Eclectic Writings

Summary

These writings of prose with an emphasis on short stories are coupled with beautiful and appealing thoughts. The character Rich Mac used in some of these writings is the moniker for A. Richard McGinnis, the author, who is foremost a disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

Some of the stories refer to Rich Mac, a cancer patient from Charleston West Virginia, who was diagnosed with myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) a blood cancer, during the spring of 2014. In 2018 he was scheduled for weekly treatments to cure his cancer at the Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, Florida. He lived nearly a year at a leased home near Tampa which gave him plenty of time to create some of these stories. Mr. McGinnis' style is reminiscent of the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Stephen King with a unique blend of storytelling that captivates and challenges the reader. He is retired from a career in law enforcement in West Virginia as well as nutrition/dietetics in West Virginia. 

The thought-provoking ideas that led to some of the stories have bizarre endings to astonish the reader. The writings are diverse in faith, philosophy, and personal growth. Some of the stories were developed in the mind of the author, but others are personal insights of the author.

I hope the reader is inspired by these writings, but most of all elevated to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as his or her savior. 



Author's Bio

I was born and raised in Kanawha County West Virginia where I currently reside. After high school, I enlisted in the United States Navy and spent two tours of duty in Vietnam in the late 1960s and early 1970s. After my military stint, I accepted a position as a Charleston West Virginia law enforcement officer and retired after 26 years of service as a police lieutenant. The policing included criminal investigations in homicide, armed robbery, and sexual assaults. Another task was drug enforcement including a five-year assignment with the Drug Enforcement Administration as a Task Force Officer. During my tenure as a police officer, I obtained a bachelor's degree in criminal justice from West Virginia State University as well as a Master's Degree 

in Occupational Safety at Marshall University in Huntington, West Virginia. I additionally acquired credits in dietetics from Marshall University and successfully became a registered dietitian nutritionist after police retirement in 1998.

AWARDS:

Administrator's Award - Drug Enforcement Administration 1979/1981

Distinguished Service Award - West Virginia Chief's of Police Association 1996

Distinguished West Virginian Award from Governor Cecil Underwood 1997

Outstanding West Virginia Dietitian of the year from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics 2013

PUBLISHED BOOKS:

 McGinnis, A. Richard, Fighting Cancer with Stories, Parker, CO: Outskirts Press, 2015 

McGinnis, A. Richard, Contemptible Deaths and Making Choices about Eternity, Maitland, FL: Xulon Press, 2020