Sojourn Goes E-Serial

I've been quite amazed at the many ways my current book is reaching my readers. So it is with a great amount of pride that I can announce that my book is now available as an e-series in a new partnership arrangement with Virtual Tales and my publisher, Dragon Moon Press.

Just how does this work? Virtual Tales (www.virtualtales.com) has taken SOJOURN and broken it into 'bite-sized bits' that are sent to your email account twice per week. 5-7 pages at a time, just enough to enjoy on your lunch break or while waiting for a large file to transfer. It's a new concept and I love it. I've been busy penning mini summaries that lead into the next issue (to bring you back into the story). Those have been a bit of a challenge. It's best that they're not "Meanwhile, back at the ranch..."

So if you'd like to try a new way of enjoying a book, visit Virtual Tales and check out SOJOURN (and their other titles). The first four issues are free. And be sure to sign up for the Freedom from Paper Promotion!

That's the latest. Happy 4th of July!

Nashville Notes

As promised, my HyperiCon report. But first, there was the drive to Nashville. A confession: I dislike interstates, especially crowded ones. Drivers tend to take their brains somewhere else but on their driving and I'm not fond of being the guy who pays for that inattention... at 75-80 miles per hour. So I tend to take scenic routes if I-75 North out of Atlanta is involved. For some reason that stretch of concrete to Chattanooga never thins out, unlike I-85 to Greenville. Unfortunately, that adds time to the trip. So what would have been about 4 to 4-1/2 hours to Nashville via the slab (3 hours if you're Toni S) became 6 hours. Yuck. That would have been tolerable if it hadn't been for the thunderstorms. High winds, driving rain, hail while driving a perfectly flat stretch of interstate with virtually no overpasses to shelter underneath. Hail means upper level turbulence, the kind you often see right before this dark shape descends to the earth and makes life really dicey. I pressed on through two hideous rainstorms after a brief stop during the first. The hail did it to me. If you get a ton of hail on hot pavement it melts, creating a dense fog (been there, done that). So I kept moving.

The convention itself was fun. The folks running it are great, the programming was well attended and I had a blast. If I had any problem, it was that the hotel did not have a restaurant and the area around the hotel was not conducive to just trudging out and foraging. I'd barely settled into the bar on Friday night to try to get some bar food when they started the Karaoke. If I dislike interstates, I HATE karaoke. It's a learned dislike from Hong Kong. I'll write about that sometime down the line.

So Friday night's dinner was out of the vending machines (the consuite's P&J sandwiches didn't sound that intriguing) but Sat & Sun perked up. The consuite folks shoveled food in my direction and we braved Nashville traffic Sat evening to make a food and booze run. Life got better.

All in all, the con was a great time. I had a few moments to talk to Sherrilyn Kenyon, who is a very nice lady. Met some new folks, connected with friends and sold books. I'm hoping that the convention continues to grow so they can move into a better hotel with a restaurant. Oh, and other bright note to the weekend -- they had an antique car show in the hotel parking lot. There was this 'Vette..... (sigh)

The Life of Writer or Writer Reality 101

Writer Reality 101 -- It's not the glamorous job you see in the movies (none of my writer buddies look like Johnny Depp) and 99.9% of us barely make enough to buy the odd ink cartridge and ream of paper. Sounds depressing, doesn't it?

It really isn't. It's an obsession up there with most other life-changing addictions. But there are days when even the rush of ordering nouns and verbs into coherent sentences doesn't sound the least bit fun. The sort of day you hope the aliens will land and declare that writing is forbidden from that moment on, on the pain of death. Such was yesterday. A normal day by all accounts, but only a day or so removed from my last convention. I was tired, dog tired (why don't they ever say 'cat tired'?) and the last damned thing I wanted to do was write.

So I escaped the house and the lure of the Electronic Vampire (the Internet) and took up residence at my local coffee house. (Yes, they have Wi-Fi, but I feel guilty if I surf there when I should be working.) I put butt in chair and typed on the keyboard for 4.5 out of the 5 hours I was there. My butt got sore (despite the chair pads I tote along) and I longed for a nap so I finally decamped and headed home. My word count for the day wasn't stellar, but I fleshed out some scenes and realized that Alastair (the alturistic physician in my series) just wouldn't go for the orgy scene, no matter how hard I tried.

That's what it's like to be a writer. Yes, there are the really cool moments, but mostly it's work like anything else. Of course, you can pick your venue (like the coffee house) and your hours (unless you have a real job). It doesn't matter if you're Stephen King, J.K. Rowling or Ima Newbie Writer, the process is the same. Well, actually it would be different for the first two; they'd never get any work done in a public venue as folks would constantly ask for their autograph. Luckily, I do not have that affliction.

In the end, the love of the story becomes manifest and you hit that sweet spot. The book outgrows and transcends you, winging its way out of the nest. Left behind is another tiny egg that needs nurturing, your next book. It's fragile and needs constant attention to grow to fruition.

Time to park your butt, warm up those digits and get to hatching...

Sci-Fi Summer Con

As noted in my previous blog, SFSC is a much smaller, more intimate con. And it was. The hotel was so-so (but to be fair, after the Adam's Mark in Dallas, almost every hotel will be so-so) but it was still a good time. The panels were a bit eclectic, but it was a nice change from the rigid structure at most conventions. I got to meet new people (Chesya Burke, Christina Barber, D. Lee Hatchett) and b.s. with friends of which there were a fair number. I sold a few books, tried both 12 and 15 yr. Glenfiddich (still taste-testing my merry way through single malt scotch whiskeys) and had a good time. There is something rather cool about wandering down a hallway and finding someone nose deep into your book, oblivious to the world. A very pleasant writer moment.

And now it's time to pack and gas up the Gizmo (the Honda Hybrid) for the road trip to Nashville and HyperiCon. Sherrilyn Kenyon will be there and I'm in awe of her marketing. It'll be a kick to watch her interact with her numerous (okay, squillons) of readers.

Later folks...

A-Kon XVII

There are times in a writer's life that everything goes just perfectly. This last weekend was one of them. I spent four days in Dallas, doing my writer thing at A-Kon (www.a-kon.com) This is a very large Anime convention with 12K+ attendees. The last time I was at an A-Kon it was held at the Hyatt at DFW Airport and had about 6.5K attendees. The con's nearly doubled in three years.

Most conventions are polite to their guests. A-Kon treats me like I just landed a $4 million book contract, appeared on Oprah, won a Hugo and a Nebula and just spent the night with George Clooney. Of course, I have a better chance at all of those but the last (sigh). Now I always try to do my best for a con, even if they're not really busting their cookies for me. I go over the top for A-Kon because I know if they're treating me that well, they're doing the same to the fen. And the fen are what makes a convention (and my books) successful.

I met up with some writer buddies (Melanie "Hoosier Red" Fletcher, Thomas Knowles (and son), Helen McCarthy, P.N. Elrod and Gloria Oliver (no relation). We b.s.'s about life and times, sold some books and put on some good panels.

Melanie, Thomas and I also had the opportunity to work over some new writers during our workshop. The two gentlemen who girded their loins and faced our criticism earn my utmost respect. They had no idea if we were going to be pricks or not. We weren't. We've been there and know that nasty comments do not a writer make. We got good input while we were learning the trade (and still are learning, by the way) and it's only fair we do the same to the newer ones in our midst. Both gentlemen have talent and their ability to take our remarks without losing their cool shows they've got what it takes to make it in this business. I wish them all the best and hope someday to hear they've received their first book contract.

Now that I've overcome my 'con lag' (amazingly short recovery time, by the way) I'm gearing up for Sci-Fi SummerCon here in Atlanta. Much smaller convention, more intimate. And no hassles with security at the airport. Always a plus. I'll post a report next week.

Overhead at A-Kon: "Don't leave! I'll make pudding!"

Gearing Up for 3 in a Row

I'm the bozo who sets my schedule (at least at present) so I'm the one who blithely set up three conventions in a row. I should know better, but there's part of me that loves conventions. I get to meet new people, catch up with friends and yes, sell a few books. Hopefully, a lot of the latter now that I no longer work for myself. Need to make my publisher proud.

The buzz on the new book has been unreal. This one's a winner. I hope to introduce more folks to Jacynda, Alastair & Keats. They're a great crew to write about. And I'd love them even more if they'd make up their minds what they'd like to happen in the second book. "Hey, what if aliens landed on top of Buckingham Palace and..." Not happening, guys. Get with program.

I'll post reports after each con (A-Kon, Sci Fi SummerCon & HyperiCon). Dallas, Atlanta, Nashville. I sound like an announcer in a Greyhound Bus Station...

Many Miles Shall Ye Travel

And so we did. It was a movin' sort of weekend from Thurs at 4:30 a.m. until last night at 9:00 p.m. We started our tour in the fair city of Richmond at Creatures n Crooks for a book signing Thurs night. It'd been a long drive (over 8 hrs.) but we caught some food, a nap and had a brain by the time we reached the book store. Got to meet Leila and Hamilton, the store cat. Hamilton wasn't too interested in us, he was waiting for Tony Ruggerio. Tony is his favorite even though Tony isn't that fond of cats. Once a cat knows that, you're doomed.

Tony was dressed in a sharp-looking tux, Tee in his pirate garb. Hubby and I were in full Victorian (hot). (Mental note -- write characters who wear less clothes). I finally got to meet Tony's daugher, Alex. She has a dry sense of humor I can appreciate (like her dad). Tee (Morris) was in his usual fine form and taped a podcast during the signing. We had about 10 folks present, did an impromptu 'panel' and then signed books. Lots of fun!

Tony's newest book (Alien Deception) debuted at the signing and it's a beaut. Aliens in the White House... hummm... After the signing the gents (and Alex) were off to Balticon. Hubby and I headed south so that we could be in Columbia, SC by Saturday afternoon.

Aliens & Alibis have two stores cats -- Serena and Bertie. Welcomed by Deb and Gary (the owners) we opted not to put on full Victorian garb as the day had turned downright blistering. Again we had about ten folks in, chit-chatted about books, life and the universe and had a good time. Aliens & Alibis was about to pack their books into boxes and move into a new space, so I was the last signing at their old location.

All in all, a grand weekend. Since we got home on Sat evening, we plan on spending the rest of the holiday weekend doing little odd jobs around the house, grilling a few pieces of dead bovine and kicking back. I'm hoping I get to return to both cities sometime down the line and visit Leila, Deb & Gary again. They treated this author very well.

Fiddling While Rome Burns

You gotta love your elected officials. It's either that or you'll be reduced to tears.

Two burning issues were addressed this week in Washington --

A Senate vote to ensure that English is the official language of the USA

Taking the first steps to amend the Constitution to ensure that marriage is a union between a man and a woman

Riveting stuff, that. I was really worried that foreign gay folks were going to run out and get hitched in their native language. Definitely a threat to our democracy and the 'sanctity of marriage.'

You folks are pandering again. The only danger to the sanctity of marriage is divorce. But since some of you are really troubled by a same sex couples marrying, give those folks the right to a civil union. If it's a sin, it'll get sorted out by the Head Office. If not, it's none of your business.

English the official language of the country? That's a no-brainer. It is. Yes, there are pockets of this country that speak another language. But the language of commerce is English. I expect those who come here from somewhere else to learn the language. That doesn't mean I expect you to be fluent or forget yours. Being bilingual is a leg-up in the world. I've never achieved that what with my smattering of French and Russian. If I had intended to stay longer in Hong Kong, I would have fried my brain trying to learn Cantonese.

If I ever settle in a foreign country, I will learn the language. That's the way it should be. However, that country does not need to waste time and money passing a law that tells me that Outer Googlesnap's Official Language is Marzipan. Unlike our elected officials, I suspect the Gogglesnappians will have more sense.

We, the People...

The average American is not a happy camper. I won't relate the litany of reasons why, but deep in their hearts they know things need to change. No, this isn't a diatribe against Washington.

This is one citizen's list of suggestions to make America a strong and decent country.

1) No one should be able to skirt our laws and not be in jail. Doesn't matter if you live in the White House or a third-floor walkup in Manhattan. The laws are there for a purpose. Use them.

2) Stop wrapping yourself in your religion. The more you tout your piety, the more you prove yourself a hypocrite. If you want to be a moral and decent person, walk the walk. Everything else is just sound bites and photo ops.

2) To the Democrats -- grow some balls, people. Ditto for some of you Republicans. I hold all of you as responsible as the people at the top. You let them have their merry way because you were too afraid you'd not get re-elected next time. Well, that's likely to happen anyway. So get with the program...

And the program is?

WE, the people, are you employers. WE pay your salaries and WE expect competent, caring leadership. If you accept bribes, you're gone. If you pay fast and loose with our nation's laws, you're gone. If we wanted leaders like you, we'd move to Iraq. We have a Constitution for a reason. Let's use it. It worked great for the first 200+ years. Nothing in the world is different (yes, there were terrorists even then) so there is no reason to tinker with the system.

And now to my neighbors -- get involved, people. Pay attention to who is running for office. Ask questions and demand answers. These officials will be holding your life and that of your children in their hands for years to come. Think that's a bit dramatic? Just remember the folks in New Orleans or the soldiers in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Two final steps -- vote and then keep an eye on these turkeys. American can't handle any more governments like the one we've had over the past 6 years. We need to get back on track and that's not going to happen if WE, the people, don't kick some ass.

Once More Dear Friends...

into the breach. Yes, it's that time again... time to start another book. So begins the round of lip gnawing, butt aching, hair pulling and ego bashing work that is creating a novel. There are moments of triumph and moments of depression. It's what I do. A part of me loves that brief interval between novels as there are no characters tugging on my pants legs, nattering in my ear or waking me up in the middle of the night. But that bliss doesn't last. The voices in my head are a bit too strong for that.

Next book is due Feb 1. That sounds like a very long time away. It isn't. If I get it done before that, I'll rejoice. That's very unlikely with the Con(vention) Schedule from Hell I have this year. The cons aren't hell, just the schedule. 11 total and that's not counting the booksignings. I did it to myself. In fact, just to add to the horror, I booked a convention in Seattle (Left Coast Crime (http://www.lcc2007.com/)) for Feb. 1, the day the book's due. Nothing like pushing the envelope.

So for those of you currently reading Sojourn (www.janaoliver.com/sojourn.htm) take heart. The adventures of Jacynda, Alastair and Jonathon will continue. After all, by my count, I left some five or six things unresolved at the end of the last book.

Bad, bad author :)

Later

Sojourn Comes to Fruition

A year-long effort paid off this last weekend --

It was with great fanfare (and a bustle) that I launched SOJOURN at the Ripper Convention in Baltimore. The books arrived on my doorstep (courtesy of the efforts of my publisher Gwen Gades) on Tuesday. We left for the convention on Wednesday. I grew a few more gray hairs over this one.

If you've never been to a Ripper gathering, they're great fun, always packed with intelligent folks, good booze and some interesting discussions. Speaking of greats, two premiere Ripperologists (as they're called) were there -- Robin Odell and Don Rumbelow. Others included Alan Sharp (who did wonders for a kilt,) Andy & Claudia Aliffe, Judy & Leroy Stock, Christopher-Michael DiGrazia (who did wonders for a white tux and lilac vest,) Stephen Ryder (founder of Casebook: Jack the Ripper)and the so-called Queen of Mean herself, Ally R.

The husband and I donned our Victorian garb for Saturday evening's banquet and blended right in. I bought bunches of books and stayed up way later than was prudent. But hey, it only happens every two years in the US. In 2007, it's the Brits' turn and I can't wait to make that one.

Who knows, maybe I'll have another book done by then.

Please, Not Again

Despite claims from our government, there is a slow and frightening move toward a confrontation (war) with Iran. We're treading the exact same ground, using the same rhetoric, playing all the games we did right before we entered Iraq.

Yes, Iran has their hands in various unsavory pies and will, most likely, have nuclear weapon capability in the next two years or so. Korea is a bigger threat, but no one in Washington seems too worried about them. The cynic in me is sure this has something to do with oil.

Invading (yes, folks, that's what we did) Iraq was the equivalent of kicking over a 4-story beehive. Lots of very angry bees. Iran will be nothing like Iraq. For the most part, they are a unified country, a DEMOCRACY, and if we attack, all hell will break loose. Do you expect that other Arab countries are going to stand by while we invade another of their neighbors? Won't they be wondering, "When's our turn?" We are already seen as the aggressors -- we'll become a rogue state.

Perhaps the Christians are right and Armageddon is just around the door, courtesy of Geo. Bush and his buddies. If we go into Iran, we'll have the opportunity to see just how bad things can get.

Now's the time to stop this nonsense. Contact your elected officials and demand we use diplomacy, not bunker busters. We don't have the money, the soldiers or the moral high ground to bomb or otherwise harass Iran. If we think we can win this one, we are beyond delusional.

The Slippery Road

This from today's NY Times:

"Attorney General Alberto R. Gonzales suggested on Thursday for the first time that the president might have the legal authority to order wiretapping without a warrant on communications between Americans that occur exclusively within the United States."

During the meeting, Rep. Adam Schiff stated that Mr. Gonzales' refusal to rule out domestic interceptions with a warrant, "represents a wholly unprecedented assertion of executive power. No one in Congress would deny the need to tap certain calls under court order, but if the administration believes it can tap purely domestic phone calls between Americans without court approval, there is no limit to executive power. This is contrary to settled law and the most basic constitutional principles of the separation of powers."

No matter the intentions of our president and his people, whether they honestly believe they are trying to keep us safe or they have a maniacal bent, the slow erosion of personal liberties scares the hell out of me. We are attempting to build a democracy in Iraq while we are dismanteling our own.

Our safety can be assured by using the framework of the Constitution. Our just laws are our beacon of light into an otherwise murky world. That light is being dimmed.

"Hey, children, what's that sound? Everybody look what's goin' down."

Can It Get Any Sillier?

Couldn't resist making a few comments about two subjects that rubbed me the wrong way --

First up -- Cynthia McKinney's run-in with a Capitol cop. If you didn't hear about this, members of Congress are allowed to go around the security check point and metal detector at the Capitol. They're supposed to be wearing a little pin that identifies them as PTB (Powers That Be). Cynthia doesn't wear hers and when a cop asked her stop (three times) she just kept on moving. He grabbed onto her and she hit him. End of story.

Here's a hint, hun. Wear your damned button. Striking a cop just isn't cool. He was doing his job. Do yours and help the poor schmuck. It's not his responsibility to recognize you out of the 500+ other members of Congress. His job is security. Your job is not to act like a spoiled brat. And please, drop the race card thing, will you? Yes, there is serious descrimination out there. But everytime you whine about something like this, it takes away from the real work that needs to be done.

Rant #2: Paris Hilton. Will this woman never go away? Why does her 15 minutes of fame feel like 10 centuries? So what's the latest, you ask? Some person wants to have Paris star in a movie. As you can see, we already have a problem here. But worse yet, he wants her to have the role of (are you ready for this?) Mother Theresa. Yup, the nun who spent her life working in the slums of Calcutta. The nun who owned two saris and damned little else.

You see why I'm annoyed. This is so asinine as to be offensive and I'm not even Catholic. Give me a break, will you? Paris Hilton should be embarrassed enough to say, "Uh, no thanks. That's not right."

Don't hold your breath waiting for that line. I'm still trying to figure out how they're going to work the teacup chihuahua into this one.

And now back to your regularly scheduled life. Thanks for allowing me to vent. It's cheaper than medication.

Chillin' in Chattanooga

This was FantaSciCon's first year, but you'd never know it. That's because the folks behind it (Dutch & Mikey, etal) have done a few conventions before. Having had such a blast at HallowCon last October, I tooled up to Chattanooga last weekend all set for a good time.

And a good time was had. The food, the conversation and alcohol were a nice way for this writer to relax. Met all sorts of new and intriguing folks: Ernie Saylor (editor of Aberrant Dreams Magazine), Rob Shelsky (writer of SF and time travel romances), his friend George, Pauline Griffin (Literary Special Guest) and R.D. Hammond, who goes by many names. I also reconnected with Walter Rice (he of the paranormal bent). I also got to meet Chris & Melissa Jones (SciFiSummerCon) and break bread with them. Since I'll be at their convention in June, it worked out great to do some strategic planning.

Now I'm home, unwinding and try to muck out the house before a friend arrives on my doorstep Wed. Since the house is a bit of a pit, that might take some doing. But still... maybe I can afford a quick nap to overcome the 'con lag'. Besides, I have to unearth my sweeper.

Later folks....

Gearing Up

Sojourn's manuscript has made it through the typesetter's capable fingers, proofed by both myself and a sharp-eyed proofreader (my buddy Nanette) and now it's back for revisions and then off to the printer. It's weird to see what you wrote all nicely set out on a page. It seems more 'official' or worthy of consideration than when it was a 'mere' MS Word file.

There is, also, the realization that once it's in print, I have to live with it. As it was, I made a number of tweaks to the galley (bad, bad author). Very soon the 'baby' will arrive, warts and all.

Not that this one has warts, of course. :) It's a cool story, one I'm VERY proud of. But just to keep me grounded, friend Nanette invited me over to her place to sample various teas to go with her marvelous gourmet brownies. (www.dolcielo.com) Chocolate and fine tea. A needed respite from the labor pains of a book.

Off to Fantasicon this weekend in scenic Chattanooga. Always a good time. A report will be in the offing...

Con Central

I managed to survive two conventions, back to back, on top of finishing the edits to my manuscript. And I didn't kill anyone, myself included. StellarCon was the first convention of what promises to be a busy year. Held in High Point, it pulled together a number of intriguing writer guests (ghosts as I call them) including the inevitable Tee Morris, Tony Ruggerio and a new acquaintance, Anthony Karnowski. I chatted with Anthony and his brother-in-law until the week hours of the morning on Saturday about a variety of topics. Very pleasant fellows. I finally got to meet the amazing Mur Lafferty and actually did a few panels.

Weekend #2 was in Roanoke (about a 7 and some hour drive from Atlanta) and SheVaCon. A bit quieter gig than StellarCon, it underwent some reorganization programming-wise in the last year. Some of panels didn't quite fit my capabilities, but I'm always willing to give stuff a try. Got to catch up with Laura Underwood & Stephe Pagel (Meisha Merlin Publishing) and hear what's new in their lives. Tony Ruggerio was kind enough to allow me to share his table in the dealer's room, so I hung there, with our mutual buddy Patrick, for much of the con. The trip home was LONG as I really don't like to drive more than about 5 hours at a stretch.

The convention isn't for a couple of weeks (Fantasicon in Chattanooga) so I get to muck out the house, plan the advertising campaign for the new book and generally try to find my brains. I have 12 cons on the books this year--I have to be a lunatic. The trick is finding the time to write the new book...

And We're in the Home Stretch

Yes, I'm writing about "The Book" again. Actually "the manuscript" at this point. Working with the editor was absolutely painless. I can hear some of my fellow writers muttering "And what drugs are you taking, babe?" Nope, the process was fabulous. Adrienne, She of the Red Pencil (more like red typeface since we do this electronically) was awesome. She got right into the story, understood my characters and asked the tough questions. All her ideas led to scene changes/dialog that enhanced the final product. That's what an editor does. Besides, she had a great sense of humor, which is cool, especially we were doing this edit at an accelerated pace.

Next stop? Typesetter. Then I look at the 'galley' as it's called, pencil in corrections and then off to the printer. If you want to see the cover design, go here:

http://www.janaoliver.com/picts/sojourncvrmockup.pdf

There'll be another blog about how such designs come to fruition.

Gee, you know, this feels good. Now I have to pack for SheVaCon.

Late Term Pregnancy -- Bookwise

Nope, never was brave enough to have a baby. But I've given birth to three books (skip the visual, please) and currently working on the fourth. This one is an assisted labor as the folks doing the heavy pushing are my publishers, Dragon Moon Press. It's such a new concept for me since all my other work was self-pubbed. Somewhere an editor is beetling away on my manuscript, the publisher is hiring a typesetter and the cover is being created by a very talent artist. Wow. Of course, I'll be involved in the editing process when 'she of the red pencil' comes back and asks, "So why did you decide to have the heroine change sexes on page 323?" and such like that.

Still, it's a unique experience so I'm savoring it. First times and all that. There are only a few times you get to be a virgin in the publishing industry...

Night & Fog

I still remember the movie though it was a short one by modern standards -- only about a half hour long. It was called "Night and Fog" and it was a chilling tale of how the Third Reich 'disappeared' its political enemies.

In 1941 Hitler issued the "Nacht und Nebel Erlass" (Night and Fog decree) to insure that political enemies, Soviet prisoners and other unwanted folks just vanished without a trace.

To quote the Wikipedia entry on the outcome of the decree:

"First, distinct actions against the German government were made far more difficult, because the exact cause of interment or death, indeed whether or not the event had even occurred; was obscured. It kept the Nazis from being held accountable.

The decree and hidden events afforded the Nazis the ability to act cruelly and unjustly without public decry.

It allowed an across-the-board Silent Veto of International Treaties and Conventions: one cannot apply the limits and terms of humane treatment in war if one cannot locate the victim or discern his destiny."

You folks know where I'm going with this. Our beloved democracy is being razed to the ground by those who swear they are trying to keep us safe. In so doing, they have caused irreperable harm to our way of life and have 'disappeared' both the innocent and the guilty. Are all those who were subject to 'rendition' innocent? Probably not. But if they are guilty, then put them on trial in a legal court of law, not behind closed doors. That has always been America's hallmark, our system of justice. To hold someone in custody for over three years without charges being filed and, in the case of Padilla (an American citizen), without being able to see a lawyer for a good portion of that time, is what I'd expect of a dictatorship. Hitler did it, so did Stalin. Our Rule of Law has always been the standard. Now it's being swept aside for 'our protection.'

Warrantless wiretapping was just one of the by-products of this regime. They're not worried if the wiretapping is legal. The prisoners aren't likely to see the inside of a court room. They just disappear into the night and fog.

It is time to clean house and put elected representatives in our government who understand what it means to be an American. Personally, I don't care if they're Republican, Democrat or whatever. It is time for "We the People" to take back our freedoms and keep ourselves safe from the fanatics both within and without.

If we don't save our democracy, the bad guys will win. And we allowed it to happen.