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Roy Peter Clark - Contributing Writer
Roy Peter Clark

Contributing Writer

As the new contributing writer for my favorite newspaper, I craft features that appear regularly in the Sunday Floridian section and online. This is a new adventure for an old writer, inspired by the journey of humankind in a troubled world. Mired in pandemic, deep recession, and political unrest, readers need an escape hatch. A little wit, whimsy, and wisdom are gold coins in the sand. I come to this after 40 years as a writing coach at Poynter, the school that owns the Times. I’ve lived in St. Pete for all those years with wife Karen and three daughters. I have written about AIDS, the Holocaust, literacy, war, but also Ray Charles, pelicans, the Lone Ranger, and Pee-wee Herman.

  1. This blind date led to a treasured relationship
    April 20• Life & Culture
    You never know what will happen on a blind date.
  2. At 99, Clearwater woman is an energetic inspiration
    March 23• Life & Culture
    Nell Goodrich, 99, shows off her new Rays cap, a birthday gift from the author.
  3. Still getting his kicks from Route 66
    Feb. 22• History
    In this Wednesday, Nov. 19, 2014, file photo, a car travels down historic Route 66 toward Albuquerque, N.M.
  5. In St. Petersburg, two tales of found money
    Jan. 12• Life & Culture
    Eleida Peña, a hard-working restaurant hostess, was delighted to find her lost tip money.
  6. ‘Love Actually,’ 20 years later: Can a movie be great, but not good?
    Dec. 8, 2022• Movies
    Hugh Grant, left, and Martine McCutcheon in "Love Actually."
  7. What’s your favorite pie? And how did my choice threaten my marriage?
    Nov. 17, 2022• Food
    Coconut custard pie, not to be confused with coconut cream pie. Or else.
  8. Italian Americans don’t need Columbus Day to show pride
    Oct. 6, 2022• Life & Culture
    Roy Peter Clark's grandfather lost this election, but spent his life devoted to improving the lives of immigrants. He came to New York City from Italy at the age of 4. His citizenship papers describe his complexion as “dark.”
  9. Where we sit in church says a lot about us
    Sept. 15, 2022• Life & Culture
    Both sides of the aisle at church. (This isn't the writer's church, but you get the idea.)
  10. A good boy on the way to becoming a good man
    Sept. 2, 2022• Life & Culture
    A 10-year-old Haydon Davis is all smiles in 2018 as he poses with Mint the stuffed bear.
  11. Springsteen ticket prices are latest to take off, but what’s a dream worth?
    Aug. 12, 2022• Music
    Bruce Springsteen performs at the 15th annual Stand Up For Heroes benefit at Alice Tully Hall in New York City in November 2021. He kicks off his world tour Feb. 1, 2023, at Amalie Arena in Tampa.
  12. How I survived an attack of the St. Petersburg Tiki gods
    July 27, 2022• Food
    An empty space marks the absence of a fallen god at Tiki Docks Skyway in St. Petersburg.
  13. Scenes from St. Petersburg coffee shops
    July 13, 2022• Life & Culture
    A barista Ken doll, sporting a millennial man bun, greets coffee lovers at Banyan in St. Petersburg. He was a gift from the Clark family.
  14. The romantic appeal of separate bedrooms
    June 23, 2022• Life & Culture
    For this couple, separate bedrooms works quite well.
  15. Rescued Barbie has a new home for now, far from the shores of Malibu
    May 26, 2022• Life & Culture
    Barbie looks at ease here atop the author’s golden typewriter. As you can see, when she was rescued she was missing a shoe.
  16. Dear reader: I have got your back
    May 5, 2022• Health
    It is 1972 and newlyweds Roy and Karen Clark frolic in the Rhode Island sun. Fifty years later in the Sunshine State there will be a price to pay.
  17. On St. Pete Beach, the beauty of flight at sunset
    April 20, 2022• Life & Culture
    Roy Peter Clark's daughter Alison captured this image of a pelican in flight at St. Pete Beach.
  18. Times’ Colette Bancroft named first winner of St. Petersburg literary prize
    March 30, 2022• Books
    Tampa Bay Times book critic Colette Bancroft has won the first Roy Peter Clark Literary Award.
  19. Amazing grace in the men’s room | Column
    March 18, 2022• Life & Culture
  20. The meaning of some friendships transcend time and death
    Feb. 24, 2022• Life & Culture
    Jack Leonard, beloved baseball coach at Eckerd College, and an inspiration to those who got to know him.
  21. Meet Duchess, a talking cat. He thinks.
    Feb. 14, 2022• Pets
    This is The Duchess, who may not know she's feral after all.
  22. If you could only listen to one song, what would it be?
    Jan. 20, 2022• Music
    A statue of The Beatles in Liverpool, England. Their songs have special meaning to Roy Peter Clark.
  23. The story of a butterfly offers a lesson for the new year
    Dec. 30, 2021• Life & Culture
    A monarch butterfly feeds on a goldenrod.
  24. To catch a frisky pup on the run, get low and go high
    Nov. 30, 2021• Pets
    This is not the puppy that Roy Peter Clark helped to save, but you have to admire its moxie.