IPPY Strikes Again

Here's what Soldier of the Horse's Independent Publishers (IPPY) gold medal looked like three years ago. Soldier won top prize in the category Military/Wartime Fiction.

Now my second novel, Terror on the Alert, has almost duplicated the feat, receiving a silver medal in the same category.

Very exciting and rewarding.

There is a lot of encouragement out there for writers. Not to mention a heap of support from publishers, writing organizations such as Canadian Authors Association, BC Federation of Writers, and many others.

And like others writers, a big thanks for all the support from family and friends.

Naval Association of Canada Conference 2014

Here is a snapshot taken at the Meet 'n' Greet at the Lord Elgin Hotel, Ottawa, the first week of October. The occasion was the start of the Naval Association of Canada's AGM and conference, the theme of which was Canada's Submarines: Past, Present and Future.

The two gentlemen pictured are fellows I've known for a long time.

Brooke Campbell, on the left, was a student at UBC and officer-cadet in the University Naval Training Division (UNTD) at HMCS Discovery. I got to know him well, as I was also at Disovery as a regular force RCN cadet.
Brooke went on to a very successful career in banking and investing, and is currently submitting material to the Canadian government about tax treatment of RRSP's.

On the right is Keith Nesbit, Captain RCN (Ret'd). I met Keith when we were both very junior submariners. That's where I stayed, as far as the submarine world is concerned (not counting recent literary efforts). Keith, however, went on to an illustrious career as a submarine CO and, since retirement from the RCN, as a professional keyboardist.
Keith's music can be accessed by contacting him directly: keith@nesbit.net.

And my recent submarine thriller, "Terror on the Alert", is in better bookstores everywhere, Amazon, and from my publisher.

Russian Submarine Activity?

So far there have been five reported sightings of a foreign submarine in Swedish waters in the last five days. Sweden has more-or-less said it is likely a Russian intruder. Needless to say the Russian defense ministry has denied that is the case, suggesting it might be a Dutch boat.

The Swedes are right to be concerned. With Mr. Putin's recent activity in the Crimea and Black Sea area, all his neighbours are nervous, and none more so than the Baltic states. Finland has been scrambling jets on a regular basis to respond to Russian incursions into their airspace.

Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania are potential targets for Russian "protection" of Russian minorities, in the same way that similar minorities are currently being "protected" in Ukraine.

Sweden, like many western nations, is still enjoying the so-called peace dividend--the reduction in defense budgets following the supposed end of the Cold War. As a result, Sweden's ability to detect, track, and force to the surface an undersea intruder is severely compromised. The Swedes and their neighbours may have reason to rethink their priorities.

For a look at submarine operations in earlier Cold War years, have a look at "Terror on the Alert", my thriller set in the time of the Cuban Missile Crisis. It's available at bookstores everywhere, or from Amazon or publisher TouchWood Editions.