5. Bloodlines And The Century War

The Quest For Patriot Nourishment – 1989-1995

On Memorial Day Weekend of 1989, I joined my wife, my daughters, and several gals  from our church’s ladies softball team for an evening practice. Covering left field that Friday evening, I backpedaled for a fly ball. I slipped, I fell, and my head hit the ground. The next thing I remember, I was at home talking a mile a minute. I had suffered a concussion, my wife said, and I had lost my short-term memory. My trip to the hospital, the CAT scan, the doctor’s diagnosis, and my ride home are memories that were either not recorded in my brain, or are buried so deep, I’ll never recover them.

I awoke Saturday morning and told my wife that I wanted to see “my people.” I rattled off the names of five men. She called them. Each one faithfully responded. Bruce, Dave, John, Dan, and Bob all sat in my living room, asking me questions. I responded with questions of my own. Did I have an accident? Is my dad dead? (He had passed away the previous November). Who is my boss? Does he know about this? Oddly, all five men wore red tee-shirts. It was kind of a bizarre morning for a man whose brain wasn’t working properly.

One of the men I had called for, John to be precise, had been a close friend throughout the seventies and early eighties. I had not seen him for about four years. A few weeks after the “Softball Incident,” as it has come to be known, after I had fully recovered (some say I never fully recovered), John contacted me. He wanted to know if I could help him with a project he was working on.

We met. Over the next few months, a partnership was formed and we began to write fiction together. For three years, every spare moment found us working on our first novel, Bloodlines. John had previously trained under a classic comic book writer and had learned the art and craft of storytelling. We used a thirty-two point Master Plot Outline (MPO) to guide us. Here’s the obligatory book blurb:

“From pre-Civil War America to the modern day, this fast-paced and thrilling story follows the lives of the MacDonald family who are called to contend with unseen powers of evil in a conflict that began in the early 1800s. Rich with historical detail, Bloodlines offers fresh insight into our nation’s spiritual conflicts, past and present, while inspiring its readers to overcome life’s deepest disappointments and to find faith in God.”

In preparing, planning, and writing, John and I met every Saturday morning for breakfast at Pop’s Restaurant in Manassas. There we drew charts and timelines, sketched out characters, fleshed out our MPO, and made notes about our nation’s history, about actual events, and about the ideas behind those events.

For nine years I had borne a deep burden for my nation, for our history, and for the ideas of our founders which were rapidly eroding before our eyes. Bloodlines was a lifeline. I again saw the hand of Providence guiding me, shepherding me into an opportunity to express ideas and burdens about my nation, about its past, and about the principles that had guided us and could, if we allowed them, guide us again.

Bloodlines was published in 1993. Following Bloodlines, four more stories made it into print. We call the series The Century War Chronicles. Here’s a list of the books we have published:

• Bloodlines
• Beneath The Sky Of An Angry God
• The Invisible Empire
• Above The Midas Touch
• City Of Lies

All of the above titles are now out of print. However, with the advent of on-demand publishing, the rise of the Kindle and the NOOK, and even the mp3 download for audio books, the possibility of bringing these old stories to life again looks very promising. In fact, plans are currently in the works to revive these five, and add some new stories to our collection. So stay tuned.

Along those lines, John and I recently published a new short story titled I Love Base Ball. Once again, the obligatory book blurb:

“I Love Base Ball is a classic story of friendship and courage set against the backdrop of America’s national pastime. It’s the summer of 1869 in the bustling riverfront city of Cincinnati, Ohio. Steamboats churn the Ohio River as the Nation’s ever-expanding economy thrives in the wake of the Civil War. Two 16-year-olds, Charlie Martin and his best friend Luther Robinson, love “base ball” and follow the exploits of America’s first professional base ball team — the undefeated Cincinnati Red Stockings and their 51-game winning streak. When an untimely death and a ruthless shipping magnate end Charlie and Luther’s dream for a Greater Cincinnati Youth Club ball field and grandstand, the boys suspect foul play. Charlie and Luther dig in their heels and square off against one of Cincinnati’s most powerful men, risking their honor, friendships and freedom to right a grievous wrong. So “Batter up!” and let the games begin!”

You can purchase I Love Base Ball, here.

My quest for nourishment was alive and well. The eleven years that John and I collaborated together are some of the best years of my life. They gave me hope that the burden I carried was real, that my voice could be heard, and that God was indeed guiding me.

What comes next is even more surprising.

Next Reexamination and Reconciliation