1. are accurate
2. are designed to enhance learning
3. follow Department of Defense and Army guidelines
4. use correct grammar
5. and are written at the appropriate reading level

     I have always been an avid reader of fiction. Reading books about adventure, science fiction, war, westerns, and mysteries was a means of temporarily escaping my teenage years of being poor, shy, and depressed. I especially remember reading, "Lost in the Barrens" by Farley Mowat.

     My favorite authors include: Alistair MacLean, James Clavell, Robert A. Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Frank Herbert, Poul Anderson, Michael Crichton, the entire BattleTech/MechWarrior series of books, Jules Verne, Clive Cussler, Sven Hassel, and Robert Ludlum. Books written by these magnificant authors gave me inspiration to attempt writing fiction.

     Transitioning from technical writing to writing novels has not been easy. My biggest challenge was learning how to write conversations. There are no conversations in technical writing! Also, a novel is fiction; its not real! However, let me hasten to say that when you write about science fiction, incorporating accurate scientific information is critical! For example, the moon is smaller than the earth and its gravity is less. A fictional novel with a setting on the moon must incorporate factual information about differences in gravity.

     As of this date, I have two novels published, one unpublished, and a fourth is being written. These books tell stories about people in a variety of settings incorporating science fiction, war, adventure, and romance.

Prologue

     The year is 2150. The political landscape of our world has changed greatly, especially since the middle of the twenty-first century.

     In 2090 the United States, Canada, and Mexico merged into one country for their common survival. Our new nation was named the United American Republic (UAR).

     Other nations also consolidated their governments and territories. Geopolitical consolidation was the best defense against the enormous economic, political, and military power held by mega-corporations. Smaller countries were at the mercy of these large corporations. The best example is Africa. A large African-based corporation named Transvaal bought the African continent one country at a time. Transvaal developed a winning strategy of underwriting simultaneous revolutions in several countries. After the weakened governments failed, Transvaal would establish puppet governments whose very existence was owned and controlled by Transvaal’s board of directors.

     The United Nations, never a unified or credible force was incapable of stopping simultaneous national revolutions.

     Since the beginning of reliable and efficient space travel and the discovery of unlimited mineral wealth in the asteroid belt, the UAR and Transvaal have been engaged in space-based mining operations. Minerals mined in space are shipped back to Earth and sold for huge profits.

     To protect its investment, the UAR established a special unit within its military called the Space Marines. As military units go, Space Marines is a very small organization and is totally funded by UAR mining contractors. It is limited to two hundred fifty members because any military force equates to overhead and cuts into profits. Maintaining the Space Marines is like owning a very expensive insurance policy—each year you pay a hefty premium while hoping the policy is never needed. One half of the force is deployed and the other half remains Earth side, undergoing team rebuilding, training, and taking much-deserved leave. Not surprising, turnover is high.

     The Space Marines’ sole mission is to protect the United American Republic’s space station, transport, and mining operations run by UAR contractors.

     This story is about the members of a marine unit assigned to Moon Base Freedom.

Click here for a description of the main characters.

Prologue

     Following the discovery of hyper drive technology, extensive manned exploration of our galaxy was undertaken. Earth’s interstellar explorers discovered and later colonized Haven; a planet 367 parsecs from Earth. Haven is almost identical to Earth in size and natural resources. One hundred fifty years later, Haven’s residents have declared their independence and no longer feel any attachment to Earth.

     In the meantime, Earth has become more desolate as its natural resources dwindle. In desperation, they have turned to Haven and demanded more of Haven’s agricultural products and minerals. To preserve its own resources, Haven’s government has refused Earth’s demands. Haven’s residents must now fight a war in order to save their world.

     An Unfortunate War is a story about a distant planet (named Haven) being invaded by Earth. Earth needs more food for its people and wants to send millions of immigrants to increase food production on Haven. The inhabitants of Haven do not want this influx of settlers and are prepared to defend their sovereignty.

     This story centers around two soldiers who find themselves thrown together in Haven's struggle for its independence. John Collins and Helen Ramses are polar opposites who battle with their personal emotions while fighting for their world's freedom.

Click here for a description of the main characters.

Prologue

     Mercenaries are soldiers for hire. They have been around for over two thousand years and have been used as surrogate fighters in many armed conflicts. Maintaining standing armies is expensive and small nations cannot afford this luxury. In 2317, the United Nations granted a charter establishing the Mercenary Guild.

     Today, wealthy clients hire mercenary units to protect valuable cargo shipments and implement decisions adjudicated by civil courts. This is a story about two men and their quest to become the best warriors on Earth.

     Hans Degenhardt is the son of a wealthy German businessman. Although Hans could have followed in his father’s footsteps and managed a chemical conglomerate, he chose to become a warrior and joined a mercenary unit after graduating from college. Hans quickly adapted to his new life and is recognized as a skillful and deadly warrior who pilots a humanoid mechanical walker which is a successor to armored vehicles. His aggressiveness has earned him respect from his enemies and members of his squad. Hans is currently employed by the Special Intervention Company; a mercenary unit headquartered in Barcelona, Spain.

     Ari Landa is an orphan who grew up in the Faeroe Islands. He was apprenticed to a blacksmith and later traveled to Denmark where he worked for several years as a timber harvester. Ari is a newly trained warrior employed by Thor’s Hammer, a mercenary unit headquartered in Cassis, France. Although Ari lacks extensive combat experience, he graduated at the top of his class at mercenary school and knows how to handle himself in a fight.

     As warriors, both Hans and Ari are elite members of their respective units. Odds are favorable that they will someday meet one another on a battlefield or as contestants in the Annual Warrior Trials. Should they become opponents, only one is likely to walk away.

     Mercenary units are comprised of men and women. Off the battlefield, relationships form among the members. During combat, men and women are treated alike and are given no special privileges.

     Rules governing the use of mercenary units are established and enforced by the Mercenary Guild. There are only sixty mercenary units authorized within the Guild. Each mercenary unit is limited to one hundred personnel and seven walkers. Mercenaries have a code of conduct which is rigidly enforced. (See the Mercenary Guild Rules of Engagement.)

     The Annual Warrior Trials is a contest among the top rated sixteen Guild members to see which unit has the best warrior. Prizes are awarded to the winner and their unit is recognized by potential clients as offering highly effective mercenaries.

     Transplanting Donnie is the name of my fourth novel. This story is about a wealthy executive whose damaged frontal lobe is replaced by a portion of an organ donor's healthy brain. An error occurs during the surgery when a portion of the donor's temporal lobe is transplanted into the recipient's brain. The remainder of the story is devoted to the executive's struggle to understand, adapt, and accept the additional memories.