Buck's Blog

Buck — Mon, 17 Aug 2026 17:56:17 +0000

I just finished another edit of my second novel in the Frank and Sylvia Mysteries series. I am about ready to send it off to the editor to bleed all over it (metaphorically). The first novel is due for publication in late 2027. This one is due for publication six months later and takes the characters, Frank and Sylvia, on another adventure, this time to thwart counterfeiters. The third book is written, and I am developing books four and five. Mostly I go on long runs and work through plot points. Then I come home and make notes on 3×5 cards.

I Signed a Publishing Contract for my Debut Novel

Buck — Mon, 13 Jul 2026 23:39:44 +0000

I just signed a contract with WordCrafts Publishing for my debut novel. It is a clean-read, semi-cozy mystery set in a small coal-mining town in Illinois in 1954. It is very exciting to find a publisher, and WordCrafts are great people. It is now in the production pipeline, due for release in hardcover, paperback, and Kindle in late 2027. Sixteen months seem like a long time, but that is actually very fast.

While Waiting…

Buck — Wed, 24 Jun 2026 12:25:14 +0000

While waiting to hear from two agents about whether they will represent my first book, I have continued to edit and revise books two and three. I am also outlining book four in the series.

In the first book, Frank Serafini returns from the Korean War suffering from survivor’s guilt. He teams up with his ex-fiancée, Sylvia, to solve his father’s murder.

In the second book, Frank and Sylvia get mixed up with counterfeiters.

In the third book, Il Capo, whose rackets Frank and Sylvia broke up in the first two books, sends hitmen to kill them before he goes to trial.

The fourth book follows Frank and Sylvia as they track down loot from a 1944 robbery buried somewhere in town. A vicious murderer is hot on their trail.

These are clean-read books, almost cozy mysteries. There is no graphic nudity, sex, language, or violence, yet the relationships are warm and tender, and the action is exciting. They are set in 1954 and 1955 and are rich in authentic period details. I set out for them to be accurate representations of the ear. While I enjoyed Happy Days and Grease, they aren’t anything like the periods they pretend to represent.

I am Witing a Novel

Buck — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 12:26:56 +0000

Recently, we moved from Orlando to a small town east of Knoxville, TN, into what we hope is our forever home. I have a long list of things to accomplish during retirement. You need to retire TO something, not FROM something. One of my goals is to write a novel. I enjoyed creative writing when I was younger, but the past four decades have been focused on technical writing, proposals, and patent applications.

I had been thinking about this novel during morning runs for nearly 20 years. In February of 2025, I started on it. I had scraps of ideas and a number of plot points, but it took a while to weave those ideas into (what I hope is) a coherent, compelling story.

This is a cover mockup I made myself. If the book is ever published, I’m sure it will look different.

Malt Shops, Mine Shafts, and Murder is an 80,000-word, semi-cozy historical mystery with emotional depth, clean content, and a vivid sense of 1950s small‑town life. It will appeal to readers who enjoy the warmth and community of Joanne Fluke’s Hannah Swenson mysteries.

Nineteen-year-old Frank Serafini returns to his Illinois hometown in May 1953, carrying survivor’s guilt from the Korean War and remorse for abandoning his childhood sweetheart and fiancée, Sylvia Martinelli. He hopes to rebuild his life and repair their relationship, but his homecoming is overshadowed by the recent, suspicious death of his father.

Sylvia is torn when Frank reappears. His sudden departure shattered her trust, and before she can risk her heart again, she needs to understand why he left—and whether he intends to stay.

When Frank receives a threatening phone call demanding papers his father supposedly possessed, the danger becomes unmistakable. After Sylvia’s father’s car is set on fire as a warning, Frank and Sylvia follow the clues his father left behind and uncover evidence implicating the town’s mayor in a far-reaching criminal enterprise. As the racketeers close in, Frank must confront the man he became in Korea and risk everything to protect Sylvia, expose the truth, and save the town he once fled.

This is the first in what is meant to be a series. The second and third books are written. I am outlining and plotting the fourth book.

I have done extensive research to ensure the story is accurate to the 1950s. While I enjoyed Grease and Happy Days, neither is an accurate depiction of the era.

As mentioned earlier, it is clean. There is no graphic violence, sex, or language. As such, it won’t appeal to some. I don’t think you have to watch guts fly out of people, gratuitous sex scenes, or foul language to enjoy a story. But there is action, romance, and mystery.

In preparing this book for submission to literary agents, I used two different “developmental editors.” Katherine Picket at POP Editorial Services helped me greatly improve the story. Katherine, the second editor, was not shy about ripping into the manuscript and providing voluminous, uncomfortable notes. I sent her a revised manuscript, which recently came back relatively clean. I made a number of additional revisions and sent the revised manuscript to some potential literary agents.

I had an opportunity to attend the Tennessee Writers’ Conference a few months ago and pitch the story concept to three agents. All three asked me to submit the manuscript. One wanted just the first four chapters. Based on those, she wanted the full manuscript, which I understand it a big milestone. The second one read the first few chapters of the manuscript earlier this week and said she liked it. So, perhaps the light up ahead is the end of the tunnel and not an oncoming train. Of course, finding an agent is not the same as getting a book deal, but it would be a huge step forward. I am allowing myself to become guardedly optimistic.

I hope the book finds an audience that will enjoy the story. While I cannot sell ice water to men in Hell, I am looking foward to meeting with people who have read and enjoyed Malt Shops, Mine Shafts, and Murder.

Wars of Ozz Game Last Weekend

Buck — Wed, 27 Oct 2021 11:17:05 +0000

I received an Email recently from Les, who is a fan of Combat Patrol(R) that he was going to be in Florida near where I live for a few days. We took the opportunity for him to come over and try Wars of Ozz for the first time. I had planned on a rather large game including Zoom and in-person players, but a number of people had to cancel at the last minute. We played a two-player Ozz game with Dave playing Nomes and Les playing Munchkins.

Initial setup for the game. The white tags are to help players participating via Zoom.

The scenario involved the Nomes and Munchkins vying for control of a key crossroad. It was a simple scenario to introduce Les to the rules. Each side had 25 points.

The Munchkin force had two Landwehr units in column along the road (M3 and M4), a medium artillery battery (M5), Sourdough’s Regiment (M1), and a regiment of light cavalry.

The Nomes begin to advance. Throughout the game, Dave played the Nomes very aggressively, which may have been his downfall — or maybe it was his dismal dice rolling. The Nomes had two blunderbuss units (N1 at the top of the picture and N2), two axe-armed units (N3 and N4), and a medium artillery battery.

As usual, turn one consisted mostly of both sides maneuvering into contact.

The Munchkins advance toward the crossroads.

… Then it got exciting.

Dave charged with his Nomes and gained some initial success against the Munchkin Landwehr, with their poor Melee attributes. The Landwehr counter attacked against he blunderbuss men. In FIVE consecutive Reaction Tests at close range, Dave’s blunderbuss men never decided to fire. The blunderbusses have an advantage at close range, and Dave’s poor Reaction Tests on his right flank probably contributed most to his eventual defeat.

On the other flank, the Munchkin light cavalry threw back Dave’s other Nome blunderbuss unit. They eventually rallied and took another stab at the cavalry, but not before the horsemen charged and routed the Nome artillery. Dave failed another Reaction Test and did not get of effective artillery fire before the horsemen closed.

A Nome axe unit did manage to route the Munchkin artillery as the center and Nome right got more confused.

This is right before the cavalry charge the defeated the Nome artillery. In the distance you can see the Nome axe unit that routed the Munchkin artillery but never managed to take advantage of the situation to hit either Munchkin infantry unit on the flank.

The Munchkins have driven back the aggressive Nomes and resumed their advance toward the crossroad.

At this point, the Nomes had only one unit left. Although they technically held the crossroads, at the end of turn four, we called the game a Munchkin victory. The Nomes had no hope of holding the crossroad if we had played another turn.

Despite dismal die rolling by Dave, I think that both players had a good time. Les’ dice were about average, some good rolls and some bad. I don’t think Dave rolled less than 9 on a Reaction Test the whole game.

This was Les’ first experience with the rules, and he seemed to like them. He is working on his own rules for the American Revolution. I have sent what I think is the final draft of Wars of Orcs and Dwarves to the publisher for layout. Soon I will begin work on Wars of Eagles and Empires (for black powder era warfare). The initial rules will focus on the Napoleonic Wars, and I’ll be looking for folks to write supplements for other periods, such as the Seven Years War, Jacobite Rebellion, and AWI. I am talking to Les about writing that supplement.

Orcs for Wars of Orcs and Dwarves

Buck — Wed, 19 May 2021 15:50:44 +0000

Dragonbait pig-faced orcs supported by an orc shaman and an orc hero and backed up by Old Glory giant blood orcs.

Life and work have gotten in the way of blogging for several months. I have been busy painting when I can, but just not blogging.

I have been developing Wars of Orcs and Dwarves, the version of Wars of Ozz for generic, massed-battle fantasy games. Development is well under way. As I embarked on that project I realized that I had very few fantasy figures, except those needed for skirmishes or RPGs. I have been painting hobbits like crazy, and that is about done. Now I have begun to focus on orcs and dwarves.

I recently received my figures from the Dragonbait Kickstarter for pig-faced orcs. I decided to paint their skin in AD&D yellow instead of GW green. I like the way they have turned out.

Progress on Wars of Orcs and Dwarves

Buck — Thu, 28 Jan 2021 13:04:26 +0000

I’ve continued to work on WOOD via Zoom games. Development is coming along okay. There is the typical tension between those wanting to complicate to game to account for every nuance of a particular vision of fantasy battles (whatever that means) and trying to keep all the mechanics consistent and streamlines.

The start of a recent WOOD Zoom game in which the undead faces off against humans.

I don’t have my own fantasy armies. In the past any fantasy figures I painted were for role playing games to were instated into GASLIGHT games. So, I have been working to create a hobbit army.

A regiment of hobbit musketeers.

A closer look at the musketeers

These hobbits were 3D printed on my resin printer. I think I prefer metal figures, but printing figures is a cost effective way to build up an army very quickly.

Heavily armored hobbit cavalry.

The whole “brigade” of hobbits: 3D printed hobbit heavy cavalry (top left), old Heritage Lord of the Rings hobbit cavalry (center top), 3D printed hobbit spearmen (top right), and musketeers (center bottom).

A close look at a 3D printed hobbit ranger I am using as my general.

A final look at the hobbit brigade. You can see the paint scheme on the badgers of the 3D printed cavalry.

I am currently working on three regiments of hobbit infantry in Italian Renaissance style dress from The Assault Group.

Munchkin Balloon

Buck — Sat, 16 Jan 2021 12:37:43 +0000

The crewmen of the Munchkin balloon. Though it only has three figures, the rules state that it takes five hits like an artillery battery.

The LAST set of Ozz figures I had to paint is this balloon. I am awaiting the dire Lions, Tigers, and Bears, but until they arrive, I am out of Ozz figures. In late Summer I had three linear yards of bags of Ozz figures. I have been knocking out one or two units a week.

A closeup of the balloon

A long shot of the whole balloon and its stand.

The balloon kit comes with the lucite rod. One of the things I like about this kit is that the rod goes up through the gondola to the balloon. The gondola is actually suspended from the balloon by the lines (wire). I have built other airships over the years where the base is connected to the gondola and then the lines actually hold up the balloon. The Old Glory balloon seems more stable. The gas bag is made of a very light foamy resin. This reduced the weight on the end of the moment arm. I glued the base that came with the kit to an old CD, which provides enough stability.

New Figures for Ozz and WOOD

Buck — Fri, 15 Jan 2021 13:15:31 +0000

The Summoning Bell for Ozz

I have been working hard to finish the last of my Wars of Ozz figures. If we are ever allowed to peacefully assemble again, I want to have every Ozz figure painted to use in demonstration / participation games at conventions. A few months ago, I had three linear yards of Ozz figures to paint. The last of them are the summoning bell (pictured above) and the Munchkin balloon, which I hope to complete later today.

I have also recently completed a few other Ozz figures to get to this point.

Impkin Infantry Regiment

Impkin artillery battery

Gnomes. This is a faction that will be released later in the year and is not available to the public yet.

A final unit of Winkie cavalry, mounted on Zilks

Gillikin infantry fighting giants of the Albine mountains.

In addition ot figures of Wars of Ozz, I am painting up a couple of fantasy armies for Wars of Orcs and Dwarves (WOOD). WOOD is an adaptation of Wars of Ozz (WOZZ) for general, massed-battle, fantasy games. I haven’t traditionally done much fantasy gaming. As we were testing Bear Yourselves Valiantly, I relied on Chris Palmer and Dave Wood to provide figures for the play tests. I used to think I had a lot of fantasy figures “back in the day.” In getting ready for WOOD games at conventions, I realized that I only had enough figures to make three units, hardly enough for a massed-battle game. Most of my fantasy figures were individuals for role-playing games or G.A.S.L.I.G.H.T. So, I have started to assemble six players worth of figures.

Roomans. These are old Ral Partha figures from the late 1970s or early 1980s. I really like these figures, but they are out of production, and they were only made in two poses of pikemen.

Ductaurs: I ordered some plastic centaurs. When they arrived, though advertised as 28mm, the seems a little small to me. I had some extra duck heads from Star Hat Miniatures, so I did a quick head swap. I am happy with the results, but I fear the plastic weapons are going to be too fragile for gaming.

So far, for WOOD, I have a very complex spreadsheet that can be used to “stat out” units for WOOD. The idea is that players can bring whatever armies they have. (Apparently a large number of gamers were orphaned when GW discontinued Warhammer in favor of Age of Sigmar. So WOOD has not back story or lore. This means instead of providing pre-approved army lists, I need to provide a mechanism for players to determine the costs of the units they want to use. In addition, my friends have been creating army lists with WOOD stats for armies from other gaming systems.

Completed some additional Ozz personality figures

Buck — Sat, 26 Dec 2020 23:26:55 +0000

Arella the Witch Leader of the Gillikins

The three Gillikin personality figures

Evora, the Witch Leader of the Winkies

Winkie personalities

Enjoy!