Art and Poetry by Pollock

Life was smooth sailing and quite normal up until my mom Janis was killed in a car accident heading from Santa Cruz California to Carmel when I was 11 years old. After her death, life changed drastically from a nice gentle breeze to a category five tornado; an inferno of drugs, lies and alibis. Let’s just say… No more smooth sailing. When the dust began to settle at the age of 24, I enlisted in the United States Navy and set sail for a better life and once again it was smooth sailing.

Here are some of my experiences, thoughts, and photographs of my artwork which I use as a way to process my childhood traumas.

Processing as I stack stones and transfer the negative energy into a beautiful piece of work giving it life; it lives then eventually dies, taking the negative energy with it.

I hope you feel something from these pages within.

As a Woman Thinketh

Mike Pauro, aka ‘Ajax Moon’ and his daughter, Morgan Deeble, aka ‘Bridey Moon’ remake the aphorism examined by James Allen for women. In this transposition of Allen’s classic, the authors revisit the impact of thought on health, purpose, achievement, ideas, and serenity from the female perspective. The work is accompanied by imagery from early 20th century postcards passed down for generations in their family. The images were selected to be contemporaneous of the era of James Allen (1864-1912).

Ask Annie About Microbiology

Algae and fungi and bacteria—Oh my! So, you’re telling me there is a whole other ecosystem existing all around us and we can’t even see it?

Annie, a very tiny middle-school-aged girl who has been bullied for her size, is about to find out how creatures even smaller than herself can be essential to the functions of the world we live in. This book contains scientific explanations, definitions, and links to lesson plans and coloring pages for your little scientist to learn all about microbiology—the study of microbes.

Come along with Annie to discover more about the animals living on our hands, in our fish tanks, and under our pillows that are much too small for us to see! These amazing microscopic creatures are vital to the health, function, and well-being of every other animal on the planet. Every creature, no matter how big or small, has an important purpose on Earth!

Asparagus! Robbie’s Quest to Make the Team

Robbie, a determined ninth-grader in a suburban Detroit high school, is on a mission to chase his dream of earning a place on the baseball team, despite grappling with a disability. As spring unfolds, heralding the anticipation of the 2005 All-Star Game in Detroit, Robbie navigates the tumultuous waters of high school life, each day bringing him closer to the trials and tryouts.

Amidst the challenges, he contends with the taunts of bullies, the complexities of family dynamics, and the quest for acceptance among his peers and potential teammates. His journey is one many young readers will find relatable, with familiar faces and scenarios playing out against the backdrop of adolescent ambition.

As Robbie perseveres, strong female figures grace his path, notably his spirited grandmother. She unveils a family secret: a hidden account of an integrated baseball game held on their family farm during the era of segregation, a monumental game featuring the stars of both Major and Negro Leagues.

With each revelation and hurdle, Robbie inches closer to his dream. The camaraderie of baseball begins to transcend the boundaries on and off the field, intertwining with Robbie’s personal quest for acceptance and achievement.

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away is a pun on the different states of consciousness, which is open to multifactorial answers. In reality, the observations in the poems leave the readers perhaps with more questions than answers.
The three states of consciousness—awakening, sleeping, and dreaming—hint at the fine line between life and death. The entire book can be seen as a dream.

Awake in Dreams Sleeping Death Away does not try to scientifically claim any truths, but it does attempt to question what we may hold as true. It is more important to experience the poems, rather than to actualize them in an objective manner. No doubt the meaning or truth in these poems, if any can be found, will be organic and morph with each new reader.   

Ç'est La Vie

Stella Anderson is no stranger to detention, but her latest infraction leads her to a group of fellow rule-breakers at her new school in Dewberry, Texas. However, when their teacher goes missing, these five misfits, each with their own unique quirks - McClark the ‘psychic,’ Quinby the underqualified ‘social navigator,’ Mira the small-town goth, Reagan the bitter and resentful, and Sella the pig-headed friend - must band together to uncover the truth behind Ms. Weaver’s disappearance. As they navigate their newfound roles as amateur detectives, will they crack under the pressure or rise to the challenge?

Baby Bibba: The Giraffe Who Wanted to Be an Eagle

Did you ever want to be something or someone you’re not?

Have you ever wondered why you were born the way you are?

Meet a giraffe named Baby Bibba who asks her mama why she was born a giraffe and not an eagle. Go with Baby Bibba and Mama Giraffe to a wild elephant tea party where Baby Bibba decides she no longer wants to be an eagle. She’s happy being who she is: a giraffe in East Africa.

Back to the '50s

Back to the ’50s, a book of poems highlighting life in America during the 1950s by Earlene Green Evans will take you on an exciting trip without luggage or a ticket. After experiencing the ‘good old days,’ you may not want to return to reality. You will stroll the street of an ideal crime-free neighborhood. How about squeezing into a neighbor’s crowded living room to view outrageous, funny comedians or cowboys and Indians on a dinner plate size black and white television screen. You will make an appearance in your stylish poodle skirt with a matching off-shoulder blouse. Then, rack your brains trying to understand the impact of Russia’s Sputnik. Dance to exhaustion with the music of the famous Drifters. Perhaps you just prefer to relax in the cool breeze on a strong tree limb with your favorite book.

Back to the ’50s will definitely rekindle buried feelings, old habits and foggy thoughts of people, places and things in the safe haven of the fabulous ’50s.

Back to the Trees and Caves

After dedicating over three decades to managing wilderness areas for the USDA Forest Service, Jonathan Klein comes to a sobering realization: the wilderness within the lower forty-eight is, at best, a theatrical semblance of the real essence of wild. Upon retirement at age sixty, Klein embarks on a solo canoe journey across the untamed expanses of northern Canada, yearning to uncover the authentic wilderness that eludes him. Back to the Trees and Caves unfolds this riveting 700-mile adventure from Saskatchewan to Hudson Bay, across landscapes untouched by time.

The voyage is far from tranquil. Klein battles violent storms, navigates raging rapids, and crosses lake expanses that mirror oceans. After seven grueling weeks, an utterly exhausted Klein reaches Churchill, Manitoba, but not without facing a life-and-death encounter with an apex predator, a confrontation that brings him face to face with the harsh yet majestic reality of the wild.

As Klein paddles through the endless miles, the journey morphs into more than a physical quest; it becomes a conduit for profound reflections on the intrinsic value of wild places. Not just for the wandering souls of humans, but as irreplaceable havens for the myriad wild creatures that inhabit them. The narrative encapsulates Klein’s evolving insights on the sanctity of these landscapes and the imperative to shield them from the unrelenting grasp of human consumption.

Ballsy

In this collection of novellas by Perry Glasser, three very different women find themselves confronting a world of men unable to see them for who they are.

They are pursued, tracked, and fearful, but they are never timid.

When they turn to face their foes, they must rely on their extraordinary courage and will to prevail.

Call it guts, call it bravery – or call it ballsy.

Basa, Swords, and Mayhem

The world fades as dragons, having turned on their human masters, seek to destroy civilization and rule supreme. Dragon Slayers – a cursed family with the power to steal dragon souls and abilities – stand as humanity’s last defense.

Basa Alkire emerges from hiding to join the Fallen Embassy, dragon-fighting warriors. But he soon discovers his uncle, their leader, is a dangerous zealot. Deception and betrayal lurk around every corner. Amidst the chaos, an even darker secret comes to light. Goddess Vulpecula deceived them all when she created Ashwick, a mighty sulfur dragon birthed pregnant with a vile demon child. Now, the moon goddess favors only darkness, and humanity’s days are numbered.

As the end nears, Basa must battle lethal foes from without and within. Will this world belong to dragons and demons, or can Basa turn the tide before all is consumed by death and deceit?

Baseball Confidential

Baseball Confidential is a revealing look at behind the scenes communication between players, coaches, and managers at all levels of baseball. The book consists of stories and interviews with former players, coaches, and managers mostly at the Major League Baseball level.

This book is written for baseball fans. Every fan wants to know what is said on the mound, in the locker room, behind closed doors and more. With my exposures to coaches, players and fans that is all brought to light in Baseball Confidential. Readers are invited to come behind the closed doors.

The book reveals many funny and good stories related to the mentioned, behind-the-scenes communication. This is a baseball book that includes what coaches say to players: to pitchers on mound visits, pre- and post-game pep talks, and more.