I write non-crime, non-fantasy books though I’ve not written much lately. This was where I started and stopped when work exposed me to so much tragedy I no longer found earnest tales of triumph over adversity entertaining. I couldn’t read it and I certainly didn’t want to write about it. I still derive little pleasure from stories of poverty, violence, addiction and despair.

I am currently editing a work I started a long time ago and set aside for several years. I dipped back into the well of real life and created Behind Closed Doors, a small family drama. The failing health of the family patriarch sends ripples affecting three generations. It is a story of decline, grief, endurance and resilience with a sprinkling of joy and a whole heap of love. I’ve edited it a few times and it’s resting now. Another edit pending.

As an contrast, I have also started The Making of a Curmudgeon: Standing Still While the World Disappoints (working title) which is a semi-autobiographical account of how I came to recognize and embrace my inner curmudgeon which is now my outer persona as well. This will be more comedic I hope and I work on it intermittently when other WIP become challenging.

With the tariff wars and disrespectful behaviour directed our way, I started a speculative fiction piece entitled Bordering on Crazy which I dust off when the news has made me particularly angry. It’s a speculative work set in the near-future with the USA devolving into chaos and protecting our long, shared border from our former friend and ally becomes even more imperative.

Finally, when the news became too overwhelming for Crazy, I started a stand-alone crime-adjacent novel, working title Book Club Confessions which is a joy to write, so far. There’s crime, fictional and real, and lots of quirky characters. I hope my vision for this work is attainable. I’ll be very disappointed if I can’t pull it off.