October 12, 2011

Hello World!

It's great to be heard. This is my first ever blog, so please be patient and forgive any faux pas, as I do not know any text speak or Internet abbreviations—I've never texted or surfed. I have to old-school type everything out. As an example of my ignorance, I have a pen-pal (woman) who wrote a lot of LOL's in her letters. I thought she was sending me "Lots of Love". No such luck. She was "Laughing Out Loud." I felt so foolish, but at my age—I will be in 51 in November—, foolishness is taken in stride.

So, about me. I am incarcerated in California's prison machine. I have been behind the walls for 25 years. Contrary to many who cry foul, I am guilty. When I was 25, I murdered a drug dealer. She was a 46-year-old high-level dealer. As is usually the case, a dispute over the almighty dollar was involved. To this day, I am unable to fully express my deep shame and overwhelming remorse for the act of taking another's life. It's an awful burden.

Since my incarceration, I have attempted to be productive and positive, accepting Christ as my savior, and listening to the advice of those wiser than me. I have been blessed with the gift of creative writing and recently a historical novel I wrote was published. I am using proceeds from sales of the novel to pay down my restitution. I realize no amount of money can ever make the next of kin whole, and money is never a substitute for love and affection, but it's all I can do. It's my hope that you will help.

If you enjoy a good triumph over adversity story and learning about an unusual way of life, hunting, and decoy carving on the Chesapeake Bay between 1900 and 1920—I encourage you to go to Amazon and read the reviews. Please consider purchasing a copy (soft cover or e-book). If you do, either write to me or comment on this blog for your feedback; it'll be appreciated. Moreover, ladies, even though the story revolves around hunting, I believe there is a special message for you.

I'll close for now. In future blog posts, I will share more of my daily life behind the bars, my triumphs (and failures) as life goes on.

Cordially,
Gregory Barnes Watson

Novel: A Thundering Wind
https://www.amazon.com/Thundering-Wind-Gregory-Barnes-Watson/dp/0615379443