Redemption and Second Chances

Join the author as he takes you on an extraordinary journey into his intense world, teaching convicted felons inside two all-male state prisons in northern Ohio. The story Different Prisons is a collection of short stories, poetry, and anecdotes taken directly from Dr. Thomas Davison's personal journals and unique experiences. This is real-life stuff, not the 'Hollywood version.' It will make you laugh, and it will make you cry ...

~ Cosmic Chipmunk Productions ~

A little about the author...

My name is Tom Davison. I have been a teacher in some way, shape, or form for most of my life! I have dedicated myself to learning the craft of teaching. I taught part-time while pursuing my career or one of my many entrepreneurial businesses and full-time while chairing a thriving college business program.

I am a former U.S. Army soldier (top secret clearance, special weapons expert, and other stuff I can't talk or write about), state criminal investigator, internationally certified government auditing professional, state certified public manager, national safety and hygiene inspector, inspirational speaker, college professor, martial arts instructor, and toastmaster.

Within these positions, I constantly mentored and volunteered, formally or informally, with the U.S. Army, the State Prison system, Boy Scouts, urban colleges, and at-risk youths. According to all measurements and standards, I am pretty good at it.

Then, in 2016, everything changed for me. I started teaching college courses inside the prisons. By 2019, I was bursting with so many impressions and thoughts that I could no longer contain them. I put pen to paper for the first time in 2019 and began writing about those real-life experiences.

My primary sources were my journals and papers from my incarcerated students. I found myself creating nonfiction short stories and poetry (me writing poetry-gasp). Until 2019, the only papers I had published were my master's thesis and a couple of doctoral dissertations.

I felt guilty about making money from writing about my students. It felt dishonorable, so I started a non-profit and gave them the money they had earned from these writings through the N.F.P. In 2022, I tried writing a horror story (my first) and submitted it to a publisher's contest.

I received a contract to split profits, and my horror story, Eternal Prisoners, was the contest winner. Today, as of 2023, I have been published under my name (and other pseudonyms) ... well, let's say, quite a lot.

The results created an internal dilemma for me. Should I continue writing with traditional publishers, who took the lion's share of the profits away from the N.F.P., Entrepreneurial Services for Felons (E.S.F.)? Or should I jump into the Amazon Kindle Vella waters and strive to earn more for E.S.F.?

My next endeavor was a Teen-Young-Adult fantasy story called The Boy With Strange Eyes. The publisher who had the story under contract went bankrupt. Was this a sign to leave the traditional publishing world for good? Or was this me misreading the tea leaves of the universe?

Amazon Kindle Vella is episodic writing. The author writes one episode (chapter) at a time, and while going through the traditional writing process, readers can purchase and follow along, make comments, and review the story's contents. This is precisely what a rookie writer like myself needed. I thoroughly enjoyed writing this book as a Vella.

When editing this Vella to complete a final book manuscript, I intended to shuffle some chapters. I wrote the original Vella as I felt it, without concern for any timeline of the events. However, one of my mentors, a writer with much greater experience than I have, told me, "Tom, you wrote this story with passion, and from your heart, it shows. I think it would be a mistake to change the flow." She is successful at this writing craft. I will listen to her and leave things as they are.

Dedication

This collection of nonfiction (N.F.) short stories and poetry is dedicated to my wife, Diana, of 45 years. Without her support and love, there would be no writing or working in the Prisons. My wife is my muse. She is my center. Diana is my best friend. This book is dedicated to her.

It comprises true short stories, poems, introductions, and personal comments. I would also be remiss if I did not recognize the many felons, ex-felons, and college and prison staff who permitted me to use them in my short stories and poems. I owe gratitude to so many for their help in my journey to learn the writing craft. I remember all of you fondly. There are too many of you to name here.

However, I will recognize the unique contributions made by Antonio Johnson.

After devoting a lifetime to mastering the craft of teaching, I found myself starting new and attempting to learn a different craft-the craft of writing: a word or two about poetry. I have loved reading poetry all my life. I wrote my first poem in 2019 and submitted it to a dozen art journals and magazines. I was amazed to find that five or six of them wanted to publish it and would pay me money for it!

My favorite type of poetry to create is ekphrastic. I was so profoundly moved by my observations and interactions with my incarcerated students that it motivated me to create mostly free-verse poems. The truth is that I like all types of poetry. I am honored to have penned a Petrarchan (Italian) sonnet selected by the American Jewish Historical Society to be hung in the Emma Lazarus Museum.

Add multiple genres of stories with various types of poetry, and what does that equal? An undisciplined writer, perhaps? A new to the writing-craft rookie who is searching for boundaries? Follow Different Prisons and discover the answer for yourself.

I am a very private person. You, the reader, have learned more about me in this introduction than many friends and family members.

The truth is that I have been truly blessed. I have seen many Prisons throughout the world. They come in all shapes and sizes. The worst Prisons are the ones of our own making-the Prisons we build within our minds.

Next, The Prison Yard...

END