When KMOX radio reporter Kevin Killeen looks at kids today, he wonders how they’re so well-behaved.
“It disappoints me,” Killeen said. "I think there's a lot more responsibility now."
That’s compared to when Killeen was a kid growing up in Webster Groves and getting into shenanigans all over town.
Killeen recently released his latest comic novel, “Snow Globes and Hand Grenades.” It’s based on growing up in Webster Groves during the 1970s and attending Catholic schools—although this time it focuses on the viewpoint of a female protagonist, Mimi, who is in the eighth grade.
"Maybe I've glorified delinquency too much in this series," says Killeen, who said he was inspired by his own daughter’s eighth grade experiences as well as the girls he remembered getting away with trouble-making in his younger years.
Killeen has written two other humorous novels—“Never Hug A Nun” and “Try to Kiss A Girl.” On Tuesday’s “St. Louis on the Air,” Killeen joined host Don Marsh to discuss the novel, its influences and just what kind of trouble he got into as a youngster in Webster Groves:
"I'm rekindling the adolescent dream that I wanted to be a novelist," Killeen said.
"St. Louis on the Air" discusses issues and concerns facing the St. Louis area. The show is produced by Mary Edwards, Alex Heuer and Kelly Moffitt and hosted by veteran journalist Don Marsh. Follow us on Twitter and join the conversation at