They say that your life can change in a heartbeat, and not necessarily for the better. Last November, in the waning days of Fall in northeastern Pennsylvania, mine sure did. I had recently returned from Catania, Sicily where I had penned my first novel, Maximum Impact, with an old colleague – an intrepid investigative reporter. What started as editing soon became co-authorship.

I had arrived at my apartment, an 1890’s Wheelmen’s Club on the national registry of historic places. I was intent upon preparing dinner in my slow cooker. Nothing better than football and a flat infused with the aromas of a simmering meal! Cooking is a stress reliever for me. Unfortunately, that elixir of a routine was put on hold. Far too long in my estimation.

I had recently purchased an e-bike. Growing in popularity, and largely unregulated, it was ideal for me. I’m no Spring chicken. The days of traversing the continental US, Canada, Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, and the Santa Fe Trail on a pedal bike are in my rear-view mirror. Perhaps, the e-bike will be, too. I’m currently undecided as the thought of riding again instills fear in me after what happened…

As I was rolled into the operating room, I was more than comfortably numb on fentanyl and morphine. I truly had no idea the nature and extent of my injuries. How I spent the previous evening at home before being rushed to a trauma center by ambulance the following morning, I’ll never know. My injuries consisted of nine shattered ribs, a fractured sternum, a collapsed lung, and a rather large hematoma on my left forehead. I was intubated for two days. Despite his best efforts, my anesthetist couldn’t get me to “stay with [him]” as he patted my face, and pleaded. Emerging from invasive surgery, I wasn’t breathing on my own. I was outside of my body, observing my anesthetist imploring me to breathe independently. “Stay with me, James.” Before the 10-hour surgery, I had chuckled at my anesthetist’s surname – Martello. I had informed my surgeon that it was Italian, meaning hammer. Despite my precarious predicament, there were moments of levity.

My young surgeon, Griffin Becker, DO, put me back together again. Today, my chest cavity is the functional equivalent of an IKEA outdoor coffee table. Five titanium plates and cryoablation were a prelude to a year of juggling more medical disciplines than I ever thought imaginable. Oh, and by the way, they kept saying, “You’re old.” My subsequent and constant pain, swelling, and corresponding somatic maladies were recklessly earmarked and dismissed as a function of aging, and unrelated to my trauma.

Hospital Supply Closet

I’m in a much better position today, although I recently spent 11 days in the hospital for additional treatment. I finally found a doctor  who would listen to me, and not dismiss my post-accident and post-surgery ongoing trauma as “old age.” That hospital stay afforded me an opportunity to recapture my passion for reading. There, I found John Grisham’s Camino Island in a cluttered supply closet. In fact, I devoured six novels. But, Camino Island resonated with me.

I couldn’t wait to tell Angela Hoy, the publisher of WritersWeekly, all about it. Honestly, Angela and her team have been my pillar of unconditional support in what had otherwise been a very difficult year. I also have Trenton, a plush teddy bear that Angela and team sent to me when I was in a hospital bed for 11 days. Unfortunately, Trenton was seized, waterboarded, and placed in quarantine.

Published in 2017, and set on an island off the coast of Jacksonville, Florida, Camino Island is a classic Grisham crime thriller. What I enjoyed most was Grisham’s accounts of an aspiring author’s trials, tribulations, and character flaws. I can only surmise that Grisham’s recitations are based upon his own experiences as he began his writing journey. It has been said that he began by peddling his books out of the trunk of his car. The characters are perfect; their experiences and descriptions expertly capture the essence of authorship.

Centered around a quaint tourist town’s local bookstore owned by Bruce Cable, stolen rare books and manuscripts, and a Princeton University heist, it is engaging, and sure to captivate aspiring authors. As I read the novel, it reaffirmed that nothing I’ve experienced in my publishing journey was out of the norm. It’s ripe for the big screen in my opinion.

Unbeknownst to me, Camino Island gave rise to the Camino Series for John Grisham.  Camino Winds and Camino Ghosts followed in 2020 and 2023 respectively.

I guess you know my nose will be buried in the Camino Series as I prepare myself to tackle a new year in 2026!

RELATED

• Lawyer Representing 4,400 Clients is Going After Meta and Other Social Media Platforms on Behalf of Children and Their Families – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• META GAG ORDER – Serial Exploitation of Children & CCP Connections! – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• DID THEY HEAR OUR PODCAST?? – Senators Call for Investigation into Facebook’s BILLION DOLLAR Ad Fraud! – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• DIRTY DEEDS! Trouble Brewing at Meta for Massive Facebook Ad Fraud! – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• Will Meta (Owner of Facebook & Instagram) FINALLY Get Prosecuted for Profiting from Scam Ads? – by James M. Walsh, Esq.
• How I Avoided Being Scammed by a Fake “Publisher” Running Ads on Facebook – by Jason Meadors

JAMES M. WALSH, ESQ. is a former Navy JAGC officer and a recipient of the American Bar Association’s coveted LAMP Award for excellence in military legal assistance practice. A rolling stone, J.M. has globetrotted most of his adult life. After the military, J.M. pursued commercial real estate development, leasing, and asset management. He resides in Catania, Sicily. He spent almost twenty years in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania’s Luzerne, Erie & Lackawanna Counties. His handiwork as an editor and author is interspersed throughout this novel. Leo A. Murray fondly refers to J.M. as his collaborative, literary ‘Coach’ or ‘Lieutenant.’ Agnes claims that he has gypsy in his heart and rabbit in his feet.

James’ thriller, Maximum Impact, written with co-author Leo Murray, was published by Abuzz Press.