Category Archives: Martha’s Children

Chapter 20 of Martha’s Children, and a few thoughts on the Dresden Files

Like Ned O’Donnell, Sherlock Kammen has a favorite sister . . . well, in his case, his only sister. Kate (née Hecate) has always been the older, more sophisticated sister, the one member of the family who moves among the rich … Continue reading

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Chapter 19 of Martha’s Children, and the Vampire Bureau star design

WARNING! This post actually says something about this chapter! “I never did repent for doing good,” but in chapter 19 of Martha’s Children, it seems no good deed goes unpunished. The intrusion of sorcerers into the affairs of the would-be vampire … Continue reading

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Chapter 18 of Martha’s Children, and time travel

In the last episode, Sherlock Kammen got ventilated, by bullets, that is, so we need a new narrator. Sally Truax, Internal Affairs’s finest, steps up to the plate to tell us what happened after she shot up her sometime lover, … Continue reading

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Chapter 17 of Martha’s Children, and the Walker Report

In “To unburden all my plots and purposes,” chapter 17 of Martha’s Children, Sherlock Kammen finds out more about how Martha and sorcerers may affect his chances to get back on the police force. And for all you women’s libbers, as … Continue reading

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Chapter 16 of Martha’s Children, and hierarchies

In chapter 16 of Martha’s Children, “The shadowed livery of the burnished sun,” ex-cop and vampire Sherlock Kammen gets down to the business of helping to build what will become Chicago’s vampire police, if all goes well. There’s no blueprint; Ned … Continue reading

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Chapter 15 of Martha’s Children, and the Vampire Bureau’s star

Sherlock Kammen may now be a vampire, but he’s still a detective, and detectives rely on building up information to support their plans and actions. In chapter 15 of Martha’s Children, “Aye, marry, I’ll be gone about it straight,” Kammen works … Continue reading

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Chapter 14 of Martha’s Children, the ’45, and the new blog background

In “If Fortune be a woman, she’s a good wench,” chapter 14 of Martha’s Children, we get to meet the woman Sherlock Kammen trusts the most. Yes, she’s dead. No, this is not just some cynical joke of Kammen’s. Ivy … Continue reading

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Part 2 of Martha’s Children begins, and on city boundaries

Martha’s Children takes a sharp turn as part 2 begins with chapter 13, “He sleeps by day, more than the wildcat.” And like a wildcat, Sherlock Kammen dislikes being bothered, unless it’s for a darned good reason. Being turned into … Continue reading

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Chapter 12 of Martha’s Children, and blog changes coming

If Ned’s ever going to be a cop again, he’s going to need the list of cops Martha turned into vampires. Because Love told him it was the only way, he’s risked his life, and come close to killing Martha, … Continue reading

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The writer’s happy lament; or, writer’s block as an aid to writing

I have been suffering from writer’s block for a month. It’s not that I couldn’t write. I just couldn’t write anything that felt good. That, as it turns out, was a valuable warning sign. It told me I needed to … Continue reading

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