Writing

Original fiction, opinion pieces, and non-fiction by Connor. Exploring themes of technology, narrative design, and interactive storytelling through long-form writing.

The Banality of Access: How a Movie Rental Log Revealed Jeffrey Epstein’s Grip on High Society

You don't borrow DVDs from someone you are disgusted by– you borrow them from a trusted friend.

Written By: Connor Upton In the mountain of three million pages recently released by the Department of Justice, one of the most damning pieces of evidence of Jeffrey Epstein’s survival in high society is not a flight log or a bank transfer, but a simple unredacted spreadsheet titled “Movie Log 2013”, or EFTA00585883 . The document serves as the central hub for the story of how Epstein and his employees rehabilitated the image of the disgraced financier and sex criminal in the public eye, and how his presence was normalized among elite individuals. On the surface, the document seems trivial....

The Heartstone Crystal

Grand King Requinnic destroyed the gods, but a final trick preserved magic within a crystal heart.

The Heartstone Crystal By Connor | YodaInTheAttic Grand King Requinnic stood amidst the ruins of the divine order, the air thick with the dust of shattered gods. He had brought them down, one by one, culminating in slaying the entire council where they stood. Darkness, he knew, would forever rule the land. But it would be a pure darkness. An absence of magic was necessary for the lower races to achieve their full potential. Unburdened by divine interference, Requinnic could mold the world in the way he desired. He loomed over the defeated shell that was Mreska, Goddess of Magic....

The Rogue of Turtle Lake

Marla, a Catperson Rogue, flees the Knight Commander of Eldoria and seeks sanctuary at the mysterious Turtle Lake.

The Rogue of Turtle Lake By Connor | YodaInTheAttic The moon was a traitor in the night. It hung fat and white in the sky, shining light through the wilting fall leaves of giant oak trees. For a creature of shadow with fur the color of moss, the environment felt like a death sentence. Marla dodged between the trees as she ran. Her large ears moved independently, one tracking distant bird calls while the other listened for the clomping of incoming horses. The air carried the smell of a salty tang from the nearby saline lake. Turtle Lake was the destination. Her only hope....

High Noon in the Persian Gulf: How Cowboy Diplomacy Led the U.S. Military into an Escalation Trap

The Trump administration has skipped talking and put the poncho on thinking they are The Admin With No Name.

Written By: Connor Upton This last year has been like watching a train barrel full-steam towards a collapsed bridge while you sit helpless, waiting for it to crash into the canyon below. When Theodore Roosevelt cemented the image of the American 'cowboy diplomat' on the world stage, he did so with a specific philosophy: "Speak softly and carry a big stick." Roosevelt, an East Coast aristocrat who deliberately adopted a rugged Badlands persona, understood that true power didn't require constant explosions or boastful rhetoric....

How a Cough on a Sleepless Night Could Cost You Your Second Amendment Rights

The Supreme Court is set to decide if using a THC vape, or even leftover prescription cough syrup, makes owning a gun illegal.

Written By: Connor Upton On Monday, March 2, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in United States v. Hemani. The case centers on a Texas man, Ali Danial Hemani, who was indicted under § 922(g)(3) when the FBI searched his house and found a Glock 9mm handgun, 60 grams of marijuana, and 4.7 grams of cocaine. He wasn't intoxicated when the gun was found nor was he accused of a violent crime. The government's entire case rests on the fact he owned a gun, was found to have these two controlled substances in his possession, and admitted to smoking the marijuana....