So, the recording is going well and the first section (ten chapters) of Windmill is up as a podcast. It has been a great edit and a fun read. This book takes off a lot quicker.

In THE BOY WHO CLIMBED THE WINDMILL, high school sophomore Maria DeSalvo learns how small the island is after she falls in love with a Brazilian boy named Julian. The two of them cross paths with a local group of high school bullies, The Rangers. Julian disappears, but Maria gets sexually assaulted, photographed, and inscribed in Sharpie with the world “Remember.” A picture and the mortification fly through the small community. But an island that will judge what it sees will also forget what it doesn’t. Henry Coffin, the only Quaker on the island police force, pushes for some sort of justice. The truth, like many secrets, sits in plain sight but unacknowledged.

If you like my essay writing, you may like my novels. They are set on Henry Coffin’s Nantucket, which is similar to the island in 1999-2000. Some of my old favorite stores and restaurants are brought back to life, along with island characters.

It’s free. You’re welcome to it. The more, the merrier. My read aloud is my final edit, but the polished draft will be available on Amazon in an hour.

Section One

1. Velocity

2. Good Night Noises Everywhere

3. Peckerwoods

4. Pissing the Blue Cross (Due out on 8.25)

I enjoyed writing it. I hope you enjoy listening to it—and it is an edit, so don’t be surprised if you hear the keyboard.

Thanks for your support. It means the world to me.

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Shortly, I will be starting to read aloud my fourth Henry Coffin novel.

In THE BOY WHO CLIMBED THE WINDMILL, high school sophomore Maria DeSalvo learns how small the island is after she falls in love with a Brazilian boy named Julian. The two of them cross paths with a local group of high school bullied, the Rangers. Julian disappears, but Maria gets sexually assaulted, photographed, and inscribed in Sharpie with the world “Remember.” A picture and the mortification fly through the small community. But an island that will judge what it sees will also forget what it doesn’t. Henry Coffin, the only Quaker on the island police force, pushes for some sort of justice. The truth, like many secrets, sits in plain sight but unacknowledged.

I will be reading (and editing) the story. If you enjoy Nantucket, and the year round culture that evolved out there, you will like this book. As to my voice, I have to work with what I was given.

Please click the “read more” link and subscribe.

The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Welcome to The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

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21 days ago · Barr

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Many of you listened to Derrymore Road and seemed to enjoy it. I am starting to believe that reading the books aloud is a better experience than reading them in text. I am now starting to broadcast the next book, the Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road.

“Polpis Road” picks up almost three months after “Derrymore.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In The Girl Who Ran The Polpis Road, three wounded and hurt children get revenge on the rich people who killed their families.

The Johns-Manville corporation made products with asbestos. The board knew that asbestos was poisonous for years, however little details shouldn’t stop progress. In Manville New Jersey, the asbestos fell like snow. Thousands died of cancer, including the parents of Simon, Frances, and Athena. Over the years, the three slowly extract all of the wealth from the former board members, and then they kill them.

The last connection to the old board summers on Nantucket. The three survivors take aim and slowly begin their plan.

A new young man has come to the island; Elvis. He weighs three hundred pounds, stands well over six feet, and arrives with a very sick father. He meets an athletic young woman, named Dionis, and they begin a romance.

Their love story entwines with the plan for revenge until both come to a final conclusion on a Saturday in July, at the Sankaty Club.

In this opening section, Simon and Frances offer a choice to an old Johns-Manville board member.

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The Girl Who Runs on Polpis Road

1. One Last Chance

One of the great surprises of recording The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane was realizing how many people listen to the books. I use these first four books as tools to help me learn to write better. Publishing on Substack has helped me to edit myself better, as has listening and recording the works. However, more people listen to the chapters than read …

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5 months ago · 1 like · 1 comment · Barr

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Amazon

Trip, Trap, Trout This Tale is Out.

So, I have always thought of this book as the fourth of the four, The other three can stand on their own (pretty much) but this one is pretty dependent on Lover’s Lane. The reader profits from knowing Pidge’s backstory as well as some familiarity with Moira and Danny, I spend a long time getting to the main story (Swain vs Swain), with some sidelights thatb may not strictly be needed in a stripped down plot.

But the reading of the text, and this final edit, speak up for this novel. This one, (and Polpis Road) are the visions of what I wanted for Henry and Danny stories. I wanted Henry to be a supporting character, but the catalyst of the plot, not the engine driving it. At his best, he is hopping in to try to get reasonable good sense to triumph before people get hurt. His interactions with Stephen show that. Henry is disappointed, but hopeful. It is a wider, messier, but more fruitful story. By the Christmas party, the sub plots have been brought in. I don’t think it strange that this novel spawned three of the novellas. Lot of meat on the bone.

Also, my novels don’t always rely on the big conclusion; instead they rely on the denouement. The dinner check is presented at the end. For this novel, is the clean-up on Christmas Day, when Jamie and family are whisked off island. In that scene, Jamie and Rosemary have to pay the bill. It should be a sad scene, but Brian (correctly) points out that they tried to kill him and did, in face, assist in the deaths of others.

This book also has a feast of death. All of the deaths make sense in the world of the novel, but they are brutal. Death by fire at the beach, a shot gun to the head (which does not immediately kill)and even Big Jim’s death. One of the problems this book has had for me is how to handle the trauma for Kim and Jennifer.

Finally, a. Better writer than I am would probably base another story on Pidge’s growth. Her decision to stay, even while pregnnt (with another man’s baby) makes a clearly line through all four books. \

So, I like this book better than for reading it aloud. Thanks for joining. (BTW the corrected text will be up on Amazon by Friday.

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My latest book

The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

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One of the great surprises of recording The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane was realizing how many people listen to the books. I use these first four books as tools to help me learn to write better. Publishing on Substack has helped me to edit myself better, as has listening and recording the works. However, more people listen to the chapters than read them.

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin’s Nantucket

The Fire on Derrymore Road is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin's Nantucket

The Fire on Derrymore Road is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Big things are happening. A baby is born, a marriage is celebrated, and Christmas comes. All of those events come with joy and trouble. With more to come,

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

The hits just keep on coming. Christmas Day brings about two crises, Stephen snaps under pressure and holds huis family,specificallyy his daughter, hostage. Jamie and Rosemary have their own drama. Rosemary burns the family home down and then gets whisked away off island into relocation.

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin's Nantucket

The Fire on Derrymore Road is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Big things are happening. A baby is born, a marriage is celebrated, and Christmas comes. All of those events come with joy and trouble. With more to come,

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

Big things are happening. A baby is born, a marriage is celebrated, and Christmas comes. All of those events come with joy and trouble. With more to come,

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin's Nantucket

The Fire on Derrymore Road is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Big things are happening. A baby is born, a marriage is celebrated, and Christmas comes. All of those events come with joy and trouble. With more to come,

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

As the fifth part begins, Rosemary has begun to get desperate. Her husband is gone, she is at the end of her pregnancy and everything that she wanted is leaving. So she attempts to steal the silver from her in-laws. Henry and Danny stop the world’s slowest burglary, but not before annoying the Lieutenant.

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin's Nantucket

The Fire on Derrymore Road is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, Moira has trapped Henry Coffin into holding a Christmas party that is really an Irish wake. At the same time, Jamie has been whisked off island by the Fed and his wife, rosemary, is going berserk.

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin's Nantucket

The Fire on Derrymore Road is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, the deaths of Buddy and Aiden are pulling Henry down. Further, he argues for mercy to Brian, but the4 realtor is in no mood to be nice to the people who tried to kill him. So, as his Christmas party comes, events are sliding away.

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin's Nantucket

The Fire on Derrymore Road is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, reluctantly, Henry goes to the Chicken Box and leaves a message for the undercover state police officer. Now that he knows who the drug dealer is, he must act. Then, the events started by the reading of the will start to occur. Danny and Henry are called to an outlying area of the island to find a suicide.

Share

Buy me a coffee

My polished work is on a new website…. The blog has the “One Good Thing” essays,

Coffin's Nantucket

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

Christmas Stroll comes to the island, but without the tourists. Rain is general over Nantucket. Henry is surprised by a Christmas Tree, and his son’s ornaments. Later, he and Gabby go to see Pidge and Brian. Both make concessions.

Share

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, the fall of Big Jim comes to the dramatic peak that most of the family has been hoping for: the reading of the will. Stephen and Jamie know that their high flying brother is going to be taken down a few pegs. Nonetheless, Herman Lamb asks Danny and Henry to come to the meeting to keep things “sober.”

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The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Milestone 1: The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Milestone 2: Remember

Milestone 3: Snitches Get Stitches

Milestone 4: Survival Ain’t Pretty

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Milestone 6: Scars Last for Life

1. The Morning after

2. We Walk in Blood

3. Moving On

4. A Spot of Blood

5. The Passenger

6. Everyone has to Eat a Plate of Shit

Some of my writing…

Barr’s For Life: A substack of essays and claptrap

The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane

The Fire on Derrymore Road

(NEW) The Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Her Lover on Monomoy Road. (Novella)

Her Father Came Home to Deacon’s Way (Novella)

Love Letters (Novella)

The Fisher King (Novella)

Home is Where the Ghosts Are (Novella)

Winter: A Collection of Island Living Essays set between January and April 1.

The Boys: A collection of essays about my two sons, written as they grew.

Rolling in the Surf: Essays on Teaching.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, the fall of Big Jim reverberates around the island, from Pidge, to the other spouses, to his wife (eating pie happily) and, finally, to the townspeople. The knives are out for Pidge, but none of them, save Henry, can see the size of the hole the death of the patriarch will make.

Share

Buy me a coffee

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Milestone 1: The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Milestone 2: Remember

Milestone 3: Snitches Get Stitches

Milestone 4: Survival Ain’t Pretty

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Milestone 6: Scars Last for Life

1. The Morning after

2. We Walk in Blood

3. Moving On

4. A Spot of Blood

5. The Passenger

6. Everyone has to Eat a Plate of Shit

Some of my writing…

Barr’s For Life: A substack of essays and claptrap

The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane

The Fire on Derrymore Road

(NEW) The Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Her Lover on Monomoy Road. (Novella)

Her Father Came Home to Deacon’s Way (Novella)

Love Letters (Novella)

The Fisher King (Novella)

Home is Where the Ghosts Are (Novella)

Winter: A Collection of Island Living Essays set between January and April 1.

The Boys: A collection of essays about my two sons, written as they grew.

Rolling in the Surf: Essays on Teaching.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

The Black Mamba is pulling everything together. Aiden attacks Gabby because he is addicted and the pill isn’t strong enough. Put the pill is wrong enough to kill and old man. The threads in the cloth are becoming distinct.

Share

Buy me a coffee

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Milestone 1: The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Milestone 2: Remember

Milestone 3: Snitches Get Stitches

Milestone 4: Survival Ain’t Pretty

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Milestone 6: Scars Last for Life

1. The Morning after

2. We Walk in Blood

3. Moving On

4. A Spot of Blood

5. The Passenger

6. Everyone has to Eat a Plate of Shit

Some of my writing…

Barr’s For Life: A substack of essays and claptrap

The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane

The Fire on Derrymore Road

(NEW) The Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Her Lover on Monomoy Road. (Novella)

Her Father Came Home to Deacon’s Way (Novella)

Love Letters (Novella)

The Fisher King (Novella)

Home is Where the Ghosts Are (Novella)

Winter: A Collection of Island Living Essays set between January and April 1.

The Boys: A collection of essays about my two sons, written as they grew.

Rolling in the Surf: Essays on Teaching.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, the fall of Big Jim reverberates around the island, from Pidge, to the other spouses, to his wife (eating pie happily) and, finally, to the townspeople. The knives are out for Pidge, but none of them, save Henry, can see the size of the hole the death of the patriarch will make.

Share

Buy me a coffee

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Milestone 1: The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Milestone 2: Remember

Milestone 3: Snitches Get Stitches

Milestone 4: Survival Ain’t Pretty

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Milestone 6: Scars Last for Life

1. The Morning after

2. We Walk in Blood

3. Moving On

4. A Spot of Blood

5. The Passenger

6. Everyone has to Eat a Plate of Shit

Some of my writing…

Barr’s For Life: A substack of essays and claptrap

The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane

The Fire on Derrymore Road

(NEW) The Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Her Lover on Monomoy Road. (Novella)

Her Father Came Home to Deacon’s Way (Novella)

Love Letters (Novella)

The Fisher King (Novella)

Home is Where the Ghosts Are (Novella)

Winter: A Collection of Island Living Essays set between January and April 1.

The Boys: A collection of essays about my two sons, written as they grew.

Rolling in the Surf: Essays on Teaching.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, Thanksgiving is coming. Not like a holiday, more like a storm. Pidge and the girls are invited to a cookie making party. However, Pidge gets trapped with Big Jim and everything goes very sideways. Brian does not respond as he should and everything teeters.

Share

Buy me a coffee

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Milestone 1: The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Milestone 2: Remember

Milestone 3: Snitches Get Stitches

Milestone 4: Survival Ain’t Pretty

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Milestone 6: Scars Last for Life

1. The Morning after

2. We Walk in Blood

3. Moving On

4. A Spot of Blood

Some of my writing…

Barr’s For Life: A substack of essays and claptrap

The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane

The Fire on Derrymore Road

(NEW) The Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Her Lover on Monomoy Road. (Novella)

Her Father Came Home to Deacon’s Way (Novella)

Love Letters (Novella)

The Fisher King (Novella)

The Costs of Faith (Novella)

Winter: A Collection of Island Living Essays set between January and April 1.

The Boys: A collection of essays about my two sons, written as they grew.

Rolling in the Surf: Essays on Teaching.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

One of the great surprises of recording The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane was realizing how many people listen to the books. I use these first four books as tools to help me learn to write better. Publishing on Substack has helped me to edit myself better, as has listening and recording the works. However, more people listen to the chapters than read them.

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

In this section, Thanksgiving is coming. Not like a holiday, more like a storm. Pidge and the girls are invited to a cookie making party. However, Pidge gets trapped with Big Jim and everything goes very sideways. Brian does not respond as he should and everything teeters.

Share

Buy me a coffee

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Milestone 1: The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Milestone 2: Remember

Milestone 3: Snitches Get Stitches

Milestone 4: Survival Ain’t Pretty

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Chapter 1: A Small Island

Chapter 2: He’s Missing

Chapter 3 Surmises

Chapter 4: A Word to the Wise

Chapter 5: Lollipop

Chapter 6: Truths without words

Chapter 7: Predators

Chapter 8: A Warning in the Night

Chapter 9: Good Man. Would Act

Some of my writing…

Barr’s For Life: A substack of essays and claptrap

The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane

The Fire on Derrymore Road

(NEW) The Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Her Lover on Monomoy Road. (Novella)

Her Father Came Home to Deacon’s Way (Novella)

Love Letters (Novella)

The Fisher King (Novella)

The Costs of Faith (Novella)

Winter: A Collection of Island Living Essays set between January and April 1.

The Boys: A collection of essays about my two sons, written as they grew.

Rolling in the Surf: Essays on Teaching.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now

One of the great surprises of recording The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane was realizing how many people listen to the books. I use these first four books as tools to help me learn to write better. Publishing on Substack has helped me to edit myself better, as has listening and recording the works. However, more people listen to the chapters than read them.

Which is great. I will take an audience where ever it is.

I will re-record all of the works now and publish them in their own podcasts. Derrymore comes almost immediately Lover’s Lane.

Every writer (I read) writes four bad novels at the beginning and these are mine. Derrymore is a novel, in the sense that it has multiple plots, a detailed world, and a theme that wraps itself through the plot. I have been experimenting with writing much more direct works that are better for the digital moment. When I was twenty five, The Fire onm Derrymore Road was the work I wanted to write. Now that I am sixty and am aware that my novels will not appear in airports, the form of this work is a little out of date. However, it may work better as a spoken text. I am hoping so.

If you enjoy listening, please like, restack, and comment. If you feel particularly moved, you can subscribe for free or you can send me some money. Feedback, on substack, comes rarely, but I enjoy having comments, even if they take me to task for grammar or pronoun reference errors.

“Derrymore” picks up almost immediately after “Lover’s Lane.” (The previous novel isn’t necessary, but it might be helpful.)

In the Fire on Derrymore Road, Pidge is coming to grips with her impending wedding and her “little secret.”On Nantucket, like any small community, little secrets don’t stay secret. Her friend, Gabby, is dealing with her own issues. Her fiancé, Aiden, is a gifted finished carpenter and an accomplished addict. After being whisked away to a hospital, his brother is trying to bring him back to work. Meanwhile, Gabby has to figure out how to address the violence he inflicted on her. Finally, behind all of this, Henry Coffin and his partner, Sergeant Danny Abraham are finding black pills that seem to have opioids in them, but cause their users an unusual reaction.

Aiden has been brought home early for Thanksgiving. In celebration, he beats Gabby. She leaves and comes to Henry Coffin. Henry and Danny go and confront Seamus, Aiden’s brother, both in the daytime and at night. Henry brings Gabby to Pidge for recovery, and, hopefully, a signature.

Share

Buy me a coffee

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Milestone 1: The Boy Who Climbed the Windmill

Milestone 2: Remember

Milestone 3: Snitches Get Stitches

Milestone 4: Survival Ain’t Pretty

Milestone 5 Missing Julian

Chapter 1: A Small Island

Chapter 2: He’s Missing

Chapter 3 Surmises

Chapter 4: A Word to the Wise

Chapter 5: Lollipop

Chapter 6: Truths without words

Chapter 7: Predators

Chapter 8: A Warning in the Night

Chapter 9: Good Man. Would Act

Some of my writing…

Barr’s For Life: A substack of essays and claptrap

The Boat at the End of Lover’s Lane

The Fire on Derrymore Road

(NEW) The Girl Who Ran the Polpis Road

The Inn on Brant Point (Novella)

Her Lover on Monomoy Road. (Novella)

Her Father Came Home to Deacon’s Way (Novella)

Love Letters (Novella)

The Fisher King (Novella)

The Costs of Faith (Novella)

Winter: A Collection of Island Living Essays set between January and April 1.

The Boys: A collection of essays about my two sons, written as they grew.

Rolling in the Surf: Essays on Teaching.

Barr’d for Life is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Subscribe now