Dennis Gaub

Billings’ unsolved, century-old axe murders (continued)

Let’s travel back to early December 1924 and envision this scene: a drifter, or hobo as his type was commonly called then, has stepped off a freight train in the busy railroad yards of Billings. He might have arrived on the Northern Pacific line, coming from the east as

Missing word in post I just sent

A ways into what I just sent, you read this: “We always at 6:15 when everything was ready, and my parents would be there—and ready to eat,” as their second-youngest daughter, Louise, recalled decades later.” It should read: “We always [ate] at 6:15 …”” The joys of self-editing,

The never-solved ax murders that shocked Billings a century ago

My biography of Dave McNally remains the top priority on my writing plate. I’ve received outstanding editing of the manuscript and am still tweaking it a bit while waiting to see if a publisher “bites” on the project. If not, I’ll go the self-published route. No matter what,

Double-ax murder: wrong address

Oops. I wrote some of the content I just sent out a few weeks ago. For some reason, I had the wrong address for the murder site at that time. Instead of 2911 Minnesota Avenue in Billings, which is on the north side of the street, the correct address is

Billings’ double-ax murder

I’d bet that most, if not almost all Montana natives like me and also people who’ve lived in Billings most of their life–me–or all their life, have never heard of the event I’m writing about here. A century after it occurred, this double-ax murder in

Free agency signings

Few, if any, of us can predict the future with any degree of confidence, and Marvin Miller was no exception. Miller was executive director of the Major League Players Association, the players union, when he discussed the likely aftermath of the Seitz labor decision late in 1975. That ruling, the

Followup on post I just sent

I don't think you can see the YouTube content I included. Not sure why. I'll check and repost later. Thanks for your patience and support.

My speech about Dave McNally

I’m a member of the Club Med Toastmasters Club here in Billings. Here’s a speech I gave today (September 6, 2024) about Dave McNally.

The role of mentorship

A used copy of a classic writing book, The Writer’s Journey: Mythic Structure for Writers, by Christopher Vogler, arrived in the mail yesterday. I’ve started reading it, and I’m trying to apply Vogler’s wisdom to my own nonfiction writing, specially my in-progress biography of Dave McNally.

Curt Flood’s fight paved the way

My biography of Dave McNally would be incomplete without describing the crucial role that Curt Flood played in the battle to gain workplace fairness for baseball players. Flood, a star player for the St. Louis Cardinals in the 1960s and a major contributor to their three World Series teams in

The day McNally got mad

Dave McNally wasn’t known for dramatics or being a hot-headed troublemaker. Yet once, in May 1967, he got called on the carpet for losing his temper. The Orioles were in a funk then. Coming off their 1966 World series triumph, the 1967 season turned into a letdown. By May

“Lock, stock and barrel”

‘“They owned you, lock, stock and barrel.” That’s what Dave McNally said to a Baltimore Sun sportswriter in the summer of 1986. He was describing the relationship between major-league teams and players through 1975, the year that he retired from professional baseball and returned to his hometown of Billings,

Can't count?

Yes, I can. In the post I just sent, I mentioned three title choices when there were actually four. I started with three choices in a note on my phone, then added the fourth choice while writing the post. But I failed to update the explanatory wording. Hope you understand.

Still seeking your input on possible titles

At the risk of overloading your email inbox, here’s another post. As you may recall, I sent out something on Monday about a possible title for the upcoming biography of Dave McNally. The response wasn’t overwhelming, but it was usual, especially the reply I got from a fellow

Montana’s Dave McNally: the star pitcher who revolutionized baseball

The headline above represents the current working title of my upcoming biography of Dave McNally. What do you think? Drop me a line with comments. Here’s where things stand. Last Friday, I emailed my polished draft of the book to a topflight editor in Washington state. Jim is now

1960 antics

Before the Fourth of July (which I prefer to call Independence Day) gets away, I want to share the following. At the heart of this story is a kind of fireworks that I remember from my childhood: cherry bombs. My first memories of the Fourth come from when I was

Accolade from Nixon

In 1972, McNally received recognition from the most highly placed baseball fan in the country, President Richard Nixon. Nixon named McNally to his 1945 to 1970 all-time baseball team. Here’s the story behind that acclaim. At the end of a June 22, 1972, press conference, Cliff Evans, a reporter

Billings loved McNally

Baltimore’s capture of the 1970 World Series and McNally’s historic role in beating Cincinnati increased the buzz around him in his hometown. By early January 1971, word came out that a limited number of autographed Dave McNally gloves would gо оп sale in Billings. The announcement was made

The all-Billings major-league pitching duel

How many smaller American cities, say those with a population no greater than about 120,000, can say they had two major-league pitchers at the same time, and both were starters the same season? And that those pitchers got key lessons in their mound skills in the same nationally-renowned American

After 1970-what for an encore?

The 1970 World Series was behind him. It had been a triumph on a team level, the Orioles having won the fall classic by beating the powerful Cincinnati Reds, and on an individual level, that being the grand slam home run Dave slugged against the Reds. That was then and

A blazing debut

Dave McNally was on the verge of turning 20, and his wife, Jean, was 19, when one of the most exciting things in their young life happened: the Orioles called him up towards the end of the 1962 season, and he threw a two-hit shutout to beat the Kansas City

World Series flu?

Maybe it was in October 1955, when Dave was in the eighth grade in Fratt School, part of the Billings Catholic school system. That was the fall when the Brooklyn Dodgers topped the New York Yankees in their second “Subway Series,” Brooklyn winning the deciding seventh game behind the pitching

1966: the breakout year

The 1966 season, Dave McNally’s fourth full year with the Orioles, became the campaign when his performance marked him as a full-fledged major league pitcher. He finished the regular season with a 13–6 record, a 3.17 ERA and 158 strikeouts against 64 walks in the 213 innings

Dave McNally: part of Billings

It didn’t take long after Dave, Jean and their growing family returned to Billings for him to become involved in the community. By the spring of 1978, Dave and Jean were parents of four children, ranging in age from Jeff (15) to Anne (2–1/2). Their fifth child,

Dave McNally, Sam McDowell, Jim Bouton–pitchers to always remember

The content below, which involves three pitchers of the 1960s and 1970s, Dave McNally, Sam McDowell, and Jim Bouton, may or not make it into Never Give an Inch, my upcoming biography of McNally. But it keeps me in the writing flow, so here goes. First, how many of you

My books, in print and in progress

A followup to my post earlier today.

Video introduction-Treasure State press

I am NOT a Hollywood wanabe ...

McNally book-your input requested

Book authorship requires marketing, so I have a favor to ask. Below is the draft book jacket copy for my next book (Never Give an Inch: How Dave McNally Sparked a Revolution in Major-League Baseball and Professional Sports). I'm trying to get a sense of its appeal to

Shocking double-ax murders a century ago

Billings has witnessed a surge in violent crime in the past century, but it’s not as if the Magic City was a Mayberry-like place a century ago. One crime late that year seemed to prove that Billings was no longer a town but becoming a city, with city problems.

The last battle

By late summer in 2002, Dave was fighting the hardest battle of his life. He turned 58 that year, and it had been more than two decades since he exchanged pitching mounds in Baltimore and Montreal for the comfort of his suburban home in Billings, complete with regular–at least

Oops!

Brain you know what ... In the piece on Dave McNally and Social Security, also published to my web site, I referred to Lyndon Johnson as the New Deal president. No, he wasn't, and I, as a history buff, knew that but still muffed it. Johnson, credited for Medicare,

Social Security helped McNally become a baseball star

A few days after Dave’s triumphant, World Series-clinching win over the Los Angeles Dodgers in October 1966, he and Jean made a short drive from their Baltimore home to suburban Woodlawn. Their destination was the Social Security headquarters. Both Dave and Jean were far from Social Security age—he

Journalism, not farming-sorry Grandma

I experienced a light-bulb moment a few days ago when I realized where my love of sports, which led to my becoming a newspaper sportswriter, may have come from. For that, I thank my grandfather, Jacob “Jake” Gaub, father of my dad, William “Bill” Gaub, a lover of high school,

Custom combining-part of Montana’s historical tapestry

When you go down a rabbit hole, sometimes you get stuck and have trouble getting out. But occasionally, you find gems of history. That’s what happened to me this month when I started researching a slice of Montana agricultural history that has long fascinated me, a onetime Eastern Montana

Sandra Day O’Connor and Dave McNally

We spent most of the morning (December 19, 2023) watching the very moving funeral service for Sandra Day O’Connor in Washington’s National Cathedral. Seeing the nation say goodbye to the first woman appointed to the Supreme Court brought to mind a baseball story I heard a couple years

Bookends to a marvelous career

McNally's first win for Baltimore, late in the 1962 season when he was 19, and his last win wearing an Orioles uniform, in September 1974 when he was 31, shared something in common. Both were pitching masterpieces. Dave gave up two hits against Kansas City on September 27,

Hotel moguls and road trip fashion for the 1970s Orioles

When Dave McNally was on the road and not studying the hitting traits of opposing players and getting ready for his next pitching start, he often could be found in his hotel room playing a classic board game. By 1974, 12 years into his major league career, McNally had become

1974: the reserve clause under attack by another Oriole

Discontent over salaries and the reserve clause worked its way to the Orioles in 1974 and found an outlet in an unlikely player. Pitcher Doyle Alexander, twenty-three and in his third season with Baltimore after being traded by the Los Angeles Dodgers, refused to sign a contract that spring. He

Typo

Sorry for the missing wordsand managled syntax. The perils of editing one's own copy. I don't recommend it. Let's try again. I'm trying to get your feedback on content that will appear in my Treasure State Press newsletter rather than guessing at

TV provides a window into the big-leagues world of the 1950s

Two television stations went on the air in Billings in 1953: KOOK-TV, now KTVQ, and KGHL-TV, now KULR-TV. At about that time, Beth McNally got a TV set, according to her daughter, Dee Nobles. Thus, Dave may have joined millions of Americans who watched major league baseball games on the

How and why Dave McNally made a lasting mark on baseball and pro sports

Dave McNally was a courageous, principled man who stood up for what was right, risking a career most only dream of. He grew up in Billings, Montana, and became one of the best major league pitchers of his era and the greatest athlete to come out of the Treasure State.

Miles City’s Mr. Mayor played in the big leagues

A fun thing about writing is when, while researching the topic of your project, you learn something new. That happened to me while I was trying to get more insight into Dave McNally’s successful fight to overturn baseball's reserve clause. My research led me to a 2022

A pioneering challenger of baseball’s power

At this late date, twenty years and counting since his death in December 2002, it’s probably impossible to say if Dave McNally ever met Danny Gardella. Likely not. The bigger, more important, question is whether McNally ever heard of Gardella. Again, this writer cannot say for sure, but he

Offer to new premium-content subscribers

Get premium content through the Treasure State Press email newsletter twice monthly at a discount! Normally this is priced at $5 per month, but get this now at half off for three months. Three months of Montana history content delivered to your inbox for $7.50, compared with the regular

Lots happening when McNally was growing up

As a boy growing up in Billings in the 1950s, Dave McNally lived in the city's tree streets neighborhood, near the campus of then Eastern Montana College (now Montana State University-Billings). Still, he and his family, especially his mother, Beth, probably heard about a grassroots initiative some distance

1950s fun at Wonderland

Memories have faded, and several principal characters, including Dave McNally, are deceased as this is written in 2023. But it’s still reasonable to say that McNally and his childhood friends, among them Pete Cochran, Bob Fry, and Bill McIntosh, probably took part in typical adolescent activities in the 1950s

Missing word

Missing word in what I just sent. The offer of free content is available for the next 7 days.

Some premium content available

Good afternoon from rainy Billings, Montana. As a professional writer who earned a paycheck for what he put down on paper (or on a computer screen) for 25 years, I’ve decided that some of my writing here is worth at least a modest payment. I’ll still have free

Darn it-I hate typos

Hello again, I just sent out a newsletter with a typo. Here’s the paragraph with the flubbed wording: With a few hours of spare time before the game, the Billings players asked Bayne if they could go swimming at the city pool. He said, yes, and after swimming, “we

Ego will trip you

Parents of children growing up in the 1950s, as well as other adults influential in the lives of young people, often issued a timeless warning. The clichéd phrases they used went like, “don’t get too big for your britches,” or, “don’t get a swelled head.” And they applied

Baseball’s bonus rule

I’m not sure if you get into baseball minutinae as much as I do, so this may have minimal interest to you. But if you’re a serious baseball fan, you probably have heard of baseball’s bonus rule. Further, seeing that Dave McNally didn’t seem to be

It’s a good day for a baseball game—let’s play two

Dave McNally and Ernie Banks, who played for my favorite National League team while growing up, the Chicago Cubs, almost were in the same place in Billings one day in early 1976. And I, then a sportswriter who had just returned to Billings to work for the Gazette, would have

A relationship started at this storied Billings drive-in

Want to buy a real Billings landmark, a drive-in burger joint that traces its lineage to the late 1940s? And, to sweeten the deal, you would pick up the place where Dave McNally took his future wife. Jean, both students at Billings Central Catholic High School, on their first date

Issue 1-Introduction

This is NOT a shameless pitch for work, but just a quick update. I’m pleased to say that I’ve embarked on a new journey, that of becoming a certified book coach. As such, perhaps I can help you or someone you know. So many people have thought: I’

Newsletter issue 1

This is NOT a shameless pitch for work, but just a quick update. I’m pleased to say that I’ve embarked on a new journey, that of becoming a certified book coach. As such, perhaps I can help you or someone you know. So many people have thought: I’

Testing

Seeing how multiple newsletters work. (Existing subscribers: please bear with me. Thanks.)

More Lindbergh Montana memories

I wrote this yesterday  from Polson, Montana, nestled on the south shore of Flathead Lake, where my wife and I stayed overnight in our motor home. That afternoon (April 17), we traveled a short distance north to Kalispell, where we were evening guests of the Northwest Montana Posse of Westerners,

McNally opens the 1971 season with a win for the Orioles

Another fun chunk from my upcoming book, “The Dave McNally Story.” I hope to have a rough draft finished sometime this summer and then seek a publisher. If no publisher bites, I’ll self-publish again. (Moving to the McNally newsletter) ------- 1971, Dave's eleventh full year as a

My love affair with baseball, and Dave McNally’s role in that

In hindsight, my year of birth was off, delayed by a few years from what I might have desired to best write the story of Dave McNally's life. Moreover, my place of birth could have been changed to make me a front-row observer—maybe even a youth baseball

The Orioles, the Browns, Branch Rickey and a Billings pastor

When Dave McNally signed with the Baltimore Orioles, it had only been six years since the Monumental City (one of Baltimore's nicknames) had regained a major league baseball team. The modern Orioles date to 1954 when the American League approved moving the hapless St. Louis Browns to the

Billings, and Montana, go to the Little League World Series at last

Editor's note: This is “bonus” copy that accompanies my book-in-progress about the life of Billings' Dave McNally, who became a star pitcher for the Baltimore Orioles. He won 181 games for the Birds (second-most wins in team history), played in four World Series, won 20 games or

McNally book-Chapter 1

Darned typos .... Note: The working title for this book is, The Dave McNally Story: A Montana Pitcher Makes Baseball History On and Off the Mound. I have been tempted to work the phrase, “lunchpail guy” into the title. Credit for that wording goes to Billings lawyer Bill Lamdin, a friend

The way we are

What if you were born in the early 1950s in Eastern Montana and, by the mid-1980s, are a reporter for the Billings Gazette? There, at Montana's largest newspaper, you became a bit of a nerd. It isn’t enough to write your stories on those early dumb computer

“Lindbergh in Montana” now in print

Exciting news! My new book, Lindbergh in Montana: An Air Adventurer Leaves a Legacy in the Treasure State, is now in print and available for purchase. You can order a print (paperback) copy at your favorite local independent book store through Ingram. Or, you can get a Kindle copy on

Buy "Lindbergh in Montana"

If you're one of the first 50 people to subscribe to this newsletter before February 28, 2023, or if you're an existing subscriber, I'm offering the book at a discount price of $14.36. That's 20 percent off the $17.95 list

A special deal for early “Lindbergh in Montana” readers

Want to be one of the first to read my next (and fourth) book ... at a discounted price, with the added bonus of getting a free e-book on a subject related to the print book? Here’s the deal I’m offering to early readers of Lindbergh in Montana—An

Free e-book now available

Lindbergh in Montana - An Air Adventurer Leaves a Legacy in the Treasure State, my fourth book, is nearing publication. I expect it to be in print later this month (October 2022). Meanwhile, I’m offering some free reading to hopefully whet your appetite for the story of Charles Lindbergh’

Early-day Glendive becomes a plane owner ... maybe

How often does any city, let alone a Montana city in the early years of the 20th century, become the chance owner of an airplane? That may have happened in the Eastern Montana city of Glendive as the result of a 1911 Fourth of July fracas reported in the Great

Before Lindbergh

When Charles Lindbergh came to Montana in 1922 as an unknown member of a barnstorming group, he was far from the first airborne daredevil to dazzle Treasure State audiences. More than a dozen early aviators, including balloonists, had already blazed the state’s big sky, its mountains, valleys, and plains.

“Lindbergh in Montana” forward

As I write this in 2022, 95 years have passed since Charles Lindbergh electrified the world. He became the most famous person on the planet, the first media-developed hero of the modern era, in May 1927, when he completed the first solo airplane flight across the Atlantic. He flew The

Lindbergh’s unpaid Billings bill

Not everyone in Billings held fond memories of Charles Lindbergh from when he lived in the city in 1922. Local historian Joyce Jensen, in her 1994 book, “Pieces and places of Billings History: Local Markers and Sites,” said Lindbergh was a hero to most in the city. But, Jensen wrote,

Lindbergh returns to Montana with war on the horizon

Just before the U.S. entered World War Two, Charles Lindbergh made his first flight into Billings in 12 years and spent his first on-the-ground time in the city in 17 years. In 1927, he flew over the city without landing, and in 1922, he lived several months in Billings

Lindbergh returns to Montana with war clouds on the horizon

Just before the U.S. entered World War Two, Charles Lindbergh made his first flight into Billings in 12 years and spent his first on-the-ground time in the city in 17 years. In 1927, he flew over the city without landing, and in 1922, he lived several months in Billings

Portfolio

Belgrade News clips (PDF files - click on them to download and view) After 23 years at the helm non profit leader retires After 23 years at the helm, non-profit leader retires | Business | belgrade-news.com.pdf118 KBdownload-circleAirport busts holiday traffic recordAirport busts holiday traffic record | Business | belgrade-news.com.pdf230 KBdownload-circleAirport

Lindbergh's Billings street

One part of Charles Lindbergh's legacy in Billings is that a major street, North 27th, was named for him soon after his 1927 transatlantic flight. North 27th, which runs from Montana Avenue to Billings Logan International Airport, became Lindbergh Boulevard for several years. The author's research

Reader survey

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Square e-commerce

Integration of Ghost blog with Square platform.

Gus and Bill’s not-so-fine day at Daytona Beach

Gus and Bill were ready for action. “Watch the surf,” Gus said to Bill, as reported in the Billings Gazetteon November 15, 1929. “The next rich mama who yells for help is our meal ticket. We’re going to beat that boat, sink old Jenny, and save a rich heiress.

Imagination set free

For young people living in Billings and other Montana cities and towns in the 1920s, it was a time to harbor big dreams. Many of those dreams centered on flying as aviation moved from its infancy to becoming an established mode of transportation. Arne Schmitt, hero of “Sky Dreamer,” certainly

Change in the works

First, thanks to everyone who subscribed to my two email newsletters on the Substack platform, “The Montana You Barely Know” and “Sky Dreamer.” Like any author, I sincerely appreciate reader engagement like that ... almost as much as actual purchases of our books. I've decided to move everything over

Corpse a lifesaver in 1922 Montana train wreck

“Corpse Saves Life Of Billings Man in Welch Spur wreck.” That front-page headline. headline in the March 19, 1922, issue of the Billings Gazette probably would have caught the eye of Arne Schmitt, hero of “Sky Dreamer,” and other newspaper readers. The article said Donald Putnam, an express messenger for

Newspaper clips

Selected newspaper clips Billings Gazette

Resume

Dennis Gaub Billings, Montana 406-690-5444 montanawordsmith@gmail.com Position sought None. I’m self-employed as a book author and book coach Selected achievements Published author. First book, “Win ‘Em All,” (nonfiction account of a legendary Montana high school basketball team’s “dream season”) released in 2016; second book, “Midway Bravery,

fifth edition

Fifth edition 09/15/2020

The later-in-life rewards of pursuing your passion(s)

The later-in-life rewards of pursuing your passion(s) Has anyone else besides me, especially but not limited to fellow writers, ever gotten the feeling that portions of your work experience from decades ago have prepared you perfectly to pursue your passion(s) in your 60s? Maybe if you're

Blog | Midway Bravery

From the Author Blog

About the Author | Midway Bravery

Dennis Gaub About the Author Author Dennis Gaub was born in and grew up in in Montana. He left to receive a bachelor's degree in journalism from Northwestern University and began a newspaper reporting career that took him to Colorado, Wyoming and Michigan. He returned home and worked

Buy the Book | Midway Bravery

Get a signed copy Buy the Book Order your copy of Midway Bravery directly from the author using the form below. Get your copy signed at no additional cost. (Are you interested in purchasing the book from your local bookstore? Learn more about that option ❯) Get a Copy from your

Contact the Author | Midway Bravery

Dennis Gaub Contact the Author Thank you for visiting the Midway Bravery website. Use the contact form below to contact the author, Dennis Gaub. Dennis Gaub About the Author Author Dennis Gaub was born in and grew up in in Montana. He left to receive a bachelor's degree

Midway Bravery

Midway Bravery A book for anyone who appreciates the Greatest Generation's wartime sacrifice. Purchase the Book   ⟩ [https://www.treasurestatepress.com/buy?viewport=true] THE FLIGHT THAT HELPED WIN A DECISIVE WORLD WAR II BATTLE A book for anyone who appreciates the Greatest Generation’s wartime sacrifice It overviews

Another reason to celebrate

Another reason to celebrate Something delightful arrived in my email inbox yesterday (Sunday, July 5): the audio file of a radio interview I participated in about a month ago, just before I left on my book tour. Longtime Billings TV and radio personality Ed McIntosh conducted the interview, which was

Amidst COVID-19, a fine book tour

Amidst COVID-19, a fine book tour I’m writing tonight from a KOA in Salt Lake City, where my pickup truck and trailer have been parked since Saturday, June 20. Tomorrow, I’m leaving, heading for Billings, Montana, culminating a tour of about 2,600 miles that took me through

Time for a book tour

Time for a book tour If you're a book author — I am — and if you enjoy the open road and long road trips — I do — can there be a finer prospect in these troubled times than what's in store for me? Early this Thursday (June 11)

Thanks!

Thanks! As Thanksgiving nears, it's time to express gratitude and appreciation for the many good things life has brought me. Dare I say, outstanding experiences and relationships have come my way. My career as a writer spans 45 years — 50 if I count my senior year in high

“Midway Bravery” and the movie

As you may know, the new Midway movie, starring Woody Harrelson as Admiral Chester Nimitz, opens today at theaters nationwide. I plan to see the film this afternoon, appropriately in Billings, Montana. I say that because Billings was the final hometown of Army Air Force Lt. Col. James P. Muri,

Authorship is NOT a get-rich scheme

Authorship is NOT a get-rich scheme If anyone tells you that becoming a book author puts you on the path to riches, or you read that claim on the Internet, discard the statement as poppycock. I’m three years and two published books into my new career as an authorpreneur,

Goodbye to my motivator

Do you remember “Someone Saved My Life Tonight,” Elton John's 1975 Song? My late wife, Carolyn Gaub, didn't save my life. She did, however, save me from the doldrums of big corporate life and the anonymity, the worker-bee mentality, it too often breeds. I've

Carolyn Youngberg Gaub (1956-2019)

Carolyn Youngberg Gaub (1956-2019) Carolyn Elaine Youngberg Gaub, of Belgrade, Montana, loved teaching and sharing the joy of books and reading with others. She used those traits as an educator who touched and benefited the lives of thousands of students during a career that spanned four decades. Carolyn died on

My book’s guiding light is gone

My book’s guiding light is gone My guiding light for “Midway Bravery” flickered out last night. Carolyn Youngberg Gaub, as supportive a life and writing partner as one could ask for, died late Wednesday (September 4). She was 62. Glioblastoma, an incurable brain cancer, took her from me. And

Battles won and lost

Battles won and lost Battles, often not of one's choosing, arise in war. And in peace. Seventy-seven years and three months ago (June 4, 1942), 46 young men took off from Midway Atoll in the Pacific to engage a massive, oncoming Japanese fleet. Those enemy ships and planes

A better view of Susie-Q’s attack on Akagi

A better view of Susie-Q’s attack on Akagi The hardback version of "Midway Bravery" is now in its third edition, a little more than a month after the initial release. Such is the freedom and flexibility of self-publishing. The second edition corrected a passel of typos that

No happy ever after

No happy ever after There was no happy ever after for Jim and Alice Muri, and for Hank and Edna Swartz. The whims of war saw to that. On April 6, 1942, Hank, now a second lieutenant who flew out of Port Moresby in New Guinea, got orders for his

A sad stop on my writing journey

A sad stop on my writing journey It may sound like a cliche, but it’s true: writing is a journey. This journey takes you to many happy, satisfying places, such as those I’ve experienced recently — the release of a new book with the prospect of launch parties, giving

A wounded writer

A wounded writer My wife is dying. My heart is breaking. And for a writer, it seems a possible cure, if there is such, therapy for a wounded soul, is ... writing. Soon, glioblastoma (GBM), an aggressive, incurable brain cancer will steal Carolyn Gaub, the stalwart, supportive woman I married 18

Waiting for book launch

Waiting for book launch What’s an author to do while waiting for the release of his/her next book? Well, this southwestern Montana-based author is awaiting electronic proofs of “Midway Bravery” from Ingram Spark so he can give the green light to publishing the hardback version next week. And

What’s left on the “cutting” floor ...

What’s left on the “cutting” floor ... My editor, Craig Lancaster, a fellow journalist with eight or nine novels under his belt, recently warned me to avoid the “full-notebook syndrome.” What he was talking about is the tendency for newspaper reporters to approach an assignment with ample enthusiasm, which is

More on the wiretapping mystery

More on the wiretapping mystery On December 8, 1941, as Los Angeles and the U.S. reeled from the attack on Pearl Harbor, California Attorney General (and later U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice) Earl Warren stepped into LA’s wiretapping controversy with its still mysterious and likely tangential connection

Wiretapping mystery

Wiretapping mystery A mystery worthy of novelists who wrote about the Los Angeles of the 1930s or 1940s. Are there any historians or history buffs out there who can give a plausible explanation to what you read below?Back story. When I got the manuscript of “Midway Bravery” back from

Closer to book launch

Closer to book launch Monday is off to a good start. I just received word from my editor that he has finished his edits on the manuscript. He plans to send me an editorial letter tomorrow (Tuesday) that will outline what he's done, suggests next steps and explains

The why of this book

The why of this book If writing a book is a journey, that journey has been a long, winding path in this case. The idea of bringing Jim Muri's life to the printed page first arose six years ago, and the project is nearing completion this spring. The

History — it’s a true story

History — it’s a true story It's a late Sunday afternoon, March Madness looms and I'm pushing towards a big goal: a 65,000-word draft of the book by this weekend. That will give me a week to polish and almost certainly shorten the manuscript to

The later-in-life rewards of pursuing your passion(s)

The later-in-life rewards of pursuing your passion(s) Has anyone else besides me, especially but not limited to fellow writers, ever gotten the feeling that portions of your work experience from decades ago have prepared you perfectly to pursue your passion(s) in your 60s? Maybe if you're

Radio - wartime relief

Radio - wartime relief Radio swept the U.S. in the 1920s and 1930s, providing news and entertainment to a broad swath of Americans at a time when TV was in its infancy. Radio, then a wonderful new technology, benefited troops stationed in Hawaii after the Pearl Harbor attack, including

Chapter 10 - Muri's flight takes to the air(waves)

Chapter 10 - Muri's flight takes to the air(waves) More than three decades after Jim Muri buzzed the deck of Akagi with his B-26, his bomber took to the air again. Except this time Muri wasn’t at the controls of Susie-Q . And he wasn’t making

Chapter 1

Chapter 1 - Mystery Mission A bugle sounded. A Marine raised the American flag. The stars-and-stripes fluttered in the gentle breeze rolling in from the Pacific. Reveille roused Jim Muri at 3 a.m. on a day in early June 1942 that shaped his life. He sat up, stretched, rubbed

Why this book? Why this author?

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