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Trinkets of Love is a story about honor and respect for others.
The story was created on Thanksgiving Day after visiting with a grandfather. He knew that I was quite interested in things
of the past, so he invited me to the attic to visit memorabilia that was important to his life. As I listened intently to
his stories surrounding various objects, I discovered that he was often upset that he could not locate a particular object
in the story. He would sigh and say; “Oh well, I guess someone has moved that.” However, I could see by the look
in his kind eyes that he knew that someone had taken it from him to keep it for themselves. On the long drive home, I could
not refrain from wondering why members of a family would help themselves to things that did not belong to them. Hours later,
I realized that for the taker of such “things” it was just a piece of junk lying around, while for the owner, it
was a memory of their life. Thus, Trinkets of Love was born. Soon after the story was published in a magazine, a few family
members approached me privately and asked if they were one of the characters in the story. I found it odd that they would
ask such a thing. Therefore, my only reply was, “no”, however, if the shoes fits—then wear it.
Mathilda’s
Surprise was written for my grandmother, who believed even at my young age of ten that I would be a writer. She loved to listen
to the stories that I wrote, even though now, some forty-two-years later I look back on those first attempts to write and
laugh. I have learned a thing or two about writing since then. When I received the letter of acceptance from a magazine for
Mathilda’s Surprise—my first professional story, I rushed home to tell my grandmother the good news. Previously,
she had had a stroke and barely knew me any longer. She died one day before the publication was released. Nonetheless, the
first copy was discreetly tucked beneath her burial pillow.
Over the years, friends and family have asked me
to write a story for one of their young children. Valerie’s Magnificent Hat was written for a neighbor named Valerie,
whereas Watch the Little Birdie was written for a friend’s daughter named Whitni. However, another story was written
for an actress who I knew named Victoria. Victoria was fascinated by my work and as a special gift to her, while she was on
a two-day trip to Paris, I surprised her when she returned with this story. Hence the title, The Thespian Princess.
The
next four stories are somewhat strange and eerie. One is pure fiction, while the other three are based on actual legend involving
real people. Can you guess which is fiction? The Mysterious Leatherman, Stiffs at the Graystone Place, The Ghost of the Chesapeake
Frigate and The First American Love Story.
The Mysterious Leatherman is about a 19th Century wanderer. He traveled
a continuous thirty-three-year circuit in the Connecticut, New York, and Massachusetts area. Stiffs at the Graystone Place
is a story in which childish dares places a young boy in danger when he is challenged to call on the home of one Mr. Graystone.
Rumor was that he killed some people with an axe. The Ghost of the Chesapeake Frigate is an 18th Century story that takes
place aboard an old wooden sailing vessel. The ghost was slain during a bloody battle at sea and now has returned to square-the-score
with our hero Andy Porter. Finally, The First American Love Story. In this 18th Century story, an Indian chief discovers a
white boy named Marmaduke, next to his slain mother. The boy becomes an adopted Indian and falls in love with the chef’s
lovely daughter named Sylvia. If you guessed Stiffs at the Graystone Place as being the fiction, you would be correct.
Other
stories are purely fictional stories out of the mind of the author— during my “early” years as a writer. Down
for the Third Time is a story about two cousins, who have a bold and daring adventure during the long, hot summer vacations
on Beaver Creek. Pinch Runner is a cute, yet nerdy type of a story that involves a klutzy young boy who plays baseball—well,
let us put it this way; he is on the team. However, as is often the way of life, by way of paying close attention to his coach
and executing basic fundamentals, he makes an amazing play. Then there is Hello, It’s Alvin. This is a story that I wrote
in 1979. As I reviewed it for inclusion in this book, I discovered that I had never finished it. Now, some twenty-five-years
later, it is complete. I hope you like the strange twist.
In the way of non-fiction, Terror in Point Pleasant,
Captain Kidd—the Pirate—the Legend—the Lie, and The Wasa that Wasn’t are each accounts of unique historical
figures, things and events. Each will educate was well as entertain.
Finally, a story that was one that
I personally experienced and just had to put down on paper. It is truly A Lesson I’ll Never Forget. For all of the dad’s
out there: imagine yourself left alone to be mother and father to a four-year-old, for thirty-plus days. I can assure you
that it is far more hours for a father and son to be together than nature ever intended. By the way, this story was written
in 1985, two years before the movie Mr. Mom was released. I enjoyed the movie very much—I felt his frustration!
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