Patricia Vaccarino

Freedom Spent

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When I was in college, a professor suggested that I read Freedom Spent by the legal writer Richard Harris. Freedom Spent was a narrative of three case studies in which Americans lost their civil liberties during legal proceedings that adhered to the letter of the law, or abided by a strict constructionist (narrow) interpretation of the law that disregarded the gravitas and prevailing spirit of the U.S. Constitution.  I lent Freedom Spent to so many friends that eventually I lost track of it and fear it is no longer in my library. 

Today, I am more convinced than ever that America has the most amazing...

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Latest Posts in Patricia Vaccarino

March 2026 Magazine

Whatever ails your mind, body or soul, the healing power of laughter can never be underestimated. Laughter As Medicine is Barbara McMichael’s latest feature article. For a little lesson in Italian, please see The Rich, RICO and The Godfather. Where is Don Vito Corleone when we need him? Annie Searle examines the Department of Justice in her article “Justice Delayed is Justice Denied.” Nick Licata urges Conservatives to be Cautious: Serfdom Could Lie Ahead. Oscar-nominated filmmaker Pen Densham believes a single photograph can vibrate with the same energy as a movie. In honor of International Women’s Month, our featured Art is the Impressionist painting Fish Shop by Georges-Henry Fauvel. In Time Marches On, there is a bit of trivia that is bound to make you laugh.  ––Patricia Vaccarino

 


NOTES FROM THE ROAD: Krystal and the Deep Blue Sea

Krystal is my Uber driver who picks me up in Solana Beach to take me to the airport. She drives a shiny new red Tesla. As I get into the Tesla, I immediately see the entire roof is plastered with hundreds of stickers of Elon Musk. A large heart-shaped pink sticker stuck on her console says: “I love Elon Musk.” No other stickers dot the car’s interior. No political messages or advocacy for special interest groups. The entire car is a shrine to Elon Musk. I  want to know why this woman who works hard for her money loves Elon Musk. 


December 2025 Magazine

My latest novel, MAYA DARLING, is my good gift to the world. I wrote the novel in the aftermath of getting shot. Getting shot and almost dying had nothing to do with the story, but it does impact how I feel about gun violence. The image of Santa Claus wearing a bullet proof vest captures the surreal sense of unease pervading our culture during these precarious political times, both in America, and all over the world. Please check out the Campaign Video of Santa Claus suiting up on Christmas Eve. 

 


The Good Gift

This past Thanksgiving marked the two-year anniversary of when I was shot. The weapon was a Smith & Wesson high performance revolver, loaded with eight .357 Magnum bullets. The perpetrator fired all eight rounds. I was struck three times. Miraculously, my injuries were nominal: three cracked ribs and a collapsed lung. I lost a lot of blood. It could have been worse. One bullet, “a thru and thru,” passed close to my spine. 


November 2025 Magazine

We celebrate gratitude in November. Telling someone thank you is another way of showing that you care. Showing gratitude doesn’t have to be taught or learned; it’s simply saying Thank You. Thank you for everything. Thank you for being in my life. My article this month The Writing On The Wall examines reading, writing and the decline of the novel. I am grateful for the many novels I have read, and I adore the authors who have written them. Some books are better than others, but every book I have read has become part of me. My article is my way of saying thank you to all of the authors whose books have touched my life. Do you have a story to share about a book that transformed your life? Happy Thanksgiving!  –Patricia Vaccarino