While I don’t normally discuss politics in this blog, the politics of the world are impinging on me and my writing very directly. Specifically, the current trade war the United States is waging against Canada. And I’m Canadian, and proud of it, and anyone who is a threat to my country is my enemy, and never mind the nuances of who voted for the current occupant of the White House.
Fletcher’s embargo is laid on all cargo
Which comfort or aid to the US intends
And since reading a book of all comforts is chief
Embargo is declared without let or relief
All of my books have been removed from Kindle, and those which were available under Kindle Unlimited will remain under restriction until mid-May. In truth that is very little problem for me.
My older books are, on rereading them, rather lacking. So, now I have this pause to rewrite them to a better standard and relaunch them with new covers.
I’m not going to do it on Kindle, now or ever. Rakuten Kobo is the Canadian branch of the Japanese Rakuten multinational, operating right here in the Dominion. Kindle will never get another dime from me, and Kobo Writing Life is, on my first look, rather more civilized than Kindle. I’ve never experienced the horror stories on Kindle that some people have reported, with their accounts blocked and funds frozen without notice or reason, but that’s another reason to leave.
Now, I am under no illusion that my departure will be noticed. I am, after all, an atom in the great ocean of Amazon. Still, I will do my bit, as they said in another war before my time. I’m not *that* old!
Since the overwhelming majority of trad publishers are based in New York, which is in the USA whether they consider themselves so or not, I’ll be self-publishing for the foreseeable future. Since my list of rejections is rather long, I’m good with that.
Speaking of covers, my new go-to for covers is [Miblart](https://miblart.com/), who are based in Ukraine. Very good covers at a very reasonable price. Recommended for indies like me.
I’m dropping Dropbox, too. There are alternatives, and I’m shifting over to them. Same for Google. They get as little of my data as I can give them.
These are uncertain times. Robert Heinlein dubbed a similar period in his Future History the Crazy Years, and I’m not a bit certain that historians in the future won’t borrow that phrase for they times we live in.
“I wish it need not have happened in my time,” said Frodo.
“So do I,” said Gandalf, “and so do all who live to see such times. But that is not for them to decide. All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.”
I have decided what to do with this time of my life and the work I have chosen. A small enough gesture, perhaps. Still, enough drops can become a wave.
My current project, The Great Rail War, deals with a war between the US and Canada.
Spoiler. The US doesn’t win.
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