What is this "Eraser" anyway?

  How many of you know that the rubber eraser was invented by a man from London named, Edmund Nairne? To tell you the truth, before I began this novel, I didn't know either. I know one thing, however, that we really take erasers for granted. There's one on every pencil. and it seems, at least in my case, that the eraser is the first thing to wear out. I make a lot of mistakes you know. Hopefully, my writing, "Curse of the Eraser" was not a big mistake, too.

  The eraser that the story is named after is one of the first erasers produced by the aforementioned Edmund. In the story line, he sent this particular eraser to the Palmer family of Madison County, New York. In real life, this particular clan of the Palmer family really did settle in that place and a tiny town called, Brookfield. The reason I know all of this is because my wife's family can be traced back to these people. I have been to their farm, nestled in the country in an apple orchard planted two centuries ago. It is a cool place. The five acres there are still in the Palmer family name, but seeing as the Palmer I knew passed away a couple of years ago, I don't completely know the current status of ownership.

  Buried there on the property are ancestors that grew up in England, the colonies and right there on the farm. The names of the people will seem strangely familiar when the book is read, because some of them are in there. Which leads me to mention this: it will be difficult to determine what is fact and what is fiction in "Curse of the Eraser". That is the fun of it!

  The Eraser is just like any other; an opaque square, much like modern day art erasers. And it works just like an other, well, at least to a degree. The difference is that this eraser, really erases! It is cursed in this way: if you erase someones name with malice- that person dies. If you try to destroy it because you know what it can do-you die. And, if you don't pass it on to the next generation- the entire family shall die! How the Freemason that cursed the eraser like this came up with it, we shall never know. However, the why of it, we do know.

Next: Why curse an eraser anyway?

The New World Order?

  You might be thinking, "Why the question mark on the title of this blog?". The reason is this: For over 235 years the American landscape has been just that, a NWO. At least for us. Now that we have been here that long it would seem that it is well established and the dreams of the Founding Fathers have been realized. From the mainstream perspective this might be true, but from the perspective of the Palmer family , nothing could be farther from the truth. The Palmers know the truth and this makes them free. As long as they posses the Eraser, it will continue to be that way and for the American people as well.

  Then what is the NWO? Yes, the Founding Fathers meant to establish a land of the free and  home of the brave, free from tyranny and with limitless opportunity. But all was and is not what it seems. The NWO is something far from what we have today in America; a tyranny seeking to control all its citizens, masquerading as good, but being grotesquely evil. Throughout the centuries of our history each time "they" tried to establish what they wanted, but it was foiled by a courageous family, cursed by their possession of a square of rubber and somehow oddly blessed from their destruction as well. The Freemasons did indeed want to control us all, but the NWO they envisioned was not held by all of the Founders of our great land.  But they were powerful and determined. Since 1770 they sought something different and up until this very day the Palmers creatively and purposely put them to task to bring it about. If the Palmers have their way, the NWO shall never come. Or shall it?   

Next: What in the world is this Eraser?

Old suits and Funerals

  As I retrieved my suit out of the closet today to attend the funeral of Janice, I looked at it and smiled, even at this time of great sadness. I held the suit up and looked at its condition as I had not done that before. I figured it is now about seven years since I bought a new one, remembering I bought it before I went to my nephew's wedding and participate by reading from 1 Corinthians the 13th chapter. My nephew's oldest daughter is about six now, I think. Time marches on and suits get older, and threadbare, and just plain wore out.

  Such it is with these "suits" we wear here on earth. At the funeral, the congregation confirmed the fact that, indeed, these mantels of God's creation do wear out. They do return to dust from which they came. They do not last. However, for those in Christ like my friend Janice, we shall receive a new body, a new suit, all because of the merits of Jesus Christ and His love for us. This day, Janice wears her new suit and I look forward to seeing her in it. As for me, I'll just wait with this old suit I wear.

  That's what makes me smile on the day of a funeral of a friend.   

Next: The New World Order.  (Yes, it will be.) :)

The Loss of a Friend- Janice Keck

  Previously, I blogged that I'd be telling you all about the New World Order. However, something happened today that has changed all of that. I lost a friend. One that had inspired me, helped me to apply myself and motivated me- a friend named, Janice Keck, the director of the Williamson County Library.

  I met Janice at a Council for the Written Word Saturday meeting. They, or should I say "we", as I am a member now, contribute in the promotion of the art and craft of being an author in our fair county and try to be a support and help for authors, much like me. Janice sat next to me the first meeting I attended. She asked me about my work and showed me that she cared about not only the things I had written, but that she cared about- me. That is a rare quality nowadays. That quality seeped out of Janice's pores and permeated the entire room when she was present. When she was there in the room, everyone knew it. Her mere presence commanded that from everybody and she deserved it. She cared.

  I spoke with her on the phone this past Thursday. She had invited me to be a nominee for the position of Trustee on the Board. I was both delighted and humbled by her requested. She sent me the application to fill out that day. I still have it on my desk. I don't know whether to fill it out or not. Somehow that doesn't seem to matter, because she told me that I would have been one of her bosses. Now, I would miss that opportunity to be so, but more importantly, get to know her better. For that, I am saddened.

  What strikes me as ironic and a bit of self fulfilling prophecy, is the rest of our conversation. She wanted to know how my book was coming along. I told her it was completed and in front of a publisher and an agent or two. She was glad and asked if I were working on anything. I told her I was and into the sequel about sixteen chapters. In that she encouraged me and told me to keep up the good work, for she believed in me. I changed the subject and I asked if our relationship would be a long one there and I asked if she would ever retire from her position. She replied, "Not unless something happens that would allow me to. I'll be there until I die." How true were her words.

  Rest in peace dear friend...

"Don't antagonize me!"

  It's hard not to follow up the previous blog about Larkin, the protagonist, with anything other than something about the antagonist. I wish it were as simple as saying it is, Joe Blow. But, it's not. I would venture to say that it would be much easier for Larkin and the Palmer family to deal with there being just one person to fight against rather than what they do have to contend with. Are you ready? The antagonist is: Freemasonry and the Illuminati. Plain and simple? Not really. I do know, however, that the antagonist and anyone to do with them is, in the Palmer's estimation, evil.

  I was speaking to a man on the phone from Montana that I have not had the pleasure to meet as yet and he asked me, "Why the Freemasons?" I didn't really know what to say, so, I told him so. As I already had the idea of a cursed Eraser, it had to be cursed by something or someone, so it just worked out this way. Besides, it's a secret society and if no one knows what goes on behind closed doors, then you can just make stuff up! (Even if they maintain they are just a benevolent society of men in funny little aprons.) ;) Consequently, that is what I did, made stuff up. Oh sure, there is some fact about them in it all, but for the most part there is a bunch of fiction intertwined with it. It is up to the reader to figure out what is what.

  Not only that, the whole concept of Freemasonry is hotter than a three dollar pistol right now. As well as the notion of a New World Order that is supposedly coming upon us faster than crap out of a goose. (Please ignore that.) Contending with a group that has it's tentacles into everything is a mind boggling task, and for the Palmers, a task which they easily adapt to- out of necessity. Do or die.

  So there ya go. The antagonist and the protagonist are both revealed.

Next: The New World Order

Proper names. Larkin the "Protagonist".

  I was in church one Sunday as I began my work on Curse of the Eraser. I had not thought of a name for the main character of the novel. In fact, knowing that it had to be something out of the norm and something memorable, I was struggling with a proper name for the protagonist. A woman from Iowa was there visiting as she had moved to our fair city and was looking for a place to worship. She introduced her children to me and herself of course. Her husband was back in Iowa. I asked her his name, "Larkin", she replied.

  As soon as I heard it I knew. That was going to be "the" name. I had never heard it before. It is as uncommon of a name as "Fiebiger" is, I'm sure. In fact, I've looked online for the name, Larkin Palmer, and yes, there are a couple. That's it. Two. Regardless of this, it had a certain ring to it. Kind of like, "Harry Potter". Larkin Palmer. So I ran with it or him.

  I could tell you all about this young man from New York state, but that would ruin the whole thing. Instead, I suggest that you keep your interest up and now that you know the name of the protagonist, you wait until such time as you can meet him in print someday. I'll let you know when that will be!   

Why "Curse of the Eraser"?

  "It was a dark and stormy night". I've always wanted to type that as a real live author. When I was a boy watching Charlie Browns' "stupid beagle" type away on the roof of his doghouse, I couldn't understand what drove him to do so. Now, 50 years later, I do understand and I am in awe of the complexities of an authors' psyche. At least this authors'. 

  Now that thirty people plus one, (our local librarian, Janice Keck, asked me one Saturday at the CWW meeting) have asked me "why curse of the eraser?", I find I must answer to the best of my ability in the written form.

  It was, actually, one night about two in the morning. I had fallen asleep on our three season deck, watching TV. When I do this, my wife just lets me sleep, not bothering to tell me to come to bed, fearing I wouldn't get back to sleep again if she did. But that evening, I did wake and there "it" was. I was grasping for a few days as I had begun writing about the Palmers, not knowing what direction to go, looking for something, anything, to say. Basically, I had no idea what I was going to write about in this novel, but I knew I wanted to write one. I felt like a beagle on the roof of my dog house. But, like I said, there "it" was. A verse. 'A verse?' I thought. Trust me, I am no poet. But, in this single verse, was everything to begin the entire novel. I was dumbfounded.

  Consequently, I got up, went to my computer and typed it out. I don't remember changing a single word. It is the only poetry in the entire work. Thank goodness, but it contains so much that the reader will eventually see as the story unfolds. It was a gift to me. Hopefully, the words will be seen by many.

  Now you know, "Why the curse of the eraser?"