#5 October 6 2014 I have been without the internet for a few days, so used the opportunity to re-edit my first book (amongst other things.

PERSONAL NEWS

Being without the internet these days is akin to being unable to breathe (or close). I’m now fairly convinced that we are all going to be wired via implants—to receive the internet directly in the not too far distant future. I would have regarded such a notion as fanciful up until recently—but now I think otherwise. And where will we stop after that? I’m not sure we will.

Hybrid humans are on the way. Hybrots—if I may coin a term. They won’t be common in my lifetime—but they are coming sooner than we think. A hybrot won’t just have various body parts replaced, but will have his or her brain enhanced as well—and, doubtless, much more besides. Good grief, my kids will probably morph into hybrots—and my grandchildren certainly will. 

I’m a grandbrot. I find that vaguely creepy.

It felt very strange re-editing GAMES OF THE HANGMAN. I poured my life and soul into that book—and spent five years at it—and it shows in just about every way.

I always thought it was a good book—indeed, a terrific thriller—but, re-reading it after all this time has made me realize that it is quite a remarkable book.

• The characters are well drawn, distinctive, and intimately described.
• The plot is entirely original—and consistently surprising and entertaining.
• The descriptions of the various locales where the action takes place are just plain excellent—which surprised me, because I have always felt that was a weakness of mine.
• The dialogue crackles—and, even under the grimmest circumstances, is frequently very funny.
• The pace is extraordinary.
• The whole book is sexually charged—but entirely within the context of the story.
• The action is violent, visceral, and compelling.

It is really not for me to praise my own work, but in this case I was reading it afresh—and was, quite simply, stunned.

On top of everything else, I also discovered that the book is longer than I had remembered. It’s a shade under 200,000 words—or twice as long as many novels.

I must have been crazy—and extraordinarily resolute—to attempt such a formidable task as my first book.

I wrote a tag line for the book to go under the title.

A NOVEL OF TERRORISM, SEXUAL MANIPULATION, LOVE, SERIAL KILLING, ACTION & HIGH ADVENTURE--A HUGO FITZDUANE BOOK

377 words

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