*** Read the Opening Pages of A Reason to Run ***

Mike Magluilo

Hi, I’m Mike. Thanks for visiting my site.

I'm a writer and recovering finance professional, father of three and husband of one. I enjoy clean living and dirty jokes and love old dogs and small gestures because simple, sincere and content offers the best lighting to experience the world.

I write about the points in life that force us to pay attention to how we are living, because the power of being able to choose what we do in the next moment fascinates me. I write about tragedy, recovery and hope. I grew up in the Chicago area and spent several years of my adult life in the Midwest, Colorado and London. My family and I currently live in Vermont.

Wondering why my website is called Mad Gorilla Writes? Years ago my son told his pre-school teachers to pronounce his last name "mad gorilla." Since then it's become one of our family's many inside jokes. It also inspired the name of one of the characters in my upcoming book, although given Sam Bags's last name is Bagliarello, the character is called Bad Gorilla. 

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Recent Posts

#9: Giving Back ("No Bare Feet and Other Lessons From the Caddie Yard")

#9: Giving Back ("No Bare Feet and Other Lessons From the Caddie Yard")
Sep 30, 2023 by Mike Magluilo

Growing up in 1980s Chicago I had access to a number of summer enrichment activities. My parents called them part-time jobs.

After three holes of caddie school, I signed up for a job that let me work outdoors, paid in cash and provided a free hot dog lunch. Little did I know at the time caddying would also pay my college tuition and teach me invaluable life lessons over the following ten summers. 

The main character in my upcoming novel A Reason to Run works as a caddie. The book’s not about caddying, but many of the values I learned looping appear in the themes of my book.

"No Bare Feet and Other Lessons From the Caddie Yard" is a series of monthly musings on the personal and professional lessons I learned as a young caddie.

Lessons in this series: 

Lesson #9: Giving Back

Lesson #8: Don't Waste the Garbage Time

Lesson #7: It's About How You Spend Your Time on the Course

Lesson #6: Make Yourself Useful

Lesson #5: Repair Your Divots

Lesson #4: It's Not About Perfection

Lesson #3: Don't Be Petty

Lesson #2: Caffeine, the Serenity Prayer and Thoughts on Organization

Lesson #1: Show Up, Pay Attention and Follow Through

Lesson #8: Don't Waste the Garbage Time ("No Bare Feet and Other Lessons From the Caddie Yard")

Lesson #8: Don't Waste the Garbage Time ("No Bare Feet and Other Lessons From the Caddie Yard")
Sep 03, 2023 by Mike Magluilo

Growing up in 1980s Chicago I had access to a number of summer enrichment activities. My parents called them part-time jobs.

After three holes of caddie school, I signed up for a job that let me work outdoors, paid in cash and provided a free hot dog lunch. Little did I know at the time caddying would also pay my college tuition and teach me invaluable life lessons over the following ten summers. 

The main character in my upcoming novel A Reason to Run works as a caddie. The book’s not about caddying per se, but many of the values I learned looping appear in the themes of my book.

"No Bare Feet and Other Lessons From the Caddie Yard" is a series of monthly musings on the personal and professional lessons I learned as a young caddie.

Lessons in this series: 

Lesson #8: Don't Waste the Garbage Time

Lesson #7: It's About How You Spend Your Time on the Course

Lesson #6: Make Yourself Useful

Lesson #5: Repair Your Divots

Lesson #4: It's Not About Perfection

Lesson #3: Don't Be Petty

Lesson #2: Caffeine, the Serenity Prayer and Thoughts on Organization

Lesson #1: Show Up, Pay Attention and Follow Through

The Golden Boy (First Place Winner / Flash Fiction Magazine Contest)

The Golden Boy (First Place Winner / Flash Fiction Magazine Contest)
Aug 16, 2023 by Mike Magluilo

Read The Golden Boy, first place winner of Flash Fiction Magazine's summer 2023 story contest.

The story explores two extremely different experiences of childhood from the perspective of two brothers. The story is ultimately a tragedy, not because of the insecure and impulsive personality of one brother but through the description of the fragility of the content moments in life.

Warning: the story contains tragic and potentially disturbing content. 

It's About How You Spend Your Time on the Course (Lesson #7)

It's About How You Spend Your Time on the Course (Lesson #7)
Jul 31, 2023 by Mike Magluilo

Growing up in 1980s Chicago I had access to a number of summer enrichment activities. My parents called them part-time jobs.

After three holes of caddie school when I was twelve, I signed up for a job that let me work outdoors, paid in cash and provided a free hot dog lunch. Little did I know at the time caddying would also pay my college tuition and teach me invaluable life lessons over the following ten summers. 

The main character in my upcoming novel A Reason to Run works as a caddie. The book’s not about caddying per se, but many of the values I learned looping appear in the themes of my book.

"No Bare Feet and Other Lessons From the Caddie Yard" is a series of monthly musings on the personal and professional lessons I learned as a young caddie.

Let me know what you think and please share this email with anyone who may enjoy what I have to say. If you are interested in learning more about my writing, including my upcoming novel A Reason to Run, please visit my website and sign-up for my newsletter.

Lessons in this series: 

Lesson #8: Don't Waste the Garbage Time

Lesson #7: It's About How You Spend Your Time on the Course

Lesson #6: Make Yourself Useful

Lesson #5: Repair Your Divots

Lesson #4: It's Not About Perfection

Lesson #3: Don't Be Petty

Lesson #2: Caffeine, the Serenity Prayer and Thoughts on Organization

Lesson #1: Show Up, Pay Attention and Follow Through

Marketing is the Reward for Writing Your Book

Marketing is the Reward for Writing Your Book
Jul 16, 2023 by Mike Magluilo

Five ways to find satisfaction and success in the marketing process—without compromising your personality and principles

Instead of another post about hustling sales, subscribers, followers, and shares, this post is for fiction book authors looking for the inspiration and confidence to leave the writing den, find satisfaction and commercial success in the marketing process, and become a better writer—all without compromising your personality and principles.

Thanks to Burlington Writers Workshop for re-publishing this article.