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From:

Paul Brunton
Howdy,
I picked up "Tide of Battle" at the local library. I normally peruse the new book section and just see what catches my interest, thought I would give your writing a try. OK, here's what happened...1 page into the book, "He and Dad nailed timbers and plywood to make another tree house , in the thick lower limbs of a larch." really?? I cut logs for 20 years and have spent much of my 66 years in and around the woods, and am yet to see "thick lower limbs of a larch" that are even mildly appropriate to support a tree house. Sorry to say, I am such a narrow minded bonehead that I could not keep reading.....

~~~

Dear Narrow Minded Bonehead (as you correctly identify yourself):

Well, I have to say, this is quite amusing.

I could note that the larch is often used to represent the Nordic Pagan World Tree, and is a very popular wood for house building in that part of Europe, and thus the scene is a metaphor for "home" and the world and the character's climb increasingly high until he reaches space.

I could note that "timbers" are referenced, which can imply the structure is supported from the trunk, and is only amongst the limbs, not braced on them, which is a common trick for treehouse building.

But the fact is, if you're that over-sensitive, some other thing would set you off, and if one minor quibble over a single word at the beginning of one story makes the entire collection unreadable, I wonder how you can read, watch, or listen to anything produced.

You must be a blast at parties.