• YASID: A Nun and a Priest confront Evil

    From Robert Woodward@3:633/10 to All on Friday, March 06, 2026 22:00:01
    Somewhere in the several hundred anthologies in my collection (or
    possibly an issue of _The Magazine of Fantasy and SF_) is a story set
    in, IIRC, modern day New York City where the protagonist is a nun who is
    a member of a secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a
    known one - IIRC, the name included the word "Executive") that dealt
    with occult threats (with some prejudice). She is sent to New York City
    on a mission where she encounters a priest who is a member of a
    different secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a known
    one) that dealt with occult threats. I am uncertain if my suspicion that
    the each of the 2 groups didn't appreciate the existence of other is a
    memory or a conclusion based on the premise. I think that this story was published more than 20 years ago.

    --
    "We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
    Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_. ?-----------------------------------------------------
    Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tony Nance@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 05:42:33
    On 3/7/26 1:00 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    Somewhere in the several hundred anthologies in my collection (or
    possibly an issue of _The Magazine of Fantasy and SF_) is a story set
    in, IIRC, modern day New York City where the protagonist is a nun who is
    a member of a secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a
    known one - IIRC, the name included the word "Executive") that dealt
    with occult threats (with some prejudice). She is sent to New York City
    on a mission where she encounters a priest who is a member of a
    different secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a known
    one) that dealt with occult threats. I am uncertain if my suspicion that
    the each of the 2 groups didn't appreciate the existence of other is a
    memory or a conclusion based on the premise. I think that this story was published more than 20 years ago.


    You might be thinking of the Peter Crossman stories by James D MacDonald
    and Debra Doyle.

    There was one novel (The Apocalypse Door), authored only by Macdonald,
    and a small number of short stories/novellas, co-authored with Doyle.

    I enjoyed them all, and I wish they'd written more of them.
    Tony

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tony Nance@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 08:19:23
    On 3/7/26 5:42 AM, Tony Nance wrote:
    On 3/7/26 1:00 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    Somewhere in the several hundred anthologies in my collection (or
    possibly an issue of _The Magazine of Fantasy and SF_) is a story set
    in, IIRC, modern day New York City where the protagonist is a nun who is
    a member of a secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a
    known one - IIRC, the name included the word "Executive") that dealt
    with occult threats (with some prejudice). She is sent to New York City
    on a mission where she encounters a priest who is a member of a
    different secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a known
    one) that dealt with occult threats. I am uncertain if my suspicion that
    the each of the 2 groups didn't appreciate the existence of other is a
    memory or a conclusion based on the premise. I think that this story was
    published more than 20 years ago.


    You might be thinking of the Peter Crossman stories by James D MacDonald
    and Debra Doyle.

    There was one novel (The Apocalypse Door), authored only by Macdonald,
    and a small number of short stories/novellas, co-authored with Doyle.

    I enjoyed them all, and I wish they'd written more of them.
    Tony

    By the way, some of the short stories ended up in Kurtz's Knights
    Templar anthologies, if that helps you turn them up.

    Tony

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Lawrence D?Oliveiro@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 22:56:16
    On Fri, 06 Mar 2026 22:00:01 -0800, Robert Woodward wrote:

    ... a story set in, IIRC, modern day New York City where the
    protagonist is a nun who is a member of a secret Catholic order (or
    perhaps a group inside of a known one - IIRC, the name included the
    word "Executive") that dealt with occult threats (with some
    prejudice).

    Was everything ?occult? seen as a threat?

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Lawrence D?Oliveiro@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 22:56:49
    On Sat, 7 Mar 2026 08:19:23 -0500, Tony Nance wrote:

    By the way, some of the short stories ended up in Kurtz's Knights
    Templar anthologies, if that helps you turn them up.

    The Knights Templar were a nasty bunch ...

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Robert Woodward@3:633/10 to All on Saturday, March 07, 2026 22:10:24
    In article <10ogvep$1eugf$1@dont-email.me>,
    Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 3/7/26 1:00 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    Somewhere in the several hundred anthologies in my collection (or
    possibly an issue of _The Magazine of Fantasy and SF_) is a story set
    in, IIRC, modern day New York City where the protagonist is a nun who is
    a member of a secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a
    known one - IIRC, the name included the word "Executive") that dealt
    with occult threats (with some prejudice). She is sent to New York City
    on a mission where she encounters a priest who is a member of a
    different secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a known
    one) that dealt with occult threats. I am uncertain if my suspicion that the each of the 2 groups didn't appreciate the existence of other is a memory or a conclusion based on the premise. I think that this story was published more than 20 years ago.


    You might be thinking of the Peter Crossman stories by James D MacDonald
    and Debra Doyle.


    I am wondering if my memory rewrote the story. Let's see now, the Priest
    is the viewpoint character, not the nun. However, the nun appears to be correct (I had a vague recollection of Poor Clares). However, the
    problems in the 3 stories I found don't feel right.

    There was one novel (The Apocalypse Door), authored only by Macdonald,
    and a small number of short stories/novellas, co-authored with Doyle.


    Unfortunately, the ISFDB doesn't flag those stories (along with the
    novel) as a series.

    --
    "We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
    Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_. ?-----------------------------------------------------
    Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tony Nance@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, March 08, 2026 07:41:54
    On 3/8/26 1:10 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    In article <10ogvep$1eugf$1@dont-email.me>,
    Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 3/7/26 1:00 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    Somewhere in the several hundred anthologies in my collection (or
    possibly an issue of _The Magazine of Fantasy and SF_) is a story set
    in, IIRC, modern day New York City where the protagonist is a nun who is >>> a member of a secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a
    known one - IIRC, the name included the word "Executive") that dealt
    with occult threats (with some prejudice). She is sent to New York City
    on a mission where she encounters a priest who is a member of a
    different secret Catholic order (or perhaps a group inside of a known
    one) that dealt with occult threats. I am uncertain if my suspicion that >>> the each of the 2 groups didn't appreciate the existence of other is a
    memory or a conclusion based on the premise. I think that this story was >>> published more than 20 years ago.


    You might be thinking of the Peter Crossman stories by James D MacDonald
    and Debra Doyle.


    I am wondering if my memory rewrote the story. Let's see now, the Priest
    is the viewpoint character, not the nun. However, the nun appears to be correct (I had a vague recollection of Poor Clares). However, the
    problems in the 3 stories I found don't feel right.


    I believe the authors decided to call them the Peter Crossman stories.
    My memories think the nun was a co-protagonist, and I don't remember if
    there was just the one viewpoint or not. Sounds like I should re-read these!

    There was one novel (The Apocalypse Door), authored only by Macdonald,
    and a small number of short stories/novellas, co-authored with Doyle.


    Unfortunately, the ISFDB doesn't flag those stories (along with the
    novel) as a series.


    Let's see...the five stories I know about are:
    The Apocalypse Door (novel)
    The Devil in the Details (the only one I haven't read)
    Stealing God
    Selling the Devil
    Sleeping Kings

    If there are others, I'd love to read them.
    Tony


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Robert Woodward@3:633/10 to All on Sunday, March 08, 2026 22:06:44
    In article <10ojna2$2a0n5$1@dont-email.me>,
    Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 3/8/26 1:10 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    In article <10ogvep$1eugf$1@dont-email.me>,
    Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

    (SNIP of my YASID description)

    You might be thinking of the Peter Crossman stories by James D MacDonald >> and Debra Doyle.


    I am wondering if my memory rewrote the story. Let's see now, the Priest
    is the viewpoint character, not the nun. However, the nun appears to be correct (I had a vague recollection of Poor Clares). However, the
    problems in the 3 stories I found don't feel right.


    I believe the authors decided to call them the Peter Crossman stories.
    My memories think the nun was a co-protagonist, and I don't remember if there was just the one viewpoint or not. Sounds like I should re-read these!

    (snip)


    Unfortunately, the ISFDB doesn't flag those stories (along with the
    novel) as a series.


    Let's see...the five stories I know about are:
    The Apocalypse Door (novel)
    The Devil in the Details (the only one I haven't read)
    Stealing God
    Selling the Devil
    Sleeping Kings

    There is an electronic edition of "The Devil in the Details" (I think it
    is novelette length). There is also a electronic edition of _The
    Confessions of Peter Crossman_ (which is NOT in the ISFDB, perhaps it
    didn't have a dead tree version), however, it only has the 3 stories
    that were in Kurtz's Templar anthologies.

    --
    "We have advanced to new and surprising levels of bafflement."
    Imperial Auditor Miles Vorkosigan describes progress in _Komarr_. ?-----------------------------------------------------
    Robert Woodward robertaw@drizzle.com

    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)
  • From Tony Nance@3:633/10 to All on Monday, March 09, 2026 16:20:09
    On 3/9/26 1:06 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    In article <10ojna2$2a0n5$1@dont-email.me>,
    Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

    On 3/8/26 1:10 AM, Robert Woodward wrote:
    In article <10ogvep$1eugf$1@dont-email.me>,
    Tony Nance <tnusenet17@gmail.com> wrote:

    (SNIP of my YASID description)

    You might be thinking of the Peter Crossman stories by James D MacDonald >>>> and Debra Doyle.


    I am wondering if my memory rewrote the story. Let's see now, the Priest >>> is the viewpoint character, not the nun. However, the nun appears to be
    correct (I had a vague recollection of Poor Clares). However, the
    problems in the 3 stories I found don't feel right.


    I believe the authors decided to call them the Peter Crossman stories.
    My memories think the nun was a co-protagonist, and I don't remember if
    there was just the one viewpoint or not. Sounds like I should re-read these!

    (snip)


    Unfortunately, the ISFDB doesn't flag those stories (along with the
    novel) as a series.


    Let's see...the five stories I know about are:
    The Apocalypse Door (novel)
    The Devil in the Details (the only one I haven't read)
    Stealing God
    Selling the Devil
    Sleeping Kings

    There is an electronic edition of "The Devil in the Details" (I think it
    is novelette length).

    Oh, that's interesting - thanks.


    There is also a electronic edition of _The
    Confessions of Peter Crossman_ (which is NOT in the ISFDB, perhaps it
    didn't have a dead tree version), however, it only has the 3 stories
    that were in Kurtz's Templar anthologies.


    I actually (somehow) have a paper copy of that.
    - Tony


    --- PyGate Linux v1.5.12
    * Origin: Dragon's Lair, PyGate NNTP<>Fido Gate (3:633/10)