Do You Blog?

Do You Blog?

We are off and running on the fall, 2019 blog. I’ll begin with a question I was asked recently at a local civic meeting: What is a blog? 

The answer I gave was surprisingly similar to the textbook response: There are a variety of correct answers, but the one I found that most matches me and my blog was this: 

“A blog is a page that serves as a publicly accessible personal journal for an individual. Typically updated daily, blogs often reflect the personality of the author.” 

Yes, I decided. That fits me. Why does a person blog? The answer must come from the heart. 

The blog is who I am, what and how I do things, and, what is important to me, especially in the world of reading and writing quality books. 

Who am I?

A father and grandfather to four grandchildren, all of whom live 300 miles away—close enough to be accessible, but far enough not to spoil.

A cop. Wearing a badge fifty-years provided me with a vast array of perspectives on the lives we see not just every day, but those that live in the lines and shadows of society. From daily contact with the dredges of society to Presidents and Prime Ministers, legislative and appointed officials, plus regular moms, dads, kids, and their dogs and cats. All of these can make a person pause and re-consider the important things in life.

Deputy Chief Thomas J. Nichols

A researcher and writer. I was fortunate to attend the University of Arizona where I graduated Magna Cum Laude, BS, Business and Public Administration. This was followed by the FBI National Academy, Quantico, Virginia, then returned to the Academy for the Law Enforcement Executive Development Program. That was followed by a trip to Harvard for the Police Executive Research Forum’s Senior Management Institute for Police.

These and a plethora of other courses exposed me to a wide educational indoctrination. Then, back to the Tucson Police where I worked twenty-one years, retiring as Deputy Chief. From there, it was on to the Lubbock Police where I served seven years as Chief.
About the time I thought my career was over, I was invited to begin a full-service police department serving the Lubbock School District. What I thought would be a simple job of getting it up and running turned out not to be accurate—I stayed twenty-one years before I actually retired.

LISD Superintendent Karen Garza embraces retiring LISD Police Chief Thomas Nichols
during a retirement party in his honor. Geoffrey McCallister

Award-Winning Author. However, retirement opened up a new world for me. I had done extensive technical research and writing in my career, but decided to try my hand at writing novels. 

The trip has been fabulous—award-winning novels and short-stories, co-wrote several screenplays, and even plunged into a mystery night extravaganza at a local civic organization.

Now, six novels later, I am writing a seventh—a sequel to my very first novel, “Color of the Prism.” Tentatively entitled “We Were Young Once . . .” we have a goal of having it on the market in early 2020. 

During my research for "We Were Young Once" I encountered this iconic sign in Hachita, New Mexico.

Like my other works, it is a fact-based novel that hits very close to home. If you would like to be the first to read an exclusive excerpt of this book, look for my September contest in my newsletter. I'm giving the first two chapters to five lucky winners.

Before we go, we must remind you how to receive a free short story. Simply visit my signup page here for my newsletter. NO SPAM is guaranteed. 

Also, you may qualify for a free audiobook of “Arrows of Allah” when you sign up for Audible at this link.

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