I have demonstrated my allegiance to fiction. At present, I am about seventy-five percent done with what will become my sixth novel. Three – Crazy of Natural Causes (2015), Forgive Us Our Trespasses (2016), and Cowboys Come Home (2016) -- have been published in the past two years. It appears likely that Don’t Ask, …
Tag: freedom
Of Opinions Have I More Than My Fair Share
Here are a few things I believe. I'm sure I'll leave out many. I'm sure many people in the history of this old world have said the same things. I didn't read them, though. They may not be original, but they're original to me. Or from me. Whichever. The truth is seldom more evident than …
It All Works in its Way
It’s probably a little aggravating to follow me on Twitter. My main account, @montedutton, covers a lot of territory because I cover a lot. Many of my followers are NASCAR fans. A reputation lingers after 20 years traversing the beat as a reporter and columnist. I still write a few columns each week from afar. …
The Rush of Danger
The matter of whether Michael Carlson's The Age of Daredevils is fiction or non is unimportant. The tale of the men and women who tumbled fatefully over the Horseshoe Falls of Niagara and through the raging rapids thereabout is true. Carlson's knowledge is imposing and his research painstaking. The fiction in it is the thoughts …
Political Correctness
It's nothing new. It's why prisons are called "correctional" institutions. It's why toilets are located in "restrooms." It's why a 24-year-old is "a senior writer," and why people become senior, associate, assistant, consultant and undersecretary. In lieu of a raise, of course. People say Blazing Saddles couldn't be made nowadays. Yet A Million Ways to …
The System Works Too Well
At least a dozen people today have told me they’re glad it’s about to be over, but it won’t be. The division of this country is at its peak. It won’t just stop when a president is determined. Oh, no. The losers are going to try to get the winners impeached. Maybe I’ve just been …
Futility Is Necessary and Inevitable
I don’t know whether it’s depressing because it really is or because I’m getting old and cranky. Perhaps I’m just starting to suspect that my labors have all been in vain. So little of what I wanted to achieve in life is done. Every day is a new day, but the passage of each pushes …
Last Night I Saw Ghosts in the Flags Behind Trump
I've written four novels and a collection of short stories. I've also written a number of books about sports, mostly about NASCAR. You can find most of them here. The Kindle versions of my books, where available, can be found above. Links below are to print editions. I've written a crime novel about the …
Continue reading Last Night I Saw Ghosts in the Flags Behind Trump
Back on Schedule
For a long time, I was a creature of habit. For all but the holiday season, I was working when most people were off and off when most were working. I’d warm up for NASCAR – full-time, 1993-2012 – by spending most of a week at preseason media functions, then spend half of …
Trump’s Bullshit Art
I don't know what to make of this election. Somehow the voters of the two major parties managed to spend two years narrowing down the respective fields to the candidates whom they like the least. That's democracy in action. I'm voting for Hillary Clinton, of course. If I vote for Donald Trump, I might as …
Nightrider's Lament 