A.B.PATTERSON - Blog

Liberal democracy dying - from the bottom up. NSW removes Orwell from schools.

12/12/2024

Let's face it, liberal democracy as we know it is a small, albeit still powerful, player in the world - so much non-democracy out there. If we don't educate our young people to think about freedom of expression, then we as liberal democrats can kiss our free societies goodbye. There are tyrants aplenty out there just waiting to devour our corpses - China, Russia, Iran, North Korea, multifarious Islamic terrorist groups and pseudo-states, and the list goes on.
Today's news that the NSW Education Department is removing George Orwell's 1984 from high school reading lists is appalling. However, it's not remotely surprising. The woke/socialist agenda that has infected our Western societies like a cancer is a clever and cunning virus. Whilst the woke brigade uses Orwell as a how-to guidebook for the removal of freedom of expression and thought, and they have learned Orwell's lessons well, they of course cannot tolerate young people being educated in the real lessons Orwell had to offer - the warning, now all-too starkly clear, about how freedom ends.
Orwell's 1984 should be compulsory reading for all older high school students in our democracies.
We must keep the freedom discussion alive.

Cheers, ABP.

Cops Writing Crime - 2 new members

7/1/2024

Another 2 colleagues (1 American and 1 British) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 429.

That's 429 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Tim O'Rourke who served with the police in the UK, although I'm not sure which Force.
2. Aaron Philip Clark who served with the LAPD in the US.

Our Squad now consists of:

290 American, 71 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French,
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian,
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian,
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

I have a story published in "Pulp Modern" - it's been a desired goal for a long time.

7/11/2023

I do love writing my short stories, and seeing them published in anthology magazines is a buzz beyond description.
"Pulp Modern" is an anthology magazine I've been reading with rapture for years now. The editor, Alec Cizak, curates a publication that both garners great authors and stories as well as standing firm in supporting freedom of expression. Whilst I've loved reading "Pulp Modern" over the years, I've hankered for a berth in its line-up.
Et voilà! My story, "Beelzebub's Bird" appears in this special issue volume. The story has a horror twist with a distinctly Aussie backdrop, so not my usual hard-boiled crime stuff.
I was invited to do a story version of a short film, "Cocky", with the screenplay written by Aaron McJames and Darren Casey. It was an incredibly fun project, and I do hope you like the end result.
Let's put it this way...the next time you see a sulphur-crested cockatoo, it'll have you thinking!
Cheers,
ABP

WE WILL REMEMBER

29/9/2023

29 September - Australian Police Remembrance Day
For those of us who have served out on the front line of policing, we know the risks, the dangers, and the personal costs. We also know all too well how thankless the job often is. Tragically, too many of our colleagues have made the ultimate sacrifice in their dedication to serving and protecting their community. You were brave and you were heroic, and you gave your lives for the community. You deserve honour and remembrance.
WE WILL REMEMBER.

COPS WRITING CRIME - 3 new members for The Squad

3/7/2023

Another 3 colleagues (2 American and 1 British) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 427.

That's 427 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Chris LeGrow who served with the Omaha PD in Nebraska.
2. Steve Barnbrook who served with the West Midlands Police in the UK.
3. Don Deputy who served with the Lawrence PD in Indiana.

Our Squad now consists of:

289 American, 70 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French,
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian,
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian,
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

June 27th, 2023

27/6/2023

Time to get back into some book reviews and here's a hell of a place to start! This is a truly superb crime read from a Canadian indie author I've recently discovered.
This cornucopia of corruption and conflicted characters Canadian-style paints a gritty and uncomfortable picture of Toronto and its underbelly, but it would be equally accurate of any Western metropolis. Smith lays bare the insidious and layered hypocrisy of respectable officialdom, and society more broadly, with graphic realism, bursts of humour, and a refreshingly complete absence of any polite façade. What a sweet departure from the sanitized, timid, and vanilla volumes of mediocrity that permeate so much modern fiction. Smith conjures up a cast of memorable characters, all flawed and many despicable, but all drawn with vivid detail and humanness to deftly expose the brutal, seedy nature and cost of organized crime and corruption. As in life, everyone’s in the mix, hand-in-hand waiting for the payoffs: politicians, police, lawyers, journalists, and criminals. And the police personalities and dialogue are bang on, amongst the very best I’ve read from an author who hasn’t actually served in law enforcement. Bravo, Mr Smith, for a hell of a ride.
Cheers,
ABP

ANZAC Day 2023 - Lest We Forget.

25/4/2023

On this day, ANZAC Day, when we as Australians and New Zealanders commemorate our veterans, it is so important to remember that their sacrifice, in blood and suffering, is what we owe our freedom to. For those who returned from the front lines of conflict, the suffering often endured a lifetime for them, as it does for veterans to this day.
The freedom they defended is the vital freedom that so many now take for granted and do not appreciate, but it is the freedom that enables us to live our lives, enjoy our rights, and bathe in freedom of speech and ideas. The same freedom that many would take from us, both adversaries outside our country and self-interested control-centred people and groups within our country.

My own tribute is to dedicate a blog, as I have done in recent years, to both my grandfathers, who fought for the Australian Army in the World Wars, defending those freedoms.

My paternal grandfather was Gordon Reginald Patterson and he went to the Western Front in 1917. He turned 18 six days before he enlisted. Private Patterson then joined the Australian Army Infantry in the trenches in northern France and Belgium for all the horrors that entailed. He came back to Australia in 1919. He died when my father was only 6 years old. His photo is below, and I can see my father in his face.

My maternal grandfather was George Harwood Smith and he went to the second World War in 1941, as a 39 year old. He served with the Australian Army Motor Transport in Indonesia. When the Allied forces in Java surrendered to the Japanese in 1942, Private Smith went into the infamous Japanese POW camp at Changi in Singapore, where he remained a prisoner until the end of the war. Alas, I don't have any photos of Grandfather Smith in uniform (I am making enquiries to try and rectify this).

I can't begin to even imagine the horrors both my grandfathers endured. But I can be forever grateful for what we now enjoy, thanks to the sacrifice of them and millions of other Allied service personnel.

Rest in peace, my grandfathers, and thank you for your service and your sacrifice. I wish I could thank you both in person. Lest we forget.

Cheers,
ABP

COPS WRITING CRIME - 4 more members for The Squad.

22/4/2023

Another 4 colleagues (all American) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 424.

That's 424 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Mark Beckner who served with the Boulder PD in Colorado.
2. Kathy Bennett who served with the LAPD.
3. David Dean who served with the Avalon PD in New Jersey.
4. George P. Norris who served with the NYPD.

Our Squad now consists of:

287 American, 69 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French,
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian,
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian,
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Cops Writing Crime - another 4 members join The Squad.

15/4/2023

Another 4 colleagues (2 French and 2 British) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 420.

That's 420 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Pierre Pouchairet who served with the Police Nationale in France.
2. Christophe Guillaumot who is a serving officer with the Police Judiciaire in France.
3. Stephen Collier who served with the Northamptonshire Police in the UK.
4. Thomas Chaplin (pen name for Russ Dunlop) who served with the London Metropolitan Police.

Our Squad now consists of:

283 American, 69 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian, 5 French,
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian, 1 Danish
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian,
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian,
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Back to Author Talks! Pandemic begone!

12/4/2023

My first author talk post-pandemic. And what a joy it is to be back on the circuit. The Rotary Club of Kenthurst invited me to do a talk for their regular meeting, and it went down very well indeed. Lots of great discussion and a lot of Rotary members bought Harry books to take home.
Cheers,
ABP

Marketing my Harry books, literally! Sydney's weekend market scene.

2/3/2023

My partner, Ruth, runs a jewellery business ("I Dream of Silver") and so, on top of her online store, we do markets around Sydney every weekend with her stall. I go along to help and provide some muscle for set up and pack down - plenty of hard work, believe me.
But I also do the author-in-residence bit with my book rack out the front. So, marketing my books at the market! And I get a few sales every weekend. Hey, build it one reader at a time.
And then the real gems: a customer comes up and says they bought the first Harry novel last month and now they want more. Or they message online and say they've read both the novels and when is the next one available.
Yep, no better feeling for an author.
Cheers,
ABP

Cops Writing Crime - 4 more join The Squad.

15/2/2023

Another 4 colleagues (all American) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 416.

That's 416 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Edward T. Cook who served with the Northwestern Uni PD in Illinois.
2. Robert S. Stering who served with the Waltham PD in Massachusetts .
3. Martin A. Gonzalez who served with the NYPD.
4. David R. Jones who served with the LAPD, and was an officer in the UK before moving to the USA.

Our Squad now consists of:

283 American, 67 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 3 French, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 1 Danish
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Cops Writing Crime - 4 more members join The Squad.

14/2/2023

Another 4 colleagues (all American) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 412.

That's 412 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Wendell Godfrey who served with the Florence PD in Mississippi.
2. Dennis J. McGowan who served with the Suffern PD in New York.
3. Robert P. Como who served with the Nassau County PD in New York.
4. Elmer L. Snow III who served with Prince George's County PD in Maryland.

Our Squad now consists of:

279 American, 67 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 3 French, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 1 Danish
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Cops Writing Crime - 5 more for The Squad.

12/2/2023

Another 5 colleagues (all American) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 408.

That's 408 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. James Reardon (deceased 1998) who served with the NYPD.
2. Antonio Bustillo who served with the Miami PD.
3. Lou Campanozzi (deceased 2002) who served with the Rochester PD in New York.
4. Del Gibson who served with the Kansas City PD in Missouri.
5. Michael McGarrity who served with the Santa Fe County Sheriff's Department in New Mexico.

Our Squad now consists of:

275 American, 67 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 3 French, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 1 Danish
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP

Cops Writing Crime - 4 new members for The Squad.

9/2/2023

Another 4 colleagues (all American) join The Squad today, bringing its numbers to 403.

That's 403 cops and ex-cops (and other law enforcement types, plus some PIs) who have taken to writing crime fiction. You won't get more realistic crime tales than those from this Squad!

We have joining us today:
1. Mike Smitley who served with the Junction City PD in Kansas.
2. Alan Burton who served with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office in California.
3. James Frie who served with the Northfield PD in Minnesota.
4. Edward Anthony Gibbons who served with the Boston PD.

Our Squad now consists of:

270 American, 67 British, 18 Australian, 18 Canadian
4 New Zealander, 3 Finnish, 3 French, 2 Dutch, 2 Swedish,
2 Irish, 1 Bahamian, 1 Norwegian
1 Italian, 1 Czech, 1 Russian, 1 Hungarian
1 Spaniard, 1 Pakistani, 1 Chinese, 1 Brazilian, 1 Indian, 1 Danish
2 "International" (listed as this due to current serving officer requirements)

I'll keep adding more as I come across them, and if you know of any others please feel free to drop me a line.

Check out The Squad:
Also: Cops Writing Crime

And please remember, my list is only for CRIME FICTION - not all the true crime and/or memoir writing by cops and ex-cops that's out there (as good as so much of that is).

Cheers,
ABP