A Great Interview about Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil As noted here in my most recent post, last week I appeared on Vic Ferrari’s podcast. Vic is a former NYPD officer turned author. He has a wealth of experience and it showed during the podcast. He asked a number of probing questions about Greg Scarpa, Legendary...Read More

Putting a Shine on a Compelling Cover & More Marketing updates: My publisher, WildBlue Press, is in the process of revising the cover of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil to include the Independent Author Network’s Book of the Year finalist medallion in a nice conspicuous spot. The current, and perhaps final, iteration is on the left....Read More

The Logic of an Award and Book Sales Post hoc, ergo propter hoc is a logic fallacy. The Latin is translated as, “After this, therefore because of this.” The easiest example demonstrating the fallacy is, “The sun came up after the rooster crowed, therefore the sun came up because the rooster crowed.” Conflating coincidence with...Read More

At the Literary Intersection of Thanksgiving and Existentialism Thanksgiving is my favorite of the big holidays. Always has been. The lack of robust ornamentation, the cultural appeal of an accessible myth, and the first decent break in the school year all attracted me when I was young.  (As a teacher, by Halloween I would mutter...Read More

The Effect of The Opinions of Strangers As noted here a couple of days ago, Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil, my first work of nonfiction, was selected as a finalist in the true crime category in the 2025 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards. I entered their contest shortly after my book was published...Read More

Finalist in the 2025 IAN Book of the Year Awards! I just learned that Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil, my first work of nonfiction, has been selected as a finalist in the true crime category in the 2025 Independent Author Network Book of the Year Awards. I’m pretty excited about it, honestly. The book was one of only three finalists in the...Read More

Reflecting on Service During the Cold War Tomorrow is November 11. What was once Armistice Day became Veterans Day in the U.S. in 1954. My service in the Army began in May of 1981 and lasted until June of 1986. By the time I joined, the draft was a thing of the past. I volunteered....Read More

Can a “Scholarly Work” Entertain? I recently had a lengthy phone conversation with an award-winning investigative journalist who has had a long and distinguished writing career. During that discussion he twice referred to Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil, as a “scholarly work.” I’m pretty sure it was meant as a compliment. In any event, I took...Read More

He “Violated Every Oath He Ever Took” In the final chapter of Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil, I attempt a summary of Scarpa’s character. I include in that summary the following: “He violated every oath he ever took, and in doing so made it clear that to him words like ‘family’ and ‘loyalty’ were useful only...Read More

Dan Zupansky of the “True Murder” Podcast Posts Interview about Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil I was recently interviewed by Dan Zupansky for his podcast, “True Murder.” Another great discussion about Greg Scarpa, Legendary Evil. My thanks to Dan who clearly did his homework. Once again I had the privilege of participating in a thorough and...Read More