Dreams of the Shining Horizon

A blog about dreams and nightmares, and hope for what lies beyond the horizon. With generous helpings of idealistic politics, beautiful things, and general entertaining nerd stuff. For more in-depth material, check out my Wordpress blog at https://horizondream.wordpress.com/

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The Guardian Cats of New York City: The Watcher On The Shore Is Back!

The Guardian Cats of New York City: The Watcher On The Shore Is Back!

The cats keep the ancient bargain.They are still among us, hidden here and there; the cats who remember the Old Compact: you provide a home for us, feed us, take care of us in our illness, and we will protect you from the dangers of the night. They operate below the sight lines of humanity, dealing with dangers that we would never notice until it was too late. They remember the old magics of…

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The Curse on Omelas

The Curse on Omelas

Here is the truth of Omelas: It is never just one.  Never just one whose misery buys the pleasure of Omelas.  There are dozens.  Hundreds.  Thousands.  There are pits next to the palaces.     Some serve directly.  They live in the pits and the slums and the outskirts and each day they travel to the palaces where they cook the meals and clean the rooms and wipe the baby butts and make the…

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The Guardian Cats of New York City: The Black Dog is Back!

The Guardian Cats of New York City: The Black Dog is Back!

The cats keep the ancient bargain.They are still among us, hidden here and there; the cats who remember the Old Compact: you provide a home for us, feed us, take care of us in our illness, and we will protect you from the dangers of the night. They operate below the sight lines of humanity, dealing with dangers that we would never notice until it was too late. They remember the old magics of…

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The Day The Children Danced

The Day The Children Danced

It was three generations from the time a starman said “Let all the children boogie” before the children finally did.  No one knew how it happened or why, or who put the album in rotation, But somewhere out in the outlands, at the crossroads of nowhere and everywhere, where the night wind blows in off the desert and the highways stretch out into forever, a radio station with chrome walls and…

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The Guardian Cats of New York City: Kodama's Courage is Back

The Guardian Cats of New York City: Kodama’s Courage is Back

The cats keep the ancient bargain. They are still among us, hidden here and there; the cats who remember the Old Compact: you provide a home for us, feed us, take care of us in our illness, and we will protect you from the dangers of the night. They operate below the sight lines of humanity, dealing with dangers that we would never notice until it was too late. They remember the old magics of…

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Out On The Airwaves

Out On The Airwaves

There is a radio station out there at the crossroads of nowhere and everywhere.  Out in the outlands beyond all lands, where the night wind blows in off the desert and the highways stretch out into forever. Where the Sun never rises to bring the mundane morning, but the Moon is always full and bigger than she should be and she shines down a silver day as the stars gleam bright in the vast black…

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The Guardian Cats of New York City: Shin-Nephura's Neighborhood is Back

The Guardian Cats of New York City: Shin-Nephura’s Neighborhood is Back

The cats keep the ancient bargain.  They are still among us, hidden here and there; the cats who remember the Old Compact: you provide a home for us, feed us, take care of us in our illness, and we will protect you from the dangers of the night. They operate below the sight lines of humanity, dealing with dangers that we would never notice until it was too late. They remember the old magics of…

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Field Hospital is Back!

Field Hospital is Back!

Medic in a greater war.  On an Air Force base in the middle of the desert, Captain Eileen Brennan waits to treat the casualties of a war that everyone back home thinks is over. But today, she will treat the wounded of a war far greater than the one she thought she was fighting. The first story to be republished is now back up! For a long time only available as a chapter in The Clan Brennan…

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For Real This Time

For Real This Time

Back in March, I gave notice that I would be taking down short stories posted on my blogs and republishing them on Amazon. For various reasons, that didn’t happen yet. But it will happen soon. I’m going to be away from my computers for the whole week next week, but after that, we get started. As promised back in March, I’ll be taking the stories down from my blogs and republishing them at…

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The Real Galactic Superweapon: The Skywalker Bloodline

The Real Galactic Superweapon: The Skywalker Bloodline

So I was thinking about Star Wars the other day, as you do, and I had an entirely non-canon but interesting idea: (more…)

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The Economancer - Epilogue

The Economancer – Epilogue

80s Business Witch by msjobee So that’s the story of my grand adventure.  I’ve certainly had other adventures, and I’d be glad to tell you about them if you’re interested, but unlike a certain chain-smoking London street wizard, I don’t save the world every other day.  So what actually happened, there at the end?  La Guardia would have been a match for either Bill the Butcher or Bill Tweed –…

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I'm Back. Here's What's Next

I’m Back. Here’s What’s Next

Hey all. I know it’s been quite a while since I posted here regularly. But I have good news for you: that’s about to change. Monday, I will post the final chapter of The Economancer. After that, I will start posting regularly again with new material, mostly on Mondays and Thursdays. But I have a more important announcement: starting next Thursday, I will be taking my short stories down from my…

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The Economancer Chapter 16 - Closing The Deal

The Economancer Chapter 16 – Closing The Deal

80s Business Witch by msjobee It wasn’t actually that hard to get Bill the Butcher and Boss Tweed in the same room, though it did take a bit of fast-talking in both cases. I just told each of them that the other wanted to meet to discuss terms of surrender. I don’t blame Bill the Butcher for buying it.  He had every reason to believe that I’d be too scared to try anything clever.  But Tweed…

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The True Story of Kitty Genovese

The True Story of Kitty Genovese

My wife, my sister and I have a tradition for St. Patrick’s Day: she comes over to our place, we eat corned beef and cabbage, and we watch The Boondock Saints.  For those unfamiliar, The Boondock Saints is a 1999 action thriller about two Irish-American brothers in South Boston who come to believe that they’re on a mission from God to slay the wicked.  The movie begins with the brothers, both…

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Ways to Help Ukraine

Ways to Help Ukraine

Hey all. It’s been a while, hasn’t it? Since last July, according to the dates in my existing posts queue. It’s a wonder anyone still visits. Well, that changes today. I’ll be back with news about my own work soon, but as we all know, there are more important things in the world right now. I think we’re all worried about what’s happening in Ukraine and want to know how to help. Well, the good…

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The Economancer Chapter 15 - High Finance

The Economancer Chapter 15 – High Finance

80s Business Witch by msjobee I’ll spare you the negotiations with Morgan, Rockefeller, and Carnegie.  They get repetitive.  (more…)

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Help Lexi Get Her Diploma

Help Lexi Get Her Diploma

Good morning all. I have a request for help going out this morning. A former student of a friend of mine is about to graduate from my alma mater (how’s that for six degrees of separation), but she can’t get her diploma until she pays her last fees. She’s a good kid who’s been through some hard times, and she’s so close to getting out. Please do whatever you can to Help Lexi Get Her…

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