Polly

Polly spent most days sitting alone, sadly looking at her reflection in the mirror. Countless lonely hours were spent trying to figure out why all the squirrels in the forest refused to accept her. In the mirror, she saw long curly eyelashes with huge eyes. Her fur was soft and silky with unusual highlights. It varied in color depending on how the sun beamed on it. The fur underneath her belly was as white as snow. Her tail was long, full, and bushy. As she continued to observe her reflection in the mirror, she became painfully aware of the striking differences between her and all the other squirrels. Just like all the other squirrels in the forest her mother had the same small black eyes, dull gray fur, and semi-short less bushy tail. Even her mother was baffled by her unusual features.

Polly’s plight will illustrate to you how children today will take any characteristic or any physical differences and find fault to make fun, taunt, tease, and sometimes brutally attack you. This can be the cause of low self-esteem, fearfulness, and sadness all because someone dislikes you because you are different. I remember growing up in a community where my peers taunted me about the tone of my skin. Unfortunately, rejection, snubbing, teasing, and taunting still exists in the form of bullying and it’s even more prevalent today.

As you read Polly’s story you will see how one little squirrel gained respect and friendship from her peers through her selflessness, bravery, and courage. Her peers will learn a valuable lesson in pre-judging as it pertains to someone because of their nationality, physical appearance, race, or ethnicity.

Puppy Pals Great Adventures

Zaphod and Cody are best friends. Adventures always get them into sticky situations. They are determined to look out for each other, even in the midst of encumbering circumstances. Can their friendship withstand the test of time? There is a new obstacle they must contend with: affairs of the heart. A new love interest has just moved into their hometown: Myra! She is so beautiful and just might be a diva. Cody is head over heels in love! Cupid has definitely shot him with an arrow of love.

Will their friendship survive and continue to be unbreakable so they can face all the adventures at hand? The River Pirates and the Motley Crew hope Cupid’s arrow will keep Cody in this trance. Will lovesick gazes break down their bond that has been in place since birth? Only time will tell as our Puppy Pals deal with each adventure each day. Maybe Myra will enhance their friendship and make them stronger. A stronger friendship could spell trouble for the River Pirates and the Motley Crew. Stay tuned as the adventures continue.

Purple Cows Are Welcome Here

Does your imagination include a purple cow? If so, you will fall in love with Beatrice and her journey toward acceptance and creativity! There is a place in everyone’s heart for art, and it grows every time you use your imagination, so…

Fasten your seat belt as you follow Beatrice from a farm to Miss Palette’s art room. Only there did she find the acceptance she so desperately sought. Being ‘art smart’ changed her life. And it will change you too!

Quiet Before the Storm

In The Quiet Before the Storm, witness the aftermath of nature’s fury and the resilience of the human spirit. This powerful visual and emotional journey explores the catastrophic aftermaths of hurricanes Ike and Michael, the devastating tornadoes in Garland, Texas (2016), Dallas, Texas (2019), and Mayfield, Kentucky (2021), and the record-breaking flash flood in Wimberley, Texas (2015).

As an Austin firefighter and Texas Licensed Public Insurance Adjuster, I’ve captured the wreckage, miracles, and profound moments of despair and hope through my camera lens. This book is more than just photographs; it reflects on the interconnectedness of our lives and the forces of nature that shape them.

Each photograph, short story, and poem testifies to the enduring impact these events have had on me and the communities I serve. Amidst the devastation, there is beauty and resilience in the faces of those who rebuild their lives and the moments of kindness that emerge in the darkest times.

As you turn these pages, ponder the questions at the heart of our changing world. Is the increasing frequency and intensity of these disasters a result of global warming, human intervention, weather weapons, or ‘Acts of God’? While I may not have all the answers, I hope to spark conversations and inspire action to understand, prepare for, and mitigate the impact of the next rounds of storms.

Join me on this journey and find strength in the quiet before the storm, as we brace ourselves for the storms of weather and the chaos we face in our government.

Ra Finds a Kingdom

This story takes place in the year 3,500 B.C. in Africa’s Nile River valley. Princess Akilah rescues a lion cub she names Ra from the river. Ra was floating down the river tangled in a branch. He lives with Princess Akilah until he matures. Ra is courageous and noble. One day, he sets out to find a home in the wild.God has a heavenly kingdom for you.

Ralph the Star Elf

Ralph the Star Elf adds a memorable new character to Christmas lore. The story begins when the delivery stork becomes disoriented in flight and drops off Ralph at the wrong Pole. Will he reach the right Pole in time to help Santa save Christmas for children everywhere?

Redemption

Everett’s impossible choice sets off a chain reaction that alters everything. She has unwittingly provoked malevolent forces intent on exploiting human frailties, launching a bold assault on her family, her future, and the fate of humanity itself.

Sandra Steele cannot accept that her daughter has succumbed to a retributive protocol. Her suspicions are confirmed when she uncovers Everett’s link to Jacob Domanso and confronts his parents. Maureen Domanso, a top aide to Dr. Draeger – the notorious leader of the new administration – claims Everett’s death was due to the virus, just as her own son’s disappearance remains a mystery. Maureen is certain Draeger is behind it all, but how and why? United by the mysterious losses of their children, Sandra and Maureen join forces to take Draeger down.

In a frantic race against time, Everett saves Jake’s life, only to realize her return to the beginning is permanent. She grapples with the fallout of her decision as a volcanic eruption decimates the garden. From one crisis to another, it becomes clear that these events are far from natural, pushing them to the limits of their endurance.

The pair receives a glimmer of hope when Everett is sent back to rescue Pedro Ramon from Dr. Draeger’s clutches. Together, the three stand against the beast threatening to obliterate the beginning, while their families struggle to keep the Biodome intact under Draeger’s oppressive regime.

The power of love and hope are put to the ultimate test in this monumental clash between good and evil.

Rewind Ranch

What price would you pay to reclaim the vigor and allure of youth? Four spirited Southern seniors are about to find out. Tempted by the promise of Rewind Ranch, a paradise nestled in Hawaii’s enchanting Hana hills, they embark on a journey that promises unlimited cosmetic enhancements, captivating company, and indulgent escapades.

As the ladies dive into a world of luxury, laughter, and liaisons, they soon discover that the ranch offers more than just superficial pleasures. Beneath the veneer of hedonistic delights, a darker secret lurks. As doubts creep in and stakes rise, they realize their dream vacation might be a trap they need to escape to ensure their very survival.

Join these fearless women on a roller-coaster of suspense and camaraderie, where beauty is more than skin deep, and friendship is the ultimate savior.

Roots & the Remittance Man

In Roots & the Remittance Man, a captivating historical fiction, we follow a diverse family tree as its branches converge in the Carrot River Valley of the Northwest Territories in 1902. From Sweden, Muskoka, and Iowa, these intrepid settlers make their way to homestead near Melfort, Saskatchewan.

A Scottish family, burdened by loss from an epidemic, travels by wagon train, finding salvation in a Cree chief. In Sweden, tragedy strikes, and a widowed wife and her daughters board a cattle ship for Halifax. They arrive in Winnipeg, accept a cook position at a Melfort hotel, and embark on a grueling journey through forest and muskeg.

A young Norwegian man walks 700 miles to the United States-Canadian border, immerses himself in Indigenous history, and follows a freight swing to his homestead. Settlers and Indigenous peoples unite against prairie fires, forging bonds that transcend their differences.

Through decades, the family experiences joys and sorrows, weathering the storms of two World Wars, prohibition, swamp fever, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Great Depression. As technology advances, women gain the right to vote and become legally recognized as persons.

At the outset of World War II, a remittance man from Scotland enters the picture, his life becoming significantly entwined with the descendants of these resilient pioneers. Roots & the Remittance Man is a sweeping tale of perseverance, unity, and the indomitable human spirit that shaped the Canadian frontier.

Rory Stands Out

Rory is a different kind of goat, but some don’t like that.

In this first book of a series, Rory and Momma Butterscotch go on an adventure to find a new home and a herd that embraces them.

The sweet and adventurous characters introduce the importance of diversity and belonging.

This early reader book is perfect for first time readers and family sharing.

Running Stop Signs

Los Angeles super sleuth Natalie North is fed up with catching cheating husbands red-handed and reporting back to their wives, complete with incriminating photos. Quick-witted and sharp, Natalie yearns to use her investigative skills to solve real crimes, the grittier the better. When a dead body is discovered in the Brockstone Tire parking lot in San Pedro, Natalie puts her life on the line to find the killer, determined to outdo the LAPD.

While also investigating the tangled marriage of Melvin and Ramona Evanski, hoping to catch Ramona in a compromising position, Natalie’s resolve to crack the Brockstone Tire murder case overrides her common sense. Add in Natalie’s tumultuous love life, torn between prosecuting attorney Darren McAllister, LAPD Officer Vincent Sherburne, and the enigmatic taxi driver Alfonso Di Paolo, and discover what happens when betrayal, greed, passion, and murder collide.

Sassy the Green Tree Boa

Hi! I’m Sassy the Snake, you see…

Would you like to come along on an adventure with me?

Come slither over rocks, thorough fields and swim streams, and meet some new friends with me.

We are on a quest, you see…

To find the perfect tree for me!