Joy and the Menagerie - Book Two

After settling into a daily routine in their new downtown Chicago home, Joy and the Menagerie, along with their bosses and coworkers, get involved with various community events.

From rescuing the mayor's son from the cold waters of Lake Michigan to returning a lost wallet found in the pockets of a donated coat to a grateful owner, the Menagerie come together to support Joy in the end as she and her coworkers team up to perform a dramatic reading at a local school.

Free Reading of the Gospel of the Essenes

The Essenes were one of the most influential sects in Jewish society during the time of Jesus of Nazareth. He himself, along with his relative John the Baptist, practised Essene traditions. Their way of life continued within Christianity for many centuries. Long concealed by Christian exegetes, the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls, or Qumran Scrolls, has brought the Essenes back to the centre of many studies.

The dramatic impact of Rome’s occupation of the Middle East (since 63 B.C.) led to a renewed focus on the ancient prophecy of the coming of a liberating Messiah. The greatest threat to the Jewish world was the clash of civilisations between pagan Imperial Rome and Mosaic traditions. It is within this context—and within the Essene precepts regarding the interpretation of the law, both divine and secular—that the birth of Christianity is rooted.

The Adventures of Misty Raindrop - Book 3

Rain in the desert is a wonder to Misty Raindrop. She always starts out as a water vapor but has never known how desert water vapor is different from most other places. It feels hot and dry, but what happens to the water? Pitter, a close friend to Misty, is missing, and now Misty must float through the thick desert air to find her friend. As she tumbles and bounces along the desert floor, she realizes that life in the desert is full of moisture and wetness.

As she searches for Pitter, she meets animals, plants, insects, and birds. All who desire raindrops but have no idea why she stays so big unlike water vapor. Misty is starting to understand that she’s never alone in the desert, but everything is not what it seems. Raindrops are doing things she can’t do, and just as she starts getting worried, she meets Goldie the Golden Barrel Cactus. Remember, Misty never gives up, and she always makes a big difference when she works with new friends.

Follow Misty as she looks for Pitter and ends up in a most unlikely place that creates a big surprise for Misty, Pitter, and all her raindrop friends.

The Devil’s Manuscript

Some stories are meant to be told. Others are desperate to be finished.

A cursed manuscript. An immortal scribe. A debt written in blood.

When a cursed manuscript reappears in Venice, historian and private investigator Emma Bartoli is drawn into a chilling mystery buried beneath centuries of silence. The manuscript they recover is more than ink on parchment—it’s alive.

Whispers stir. Shadows move. And somewhere in the dark, the Scribe of Shadows waits to finish what he began long ago.

As ghostly figures close in and a forgotten evil begins to stir, Emma must unravel cryptic clues across Venice, Istanbul, and the deserts of Egypt. Emma must uncover the truth behind the legendary Scribe of Shadows before she becomes the final passage in his eternal story.

10 Flavors of Potpourri Trailmix

Ten tales grounded in events that really happened, that have been given new life, embroidered a bit around the edges to give them an outcome that, while maybe not filling the bill of living happily ever after (something that really never makes any of us all that happy), creates a warm conclusion that makes the journey worthwhile for both my characters and readers.

A Long Way Home

In the mid-1960s in a small Vermont town, there has been a double murder at the Grand Hotel. Now, a Black man, the hotel tailor, sits in jail awaiting his fate.

When Harold Dickerson is accused of murder, his surprising bond with a teenage neighbor helps him in his defense. Meanwhile, the town constable works against them.

Did petty theft lead to the murders? A scorned lover who wants revenge? A key to a remote Indian deer camp might provide a clue.

Full of suspense with twists and turns, this simple, dignified man wants nothing more than to find home. But is he a murderer or an unsung hero?

In the adventure of the reveal, a town and its people are forever changed.

Muslim School Dropout

Muslim School Dropout is the uproariously honest semi-autobiographical life of Amir Yass, a gay Persian Muslim who traded Quran recitations for comedy sets under Hollywood lights.

Growing up in a conservative Iranian-American family, Amir was the golden child—until he dropped out of Islamic school, came out of the closet, and discovered that prayer rugs and punchlines don’t always mix. From awkward mosque moments to wild West Hollywood nights, Amir takes readers on a whirlwind journey through identity, faith, and finding your voice when you’re caught between worlds.

With razor-sharp humor and heartfelt vulnerability, Muslim School Dropout is a coming-of-age tale for anyone who’s ever felt like the ultimate outsider—and learned to turn that into their superpower.

Betrayal

Corporate greed, insider trading, money laundering, skull-drudgery, espionage, rampant, and illicit relationships abound in the hostile environment of retail appliances and consumer electronics. A disgruntled executive, passed over for promotion, has devised a diabolical strategy to confuse the competition. Is a double agent systematically directing much of this confusion? To paraphrase Sherlock Holmes: “Quick, Watson … the game is afoot!”

The Presidential Doughnut Hole

The Presidential Doughnut Hole is a fictional account of a U.S. presidential election in which the nation is suddenly faced with a tragedy that leads to a political crisis not addressed by the Constitution and its amendments. The story details the political maneuvering and intrigue of four individuals, all competing for the highest office in the land. Their campaigns are affected by unexpected world events and become the target of plots by unscrupulous outsiders wishing to affect the election's outcome. All three branches of the nation's government—executive, judicial, and legislative—become enmeshed in a political process never before imagined. This book is a cautionary tale of a crisis this country may one day face if our elected officials do not plug this presidential doughnut hole in our Constitution.

Beauty Town

Shaunyece Darling has made a fun and heartfelt way to teach children starting from a young age the importance of the “Golden Rule” and respecting others.

Shaunyece is a big dreamer who strongly believes that dreams can come true as long as you put in the work to bring them to light. Always remember to stay honest and true to yourself and your higher power first and foremost, because then—and only then—will you learn how to treat others the way you want to be treated.

Within these pages, you will soon meet Sam. With the help of Sally and Susie, the 3 girls teach the people of Beauty Town the importance of the Golden Rule. They show that no matter how beautiful you look outside, being mean to others is an ugly thing that reflects from within. So always make it a point to be polite and honest.

The Walls of Villa Fatema

The Walls of Villa Fatema follows the unexpected journey of an American girl who finds herself a guest in a traditional Moroccan family’s home in Casablanca, the port city made famous by the classic film starring Humphrey Bogart.

By turns humorous and unsettling, this memoir by Avery Russell captures Alice’s struggle to navigate – and sometimes ignore – the complexities of a sex-segregated society.

Rich in detail and cultural insight, the book offers an intimate glimpse into the lives of women in 1960s Morocco and explores the tension and fascination that arise when two very different worlds collide.

Juglar de Pueblo

Un viaje increíble donde el comercio se mezcla con la picardía, la miseria con el ingenio, y la inocencia se pierde entre ferias, estafas y ruletas.

A través de la mirada curiosa de un joven aprendiz de comerciante, Juglar de Pueblo nos sumerge en las entrañas del mundo ambulante de los comerciantes de las ferias del ayer, revelando una fauna de personajes memorables: ruleteros, cocineras, culebreros, falsificadores y soñadores.

Escrito con humor, ternura y una aguda crítica social, este relato oral convertido en crónica vibrante retrata el alma popular de un comunidad que sobrevive a punta de astucia, sudor y esperanza.

Contado como se habla en la calle y con la memoria de quien lo vivió todo, este libro no embellece ni esconde nada. Porque a veces, la mejor literatura es la que no se inventa, si no la que se recuerda.

Una novela entrañable, callejera y profundamente humana.