Grandpa’s Letters and Blog Update

Hi folks,

If you’re still subscribed to this blog, I want to thank you for not deleting yourself from the list (or for simply forgetting to do so . . .). I have not been on much lately, but with my New Year’s Resolution “to write more” less than a month away I suppose I should start laying the groundwork now.

First, some good news: my revisions for Grandpa’s Letters were accepted by both peer reviewers, who have now formally endorsed its publication. Although this does not yet mean that I have a contract, it clears the way for one. Hopefully I will have more information before the summer, but now it’s looking really good. My personal hope, goal, and prediction is that the book will be released sometime in 2027 (although December 2026 would be the 85th anniversary of the Pearl Harbor attack, which seems like an opportune time for me . . .).

As for the revisions themselves, I have enlarged the narrative in places. I also added more context and story for some of the non-Elmer characters, as well as a couple of new ones. In short: if you liked the “Grandpa’s Letters” blog back in the day, you will love the book.

I also have a much better idea of what I will be doing with my grandmother’s letters, so stay tuned for that. I hope that this will also culminate in some sort of book, but it is too early to tell.

Since I finally have a new book in the publication pipeline, I need to start utilizing this space again to both keep folks up to date on its progress and to share information on some of the other things I’ve been working on. At the top of the list these days? A new (as in old) pop-up camper that we bought from our neighbors recently and which we are now rehabilitating. Stay tuned for updates on that . . .

There are also a lot of updates to share in the prison education world. Some are less than happy, but overall I’m confident about the future direction we’re taking. More on that soon as well.

Anyway, more to come soon, and this time I mean it . . .

— Matt