DESERVED!?
Set to publish
Fall of 2026
What is DESERVED!?
A story of loss and revenge. A cerebral journey through the deep secrets of survivor remorse.
There is violence and the usage of the vernacular of the times represented. There is substance usage and abuse in line with the culture.
What there is NOT, are any detailed scenes of abuse on children. I can not write them. I will leave the details to the reader.
This book includes plot twists that will keep the pages turning.
I have given a random page to a few guest readers, only asking two questions.
Did what you read make you want to know what happened?
Do you want to know what comes next?
Every one of them said yes.
Enjoy a free section of DESERVED!? on me.
The Conversation
Tommy had just been cleared to drive without an adult. He had worked the last two summers night stock at the Foodland in Westover. Though the money was crap, he saved enough to buy his uncle’s old Ford truck. In rough shape would be an understatement. The truck was one step from being marked “Farm Use” on the side. It was four-wheel drive, and the engine cranked, so $100.00 was a great bargain.
The truck became an after-school and weekend project for Tommy and his friends, and in very little time it was roadworthy and tricked out for the time. With great mud tires, the truck could go basically anywhere, and it often did.
Freddy lived three houses down from Tommy. In WV, that could mean five miles away. In Freddy’s case, it was just ¼ of a mile. Inseparable as kids, the duo caused no end of harmless trouble in the hollow. As deep woods forts with grapevine swings converted to hang out spots, to bicycles that quickly gravitated into minibikes, there was no end to the injuries. In truth, an idyllic life for a couple of young boys.
It was a late Friday afternoon in June. Dusk did not come until around 9 p.m. on summer days, so there was plenty of time to cast a line. Just off the beaten path, near the end of the beaten path, Tommy and Freddy found themselves at their favorite Dunkard pool. A nice pool, wide enough and deep enough to hold the legendary monster Musky of Dunkard Creek.
Chicken livers were the bait of the day. Ten inches off the sinker, put it right in the path of a hungry fish. Of course, they are not always hungry—plenty of time to drink “acquired” beer and shot-the-shit. Acquired beer is just that. A couple of beers, at a time, from their fathers’ frequent purchases, made for a perfect fishing trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
What made you decide to tell this story?
More men are starting to come forward about their abuse from childhood. I am one of them. We are now in the age of the “Me Too” Movement. This book is to describe what would best be called the “Never Me” Movement.
What sparked the idea?
From my own experience. I wanted to explore the limitless ideas and secret plots that enter the mind of the abused, and what should be done to the offender.
Do you write of the punishment of offenders?
Yes, both legally and on the other side of the law.
Do you write graphic sexual scenes?
No. I do not describe the acts of abuse themselves. A bit too hard to write, and better left to the imagination of the reader.
Is there violence?
Very much. How could a story seeking revenge for this type of abuse not have violence?
Why did it take you 40 years to start writing this story?
My Mother passed away. There are things she need never have known.
