I have 9,000 folks on my mailing list. That’s you. The breaking news about Novel #3 “Captain Henry: 2 ½ Insurrections, 2 Wars, 1 ¼ Centuries, and a Story of Love” is that I am going to donate 10% of my proceeds to The Friends of the Massachusetts National Guard Museum (see below).
Of these, about 3,100 view my short stories each month. Maybe some counting is done between open and delete. I prefer to think: some 3,000 folks read (or listen) my story at some point during the month. I work hard on them and have received one nice award this month and some recognition.
My publisher printed less than 1,000 copies of CAPTAIN HENRY.
If all 9,000 mailing list folks buy a copy, then I’m on the NYT best seller’s list.
If 3,000 readers each by a copy, I’ll bet that’s pretty good for me and will make my publisher rush out to print more copies (except, it is available as audio and ebook, both). I’ll make somebody’s list if we pull that off.
Remember ye olde math problems from high school? That’s where we’re at.
Captain Henry
I spent Wednesday 16SEP2026 at the New England Independent Bookseller’s Association (NEIBA) gathering in Newton MA. My third year at this event. Local booksellers and librarians are my friends. So on that, please do what you can to buy from a local store or Bookshop.org or for audio check out Libro.fm
I handed my one-pager marketing sheet to visitors and shut my mouth. I’d watch. I’d been traveling to bookstores all of August. They read, their eyes brighten, they smile then they look up. I say, “Yup, that’s me”
Centuries apart, two American soldiers deploy to war after “mission accomplished.” Based on real Reconstruction-era papers and the author’s own military journals, CAPTAIN HENRY follows the spirit of Catch-22 and MASH, literary fiction written by who lived the reality of war.
They loved the cover. I do too!
Massachusetts National Guard Museum
My story follows the life of my own great-grandfather Henry McDonald of Springfield Massachusetts. In his teens, he enlisted in the United States Army as a private in 1870s (more in the novel). Later in his life, Captain Henry McDonald led the Springfield City Guard, part of the U.S. Army infantry force sent to Cuba for the Spanish-American War of 1899.
The proof of Henry’s service, role, and the role of the Massachusetts National Guard in the Spanish-American War was found at this amazing museum. When I tracked it down, it had been located in Worcester MA. As of April 2025, it opened in the former National Guard armory in Concord MA about 5 miles from my childhood home.
I stopped in for a 3-hour visit on 17SEP2026 and found engaging, brilliant, knowledgeable staff. In fact, I got out-shined on my knowledge by an amazing young artillery lieutenant who works at the museum full time.
The roots of the Massachusetts National Guard spans four centuries from the earliest years with the Pilgrims off the Mayflower through to the opening of the American Revolutionary War. My family connection weaves in and out. 13 generations ago, my ancestor, Peregrine White was a warrior for in and around Plymouth as a member of the local militia. My family served in the Revolutionary War with one ancestor standing on Dorchester Heights directing cannons towards the blockading British Fleet in Boston Harbor. My own great-great-grandfather Aiken was a cook in the 2nd Mass Infantry during the Civil War. And great-grandfather McDonald led a company of the 2nd Mass Infantry in Cuba.
If in Concord MA, or anywhere near Boston, go visit:
https://friendsmangmuseum.org/