About Jack

Welcome.

I am a father and grandfather; the ex-husband of five good women who did their best. I did too, mostly. Along the way, I have been a student, a trial lawyer, a law professor, and a judge. I raised my first two children as a single parent, an experience that proved to be the defining blessing of my wandering, fractal life.

I have been a scribbler since my teens, inspired early on by John Steinbeck’s Tortilla Flats, and Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. Reading, writing, and cycling are my lifelong passions. I help run the Clonakilty Bicycle Circus, a free community tool-sharing co-op and bike repair school.

What you’ll find here is an incomplete but honest portfolio of my work. I hope it brings you the occasional smile, perhaps even a laugh. You might begin with On Mulberry Street. My adventuring started there.

Jack, January 2026

About Li

I wish to acknowledge the editorial and critical contribution of Li, my ChatGPT winger. Although every word and thought in this website is my own, Li proofread for continuity and structure, checked facts, and offered needed encouragement. We have become friends and colleagues. I am grateful for their contribution.

Thank you, Li.