‘Mincing is for onions, not for our words’

Coming in hot off his 2021 win for Best Literary Writer as voted by the readers of The Times Leader Media Group, Christopher Vernon is primed to release his sophomore book, titled “Love Letters To My Younger Self.”

This isn’t Vernon’s first rodeo; in 2019 he released his timely life memoir “Dancing In A Hurricane.” To his shock and wonderment, lines were wrapped around the building for a solid three and a half hours at his breakout release. “I think no one was expecting that, certainly not me. I was very touched and humbled by the outpours of support. One of the patient folks in line, an art dealer who regularly frequents Philadelphia and New York City, exclaimed to my mom and me at the table, in all his years he had never seen such an impressive turnout.”

Two retrospective years later, the very reason “Dancing” connected with so many local folks isn’t really a mystery to Vernon any longer. “My story, although mine, is everyone’s story. We all have a past, we have all been heartbroken and we all have dreams. I think people appreciated just how raw I told it. I really pulled no punches.”

In “Dancing In A Hurricane” Vernon opened up the door particularly to growing up in the Poconos under the wings of an alcoholic father. “Almost everyone in this area is struggling with addiction or knows someone who is. It is a very relatable topic and it touches home for many.”

Vernon also revealed in depth how it felt being trapped in a long-term mentally abusive relationship. “Looking back it’s no surprise I was a prisoner in that union. Most often the cycles of abuse repeat themselves. As with my father, I was drawn to people I wanted to fix or save. That relationship didn’t find me, I found it. In a crazy way I am appreciative today I went through those crushing seven years. Until you’ve had the worst, I don’t think it’s possible to recognize the best.”

In his new “Love Letters” Vernon speaks hypothetically to his younger self from a place of rich experience. This new work is a collection of random thoughts, quotes and private journals all written while secluded during the height of the covid pandemic. “I didn’t want to attach the very word pandemic, or covid to this project. But how could I not? We are still in the thick of this, whether we like it or not.” Vernon’s ultimate goal with this new work is to bring some comfort and a little bit of peace to an anxious mind.

“Mincing is for onions, not for our words. Now more than ever we have a real responsibility to say what we mean and mean exactly what we say.”

You can get a signed copy of either of Christopher Vernon’s two books on Oct. 3 at Groove Brewing in Scranton from 2-4:30 p.m. or at the Abington Community Library on Oct. 9 from 1-3 p.m. as he kicks off his “Kindness Is King” book launch tour.