Al_Steiner
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THE WAY THINGS ARE - Chapter 1, untitled currently
🕑 Added 2025-05-25 23:18:37 +0000 UTCOkay, nobody freak out please. First of all, there is no charge for this post. It is a novel chapter, but not an Intemperance chapter. I am not abandoning or slowing down on Intemp. I am committed to bring it to a close and to eventually continue with stories from the next generation. But I also realize I'm going to need to take a break from the Intemp universe for at least one novel when it's done. I'm exploring what novel I want to pick up next. All of these I will be posting are things I started at some point as ideas, but never followed up on for whatever reason. I'm not promising to adhere to a vote of which one I should continue when Intemp is done, but I'd love to hear reader input, so please let me know if the opening chapters grab you or not.
This is the first. It's called The Way Things Are and it's my serious take on how the world would work if the paranoids and conspiracy theorists were actually right.
The Way Things Are
Dark Conspiracy Thriller | Plausible Paranoia | Quietly Terrifying
John Cargill works for the Bureau of Commerce Regulation—a perfectly forgettable federal agency. Or so people think. In reality, he’s part of the quiet machinery that keeps the illusion of democracy running and the public distracted just enough to prevent questions.
In Chapter One, a doctor is discredited for discovering too much about vaccine biochemistry, a new agent joins the team, and a religious couple investigating Near Death Experiences stumbles into a synthetic narrative the Agency has been curating for decades.
It’s not dystopian. It’s not sci-fi. It’s just... how things work.
And yes—there will be black helicopters in future chapters. They’re real. They’re silent. And they don’t need pilots anymore.
Comments
Dave Sanney
Really enjoyed reading “The way things are” Al. Is there a follow up?
Whicked
This, all of this. And I sometimes miss ASSM. There were quite a few good authors on there. If you are not getting enough of Mr. Steiner, try Gina Marie Wylie. Very female protagonist-focused, but some darn good stories there. I really like 'Tree Symphony,' but I'm a sucker for stories about music and making music.
Svrtas Severtas
Thanks for sharing these three initial chapters. I have been reading your offerings since the days of Usenet, starting with the short stories on ASSM. You offered something not often found there, namely quality erotica with proper punctuation, paragraphs & grammar! Your evolution to writing novel-length works, like Doing it All Over & Aftermath, has been exciting, and while I initially found you on free sites, I have progressed to being a Patreon member and purchased digital copies of most of your offerings on Kindle (although I would rather do this on Kobo - gotta stick it to Bezos!). If it is true that you get what you pay for ... well, putting my money where my mouth is seems appropriate. Intemperance has been a real journey. As it has progressed throught the chapters, there has been less erotica but more plot, as we readers (and probably you too) become more invested in the characters. The AI generated photos you have produced really "flesh out" the characters, although I do admit my image of Matt was of someone stockier and more muscled - the kind of bar brawler I would give a wide berth. The musical references and use of song lyric snippets you enjoy has always felt like I am getting an inside look at how you see the world. The Rush references are also appreciated. Being part of the secret cabal of Rush fans is a wonderful delight! That all said, my favourite works of yours have been those in the Sci-Fi/Fantasy genre. The Perfect World/Greenies/Homebodies books were superb, and both my wife and I really enjoyed the Correct Destiny books. The cognate works were ended perfectly, but I have to admit that reading about those characters again in your Chapter One offering piqued my interest, and I would love to dive deeper into that theme again. Keep writing, Al. Most of all, write what inspires you. That will result in the best you have to offer. You have a real gift, and we are grateful you share that with us.
Svrtas Severtas
A long comment, so apologies in advance to all!
TexanInParis
I vote no. Depressing story. As usual, excellent writing, but given the current political climate, toxic.
EdM1950
Has all the makings of a great novel. you're navigating that edge in exposition well and giving deep information but not turning the story into a British or indian school system story. This one could actually get you movie rights sold. It's paranoid enough. so far and the middle class sellout protagonist is great.
