An Ordinary Man

While German bombs were falling on London people didn’t worry too much when hearing Hitler’s doodlebugs, the dreaded V1 flying bomb. But when the noise stopped then they were worried because they knew that the rocket was about to drop – on them!

David, hanging in a basket inside an air raid shelter, was oblivious to all of this for he was just a baby.

Growing up in West London he spoke with a cockney accent even though he wasn’t a true cockney. He went to a good school and later to an art college but not being impressed with the lifestyle of an artist or of an interior designer he left and got an ordinary job, His sporting interests included rowing with a club on the nearby River Thames and gaining instruction in the sport of judo but at the age of 18 he was looking for something more, an adventure.

He joined up for a three-year stint in a colonial police force in Southern Rhodesia and never looked back. He lost his cockney accent, learned a lot about police work and the native Rhodesians, both black and white, and his three-year stint turned into over ten.

Then using his police experience he started two successful private security companies, one in Rhodesia, the other in South Africa, and later emigrated to British Columbia in Canada where he started a third.

In 1984 he began working for the Canadian government, firstly in a security capacity and later in their commercial sector before taking early retirement on December 31st, 1999, and moving to the United States at the beginning of the new millennium.

Now in his fifth country of residence, he resurrected his artistic talents and began selling his art at various shows in the south-eastern United States. He also joined a local rowing club and within a few months was their manager and coach.

He has enjoyed many years of travel to over forty countries, has lived in five on three different continents and continues to live a healthy lifestyle which includes kayaking, cycling and plenty of walking.

An Owl's Tales

Life is a trail of crossing paths, some barely noticed, others with profound impacts. Did Santa bring that special football or the right Barbie doll? Did you pass that tough high school teacher’s course? Remember your first love? Was the pound puppy with sad but hopeful eyes ever chosen? Was the homeless beggar on the corner worth helping? The paths of Santa and teachers and loves and others who need help influence the course of our path, some for good, others not so much. But all of your paths make you, you.

Is it better to know or to feel what we should do? Maybe it doesn’t matter as long as the trail is guided by the heart. One man’s journey through a lifetime of crossed paths is portrayed in An Owl’s Tales. Some paths will sound familiar; some will challenge; some will motivate, while others will touch your heart. The wise old owl who sleeps with one eye open observes everything, reacts to little, but remembers. When your race is run, what will have been your important paths?

An Unusual Story About a Bug

Question: Where is “e”?

Answer: “e” is not here.

This entire story about a bug is told without using the letter “e”.

Mr. Bug likes crawling up and down the arms. He’s crawling up my arm now, and he’s on a mission to find you.

How will he get from my arm to yours without the help of “e”?

Anarchy in Ohio

Father Ignatius Oosterhoff, the rector of a failing seminary on the banks of the Ohio River in Angel, Ohio, gets more than he bargained for when the school's national advertisements for a new type of student draws a beach bum from California, Sylvester Ammons, who is secretly on the run from the law. It soon becomes apparent that he doesn't fit in, especially when his girlfriend has an abortion. However, he witnesses a murder at the school and joins forces with Father Oosterhoff to solve the crime. Together, they both become something other than what they were when they started out, and change the school in the process.

Anathema

As we move through our lives, do we know what lies in our past? Do we understand the persuasions that cause us to do the things we do? Does the influence that guides us emanate from a long time ago? We presume to create our own destinies, yet, are there others that have preordained our fates? Is it possible for potent thoughts, empowered by unworldly origins, to cross the spans of time and bring ruin to the unwary? A hateful mind desires revenge against the one it despises the most, vengeance that condemns the soul of its disliked adversary and all of his family, energized by vilest of powers to leap the span of ages and push this influence through the generations to bring perdition to all. Can those affected intercede and allay the ominous malediction? It must be done lest the consequences be more dire than the fires of Hell.

Anatomy of a Wrongful Death Lawsuit

In Anatomy of a Wrongful Death Lawsuit, journey alongside a determined man seeking justice against a healthcare provider responsible for his wife’s tragic end. Stemming from a heartbreaking fall in May 2017, this riveting account spans a relentless four-year legal battle, culminating in a pivotal wrongful death lawsuit settlement in August 2021.

Delving deep into Florida’s Sovereign Immunity Statutes, the narrative unravels the intricacies of a legal system designed to discourage victims by limiting potential damages. The story casts a glaring spotlight on a flawed healthcare system, where a Medicare facility, under the umbrella of these statutes, can prioritize profit over patient safety. Revelations like Medicare’s astonishing $55,000 bill for treatments and the audacious theft of a valuable wedding ring from an elderly patient underscore the gravity of systemic failures.

Although the initial medical malpractice case seemed promising, its evolution into a wrongful death suit drastically shifted the scales, placing a daunting burden of proof on the bereaved husband. While the eventual settlement wasn’t about financial gain, the core aim was to ensure acknowledgment of a wrongful death lawsuit. However, due to the secrecy of mediation, such misdeeds might remain cloaked, depriving the public of crucial awareness.

This poignant exploration is more than just a personal tale of resilience; it’s a deep dive into the complexities and challenges of confronting a seemingly impenetrable legal fortress.

And I'm Only 30

Ever pondered the shift from a tranquil town to the bustling streets of New York City? In her early twenties, Jess took the leap. Navigating a demanding industry where she often outpaces her male counterparts, yet earns significantly less, balancing life as a devoted dog mom, and navigating the complex terrain of NYC dating, Jess juggles it all while seeking meaningful connections and cherishing moments with friends. Amidst the city’s chaos, will she find the bond she’s searching for?

And So She Did

What happens when you say you “can’t”? Oh, but what can happen when you say you “will”? Scout and Ava are sisters that, along with every child that reads this book, will learn the most beautiful truth… that there is nothing that you cannot be, do or have if you believe in yourself first. And with this knowing, these two strong little girls conquer their doubts and fears by turning the words “I can, I am, I will” into a belief. The most important thing we can give our tiny dreamers of the world is an unwavering faith in themselves.

Angel and the Orphan

From eating raw potatoes in abandonment to being personally served cake by a future African President, experience the extraordinary life of an orphan child through a tapestry of divine interventions and mystical adventures. Driven by his quest to understand the enigmatic voice that has persistently guided and saved him from the jaws of death, each chapter unfolds a series of astonishing true stories.

Witness harrowing accounts of kidnapping, murder, and suicide, juxtaposed against uplifting moments, like growing up as a white child in an Aboriginal orphanage, miraculously surviving an Al-Shabaab terrorist attack, and working as a compassionate paramedic. Journey alongside him as he solves the 110-year-old mystery of a missing police officer and champions the cause of Albino children targeted by witchdoctors in Africa.

Spanning continents – from Northern Ireland and Austria to the USA, Africa, and Canada – these magical yet deeply human stories are not just a testament to one man’s resilience but also an exploration of the unseen forces that guide us all. Take this global odyssey and witness the miraculous in the mundane, the divine in the everyday.

Angela's Letter

They say one never forgets his or her first love. So, what does a man do when he receives a letter from his first love – over 40 years after they last spent any time together – suggesting they reunite now that both are single and in their 60s?

Angela’s Letter is about two people and the challenges and joys they face trying to see if they can rekindle the love they shared many years earlier. Jack is a successful, retired widower just beginning to think about restarting his life 15 months after his wife’s death. Angela is his high school sweetheart, recently widowed, and an independently wealthy businesswoman. Angela has decided to live her remaining years to the fullest, and part of her plans include the letter she sends to Jack to see if he might be interested in renewing their relationship.

While genuinely intrigued by Angela’s proposal, Jack’s interest is tempered by his adult daughter’s attitude. Seemingly not yet over her mother’s death, her overbearing ways are poisoning everyone around her. Unbeknownst to Jack however, she is actually haunted by a foolish act from years before. Now Jack must do all he can to avoid having his daughter destroy her own life, as well as his opportunity for a new life with Angela.

Anger Management

Have you ever felt disconnected, unsure of your place in the world? Have you ever felt that society glorified the imbecilic and that most civilized problems could be cured with common sense? Have you ever wanted to make your own justice for it and punish the corrupt and perverted that destroy our trust? What if you found a way to do it?

Follow an unnamed narrator, through his daily life of work drugs and violence, finding ways he can exploit the loop holes to his needs, his outlets, how a simple fender bender can change everything. Is he a hero for doing what should be done for the better of society or the villain causing it?

Animal ABC for Children of All Ages

When COVID-19 lockdowns swept the globe, creativity unlocked for one woman in Belleville, Ontario. Alone with her cat, C. Boulanger turned to a fantasy world she had long imagined, bringing to life a charming children’s tale. With whimsical animals as guides straight from her isolation, she penned Animal ABC for Children of All Ages not just to delight young readers, but to remind all of us that even in the darkest of days, joy and wonder still exist if only we know where to look. Brighten your family’s time at home with this playful journey of imagination.

Cover designed by Janet Eastwood.