HERKIMER, N.Y. — A local author just published a book he wrote 27 years ago back in 1998.
Tom Hawkins wrote the fictional murder mystery called “Last Leaves of October” that’ll have you on the edge of your seat.
Hawkins said at the time, it was tough to get published if you weren’t already a published author.
But that wasn’t the case today, and he finally published it a few months ago.
It’s about a man wrongly convicted of a double murder, who befriends a chaplain, in prison, who then involves a local reporter; all of whom believe the man in prison is innocent.
What’s really interesting: It’s set in Herkimer!
But the book has a bigger purpose than entertainment. Proceeds go to the Jamie Hawkins George Foundation, which the author established in honor of his daughter, whom he lost to suicide.
“It financially assists families who are suffering the loss of a suicide of a loved one and it helps pay for funeral costs,” Hawkins said. “So far to date we’ve had 13 or 14 families we’ve helped out, so it’s been a great success and it’s growing.”
Proceeds from a golf tournament next month will also go to the Jamie Hawkins George Foundation to help families of people who commit suicide.