Holiday Message from Andy and Me

We wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hannukah, or great (insert your holiday of choice here).  I’ve been lucky enough to write the Andy Roark books and share them you. Friends, family and fans. 2024 has been a good year. If it’s been good it’s in no small part due to you, your…

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Soup

It snowed yesterday. Which is funny because I am pretty sure it was sixty degrees at some point last week. But, yesterday it snowed. Not a lot, there’s an inch or so of the white stuff on the ground, classing the place up. It’s cold outside tonight, in the low, low twenties and sure to…

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Tis the season

I don’t tell a lot of Cop stories. I am still serving and it seems odd to talk about it. But I have a story that involves my late friend Mike. Mike was a senior and very, very well respected member of my department. I was lucky enough to work with him benefit from his…

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Soup

Last week my friend Jay, a retired Army Officer whom I work with said to me; “You know what time it is?” Now, since it was near lunchtime and that was a fairly open ended question I offered lamely; “Time for lunch?” “No, it’s time to make Borscht.” I don’t know if I introduced him…

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Writers, write.

My paternal grandparents were actors. They had day jobs too and by the time I came along had long since given up the stage. My grandmother and I would watch movies and discuss them. I remember we watched an bad movie with a great actor, the role wasn’t great, the writing wasn’t great and the…

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Four Skills Everyone Should Have

Over on Substack I wrote about mood and atmosphere. The premise opened up with certain life rules I have. I started to write about the four skills that I think everyone should know. They are essential skills in life and they represent skills that are sadly going the way of the Stick Shift. And yes,…

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Too good to last.

 In my early twenties I was restless. I had graduated from college and while I was commissioned in the Army I didn’t get put on Active Duty. The girl I dated in college moved on and I can’t blame her. I was working a job that I didn’t like and didn’t pay particularly well. The…

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Crime Bake!

  So here I am in Dedham, doing one of the most writerly things I’ve ever done. I am attending a writers convention/conference. Mystery Writers of America’s North East chapter hosts an annual conference for writers and by writers. There are agents and  a full spectrum of talented writers. This morning was a treat, in…

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Other Fall Rites of Passage

  The Army was very generous in the twenty-four years I was in the Reserve. They gave me a lot of opportunities but the two they provided in in abundance were the chance to have someone stick a needle or multiple needles in my arms, and to stand in line. You can imagine that last…

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A Modest Beginning

  Last night I was at a gathering at my friend Byron’s house. He had lured me down the opposite end of our tiny state with the promise of a firepit and good bourbon.  Like most Rhode Islanders, I balk at driving more than twenty minutes anywhere, but my Long Suffering Wife pointed out that…

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