The Siege of New Hampshire

Book 4: Chapter 18: Baron Kirk

The eccentric stranger that came upon Susan's camp settles in as if it were a social call. He distributes some snack bars and offers packs of oatmeal for Heather's family to have for breakfast. Susan remains suspicious of the stranger but his effusive politeness has Heather relaxing and accepting his help. Kirk even offers to find a house for Heather's family to live in. Susan tries to advise caution, but Heather is leaning toward staying. Susan feels like a failure as a leader.

>> If you're enjoying this story, supporting this podcast is as easy as a cup of coffee! BuyMeACoffee.com/microland Or become a patron at Patreon.com/mic_roland.

Book 4: Chapter 19-A: Contested Decision

Baron Kirk's generosity suddenly drops away and his true intentions become obvious. He draws a gun on Susan before she can respond. She manages to free herself from the zip-ties and attacks Kirk. He's fighting to ensure he gets his 'rent,' from Heather. Susan is fighting for her life.

 

Thanks for supporting my work on this story via BuyMeACoffee.com/microland Or at Patreon.com/mic_roland.

Book 4: Chapter 19B Contested Decision, part2

Susan emerges from the ravine, leaving Kirk behind to face his fate. She orders her ad hoc group to break camp while she checks out the junkyard garage. There, she discovers that Kirk lived in relative squalor and with medieval paraphernalia. She salvages useful items and food and fashions a makeshift sled to carry it all. Susan and the family resume their trek over rough and hilly country toward the town of Vernon and the possible crossing point.

>> Consider showing your support for this podcast by buying Mic a cup of coffee. Only $2. That's not so much, right? Check out Mic's Buy Me A Coffee page at BuyMeACoffee.com/microland.

You can also become a supporting monthly Siege Club member and get access to exclusive content. Patrons at Patreon.com/mic_roland get access to the same exclusive content.

Book 4: Chapter 20 part 1: Detour

Susan, Heather and family continue traveling north over hilly terrain toward Vernon, VT. Finding the hydroelectric plant busily occupied by soldiers. They join a general migration of people toward Brattleboro. A chatty old woman joins them. She provides useful information about what lies ahead and some cover for entering the Canton.

Your support helps make this podcast possible. Help keep Mic going with a cup of coffee at -- BuyMeACoffee.com/microland Or become a patron at Patreon.com/mic_roland.

Book 4: Chapter 20-B Detour, part 2

En route to Brattleboro, Susan's group is joined by a chatty old woman. She is an inadvertent source of much useful information.  Within Brattleboro are many more housing options and support systems that could take care of Heather and her kids. However, the conditions turn out to be austere and the environment grim. Heather and her family decide they want to go to New Hampshire with Susan. She was not expecting that.

Q & A

To make it easier for you to send me a question you might have about the Siege stories, I created an anonymous survey at -- https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/eZKv0o1d

Check it out and let me know. The survey is good for 2 weeks.

Book 4: Chapter 21: Diverted

Susan's plan to run across the bridge to New Hampshire is interrupted by a stranger. His intervention saves her group from likely being shot by overzealous federal soldiers. Susan and Heather cautiously agree to accept his help with some temporary housing while Susan tries to figure out another way across the river. They are introduced to an extended (and somewhat curmudgeonly) family living at a cluster of family farms called Five Corners.

 

The survey will still be active until April 20th if you want to vote for the Siege character you'd like to hear more about -- AND -- if you had any questions you'd like to ask about the stories. Check it out. -- https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/eZKv0o1d

Book 4: Chapter 22: Options

Susan settles into the daily routines of the extended family living a Five Corners. She figures out that Paul had been secretly part of Operation Longbow. Connecting some clues, she guesses that he is still part of some underground resistance network. As much as she has been fixated on getting back to Cheshire, she realizes that it would not be as blissful as her imagination paints it. Staying in Vermont, and becoming part of the underground network is an option that would make her much more useful to the people of Cheshire.

Thus ends book 4.

There will be a couple Bonus Material episodes before the start of Book 5. If you'd like to get a preview of what's in Book 6, consider becoming a Patron on Patreon, or a member at BuyMeACoffee.com/microland.

 

Book 4: Epilogue

Some author notes about the making of Book 4 and about the process that led to the "need" for a Book 4. A bit, too, about Susan's new home outside of Brattleboro, Vermont.

 

Help keep the Siege story podcasts coming. Buy Mic a coffee at BuyMeACoffee.com/microland Or become a patron at Patreon.com/mic_roland.

Siege Stories Q & A

Here are the results of the survey question: Which characters you'd like to hear more of in the stories AND, answers to the questions listeners submitted about the Siege stories in general.

 

Book 5 will begin soon. If you'd like to get a preview of what's in Book 6, consider becoming a Patron on Patreon, or a member at bmc.link/microland.

Siege Stories: Interview by Brian Hawkins

Following up on last week's Q & A about the Siege Stories, this week features an interview of Mic Roland by Brian Hawkins of NextStepSurvival.com. Brian had several questions of his own about the Siege stories, so he and Mic discussed things like writing techniques, whether the characters are based on real people and a bit of background Mic's professional history as a writer.

 

Brian's blog can be found at: https://nextstepsurvival.com. He has the interview with video on YouTube. We both took a stab at editing. :-)