I was a student in the University of Iowa Writer’s Workshop when Andrew Vachss’s first novel FLOOD came out. I bought my copy at Prairie Lights Bookstore in downtown Iowa City. I was blown away by his writing and his unrelenting examination of the Dark Side and the Art of Revenge. He was a writer who walked his talk — he was a lawyer and investigator who specialized in protecting children from the worst kind of predators.
He was very good at what he did. VACHSS SITE
There was a time I’ve mentioned in previous posts where I did similar work for the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. Me and my crew, in between high threat protection jobs and training contracts, did pro bono missing child investigations and recovery. I saw first hand things I will never forget, things that will always shape my perception of Evil.
Vachss and I intersected one night in the 80’s in St. Paul, when me and my crew came to his book reading to pay our respects and swap stories. I am grateful to him for that night.
Vachss passed away recently. I was moved to write a short story in tribute, the first in a long time. It’s available to read for free on Amazon’s Kindle Vella platform. All you need is an Amazon account.
And how did Taylor Swift get involved? Read the story all the way to the end and you’ll find out she’s more than a pretty face and an amazing entertainer.
