Category mental health
The Vampire of Sacramento — Richard Trenton Chase
It somehow seems appropriate to talk about a character named the Vampire of Sacramento as we approach Halloween. This vampire didn’t go from home to home looking for full-sized Snickers or KitKat bars. The Vampire of Sacramento went from door to door in search of victims… Richard Trenton Chase is an example of the failings […]
Crowds and Donuts–What nightmares are made of
I’m the type of person who doesn’t remember dreams. Only on rare occasions will I wake up in the morning with a vague feeling that I dreamt about something. It’s never anything that I can put a finger on and say, “Well, that was a fun ride.” Ninety-nine times out of a hundred, it’s simply getting […]
Getting Your Hands Dirty–Prison Reform
You hear the expression all the time–“Getting your hands dirty.” A yuppie call to get in the trenches and act like you’re doing the work, just like the common folk. It’s a trite little phrase used frequently by the likes of Martha Stewart, political figures, and CEO’s who haven’t looked at an assembly line since […]
It’s Just A Word
Remember the old children’s verse; sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me? Well, I’m calling bullshit on that one. One ill-chosen word has weight and is capable of inflicting a hurtful sting. String a few of these words together and lives are impacted. Last week I posted about a setting […]
The Prison You Don’t See
I’m writing a new story and part of the new piece involves prison — specifically mental health treatment in prison. It’s a strange thing to witness a prison mental health crisis first hand and after working around correctional mental health units and activating one in a maximum security prison, it occurred to me that most readers don’t […]
James L'Etoile
James L'Etoile 