September 2021 - Tom Flanagan

Tis the Season for Scary Stories

It’s officially fall. That means sweater weather, leaf peeping, pumpkin spice…everything, and of course, Halloween.

Acapulco isn’t a traditional horror story, but it does have its chilling moments. I had goosebumps writing the scene where the smoke attacks Simon and Chris under the weathered dock floating in the middle of the quarry lake.

I’ve always loved scary stories. And growing up in New England, you couldn’t escape the likes of Edgar Allan Poe, H. P. Lovecraft, and Stephen King. By the way, I was obsessed with these books when I was kid. Let me know if you remember them!

If you’re a fan of horror novels and looking for something scary to read this season, check out this list from Book Riot.

Well, that’s it for this week. I hope you enjoy your pumpkin spice latte and Southern Tier Pumpking Imperial IPA.

Updates

I’d Love to Follow You

There’s no shortage of online platforms these days. Although I have to say, email is one of my favorites. It’s pretty cool to touch base with friends across the country on a weekly basis. However, I know that email isn’t super sexy and let’s be honest, spam sucks. If you’re on any of these platforms, give me a follow and I’d love to follow you back:

Facebook
Instagram
Twitter
GoodReads
Amazon

Updates

Who’s Your Favorite Character?

A lot of people have asked if I’m one of the characters in Acapulco. I feel like there’s a little bit in me in all of the characters. However, If I’m being completely honest, I have a soft spot for Simon Banks.

Simon and I are both a bit nerdy and share a passion for homemade book covers and paper football. We were both paperboys for the Pawtucket Times. When I was a kid, my newspaper route included a funeral parlor, a group home, and an upscale men’s club. I saw some pretty wild stuff. Some of those experiences inspired the prologue.

I had the pleasure of being interviewed by journalist, Jon Baker, from the Pawtucket Times before my book signing event at The Galway. I have to say, having been a paperboy, writing a story about a paperboy, then being interviewed by the Times about the book was pretty surreal. I felt like I had come full circle.

So, who was your favorite character in Acapulco? Was it Simon? His awesome sister, Hannah? Perhaps it was Sister Mary Francis? Drop me a line and let me know!

Updates

A Surprise For Sure

Something unexpected happened after I released Acapulco. A whole new audience discovered my first book, The Potato Puff Surprise. To be honest, I didn’t see that coming and it was a cool surprise.

If you’re not familiar with The Potato Puff Surprise, the book is a tribute to my friend’s dad, Joe Kelly, who died of cancer on September 3rd, 2017. Joe was a rebel, a bluesman, and a connoisseur of Battleship Gray. Here’s one of my favorite photos of him.

I had the honor of delivering his eulogy. Afterwards, I set out to write a short story that captured a few of his more entertaining antics. Little did I know that it would turn into a book that would transport me back in time. Back to the old neighborhood and back to junior high school.

I always think of Joe on Labor Day weekend and I know that he would absolutely love that fact that so many people enjoyed his story. Until we meet again, Blue Man.

Haven’t read The Potato Puff Surprise? The Kindle Edition is only $0.99. Check it out and more importantly, be sure to hug your loved ones this weekend.