Category Archives: The Ballad of the Grey Swan

Around Town, People, Taeliana, The Ballad of the Grey Swan

Richard Chamberlain, March 31, 1934 – March 29, 2025

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I just found out that Richard Chamberlain has passed away.

Richard Chamberlain as Aramis in the 1973 "The Three Musketeers"
Yes, that’s the formal uniform of an Imperial Swordmaster.

I never brought it up, because I had no room, but the character of Swordmaster Corin, Jey Corbeau’s sword teacher, was in part based on his portrayal of Aramis in the 1973 film of The Three Musketeers.

Richard Chamberlain as Archie Leach in Leverage
Can you believe he’s 78 here? Other than the hair, I’m not sure I can.

He’s also going to be the mentor of another character in a different book, where he plays the Chairman of the High Council of the Organization of Pilferers, Rogues, Enforcers, Assassins, Conmen, and  Highwaymen – better known on the streets and back-alleys of the cities as just the Organization or the Business. (For you fantasy readers/gamers, yes, it’s basically the Thieves Guild.) If you’ve watched the show Leverage, you saw Richard Chamberlain as Archie Leach. (That’s the part he plays in that book: a somewhat retired gentleman thief who can still outmaneuver and out-think the younger crew.)

Rest well, kind and noble sir; your gentle humor and smile will be missed.

Books, The Ballad of the Grey Swan, Writing

A Request for Assistance

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Greetings all! Things are a bit tough here, so I am asking for some help.

First, I’d like to remind you that my first book, The Ballad of the Grey Swan, is out for sale with some revisions and a new cover.

If you haven’t seen much about it, you can check it out at the link in the menu or just click on this link for the page on the book.

You can find it at:

And now to the core of things…

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Books, Fiction, The Ballad of the Grey Swan, What I'm Up To, Writing

The announcement: I have published a novel!

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Yes! That’s the big announcement for today, the thing that’s been being counted down to in the margin and in my other posts. I have published a novel! My first novel. And I’m excited.

It’s called The Ballad of the Grey Swan. It’s a swashbuckling fantasy novel inspired by things like:

  • my love of Dungeons and Dragons and fantasy
  • the works of Alexandre Dumas like The Count of Monte Cristo and The Three Musketeers,
  • books like War for the Oaks which involve people rising up to be the equal of magical powers
  • swashbuckler movies
  • my desire to have a fantasy novel that reflects trans people and gay people as just people living their lives (well, as normal as you get in a fantasy world, but you get the idea) until things get weird
  • and an image I got in my head and had to get out one way or another.

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