The PNW Scottish Highland Games and Clan Gathering 2013

 

This past Sunday, Janet and I managed to attend the annual Highland Games and Clan Gathering held at the Enumclaw Expo Center.  This site use to be called the King County Fairgrounds, but sometime over the past decade, since I last attended the games, the name was changed.

 

 

Whether you call it the Fairgrounds or Expo Center, this place was the perfect setting for a Highland-themed event.  The foothills surrounding Enumclaw, along with the morning marine layer did wonders to evoking impressions of far-away Scotland.

 

Especially with rock formations like this...

 

In addition to pipers, there were other performers ranging folk bands...

 

...to solo musicians.

 

Here, the fiddler and flutist work the crowd...

 

Just about every group played Scotland the Brave and Loch Lomond as part of their repertoire.  No one got tired of hearing these stirring tunes.

 

And of course, there were the games themselves, featuring events like Caber Tossing...

 

 As any military historian and wargamer will tell you, is that Scotland is most noted for its renown Highlander (and even Lowlander) Regiments.  But wherever in America, or The Commonwealth Scots emigrated to, they often raised highlander regiments.  At last weekend's games, there were some re-enactors from the 79th New York Highlanders.

 

Even though the 79th has long-since been disbanded, martial ties between America and Scotland remain.  There's the Scottish-American Military Society open to anyone who honorably served in American military, or the UK's Commonwealth Forces.  Apparently, being of actual Scottish descent is not a requirement.

 

 

While we didn't stay for the grand finale, watching the individual bagpipe bands perform was as impressive as it was moving. 

 

One of my friends jokingly asked me on Facebook whether I wore a kilt while attending the games.  I would actually consider it, but most tartans have a distinct lineage and I'd only choose one that I could truly identify with. 

 

And no, I'm not into utility kilts which seem to be popular here in the Pacific Northwest. 

 

 

While I didn't walk away with a utility kilt, we spent most of our time browsing among the vendor stands.  Janet became excited by a bodhran with a Claddagh symbol on the skin. 

 

In addition to the bodhran, we bought several other mementos of our outing.  One of them is a print of both our German family crests we got from one of the genealogy booths scattered throughout the fairgrounds.  We discovered our German ancestors were from the same region of Bavaria.

 

This probably explains the "girl-next-door" feeling I get everytime I'm around Janet. 

 

We look forward to attending future Highland Games and Clan Gatherings.

Move 99% Complete

I've been off-line for nearly two weeks because Janet and I are in the throes of finalizing our home consolidation.  Two Saturdays ago was the "Big Move."  The plan was to rented a U-Haul to move all the big and/or heavy furniture out of my old place.

But as von Moltke said:  No plan survives contact with the enemy.  The enemy in this case was her home plumbing.  Just as we woke up to start our day, Janet noticed the carpet in the family room was damp and when I tried showering, water was backing up through the washing machine drain.  We thought the septic tank was plugged. 

 

But when the plumbing team arrived, they discovered the pipe between the house and septic tank was broken.  It actually broke several years ago and either the previous owners or some shady contractor spliced the break with Duck Tape.

 

 

Yes, Duck Tape, man's "other best friend" and multi-purpose fix-it-all.

 

Now I know there's some talented folks out there who can make anything out of Duck Tape, like...

 

...flowers (image by "DuckTapeBandit") and would you believe...

 

 

...ball gowns.  Check out the winners' incredible outfits of Duck Tape's Stuck at Prom. 

 

 

 

Not only can teens win scholarship money with Duck Tape, but the stuff can last several years as field-expedient plumbing.

 

But keep in mind, it will probably fail at the worst possible moment--just like it did for Janet and I.

 

So Janet ended up staying home to deal with the pipe repairs, while her son and I took the U-Haul and hauled my furniture out of my old house. 

 

SNAFU #2 occurred when we had the truck half packed and realized the truck was too small and it would take a second trip to remove everything we planned on removing that day.  After a quick lunch break we brought the second load just as the last plumber was putting new sealant on and around the septic tank.

 

Despite the hectic (and expensive) chain of events, we managed to get everything placed inside the new home where we wanted it, more or less.  (We did some adjusting the following day).  The only casualty, other than some strained ligaments/muscles/tendons on triceps and thighs, suffered during the move was my L-shaped studio desk.

 

It's so large we had trouble getting it out of the original room, so we had to discombobulate it.  The problem was, we discombobulated too much.  When we went to lift on portion of it, the wood split in several places and the whole thing fell apart.

 

 

The above picture isn't actually my desk.  I found this on line to give readers an idea what my desk looks like and how it came apart. 

 

I'm not as broken-up about it as I thought I'd be.  That's because I've had my doubts as to how we'd be able to carry the desk up the narrow staircase, through the narrow hallway and maneuver it into my new Studio.  Especially since the remaining desk-half is larger than the one that fell apart.

 

Looks like a trip to Ikea is in order.



Product Review: Napoleon in Europe

(Image:  Cover Art for Eagle Games, Napoleon in Europe)

 

 About a decade ago, my friend Joe and I attended the annual Christmas sale of the American Eagles game store in Tacoma.  (The store closed a few years later when the owner retired).  He pointed to the large boxed game, Napoleon in Europe and said, "you MUST buy this!"

 

I nearly baulked at the $100 price tag, but gave in to Joe's suggestion.

 

I'm glad I did.

 

Napoleon in Europe (NiE) is a strategy game produced by Eagle Games back in 2001.  It is out of print, but according to the Eagle/Gryphon Games website, cards and playing pieces are still available.  One can still find used/still-in-shrinkwrap copies of NiE on sites, like Board Game Geek's Market Place, for as low as $70; while others are available at "collector's prices," not to mention shipping and handling fees.

 

NiE is essentially a giant boardgame, that can accommodate up to 7 players.  But instead of the usual cardboard counters, the playing pieces are plastic figures, roughly within the popular 1/72 scale.  This provides a toy soldier playset feel for the players.  A detailed review of the pieces themselves is available at Plastic Soldier Review.  These figures come in some of the "traditional" uni-colors...

 

(Image from:  BoardGame Geek)

 

...but some enterprising gamers even painted their collection:

 

(Image from:  BoardGame Geek)

 

A deck of event/effect cards is also included...

 

(Image from: BoardGame Geek)

 

 

...along with countersheets representing status markers, fleets and national markers to show political and economic strength, along with territorial claims.  As the Wikipedia entry explains, the unique feature of NiE is the use of these PAPs, which display a nation's flag, or national symbol:

 

(Image from:  BoardGame Geek)

 

It takes PAPs to do just about anything, beyond moving troops around and fighting--although it costs PAPs to declare war and sue for peace.  Even making an alliance with a fellow player will cost the initiator a PAP.

 

The rules have three levels of play: Basic, Standard and Advanced. The Basic rules are similar to Risk and may be a good way to introduce children and adolescents into gaming. With the Standard and Advanced Rules, each game scenario can be played historically, or a-historically. This primarily affects how the event/effect cards are played. In an historical game, these cards can only be used by certain nations and often only during certain years. While in a-historical games, these cards can be used by any nation, which more often than not, skews the game from historical reality--but is a lot of fun!

 

No matter what level of play you indulge in, one must utilize a blend of economic, political and military power to win the game.

 

(Image of the NiE Tracking Card from:  BoardGame Geek)

 

Nine scenarios represent a major campaign in the Revolutionary/Napoleonic_Wars, with a hypothetical tenth scenario takes place in 1820.  Each completed turn representing a month and there's a Production Phase every 3 months, where players can replenish their treasury and raise more troops.  It's even possible to play out the entire Napoleonic Wars, from 1796 to 1815--in theory anyway.

 

The seven nations represented (with miniature color) in NiE are, listed in turn-order:  England (red), France (dark blue), Russia (green), Austria (grey), Prussia (purple), Spain (yellow) and the Ottoman Empire (tan). 

 

A battle ensues when a player moves one, or more of his military units into a territory occupied by another player's force he's currently at war with.  (Or if he's attempting to annex a minor country).  Players then scoop up their figures, or check which group is listed under the standard-bearer figure, and array their units on the battle board:

 

(Battleboard image from:  BoardGame Geek)

 

For a major battle, consisting of 6 or more figures on each side, the board is broadly divided into sections representing an army's left flank, right flank, center, reserve and retreat areas.  The basic units of infantry, cavalry and artillery posses the traditional strengths and weaknesses of their troop types.  There must be at least one figure occupying the left, right and center areas on his side of the battleboard.  Unless one player has a light cavalry advantage, both players arrange their individual units behind an impromptu screen.  Gamemaster's Screens from a role-playing game is excellent for this.

 

A battle is fought in a series of rounds, which moving against and/or attacking his opponents pieces.  Once all of a player's figures have been destroyed, or forced to retreat from a left, right or center area, the battle ends and the losing player must retreat from the territory. 

 

Losing a major battle forces the player to roll two 6-sided dice (d6) against his Commitment Rating to determine if he remains, or gets knocked out of the war.  He can also voluntarily sue for peace at the cost of 2 PAPs.

 

Skirmishes are minor battles fought with less than 6 units per side and no battleboard is used.

 

(Image:  A skirmish between a British and French army during our 1800 Secnario game)

 

That's basically it.

 

NiE is a fun game to play, especially if you can muster 7 gamers together.  I'd love to say my friends and I have played this regularly, but ever since buying NiE we may have gotten together at a rate of once a year to play.  During this time we've never managed to assemble 7 players.  The most we've had gathered around the game table was 6 and that was only once.

 

On the flip side, having 7 players at the gaming table, often means that 5-6 of them are idle while one player executes his moves.  Idle players are become mere spectators to a battle, which can last several rounds when the armies become large.  Which more often than not--they do.

 

(Image: A battle between an Austrian and French Army during our 1800 Scenario game)

 

 While NiE is a fine game in and of itself, it can do with several improvements.  Especially if your group uses the Advanced Rules, like ours does during our intermittant get-togethers.  These rules incoporporate such things as light infantry, heavy cavalry, horse artillery, militia, and irregular cavalry, just to name a few.

 

BoardGame Geek's file section contains a plethora of downloadable playing aids that help make the game run smoother.  Of these, the Terrain Cards and Army Cards have proven to be the most popular and invaluable.  The Army Cards help organize everyone's forces and provide a sturdy platform to move an army over to the battle board.

 

(Image:  The British 1st Army during our 1800 Scenario Game)

 

While the terrain cards provide additional tactical puzzles to the battleboard.  The location and type of terrain held by an opponent is also kept hidden by the impromptu screen, unless one has a light cavalry advantage.

 

(Image: Austrians attempt to dislodge the French from the woods on the French right flank)

 

However, it takes more than free downloadable stuff to improve some of NiE's aesthetic deficiencies.  Shortly after buying the game, I ordered more unit miniatures and horses in every color Eagle Games offered. 

 

My priority was to switch out the purple figures used for the Prussians and replace them with black.  

 

(Image:  The Prussian Army mobilizes in our 1800 Scenario Game)

 

I also bought white figures for the Austrians.  To this day, I'm still wondering why Eagle games didn't use these more "traditional" colors in the first place.  (Purple Prussians!?  Are you freakin' kidding me!?).  Probably to get gamers to buy more accessories--like I did.

 

Here's a rundown of some of the color-coordinating I did with my game:

 

Black units = Prussians

 

White units = Austrians

 

Grey units = militia

 

Light Blue units = minor nation allies

 

Purple units = minor nation opponents

 

White horses = mounts for leaders

 

Black horses = mounts for heavy cavalry

 

Gery horses = mounts for irregular cavalry (Cossacks primarily)

 

As mentioned in the Plastic Soldier Review, NiE figures are generic and not-quite historical.  So to spruce things up, I bought several 1/72-Scale box sets, mainly from Italeri and some from HaT. 

 

National Leaders, found in some of the on-line house rules, are from some of the following sets:

 

Napoleon and his general staff, Austrian and Russian general staffs, and various mounted officers.

 

 

Instead of the counters to indicate light infantry, there's British Light Infantry, conveniently painted olive drab, so they can be used by any nation.  Not quite historical, but they effectively identify these special troops.

 

To make the Ottomans look "less European," I've added figures from the Saracen Warriors and Arab Warriors sets. 

 

 

Employing some of the house rules found on-line, I use the Saracen and Arab figures to represent the normal Ottoman troops, which are considered militia/irregular.  The standard figures, representing regular infantry and cavalry are the Jannissaries.  Again, not quite historical, but it adds color to the game. 

 

Major battles can be confusing affairs, especially when the battleboard is crammed with figures.  The original rules call for figures to be turned sideways, or completely around to illustrate forming a square or becoming disordered.  This is often hard to distinguish on a crowded battlefield.  To remedy this, I'll cannibilize various status counters from one of my La Bataille Series Games from Clash of Arms.

 

(Image:  Spanish infantry form square against an Austrian cavalry charge)

 

For finishing touches, I added the flag decals to the standard bearer figures Eagle Games offered at the time.  Although I need to slather on gobs of glue to make them stick.  Finally, I bought a variety of appropriately colored dice, so each player can have a set.

 

Overall, I think I spent another $50 for additional figures and dice, not to mention replacing an ink cartridge or two for my printer. 

 

But the results have been worth it.

Program Review: The Big Bang Theory, Seasons 1-5

 

This is more a personal reflection than a program review.

 

My wife Janet and I finally finished watching Seasons 1-5 of The Big Bang Theory (TBBT) from her DVD collection.  We haven't seen any episodes of Season 6 yet and are waiting for that DVD to be released. 

 

Ever since Janet and I started dating we've been intermittently watching the show at the rate of 1-2 episodes per viewing night.  We love the show--but from two opposing perspectives.

 

As a kid, I was interested in science, especially Archaeology, Paleontology and Geology.  In addition to my pre-teen interest in science, I've loved Science Fiction and Fantasy for as long as I can remember. Then during testosterone surge of the teen years that warped my brain altered my thinking, I became passionate about Military History--and my brother Terry bought me my first wargame.

 

My journey to "the Dark Side" made a quantum leap--and hasn't showed any signs of slowing down yet.

 

Janet on the other hand, has always been interested in Criminal Justice and loves crime dramas.  Normally, she's not interested in flights-of-fancy fiction--let alone indulging in the fandom that often erupts over shows, ranging from Star Trek (the Original Series) to Doctor Who--and beyond.

 

Then she met me. 

 

Since we've been together, Janet's been to comic book stores, game stores and even attended the Emerald City Comicon a few months ago.

 

In short, we're about as close to a Penny & Leonard relationship as we could be.  Fortunately, without all the on-again/off-again melodrama.

 

I often tease Janet by asking her:  Did you ever think, in your wildest dreams, that some moments of your life would be like an episode of The Big Bang Theory?

 

Talk about Life imitating art.

 

So, because of my romance with Janet, the 5-star rating I'd give each of the five seasons we've seen, shouldn't be considered unbiased.

 

 

 

The show just wrapped-up it's 6th Season, which will be released on DVD, September 10th, 2013.  In the meantime, you can watch re-runs on TBS.

 

However, despite TBS's "very funny" slogan, not everyone likes TBBT.  The 1-star ratings on TBBT's 1st Season range from complaints about the quality of the DVDs to outrage over the insulting portrayal of scientists and engineers.

 

The gripes about caricaturization aren't without merit. But TBBT isn't the only show that's "gotten it wrong" about various professions.  Nearly all of us ex-military types rarely like Hollywood's portrayal of our fellow soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines--even spouses.  (I'd write an all-out tirade against the show Army Wives, but instead here's a kinder/gentler critique of the program).

 

I guess it's a matter of what you're sensitive to and whether or not you enjoy having your profession, faith, interests and hobbies--anything you hold dear--subjected to everything from gentle ribbing to full-blown ridicule.

 

Or, as Sheldon would say...

 

 

 

Despite the criticisms, TBBT is a pop-culture sensation that's helping to turn geekdom into mainstream.  It spawned it's own wiki and a plethora of fan art, like this from Kinkei...

 

 

So grab your toy lightsaber, don your favorite superhero costume and enjoy the show!

Hometown Comic & Game Store's Anniversary Sale

A couple of days ago, I received the following e-mail from Fat Cat Comics:

Fat Cat Comics is celebrating their 37th Anniversary with a big sale.
The sale starts this Saturday, July 6th and ends July 13th. Almost everything is on sale for 20% off and there is a group of items at 50 to 75% off.
Sign up to win a prize. Hope to see you there.

Too bad I'm 3000 miles away.

Yeah, I know I could call-in, or e-mail an order.  But it just isn't the same as being there.  Besides, I won't be able to win a door prize.

Back in the Dim Ages--you know--the era before the creation of the internet and online shopping--Fat Cat Books, as it was known then, was the only place we could go to buy games right off the shelf. 

And for the geeky/nerdy inhabitants of the Triple Cities (Binghamton, Endicott and Johnson City), it still is.  One of my sisters and I make it a point to check out the store any time we visit our hometown.

So if you're in the area, be sure to take advantage of the sale!

Happy Independence Day!

Best wishes to all of you this 4th of July Holiday!

Thank you for your support.

Noteworthy Blog # 7: Anatoli's Game Room

(Image:  Evolution of a Miniatures Painter)

Wargaming is an international hobby.  It has always been so, but it took the advent of the internet to instantly connect gamers from all across the planet to each other.

One such international connection is Anatoli's Game Room.  Hailing from Skane, Sweden, Alexander Kawczynski (aka "Anatoli") plays and reviews an ecclectic mix of games ranging from historical to horror--and everything else in between.

There are a lot of gaming blogs out their in the blogosphere, but few of them can boast of having followers numbering in the triple digits, in Anatoli's case--468, along with winning the Stylish Blogger Award.

Anatoli's Game Room, has accomplished both.

In addition to reviewing and playing games, Anatoli creates his own gaming movies, like this cool silent horror film. 

What I also like about Anatoli's site, is his take-no-prisoners war movie reviews.  I'm grateful for knowing which movies to avoid and the ones worth watching.  These reviews also include foreign films that are probably unfamiliar with us Yanks.  Being of Polish descent, (my maternal grandmother and her siblings emigrated to America between the two world wars), I'm very interested in checking out Czas Honoru. 

Anatoli isn't the only one who likes this Polish production:  The series has averaged 7 out of 10 stars on IMDb.

I stumbled across Anatoli's Game Room, via The Miniatures Page, where other great gaming blogs can be discovered.

Thanks Anatoli!  And keep up the good work!

Father-in-Law's Korean War Service

(Image:  Me, Rex and Janet at our wedding)

 

A couple of weeks ago, my father-in-law, Rex, passed away.  He was initially admitted to the hospital for severe headaches.  The doctors figured out these were caused by fluid buildup within his skull, but were unable to determine the cause, nor reverse the buildup without the continued use of a catheter.  The only thing that could be done was to keep him sedated.  Finally, my wife Janet and her siblings decided to cease treatment and Rex died shortly afterwards.

 

Like my own father, Rex was a Korean War combat veteran.  Back when I was getting to know Janet and her family, I asked if he could specify where and when he saw action.  He merely waved his hand in the air and said, "Right from the beginning and we went all up and down the peninsula." Until, I found out later, he was wounded by shrapnel sometime before 1951.

 

From what I know of the Korean War, I figured this put Rex "in theater" shortly after the initial North Korean invasion through the Chinese intervention.

 

While Janet and her family dealt with the funeral arrangements, I pieced together Rex's wartime service by compiling information from family photos, military records, a Western Union telegram and my copy of The West Point Atlas of American Wars, Volume 2 (1959). 

 

What I discovered was nothing short of amazing.

 

Rex was assigned to Bravo Company of the 8th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Cavalry Division.  At the time, I was frustrated that none of the personal records, along with a 1949 "local boy does good" article from the Spokane Herald (now Spokesman Review) mentioned, was what battalion this particular Bravo Company was assigned to. 

 

But now that I think of it, in the US Army companies were often labeled in alphabetical sequence; with Alpha, Bravo and Charlie assigned to the regiment's first battalion, with Delta, Echo and Foxtrot to the 2nd, etc.  (Typically there were 3 companies to a battalion and 3 battalions to a regiment).  So I'm going to assume Rex was in the 8th Cav's First Battalion (1/8).

 

The Western Union telegram opened with the typically ominous line: 

 

Dear Mr. and Mrs....we regret to inform you that your son...

 

Fortunately in Rex's case, the sentence concluded with:

 

...was lightly wounded on 1 November 1950. 

When I showed the telegram to my brother-in-law Tim, he quipped, "What exactly does "slightly wounded" mean?  I can't imagine any parent receiving something like this."

Neither can I.

However, lightly wounded or not, Rex's DD Form 214 (which is still used today), clearly stated that he received no wounds due to enemy action and therefore, no Purple Heart Medal.

Odd.

Tim and I looked at each other:  Hmmm.  Friendly fire, maybe?

Looking at family photos we learned Rex was part of Bravo Company's 60 millimeter (mm) mortar team.  Initially on occupation duty in Japan, the 1st Cav was rushed over to South Korea to help plug the gaps in the Pusan Perimeter.  Rex, suffering from a broken wrist, missed the initial deployment, but rejoined Bravo Company afterwards.

In September, 1950, MacArthur executed his amphibious flank attack at Inchon and chased the shattered remnants of the North Korean Army all the way up to the Yalu River.  So the war looked like it was just about won--despite the reports of Chinese forces massing near, on--and even over--the China-North Korean border.

As I scrolled through the 8th Cavalry Wikipedia page, I spotted this sentence under the Korean War Section, third paragraph: 

At 1930 on 1 November 1950 the Chinese attacked the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry, all along its line.

The link contains enough detail to paint a grim tactical picture.  Basically, all three of the 8th Cavalry Regiment's battalions were isolated and surrounded by elements of the Chinese Communist Forces (CCF) 115th Division and 116th Division near Unsan.

To commanding officers and staff manning various field headquarters, the surprise offensive by the Chinese looked something like this...

 

...but to the GI's fending off Chinese infiltration and human wave attacks, the situation was considerably more up-close and personal...

 

(Image:  Chinese troops assaulting a hill)

 

...way too personal.

 

During this battle, which lasted several days, the 8th Cav's sister regiments, the 5th_Cavalry Regiment and the 7th Cavalry Regiment--of Little Big Horn fame--tried, but failed to break through to their beleaguered buddies.  1st Cav commander was left with no choice but to order the 8th Cav's survivors--growing smaller by the hour--to break out any way possible.

 

In other words:  You're on your own fellas.

 

Under such a chaotic tactical situation, with friendly units firing into an area containing a mixed bag of friendly and enemy forces, it's entirely possible Rex, along with others, may have suffered from friendly fire. 

 

Although there may be other, more mundane explanations for Rex not getting credit for his wound.  Janet recalled her dad saying in-passing, that he turned down the Purple Heart. Also, the US military is infused with an arcane bureaucracy, just like every other governmental department.  This requires every "i" to be dotted and every "t" to be crossed--in triplicate.  If not, then the paperwork gets rejected. 

 

Regardless of the lack of proper documentation, I impressed upon my in-laws that Rex didn't just "see some action" while in Korea:  He was yanked out of the cushy garrison duty in Japan, only to find himself having to "E&E," (Evade and Escape as we call it now), through enemy lines--while wounded--several months later.

 

The only veterans who may claim to have survived a worse ordeal would be the Marines "advancing in a different direction" from"Frozen Chosin."

 

For the Chinese Communist Party's Propaganda Department though, chasing the "foreign devils" out of North Korea was quite a feather in their collective revolutionary caps.

 

(Image: Chinese propaganda poster)

 

 One of the items Janet "inherited back" was a picture she gave her dad, similar to this...

 

 

...of the Korean War Memorial.  It's now on our fireplace mantle in honor of both our fathers.

 

At Rex's funeral, the small honor guard played taps.  I'll end this post with something a bit more jaunty and befitting a cavalry trooper--Garryowen.

 

Say hello to my dad for me, will you Rex?

 

(Image: William M. Henkle, cica 1951)

 

 

Books & Brews with C.C. Humphreys

A few nights ago, I drove up to Third Place Books (Ravenna) to attend the finale of Chris Humphreys' "Books & Brews" Tour.  This event was to promote the re-release of his Revolutionary War novel, Jack Absolute. 

I read and reviewed this book nearly four years ago, shortly after meeting Chris at the PNWA Writers Conference. 

Despite the typical rush hour traffic and intermittent rain, I arrived at Third Place Books with 15 minutes to spare, barely enough time to order--but not eat--dinner from Vios Cafe, before Chris showed up. 

About eight of us gathered in the impromptu auditorium set up by the Third Place staff.  Two of my fellow attendees were local authors Terry Persun and his daughter, Nicole--both are very active in PNWA. 

I tried not to munch on my souvlaki too loudly, as Chris discussed the origins of the character Jack Absolute, his writing/researching processes and most of all--reading excerpts from his work.

Most writers describe themselves as introverts and tend to shy away from public speaking.  Sometimes in a manner similar to a vampire reacting to a crucifix.

Chris, on the otherhand, has been an actor, practically since birth.  (His father and all his grandparents were actors).  So Chris doesn't just read from his books--he performs!  The voice inflections he employs helps the audience distinguish who's doing the talking during dialogues.  He can employ accents and dialects without sounding hammy--like I do when I'm involved in a role-playing game.

Even if you don't buy any of Chris's books--but I highly recommend that you do--it's worth checking out whatever venue he's attending, just to hear him read.

Once the hour-long session was over, Chris, the Persuns and I chatted for nearly an additional hour while I got my second copy of Jack Absolute and A Place Called Armageddon autographed for my wife, Janet.

A Place Called Armageddon is very special to Janet and I, because it was the conversation piece that brought us together. 

So while Chris was signing, I ended up hogging most of the conversation telling the tale of how my wife and I met to Terry, Nicole and her boyfriend...

...I started attending a new gym after my divorce and relocation a couple years ago.  Janet started showing up a month or so after I did.  She was training for a triathlon she wanted to run with her son.  As we found out later, we both noticed each other right away.

The first time we spoke, I was on a chest-press machine as Janet walked by and said, "Have a good workout."

I could have sworn I said, "Thank you miss," but according to Janet's recollection I said "Thank you ma'am."

Anyway, he said/she said aside, I thought she was merely being nice, so it wasn't until our second encounter that Armageddon came into play.  A week or so later, was peddling away on a stationary cycle reading this book.  As Janet walked by, she suddenly stopped, did an abrupt right-face, walked up to me an blurted, "How's the book you're reading?"

Now, it's not an every day occurrence that a beautiful woman approaches me and inquires about my reading material.  So I was taken aback by her sudden approach.

My response went something like this:  "(Mumble-mumble)...historical novel...(mumble-mumble)...Siege of Constantinople...(mumble-mumble)...1453 A.D...(mumble-mumble)...written by a friend of mine...yadda-yadda...etcetera, so on and so forth."

Needless to say, it wasn't my best book review.  But she smiled anyway and said, "Enjoy your book and have a good workout."

After this encounter, I made it a point to approach her and say hello.  Then we started working out together on adjacent elliptical machines, which led to a first date a couple weeks before Christmas.  Janet asked me out by inviting me to her place for dinner and a game of Scrabble. 

Why a game of Scrabble?

Well, somewhere during our Courtship Phase, when I told Janet I was a table-top gamer (as opposed to a computer/video gamer), she was thinking of games such as, Monopoly, Life and Scrabble...

...not the "Blood and Swash" kind of stuff I've played, like War Cry and Battle Lust, Skull & Crossbones, A Touch of Evil or Zombies!!!

Experience with these games however, provided no help for me whatsoever, when after dinner, Janet broke out her Deluxe Scrabble Board and her Official Scrabble Player's Dictionary.

Other dates soon followed.  Then, with just a few hours remaining of the Old Year, our friendly relationship took on a romantic trajectory--and concluded with our wedding.

We got married a few months ago and A Place Called Armageddon had a place of honor at our ceremony...

 

So buy one of Chris Humphreys' novels and read it in public!

 

Who knows?  Someone special may walk into your life and ask you about the book you're reading.