A Soldier's Prerogative and Other Short Stories

A series of short stories that, in different situations, present characters facing unexpected challenges in unexpected circumstances.The different behaviour of two white men invited to a Navajo peyote church.An elderly man and a youth canoe for many years on Montana’s rivers, until the older man is no longer able to continue.A young college student, unfamiliar with Mexico, creates a disaster.A soldier in World War II is faced with a decision that cannot be ordered by his senior officer.A young man is introduced to his girlfriend’s father and finds himself searching for a dry place to sleep.A man questioning the value of life on a Grand Canyon hike finds himself in a life-or-death position.An art lover gets a chance for a fictional conversation with Vincent van Gogh.

Freedom Runner

Ever since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a nurse. It has now been so many years since I started being a registered nurse/BSN. I am getting close to retirement, but I still have a love of taking care of my patients. I usually work 3-4 days a week. I am presently working through the state of Michigan, which has the highest rate of neonatal and maternal deaths. I take care of pregnant women and babies.

During my spare time, I write novels and short stories. I play with our cats and a dog. I have four children and a granddaughter. I love taking them places, baking cookies, and watching movies.

Sharing Footprints

It is Christmas Eve, and this is Molly’s fifth Christmas. She does not remember all her Christmases, but she knows this one will be special. This year, Molly is old enough to walk home with her sisters, Marie, and Patty. Molly is attending her favorite holiday party with all her family at her Aunt Ella and Uncle Tim’s house. Her home is only three streets away, but there are a lot of houses to walk past, and the snow keeps piling up. It has been snowing all day and as she gets ready to leave, it starts to snow harder. Molly relies on her sisters, especially their footprints, to get home. One step after another, she follows their footprints in the snow, making it easier to get home. Once she is home, she has her chores to do, and then she can wait for Santa to arrive. This will be the best Christmas ever!

Tayoltita, las Minas de San Luís

Fresh out of the University of Colorado with a degree in geology, the author found himself embarking on an adventurous first job as an exploration geologist for Minas de San Luís, situated in the quaint pueblo of Tayoltita in Durango, Mexico. Nestled under Bolaños Peak and in the heart of the Sierra Madre Occidental, the mine was a remote gem accessible only by a solitary road winding 3,000 feet up the mountain.

Beyond his duties at the mine, he was charged with the thrilling task of scouting the surrounding wilderness for new gold or silver deposits, offering potential expansion for the company. It’s in these explorations, traversing rugged terrains always on muleback, never horse, where the story truly unfolds.

His narrative richly details the culture, courage, intrigue, superstitions, wisdom, and escapades of the local inhabitants he met along the way. These encounters add a colorful depth to his experiences in Tayoltita.

Set against the backdrop of the early days of the drug cartels, this memoir not only recounts geological explorations but also captures a pivotal moment in history. After his return to the United States, the role of Exploration Geologist at Minas de San Luís remained unfilled, marking the end of an era in this secluded part of the Sierra Madre Occidental.

One Christmas Eve

Have you ever wondered what might happen to Santa and his reindeer on Christmas Eve? Get ready to embark on an unforgettable adventure.

Follow Santa as he soars over the twinkling lights of Manhattan and steps into the iconic Radio City Music Hall, where an extraordinary surprise awaits him on stage.

With dazzling sights, unexpected twists, and holiday magic on every page, this heart-warming story will become one of your favorite traditions for Christmases to come.

The Adventures of Lucky and Bud: The Olympics

Join Lucky and Bud, two gifted young squirrel athletes, as they pursue their dream of participating in the Squirrel Olympics. Coached by Lucky’s grandpa, himself a former Olympic champion, they train every day before and after school for nearly a year to qualify for the big games, realizing that only by hard work and unwavering dedication to their goal will they succeed. They also know that there are no shortcuts to success, something they come to learn may not necessarily be shared by all their competitors. In fact, over time, they begin to wonder if some of the athletes are benefitting from an unfair advantage. So, drawing on their crime-solving skills practiced in The Adventures of Lucky and Bud: The Pursuit, the boys decide to investigate while continuing to prepare for and then participate in the Olympic games. What will they find? Are there cheaters in the Olympics? And in the end, can they stay focused to overcome these challenges and become Olympic champions?

The Web

If you think you’re too small to make a difference, you haven’t spent a night with a mosquito.

Mr Solomon had once heard this proverb, but to truly understand it, he had to hear something else: her buzzing.

The relentless sound of a mosquito's wings that mercilessly filled his nights.

Night after night, buzz after buzz, he found himself caught in an unusual battle. Forced to stay awake, he spent his nights chasing the unbearable, high-pitched whistles in the darkness.

She was determined to suck his blood. He refused to surrender.

She did not give up. He did not yield.

Until one night…

Stories, Poems, and Secrets Beneath the Waterfall

Some call the Army Residence Community an “old soldiers’ home on steroids.” It is an unusual residence for veterans, spouses, and civil servants, some arriving here before they can draw social security. Most residents are active, referring to themselves as “inmates” (those who live in the Highrise) or “street people” (those living in Legacy cottages, or Lakeside homes). For the most part, they willingly revealed their secrets as did Count Rostov, “The Gentleman in Moscow,” living in The Metropol. Resident writers may have altered names and embellished some stories, creating a mixture of fact and fiction, but in truth ‘life is how we tell it.’ This is not a daily diary of events at a retirement home, as penned by Hendrik Groen in The Secret Diary of Hendrik Groen. Groen spoke of “weak tea and potted geraniums, exasperated by the indignities of aging…” and did not inspire this collection of stories.

These are stories of people who lived a life of service. There are more stories to be told by retirees and centenarians living among us, waiting to be discovered if only we listen.

Shoes to Kill

Shoes to Kill is about the case of a media mogul found murdered at the home of one of the nation’s leading college basketball coaches during a nationally televised game. It plays on the State’s and South’s obsession with college sports, particularly basketball and football.The protagonist, Detective Hatchell Breeze, seeking retribution for a previously botched and forgotten case involving the university football team, enthusiastically takes on the investigation and an inevitable confrontation with the powerful players of the state university once again.This leads him to prostitution, illegal drugs, errant boosters, big business, university stonewalling, and the prominent men and women of college sports. As he tries to connect the two cases, he is reminded of his own bitter history with the university, forever embedded in his mind as his own life spins out of control.

Misadventures of Licorice and Black Jack

The Misadventures of Licorice and Black Jack

In the mid-1700s, two mischievous brother cats, Licorice and Black Jack, and their clever companion Pepper, a black-and-white African parrot, sailed the seas aboard the Fair Winds. Known for their unmatched rat-killing skills, they were beloved by their owner, Captain Benjamin Schiff.

But when a rat chase goes awry, the duo accidentally embarks on an unexpected journey far from home. Chaos follows as they cross paths with a mysterious wizard and his bright assistant, leading to several wild adventures.

It is a light-hearted tale of mischief, magic, and high-seas adventure. The Misadventures of Licorice and Black Jack is a journey where trouble and fun are never far behind.

Born That Way, Within & Through – Kindness Is You

To the Children: Do you know that you have an incredible superpower that’s always with you? You don’t have to try really hard to get it or to keep it. It’s free and easy and always with you. You can count on it! I bet I can prove to you how easy your superpower is to bring up in you. Imagine your teacher dropped her book right in front of you. I bet you would automatically bend down to pick it up and give it to her. And I bet you would even do it with a smile because it came out of you so quickly and naturally. Now think about a friend asking you to hold the leash of his puppy. I am sure you would not only hold the leash to keep that puppy safe, but you would also pet the pup and show it love. Your superpower is KINDNESS. It wells up in you, flows out of you, and shows you care. Wow, you are amazing! Open these pages of the book and see how great you really are by just being you. And guess what? Kindness can never be taken away from you, can never run out, and every person has it inside of them, so we do not have to worry that there’s not enough of it to go around! Enjoy being the wonderful, caring, loving person you were born to be because you were born that way!

To Parents, Teachers & Caregivers: Born That Way, Within & Through – Kindness Is You, helps children strengthen their innate ability to naturally draw upon their inherent goodness and kindness. With humor, children will recognize their own ability to act with compassion towards themselves and others while growing more at ease in their instinctive drive toward growth and development. This book shows readers how to trust in their own capabilities to build their self-confidence.

The aim of this book is to help children tap into the unending and unstoppable loving current that is part of our human existence and lineage. Born That Way, Within & Through – Kindness Is You celebrates the deep connection readers have with those that have gone before us and the resourceful gifts instilled in us that affirm good qualities and promote healthy habits of kindness, care, and generosity. In identifying ordinary activities in daily life where compassion is demonstrated, as well as extraordinary times when helping another in immediate need intuitively evokes empathy, children will naturally be practicing mindfulness, thus increasing awareness, focus, and attention. The book utilizes children’s love of playfulness and feel-good scenarios to reinforce their personal agency, empowerment, and fulfillment through their natural responses.

Missing Beth, Missing Out

Beth and Joni are best friends. But when Joni realizes how much her friend is able to do (and have) that she cannot, Joni becomes angry at the unfairness of it all. In this heart-warming story, Joni and her mother help us navigate through one of life’s most common struggles.