swine flu!

Guess what! It turns out that when I was sick last month, I actually had the swine flu!

So, do I get a T-shirt or something? I really feel like I should get a T-shirt.

-JM

Lord of the Cherusci

Everybody talks about anniversaries today, but let’s talk about a different one. Today is the 2000th anniversary of the Battle of the Teutoberg Forest.

The battle took place when Arminius, chieftain of the Germanic Cherusci tribe, gathered a confederation of German tribes and annihilated three Roman legions in 9 AD. At least 20,000 Roman troops died, most of the officers killed themselves as slaves, and most of those who survived spent the rest of their lives as slaves.

Of course, to the Romans Arminius was a vile traitor, and they arranged to have him assassinated twelve years later. Many of the German tribes weren’t terribly fond of him, either, since he died at the hands of his wife’s family. (And you thought your in-laws sucked!) But it is undeniable that the Romans never conquered the German tribes, and never pushed their boundaries past the Rhine again. Even the Roman historian Tacitus described Arminius as “the liberator of his people”.

The picture above is a monumental statue of Arminius not far from where I live. Yes, there is a giant statue of an ancient barbarian warlord in the middle of Minnesota. Back before German nationalism was something that one did not do in polite company, Arminius became a symbol of German pride, and a bunch of patriotic German immigrants raised a giant copper statue of Arminius in central Minnesota. It’s still there, facing Rome, sword raised in defiance.

-JM

Tournament of Thieves

The rough draft of a new story, “Tournament of Thieves”, clocking in at 6700. Longer than I’d like, but the market I’m stalking, er, following for this one wants longer stories.

I first tried to write this one back in March, but gave up halfway through. It was too dark, too grim, too ponderously full of itself, and other things. Restarted with a lighter tone, and works much better this time around. I think.

-JM