Author Archives: Richard Cass

About Richard Cass

Dick is the author of the first two entries in the Elder Darrow Jazz Mystery series, In Solo Time and Solo Act, the story of an alcoholic who walks into a dive bar in Boston . . . and buys it. Dick serves on the Board of the Mystery Writers of America's New England chapter and lives and writes in Cape Elizabeth.

Serendipity Favoring the Semi-Prepared Mind

Posted on May 7, 2018

As we move from snow season to mud season to tree-trimming and roadwork season, I found myself stuck in traffic on Route 77 yesterday thinking about serendipity.  When I attended college, the school’s President used to give a speech at … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 4 Comments

Raves and (Minor-Key) Rants

Posted on April 6, 2018

I’m fond of a show that appears on Public television on Friday nights that comes out of WGBH Boston. It’s called Beat the Press and does quick hits on various journalism stories of the week. I’m particularly fond of a … Continue reading →

Posted in Dick's Posts, Uncategorized | 3 Comments

Like Frozen Ice?

Posted on March 7, 2018

Back when I was investigating graduate schools in pursuit of becoming the World’s Oldest Living Graduate Student ™, I came across an odd description of the University of New Hampshire’s Master’s program in English and Writing in a comment online. … Continue reading →

Posted in Dick's Posts, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Orts: OLLI, Sentences, and a Couple of Reviews

Posted on February 6, 2018

Lots of orts this month and no central theme, a reaction no doubt to the cold, then thaw, then cold again. I’ve enjoyed the class I’m facilitating that introduces Maine Mystery Writers to students at the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute … Continue reading →

Posted in Dick's Posts, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Chasing the BHAG

Posted on January 8, 2018

It is axiomatic that January means goal-setting for a lot of people. For a lot of years, I’ve given myself a list of things I’d like to accomplish in a given year, some personal and some professional, but as time … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 5 Comments

The Addled Protagonist

Posted on December 6, 2017

Sitting around thinking why so many protagonists in crime fiction, at least at the darker ends of the spectrum, have protagonists who are addicted in some way. From Sherlock’s 7 per cent solution to the “dull routine of existence” to … Continue reading →

Posted in Dick's Posts, Uncategorized | 5 Comments

Readers. Gotta love ’em

Posted on November 7, 2017

Got a nice note from an old friend reconnecting the other day. He’d bought both books, read the first, and was halfway through the second. He vowed that he was enjoying them and couldn’t wait for me to write the … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | 1 Comment