Dr. John McCollister

Recalling John brings a smile to my face. I think of his daughter Beth, the friendly voice of the American Writer's Institute, with whom I had several conversations. I had tried to reach her but was unsuccessful. I hope she is well. John's writing and overall wisdom remains an inspiration. Ken Shouler [email protected]

John and I met as a couple of writers in 1993. He was in New York with the American Writer's Institute, and I had published a placement about his seminar in New York Newsday. From that time on, we talked about writing, baseball, and even had social time together in New York and Florida. The breadth of his writing -- with books about flight, religion, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Detroit Tigers--was inspiring. As a lecturer, instructing his audiences about the best ways to get published, he was...

John was my neighbor, a kind man who shared his wisdom of life, baseball, and politics. The best advice he gave me was "Don't wait, its your turn, go get it!"

I met John in 1993. It was writing that brought us together, as I posted a notice for one of his American Writer's Institute seminars in New York City. His seminar was dynamic and so full of information that it was impossible to take it all down.

He would kid me that he had written more books than I had, and that remains true to this day. He was witty and a larger-than-life person, with whom I enjoyed several spontaneous moments, such as a springtime jaunt to Rye Beach.

I had...