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Over The Dam
Let me entertain you.
Let me make you smile.
Let me do a few tricks,
Some old and then some new tricks.
I'm very versatile.
From the musical Gypsy Written by: JULE STYNE, STEPHEN SONDHEIM
Welcome to “Over The Dam.” From time to time, you will find selections which I post here that
will hopefully entertain you. Excerpts from published and unpublished fiction, non-fiction.
Personal essays and memoirs. Poems. Articles about New England history. Pieces with an Irish
theme. If you subscribe, each time a something is posted, you will receive notification.
I know I will enjoy sharing with you. I hope you will, too.
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My Writing Process Part One: Rough Work
Many authors will dramatize their writing process, creating a myth that their effort is akin to a religious experience. I’m here to tell you that although what I go through to write a novel is often difficult and requires resilience and patience, the process is similar to much of the work every reader does in their own works. Is making a fabulous meal less creative? How about putting in the efforts required to build a house? Or, in the case of my series of posts in May, make

robertw
5 days ago2 min read


SOQUILI-A Short Story
By 1838 violence spread across the State of Georgia as ancestral Cherokee land was seized by white residents. Seven thousand Federal troops were sent by President Van Buren to take the place of Georgia militia and peacefully enforce the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

robertw
Apr 144 min read


A Message for the Future: Indigenous Teachings from Boston, 1974
These words are a transcript of a Peace Pipe Ceremony which took place in Boston,
April 13, 1974. Participants, all now dead, were Lakota Medicine Man (Wikasa Wakan) John
Fire Lame Deer from the Rosebud Reservation, Chief Beaman Logan of the Tonawanda
Seneca People, Tall Oak Weeden of Narragansett and Wampanoag Peoples, Rod Skenendore of the Blackfoot and Mayor Kevin White of Boston.

robertw
Apr 76 min read


Digging Deep: The Research Journey Behind the Novel
This post is the Preface from Conflicting Roots. It explains why and how the novel came to be. The second is a full transcript of a Peace Ceremony which took place at Boston University in April, 1974. It was my attendance at this event that inspired me to learn more about King Philip's War and to, eventually, write a novel with it at the center.

robertw
Mar 314 min read


Thank YOU for a Hell of a Year
Dear readers, followers, friends and family members, you have helped to turn a tough personal trip around the sun into a successful professional year.
You have purchased more titles from me than during any year since I entered this retirement career in 2016. Many of you have personally given me feedback: encouragement to continue.

robertw
Jan 12 min read


Starting Over--The writing process of my next novel.
She told me “every novel is different.” I had to agree to a point, but I have always tried to discipline myself as an author to complete each stage of creation before starting the next. Always finish the rough draft before moving on to the First Draft. And then to editing. And then rewriting.

robertw
Oct 29, 20251 min read


Tales of Conflicting Roots
Conflicting Roots (Maine Authors Publishing, 2025) is built upon three levels of storytelling. The first are the stunning revelations when Matty Wheet discovers that her ancestors were native Wampanoag peoples who fought and died during King Philip’s War against white European colonizers in 1675-76. Second are the events of the war itself as seen through Matty’s eyes as well as those of her partner Timmy Romney.

robertw
Jun 17, 20252 min read


Truth in the Blood: Ancestry, Identity, and the Message of Conflicting Roots
There is a message delivered in my new novel Conflicting Roots (Maine Authors Publishing, 2025), as is explained in the Introduction....

robertw
May 6, 20253 min read


Story Origins: Conflicting Roots
A reader of my new novel Conflicting Roots asks for more explanation of the book’s history. “Why did it take so long to complete? It’s hard

robertw
Apr 8, 20254 min read


Let's Have Coffee on the Couch
In December, I made my first podcast appearance on "Coffee On The Couch." What a great

robertw
Jan 29, 20251 min read


Always Tell A Book By Its (Book) Cover Part 2
All three novels of my Lizzie Millett Series rely on their covers to introduce a theme or device which carries throughout each book.

robertw
Dec 17, 20242 min read


Always Tell a Book By Its (Book) Cover
The publishers of so many books today must hope potential readers pay no attention to the covers. They may want you to know the title and...

robertw
Dec 10, 20241 min read


Conflicting Roots Cover Reveal!
Matty Wheet’s grandmother Abigail knows secrets about the family’s ancestry, but no one else believes her. In 1978 when Matty learns she...

robertw
Nov 26, 20241 min read


Finding a Book Title for #4
Has anyone ever published a novel without a title? I think not, but my novel #4 has refused to accept a proper name. The #’s 1 and 2 grew...

robertw
Nov 19, 20242 min read
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