Really, more of a concept dump.  Figured some folks might smirk at the idea.









 

Dammit! Where is the "Like" button??

Keep it going, please

Hah,  that will take a bit.   This idea was burning a hole in my head,  so I had to write something about it out.   Figured the good folks here on ARF would appreciate the concept.    Unlike my last attempt at SHTF fiction, this one will not be slow-boiled because I'm lazy.   Nope, I'm about 30k words into a sword/sorcery fantasy novel, and that's my primary focus ATM.

On the plus side, I am going to clear it with staff to do some basic "Hey look!" stuff here,  seeing as that will hopefully be my first completed novel.   Beyond that, Pirates of the Mohave is a side project I need to percholate a bit more.   Lots of questions I have yet to ask myself and answer before I'm comfortable writing it.

Good stuff

I LIKE IT!

Lookin good to me too. More please.

I like your style Storm, the adventure book you are writing sounds good too!

Mohave?  You mean Mojave?

Seen it spelled both ways.

Not that wikipedia is a citable source,  but... http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mojave

Wierd.  Never seen it your way, and I grew up 2 hours from it.

*shrug* Honestly, I haven't been out that way in forever and once you'd said that, I was like "Erf?  Really? Damnit, I'm a dumbass" followed by some googling to doublecheck stuff.  Alternate spelling is probably because people are idiots and have trouble spelling, like myself evidently.   Either way, when I get around to actually writing a more detailed story, I'll make sure to not use the idiot spelling

lol!  Hey, if it's an approved spelling, go for it.

Though I think it's funny that you spelled Chihuahua correctly!  

Either way, good teaser.

This needs to be a book very cool story.

Well, it's definitely on my short list of things to work on.  On the plus side, I'm at about 50k words with the fantasy story right now.  Think I was closer to 20k when I first posted this teaser  At this rate, maybe a month or two from now I should be done with the content generation, then comes editing and the like.


As an aside, since I do intend on following up on the Pirates idea, if you guys wouldn't mind expanding a bit on your comments a bit, I really would appreciate it.

I know it sounds kind of retarded for me to ask stuff like "Why did you like this?" or "Where do you see this going?"  but one of the things I really want to do is understand what parts, not just of the writing, but of the story concept that folks really like.   That helps me with how I lay out everything else.

Otherwise, some themes I know I'll have to deal with, with Pirates, is how do they deal with what they see?  I'm not talking just the "Hey, we just killed half a dozen fuckheads out in the middle of the desert", which, by itself, would bother some folks... I figure that type of person wouldn't be volunteering to do this, but you never know, really, until you have built the group and the like.   What I'm getting at is that not every operation they knock over is necessarily going to be this smooth (ie. no injuries/losses for the Pirates) nor will said operations be set up quite the same way.   They could hit a 18-wheeler on the interstate, expecting it to have weapons/money, and find out it's a load of weed/meth/coke/whatever.... or a coyote running illegals.   How they deal with that speaks of their character.  I mean, do they take guns/money only?  Do they take only certain drugs and burn the rest?  Do they sell them to fund their operation? Are some folks taking said drugs and using?  Do they turn the illegals lose, or seal the rig and someone notifies INS?  Lots of possibilities, lots of interpretations, and potential for conflict...  and that's not even addressing that sooner or later, the cartels will get tired of their shit and send folks to "deal" with them.  That, and the Feds don't like competition.

I like the premise, seems like you've put quite a bit of time and effort into it.
How many of the pirates would be former or current military or LE?
You need some engineers and technical trades for support, that way they can pull off some pretty elaborate capers.
They definitely need to keep the cash they come across...

Group that came to mind starts off with a pair of hunting buddies, former .mil, who have a really shitty day out in the desert... by the most entertaining point, they would have a smattering of former .mil, former LE, active LE, and a few well placed spooks.  Them getting the drop on the BP agent was not an accident  After all, they knew the drone was there, got in anyway, and got out without it ever seeing shit.  :)

I think the story can go two ways.  

The easier way follows the theme of "Gov't is corrupt or inept, these guys are fed up, turn to vigilantism to keep homes/state/country safe from gangsters/criminals, rally support of people, etc."  You will fit in with most of the e-books available now on Kindle in this general theme.

The harder and possibly better way will examine a few things your teaser raises.  Vigilantism, almost by definition in this case, is hypocrisy.  It is a complete rejection of the Constitution the Pirates probably view as a foundational document in their lives.  If ex mil/leo, these guys have sworn to uphold it.  And yet, there they are, taking life and property without due process of law.  If they are smart enough to disable drones, they are probably smart enough to have to struggle with that at some level.  Next, being the AZ desert and crossing the feds, their actions may be viewed as hate crimes by the media, the government and probably foreign governments.  What happens to these guys when they are painted as an anachronistic hate mongering militia by every TV station in the country ('Government sources say these were undocumented immigrants coming to America for a better life, murdered in cold blood in the desert")?  They may have a few supporters, but they will be outlaws in the public mind.  That may be very hard for smart professional people like engineers with real careers and families.  Will someone start trying to cut a deal?  If so, what do the Pirates do to one of their own who may snitch?

Either way, I enjoyed reading your teaser and look forward to where it goes from here.

I like the theme of the government is corrupt and not keeping americas borders safe, i also like how much detail you put into the setting of the story i really hope you keep with it, it would be a good read.

Interesting and well written, thank yoiu.

May have another teaser section "soon", depends on what my muse decides to do :P  Should be the initial set-up.

That's a great start!!!

Looks good so far. As for "tendencies" (that right ?) what do you think of the polarity of the population of the good ol' USA right now? Most folks just wanna get on with their lives. Don't mess with them or the living they 're trying to make and they'll hope it will go away. Mostly late 20's to mid 30'ish. The teens to early 20's, they don't know, unless its free. Yea they know free stuff. Take folks like me , (I ain't stupid) we are just about fed up, sounds like the "Pirates" are too. So get on with it !
 Wanna see what these patriots come up with next !

Well, where I'm at right now I've got a decent idea on how it starts... details on how it gets to the point in the teaser are a bit hazy... who's perspective I'll be writing from isn't decided, much less how *he/she* becomes involved with the Pirates... but I do know how the first book ends

I like it!   I think you can really go places with it.

You know, honestly not to push my own direction too far, but it would make a GREAT "Mack Bolan/ Stony Man" series.





Straight action adventure with a political slant with some powerful messages slid in.  

I agree with this.

Well?

Wells are holes in the ground

I've decided I like the concept enough to start putting a bit more effort into building up the world and some of the settings, but I'm also going to college to finish my degree, so between that and working on my front-burner novel time has been fleeting.

I think you guys might like one of the concepts I came up with while talking to one of my verified snake-eater friends.   Figured the Pirates would have a few dedicated safe houses.  Given the pirates would know that sooner or later their 'anonymous' cover would fall through, said places would likely be trapped... also figure said traps would likely be non-obvious (duh), but by that I mean military equipment is obvious...  explosive filled tennis balls detonated by coded RF chirps don't look like traps, they look like tennis balls just laying around the house.  :)   Personally, the one that had me and the other guy laughing was an idea involving a high-volume, high-velocity wood-chipper... when I told him, he nodded and said, "Well, that would definitely send a message..." and thus the trap got it's name:  Message to Garcia.  

tag tag tag

I really wish I had a ton more for you guys.  I do.  Seriously, the idea is burning a hole in the back of my head, which was why I did the short concept that is the OP.  Really wish there was 48 hours in a day just so I had time to write all the stories in my head.   As I said before, it's not 'if' I get around to fleshing this out, it's 'when'.

I am a pirate of the Sonoran Desert......really..

I've sweated a lot in the Sonoran desert...

You are my kind of guy. Stay safe. HONOR FIRST.