Some of the most extraordinary author events I have experienced, thanks to my investigative memoir, Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew, have been orchestrated by cherished friends. Maureen Buell, a collaborator on several NIC Cooperative Awards for which I served as principal investigator, has been a tireless champion of my book and has arranged a memorable author gathering at Anne Seymour’s elegant home. Anne, whose distinguished career was devoted to the Vietnam Veterans Association—an organization I know well and whose members I deeply respect—graciously welcomed us. The vibrant community in this neighborhood proved to be a warm and engaging audience, asking thoughtful and insightful questions. Among the guests was Katie Green, another dear friend with whom I worked on American Correctional Association initiatives years ago. This wonderful neighborhood group regularly convenes at Anne’s home for all manner of events. The evening was magical, filled with camaraderie and meaningful conversation, and I will forever treasure the memories we created together.
9th Street Neighborhood DC Event
- Post author By James b. Wells
- Post date August 6, 2026
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- Tags family-history, history, memoir, military, mystery, nonfiction, veterans, vietnam, vietnam-war, war
By James b. Wells
JAMES B. WELLS is a retired criminology and criminal justice professor in the School of Justice Studies in the College of Justice, Safety, and Military Science at Eastern Kentucky University, and is the recipient of the 2025 Academy of Criminal Justice Sciences John Howard Award, an award given intermittently, upon significant demand, to recognize an individual who has made significant and sustained contributions to the practice of corrections. A former carpenter, soldier, and correctional officer in a super-maximum-security prison and later as a researcher/planner assisting architects in prison design, he has multiple degrees, including an M.S. in Criminal Justice, a Ph.D. in Research, and an MFA in Creative Writing. He’s authored or co-authored over sixty-five books, chapters, articles, and essays, as well as over a hundred and fifty research reports for various local, state, and federal agencies. Recent essays from his research and memoir work appear or are forthcoming in Collateral Journal, About Place Journal, Wild Roof Journal, Military Experience and the Arts, The Wrath-Bearing Tree, Shift, Proud to be: Writing by American Warriors, Trajectory Journal, and From Pen to Page III: More Writings from the Bluegrass Writers Coalition.
His investigative memoir about his father's still CIA-classified death in Vietnam in 1965, titled Because: A CIA Coverup and a Son’s Odyssey to Find the Father He Never Knew, will be launched on Father's Day weekend, 2025. Links to publications, presentations, trailers, social media, blog, and other information can be found at https://jamesbwells.com. James enjoys spending much of his leisure time with his spouse on their Lexington, Kentucky farm located on the palisades of the Kentucky River, where he is an organic gardener and beekeeper.
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James B. Wells 