Welcome to NICK ARMBRISTER/JIMMY BOOM SEMTEX's blog where a variety of writing is posted including old and new work, book extracts, new project updates, book/blog links, photos and more. Watch this space for news on new books, projects, open mic sets and more. Keep it alternative and creative. Life is about being an individual and writing! Rock n roll \m/ :)
Saturday, 7 November 2026
3 Strong Chix - Riga, Juniper's Daughter and Sarah by Brian Von Blimp
Sunday, 1 November 2026
Sarah isotopes
Thursday, 15 October 2026
Juniper's Daughter upward
Friday, 9 October 2026
Blue Boxes – Stories About Sarah by Nick Armbrister (Author)
Well I suppose I better tell some stories. My name is Sarah. I am a soldier. Not in a regular army though I have worked with them several times. That was in the UK civil war when Scotland and Wales went for independence. I was involved from the beginning. It was fraught with difficulty. Our weapons were old. This is part of my story. I never got my fairy tale life of a loving husband, our kids, a home and a job. Instead I was forced to be a soldier. It was fight or die. What would you do?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HLTBPTB2
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/2116466
Friday, 2 October 2026
Wednesday, 23 September 2026
sarah new stories war nukes and more
Sarah Pointed
Sarah once
had an Air Force lover. They met in a Manchester bar between one of the many
wars. He was off duty. She was too though she was armed. Drunk dangerous and
armed. This was how it was. Young soldiers were expected to know all things.
That included being responsible. Sarah was that. She met Rudy in the Northern
Quarter. Sarah took him to a small room she rented. It was a long walk to
Oldham. John and Lee were doing a deal. The gal was having some fun. She had
her needs. Her friends were out of bounds. A nice thirty something pilot
wasn't. He was a decade older than the soldier. Her weapon was an old ex-army
SA80. His was a slightly outdated Typhoon jet fighter. He told Sarah all about
the coming war with France. Told her to stay away from the cities and towns. Go
to the hills he urged. Our leaders are scared. So are the French. The UK civil
war was bad. This will be worse. There's no way to stop it. The Frogs refuse to
talk about the fishing dispute. All we do is threaten. It won't end well.
Enough of that the gal said. Buy me a drink. Buy me six drinks. Make love not
war baby. Take me flying in your jet. Just you and me. Show me how you kiss the
clouds. Loop the loop with me baby. This they did in a small room in central
Manchester in-between the many wars. Would they remember this time? The brown-haired
gal and the blond-haired flier. Twin flames ignited by a love of country and
desire for the other.
Time passed
and the bombs fell. He was later killed in the UK/French nuclear war. His
Typhoon strike fighter disappeared over Paris. Almost a hundred million people
died in that week-long war that needed up nuclear. Sarah missed Rudy on
occasion. They were both soldiers. The only difference was she was still alive.
***
Sarah Escals
Sarah
remembered after the nuclear exchange. That was the understatement of forever.
Hundreds of warheads launched. Dozens of millions killed. Many towns and cities
destroyed. Untold millions more injured or with radiation sickness. The biggest
human tragedy ever. That anybody survived was a miracle. Most people were suffering.
Fallout depended where you were located. The way the wind blows. You had to be
there and survive to know what it was like. The UK landmass with three
independent nations was decimated. It was a mini apocalypse. Imagine it was the
full global nuclear arsenal. Sarah missed her dead family members and friends.
She daydreamed of a happy life. Married with kids. It was a fairy tale.
Survival mattered. Sarah's soldiering skills and access to weapons did. As did
the support of John and Lee. Only by steel determination would they live. A gun
was always close. You have to endure into know. This event changed all things.
A final war. Yet conflict would continue. This time the enemy would be
absolutely top dog. More than all the others combined. Satan. He would try to
win this battle. A final fight. Was Sarah or her other fighters aware? Luckily
help would arrive. A witch with powers off the chart. A new friend indeed for
Sarah and the rest...
***
Saturday, 19 September 2026
Riga Spin Spin
Riga Spin
Spin
Riga
pushed the throttle
Forward
back forwards back
Feet on
the brakes
Nosing
forwards on the runway
Prop a
whirling whirring sliver blur
Powerful
inline piston engine
An
absolute fucking roar of what?
This
Messerschmitt fighter so alive
Painted
three shades of pretty blue
Gal in
the cockpit a small thing
Not
insubstantial just sat there
This
amazing machine was living
Living on
the runways waiting
To ascend
into its lair the sky
There
life real life took over
Into the
sky always forever eternity
Come on
little Riga fly!
Your
Messerschmitt needs air
To live
be alive oh so living up there!
Thursday, 10 September 2026
Saturday, 5 September 2026
Riga Finals by Brian Von Blimp
Riga Finals
by Brian Von Blimp
This is book ten in the Riga series and the last for now. Till when? Riga goes on her exploits both on Earth in more mundane settings and also in outer space with her flying disc. The writing is in the usual flash fiction style with a section of poems. Pedro gets a mention. He and Riga were brought together and interacted. Whether is was positive or negative is for you to say. Riga does her duties to help others and the Universe in different realities. If you see a small gal who is focused on her task it will be her. Do not trigger her! Her time is never enough for her many tasks. Follow Riga in her latest escapades. Work and erotic settings are included. All what we find in life and more. Wish little Riga luck. She will return in future. Will you miss her?
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0HHQQZ32X
https://books2read.com/u/3yBOxB
Tuesday, 1 September 2026
Sarah all arms op
Friday, 22 May 2026
Sarah bad ass
Saturday, 9 May 2026
Riga Meets Sarah
Riga Meets Sarah
Imagine a
place where you can meet people. Riga met Sarah. A meeting that never should've
happened. Both wanted to meet missing loved ones. They went to this place to do
that. The people they met were not who they wanted to.
I miss my father. That fact never
ever goes away. If only there was a way to finally be together. Other than my
own death. Meeting my father in dreams and by spaceship doesn't count. It's
not... Real.
Lee, I miss you. Where are you now?
Did you know that John and I were together? We were happy for a few years. Can
you believe that? We denounced war. Threw away all our guns. We had a son. A
difficult birth. He was a monster. That's what we called him. Monster. The
radiation...
"Who
are you? You are not Lee?" Sarah was so confused. "What the Hell?'
"Where's
my father? He should be here. Not you!" Riga also perplexed. She shook her
head.
"This
place..." Sarah waved her hands.
"It's
not what it's meant to me." Riga wiped her tears away.
"I
know. Tell me about it. I’m Sarah."
"Sarah?
I'm Riga. Nice to meet you."
"Likewise.
How are you? What's the matter? Please don't cry."
"I came
here to see my father. He died before his time."
"I'm so
sorry Riga. Please don't be sad."
I'm always
sad after my father died. It's why I left my boyfriend Pedro and gave him Hell.
Thanks for your kind words Sarah."
"I am
sorry Riga. We all lose those we love. My friend Lee died. We were all
soldiers. The English army killed him. It was terrible. We won the fight but
who won the war? I certainly didn't..."
“I am sorry
too for your friend Lee’s death. You just have been close. It's ok about my
father. Thank you...."
"I
guess we are both the same. Sisters in death and loss. You're not alone now
Riga. I am your friend..."
"Thank
you. I need a friend. Sarah is a pretty name."
"I'm
from Oldham. In England. My home town. It was destroyed with a nuclear bomb.
You see we were at war..."
"I'm
sorry about all that. The war. Your friend dying. Your home destroyed like
that."
"Yes
Riga. Modern weapons are powerful. That one was. I fought my own wars and
demons. Different from yours."
"I knew
a witch. She gave me her spaceship. I went looking for my father..."
"Juniper's
Daughter? You knew her? Fuck. She was my friend too. She was strange. Though a
good person. She was also a soldier. Her wars were also different yet
relatable..."
"Fancy
that. We both knew the witch. It’s a small world my friend. A small
world..."
***
Friday, 30 January 2026
Riga Parts Collected
Riga Parts Collected
Riga liked to get her hands dirty. Like she was now. Inside the medium sized aircraft hangar work was being done. Her shark like green and brown Messerschmitt 309 was raised up on supports. It was being taken to pieces for servicing. Outer panels had been removed. Others were open. They gave access to the engine, radio, guns, ammunition, to the aircraft's systems. Part of the wing covering was being removed. Rivets needed to be carefully drilled out to do this. This was to get to the main wing spar. Bolts would be removed and the wings taken off. All parts would be inspected, serviced or replaced. The tail unit and landing gear would be dismantled. All of it.
Riga worked with two younger mechanics. They knew what they were doing. Their names were Mayor and Vigel. Riga pointed. "I have a section of wing skin almost removed. A flush rivet is bent. My drill will not reach it."
Vigel nodded and replied. "I need to finish this tricky bit. I have to disconnect these electric lines. Mayor please help Riga with the rivet."
Mayor smiled and went around the port wing to Riga. He looked at alloy skin and problem rivet. The metal was carefully streamlined. Any pulling it would bend it ruining the aero foil shape and also the rivet hole. Flush rivets were difficult to remove. They were smooth with the skin. If you drilled it wrong the drill could slip and damage the wing skin. "I see what your problem is. Let me take a look. I had one like this before. There's a way to remove this. I will show you..."
"I will watch with interest. Then I will know how to do this," Riga commented as Mayor got his pocket knife. He opened a long narrow blade, sized up the problem rivet and thought. He nodded and murmured.
'There is always a solution to engineering issues. This isn't in the book. Watch closely Riga." The mechanic placed the blade by the rivet. "Support the wing skin. There, yes. Take the weight. Here we go..."
Riga was silent and watched. Mayor did something very quickly with the blade. Her eyes were fast but she missed it. She held the metal and it suddenly came free. She carefully carried the metre-wide panel over to the work bench and placed it down on an oily sheet. Upon returning to Mayor she said, "Well done Mayor. Just what exactly did you do with the knife? You were fast."
"Well Riga, Vigel taught me this. It's all about control and force. Using just enough controlled force in the right place. I used the knife and popped the rivet out of the hole without damage. It's all physics. But very delicate physics. Now we can remove the wing after getting the bolts out..."
"You know your stuff. Show me how to loosen the bolts and steps for taking off the wings please." The gal pilot was fascinated. She had never seen a full plane being disassembled before. Especially her own.
"Of course. I will show you what needs to be done. Hey Vigel, you nearly done with those wires?" Mayor was ready.
"Just finished it buddy. I will help you both. Here's the spanners and correct socket sizes..." Vigel replied. He removed his head and shoulders from a fuselage access panel and got the tools from his box.
"How hard or easy is this procedure?" Riga asked. She looked at the exposed wing spars and bolts. Three big steel bolts held each wing on.
"Easy enough. It has to be done right though. First, we remove the forward bolts then the rear bolts and finally the middle bolts. Then we slowly slide the complete wing off. The three of us will be able to support it but it's heavy. Ok Riga and Vigel?" Mayor smiled at his small female boss. Vigel gave a thumbs up.
Vigel and Mayor got their tools ready. It was time.
"First the forward bolt. The under wing supports will take the weight..." Vigel put his 25-millimetre spanner on the bolt and tested the torsion. His spanner had a gauge on it and registered the number. He nodded then slowly moved the spanner to the left. The bolt came loose.
"That's right..." Mayor commented. He was ready for any issues if Vigel got into trouble. It was fine. Vigel continued and lifted a large wide long bolt out then held it up. He handed it to Riga. She took it in both hands.
"It's very heavy. Look at that..." She turned it over and inspected it.
"That holds your wing on to the spar and the fuselage. It saves your life every time you fly. It's made from high grade stainless steel." Vigel added.
"Fine German engineering," Mayor said. "I will remove the rear bolt. Riga, you will remove the middle bolt. Then we will slide the wing free. And after that, we do the same for the other wing. Please put the bolt in the tub on the desk there..."
"I promise to be careful. This is my plane and it carries my life as you say..." Riga put the bolt safely down and grinned. "This is serious work but fun!"
"We knew you would like to take part. Now you see how complicated a machine your plane it. Precision engineering for high performance. Just wait till you see a turboprop or a jet. Now they're something else..."
They continued their work servicing and dismantling Riga's 309 piston engine warplane. It was a small plane but huge job. She had new views and more respect for her mechanics now. She would buy them both a beer when they were off duty...
***







