October 31st, 2018

In Ireland the tradition, varied from our current version, hails back to the 16th century.  In America the tradition began in the 1920’s and had periods of violence when gangs ravaged property owners in areas of major cities like New York and Boston.

I remember growing up in a small Midwestern town when it was still safe to roam up and down my block filling a pillow case with candy.  My parents made me dump out my catch on the living room carpet and then they would dole out a piece a day.  By the end of November most of the candy was thrown out.
I recall being embarrassed because my Dad refused to give out candy.  We would go to the local market and buy several bushels of apples and Dad & Mom gave apples to all the trick or treaters.  Looking back, I am extremely proud of my parents being ahead of their time.

On October 31, 2017 I received a treat of a lifetime.  On October 31, 2017 I met Kira Herschel at the Madison eastside PaneraBread for lunch.  I signed a traditional publishing contract for my third novel in the Irish Troubles Series, Dead Reckoning.  I felt it was “right” to sign the contract on All Hallows Eve.
In the year since Dead Reckoning was launched April and I’ve attended ten author events to make presentations and sell books from the entire series.  I also signed contracts in January 2018 to re-issue the first two novels – Murphy’s Troubles and Dead Reckoning.  Henschel House developed new book covers and re-formatted the books so that they now “look” like a series.

For me, Halloween will always mean the realization of my dream to be traditionally published which for me means that my writing is valued and confirmation that I do have some “writing chops’.
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Halloween Treat!!!