‘Wicked’ release date announced

My second book, “Wicked Columbus, Indiana” is scheduled to be released on June 19. As we get closer to that date, I’ll be announcing book signings, a possible book launch party, media coverage and a pre-sale where you can order signed books from me before they’re published and I mail them to you as soon as they arrive in my clutches. Price to be determined by The History Press.

The book will also be available at your local bookstore (if it’s not in stock, just ask them to get it for you and all your friends) as well as all major online book vendors (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, etc.) And if you prefer reading on your Nook, Kindle or other e-reader, “Wicked” will also be available in that format.

My first book, “Murder in Wauwatosa: The Mysterious Death of Buddy Schumacher,” are still available in print and e-book formats. In fact, I just mailed three to former Wauwatosa East classmates of mine this week! Email me at phof63@sbcglobal.net for details.

February 18, 2017 0

Look at this groovy cover

After a few minor changes, the front and back covers of my next book have been approved. This is quite a colorful display. I can’t wait for it to come out in print (and in e-book).

My first edits have gone back to The History Press. The folks there will go through the manuscript one more time and page it before I get one final look.

My best guess is that our release will be March 2017. Details to come.

February 6, 2017 0

We’re looking at March

The History Press, my publisher, is going through the first edits on “Wicked Columbus Indiana,” my second book. We will go through two edits apiece before the book gets published. Seems like this is about a six-week process, so we should be out early March I’d imagine. We will keep everyone up to date and do a pre-sale.

Before I start writing in earnest again (whatever project I decide to tackle next, I’m not sure), I’ve been catching up on a little bit of reading. The most recent books I’ve read are by people I know:

“5 Days in May: The Greatest Spectacle in Science Fiction” by John C. Bodin and RonCollins. I used to be in a writers group with Ron and find his sci-fi sports stuff very enjoyable. He does other sci-fi, so if you’re into that, check his stuff out here.
“Monkey in the Middle” by Dobie Maxwell, a comedian and former radio host from Milwaukee with a heck of a life story. Find out more about “Mr. Lucky” here.
Oh, and I must mention that my talented wife, Kimberly Hoffman, has just had her first book published. It’s a children’s story about a little spider who goes to dance class called “Emma’s Dancing Day.” It’s available everywhere books are sold. You can find more info at her publisher’s website here.

STINCOL – “Monkey in the Middle” , by Dobie Maxwell.

bkgarageband07 book cover Milwaukee Garage Bands: Generations of Grassroots Rock By Peter Roller

Prior to those two books, I got my poetry fix on with “Last Words” by Antler, who attended the same high school I did (Wauwatosa East in Wisconsin), but graduated way, way before me. I was also in the middle of “Gathering Place of the Waters: 30 Milwaukee Poets” when I started writing my latest book. So I have to get back to that.

I’ve completely switched gears the past week and am reading a 1951 book by L.L. Castetter called “Fundamentals of Human Engineering” that I picked up at a new shop in Franklin, Indiana, called Studio Stuff. The premise of this book is that man has developed so much knowledge about stuff, but knows so little about man and he needs to learn more about himself and his fellow humans in order for us to form a better existence for each other.

And I need to finish Peter Roller’s “Milwaukee Garage Bands: Generations of Grassroots Rock” that has a bookmark stuck in it.

So, until I get my manuscript back to work on, I’ll be reading and writing.

January 24, 2017 0

The Other Side of the Tracks

A map of Columbus, Indiana, shows some of the major slum areas from the late nineteenth century into the middle of the twentieth century.

Following are a few excerpts from my forthcoming book, “Wicked Columbus, Indiana,” which I anticipate being available late winter 2017. These excerpts are from the chapter titled “The Other Side of the Tracks,” detailing the exploits, excitement and foul living conditions of some of the city’s most blighted neighborhoods from the 1860s to the 1960s. Fortunately, all these areas got cleaned up.

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As with most cities, Columbus has had its share of downtrodden neighborhoods over the years. For most of its history, these areas that housed the poorest residents and that were plagued by higher crime rates than other parts of the city were situated along the west and south sides of Columbus.

Smokey Row, Jug Row, Happy Hollow and Death Valley all pretty much fell into this pattern of substandard housing and higher crime rates.”

______

The condemnation of the local Smoky Row continued: “The mid-night orgies held in some of the so-called houses and cellars of the Row, include draughts from the flowing bowl of the vilest whiskey, demonic dances by the squeaking of an old fiddle, unhallowed embraces between those loathsome with disease, and other things whose mention should not fall on the cultivated ear.”

______

Public outrage demanded that Happy Hollow be cleaned up.

“Some of these boys and girls claim that they do not know any better,” read The Republican on February 26, 1909. “They have lived in poverty and squalor all their lives. Their homes are the meanest sorts of hovels and they learned to swear and blackguard as they learned to talk. Something ought to be done to clean up that end of town and put an end to the youthful tragedies which have been coming to light so rapidly the past few months.”

______

“The conditions along Jug Row as set forth by some of the witnesses were revolting in the extreme and almost beyond belief that they could exist among civilized people and in a community that made even the slightest pretentions at morality,” The Republican reported, adding that some people of high rank and respectability were involved. “The wild debauches in which the denizens of that locality have indulged puts anything of that kind in previous years to shame.”

______

The rat problem was horrific in Death Valley, and they came out of nearby fields and wooded areas when the floods hit. In April 1939, during another bout of high water, Mel Christopher, in charge of the dog pound, said that his brother-in-law, Alex Baker, had killed 140 rats in the neighborhood and that hundreds of others had gotten away.

December 22, 2016 0

Now if this back cover text isn’t jaw-dropping…

Here is the text that is planned for the back cover of my upcoming book, “Wicked in Columbus, Indiana,” due out probably late winter:

Dubbed “The Athens of the Prairie” for its array of stunning modern architecture, Columbus still endured its share of unsavory citizens, crime-ridden neighborhoods and tales of woe. Many residents avoided the infamous slums of Smoky Row and Death Valley, while others gave in to the allure of Lillian “Todie” Tull’s famed house of ill-repute on North Jackson Street. Two different father-son hoodlum partnerships, The McKinneys and Bells, terrorized the area in the 1800s. And a brutal fist fight between a newspaper editor and the mayor sparked a scandal in 1877. Author Paul J. Hoffman guides the reader on a wild ride through the city’s salacious side.

And below are some photos that have a really good shot at being included in the book:

029 — Moonshining was big business in Columbus, even into the 1960s. Here, Sheriff J. Walter Johns inspects a homemade still found in a local chicken house.

144 — Lillian “Todie” Tull was one of Columbus’ most famous madames. She, along with a couple of alleged accomplices, was accused with trying to entice a young woman to come to Columbus for employment with the intention of turning her into a prostitute.

065 — Ralph Drake, a man who battled alcoholism as a young adult, killed his lover, Ida Ward, and tried to kill himself in a Columbus boarding house in 1893.

052 — The first local speech on the Ku Klux Klan was held at city hall in 1922.

November 21, 2016 0

Making ‘wicked’ progress on my next book

I’ve been researching at breakneck speed for my second book, “Wicked in Columbus, Indiana.” The book, which will be published by The History Press, should be out sometime early 2017. It focuses on some of the crummy stuff the city has experienced (although nothing more recent than 1980). I also talk about how some of this crummy stuff has been cleaned up.

I’m about 90 percent done with the research for three of the chapters, which center on a public fight between the oldest editor and the youngest mayor in the state of Indiana in 1877, the Ku Klux Klan’s presence in Columbus and Bartholomew County over the years, and a look at two doctors who were poisoned and the investigation into who did it.

Many more chapter to work on, including two areas of the city that were considered the worst slums the city has ever seen, a bevy of brothels in the early 1900s, as well as a few murders and robberies and a few other topics.

Click on the photos below to see caption information.

Isaac M. Brown, editor of The Evening Republican when he got into a public fight with Mayor George W. Cooper in 1877.

Death Valley was a poor area of Columbus that featured substandard housing and seasonal flooding through the first half of the 20th century.

Geroge W. Cooper, who was 26 years old when he fought 56-year-old Isaac M. Brown in Columbus in 1877.

Dr. Griffth Marr’s lunch was poisoned at Bartholomew County Hospital in 1977. He survived.

September 22, 2016 0

So, I think I’m an expert?

My schedule is set for Imaginarium Convention in Louisville Oct. 7-9. Below are the sessions that I’ve been chosen to serve on as a panel expert.

The event is centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels. It will be held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Click here for more info on the convention.

Besides serving as a guest panelist for the five sessions detailed below, I’ll also be doing a book signing Saturday at 10 a.m. Signed copies of my first book, “Murder in Wauwatosa: The Mysterious Death of Buddy Schumacher” will be available for $10 each. You’ll have to wait until early 2017 to get my second book, “Wicked in Columbus, Indiana” yet. Both are/will be available in print and e-book formats from all your regular book outlets online and in bookstores.

Historical Writing
Whether it’s immersive content or just a hint of flavor for the period, historical writing can challenge your skills with setting and the portrayal of historical events for a contemporary audience.
Friday, Oct. 7, 5 p.m.

New Author Boot Camp
So you wrote a book…now what? This panel will take you through the steps of being a new author – from publishing to promotion, the tools you need to succeed, making friends in the industry, and the hard lessons learned from simple mistakes.
Friday, Oct. 7, 6 p.m.

Faith in Fiction
A general discussion about presenting spiritual beliefs in fiction, how to be culturally sensitive to others’ beliefs and your audience, and how to write about religions/spiritual paths you do not know.
Saturday, October 8, 7 p.m.

Breaking into Freelance Writing
Many individuals want to write full time, but they do not yet have the financial freedom to do so. Freelance corporate writing can offer flexibility and financial security as they pursue a full time fiction/non fiction writing career. This panel will explore how to break into freelance corporate writing, the skills required, where to find clients, what they can expect to earn and more.
Sunday, October 9, 10 a.m.

Homonymns, Semi-Colons, Serial Commas, Oh My!
Grammar Geeks, come on down! Panelists discuss why grammar is so important to a writer, why editors enforce the rules, and best resources for those tricky little squiggles.
Sunday, October 9, noon

This is going to be great!

September 22, 2016 0

Tons of writing topics to be covered at Imaginarium

Tons (figuratively) of topics will be covered at Imaginarium Convention in Louisville, Kentucky, Oct. 7-9, an event that I’m proud to be a part of for the first time this fall. The event is an annual event centered entirely around creative writing, including the worlds of books, movies, gaming, music, and comics/graphic novels.

Authors, illustrators, poets, publishers, podcasters, gamers and more will benefit.

Here are just a few of the topics to be discussed:

What’s in a Name?
How to create names for your characters that fit your world’s language and culture.

Controversy!
Panelists discuss how to navigate the minefield of controversial topics without censoring yourself or offending the masses.

Query Crazy!
The book is done and polished. Now…to query. Our panelists provide tips on how to write a query which will sell your book.

Getting Into Illustration
You like to draw and would like to do it for books. How do you go about it? Do you need an agent? What’s it like to work with the author? This panel will cover these questions and more.

Creating Your Romantic Lead
Romantic leads don’t have to look like Fabio anymore. What makes a good romantic lead, male or female? They can be quirky, nerdy, and even a little bit evil … so long as we love them.

Game of Thrones
All things GoT! Panelists discuss the books, the tv adaptation, and how the two can coexist so peacefully in such a hard world.

Page to Screen
What books-to-screen have worked, and which could have worked better? Does a great book make for a great TV show or movie?

The Language of Fear
Good horror is all about atmosphere. Panelists discuss how to set the scene for a good scare without going too far.

Promotion for Self-Pubbers
How to cost-effectively promote your books on-line and in person without the support of a publisher behind you.

Podcasting 101
Technology has lowered the bar…you should be podcasting! Our panelists will tell you how and why.

The Psychology of Speculative Fiction
Why do people write (and read) it? Using examples – and writers – to help explain the effects of being creative in this field. I’ve never had a boring session moderating this panel!

Why Young Adult Works for All Ages
From The Hunger Games and Harry Potter to Goosebumps, writers discuss the universal appeal of writing for the YA audience – and why it’s never just for teens.

Again, this is just a tiny smattering of topics to be covered. See the entire list here.

Specific times and dates and my schedule to be announced.

August 20, 2016 0

Columbus, Indiana, isn’t all that wicked

“Athens on the Prairie they call this mecca of architecture …Columbus, Indiana.

Yes, Columbus is a fine city. I’ve lived in it the past seven years, and have lived within a 40-minute drive of it since 1994.

But, as with any location, Columbus has seen a few unsavory sorts, its share of difficult times and just pure bad luck.

Those exceptions are what The History Press has asked me to write about in a book tentatively titled “Wicked in Columbus, Indiana.”

I’ve been collecting ideas for the book and think I have enough to eventually produce 35,000 words of exquisite copy. The Wicked books typically feature about a dozen or so lighter crimes such as political corruption, con men, quack medicine, prostitution and red light districts with a few murders thrown in.

So, I’ve gone into research mode once again, just like I did when delving for information for my 2012 debut book, “Murder in Wauwatosa: The Mysterious Death of Buddy Schumacher.” Fortunately, the digging should be much easier as I won’t have to drive to Wisconsin every time I want to scan some microfilm.

I’ll keep everyone updated on progress as I move along.