Ronald E. Yates's Blog, page 104
July 8, 2016
A Marine Corps Vet’s Views on Honor and Hillary
This commentary by a U.S. Marine Corps veteran arrived in my inbox the day FBI Director James Comey announced his agency’s recommendation to not prosecute Hillary Clinton over her insecure email setup and her subsequent handling of classified materials. Like millions of Americans, he was disappointed about that decision, but he also had something more ... Read more...
July 7, 2016
Hillary Wiggles Off the Hook—Again
When I was in the United States Army Security Agency, I had a top-secret and crypto security clearance. It took the FBI a good 12-months to vet me, and my clearance was one of the highest a person could have. Why? We handled top secret information and performed duties that I was not allowed to ... Read more...
July 5, 2016
My Favorite Classic Hotels
(One of the great things about being a foreign correspondent is the opportunity one has of staying in classic hotels around the world. During my career, I stayed in my share of them–some more classic than others. In some cases, I lived in a hotel for months at a time [the Continental Palace in Saigon, ... Read more...
July 1, 2016
Available Now: Book 2, Finding Billy Battles Trilogy
A note to those who have read Book 1 of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy: Billy is back! And he is definitely not in Kansas anymore. As The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles (Book 2 of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy) opens, Billy is far from his Kansas roots—and his improbable journeys are just beginning. ... Read more...
June 30, 2016
On Writing: A Q & A with Ron Yates
When did you first realize you wanted to be a writer? Probably when I was in the sixth grade. I loved writing stories, and I had a teacher (Mrs. Gooch) who encouraged me. My mother also bought me books and took me often to the library–a place that I found magical and magnetic. She often ... Read more...
June 29, 2016
Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing: Annotated
Every so often I find it useful to take a look at the late Elmore Leonard’s 10 Rules of Writing. It is sage advice from a master. Every writer should read these rules and remember them. I’m doing my part by posting them here for your edification and enjoyment. I began reading Elmore Leonard’s books ... Read more...
June 21, 2016
Available Now: Book 2, Finding Billy Battles Trilogy
A note to those who have read Book 1 of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy: Billy is back! And he is definitely not in Kansas anymore. As The Improbable Journeys of Billy Battles (Book 2 of the Finding Billy Battles trilogy) opens, Billy is far from his Kansas roots—and his improbable journeys are just beginning. ... Read more...
June 7, 2016
Jogging With the Greatest
When I heard the news of Muhammad Ali’s death last Friday, I was reminded of my two encounters with the boxing legend while I was a reporter for the Chicago Tribune. My first encounter was the result of one those spur of the moment assignments from the Tribune’s city editor. “Yates,” he shouted at me. ... Read more...
May 31, 2016
Key West 2016: Hemingway Would Hate It
Once upon a time Key West was known for its fishing, sea salt refining, and salvaging operations. It was also the largest and wealthiest city in Florida. Today, Key West is primarily known as a trap for tourists—hordes of them. In fact, last year some four million tourists ascended on the 7.4 square mile island ... Read more...
May 26, 2016
A Pilgrimage to Hemingway’s Key West Abode
The house at 907 Whitehead Street in the heart of Old Town Key West looks about the same as it did when Pulitzer and Nobel-Prize winning author Ernest Hemingway lived there from 1931 to 1940. But that’s where the similarity ends. The 165-year-old limestone two-story house with its wrap-around veranda and lush gardens of coconut ... Read more...
