John M. Vermillion

26 April 24: Escapist fiction is plentiful. It serves a purpose, and I enjoy it on occasion myself. I also like to inject some humor, to please myself as much as the reader. But from the start, I’ve wanted my books to stand for something. I do not want to be a preacher; my faults are enough for a dozen people, I’m sorry to say. But I do know we as a nation need to buck up, and I understand much of what’s needed to get there. Many of you know our problems and solutions too. Nonetheless, I hope you will appreciate and enjoy the way I’ve presented the issues. Each of us can stand to pay closer attention to the Zeitgeist. And subordinate to the Zeitgeist are the issues that retard or promote it. Only at that point, when we understand the issues in the context of the Zeitgeist, should we decide which candidates we ought to vote for. Voting is the most sacred duty of citizens in our society. We must protect our national pride and strengthen our economy. We need to return to our foundational values and maintain a strong military to safeguard our future. Let's avoid allowing any centralized authority to dictate how we live our daily lives. I was at first inclined to title this book Packing Up. Maybe it was time to wrap Pack up. Something momentous would happen to Pack and he would drift away. But I wasn’t ready for that. I’ve had three main characters: Simon Pack, Cade Chase, and Felix Forthright Fox. I not ready to let go of any of them. They still have examples to set, for me as much as for anyone else. I surprised myself by having two of them intersect in this book. I know the three would get along well if they got to know each other. Maybe they should form their own Justice League. As I said in the Notes in my last novel, I write for multiple reasons. Mainly, though, I write because I have something to say about this Republic I love. In the course of the narrative there’s discussion, and typically conflict, involving things the average man in the street is talking about, such as faith, education, politics, proliferation of civil violence, the military, and sports. Please let me know what you think of these stories, as well as their treatment of big issues, via reviews on your preferred site.