Books

My Dreams and Me- My Life Reflected Through Dreams (MindMend Publishing, 2019)

Late in 2015, I was searching for an idea on which to anchor a book. An epiphany came to me one day in January 2016.

That morning, I had awoken from a dream about a close friend suggesting that I take on a mistress. I am happily married, so why would that come up? I realized immediately, that I had my book idea. I would start cataloging my dreams that day and for the balance of the year.

The result is this book that moves the reader through 130+ dreams over 12 months, in which the reader understands more about the writer’s dreams (as well as their own dreams). In essence, the end product is a “how to” dream self-analysis/interpretation book that shows a strong correlation between one’s dreams and what happened that day, that week or many years before.  

Hillcrest- Stories From the Edge of Paterson (Escot Publishing, 2023)

I started a blog in 2014 that allowed me to share childhood/teenage stories from my past. The stories spanned from 1966 through 1978 (when I left for college).

The reception was excellent with many readers agreeing that this period of time was like no other. It was a time when kids were free to roam with little or no adult supervision allowing them to explore and learn about many things.

Some years later, I realized that I could take the best blog stories, expand and edit them, and create a new book, Hillcrest.

Hillcrest brings us back to a time that can’t be replicated today. But it’s more than just a coming-of-age book, as it’s also a sociological study of an “us versus them” mindset that permeated our lives, challenging us every day and exposing us to deal with the same issues that gripped the rest of Paterson.

Somehow, some of us made it through with the ability to move on, but many others weren’t so lucky.

Our neighborhood (friends, school, activities) makes us who we are, like it or not.

Ritual- Another Band That Didn’t Make It (publication target date 2025)

As the saying goes, playing in a band brings you through sex, drugs and rock-and-roll. And, it’s true.

At 16, I was brought into a band to replace the keyboardist. At the same time, a new singer, bass player and rhythm guitarist came in, essentially creating a new band.

We were daring, playing some of the most difficult rock songs that anyone could imagine, and we sounded great. A couple of personnel changes, but we continued to grow. So why did we collapse and break up?

Every rock band has the same problems, regardless of age, talent level or aspirations. Ego, girls, drugs, alcohol, money, creative differences and expectations take their toll and it’s all gone, as quickly as it started.

Take a rock-and-roll journey through the eyes of a teenager.