris film was appointment cinema, especially during my junior high and high school years. One of the greatest screen heroes.

@LeahBoudreaux2 I appreciate that.

@plainrunner2 Somebody wished interesting times on you 😮‍💨 Prayers for you to get whatever is meant for you out of this season. He will keep you in any case.

I have no idea what this means, but I thank God he has been my sea wall. I know whatever waves reach me are meant for my good. In the last month alone I’ve run the gauntlet from… “I’m losing my job?” “I don’t want to lose my job.” “Screw it!” “But, what about the things I still need to do?” “We’ll be alright.” “Man, this is going to be hard.” “I have no idea what to plan for.” “Oh, screw it. Again!” “Maybe I could write full time.” “I can’t even break 1000 followers, what makes me think I can write enough to live on?” “I can’t lose my job.” “Time for that checkup. Remember, both your parents died from this.” “Lord, I’m just a little nervous.” “Honey, I’m sorry I’m not quite the rock I need to be.” “I’m loved. We’ll be alright.” “Do I even remember how to write?” “So… I’m not losing my job?” “Not yet…” “What does that mean?” “It means, ‘Not yet.’” “I’m happy? Tired? Confused?” “Breathe. Pray.” “But this second novel still sucks.” “Keep praying. Work. Wait.” “How long, Oh, Lord?” “Yes, I will trust You.”

@KingAriPress Amen. I’m sure he’s moving me where I need to be. We get there when we get there…

@plainrunner2 This feels like a good prayer list. I got you. Your friends got you. Jesus definitely does.

@HeidiAHill1 Yeah, the followers thing was more of a joke. I mentioned awhile back that I’ve made my peace with being a small account. I might do spaces someday, though, time permitting. Appreciate your thoughtfulness, my friend.

Good Times. Sorry you're going through all of this. This is about the least helpful tip there is, but I will share it. One way to gain followers seems to be Spaces. The more you attend and speak in, the more followers you'll get. That said, I do not go in to or host spaces to get followers. I do it because I enjoy going in. I enjoy the topics, and the people, and I want to contribute. That matters too. Take care friend. 🙏

@MichaelFKane 5. Be obscure I got that one locked. 😜

1. Disclose AI use. 2. Don't lie. 3. Everyone, including publishers, gets to decide their own policy. 4. Be wary of witch hunts. All of it goes back to item one. I know we won't get 100% compliance. Which is what will lead to item four. We've got a problems ahead, folks.

@KingAriPress @ETHYSTSkincare @jbienkahn So, what you’re saying is I should get an indie publisher. 😉

@ETHYSTSkincare @jbienkahn It will. I mean, it won't really matter because Self Publishing is convoluting the content offered, and only Indie Publishing is actually growing. I will say, the average person won't be easily able to discover it. And this author just opened herself up to a lawsuit.

This is extremely big and public and humiliating for this writer, but just know: I’m also privately cancelling each and every writer who pitches me with AI (and I’m sure many other editors are too)…

@TheMiddleborne Makes writing the sequel real easy.

@plainrunner2 They just always do the right thing. Never struggle, don’t make mistakes or second guess themselves, don’t grow through trial and hardship and learn to trust one another and the One who worked things according to His will.

We’re out here. My own arrow in the volley, “Travel By Star” has a bit of rough language, but nothing profane. It deals with real loss and the fallout of sinful choices. It holds a mirror up to a hard world different from ours, but not where it counts. It’s not ashamed to tilt that mirror upward, if only enough.

@TheMiddleborne Yeah, pure as the driven snow they are.😒

@plainrunner2 But your characters don’t have any moral problems like sleeping with married people or getting sex for favors and stuff

@whodamoose @musings_blonde @Dirtdragonmom Seriously.

@musings_blonde @Dirtdragonmom I don’t know, she follows me, she must not be THAT picky 😅

I follow back for 2 reasons: 1- my friend Beth (@Dirtdragonmom) follows you. Sounds weird, but I trust her judgement… she’s picky 😂 2- You follow me and interact with my posts positively 2-3 times. If you check one of those boxes & I’m not following you, let me know 🙂

@MichaelFKane Love to you and yours, brother. A spirited man… Sounds like the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.

Woke up to find this simple story about my granfather has found some legs. I appreciate the kind words, everyone and I hope the atory brought a smile to your face. 🙂

My grandfather is entering the final days of his life. He's 95 and he's ready to go home to his maker. But I thought I would tell a funny story. My mother and grandmother and I spent last night at the ER with him. About midnight the overnight hospitalist (doctor that treats patients while they are in the hospital) comes into the room. Talks to my grandmother and I for a few minutes and then begins to do a basic cognitive test on my grandfather. He starts with a simple question. "Can you tell me your name?" Now my grandfather (whose name is John) has slowed with age, but until the last few days has remained sharp, and if he has enough energy, a joker as well. He looks at the doctor, and while the confusion of his current ailment slowed his response, he eventually manages to confidently say "Juan." The doctor looks at him, then glances at my grandmother and I to see that we are laughing, before deciding that, yes, my grandfather despite his struggles managed to make a joke out of the test. He laughs. "Well I admit I was expecting a Juan to look at a little more Mexican." (My grandfather is the source of the red hair in my family and couldn't possibly look any less like a Juan) Long pause from my grandfather as he processes that. "Si." The doctor proceeded to casually call him Juan the rest of the night. A day later the decline has worsened and the end has drawn near. I passed by the doctor in the hall on the way into the ICU, had a quick chat with him about my grandfather, and then he told me that he'd never forget the 95 year old red head claiming he was Juan during a cognitive test. May we all manage to be so memorable in our last days. 😅

@pauljpastor Love that expression.

A challenge for you—for one week, do not “water the weeds” by engaging any content that is negative, artificial, cruel, or anxious. Instead, like, watch, read, and share *only* what is beautiful, human, true, and good. See what happens.

@_DavidMorrell @DaveBuzan Well, I can’t be calling myself a Western-Fantasy author and not read this!

I’m a big fan of Westerns. My debut novel, FIRST BLOOD (Rambo), was inspired by Westerns and my Western novel, LAST REVEILLE, was inspired by Sam Peckinpah’s classic Western movie, THE WILD BUNCH. davidmorrell.net/books/last-rev…

@DaveBuzan Does the closing shot of “Split” count? I don’t think I’ve ever been that stupidly grinned up by a movie in my life.

@DaveBuzan @hatfieldtweet You guys are the best.🥹

@hatfieldtweet @plainrunner2

Stop digging for reading gold...this is the Mother Lode:

@hatfieldtweet Thanks, brother.

@deadalnix @TheMiddleborne I hear this. I guess I was picking up on a more modern accommodation vibe throughout the film, so it didn’t surprise me.

@plainrunner2 @TheMiddleborne Imagine throwing a fit as your man subdue the emperor of the galaxy who offer a political alliance to seal the deal. Even without reading the books. She has the political acumen of a cucumber and is a liability to Paul in the movie. That character as written doesn't work.

Just every time the camera goes to Chani it completely breaks the scene. She’s insufferable in this.

@Dolly__gale @RedHedgedragon @DavidRoomeAuth @MichaelFKane @TheMiddleborne I appreciate it. Thanks.

I read several Frank Herbert books in high school: Dune Dune Messiah Children of Dune I wish I'd just stopped with the first one, which had a unique world, political intrigue of warring aristocratic houses (planets), some key words of Arabic, and some philosophical reflection on fate and free will. It also had a hero's journey in a new land, which was fascinating. I suppose it's an example of the cliche, "I'm thirteen and this is deep." But it's a good example. The first two recent Dune films end here. The second book lacks much of the political intrigue I liked about the first. The philosophy angle was okay, but I didn't feel like I was learning much. The hero's success from "Dune" is inverted, which is the author's perogative but I didn't like reading that. The third book took a strange turn toward the end over the course of two paragraphs or so. I reread the chapter incase I missed something. The series entered a subgenre of scifi that was quite unlike the first book. I stopped at that point. I've heard that many people stop after that one. I'll bet that the "Dune 3" film combines elements of the "Dune Messiah" and "Children of Dune." This doesn't specifically address your questions, but that's my take.

Alright, my sci-fi friends (looking at you, @RedHedgedragon, @DavidRoomeAuth, @MichaelFKane, @TheMiddleborne), I have enjoyed the first two Dune movies as such, and I’ll be there for the third. However, I honestly don’t see myself getting to the books any time soon. The reading and writing stack is just too high at the moment. So, tell me (without too many spoilers), what are the major differences I’m missing out on? Also, I’ve heard rumors that Herbert wrote Messiah to counter the interpretation many fans were coming up with for the first book, so would love to hear more about that. And, lastly, seeing as how most of my sci-fi knowledge extends to Star Wars, what influences and overlaps do you see there? Go.