The Jitney

The True Tales of Bad Benny Taggart, a new novel by Timothy F, Schmand.

We meet Benny Taggart when his anger erupts as a student in a middle school just outside of Buffalo, New York. His explosive reactions to bullying and brutality propel him through the portal of a failing juvenile 'justice' system. Here Benny perfects his “bad” persona, masking insecurities which are only compounded by a devastating tragedy. Thrust toward adulthood with a few missing pieces, we follow ‘Bad’ Benny on an odyssey to find a father he never met, following clues he may have imagined, all of which point toward Miami. Benny Taggart becomes Huck Finn and Holden Caulfield seen through Alice’s looking glass. This late 20th century American coming-of-age journey is far from a straight path. Faced with larger-than-life danger and confronted by mysterious folk he never could have imagined, Benny wrestles his way toward whatever adulthood may bring. Filled with a cast of unique American characters, The True Tales of Bad Benny Taggart is a fast-paced journey from betrayal through violence and danger…toward an unknown future.

Just Johnson  Populated by Miami’s fits and misfits, Just Johnson: The London Delivery traces the exploits of our hero -- Johnson -- a driver and delivery man for Stephen Teitelbaum (aka The Fat Man) the 490 pound criminal mastermind who manages the remains of Meyer Lansky’s Miami Beach operation. Johnson's live-in, bi-sexual and hypersexual girlfriend, Alexandra Cohen (aka Al), is a marketing consultant whose employment takes her to London. She asks Johnson to join her. To afford the trip Johnson arranges a delivery for one of The Fat Man’s many friends.

From London to Miami and back, Just Johnson: The London Delivery is a rumbling, unstoppable freight train of a tale. Although bouncing between the 80s and mid 90s of Miami, this novel confirms that some things will never change in this city. Miami is weird, weird, weird – and that’s why we love it so.