“Writing is something I do – mostly as a volunteer or as an extremely low paid person. For several years I wrote a column for my local newspaper about local political issues. When I decided to run for local public office, I had to give up my pulpit. After eight years in elected office, I returned to writing a monthly column called “Community Connections” for the Hendersonville Times-News, but stayed away from politics, mostly.”
“My time after public service was claimed by the nonprofit community, especially in board service. It was the perfect opportunity to return to writing a local column devoted to discussing information related to nonprofit issues. For those of you not familiar with non-profits in your community, they are the force that keeps life civilized in a small town. The domestic violence shelter, the arts council, the array of national non-profits who have affiliates close by, such as, Boys and Girls Clubs, Habitat for Humanity, American Red Cross. All these and more are working hard along the American landscape, doing great work.”
“The column on nonprofit issues, “Community Connections,” originally started as an informative offering. Then I created strange people in a bizarre landscape to act out the issues I thought important. Although I have written this column for seven years, at the editor’s request, I no longer use “allegory” to make my point.”
“One thing led to another and I was soon sitting at my computer, refining the characters from my column and turning out stories. Now the story side of me comes out in The River Bend Chronicles, as a mix of nonprofit service and family relationships, a little lust and murder on the side.”