I am an avid fan of county music, possibly stronger in my love for the genre than ever. As a child of the 60s, I grew up listening to Johnny Cash, Conway Twitty, Waylon Jennings (the pre-outlaw version) and Merle Haggard on my tiny little AM transistor radio. As the child became a teen in the 70s, my interests drifted to the rock of the era … Elton John, Bad Company, and Grand Funk Railroad. But in the 80s, I returned to the music of my childhood with a vengeance. One of the primary reasons was George Jones. And now, the music has left us for good.

George Jones died today at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville after being hospitalized with fever and irregular blood pressure. He was only 81, but it seems to me that he has always been around, just in the distance, haunting us with that incredible voice that mixed a twinge of whiskey with an unmistakable sadness. To me, I suppose, he was the perfect county music singer.

I’d heard of George Jones as a kid but I never really gravitated to his music, despite his TV show that ran weekly. In those days, I was more familiar with Porter Waggoner and Dolly Parton’s show, along with the great Buck Owens, than I was with George. In fact, the thing I remember most about Jones in the 60s was his marriage to the First Lady of Country Music, Tammy Wynette.

George and Tammy at their peak together, sometime in the early 1970s.

The country duo endured a tremendous success as singers (they recorded several #1 songs together, including Two-Story House and Golden Ring) but their marriage (1969-1975) played out like a country song, with hard drinking, fights and reconciliations. Legend has it that after one argument, Jones drove off on a riding mower in search of a drink because Wynette had taken his car keys to keep him from carousing. It’s an image and legend that has reached legendary status in country music history.

Jones loved poking fun at his image and recreated this incident in videos for himself, Vince Gill and Hank Williams Jr.

There will be dozens of tributes to Jones, aka “No-Show Jones” (thanks to his history of missing concerts) or “The Possum,” but I wanted to share my personal thoughts on this iconic man with you here.

In 1980, I was a new second lieutenant stationed at Ft. Huachuca, Arizona going through basic training prior to my first assignment at Ft. Bragg, NC. A fellow classmate and buddy was a big fan of country music (more so than I was at the time) and he convinced me to go to a country bar in Tucson one Saturday night. The cover band sang a song I’d never heard … He Stopped Loving Her Today. It mesmerized me. My buddy said, “If you like this version, you should listen to the original!” I did. I’m still listening today.

Jones' album that relaunched his career. I bought it as a vinyl LP and a cassette, as did about 4-million other fans!

He Stopped Loving Her Today brought Jones out of a decade of alcoholic misery and propelled him to the top of the charts for years to come. Always a respected singer, the song, which many fans equated to his broken heart over losing Tammy Wynette, made Jones the #1 singer in the land.

I first saw Jones perform live in 1982 at the auditorium in Fayetteville, NC. He was 20-minutes late, and I was one of the thousands wondering if he would be “No-Show” Jones. But he did arrive and when he finally sang those magic words … He said I’ll love you till I die … the crowd went berserk!

On a visit to Nashville in 1997, I took in a night at the Opry and there he was again. His standing ovation almost brought the house down!

Possibly my favorite Jones album. Released in 1982, the song, COULDN'T LOVE HAVE PICKED A BETTER PLACE TO DIE, is as sad as they get!

I saw him again in 2008 in Augusta, GA, along with my wife, Renee and her parents. You could see that George no longer had that golden voice from the past and he needed lots of help from his band and back-up singers. But he was still George Jones. And when he sang THE song, he got a loud and boisterous standing ovation (again). And why would he not? That song was the CMA Song of the year two years in a row (the ONLY time that has happened, to my knowledge). He, of course, won the Grammy for it in 1981 and followed again in 1999 with his hauntingly autobiographical, Choices. He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1992 (Duh!) and in 2008, he was among the artists honored in Washington at the Kennedy Center.

I took this photo at the Opry Museum in Nashville circa 2009. I love it not only because of the tribute to Jones, but for the 'Bunny Bread' ad. 'Bunny' was one of my earliest nicknames for my wife and we have a similar sign hanging in our kitchen.

And now, he’s gone, leaving behind a legacy as rich as ANY singer who ever walked the streets of Nashville. Driving home from work today, the radio station played nothing but George Jones’ records and man oh man, did they bring back memories! It reminded me of the words of one of my favorite Jones songs:

In my memories of us,
Things are still the same.
For yesterday is something,
Tomorrow cannot change.

Where freckles just don’t disappear,

and pigtails never rust!

Yes, everything is still the same,

in my memories of us.

Good-bye, George. Your golden voice will live forever, so long as anyone still aspires to pick-up an old guitar to play three chords and the truth. I guess ol’ Waylon was right when, in a tribute to you filmed for HBO in 1980, he said:

From Elvis out in Memphis,

To the Beatles and the Rolling Stones,

If we could all sound like we wanted to,

We’d all sound like George Jones.

An early inspiration for 'The Perps!'

As I mentioned a few weeks ago, I am preparing to launch a new webcomic series this summer on this very website.  The Perps will be a ‘funny animal’ weekly comic strip based on my three crazy puppies, Dolly (Papillon), Scruffy (Poodle) and Bubbles (Chihuahua).  More details as we get closer to the launch.  My inspiration was growing up reading great newspaper strips like Pogo and Marmaduke, not to mention Charlie Brown.

This week took a huge step forward when my good buddy and longtime collaborator, Darren Auck, agreed to do the art for me!  Longtime readers of this blog know that Darren has helped me design many of my characters and contributed to my weekly ongoing comic series, Void!

Darren is the former art director at Marvel Comics and an instructor at the Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art in New York City.  He’s simply the best and I am thrilled that he’ll be doing the art for this webcomic.

Of course, Darren is much more than just an artist and friend.  He’s also a dog lover to the core, which is why I reached out to him on this project!  Check out the art from his Christmas card last year and you’ll get an idea of what’s coming your way!

Darren's original Christmas card is the perfect style I want for 'The Perps!'

More to follo0w as it develops, but look for The Perps to make their debut in late summer of 2013!  And get ready to laugh! 

By the way, be sure to check out my weekly horror/thriller webcomic, Void, also on this site!  We are about to begin a MAJOR story arc that will reveal the senses shattering secret of Deacon Void and who he REALLY is!!!  You’ll be very surprised … guaranteed!

Get in line and prepare to follow ... VOID!

You can link to Void’s FACEBOOK page right here:

Enter … the VOID!

Mucho loco, si! Bubbles the Chihuahua

That's me as a 1LT with the 82nd's 313th MI Battalion in 1983.

Readers of my blog know that I spent more than 26-years in the Army and had aimed at wearing the uniform of the US military since I was a kid.  My first tour of duty was with America’s Guard of Honor, the All-Americans of the 82^nd Airborne Division at Ft. Bragg, NC.

As a brand new 2LT, I had the great fortune to be initially assigned to the Black Panthers of the 1-505 Infantry (Airborne) of the division’s Golden Brigade.  The commander of that battalion was LTC Larry Redmond and his XO was MAJ Bo Olds.  Both of these men were and continue to be my heroes.  I thanked both of them in the ‘Acknowledgements’ portion of my 2010 autobiography, Crossing the Line.

That's me, dead center, 2nd row, in 1982.

One shining moment with these two men occurred when I masterminded a ‘kidnapping’ of LTC Redmond for his farewell to the battalion in 1981.  I wrote about it in my blog on 21 May 2010, which you can access here:

The Taking of Redmond … 1-2-3!

I am proud to announce that Col (Ret) Redmond has decided to, at long last, share his amazing career in a memoir (C-130 Coming Down the Strip!) which we hope will be published in 2013!  More on that later, as I can’t reveal much here and now, but yours truly is spotted at least twice in this book.  Here is an excerpt:

I had the good fortune to have a particularly gifted and ingenious young second lieutenant, Military Intelligence Corps, assigned as my S2 Intel Officer.   His name was Bill Cain and we called him Mr. Bill. He was a cut above the norm, a graduate of North Georgia Military College and one heck of a good man.  The battalion had a succession of less than great S1 Personnel Officers after my first Cracker Jack S1, Captain Lonnie Vona, had been reassigned.  The S1 shop needed help and needed it badly.  Major Olds and I talked at length and decided that Mr. Bill’s talents were much more needed in S1 than in a peace time S2 Intelligence job.  Bill became the Personnel Officer and did a fantastic job.  But, he had this little quirk; he liked to come up with surprises.  He was sure going to surprise me.

Me, coming up with surprises?  Haha!

Many of you may recall that in the early 80’s, ‘Mr. Bill’ was a staple, ongoing gag character on Saturday Night Live!   Oh noooooooooooooooooooo!

The infamous Mr. Bill!

And later, COL Redmond gives his own recollection of that ‘kidnapping!’

Then came the big surprise from Mr. Bill.  As I was returning to the Battalion Headquarters from a meeting I noticed a large sedan, could have been a Mercury Marquis or some equivalent vehicle parked by the curb.  Just as I neared Panther Rock, about six burly gents in desert fatigues and wearing gorilla masks and carrying weapons seemed to emerge from every direction.  They grabbed me and manhandled me, placed a gunny sack over my head and threw me in the back of the car and sped away.  They sat on me sort of as I recall and we drove for about ten minutes.  I had no idea where we were headed.  Resistance was futile I assure you.  I was convinced during the ride that I was in no real danger but truly did not know exactly what was happening.  It had to be a joke, on me.  The car came to a halt and I was taken out and the gunny sack removed.  We were at a small family restaurant out on Bragg Boulevard.  And I was led inside where the Battalion Officers and their ladies were awaiting my arrival and “formal roast.”  And did I ever get roasted.  Turned out the whole plot had been hatched in the young mind of my Personnel Officer, Mr. Bill.  Obviously every officer in the Battalion and their ladies knew what was going on but I sure didn’t’.  LT Cain to this day insists that Major Olds gave me a heads up on what was to happen; such was not the case.  I was one surprised trooper.

I’m glad to hear that it was a surprise but I’ll NEVER believe that MAJ Olds didn’t give the Old Man a warning!

This inscribed photo to me by LTC Redmond from his farewell speech hangs on my office wall. It's part of my 'Wall of Heroes!'

More to follow later!  I hope to be helping promote C-130 Coming Down the Strip! at great length in 2013!

Welcome to this blog hop.

What is a blog hop? Basically, it’s a way that readers can discover new authors, because with bookstores closing and publishers not promoting new authors as much, we need to find a way to introduce readers to authors they may not see in their local bookstore.

I’ve been tagged by A. Shane Etter, author of the Dwellers thriller series.   Shane’s bestselling Dwellers series continues with his upcoming release, Mind Dwellers, which has Patrick and Trudy and friends battling a global mutant community.

You can learn more about Shane Etter on his website:

www.shaneetter.com

So now it’s my turn to answer the 10 questions about Dove of War and my Age of Chaos ‘quadrilogy,’ from characters and inspirations to plotting and cover decisions.

Blog Hop December 28, 2012

1: What is the title of your latest book?

Book #2 in the planned series of four is Dove of War, which published in June 2012.  It follows the storyline begin in I Know Why the Dogwoods Blush (2009) and continues in my weekly webcomic, Void.  Books #3 (Stands Against the Wind) and #4 (When the Rooster Crows) are due out in 2013 and 2014.  Together, these books tell of the event called Kali Yuga, the Age of Chaos … the end of time for man on earth.

2: Where did the idea come from for the books?

I first conceived the idea of Dogwoods Blush when I was 14 years old.  It began as a simple story of a murdered lawman returning from the grave for revenge.  It was my supernatural version of Death Wish (Charles Bronson was my favorite actor as a teenager) and Walking Tall with Dirty Harry mixed in.  Over the years, it evolved into my tale of the final battle between good and evil. When I first drafted my story in 1973, my friends made fun of the idea of a man returning from the dead.  I was embarrassed until Clint Eastwood released High Plains Drifter. I figured if Clint thought the idea had merit, that was cool with me.  Dove of War sprang from a compliment given to me many years ago when a fellow Army officer referred to me as a ‘dove alone in a world of hawks … God save the hawks!’  I decided to publish Void as a bridge between book #1 and #2 to give readers an opportunity to follow an adventure set in the same ‘universe’ while waiting for the next novel to come out.  Void can serve as a free advertisement or teaser to anyone who might be interested in the novels.

There is usually an element of Charles Bronson's influence in my characters.

I loved Coyne's books as a teenager!

3: What genre do your books come under?

They are supernatural thrillers in the vein of Dean Koontz, Stephen King or John Coyne with a definitive religious overtone (like C.S. Lewis or Tolkien).

4: Which actors would you choose to play your characters in a movie rendition?

I actually wrote a 12-part series featured on the Void page about my dream cast of actors.  I chose Christian Bale to play Deacon Void.  Kurt Russell was my model for Jerry Bronson (Dogwoods Blush) and Hugh Jackman would be my choice for Basil Hato (Dove of War).  Eddie Spears (Hell on Wheels) would be my choice for Greg Samson with Vin Diesel as Colonel Andy Lowman (Stands Against the Wind) while Vincent Kartheiser (Mad Men) would be a great choice for ‘Rooster’ Devine in When the Rooster Crows!

Kurt Russell is the face of my first original character creation, Jerry Bronson!

5: What is the one-sentence synopsis of your book?

With the End of Days upon us, Satan unleashes his finalists to lead his Army in the destruction of man, but various heroes stand against them, establishing the place of man in the eventual fate of humankind.

6: Is your book self-published, published by an independent  publisher, or represented by an agency?

All of the above.  My first works were published by an agency but this series has (so far) been self-published.  I am currently looking into an independent publisher for my next novel.

7: How long did it take you to write the first draft of  your manuscript?

About three months although I have had this story in my mind all of my life.

8: What other books would you compare this story to within your genre?

Stephen King’s The Stand or Dean Koontz’ Hideaway.

King's THE STAND pits humans against the ultimate evil. I like the concept!

9: Who or what inspired you to write this book?

The answer here is legion, but I have always loved spooky tales dating back to my childhood watching Boris Karloff and Bela Lugosi films.  The heroic tales of Stan Lee’s characters in Marvel Comics always made me want to create my own ‘universe’ of heroes intent on saving the world.  Mix in my strong Christian faith and BOOM!  There you have it!  Many people today don’t want to accept that evil exists.  I think it does and we still need heroes to save the day.  That’s what I write about.

Stan Lee was a childhood idol who later became a mentor and friend. He once told me, 'Write stories you'd like to read!' That's what I do!

10: What else about your book might pique the reader’s interest?

Anyone who reads my stories will know that I am a person with strong emotion.  Dogwoods focused on a love stronger than death, between a man and woman as well as a man and dog.  Dove focuses on commitment, no matter the cost as well as the love between a son and his parents/grandparents.  Void will show the awful price of life at any cost.  And future books?  I can’t reveal too much, but for now, we should be careful of seeking absolute power!  Your wish just might come true!

Do you dare to enter ... the VOID?

‘Like’ VOID on FACEBOOK Here!

Hi, everybody!  Turns out that this is post #200 since I began my blog 3+ years ago!  And so, to make it ‘magical,’ I want to take this opportunity to wish everyone who follows my writing to say MERRY CHRISTMAS to you and yours as well as a very HAPPY NEW YEAR! And to help me out, I’ve enlisted the help of my buddy, Deacon Void, and my lifelong best pal, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer!

A magical Christmas team-up ... Rudolph & Deacon Void!

Anyone who follows my blog knows that I wrote about Rudolph 2-years ago for Christmas and my love of him remains as strong as ever!  As for Void, he’s my mysterious and tortured private investigator of the supernatural who stars in his own original webcomic from this page each week.  You can link to his FACEBOOK page right here:

ENTER … the VOID … on FACEBOOK!

Those of you who read Void got to see this page yesterday!  So if you are not following his adventures, (you know who you are!!!) please click and ‘like!’

From my home to all of you out there, all best wishes for a very MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!! We’ll have MUCH to talk about in the happy new year of 2013 that’s just around the bend! 

Hi, guys.  I have had several people contact me over the past three years saying they were shocked when they’d read my stories.  It seems that despite my lifetime penchant and affection for classic horror tales and a firm belief in spiritual wickedness in high places (see Ephesians 6:12), some folks had no idea I could write spooky stories.

The spooky nature of Jerry Bronson's story in 2009's DOGWOODS BLUSH took many readers by surprise! Art by Darren Auck!

At first, I was stunned at that reaction since I’d spent 26+ years in the Army.  That organization is not exactly known for being a charitable soup kitchen, so I assumed that people would know I have more thoughts in my head than cuddly kittens and yapping puppies!

While my ongoing Age of Chaos book series tells my version of the End of Days, I am also trying to make my mark with other great fictional writers who wove a universal morality tale in their works … from Milton’s Paradise Lost to Marlowe’s Dr. Faustus to more recent luminaries like C.S. Lewis or J.R.R. Tolkien, my tales are intended to deliver a truth beyond entertainment.  What is my central theme?  I’ll share it with you one day soon.

The great C.S. Lewis was a master at weaving an exciting and thrilling tale using basic Christian principles! His works are still widely studied to this day!

But with THAT said, there are those who still say, “I’d love to read your stuff but I simply can’t handle the spooky stuff!”  And so, with that lead-in (and some ongoing urging from my wife), I am now beginning development of another original webcomic series that will run weekly (for FREE, of course) on my webpage.

My ongoing thriller webcomic series, VOID, is too spooky for many readers who say they'd love to read my stories but can't handle the horror aspects of them.

This new series will be TOTALLY different from anything I’ve written before and it will show a side of me that many of you already know because it’s the side I show everyone.  I’ll be sharing more and more info with you on this series as it develops but my plan is to release it in late Spring/early Summer 2013.  And it’ll be rated ‘G’ for the entire family!

Here’s the title:

The PERPS!

Who, or what, is/are the Perps? The answers are coming SOON!  Keep checking here for the answer, but if you like the guys pictured below, it’s a BIG hint!

Many of you know and follow my FREE online webcomic series, Void.  You can link to it from this website or on FACEBOOK. Please check out the FACEBOOK page link below and ‘like’ it if you’ve not done so.

I couldn’t help but share this amazing pin-up that will be a special part of a future storyline.  Who is this Angel?  Who is the child?  And what does any of this have to do with Void? Check out the series and keep reading to find out!

Until then, enjoy this amazing work of art by regular Void artist Przemyslaw R. Dedelis! It’s epic!

What is the story behind this Angel and the child? Read and follow VOID to find out!

Follow VOID on FACEBOOK!

As we knock on the door of December again, it reminds me not only that the Christmas season is upon us, but also that this webpage and blog series has a birthday.

‘Bill Cain Online’ is now officially 3-years old, which means it’s time for my annual ‘State of the union’ address to those of you who have faithfully following my meanderings for all this time.  I’ll summarize the success and major events of my writing adventures from the past year and give you a look at what to expect in 2013.  And 2013 may be my biggest year yet!

First, let’s take a look back at 2012.

The second book in my Age of Chaos quadrilogy, Dove of War, was published in June.  Picking up where 2009’s I Know Why the Dogwoods Blush left off, Dove of War is the tale of Romanian Price Basil ‘Hato’ Tobruk.  Born during the turbulent times of the maniacal Vlad Tepes, the ‘Hato’ (aka Dove, as he was called by his Japanese grandfather) sought to rule his land under the banner of peace.  But the satanic and mysterious Alexandru Vasilie had other plans.  This tale encompasses 500+ years of an epic struggle between good and evil and also continued the tale of Joe LaHoud that began in Dogwoods Blush.

Concept art by Evan Driscoll of Joe LaHoud as he appears in Dove of War!

In addition to following LaHoud’s search for his missing daughter, Dove reveals the truth about Vasilie’s true identity.  It also introduces Richard ‘Rooster’ Devine, a character who will become possibly the most important character in my entire multi-book series.  It also features Hosea Ben-Saiida, possibly my most original creation of all.  And in the midst of it all, I try to reveal exactly what role mankind will play in the overall ‘End of Days!’  Dove of War is my most controversial book yet (my 6^th overall) and it remains the one I am most proud of!

This past year also saw the 2^nd year completed of my ongoing webcomic series, Void! This tale, designed as a bridge between Dogwoods and Dove, has evolved into a major tale that will run into its planned completion in mid-2014.  Weighing in at more than 300-pages, it tells the story of the mysterious Deacon Void, a London private investigator who hides his face beneath tattered bandages while seeking redemption for his supposed lost humanity.  It ties in directly with events from Dogwoods and Dove and has fulfilled my lifelong dream of publishing my own original comic series.  You can follow Void on Facebook by clicking on this link:

Enter … the VOID!

The mysterious (and sometimes intimidating) Deacon Void!

Last July, my 2011 autobiographical novel, Crossing the Line, was nominated by the Military Writer’s Society of America for best book in the ‘Non-Fiction/Memoir’ category.  It finished 1^st runner up and remains the most honest and painful book I’ve ever worked on.

The staff of the 42nd Field Artillery Brigade during DESERT STORM are prominently featured in CROSSING THE LINE. I am 2nd from the left.

In late Summer, I began a partnership with my old college buddy and professional screen writer, Geno Scala (Shark Eating Man Productions), to develop Dogwoods Blush into a screenplay for a motion picture.  Those efforts continue and we are still on schedule to shoot this as a film in 2013.  More on this as it develops!

This page from my comic proposal for Dogwoods Blush could now become a storyboard for the coming film!

As for this blog, I am proud to say that we had another very satisfying year.  I published 56 posts in the past year, drawing 177 comments from readers and an average of 234 visits per day (I averaged 150 visits per day my first year and 255 last year).

For the year, the five most read posts were:

#5:  Frankenstein’s Castle – 19 October;

#4:  Veteran’s Day – 11 November;

#3:  The Bane of Batman – 20 July;

#2:  Criminals Beware (Clint Eastwood) – 27 April;

#1:  Almost Autumn Musings – 7 September.

Looking ahead to 2013, expect the following to occur:

-        Dogwoods Blush, the movie!

-        The continuing saga of Void!

-        My 3^rd novel in the Age of Chaos saga, Stands Against the Wind!

In case you missed it, here is the link to my summary of what to expect in Stands Against the Wind!

Stands Against the Wind!

The title character of my coming novel, Stands Against the Wind! Art by legendary Marvel Comics artist , the late Ernie Chan! RIP, Ernie!

But as for this blog?  Well, in many ways, today’s post is the end of it.  As most of you know, I began writing it to promote Dogwoods Blush back in the day.  After a time, I began using it to discuss or babble about whatever was on my mind, past, present or future.  And it’s been a wonderful ride!

The past 3-years has seen this blog help me reunite with old friends long thought lost and make many new ones as well.  And the times that I’ve written something that touched a stranger enough to write to me and comment has been a joy beyond measure.

But in reality, this blog has become more like a weekly newspaper opinion column and that’s not what it should be.  And so, beginning immediately, I’m going back to its roots!

There will be no more weekly blogs.  I’ll only post when I have an update on something happening in the ‘Bill Cain Universe.’  Once Dogwoods begins filming, it may become a daily blog.  Or it may be weeks between posts.  I’ll use it to promote any book signings or appearances at conventions, but I won’t use it any longer just to opine about whatever is on my mind that particular day.  I may break my plan to write an obituary or two when one of my idols passes away or when something happens that I simply can’t let pass, but for the most part, I’ll just use it to promote happenings with my creative endeavors.  I hope you’ll all understand.

And there you have it!  It’s my 3^rd annual update.  Thanks to all of you for reading my rants these past three years (197 total posts, 651 total comments, 700,000+ visits to my site).  It’s been a dream come true for me, but the best is yet to come!  I hope you’ll join me for the continuing journey … we still have dragons to slay, mountains to climb and stars to reach!

The stars will play a HUGE role in the secret of Deacon Void (especially these two stars in particular). Check out his series to see why and how!

It is not in the stars to hold our destiny, but in ourselves!

Lisa Mantchev, Eyes Like Stars!

Massive lines formed in the Great Depression for a crust of bread or a cup of soup! Lines form today not for need, but from plenty!

It’s Black Friday, so I know many of you are either out shopping, recovering from ‘Turkey Overload,’ watching football, or enjoying time with your family & friends.  Thus, I’ll make this week’s post very short.  I simply can’t let Thanksgiving go by without making a simple comment or two.  Next week will be my anniversary (of this blog) and the annual ‘State of the Bill Cain Universe’ update where I’ll recap the highlights of the past year and update you on my plans for 2014.  We’ll have MUCH to discuss!

Deacon Void will be here next week in my annual "Bill Cain Universe' update, so hang around!

But for today, I wanted to just say my thank you to any and all who have been reading my posts for the last 3-years.  And what better time to do so than Thanksgiving weekend?

With the poissible exception of Easter, no holiday tradition seems to be more overlooked than Thanksgiving. Sorry, Easter Bunny!

It’s obvious that Thanksgiving has lost much of its appeal to our nation in the last 25-years.  Non-holidays like Halloween and Valentine’s Day seem to get more TV ad time and a bigger selection of Hallmark cards than Turkey day.  And that’s a shame.

Perhaps it’s because over the years, our immigrants seem more inclined to cling to the ways and traditions of their original country than their adopted one.  ‘America’ is to blame for all the world’s ills’ seems to be the motto of most of the world, including many Americans.  And there is no holiday … with the possible exception of July 4^th … that is more uniquely ‘American’ than Thanksgiving.

I’ve written about that holiday’s distinctly American origin before (November 19, 2010).  You can link to it here:

Thanksgiving Thoughts from 2010

Could it be that the continuing deterioration of the American family is also a cause of the lack of attention on Thanksgiving?  I pray this is not the case.  The core of American strength and values is powered by the family.  It’s the critical element that SHOULD drive all of us to be the best we can be in every situation at every opportunity.

But when it’s all said and done, I suppose that my deep love for this nation … for the ideals and dreams that it STILL represents to me … is why I love Thanksgiving Day so much.

I have said many times over the years that I have begun cutting back on public speaking engagements.  It’s best at times to just keep my mouth shut and let someone else do the talking for a change.  But there are three things that I’m ALWAYS willing to discuss openly, publicly, and with great pride and emotion:

1 – My faith in God;

2 – My love of this nation;

3 – My love for my family.

This December 1943 magazine cover featuring a classic Norman Rockwell painting says it all ... God, family, country! All are essential; none are FREE. Never forget and ALWAYS give thanks!

This Thanksgiving weekend, those are the things that I’m thankful for.  And I guess that’s why … for me … every day is Thanksgiving Day!

And of course, I am thankful for YOU if you are reading this post!  May this holiday weekend be your best Thanksgiving EVER!

As I approach the 3-year anniversary of “Bill Cain Online” and this weekly blog, I will follow my tradition the first week of December and give you my “State of the Universe” update.  That blog will let you know about all the things that have happened in my writing world in the last year and what to expect in the future.

But even with that update coming, I wanted to give you a sneak look ahead at my next book (#3 of 4) in my continuing saga of the Kali Yuga … the Age of Chaos!

In I Know Why the Dogwoods Blush (2009), you met Jerry Bronson and the evil Vladimir Buchinsky, a disciple of a Satanic figure named Vasilie!  In Dove of War (2012), the fight continued with the revelation of Vasilie’s true identity and plan and our title character, Basil Hato, aka the Dove of War!  And in my 2010-ongoing webcomic series, VOID, the mysterious London investigator, Deacon Void, stands against the equally mysterious Darwin Koenig, leader of a bizarre cult calling itself the Holy Alliance of Total Expression (H.A.T.E.).  You can link to all of these adventures … as well as follow Void, on my website (and since you are reading this post, just look to the lower right and you can click on Void from this page!  How’s THAT for customer service?):

www.billcainonline.com

Darren Auck character study of one of the villains from SATW!

In late 2013 or early 2014, I will continue that saga with my newest novel, Stands Against the Wind! I first conceived of this tale as a comic series back in 2002 and worked several options with my friends, legendary artists Don Perlin, Evan Driscoll and Darren Auck.  When the comic series never materialized, I began my saga through my novelizations.  And that brings us here today.

Stands Against the Wind, or SATW, tells the story of multiple characters while adding another chapter in the overall tale of Kali Yuga … the Age of Chaos … Satan’s plan for the destruction of mankind.  It will pick-up exactly where Dove of War ended!

Greg Samson, aka 'Stands Against the Wind' Art by Evan Driscoll

The title character, retired US Army CSM Greg Samson, is a Native American Navajo from Arizona.  A former Special Ops soldier, Samson has failed in various business ventures since he left the Army and is struggling to find his life’s meaning, especially to his natural heritage.  An orphan at an early age raised by his grandfather, Greg has been having intense visions warning him of a coming storm.  Ashamed of his native name, Itateya Najin, or ‘Stands Against the Wind,’ he will soon have to take a stand against the evil threatening his life from multiple planes of existence and face the truth about himself and his family heritage.  I have long loved native American culture and mysticism.  This character allows me to explore it fully, both good and bad!

Colonel Andy Lowman. Art by yours truly!

Samson’s best friend is US Army Colonel Andy Lowman.  Leader of the Anti-Terrorism Total Assault Cell (A.T.T.A.C.), Lowman is the best of the best in special operations warfare and an accomplished counter-terrorism expert.  Grandson of the mysterious government agent known only as “Lunar-Man,” (believed to have died fighting The Fourth Reich in 1967) and the son of famed scientist and astronaut Dr. Clarence Lowman, Andy has a fiery temper and routinely allows his emotions to rule his thought process.  (The Fourth Reich?  Wasn’t the Nazi party of WWII called the Third Reich?  Yes, it was!!!)  HAHAHA!

Thomas Lowman, the original 'Lunar-Man' according to the Bill Cain Universe!

Readers of my blog and tales know all about Lunar-Man, the super-hero star of comics, television and film.  But in this tale, you’ll see the first Lunar-Man, Special Agent Thomas Lowman. A WWII hero and intelligence operative, Lowman was recruited to be a part of a new, counter-Nazi covert group in the late 40’s.  A brilliant scientist and fearless adventurer, he developed the original technology for night vision goggles (NVGs) and was dubbed ‘Lunar-Man’ by the press.

SATW will also continue the story of Richard ‘Rooster’ Devine, begun in Dove of War. Richard is on his way to Arizona to find the man who killed his mother, an especially nasty killer known only as ‘The Korean.’  My readers know that the Korean first surfaced in Dogwoods Blush and was prominently featured in Dove of War.  SATW will reveal the Korean’s true identity at last, plus explain his purpose regarding the Age of Chaos.  For that matter, you’ll find out more and more about Rooster and his deadly gift of taking pain or disease from one person and giving it to another.  Is he mankind’s savior … or her brutal dictator!

The relationship between Rooster and 'The Korean' (seen here, art by Evan Driscoll) will be revealed in total in SATW!

There are, of course, many other characters whom I can’t yet disclose, but readers of ,my webcomic, Void, will be happy to know that SATW will reveal at last the origin of the evil cult, H.A.T.E., it’s shadowy leader, and their true diabolical purpose!  You can follow Void right here on Facebook!

Enter … the VOID … on FACEBOOK!

A major character from H.A.T.E., introduced in Void, is also explored deeply in SATW.  He is Kreed, a physical monster with a black heart and overwhelming desire to kill.  Completely brainwashed by Nazi propaganda since his birth, he is indestructible and always in a bloodlust.  His weapon of choice is his razor-sharp stilettos imbedded in his wristbands.  He carries a secret of his true identity and how he relates to the original Nazi party, unknown even to him.

A mock comic cover of my old 2007 A.T.T.A.C. comic series proposal featuring KREED on the cover! Art/design by Evan Driscoll, Bill Cain & William Cain III.

Expect to see more and more about SATW, as well as a preview of some chapters, in the months ahead!  I am already very excited about the possibility and I hope you are, too!

Until then, keep reading Void and my blog to keep the story going!  And do not fear when confronted with great evil … after all, the motto of the Bill Cain Universe comes from an ancient Viking death prayer:

THE BRAVE SHALL LIVE FOREVER!

Adios … for now!