18 Comments
Aug 28, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Hi there. Ace! I'd love to see the next stage of the development of Old Patchy! I'm imagining him looking straight at camera in the next one....eek!

Just been reading your blog and also an article about you in the Santa Cruz Sentinel (from 2016) that mention your research into the Kemper and Mullin murders. I wondered if that was still an ongoing project (or whether I'd missed it 😕)?

Cheers!

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I have kept doing some further research into them, and other dark byways of Santa Cruz history... haven't quite figured out a way to make a book out of it yet though.

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Aug 10, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Hey Michael! I absolutely love the Secret Santa Cruz series! Sorry, I’ve been AWOL the last few weeks. Also, I’m right there with you on your Twitter or whatever it’s called now (X’ers?) comments. It’s a crazy world we live in at this particular point in time.

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It truly is! And glad you're enjoying the SC series :-)

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Aug 3, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Delightfully weird with just the perfect amount of creepy. Especially “Old Patchy.” Seal blood and bees, on Halloween… the artist should have known better.

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I know, right??? That's Santa Cruz for you.

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Aug 2, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Went to that School! Must be in my genes. Legend/family lore says that my Grandfather Stuart was expelled from high school for tossing the principal from the second floor window. His response was always the same. “It wasn’t the first time. “

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... wow. That's quite a family history! He sounds like an interesting individual ;-)

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He was really interesting. His brother. Archibald too. They taught me to play Cribbage between the age of 4-5

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Aug 2, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Yes. Still playing Cribbage. Taught Winston, he is incredibly lucky, my only advantage is pegging the crap out of the game. 😎

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Aug 2, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

Because, they wanted Momma to know I could count. Merciless too. Once I had the rudiments of the game under my belt, no mulligans were ever given. Two lines I recall that Grandpa would say, I refuse to play cards with a child who cries and sucks her thumb when she loses. Also, We will

Play until the last drop of blood is given. Loved him so much.

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He does sound like a genuine character... and those are the people we remember!

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Aug 2, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

I think we are in need of a school for the difficult. Let's try it for adults this time.

Wonderful pictures and facts, too!

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You can joint the School for the Difficult at any age. I might do it, soon.

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I may as well:)

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Aug 2, 2023Liked by Michael Marshall Smith

This is really starting (starting?) to creep me out!

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Good ;-)

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