Infinity Wanderers 5: Infinity Wanderers

By Grey Wolf

Infinity Wanderers 5 leads with an author interview with Ralph Greco Jr., leading into a feature on the childrens book 'Too Many Bunnies' authored by Joe Swarctz and himself. Regular columns include L.G. Parker's Small Causes, comparing Operation Sea Lion with Operation Overlord, and his Urban Warfare, focused on Hue in the Vietnam War, and Jon N Davies continues his history of the Goughs of Ynyscedwyn with his article on Richard Gough Aubrey (2). Serialised stories continuing in this issue are Alea Abiecerat by Haley Receveur and The Smiling Tiger by Rusty Gladdish, whilst Grey Wolf pens an article on A Dream of Empire, now a Little Book, published by Scimitar Edge. The late Brian G. Davies' travel articles continue to be published with 'Seeking the Northern Lights', and some of his poetry is featured for the republication of his book 'A Fountain Stirred'. Featured poetry comes from Pawel Marckiewicz with Arethusa and Alpheus, Richard Stevenson with Poems from an Abominable Swamp Slob, and from Linda M Crate, and Simon R Gladdish. Featured stories include Alma Pater from Jenean McBrearty, A Pearl Harbor Secret from Gene J Parola, Stone and Blood from Brenden Sisk, and The Vae's Appetite by Michael Gerard. A book review of C M Angus' novel Overstrike completes the magazine.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Selornia
• Release date: Mar 20, 2023
• ISBN: 9798215404737

Grey Wolf

Grey Wolf began writing as a teenager, and has remained consistent ever since in the genres he writes in - Alternate History, Science Fiction, and Fantasy. A poet since his later teens, he now has several published collections and his work has appeared in a number of magazines.  Living now in the South Wales valleys, Grey Wolf is a keen photographer and makes use of the wonderful scenery and explosion of nature that is the Welsh countryside. 

Book preview

INFINITY WANDERERS

#5

EDITED BY GREY WOLF

Infinity Wanderers issue 5

Edited by Grey Wolf

Cover Art by Robin Stacey

Fiction, Poetry and Artwork: Copyright remains with original authors

No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopy, recording, or any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author or from the publisher (as applicable).

INFINITY WANDERERS

ISSUE 5

CONTENTS

Author Interview - - - - - - - Ralph Greco Jr.

Power of the People - - - - - - - Arda Sarikaya

Poetry - - - - - - - Linda M Crate

Stone and Blood - - - - - - - Brenden Sisk

Small Causes 4: Sealion vs. Overlord - - - - - - - L. G. Parker

Seeking The Northern Lights - - - - - - - Brian G Davies

Alma Pater - - - - - - - Jenean McBrearty

Richard Gough Aubrey (2) - - - - - - - Jon N Davies

Poetry - - - - - - - Simon R. Gladdish

Rutskoy Paradise - - - - - - - Arda Sarikaya

Alea Abiecerat – Part 3 - - - - - - - Hayley Receveur

Poems from A Fountain Stirred - - - - - - - Brian G. Davies

A Pearl Harbor Secret - - - - - - - Gene J Parola

Arethusa and Alpheus – Sonnets - - - - - - - Pawel Markiewicz

The Smiling Tiger – Part 3 - - - - - - - Rusty Gladdish

Urban Warfare 2: Hue - - - - - - - L. G. Parker

The Vae’s Appetite - - - - - - - Michael Gerard

Poems from An Abominable Swamp Slob - - - - - - - Richard Stevenson

Slain, The Lion - - - - - - - Grey Wolf

Overstrike by C M Angus - - - - - - - Book Review

About A Dream of Empire - - - - - - - Grey Wolf

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Author Interview

Ralph Greco Jr.

How long have you been writing?

I’ve been a professional writer since my early twenties, but my mom has ‘books’ I wrote and colored, funnily enough about spaceships and alien worlds, from when I was about eight or so. So it’s been a very long time.

What is the earliest work of yours that you remember? Do you still have it? Have you published it or intend to publish it?

Following the above, I do remember those books. Still, for a published work from my professional, early adult years, I’d say a few short stories I managed to get into an ‘arts’ paper that was published and circulated in my ‘burb and a professional magazine of, should we say, ‘adult’ material.

 And yes, I pretty much have a copy of everything that's ever been published, in actual paper form, when writers like me were still having our works published mainly that way.

Who were the earliest authors to be an inspiration for your writing? Which other authors do you consider to be an inspiration, and for what reason?

I read a ton of Harlan Ellison, Edgar Allan Poe, Kurt Vonnegut, and Robert Sheckley. Isaac Asimov and Ray Bradbury, Bradbury being my biggest influence. I like all of the above-named authors for their singular style, guys like Vonnegut and Schekley for their satire (I should also slip in I am a huge Mark Twain fan but less for his writings, which I do adore, and more for his biographical information and what I have read from his famous lectures) and Bradbury for his connection to his youth and the sheer poetry of his words. His writing often just stops me dead in my tracks, where I have to push myself away from the book and say, ‘Come on, you can’t be this good a writer. Come on!"

Pound for pound, his The Laurel and Hardy Love Affair is the best short story I have ever read. I love and hate him for making me weep uncontrollably every time I read it.

Which was the first book you published?

I published a bunch of erotica, then a science fiction short story collection, all eBook/print-on-demand titles, in 2009-10.

Other than authors, who are your heroes?

I am influenced by lots of musicians, being a pro musician myself, as well as a writer. But my heroes are probably just my parents. They have been the biggest supporters in my life, and mom and dad are very strong individuals who created a home life where my sister and I knew we were loved unconditionally. That’s pretty damn heroic if you ask me.

If you could go back in time to learn the truth about one historical mystery or disputed event, what would it be?

Being a huge fan of reading about true crime, probably the whole Jack the Ripper mystery.

Do you have any names or surnames that tend to crop up and repeat themselves throughout your stories without the intention being there to make them related in any way? How have your life experiences informed your writing?

I don’t think so on the surname question; I’d have to check. I think everyone’s life experience affects what they do, be you a writer or not. For my writing, both songs and prose, I find that the amazing time I had in my teen years growing up in the 1970s is something I tend to mine for ideas again and again.

Were you always a writer, or did it just come upon you?

Yes, I have always been a writer (see my answer to question 1). Even though I play guitar, sing, can tickle the piano, and compose and produce lots of different kinds of music, an aspect of my life that is very important to me, I consider myself a writer first a foremost; plays, fiction, articles, poetry, interviews, and songs. 

How do you handle writing in more than one genre? Do you have different heads or hats that you put on to get into the correct frame of mind? 

I don’t think about it too much, as a lot of my fiction could be considered cross-genre stuff (at least, I consider it to be). Unless I am being paid to write something specific (and I don’t believe I have yet been commissioned to write fiction per se) when the mood strikes to write a story, I simply sit down, and whatever comes out just comes out.

Have you met any of your heroes, be they authors or in other walks of life?

I have met quite a few musicians that I admire, being lucky enough to write for a website based in the US called www.vintagerock.com. And I also did get to meet Asimov, Ellison (at the same place), and Kurt Vonnegut later. Asimov was especially engaging.

I also had a few minutes once to speak to Ann Rice, again, another fantastic writer and very sweet lady.

What work of yours are you most proud of, why, and is that likely to ever be subject to change?

I’m not sure there is any one book, blog, or song I am most proud of. In fiction writing, though, I’d say when I can mix my favorite genres-erotica, speculative fiction, and satire—I find I am the most satisfied. I also love writing the Echo City Capers children’s series. The freedom to pen silly kids' stuff is just fantastic.

I am especially proud to get two stories, in two different issues, into UK’s Nature magazine, as thats a big science mag and only ever features one small fiction story each time, so its a tough market to crack. One of these can be found online at: https://www.nature.com/articles/481540a

What works do you have in the pipeline, and when can we expect to see them?

I have a bunch of short stories that I am always tinkering with. I have a How To Write book that’s done and a music review book, both that I’d love to find a publisher for. And there are probably going to come more children’s books, I am sure, and I have all of my songs to finish recording. When any of the above will see the light of day, I have no clue.

Ralph Greco Jr

Ralph Greco, Jr. is the devilishly clever nom de plume of Ralph Greco, a professional writer living in the wilds of suburban New Jersey on the east coast of the United States. Ralph writes SEO web copy, blogs, articles, columns, press releases, interviews, and reviews, for clients worldwide. Ralph's one-act plays have been produced across the U.S., with his short stories and poetry have been published in single-author collections, magazines, online, and in anthologies in eight countries. Ralph is also an ASCAP licensed professional musician/songwriter, going under the name of Ralph Greco (again, just too clever for words!) found here:  www.ralphgrecomusic.com

Ralph is the writer-half of the dynamic duo, with illustrator Joe Swarctz, of the Echo City children's book series. Too Many Bunnies, from that series, is published by the Dancing Unicorn imprint of Purple Unicorn Media.

Joe Swarctz and Ralph Greco with their Echo City Capers range of books

https://echocitycapers.com/

PUBLISHED SOON – April 2023

A Few Wild Beasts To Be Dreaded

Stories by

Ralph Greco Jr.

Published by Scimitar Edge

ISBN 978-1-915692-08-5 (Paperback)

To be published in Paperback, Kindle and Epub

Too Many Bunnies

by Joe Swarctz and Ralph Greco Jr.

Too Many Bunnies is a title in Echo City Capers junior range, and has been published for the UK, EU and rest of the world market by Dancing Unicorn, the children’s book imprint of Purple Unicorn Media.

At 24 full-colour pages and at only £5.99 in the UK, the A4-sized picture book introduces the characters of the Echo City Capers range to a wider audience

Characters introduced in Too Many Bunnies include the magician Presto, and Nightbat

When magician Presto Chango leaves his house to buy a new magic wand, he leaves his bunnies alone. But two bunnies soon become more... and even more, filling Presto's house and then all of Echo City! Presto has to ask for Nightbat's help, and the two work together to get the wiggling-nose, floppy-eared, fuzzy-tailed bunch o' bunnies under control.

Illustrator/creator Joe Swarctz and writer Ralph Greco, Jr. present a story of cotton-tail silliness, where bunnies run amok, and two of Echo City's most famous citizens become friends to provide the solution to Too Many Bunnies. One of Joe & Ralph's Echo City Jr. line, published here in partnership with the Dancing Unicorn children's book imprint of Purple Unicorn, the all-colour Too Many Bunnies is a hop-tasty tale sure to please children and parents alike.

Flop those big ears, wiggle your nose, and give your cottontail a shake, Too Many Bunnies is just too much fun!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Too-Many-Bunnies-Joe-Swarctz/dp/1915692008

Power of the People

Arda Sarikaya

What Happened in Reality?

In our reality, Fikret Abdic won the presidency. Yet, he gave up the position to Alija İzzetbegovic for unknown reasons. But, let’s say, he didn’t. He refused to give up the Presidency and Alija İzzetbegovic, very reluctantly, accepted the results. What would happen if that happened, do you think?

Chapter One-Election’90

When, according to the decision of the BiH Presidency, I went to Bijeljina and maintained my dignity in a life-threatening situation, the media in BiH, without exception, highlighted it as a lofty, heroic, holy act.

-Fikret Abdić-

Fikret Abdić Becomes the President of Bosnia!

New President of the Socialist Republic of Bosnia-Herzegovina, Fikret Abdic

Fikret Abdic, a businessman from a small village in the region of Velika Kladuša who was known for his many controversies, has been elected as the President of Bosnia-Herzegovina. Joined the Party of Democratic Action, in a last-minute decision given after being released from prison due to a corruption scandal, he first became a Bosnian member of the Presidium and then was elected as