Sheriff Henry Hartford

Sheriffs of Reno County: Henry Hartford

September 16, 2020 by Jim Potter 4 Comments

· Henry Hartford (1837-1919) Sheriff 1874-1876 Houston Whiteside, 81, sips his coffee and looks out the front window of the mayor’s Oxford Café, Hutchinson, Kansas. His wife, Julia Clementine Latimer, 59, is talking about being a judge for an upcoming radio contest. It’s Saturday, October 8, 1927. * Houston Whiteside watched as a police officer hung a green ticket on an automobile parked too long on Main Street. In his head, the retired attorney-at-law, and former Reno County … [Read more...] about Sheriffs of Reno County: Henry Hartford

Talking Tombstones

October 31, 2018 by Jim Potter 5 Comments

· Henry Hartford in Two Worlds · If you’ve heard of Talking Tombstones then you probably know that real people, now deceased, have their stories brought to life in an abbreviated forum. In Hutchinson, Reno County, Kansas, contemporary actors, often affiliated with Stage 9 (run by the Hutchinson Theater Guild), transform into dearly departed residents from a distant era. Thanks to Talking Tombstones, the attendees who visit Hutchinson’s Eastside Cemetery each October, learn a great deal in a … [Read more...] about Talking Tombstones

Jim Potter, retired deputy sheriff, is enjoying the change of pace which allows him more time for writing (that is, when he and his wife, Alex, aren’t line dancing in Hutchinson, KS).

He has just published his third book, Deputy Jennings Meets the Amish after his first novel, Taking Back the Bullet: Trajectories of Self-Discovery, became a personal and literary success. Now he’s busy getting the word out, looking for an expanded audience of readers.

Jim really enjoys creating his fictional characters and getting to know them well enough so that they can interact. Once the dialogue begins, the author likes to say, he can sit back and transcribe their conversations!

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March 24, 2021
(To listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.) · James H. “Jim” Fountain (1928-2017) Sheriff 1972-1993 · […]
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March 17, 2021
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March 10, 2021
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February 24, 2021
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February 17, 2021
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Sheriffs of Reno County: Walter Dixon
February 10, 2021
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February 3, 2021
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January 27, 2021
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January 20, 2021
(To listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.) · George T. Allison (1883-1951) Sheriff 1935-1939 · It’s 1:30 Sunday […]
Sheriffs of Reno County: Ed Cunningham
January 13, 2021
(To listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.) · Ed Cunningham (1896-1971) Sheriff 1931-1935 · It’s Wednesday, July […]
Sheriffs of Reno County: Fay Brown
January 6, 2021
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December 30, 2020
· Jesse Langford (1879-1935) Sheriff 1923-1927 · It’s Wednesday, June 24, 1931, on the Atchison, Topeka, & Santa Fe Railway in route to Chicago, […]
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December 2, 2020
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Sheriffs of Reno County: George M. Duckworth
November 18, 2020
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November 4, 2020
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· Dan E. Miller (1839-1916) Sheriff 1888-1890 · It’s Wednesday, October 12, 1927. Houston Whiteside, 81, and Julia, 59, his wife, are at the corner […]
Sheriffs of Reno County: John LaFayette “Fay” Smith
October 7, 2020
· John LaFayette “Fay” Smith (1852-1926) Sheriff 1884-1888 · Julia Whiteside, 59, is at Smith’s Flower Shop, 414 North Main Street, […]
Sheriffs of Reno County: Allen P. Jordan
September 30, 2020
· Allen P. Jordan (1843-1888) Sheriff 1880-1882 · Julia and Houston Whiteside are recovering from a house full of family and guests at 504 East […]
Sheriffs of Reno County: John M. Hedrick
September 23, 2020
· John M. “Captain” Hedrick (1840-1938) Sheriff 1876-1880 and 1882-1884 · It’s Sunday, October 10, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. At 504 […]
Sheriffs of Reno County: Henry Hartford
September 16, 2020
· Henry Hartford (1837-1919) Sheriff 1874-1876 Houston Whiteside, 81, sips his coffee and looks out the front window of the mayor’s Oxford Café, […]
Sheriffs of Reno County: Charles Collins
September 9, 2020
· Charles Collins (1845-1906) Sheriff 1872-1874 · It’s Friday, October 7, 1927. Houston Whiteside, retired attorney-at-law, resident of […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Yankees and The Long Count
September 2, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Yankees and The Long Count· It’s Saturday, October 1, 1927, in the Stamey Hotel’s coffee shop at 5th and […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Bury Me in My Black Clothes
August 26, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Bury Me in My Black Clothes· Final Episode It’s Friday, September 23, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas, at the […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Early Birds at the Funeral Parlor
August 19, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Early Birds at the Funeral Parlor· It’s Friday, September 23, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas, at the Johnson & […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Can’t Sleep
August 12, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Can’t Sleep· It’s Thursday, August 22, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas, the day after Harvey E. Albrecht […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “Is My Dad in Heaven?”
August 5, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “Is My Dad in Heaven?”· It’s Wednesday, September 21, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. Mary Adella […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Brother Luckett and the Death Flies
July 29, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Brother Luckett and the Death Flies· It’s September 21, 1927 in Hutchinson, Kansas. A man has killed himself by […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: I Killed Him
July 22, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “I Killed Him”· On September 21, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas, while attempting to serve divorce […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Knock, Knock, Knock
July 15, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Knock, Knock, Knock· It’s Wednesday, September 21, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. A civil process server is […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Albright Airfield
July 8, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Albright Airfield· It’s Saturday, September 17, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. Sheriff Fay Brown and his wife, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “When I First Met Harvey”
July 1, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “When I First Met Harvey”· It’s Tuesday, September 13, 1927 in Hutchinson, Kansas. Cora May Phares […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Supportive Shelter
June 24, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Supportive Shelter· It’s Sunday night, September 11, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. Mary Adella Albrecht has been […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Highest Highs and Lowest Lows
June 17, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Highest Highs and Lowest Lows· It’s Sunday evening, September 11, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. Pearl […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Day after the Fall Festival Frolic
June 10, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Day after the Fall Festival Frolic· It’s Thursday, September 8, 1927 in Hutchinson, Kansas. Cora Brown, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Pearl and Delbert
June 3, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Pearl and Delbert· It’s September 7, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. Downtown’s Fall Festival Frolic begins with a […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Line-of-Duty Deaths
May 27, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Line-of-Duty Deaths· It’s September 1, 1927. Reno County Sheriff Fay Brown is driving to Wichita to attend a […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Wilkinson’s Watermelon
May 20, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Wilkinson’s Watermelon· (Conclusion – Part 2 of 2) It’s Sunday night, August 21, 1927 in […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Wilkinson’s Watermelon
May 13, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Wilkinson’s Watermelon· (Part 1 of 2) It’s Sunday night, August 21, 1927 in Hutchinson, Kansas. Cora and […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Rin-Tin-Tin the Police Dog
May 6, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Rin-Tin-Tin the Police Dog· It’s Friday night, August 19, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. Fay and Cora Brown are […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Martin E. Jolliffe and Oil Hill
April 29, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Martin E. Jolliffe and Oil Hill· It’s Wednesday, August 10, 1927. Reno County Sheriff’s Deputy Martin E. […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Kansas City Monarchs Baseball
April 22, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Kansas City Monarchs Baseball· It’s Friday, July 29, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. The day is heating up. […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Bad Boy of Arlington
April 15, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Bad Boy of Arlington· * It was July 19, 1927. Truman Reynolds, 18, had rubbed Reno County Sheriff Fay F. Brown […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Ralph Galpin
April 8, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Ralph Galpin · On the morning of July 14, 1927, Ralph Galpin, 13, was attempting to escape an abusive […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Influenza Epidemic in 1918
April 1, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: The Influenza Epidemic in 1918 Fay Forrest Brown and his wife, Cora May Phares Brown, are asleep in their […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: July 4th Celebration
March 25, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: July 4th Celebration Hutchinson, Kansas, planned a big July 4th celebration in 1927. It started with a parade. […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Sisters Night Out
March 18, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Sisters Night Out It’s the evening of June 18, 1927. Cora Phares Brown, 33, and her sister, Occie Phares […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Aviator Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr
March 11, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Aviator Charles A. Lindbergh, Jr. It’s May 20, 1927. Fay and Cora Brown, married, are talking about aviator […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “We Lost Our Home”
March 4, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “We Lost Our Home” At 11 o’clock, the evening of May 7, 1927, many citizens of Hutchinson, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Arlington Bank Robbery Trial
February 25, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Arlington Bank Robbery Trial The Citizens State Bank of Arlington, Reno County, KS, was robbed January 2, 1927, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Chicken House to the Big House
February 19, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Chicken House to the Big House It’s Sunday, April 10, 1927. There’s little doubt that being a Reno County […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Bank Bandit
February 12, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Bank Bandit Bob Collins was a wanted man. Thug, ex-convict, and bank bandit, he was no choir boy. Even his […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “Hello Girls”
February 5, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: “Hello Girls” It’s Wednesday, March 16, 1927. Cora Brown’s thirty-third birthday isn’t until […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Mule Men
January 29, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Mule Men It’s Friday, March 4, 1927, at the Reno County Sheriff’s Office in the temporary courthouse. Fay Brown […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Pedestrians Beware
January 22, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Pedestrians Beware It’s Saturday, February 12, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. * Sheriff Fay Brown pulled into the […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: More Than a Bad Check Artist
January 15, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: More than a Bad Check Artist · It’s Tuesday, January 25, 1927 in Hutchinson, Kansas. Cora Brown, 32, matron and […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Cops in the Clubhouse
January 8, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Cops in the Clubhouse · I’m Reno County Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge, and I’m pinned to the sheriff’s vest. […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Jailer Jess Blanpied
January 1, 2020
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Jailer Jess Blanpied · It’s Monday, January 17, 1927, in Hutchinson, Kansas. Sheriff Fay. F. Brown’s Badge is […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Carey’s Condemned Courthouse
December 25, 2019
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Carey’s Condemned Courthouse · If you’re one of those people who believe that badges don’t have feelings, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Oath of Office
December 18, 2019
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Oath of Office · Hello readers. I’m Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge and I’m recalling my days in January 1927, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Cora and Occie
December 11, 2019
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Cora and Occie · Hello readers. I’m Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge and I’m recalling my days in January 1927, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Blinded by Corn Whiskey
December 4, 2019
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Blinded by Corn Whiskey · Hello readers. I’m Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge and I’m recalling my days in January […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Hearing Voices
November 27, 2019
· Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Hearing Voices · “Hello readers. I’m Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge and I’m recalling my days in January 1927, […]
Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge: Preface
November 20, 2019
(To listen to the audio of this blog post, use the purple play button.) · Sheriff Fay F. Brown’s Badge, Preface · “Pardon me if my […]
Conclusions of a Cop
November 13, 2019
(To listen to the audio of this blog, use the purple play button.) Recently, I was visiting with a friend who is a retired cop. I’ll call him Tom […]
Purchased Postcards
November 6, 2019
· Purchased Postcards: My Favorites · Recently I had the pleasure of purchasing postcards. What a treat! Today, I’m going to share with you my top […]
A Day I Shall Never Forget
October 30, 2019
· “A Day I Shall Never Forget: Citizens Bank Hold Up” · There are people in the world who crave to have their fifteen minutes of fame. […]
Suspicious Person
October 23, 2019
· Suspicious Person: Billy Brassfield · Writing Prompt by Sean McArdle Sean McArdle, Kansas Authors Club member from Winchester, England, recently […]
Lucky’s Sculpture Story
October 16, 2019
· Lucky’s Sculpture Story: Lucky, the Daydreamer · “Oh, Alex, she’s beautiful!” squealed Jenna as she approached from the hallway. “Does she […]
Smile Across the Nile
October 9, 2019
· Smile Across the Nile: Bellygrammed by Alexandria · Surprise birthday parties have been planned and carried out for centuries. The most recognized […]
Stories Are Everywhere
October 2, 2019
· Stories Are Everywhere: My Blogging Topics · MY PURPOSE in BLOGGING In 2017, when I sent my final draft of my novel, Taking Back the Bullet, to my […]
Another View of James A. Woodson
September 25, 2019
· James A. Woodson: A Newspaper View · James A. Woodson (1893-1971) achieved a lot of during his twenty-two year career as an officer on the […]
James Andrew Woodson
September 18, 2019
· James Andrew Woodson: A Family View · When I asked Leland Woodson, 84 years of age, for an interview about his father, James A. Woodson […]
Kirch Split
September 11, 2019
· Kirch Split William C. Kirch, Photographer · Part 2 – Conclusion During the 1920’s, women’s first names were still mostly missing from […]
Kirch Couple
September 4, 2019
· William C. & Mae Besore Kirch · Adam (1843-1907) and Margaretha Mayer (1851-1914) Kirch, who had farmed in their home country of Bavaria, […]
Creative Non-Fiction
August 28, 2019
· Western Kansas Photo Club · I’m a postcard collector and historian who loves reading, research, and writing. As a result, I’ve been curious about […]
Richard Wickliffe
August 21, 2019
· Captain Richard Wickliffe Giving, Not Taking · People who know Richard Wickliffe remark about how he’s always calm. I’ve never seen him upset. So, […]
Powerful Poetry
August 14, 2019
· Powerful Poetry: Annika Smith · After speaking with Annika Smith, senior at Buhler High School, it’s clear that teachers really do help change the […]
Is this man Elmer Swanson?
August 7, 2019
· Is this man Elmer Swanson? Photo Postcard from the Past · Is this man Elmer Swanson? Morgan Williams, collector and expert on exaggeration […]
The Joy of the Hunt
July 31, 2019
· The Joy of the Hunt: Wade Photographer When Morgan Williams, known far and wide for his amazing collection of exaggeration postcards, sent me a […]
Bottle Collector
July 24, 2019
· Bottle Collector: Mike McJunkin It was a joke. After seeing a lot of fascinating bottles in Mike McJunkin’s extensive collection, I asked him, […]
John O. Siemsen
July 17, 2019
· John O. Siemsen Framed by F. D. Conard in Garden City, Kansas · Last month I had my socks knocked off by a surprise email sent to my website as a […]
International Writing Contest Results
July 10, 2019
· International Writing Contest Results Essays · The results of Sandhenge Publication’s first International […]
Save-A-Date July 27
July 9, 2019
· Save-A-Date July 27: Young Writers · On Saturday, July 27, 2019, young writers from the Reno County community will be highlighted in a panel format […]
The Doll Lady
July 2, 2019
· The Doll Lady: Cyndy Enders Landon · I’ve never owned or collected dolls, but as a child I did enjoy playing with toy soldiers. My, the memories I […]
Our House Guest
June 25, 2019
Our House Guest: Alexa She’s extremely intelligent, very polite, and has a calming voice. Could we even ask for more? Alex, my wife, started […]
Robert E. Enders, Part 2
June 18, 2019
Robert E. Enders and the USS Bountiful In the first part of this true story, titled Robert E. Enders: Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class, […]
Robert E. Enders
June 11, 2019
Robert E. Enders: Pharmacist’s Mate Third Class Last week, I was a guest speaker at a club meeting talking about my reward postcard […]
Catalpa Hometree
June 4, 2019
· Reverence · On Saturday we celebrated our catalpa trees and all catalpa trees. We celebrated sacredness of nature and our environment. We invited […]
Dad’s Bataan War Story
May 28, 2019
· Lt. Robert Lee Morris · Jim Ganyon, U. S. veteran, is the son of a World War II Bataan Death March survivor. Recently I had the honor of attending […]
One is the Loneliest Number
May 20, 2019
· Heroes of Hutch · I’m a writer and I’m used to spending a lot of my time alone, writing. I can’t imagine a group of writers collaborating, but I […]
Wichita Street Fair & Carnival
May 14, 2019
· 1899 Pin-Back Buttons · A couple of weeks ago, I received two electronic images of exaggeration postcards and one of a collector pin-back button. […]
Journey to Journalist
May 7, 2019
· Veronica Coons · Veronica Coons, journalist at the Great Bend Tribune is a talented writer who has recently joined the Kansas Authors Club. That’s […]
Our Fighting Fathers
April 30, 2019
· World War II Patriots · It’s not Veterans Day and it’s not Father’s Day, but let me introduce you to some Fighting Fathers, American Patriots. I’ve […]
The Story You Tell Makes a Difference
April 23, 2019
· Rural America · Recently I attended a community meeting organized by Heal Reno County http://www.healrenocounty.org where a rural sociologist, Ben […]
Book Club
April 16, 2019
· Reading Rendezvous · It was good for me to get back to the monthly Reading Rendezvous Book Club at Metropolitan Coffee in Hutchinson, Kansas. If […]
Lyrical Literature
April 9, 2019
· Diane Wahto · Diane Wahto’s combination of lyrical and descriptive power in her poetry makes music in my mind. The Sad Joy of Leaving is an […]
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
April 2, 2019
· The St. Louis Browns and Eddie Gaedel · Herb Potter, my uncle who died last year, used to tell me about a major league baseball (MLB) game he […]
Do the Right Thing
March 26, 2019
· You Can Make a Difference · It’s safe to say that white nationalist members and sympathizers prefer the racist 1915 film, “The Birth of a Nation” […]
Memories in Motion
March 20, 2019
· Lessons Learned Make the Memoir · If you write anything, you’re likely to connect with and use your memories. On a daily basis we are reminded of […]
EXAGGERATION Postcards
March 13, 2019
· Tall Tales from the Great Plains · #1 Are you old enough to remember road trip vacations down Route 66? How about the restroom breaks at service […]
Writing Memoir Workshop
January 19, 2019
The Honking Tree If you live or have lived west of Wichita, Kansas, then you might recognize this tree that grows on the south side of K96, a couple […]
Memories Make Memoirs
November 14, 2018
· Susan Painter · The older you get—hopefully—the more memories you’ll have to write about. Recently, I’ve run into a number of former […]
Meeting Authors
November 7, 2018
· H.B. Berlow · A few weeks ago sixteen artists gathered at the Wichita Library to recite their poetry accompanied by music. In short time I […]
Talking Tombstones
October 31, 2018
· Henry Hartford in Two Worlds · If you’ve heard of Talking Tombstones then you probably know that real people, now deceased, have their stories […]
My Weekend
October 24, 2018
· Postcards, Poetry, and Food · This past weekend in Wichita, Kansas, was all about postcards, poetry, and eating. When you hear the word […]
Historical Research and Writing
October 17, 2018
· “King of Hypnotists and Mind Readers” · Do you enjoy historical research? I love it! As I’ve mentioned before, I collect […]
Writing a Novel
October 10, 2018
· Immediately Engage the Reader · Discovery of a person’s body is a great way to begin a mystery or crime novel. This single event requires readers […]
Crazy Writing Ideas
October 3, 2018
· Listen to the Muse · I wake up. It’s 3:30 a.m. I’ve been dreaming. I have an idea for writing a story or novel. It’s titled, The Vice […]
Research Subject
September 26, 2018
· Mo Yoder · When I first learned that Mo Yoder, Buhler, Kansas, had been a research subject involved in testing by the military during the Vietnam […]
Characters from the Zodiac
September 19, 2018
· “What’s your sign?” · “What’s my sign?” “Yeah, what’s your astrological sign?” “Oh, […]
One-Room Schoolhouses
September 12, 2018
· Sargent School · What image do you conjure up when you think of a one-room schoolhouse? Do you remember reading a novel by Laura Ingalls Wilder? […]
What Motivated Kaitlin?
September 5, 2018
· Stories Change Lives · I had to learn the answer to the question. What motivated Kaitlin to go to Scotland? It’s normal for people to dream and to […]
Writer, Author, Publisher
August 29, 2018
· Bill Bush · Bill Bush “lives in Halstead, Kansas with his two teenage children, who are the inspiration behind many of his stories.” Sydney and […]
Major League Baseball
August 22, 2018
· Chicago White Sox · I learned to be a Chicago White Sox fan from my dad. He loved sports, and once we moved near Chicago, the major league teams […]
Writers Write
August 15, 2018
· Elsa’s World · I interviewed a young writer friend of mine today. Her name is Elsa. She’s fifteen. We’re from the same tribe; we love […]
Fear of Failing
August 8, 2018
· Do You Make Time for Your Writing? · In an earlier blog, I asked you: “What’s Your Writing Routine?” […]
Characters and Setting
August 1, 2018
· The Beginning of the Story is Called Exposition · When you start reading a book, you want to know so many things all at once. The primary […]
Fantasy Writer
July 25, 2018
· Author William “Mark” Simmons · Since the Kansas Authors Club, District 6, is preparing for its next meeting, Saturday, July 28th, I […]
Country Living
July 18, 2018
You Know You Live in the Country (Reno County, KS) when . . . Living in the country isn’t for everybody. If dirt roads and lack of sidewalks bother […]
Early Reno County (KS) Settler
July 11, 2018
· James Chamellis Potter (1865-1955) · My great-grandfather, James Chamellis Potter, participated in the Cherokee Outlet land run, was a […]
Tax Warrants
July 4, 2018
· You Are NOT Under Arrest · A long-time friend who recently moved out of Reno County contacted me by email. She told me that during the hectic […]
Cottonwood County
June 27, 2018
· Unintended Consequences · Previously, in Episode 1 (https://jimpotterauthor.com/cottonwood-county-kansas/), Tom Jennings was perusing a Facebook […]
Cottonwood County, Kansas
June 20, 2018
Let Them Eat Cake Tom Jennings was all riled up. Against his doctor’s advice, he continued to watch the news, search for news, and read the […]
Writing Routine
June 6, 2018
· What’s Your Writing Routine? · Do you have a routine in your writing? Do you have a specific time and place when you’re at your […]
Orville “Matty” Mathias
May 30, 2018
Ballplayer, Tank Commander, and Lawman David Orville Mathias, known as “Matty”, came to Hutchinson, Kansas, in March 1934 to play […]
Blaming the Victim
May 23, 2018
Slavery by Another Name Blaming the victim is pretty common. Relentlessly, we judge people. A homeless person is accused of choosing an unpredictable […]
Suicide Joe and Buffalo
May 16, 2018
· Suicide is a Permanent Solution to a Temporary Problem · I met Joe back in 1973 in prison. No, we weren’t cell mates serving time. We were […]
Trauma Writing
May 9, 2018
Writing Your Trauma Without Too Much Drama In promoting Ronda Miller’s trauma writing workshop in Hutchinson, the main attraction of the Kansas […]
Do You Believe in the Death Penalty?
May 2, 2018
· Just Mercy · Until recently, despite uncertainties and inequalities in the criminal justice system, I’ve been in favor of the death penalty. But […]
He Got Away with Murder
April 25, 2018
Too Bold to Hold My “wanted for murder” postcard didn’t give the date of the criminal offense, but it did offer that Joe Mosley had been paroled from […]
George
April 18, 2018
· The Relic of Vecinaria · I heard that George, fifteen years old, was writing a novel. Being a writer—an author—I was quickly curious. Karen, his […]
Writing Experience
April 11, 2018
· When Did You Start Writing? · Think back for a moment at your desire to write or to be published. Do you recall the first book that moved you? […]
Color-Blind Racism
April 4, 2018
Did you hit a triple or were you born on third base? Many whites or Caucasians believe that racism in the United States is nearly dead, a thing of […]
Violence Prevention Model
March 28, 2018
· Alive and Free · If your doctor informed you that your chance of having a heart attack was extremely high, you’d probably ask what you could do […]
Tribal Identity
March 21, 2018
· Left or Right? · I grew up in a white, suburban neighborhood of Chicago. People in my community, Skokie, were predominately of the Jewish faith. […]
Writing Dialogue
March 14, 2018
· Know Your Characters · “So, you said you wanted to be a better writer.” “Yeah, I do.” “Well, I’ll give you […]
Bond Agent
March 7, 2018
· “It’s a Whole ‘Nother Story” · Kathleen Carter, Hutchinson, Kansas, has been a bail bonding agent for fifteen years. […]
Icebreakers
February 28, 2018
· Writing Prompts · Today I have some “icebreakers” to share with you. You might find them valuable and fun as a tool in […]
Law Enforcement 101
February 21, 2018
· General Law Enforcement Terms · Having worked in law enforcement for over three decades, I tend to take some things for granted when it comes to […]
Black and White TV without Color
February 14, 2018
· US Marshal Bass Reeves · I grew up watching black and white TV. Actually, it was more like white TV in the sense that people of color rarely […]
Disrupted Childhood
February 7, 2018
· Bridge Out · Recently I posted a blog about a family who had been evicted from their home. I wondered about the short and long term consequences […]
The War Trunk
January 31, 2018
· A Postcard · As a child I played soldier. With friends in my neighborhood we had gun battles with toy guns. We repeatedly killed and died. I also […]
Sculptures and Their Stories
January 24, 2018
· Bouncy’s Tall Tale by J. Alex Potter · On today’s blog J. Alex Potter, my wife, shares her creativity about creativity! You will see […]
Losing Your Home
January 17, 2018
· Missing Memories · I’ve been involved in many evictions, but I can only imagine what it must be like for someone to lose their home. I’ve been […]
The Stolen Refrigerator
January 10, 2018
· “An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure” · AUTHOR’S NOTE: I do not give out legal advice; I share memories and tell […]
Character Development
January 3, 2018
· Narcissism · What if you developed a fictional character who was narcissistic? If you decide to “give” one of your fictional […]
Voir Dire
December 27, 2017
· Jury Duty Excuses · I used to think that being on a jury would be a neat experience. But once I was hired as a deputy sheriff, I knew there was […]
Drug Test
December 20, 2017
· Have You Ever Been Drug Tested? · I remember my first drug test in a bathroom when I was required to pee in a container. Even though I’d […]
Stir Up Sunday
December 13, 2017
· Creole Christmas Cake · In late November my friend in Winchester, England, told me about Stir Up Sunday. “It’s sort of a Christian festival or at […]
Finding A Story
December 6, 2017
· Digging Deeper · A friend and her siblings were making arrangements for their mother’s funeral. Mother had insisted in her dying days that […]
Kansas Authors Club
November 29, 2017
· Author Ann Christine Fell · On Saturday I attended a district meeting of the Kansas Authors Club (KAC) in Hutchinson, Kansas. All writers and […]
“I Want to Write a Book”
November 22, 2017
· Ideas Are a Dime a Dozen · I’ve been meeting a lot of people lately who recognize that I’m a writer and author. Sometimes they congratulate me […]
Veterans Day
November 15, 2017
· Remembrance · Veterans Day was celebrated a few days ago. This year the remembrance hit me harder than expected. It started early on Saturday […]
Michael Jackson or Me, You Decide
November 8, 2017
· A Book Reading at Hutchinson Public Library · Tomorrow night I have my first official book reading/signing for my debut novel, Taking Back the […]
Book Reviews
November 1, 2017
· Recommended Reading · If you want to stimulate your imagination and relax, then read. If you want to write, then read. But if you want to […]
The Big Lie
October 25, 2017
· Rolla Preceded Roswell · A good portion of the population has heard of Roswell, New Mexico; not for its desert beauty, but for the decision of […]
Stretching the Truth
October 18, 2017
· Tall Tales · My Grandpa Clarence used to talk about the fertile farmland in western Kansas before the drought, grasshoppers, jack rabbits, and […]
Back Story
October 11, 2017
· Going Backward in Order to Go Forward · “422 to 409.” “409, go ahead.” “If you want to stop by, you can take some […]
Mix Things Up
October 4, 2017
· Braiding · Braiding means weaving information into the story, especially characters, like a hairdresser weaving strands of hair into one strong […]
Getting to Know Your Characters
September 27, 2017
· Who Are These People and What Are They Doing In My Head? · I’m having so much fun thinking about the fictional characters coming alive […]
More Seeds to Sow
September 20, 2017
· Fourteen Therapeutic Pet Ducks, 24 Bearded Dragons, and a Masked Batman Caper · “You can’t make this stuff up!” I tell other […]
Seeds to Sow
September 13, 2017
· Questions to Ask · Recently, in a Hutchinson News article, there was a story about a long-time bar being forced to close due to dwindling […]
Seeds to a Story
September 6, 2017
· Listen, Read, Write, Repeat · If you’re a writer, or want to be a writer, do you save story-starters? Do you file newspaper clippings, […]
Cultural Exposure
August 30, 2017
· Albinism and Africa · I’ve never been to Tanzania, but I’ve researched the country, especially the PWA community. The acronym stands […]
Creative Writing
August 23, 2017
· Fake News · Today the media talks about the alarming impact of “fake news.” No doubt that in our instant, mass communication world, […]
Best Character Descriptions
August 16, 2017
· WANTED FOR MURDER · I’ve been collecting “Reward” postcards since I was first hired by the Reno County Sheriff’s Office […]
Using Metaphors
August 9, 2017
· Metaphorically Speaking · “Our marriage is like an iris that no longer blooms,” she said. “It doesn’t laugh. It […]
A Writing Environment
August 2, 2017
· Peer Support · Despite all the people and animals residing in our home–gerbil, snakes, cats, turtles, birds, rabbits, horses, bull, […]
A Writer’s Rabbit Hole
July 26, 2017
· Down the Rabbit Hole · I’ve traveled down many rabbit holes before completing a first draft of a book. The trip down the black hole always […]
Research in Writing
July 19, 2017
· Read and Travel · If you write fiction, have you created a place for your characters to hang out? Writing is a combination of reading, travel, […]
My Darkest Chapter
July 12, 2017
· Death and Dying ·
[caption id="attachment_1120" align="alignleft" width="112"] "Pluto" sculpture by J. Alex Potter Photo by Yukari Danshita[/caption] Whether it's non-fiction,memoir or fiction, for me, writing about death is the ultimate mood swing. Having a dark chapter (or two) gives the reader a taste of the highs and lows of life. Without the lows, the highs aren't as high. In Cop in the Classroom, I recall a couple of on-duty deaths that just tore me up inside. I expose the reader to my pain while attempting to answer a student's serious question. Here is the introduction to one death . . . […]
Writing A Memoir
July 5, 2017
· Getting Started · First, I decided to write about my career in law enforcement. In the beginning of my process, I thought about making it a […]
Expand On Your Experiences
June 28, 2017
· Dead End Road · Yesterday morning we received a phone call from a country neighbor. “Have you been down to your mailbox yet?” she […]
Character Driven Literary Fiction
June 21, 2017
· Tom Jennings is a HUGE Character! · Here’s a brief blog on writing. This one’s about creating fictional characters. I use character […]
Welcome!
June 14, 2017
· Welcome to my blog! · I’m writing from south-central Kansas. For those of you more familiar with our geography, my wife and I live outside […]