I've helped a good friend of mine, Brian Duffy, to write a memoir called A Reporter Reflects. The book was my idea, brought about by reading so many interesting pieces Brian had posted on his blog about living in a nursing home during a pandemic. I thought that a memoir contrasting Brian's present situation with the rich life he had before suffering a stroke in 2014 would be a compelling story.

Brian was a reporter for The Miami Herald, The Washington Post and The Wall Street Journal. He was editor of U.S. News & World Report and managing editor for news at National Public Radio. In Washington he covered the FBI and the CIA. He shared newspaper bylines with Bob Woodward and Carl Hiaasen, and knew and/or interviewed many famous people, from Muhammad Ali to James Comey to Madeleine Albright. As a journalist he traveled to Haiti, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Mozambique and elsewhere.

The book is divided between alternating sections of nursing home stories and past stories of Brian's life, with the sections arranged more or less chronologically. The contrast between the two sections is stark, which gives the book a powerful human-interest angle.

Numerous agents and publishers have praised the quality of Brian's writing, but passed on the book because they don't feel it's commercial enough. Therefore, I have decided in consultation with Brian's brother Jack to self-publish A Reporter Reflects. I put the fundraising goal at $2500, which would cover all aspects of designing and publishing a handsome paperback and e-book. If we raise enough money beyond the goal, we will publish a hardcover book as well.

If you are in touch with Brian, please don't mention this campaign to him. At Jack's suggestion we are keeping it a secret, so we can give him the published book as a surprise.

This is not a vanity project. The book will have an ISBN and will be available through all standard booksellers (Amazon, Barnes & Noble, independent stores, etc.) and distributors (Ingram, Baker & Taylor, etc.). We obviously hope for good reviews and strong sales, but step one is to get the book published. Any contributions to help us reach our goal and give Brian some good news would be sincerely appreciated. Thank you.