Light & Darkness, vol. 13

Light & Darkness, vol. 13

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

Yes, it's another one. Don't worry, it can't go on forever; but for now - here's part 13 of my series.As a nation, we have ignored almost two centuries of prophetic warnings. The stage has already been set by those we have allowed to hold sway in our country. Do we recognize what's coming? Will we merely react to the crisis after it happens, or will we act in time to change the course of our nation and prevent the crisis? Can we take a lesson from 1940s Austrian history and prevent a repeat? As though ripped from today's headlines, Christian author Ilyan Kei Lavanway explores what might happen to American families if parents fail to recognize how government alphabet agencies might legally - yes legally, lawfully - use school children as bait during false flag exercises or feigned emergencies to lure parents into internment camps under the guise of public safety. Do you own a gun? Is it registered? Are you loyal to the United States Constitution? If you answered yes to all three of these questions, you are probably on somebody's list of potential enemies of the state. FEMA Camp Parent Trap is a wake up call. For those who think it's implausible, ask a 90-year-old Austrian. If you can find one.
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Light & Darkness, vol. 6

Light & Darkness, vol. 6

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

Another part of the series, this time with more welcoming material and a personal favorite (or at least one of the few).A retired MLB pitcher finds love and redemption via a hurled can of humble soup. Refusing to obey signals cost him his career, once--but this time--a beanball is exactly what's called for, and the signs all make sense. Making a hero often requires a "zero" to balance the equation. Seeing life from both sides of the fence, the protagonist reconciles his past, finds humility, and creates a new beginning. This story isn't about about baseball, though it makes significant commentary on contemporary status, thereof, and incisively nails what's wrong with the sport...where greed has driven it awry. This narrative is primarily about what's truly important in life--what's solidly pure and what's vacuously hollow--what's important when looming largely in front of us, but insignificant in the rear-view mirror with distance applied. Dreams and aspirations loudly drive us when young, while wisdom softly chuckles from the quiet perch of maturity. Each has its time and purpose.
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Light & Darkness, vol. 3

Light & Darkness, vol. 3

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

Part three of the series, containing material from the end of winter '12.Terrorist. Patriot. Take your pick. In the ruins of the United States travels Dustin Parker and his brother, trying to cross the country to get to safety. A revolution decimated the country seven years ago and forced Dustin from his home. Nowhere is safe, a truth he learns very quickly. The revolutionary Hyenas and the remnants of the American government scrounge through debris and ravaged cities to find Dustin- to find him because of a secret he keeps from both sides. One is meant to protect him. The other would see him executed. But the only question on Dustin’s mind is in regards to which will find him first.
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Knights Of Bourde

Knights Of Bourde

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

A short story about being lost and trying to find yourself; set to the background music of a famous psychedelic rock band. Nothing to do with knights or medieval times.After Nathan is dumped by his girlfriend, he encounters a strange Taoist priest, and has many interesting debates throughout the night, but the next morning he finds that he has been transported fifteen years into the future. A revolutionary technology enables people to live and work in cyber space. People no longer want or need to drive cars, fly overseas, take drugs, smoke, eat junk food or worry about casual sex, because they can now do all of these things in a digital paradise. Nathan has a difficult time adjusting to the new world order. During a night out in a bar in cyber space a group of people attack a pretty girl and her mates. Nathan helps the girl fight off her attackers and discovers that he not only has super fighting skills but the girl he saved is Mary, the most wanted terrorist in the world. Now Nathan’s life is in turmoil. He has to decide whether to help the government destroy the terrorist organization that is responsible for the threat of global warming returning, or assist Mary in destroying the digital world that could ultimately lead to the end of humanity. The line between right and wrong is no longer clear and Nathan possesses the ultimate power to change the future. This story blends adventure, Kung-Fu and gun battles, and a heart-wrenching romance all mixed together in a new science fiction romance like you have never read before. Experience Nathan’s happiness, sadness, self-discovery and the struggle between life and death in this astonishing futuristic world.
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Light & Darkness, vol. 5

Light & Darkness, vol. 5

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

To be honest - this is my least favorite part of the series; so let's just get it over with. Written in late spring/early summer 2012.The President of the United States stated that an experiment was going to be made by sending a person back to the year 1945. He was to remain there and observe but do nothing else. Was this a safe endeavor of mankind? Though the administration was assured no harm would be done, others were not so sure. If you want to know what happened when the experiment was tried, you'll find out in this story.
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Chastised

Chastised

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

Amanda yearns and discovers herself as her vivid childhood memories are the only thing left to give her hope and keep her from fading away from life.ChiarOscuro Episode Two The Winds (Words 5,734)The City of Lemekia, right on the Eastern border of Aludin, faces the tides of war of an old enemy. The city is evacuating with only a few citizens left as tensions rise and soldiers start to strengthen the city. Meanwhile a small group embark on a small mission...SERIESChiarOscuro is an ongoing online fantasy series being published at https://chiaroscuroseries.wordpress.com/. Taking place in an alternate world where humanity is just discovering it's full potential after nearly being brought to extinction five millenia ago, the darkness that once threatened humanity has returned, seemingly with the intention to finish what they failed to do 5,000 years ago.ChiarOscuro is made up of 'Books' each one containing an Episode (these normally span a week or two) and a chapter is released throughout the duration of an episode. The official site will be the first place to find the newly released chapters at first, as well as extra pieces that delve deeper into the lore, world and characters of ChiarOscuro and once the Episode has concluded, it will be shortly be available as a single 'Book' to read in full.So follow a small select few in this time where the world's and humanity's certain is uncertain and travel with them to meet many different cultures, people, beliefs, customs through deserts, mountains, the city of nine walls and even the parts of the world the human eye cannot see...SERIES SUMMARYTaking place in a world where at the dawn of human civilisation, a catastrophe struck nearly bringing humanity to extinction and close to forever changing the world as we know it.They called them Demons, twisted, ruthless creatures with no seemingly other drive than to conquer all those weaker than them as they were the strongest and fittest and Earth seemed close to falling into the hands of these strange beings, who came to our world with no warning and legends speak of skies literally tearing open as Demons invaded our world.However, humanity as it always seems to do, fought back and though most of the people living at that time were forever lost, the Demons were defeated, the remaining leaving this world or scattered as they fled the humans only hours before they had been slaughtering mercilessly.It’s been 5,000 years since those events, though many dismiss the tale as legend and humanity has only recently started picking up again, there have been some strange reports recently across Aludin and with the mysterious Decabia to the east, the era of peace may soon be coming to the end and new heroes will have to answer the call to defend humanity’s flame once again, as they did so 5,000 years ago.
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Otherside

Otherside

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

My take on the whole "parallel world" thing. It is my longest short story to date, based on a conversation, a dream, a memory and an idea.Brought to you free. Your opinion matters. Please leave a rating for others to enjoy.Salunas Tac always wanted to do something more. To be something more. When Gaiana, the Druid Mother, visits Aazronia for her Reconcilement blessing, she regales him with tales of the Gift Giver. Inspired to do something for the families of Aazronia, Salunas takes on the mantle of Gift Giver, using his Coercer powers to help spread joy throughout the land.On Whetu, a powerful Abomination has arrived through the Great Portal. Flying to the Druid village under the cover of darkness, it attacks, taking two children and infecting others. When Magistrate Marcus appears on Whetu, with information about the powerful Abomination that is lurking there, he must convince the Druids to take deadly action. On the eve of Reconcilement, this is one thing they refuse to do. Seeking out the help of the Earth Mother, and friends they have gathered along the way, they strive to bring about a resolution that will save humanity.
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Light & Darkness, vol. 7

Light & Darkness, vol. 7

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

Part seven of the 'Light & Darkness' series, with songs from end of summer and fall of 2012.ChiarOscuro Episode Two The Winds (Words 5,734)The City of Lemekia, right on the Eastern border of Aludin, faces the tides of war of an old enemy. The city is evacuating with only a few citizens left as tensions rise and soldiers start to strengthen the city. Meanwhile a small group embark on a small mission...SERIESChiarOscuro is an ongoing online fantasy series being published at https://chiaroscuroseries.wordpress.com/. Taking place in an alternate world where humanity is just discovering it's full potential after nearly being brought to extinction five millenia ago, the darkness that once threatened humanity has returned, seemingly with the intention to finish what they failed to do 5,000 years ago.ChiarOscuro is made up of 'Books' each one containing an Episode (these normally span a week or two) and a chapter is released throughout the duration of an episode. The official site will be the first place to find the newly released chapters at first, as well as extra pieces that delve deeper into the lore, world and characters of ChiarOscuro and once the Episode has concluded, it will be shortly be available as a single 'Book' to read in full.So follow a small select few in this time where the world's and humanity's certain is uncertain and travel with them to meet many different cultures, people, beliefs, customs through deserts, mountains, the city of nine walls and even the parts of the world the human eye cannot see...SERIES SUMMARYTaking place in a world where at the dawn of human civilisation, a catastrophe struck nearly bringing humanity to extinction and close to forever changing the world as we know it.They called them Demons, twisted, ruthless creatures with no seemingly other drive than to conquer all those weaker than them as they were the strongest and fittest and Earth seemed close to falling into the hands of these strange beings, who came to our world with no warning and legends speak of skies literally tearing open as Demons invaded our world.However, humanity as it always seems to do, fought back and though most of the people living at that time were forever lost, the Demons were defeated, the remaining leaving this world or scattered as they fled the humans only hours before they had been slaughtering mercilessly.It’s been 5,000 years since those events, though many dismiss the tale as legend and humanity has only recently started picking up again, there have been some strange reports recently across Aludin and with the mysterious Decabia to the east, the era of peace may soon be coming to the end and new heroes will have to answer the call to defend humanity’s flame once again, as they did so 5,000 years ago.
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The Lake

The Lake

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

A short story about a man and his experience with a different kind of fountain of youth.Sixteen-year-old Anna Grey has the personality of an online encyclopaedia crossed with a leashed miniature bulldog and she is about to discover that she has a very special gift. The 'gift' doesn't compute well and her orderly little world is about to be turned upside down. Anna is about to discover that she can see the dead ... speak to the dead and crush (blush) on the dead.Meet her two mismatched best friends always annoyingly by her side–Dylan Ray, a drama queen of an undecided nature and Jacqui Van Eden, a fragile butterfly girl. Together they inadvertently summon the soul of an Australian WW1 teenage soldier named Leo. Leo is confused and stuck, pining for a love long while being a bit on the nose.Being amongst the living is becoming harder for Leo to achieve and he is scared that he will dissolve into a bootstrap with an earlobe before his mystery is solved. Armed with their cutting edge IT devices, the trio travel virtually through history to unearth why Leo has one foot in No Man's land and a bum cheek on Anna's good couch. It's going to take more than facts and figures–it's going to require HEART.
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Light & Darkness, vol. 11

Light & Darkness, vol. 11

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

The last volume of my series about light and darkness; no more songs left to be published. Thanks for reading. I will (hopefully) be back next year with stories.The Jones and Wochowski clans were early adopters of Replicator technology, a technology that both precipitated the destruction of the world and allowed a few to survive. The patriarchs of the two clans helped develop the technology but a dispute has their progenitors precariously existing in a real-life situation of "people living glass houses needing to not throw stones". This dispute between the two neighbors is especially poignant for the respective children of the clans, Steve and Sally, who find themselves in love. Under the noses of their restrictive and vindictive parents they communicate via discrete means such as texting using Replicator-made cell phones, stolen binocular glances across the blasted earth between their two homes, and even tapping in Morse-code on the steel door that connected their two homes in pre-feud days. Ultimately the young couple's love demands they try and find a way out.
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Light & Darkness, vol. 10

Light & Darkness, vol. 10

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

Second to last volume, just one more coming next month and them I'm finished with this series. Written in February and March of 2013.A collection of lyrics and poetry inspired by our debut, this booklet is the companion to Hobbes feat. Kuderski's album: "Voices of Reasons". Our debut is a concept album by nature. When I wrote the lyrics, what I had in mind is that each song represents a person, with their personal point of view, stemming from their "Voice of Reason" in their mind. A few poems will be lyrics on our upcoming album.To me, it's all about the interplay among people. Mom always used to say to me "It takes two to tango", and "There are two sides to every story." For me, it's about all of us being our own individual selves, communicating it to others as best we can, while really listening to the other "Voices of Reasons" out there. That works on building a sense of understanding, acceptance of, and mutual respect for one another.A few poems will be lyrics on our upcoming 2-disc album: "At This Point". I hope that you, in your lifetime, are moved to create something beautiful of your own, and that you then share it with the world.
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Light & Darkness, vol. 4

Light & Darkness, vol. 4

Robert L. Shelby

Philosophy / Nonfiction

Part four of my poems/lyrics series, written in spring of 2012.After receiving a mysterious letter, a withdrawn mid-level public servant is pulled from his quiet routine and thrust into a world of intrigue and danger. Invited to join the Black Tower Hunt Club, Patrick Pierce quickly realizes that the luxurious grandeur of Ravenwood Manor belies a dark secret within. Unsure who to trust, he delves into the past to find out why he was recruited and who is behind it.Meanwhile one of Ravenwood Manor’s maids finds herself caught up in an internal power struggle for control of the Club. Trapped between two brilliant and dangerous adversaries, Jane is forced to choose a side in order to achieve her goal of a life beyond servitude.As the stakes become higher, both Patrick and Jane will have to look inward for the strength to survive the perilous ordeals they’ve been pulled into.
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