ROBERT TOWNSEND

My wife, Patrice, and I live in France.

Suzdal

Research Suzdal, The Executioner’s Son

Suzdal, Northeast Russia, Early 1950s by Robert Townsend This article is a working document—background research assembled to keep the fiction honest. It draws on Russian-language sources, Memorial Society databases, German...
Aleksandr Nikolayevich Shelepin (born Aug. 18, 1918, Voronezh, Russia—

Deception and Irony

Article first published as  "Deception and Irony: Soviet Arms and Arms Control," Open Source Intelligence, Spring/Summer 1993 (Volume 14, Number 2&3) Deception and Irony: Soviet Arms and Arms Control In...
Historical printmaking scene with a press and two workers.

AI, the Creative Arts, and me

Artificial intelligence is at fiction’s front door. Like any innovation, it had advantages and disadvantages. You approach with care. The automobile gets you from here to there quickly and in...

Spirit Falls, Novel 1 in ‘The Long War’ series

Two children. One wilderness. A friendship that becomes their salvation. The Korean War rages far across the ocean, but in Michigan’s remote Upper Peninsula, six-year-old Marie-Jeanne Charbonneau walks into the...
Ancient Greek bronze statue of a bearded man, showcasing detailed musculature and curly hair.

Redemption

Soldier, Son, Father, Husband Yonder man, while his spirit was diseased, Himself had joy in his own evil plight, Though to us, who were sane, he brought distress. But now, since he has...
A young woman smiles warmly beside an elderly man in a cozy setting.

Daughters

It is a gusty rainy afternoon. Storms sweep across France.  I've turned 76 this birthday. Over coffee and croissant at the Mount Drejet brasserie I consider:  I have raised five...

Wounded, Novel 2 in ‘The Long War’ series

The second novel in The Long War series  A sweeping tale of exile, hope, and resilience, WOUNDED   Book Two of The Long War saga. In the spring of 1960, tragedy...
Black and white photo of a young man standing outdoors in casual clothes.

The Fragility of Truth

In the shadow of a global stand-off, the official narrative of a nation often clashed with the memories of its people. Ideology dictated what was true, and the line between...
Portrait of a serious middle-aged man in a black jacket and white shirt indoors.

False Friends

Fabienne, A neighbor and health food fanatic, had invited Patrice and me, and some three dozens of her (mostly) French friends to a soiree. Thus, the evening's language was French....
Four adults enjoying drinks outdoors with scenic countryside views.

Friends

Anonymous Authors Friends, dear friends,  Berlin friends Friends visited Patrice and I in France last week (June 18-22, 2025). I had met Alexandra, Jill, and Garrit in 1972 (thereabout) when...