Douglas Whaley

. The success of the best-selling novel “Fifty Shades of Grey” has surprised a lot of people, and, while I’ve not read it myself, I assume it plays upon the occasional fantasies many people have about kinky sex.   In 2005 I had the lead in a community theater production of the play “Deathtrap” and the script called for the living room (the only set) to be decorated with instruments of torture.   As is happened I have a friend who is a straight woman, called “Mistress Athena” in the leather world, and she was kind enough to loan the theater some whips and metal restraints for use as wall hangings.   Through her I came to learn a good deal about the leather world, which is very different from what those not part of it believe.   Mata Hari That knowledge came in handy when I was writing my latest novel (not yet published, but soon) called “Corbin Milk.”   The plot concerns a gay CIA agent, a handsome bodybuilder, who the CIA sends on assignments where gay intrigues give him ac

. This coming Friday, December 21, 2012, is reputed to be the end of the world according to the Mayan calendar, though the modern Mayans themselves don’t seem any too sure of this prophecy, and the whole thing is probably a misunderstanding (see below).   Nonetheless, the Chicken-Littles are making their usual “end of days” noises, and the silly season is upon us again.   Is there any scientific evidence of impending doom?   No.   Is there evidence of any kind that something about to happen other than hearsay and rumor?   No.   Has this nonsense happened before?   Oh yes!   Over and over and over again.   Let’s review the history of apocalyptic predictions. Begin with the Bible.   In five different places Jesus is quoted as saying the world is about to end.   In Mathew 16:28 he assures his followers that “ I tell you the truth, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom."   Mathew 24:34 is similar: “ I tell you the

. Since last spring I have been doing book readings from my atheist thriller “Imaginary Friend” in front of various atheist/freethinker/humanist groups in both Ohio and Michigan, but this past Sunday morning I performed the same reading on the air!   I was invited to be the only guest on KTNF in Minnesota for the weekly morning Atheist Talk radio show put on by Minnesota Atheists.   Both of the hosts, Carl and Brianne were terrific, and after the show they each wrote very helpful reviews of “Imaginary Friend” for my novel’s listing on Amazon.com (where it’s available in both a paperback and Kindle version).   Their picture is below, and I thank them for their efforts on behalf of my novel.   The sales in Minnesota picked up dramatically as a result. Carl and Brianne of Atheist Talk Radio   If you’d like to hear the audio version of the show in which I perform the readings (in multiple voices, as various characters are talking, one of them with an Australian accent!) go to:

. As described before in this blog [see Related Posts below in “ Doug Update: Health, Acting, Book Readings, and Snowbirding”] , I’ve decided to snowbird in Wilton Manors, Florida (outside Ft. Lauderdale) for the first three months of 2013, my first experiment with a winter migration.   Any such move, of course, is filled with planning and headaches, but new adventures await, as well as old friends, sunny climate, and—by golly I’m hoping—a chance at meeting Mr. Right (see same post for more on that fantasy).   There’s much spinning around in my head each night as it hits the pillow. I’ve just finished seven months of book readings for my atheist thriller “Imaginary Friend,” and am about to do a radio show this coming Sunday [9 a.m. CST, 950AM KTNF http://www.am950ktnf.com/ in Eden Prairie Minnesota] in which I will read selections from my novel and talk about when it’s appropriate to “come out” as an atheist.   The book sales have been going well (particularly on Kindle), an