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I apologize for being away so long. I’ve been trying to finish my latest project and I’m happy to announce I’ve succeeded. At least with part of it. Book one in a new series will be available soon. All I’m waiting for is the illustrator to hand over the prints.

Purple Mountain’s Majesty is a dramatic departure from my usual genre of suspenseful psychological crime thriller. It is a children’s fantasy and a collaborative effort with my oldest granddaughter, who at eleven loves to read stories about elves, pixies and witches. 

Originally, I intended it to be an adventurous short story of self-discovery, something special just for her to share with her friends. But during the writing phase something happened and it morphed into a book, complete with illustrations. I’m not sure what actually happened to cause that, but I’m glad it did. It’s nice to be able to write in another genre. Gives me the opportunity to view the world from a different perspective.

It grew into a series when my other grandchildren (two girls ages 9 and two boys ages 6 and 4) discovered what I was doing. In short order I had a list of four more books, all collaborative and each written with a specific grandchild in mind.

Themes are universal and include good versus bad, finding and making new friends, doing what is right. I am afterall a Papa and love my grandchildren dearly and will do anything for them at the drop of a hat. Given an opportunity to write something special that nutures them is a gift I never expected. 

 All of which is a good thing. My editor, Colleen Kappeler, loved Purple Mountain’s Majesty. For once she was able to sleep after reading one of my books.  

I have been exposed! Not only has Kenosha taken an interest in my work, but so has Racine. Here’s what Peter Selkowe had to say at racinepost.com

Here is an excerpt:

Once a Racine cop, now a suspense thriller author

“In Orlando, Florida, Michael Moresby hammers his fifth victim to death outside the Beacon Tavern. The same day in Racine, Wisconsin, his twin brother, McMillan, kills his fourth in the Holiest of Holy rooms. And outside the Brewer’s Miller Park Stadium, Eric Murin’s baseball cap tumbles into the path of a careening Buick. Somewhere beyond the line of life and death, in the vastness of the cosmos, there flows a river of sensations accessible by few. Identical twins can. Seers too. And occasionally the victim of a near death experience. For Homicide Detective Dell Murrin, it is an awakening. And what he sees is terrifying…”

And so begins Racine mystery writer Rick McCluskey’s first thriller, River of Sensations, published under the pseudonym Sheldon Doyle.
Click HERE to read the interview

Racine, WI. (Feb. 12, 2008)

Author Rick McCluskey commissioned Francisco Loyola of Creatibo.com to create a website for his pseudonym, Sheldon Doyle.

Today he celebrates the launching of SheldonDoyle.com. Please come and visit, you are all welcome. There are a variety of short stories, poems and excerpts from published novels from which to sample his style should your curiosity prove thirsty.

Before you leave, send us your comments or drop a note to say hi. We’re interested in what you think. You can also visit Rick at the Kenosha Writers’ Group online or at the monthly meetings.

Contact info:
Rick McCluskey

Rick McCluskey retired after twenty-three years on the Racine Police Department before becoming a full time author who writes under the pseudonym Sheldon Doyle.

He has written numerous short stories and poems, but his love is novels; intriguing, thrilling and sometimes scary novels. He has written five books and River of Sensations can be purchased on Lulu.com.

Come join him. You never know what’s going to go bump in the night.