Most mysteries and suspense novels have to do with cops, lawyers, and PIs. My protagonist is a firefighter and I write the first firefighter fiction in Canada. True grit and reality are my writing tenets.
My juvenile/middle grade/chapter books have no magic wands, wise talking creatures, vampires, or parallel worlds. My stories have unassuming boys who get in trouble and must use their brains to dig themselves out. There's fighting, conflict, loyalty, bullies, integrity, and courage. I've read samples to Grade 4 and 5 students and garnered excellent reviews.

I was born in Welland, Ontario, a blue-collar town in the Niagara Peninsula. Backpacked the world and lived in Australia. I've never been fired from a job. I've worked as a paperboy, grocery clerk, sales rep, iron worker, framer, painter, mink ranch hand, assembly line rubber plant worker, concrete pouring, cherry picker, framer, freelance astronaut (no offers), boilermaker apprentice, various sales jobs, delivery driver, father, coach,and career firefighter and officer for 32 years. I've also played drums in the Black Gold Big Band for 8 years.

I retired as fire captain with Edmonton Fire Rescue, a large Canadian service. I live in Beaumont, AB. with Gloria, whom I met on a freighter/passenger ship from Jakarta to Singapore. My writing has garnered several prizes in many genres. I travel extensively, do a bit of fishing and boating, drink demon rum, manage a writers group, do occasional renos, repair everything I have that's wearing down or breaking, and sit on my butt outside in the good weather reading a decent book. Check out my website for some excellent short stories.

Website: http://www.yatscoffbooks.com
Twitter: ERYatscoff

LinkedIn: http://ca.linkedin.com/pub/edward-r-yatscoff/18/723/814

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• Bluegums (Lucien Caye Private Eye Story) on March 01, 2012
  
  I like the detective Lucien and the story starts off okay in the Deep South. Good imaging and dialogue. It deteriorates into the creatures doing *&^&^* to the woman and the detective really doesn't seem to care about the weird creatures or the woman and there's no detecting to be done. He just comes along for the ride. Hey, but it's a freebie. A good base story here. I'd develop it into a real horror/ erotica. Thanks for the download.
  
• Love Thy Neighbor on Feb. 12, 2013
  
  Well written but short on imaging and emotion.