Richie Davis
Writing Your Stories...
Paul Franz photo
I’ve been a professional writer and editor for nearly 45 years, winning dozens of awards along the way.
More importantly, though, my passion has been to explore life’s mysteries, contradictions and magic with hundreds of people, often helping them discover the deeper themes of their lives within that they may not have even realized were there … and then sharing those stories.
Upcoming readings * Check below!
Flights of Fancy, Souls of Grace
. . . a third collection of true tales from extraordinary lives to inspire and celebrate . . .
"It's a gem!" - Bill Newman, WHMP
Here are stories that matter. Stories that celebrate life. Here are true accounts of lives grounded in conscience, restorative justice, spiritual devotion in the aftermath of genocide, an exploration into the world of deafness, a century-old woman’s creative adventures pioneering in alternative education, and a sculptor’s ongoing discovery of lightness and levity in stone as he carves.
There’s even a field trip to visit Elsie the Cow, Mary “little lamb” Sawyer, Johnny Appleseed and lots of other cultural icons.
More than 20 captivating, true tales take flight in this third collection of stories, now available HERE and through your local bookseller.
JOIN US for stories at upcoming readings!
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Wednesday, DEC 4 6:30 pm - Greenfield Library, Greenfield, Mass
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Thursday, DEC. 5 4:30 pm - Leverett Library, Leverett, Mass
Signed books on sale at holiday gift prices
"Your presentation was a beautiful tribute to your love of journalism, Western Massachusetts, and the people who reside here. Add to that the longevity of your fascinations and it made for a fun and occasionally poignant walk through time. We invite our audiences to provide feedback about each presentation. Here is a sampling of their comments:
“Loved listening to his stories of life in Western Massachusetts and beyond. Great job!”
“Storytelling is becoming a lost art. This program was enlightening and enjoyable.”
“Very, very interesting. I learned so much about the county I live in. Some incredible stories!”
“The readings were especially meaningful for the audience members who were acquainted with the individuals being profiled."
"Thank you for sharing your talent and enthusiasm to provide a presentation that demonstrated how critically important it is to, in your words, “dig under the surface to let the stories out.” - GCC Senior Symposium
My own story begins east of the Big Apple, and continues just outside Rochester, N.Y., where I edited two award-winning suburban weekly newspapers in The Brighton-Pittsford Post group.
For over 40 years, I wrote for and edited newspapers in western Massachusetts, where I excelled at finding the narratives within stories.
Along the way, I imagined the possibilities for enterprising writing that respects and captures the vitality of my subjects and innovates various approaches to help us discover the magic lying beneath the surface... and potentially help us connect with one another ... and even deeper within ourselves.
Through in-depth interviews and comprehensive series, I envisioned, wrote and edited work that won 35 awards from the New York and New England News Executives Associations and the Massachusetts Press Association, along with recognition from the Pulitzer Center for Crisis Reporting. I've been a guest on public television as well as radio to talk about my work, have been a guest speaker at public forums and have been invited to do in-depth memoir interviewing and to advise in Pulitzer Center's Student Student Fellowship program.
Check out my Pulitzer Center reporting.
Check out some of my many feature articles, about a Native American scholar's book on King Philip's War, about immersive theater, about Northfield's Schell Bridge, about teaching music to underserved children.
Now that you know my story, let’s consider yours…
A Trilogy of True Tales
Three fascinating collections: profiles of extraordinary lives
Poor Richie's Almanac
Yes, we might as well all face it: A blog is a blog is a blog.
Music Matters
I find a deep connection between language and music, and realize the critical importance of both.