About
I'm Steve Bonney , 73 years old , born in Waltham MA , a Boston suburb . I was kinda introverted , a rebel in spirit who did nothing . Well except for arguing with my dad about 'duty' and 'patriotism' . We both lost . I mean we lost respect for each other . I graduated high school in the top 20 , I'm a National Merit Scholar but I turned down a full scholarship at Antioch College (not focused enough to take advantage of it) , worked several jobs including a position as a laborer for an enterprise building a 40' ferro-cement boat . In 1971 I started taking courses at Northeastern University Boston , left after one semester , married Paula Cameron , then got a job with a residential construction company . I worked for several carpenters/contractors before starting my own construction business .
Paula and I built a house for ourselves in Waltham in 1976 , and bought a multi-family house , also in Waltham . In the next several years I took some courses at Bentley College in Waltham in an IT program but did not complete a degree . We sold both houses in 1987 and moved to Mattapoisett MA , into an 1860's era farmhouse which we totally rebuilt . In 2002 , we bought two three-family houses in New Bedford MA .
In 2006 I suffered a catastrophic (C5-7) spinal cord injury from a fall at one of our new Bedford properties . In the course of my life I have almost died several times . I saw no light at the end of any tunnels . I've been told there is a reason I'm still here . I hope so .
Paula insisted I should go back to school and finish my degree , which I did , at U Mass Dartmouth . These were good years for us , surprisingly so . We attended night school , ate dinner out a lot , and in 2012 I received a Bachelors degree in Liberal Arts .
I have been aware since my early teens that the United States has fallen short of its promise of democracy , chiefly because of the racist , misogynist , upper-class mindset of the founding fathers . The 'governed' consented without understanding that democracy depends on equality and transparency . The founders created a fairly adequate constitution , but failed utterly in establishing the rights enumerated .
I am compelled to write about this failure , and have produced three books related to the subject , all self-published . "Peoples' Capital" I and II are non-fiction , and are fairly good , in my opinion , but they did not sell . My novel "Snapshots" is forgettable , but is the basis of "Crystal's War" , my current project . I can self-publish again , but I'd rather not , for the afore mentioned reason . I need help editing , publishing , and promoting .
I like Crystal ; I think she has a lot to say for our times . As the world drifts into fascism , there don't seem to be any leaders . Our Democratic Party is hardly worth the name , just a bunch of feckless losers mired in the twin mantras of corporatism and militarism . Crystal is a democrat , lowercase 'd' , and as she might say , (but didn't) is that God allows evil to exist in the world because we are all cowards . It's our job .
Featured Work
Crystal's War
"Crystal's War"
Part one is the story of the Bridge Party , its founder and inspiration , Crystal White . She is a rape survivor and avenging angel, a vigilante who goes mainstream , taking the party to its ultimate dominance of the former US states . The former empire is transformed into independent regions which are currently thought of as culturally compatible , such as New England , New York/New Jersey , and the larger states as separate entities . Crystal's central operations committee is composed al all minorities , a black , an indian , a jew , and of course Crystal . She is a white anglo-saxon protestant . (she eschews capitals on minority designations ; you don't capitalize 'white' , so why 'black' ?) , but every woman is a minority , so her wasp-ness doesn't count . Crystal's Bridge Party is taking advantage of social discontent in a functional democratic system . Yes , the system functions , and if we vote for our legitimate interests , her revolution is possible .
Part Two moves to the south . Crystal and Tim go on a trip to South America where they find Peru and Brazil incapable of democratic reform . In Sao Paulo they meet Auriel , a boy who thinks he is a prophet , and together with their CIA asset Allen they co-opt Abimael Guzman's Shining Path . It's real war now , Allen's on a guilt trip over the CIA 'dirty tricks' Guzman's serving a life term for terrorism , Auriel thinks he's real-life incarnation of the Arch-Angel from Genesis 19 . Shining Path is losing , largely because Guzman is an idiot . He hands over control ; he knows he can't win , can't lead from jail , Geraldo accepts the new leadership . He and Crys have been forced out , Auriel apparently thinks he's Muhammed and no one can question him . He's crazy , but he's a winner . Well supplied and organized guerilla armies do win , if they win the 'hearts and minds' of the people . Peru's government has a level of corruption that Americans don't understand . We think corruption is graft and influence-pedaling, you know , white-collar crime . Corruption in the south is torture and death . Crystal wins the peace . Brazil is next , and Crys and Tim go home .
