Real Life

We all experience good and bad times in life. This book touches on some situations that occur, expectedly and unexpectedly, to all of us. Some of the stories you will find inside include the heartache of losing a child, the experience of living the single life, and a husband and wife working together to solve problems. Other stories inspire themes of seeing and accepting others, handling retirement, and realising that what you have is better than what you think you want. You will find hope, sadness, and happiness in these short stories. It will give you laughs, possibly some tears, and inspire you to think about and contemplate your own life, as well as understand the lives of others. Enjoy the characters. Get ready for Real Life.

Two Days in August

Alex Knight and his daughter, Aia, while early on in their motorcycle road trip to the Sturgis motorcycle rally in South Dakota, are threatened with death by Fatso and his troop of outlaw bikers.

Alex will not back away from any threat against him, his family, or his friends, and he has always maintained the best defense is to go on offense.

Alex and Aia meet four couples—regular husband-and-wife bikers—going to Sturgis. Then, at a Montana campground on their first night, they meet Mike, a special ops soldier on leave. At a convenience store in Glacier Park, Alex meets three vacationing Seattle SWAT officers.

Forces are combined to deal with Fatso’s gang, and the Warriors, another violent gang, join Fatso to take care of Alex and his daughter.

This is a high-octane adventure with a heart-of-gold hero who will protect those he

loves with fearless resolution.

Little Bird Park

In this age of artificial intelligence and handheld devices, we can lose touch with the natural world, and yet nature is an essential source of quiet comfort, beauty, and serenity. We can easily fail to hear the charm of a bird’s song or the calmness of a babbling brook. Much can be said for seeking a gentler life. We need look no further than to nature. It is our home.

Connecting with nature can be as spontaneous and simple as a chance encounter with an inquisitive chickadee in a neighborhood park. In this short story, young readers may see themselves in Kevin as he discovers nature’s wonder and the way home.

Avery’s Bravery

Eight-year-old Avery was on his way to school on the bus. He didn’t know that a surprise adventure was around the next corner. Would Avery be brave enough to face it? Read on for this exciting story and find out.

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.

I'm Brave and Ready! Bye Bye Tonsils!

The key to a successful outpatient surgery outcome is Preparation! By sharing this fun, witty, and fact-filled story with your child prior to the day of surgery (several times is best), can help decrease any possible fears, apprehension, and anxiety that might otherwise occur.

This fact-filled kid’s story is charming, funny, and heartwarming. Amber and Nash are 4-5 yr. old best friends. When Amber informs Nash, she has to have her tonsils out, Nash is fearful for his friend and has so many questions. Listen to their question-and-answer discussion describing her complete surgery journey. Amber read her Tonsillectomy book with her parent several times and is now very prepared and excited about having her outpatient surgery!

‘Parent’s Corners’ are boxed-in areas found throughout the story just for parents. Here, what is being read to the child at the time, is explained with more details in adult terms. and includes additional, pertinent information.

This book is the most thorough, comprehensive, and informative guide you will find to best educate and prepare you and your child for any pediatric outpatient surgery at an Ambulatory Surgery Facility. Your child will want to read it repeatedly!

This book is for educational purposes only and not to be suggestive of the exact course of events or, facility procedures. Facilities may vary in how they manage decisions relating to medications, IVs, surgical time frames, and others. The book content can be utilized as a guide to prepare for any child-related outpatient surgery, but all Tonsillectomy and home care instructions must be disregarded.

Lokpanta

Lokpanta is compilation of short stories inspired by true events all set in the unique little town of Lokpanta located in the middle of three Southeastern states of Nigeria. Readers will be left with the nostalgic feeling of childhood memories, and the intrigues of village life. The stories are told in a way that makes it relatable to the reader. Be prepared to binge on the book till the very last page.

Playlists

Music is something that, especially today, forms the background of our lives. We hear it daily. We feel it weaving the tapestry that we live our lives upon. In this collection of poetry and prose, author E. P. Jordan explores how the music she listened to in certain years of her life impacted the art that she created. As you read this collection, you will go on multiple journeys with the author, and will be invited yourself to examine your life through the lens of the music that has been with you along the way.

Season of Need

Some stories spring from pure imagination, mere reflections of an author’s perception of reality. Others, like this one, are forged in the mud and misery of actual conflict. In the decaying jungles and fetid rice paddies of South Vietnam, a diverse band of soldiers and civilians endures a harrowing year of combat that will continue to haunt them for more than three decades. Their season of need reveals not only the horror of war, but also the possibility of finding solace and purpose in the most unlikely of places.

In 1970, Captain Book arrives in Ba Xuyen Province of the Mekong Delta, supremely confident in his mission to help bring the Vietnam War to a swift conclusion. There, he meets his Vietnamese counterpart, Captain Nguyen Van Tranh, and a bond forms between them as they work side by side to restore public confidence in the South Vietnamese government. Surrounded by a unique cast of allies, they confront violence, heartbreak, and moments of profound humanity that lay bare the fragile fabric of human relationships. In the crucible of combat, their friendship becomes a testament to selflessness and sacrifice. Even in the darkest moments, solidarity and hope can rise from the ashes of war.

The Runaways

The Runaways is a humorous, philosophical, pre-apocalyptic tale told from the perspective of Jolson H. Kawasaki, a thirteen-year-old, West Virginian visionary from a broken home who longs for a life away from ‘the abhorrent horrors engendered by polite society.’

 Abandoned by his father, haunted by his mother's grief, and seething with his unquenchable desire for their mechanic's daughter, Addison Dixie, Jolson must confront his leviathan troubles as he plans to escape a life of poverty to lead an expedition west with his disciples, out of ‘The Gray World’ and into ‘a Paradise of Green.’

Is he a prophet? Is he delusional? Does Addison feel the same kind of crazy? What starts as a simple effort to evade responsibility turns into the inheritance of it all as Jolson – guided by fate and depended upon by many – contends with himself, the natural world, and his diabolical opposite on his unforgettable journey toward becoming a man – and perhaps something greater.

So Human

What if a single conversation could change everything you believe about yourself and the world? For Lana, that moment arrives when she encounters a man who is both a profound mystery and a catalyst for a journey she never expected. He opens her eyes to a reality where danger lurks behind every corner and the very nature of their existence is in question.

As Lana is drawn deeper into his world, she is forced to abandon her sense of reality and dive into the depths of the human condition. Their developing bond is a fragile lifeline in a story tangled with risk and uncertainty. It is through their shared journey that Lana begins to learn the invaluable lesson of connection and the transformative power of empathy. So Human is more than a story; it’s a dual narrative of discovery, revealing the quiet, beautiful truths that define us all.

Journey to Freedom

Journey to Freedom is the compelling true story of a family’s quest for prosperity across three continents. First, as refugees from Indonesia, an island chain in Southeast Asia, to Holland, a tiny country on the continent of Europe, and finally as immigrants to the United States, a world power country in North America. These exceptional people, made strong by the horrors they survived during Indonesia’s War for Independence, passionate by their optimism and fearlessness to create new beginnings, were the backbone of my Dutch-Indonesian family and the significant influence of my childhood and identity as an adult.

Journey to Freedom is a tribute to my mother and grandmother whose sacrifices and bravery gave my sister and me resilience, determination, and the best of everything in life.

Although the dates may sometimes not be historically accurate, the experiences are true, and consequently, the deep emotion with which I composed these chapters was genuine and gut-wrenchingly heartfelt.