Death is Eternal #375

Saturday. November 18, 2023. 1,584 words.

Yes, I’m once again writing this Death is Eternal on a Saturday. And as I said last week, get used to it. But not for long... I’ll leave this cliffhanger here until next week. While that doesn’t come, let’s delve into whatever I can brew this time around.

Contents

1. Capture of Moscow

2. Writing: Harvey Turpin

3. Bye!

4. Life (from November 13 to 25, 2023)

5. Death is Eternal review #246: 100% by Paul Pope, Lee Loughridge, and John Workman

6. The end

1. Capture of Moscow

“Messieurs, bienvenue à Moscou!” Napoleon’s chest swelled with pride as he beheld his conquest. At that time, Saint Petersburg was the capital of the Russian Empire, but it faded into insignificance compared to the symbolic grandeur of Moscow. The magnitude of the capture demanded celebration.

Yet, amidst the triumph, an unforeseen revelation dampened Napoleon’s exuberance. The glory of conquest, initially blinding like an unexpected burst of light, now unveiled a disheartening truth. Moscow, the coveted prize, lay shrouded in ruins—a stark contrast, the once-famous structures, now reduced to rubble.

“Fils de pute!” Cursed the Emperor. “Try to find something to salvage. And be careful. The Russians are treacherous,” as the Grande Armée combed through the desolation, their search yielded only ashes and echoes of destruction.

Upon learning of the French success at the Battle of Borodino, Tsar Alexander I, undeterred, made a resolute decision. “Gentlemen, we must evacuate Moscow. Remove the people and set the city ablaze! The French may conquer a battle, but they will never subdue Russia or claim Moscow. We shall reduce everything to ashes, ensuring victory lies in our resilience. Ultimately, we’ll win, or that midget will command piles of ashes! Russia will not succumb! NO ONE WILL DEFEAT RUSSIA!” The Tsar’s fervent proclamation ignited the spirit of his generals and advisors.

Following orders, the soldiers evacuated Moscow and set it ablaze. As the Tsar predicted, Napoleon and the Grande Armée encountered naught but ashes. Despite the win at Borodino, Napoleon’s taste of victory soured in the face of Moscow’s ruin.

Alexander I, despite the setback at Borodino, smiled with confidence. Conversely, despite the captured glory, Napoleon found bitter defeat in Moscow’s ashes. Little did he know, this was merely the prelude to more formidable challenges in the unforgiving Russian landscape.

The end

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During the Napoleonic Wars, Moscow was occupied on 14 September 1812 by French Emperor Napoléon Bonaparte's Grande Armée. It marked the summit of the French invasion of Russia. During the occupation, which lasted 36 days, the city was devastated by fire for six days and looted.

2. Writing: Harvey Turpin

Credit: Substack (a black labrador in an office)

In this section, I have two goals to accomplish. Firstly, I am excited to share an announcement with you, but I’ll save that for the end. For now, let me delve into a captivating discussion about exploring voice and constructing enduring characters. Without further delay, allow me to start with the conclusion.

For those who may not be acquainted with my work—although I find it improbable, considering the subscribers’ demographic (although I know it’s also true that many readers don’t subscribe to Death is Eternal, so you may be reading for the first time, which then would be understandable you don’t know what I’m talking about)—Harvey Turpin is the central figure in my series of 1920s noir stories. He embodies the quintessential detective of that era, complete with all the clichés and tropes demanded by the genre. This deliberate adherence to conventionality serves a purpose, as these tales feature not only Harvey but also an omniscient narrator who breaks the fourth wall, engaging directly with the reader. This narrator often highlights the genre’s clichés and tropes, as exemplified in a recent excerpt from my latest short story, Harvey Turpin, Private Investigator, in “The Spirits of the Woods.”

In the fifth installment of these stories, the narrator playfully questions the fate of our dear Harvey: “Is our dear Harvey facing an untimely exit from this narrative? Are we about to witness a grim demise for our beloved, albeit somewhat cantankerous, PI? Well, let’s not kid ourselves. We’ve been around the block enough times to know how this script usually plays out.”

It’s amusing to note that despite consistently criticizing authors who revisit the same characters repeatedly, I find myself doing precisely that. I used to implore writers to be more creative, to create something new rather than revisit the past. However, here I am, returning to the same characters. Am I a hypocrite? Perhaps to some extent. Yet, the main reason behind this shift is a growing realization of the value of revisiting a familiar world.

Returning to an established world poses a unique challenge—it requires respecting the existing information and creatively working within pre-established rules. This challenge adds depth to the creative process, demanding thoughtful reflection on harmonizing new ideas with the established elements. It’s no longer just about having an idea; it’s about weaving it seamlessly into an existing narrative, world, and characters. This added layer of complexity, the extra time spent with the world and its inhabitants, transforms a good concept into something outstanding—at least from the perspective of the author.

While creating new worlds is undeniably exciting, building upon an existing one, navigating its intricacies, and introducing new elements is a superb challenge that yields immense satisfaction. To my fellow writers, I wholeheartedly recommend trying this at least once. There’s a reason why countless authors choose this path, and chances are, you’ll discover the allure of it as well.

Now, let’s circle back to the beginning.

As mentioned earlier, there’s an announcement to share involving Harvey. After each short story, I encourage readers to explore the previous ones, a practice that became confusing due to all versions being available here. To streamline this process and clarify, starting in January, I’ll introduce an additional monthly newsletter on the 15th. This newsletter won’t be under the Death is Eternal banner but will, instead, feature a Harvey Turpin story. The aim is to ensure that when you search for the character, the results prominently display posts with his name in the title. However, organization is just one aspect of this decision.

The second reason behind this initiative is my current stash of material, which spans five months. Despite having ample content, my goal is to publish uninterruptedly from January to December. To achieve this, I’ve set myself a challenge—I want to write seven more short stories. I’ve reached a point in my writing journey where external due dates are necessary to fuel my creative process. Hence, I’m creating self-imposed due dates, a strategy I hope will prove effective. This leads me to the second piece of advice from this section: due dates work, and more importantly, you can set them for yourself. Don’t wait for external pressures; be proactive!

3. Bye!

Here’s where we say our farewell to the free subscribers. If you want to read the rest of Death is Eternal, consider becoming a paying subscriber. If you already are a paying subscriber, first of all, thank you very, very much! And second, I’ll see you on the other side of the paywall.