CONTACTS

What was the first thing that came to your mind with the title of this blog? Probably it was connections with other people. In today’s perceptions, it might even conjure the notion of ‘important people’ who can give you some benefit. That’s true as well. This morning as I was checking my email, I had a message from a former student of mine. He had just finished his first of my many novels and took the time to let me know that he enjoyed it.

His email was also the first that came from my website’s contact page. So the fact that he had read ‘A Passage of Redemption’ and liked it was amplified by the fact that he took the few minutes to connect with me. More than anything, I had hoped that my new site would do exactly that. I hope that others of you will do what Louie did.

On another note, I’m finding it a challenge to write my next story. I know the reason is it’s been like starting from scratch. In my new novel, “The Final Chapter,’ I told my readers that it would be the end of the Father Mickey chain — also the end of the Moran family saga that has preoccupied me for the past twenty years. You see, when I have Mickey as the protagonist, I have Mary, Meghan, Michael . . . and all the others along with him to embellish the.story. However, they all made an exit of sorts along with Mickey. Characters, and their development, are essential to a story. So is location. I’ve had the familiar haunts of Hibbing and Duluth to further add to the background narrative. So, with the Moran cast, and the familiarity of location, I’ve been able to move swiftly into a new story.

Not so any longer. I will not at this time disclose the new character, nor his whereabouts, but I will say that it is quite different from what I’ve been doing. I did enjoy the experience of a first-person story and decided to try it again. Portraying someone in the first person lets an author get more deeply into the psyche of his characters. Let’s just say that I’m having fun with my new character. ‘Mum’s Lemonade’ is the projected or working title -sorry, no more for now.

Be in touch . . .