“We have to continually be jumping off cliffs and developingour wings on the way down.”― Kurt Vonnegut Do something which requires faith I remembered this post while emailing an author acquaintance that I was going to sign the agreement to have The Trier manuscript made into a book. This process is not going to happen... Continue Reading →
The cost of coffee
The cost of coffee It had been over 20 years, at least a coffee wave or two, since I regularly bought whole bean coffee at coffee houses. I was spoiled by Starbucks at the start of my coffee drinking life. Yes, Starbucks was once a coffee company. They sold great varietals such as Ethiopian... Continue Reading →
Howard Schultz’s partners
Howard Shultz and I were partners once. The Starbucks Coffee Company in my historical fiction novel Tripio was, in real life, far and away the best workplace I have experience, before or since. There have been a lot more workplaces since I hung up my apron than I care to admit. My point is, it... Continue Reading →
The Land Before Starbucks- the time before coffee was click-bait
When my sons were much younger they loved dinosaurs. And so they loved animated series of movies starring a group of singing dinosaurs called The Land before Time. I watched those movies with my sons those twenty plus years ago on prehistoric format known as VHS. I had just left a career at a burning... Continue Reading →
Coffee and writing
Some writing with your coffee? It is not yet seven a.m. on Sunday morning. And I have been up for close to ninety minutes. This is my schedule. I have come to the conclusion that sleeping in is overrated. This is my day off and one hears a lot about how others relish the chance... Continue Reading →
Searching for the perfect cup of coffee.
The search is on It is seven a.m. in Columbus Ohio. I am strolling with intent through a gentrifying neighborhood towards my first cup of coffee of the day. My oldest son is still asleep a few blocks away. I am in town to visit him. A few days ago, I texted... Continue Reading →
What is a tripio?
A troubling thing has been happening since I published my historical fiction novel, Tripio. I have been getting asked quite a bit the question: “What is a tripio?” This question was first asked me at a class on memoir writing at the Indiana Writers Center. No one in the class with me knew what... Continue Reading →
VanGogh & Tripio are shaking the content tree
“Just dash something down if you see a blank canvas staring at you with a certain imbecility” I wrote that Painters block? I take this blog seriously. I know I have come to use humor more frequently as the blog goes on. However I believe that is an indication of growing confidence in the blog... Continue Reading →
Don’t write your novel, find it – A red apron recipe
“I’m sittin’ in first class and they can all kiss my ass, ‘cuase I’m goin’ back baby, back outta the world.” In Tripio, the protagonist Jay is writing his first novel. It is a road book. One of Jay’s literary heroes in Tripio is Jack “That’s not writing, that’s typing” Kerouac. It is in... Continue Reading →
The cost of doing business at Starbucks
HOWARD BEHAR AND I 'TALK' AT A STARBUCKS "You know the store where Tripio takes place is gone now?" I asked Howard next. I had no idea why. "Oak Park?" He looked back from the street to meet my eyes. 'No. The one on the corner of Diversey, Clark and Broadway. Dickens is stll there,... Continue Reading →