Beachhead References

"Write what you know about," was Dr. Christianson's advice. He was my advanced creative writing professor at the University of Wisconsin. He was a great supporter of my work. And his son, Jerry, became a good friend in later years.

I used that advice when I wrote the Road Tales series, an autobiographical novel of my experiences as a musician on the road. I used it again while writing Beachhead.

I began writing this story in 2007 after I'd met an eclectic group of weirdo's that lived on the barrier island of Jacksonville Beach. One was a golf pro, another a master chef, still another was a musician who would eventually ask me to join his band. I was the only writer in the wide-ranging collection of spirits. I somehow completed the set. And they provided me with the inspiration to write this murder mystery.

Beachhead is a thinly veiled synonym for the Atlantic Beach/Neptune Beach/Ponte Vedra Beach/St. Augustine stretch along the Atlantic Coast of Florida (although the locals consider themselves as belonging to Lower Georgia). It is commonly referred to as The Redneck Riviera as it sits across the Infra-coastal Waterway from Jacksonville.

John Mann, the first character murdered in the mystery, was drawn from several characters that I met in my early days. Chief among them is an affable cat named Jimmy Law, who isn't nearly as bad as the composite picture of John Mann.

Evil Dan was an actual roommate of Jimmy Law. The guy was SHADY to say the very least. He was a slick, slimy dude of the first magnitude. I counted my fingers after he shook my hand.

Sea Hag - I think her name was Mary. Not sure that I ever knew her last name. A widow with a large endowment from her dead husband. I never saw her when she wasn't fucked up. She was the kinda/sorta girlfriend of Jimmy Law. I'm not sure if they ever copulated. Whenever I saw them together they were both too drunk to achieve coitus.

Sugar's - modeled after Ginger's Bar on 3rd Street - Highway A1A in Jax Beach.

Windy Belcamp - loosely based on Ginger's granddaughter and every other female bartender I've ever encountered.

Misty - a close friend whose real name I won't divulge. But she knows who she is.

The Old Castle -- An homage to Modeste Mussorgsky, composer of Pictures At An Exhibition. The Old Castle was one of the expressionistic paintings in the gallery. Inspired by a castle house just north of St. Augustine.

Andy - based upon numerous go-getters that I've known. lives at The Old Castle

Tasha - a composite of strong women that I've known - Head Mistress of The Old Castle.

Ernie-From-Duluth - I couldn't have invented Ernie. He is one of a kind. His actual first name is Arnie. I have no idea what his last name is. Not sure I ever heard it. But the character is a fairly close description of the guy.

Arly Soaring Hawk - a thinly veiled reference to me. My dad's name was Carl and my birth certificate name is Lyle = Arly. We are Nakota Sioux Indians from North Dakota.

Duck-E & The Quackers - Woody & The Peckers
Duck-E Duck - Chuck E Saunders, guitarist, leader
Dino (dee-no) - Geno Phares, fucking drummer
Ted - Joey, lead singer
Jerry "Peeper" Parker - Woody, bass player, second murder victim
Lonnie McMurphy - fills in for Peeper on bass when he doesn't show

Jillian Williams - Reporter. Me if I were a woman and had it all to do over again. Jill is sassy, has a foul mouth that would make sailors blush. She takes no shit, though she does dish it out. Jill is tenacious, driven, and loves her alcohol. She once dated her professor at UF - after she took his class.

Don Janus - character from a porn series that my friend wrote back in the 90's. Janus is suave, cultured, and a born ladies man.

Amy Crewes - Photographer for the Beachhead Gazette. Another girl from my past. I dated her brains out for a while. Great photographer. Bitchy beyond belief. Deadhead. She danced to the beats of the Grateful Dead

Stacy O'Grady - a hitchhiker that I picked up on my way back from New Orleans one weekend. She lived with me for a short time in Tampa. The end came when I woke up to witness her peeing in the corner of my bedroom. She was witchy

That is a short description of the major characters in Beachhead, which I constantly hear is a great read. Good to hear about my first novel that isn't based solely on my life.