Introduction to my book, "Beam me up. Lord."

As an artist, some world events have thrown me into expressing my reaction through my painting; following the tradition of painters like Goya, Delacroix, and Picasso. Events that move me so were the Oka crisis in Quebec, when the Mohawks barricaded the road in protest of a golf club trying to build on sacred ground; the Gulf crisis, when Saddam invaded Kuwait; and the fiery end to the branch Davidian's in Waco, Texas.

The event that next shook me to express my reaction was the bombing of the twin towers in New York. However, this time I wanted to write a short story, since my focus had shifted to writing. As I did the research I got bogged down with notes, and floundered since I'm better at essays. It wasn't until the first anniversary, when the documentaries started to come on TV that I was inspired by an essay-like format.

It took about five months to compose about a hundred and thirty pages. I managed to edit a good third, but the gimpy Windows 95 was giving me trouble, so I printed it out, and haven't managed to get back to it yet. So on my next entry I will post chapter one, and continue one chapter at a time.

I am expecting to read the script with new eyes after so long, and am looking forward to editing out what I now see as unnecessary. When you're at a project for five months steady, it becomes hard to see the trees for the forest. The prospect of so many different mind sets checking it out, and doing what comes natural to bloggers is rather exciting.

When I asked a dear old friend if he would read my chapters and comment, he asked if I was sure about that, knowing how brutally honest he is. But I assured him I needed that; how can you improve on your writing if you can't take honest criticism? Anyway, I hope the title has wet your appetite a little.