Pulp (And Press) Fiction

A bitter, unforgiving, windy day in the windy city, and here in Lowell as well.  So how to escape the harsh March frostbitten kiss from Mother Nature?

Well, first you can go for a frigid trail run at Mine Falls in Nashua, with a bunch of other fools.  (Here's a quick glance at THAT idiocy.)

But AFTER that, it's time for a father-son tandem of writing and literature geeks to immerse themselves in one of their favorite Mill City locations, Mill No. 5  at 250 Jackson Street, and the too-cool-for-adjectives Pulp & Press IV!!!!!!

Andrew, ready to put the finishing touches on his MFA at Simmons, where he's immersed in a writing children's literature program, takes a moment to salivate over all the different printings of the Harry Potter collection at Serpentine Books and Collectibles, clearly a Slytherin stronghold.

Selling his wares, with his wife Roxanne by his side is the Blogfather himself, Dick Howe Jr.

His latest tome is Lowell Municipal Elections: 1965-2015, which covers the results of every city council and school committee race in Lowell over the past half century. The book also features coverage of mayoral elections, city managers, school superintendents and regional school committee members.  (For the paltry few who don't know, Dick's father was a member of the Lowell City Council for four decades!)

Across the hall, is Suzanne Dion one of the first copy editors ever subjected to the arduous task of having to read my raw copy as a U-Lowell co-op student way, way, WAY back in the days of my first foray into the professional world, at the Lowell Sun.   She's basking in the glory of retirement from the Fourth Estate, but is still doing her part to promote the written word for the city library, among other literary adventures.

Suddenly, a sighting!  Robert Zimmerman's hand-picked poet laureate for Lowell, Paul Marion, he-too of the recently retired but never quite stopping.

Kicking out copies of his Smokestack Lightning and the Witch at Rivermouth is Steve O'Connor

One of the most prolific letter writers in Lowell Sun history, J.F. Dacey had copies of his book, Take the Long Way Home rolling off the presses.  The novel covers some of Dacey's nights in 1979 when he worked as a taxi driver in Lowell.  If cabbies could talk, this is what they'd have to say...

Lloyd Corricelli of Tewksbury had copies of his Ronan Marino crime novels set in the Mill City.

And then lo and behold!  Another story of Mill No. 5 waiting to be explored!  A fifth story, no less!

A brand, spanking new artists and writers' gallery lines the walls of the historic mill's fifth floor, now!  And there were some incredible pieces of artwork to be found along this corridor.  Some gorgeously crafted work from the locals who got to bask not just in the glory of their product, but the sunlight heating the Middlesex Street side of the mill to boot! 

The event ran from noon to 5, but was pretty packed during Andrew and my quick jaunt through the hallways.  Sadly, the line at Coffee and Cotton was literally out the door, so a grilled cheese was off the menu for today.  Luckily, however, Elliott's Hot Dogs is just around the corner, and Walter Garside was there as always, ready to serve up a six pack to put a perfect coda on a perfect afternoon in downtown Lowell!

To keep tabs on all things fun and frivolous at Mill No. 5, visit the mill's webpage at 

Mill 5

And mark my words, in the not-too-distant future, I expect you'll see some of Andrew's written works gracing some of the tables of not just this great venue for writers, but some of the other great bookstores out there as well!