Dmitry's Adventure, Ursula, Defector and the Evil Orange Goblin Who Was Elected President

At the age of eighty, my door to a career in medical and scientific writing was slammed shut by ageism. To keep my brain occupied, I turned to writing fiction. I didn't take creative writing courses in my youth, so I hope my shortcomings are compensated for by lessons learned in life. After my wife died of cancer, I raised my sons as a single parent. I?ve met politicians, madams, prostitutes, pedophiles, FBI agents, and Russian intelligence agents. I?m even acquainted with a former major general in the KGB. I?ve traveled to Europe sixteen times, including three visits to Vladimir Putin's hometown of St. Petersburg. I can still speak some French and German. I?ve also been to South America and North Africa. I used to be a moderately strong chess player (even Bobby Fischer tolerated my presence, which was uncommon for someone so hostile). I?m fairly knowledgeable about dolphins and venomous snakes. My master's paper at Columbia University dealt with nuclear weapons testing. Since my Russian is limited to the alphabet, I?m obliged to read my favorite author, Dostoevsky, in English translation. I envy the craftsmanship of James Joyce. His Dubliners should be read and reread by all aspiring fiction writers. Alas, I?ll never get to his level.