I am a full time father of nine. I seek to raise godly sons and daughters for the glory of God. I love to write and speak. I am currently a web developer.
Some of the most special people in the world are those individuals who go through life bearing the challenge of Down Syndrome. My sister-in-law, Lori, was just such an individual. She passed away in 2002 due to cancer. She is sorely missed by her parents, her brother, my wife, my children, and myself, as well as many others whom she touched in her brief 26 years. Lori was much more like a cousin than an aunt to my children. She used to sit down at the table and color in her coloring book or draw pictures along with my three oldest. My second son, and fourth oldest child was a baby when we lost Lori, and Lori loved him.
One special memory I have with Lori is showing up to watch her run in the Special Olympics. If you've never been to such an event, I would highly recommend going. It is a day full of competition, but also full of love. It's a time when you stand and cheer the person who comes in last place and congratulate them for finishing the race. It's not uncommon to see participants stop to help a fellow competitor if they fall down. At the end of the race everyone gets hugs.
Though we are all born with a sin nature, the sin nature of precious souls who have Down Syndrome are often the same type of sin nature you observe in your toddler. Yes, they are selfish at times. They may cry on a whim, but they are some of the most loving people you will ever know.
So you can imagine my shock when I read the following news story out of the Washington Post this morning:
Flippantly commenting to Jay Leno on his poor skill at bowling, President Hussein remarked, "It's like -- it was like Special Olympics, or something." How dare he insult Americans with disabilities like this?!!! To make such a trite remark shows his utter disregard for human life. It emphasizes that his pre-election comment that determining when life begins is "above his pay grade" truly reflects his core beliefs.
What more can I say? The American people have truly elected a despicable, evil person for a commander in chief. I used to think Bill Clinton was the worst modern president we've ever had. But the Democratic party has outdone themselves with this character. They are going to have to work really hard to find a lower low life than this guy next time around.
The time: an alternative present still ruled by Imperial Rome. Over half the world's people have vanished overnight, in a forgotten catastrophe known only as the Amnesis. The survivors share a common affliction: a pervasive sense of déjà vu, making the faces of strangers seem oddly familiar...
Stranger still is the Paradigma: a formula devised by elusive magus Zerkalo Incarnadine, and delivered to Caesar in his underground fortress. Before long, the true power of the Paradigma begins to reveal itself. It can turn the written word into a force for creation – or destruction.
When alchemist, intriguer and full-time rogue Andreas Stahlherz learns of the Paradigma, he is catapulted into an adventure that will soon see him fighting for his life. Darkly obsessed with the sister he has lost, and resolved to see her live again, Stahlherz must track down Incarnadine to find the answers he needs. His search will take him beyond the limits of the known cosmos – and further still, towards his own forgotten heart of darkness...
A wildly original and gripping debut, INCARNADINE is a novel of murder, obsession – and transformation.
“Literary Science Fiction at its finest… like Neal Stephenson at his baroque best… Utterly original, this tale of the disintegration of reality in a Roman Empire that never fell is a must buy for the serious Science Fiction reader. If you enjoy Stephenson or China Mieville, S.M Guariento may just be your new hero.” – Mark Stockton, scifi365.net
S.M.Guariento was born in London, England and educated at the Manchester Grammar School. After this he spent an instructive year in Leeds learning how not to be a dentist, before finally graduating from UMIST with a degree in Management Sciences. Since graduating he has been employed full-time in NHS Finance, where his affinity for the absurd finds a natural home. He spends his spare time obsessively re-reading the works of J.G.Ballard, collecting vintage film posters and listening to electronic music. He also enjoys bragging of his family connection with the 14th Century artist Guariento di Arpo, which scholars have yet to disprove. INCARNADINE is his first novel.
I'm Aparna, an artist based out of New Delhi. In addition to being an architecture graduate, and now a full-time illustrator, I've been blogging about my love of books, decor & fashion since early 2011. I also post weekly comics about life as an introvert, (mis)adventures of reluctant adulting, the puppy eyed and much bearded love of my life (now husband), and my (very real) imaginary cat called Billi.