All great writers are good storytellers. Not all good storytellers are great writers. How does a writer go from merely telling stories to writing novels with substance; books that leave the reader with something important to think about? In other … Read More
Maritime terrorism is difficult to pull off. Attacking targets at sea – or using the sea to access a coastal target – requires special skills and logistics that most terrorists do not have. But some do, and others can learn. … Read More
So… having published one novel, I began examining possible scenarios for the sequel. As a SEAL, and as an academic, I had developed a keen interest in terrorism (and some expertise in counter terrorism). I thought my characters would be … Read More
Writer’s Blog, Part I I wanted to write… about writing. This is not an esoteric subject; everyone writes in one way or another. Especially now, with email and social media, most people spend a lot of time at the keyboard. … Read More
Post-Traumatic Stress: It’s Not Just for Soldiers Anymore I have acquired a serious case of post-traumatic stress. I did not get it in Afghanistan or Iraq; I got it right here in the United States of America. We the American … Read More
The Boogaloo is Not a Dance Far right extremists are said to be planning attacks on Washington, DC. These are not Islamist terrorists from Al Qaeda or ISIS; they are Americans who believe the U.S. government has betrayed us, and … Read More
Weaponizing Hate By Paul Shemella American citizens have split into two political camps. For brevity, let’s call them Right and Left. The split began with the formation of modern political parties, but the “factionalism” feared by the founding fathers – … Read More
Underestimating the Threat of Domestic Terrorism Whether it’s pandemic, terrorism, massive flooding, or some other disaster, the US government never seems to be ready enough. Like military forces preparing for the last war, we as a nation prepare for the … Read More
When I read that a former American Green Beret had engineered a clandestine invasion of Venezuela , I thought it was a joke. It was not. The operation sounded a lot like the Bay of Pigs invasion of Cuba in … Read More
Give me liberty and give me death! The Mamas and the Papas were right. The darkest hour is just before dawn. Americans have generally behaved well during the initial stage of our “war” against the Coronavirus. But while the dawn … Read More