55 Days and Counting

What happens when a 16-day vacation in Florida turns into 55 days of bonding time with your 83-year-old snowbird parents? No more gatherings or activities, just stay-at-home fun in a 1600-square feet condo and an adventure filled with frustration and humor.

Join the author as she spends her days in quarantine with a mother that has no filter and a father who can’t sit still. Ride along with them as they return to their neighboring homes in Connecticut and continue their quarantine journey.

The Covid-19 pandemic changed our lives and altered our ‘normal’ way of existing. As the author’s mother continually stated, “I’m 83 and I’m not going to change now,” she opened her daughter’s eyes to a new way of viewing the world and family life.

What began as a daily diary entry, sent to family and friends to cheer them up in their dreaded isolation, is now a humorous memoir that will make you smile and often relate to life with elderly parents.

A Bean Story

A tiny, little, nothing seed can grow big if you just give it a little love, attention, and lots of water to drink. Grandma told me that the beans would grow, but she never told me it would be so stinky!

How can a non-good plastic cup grow such a big plant? My magic hands of course. Now it is like I’m a farmer, I can grow anything and so can you.

A Black Girl's Truth

“The truth holds no lies. Lies are what ties you down and tapes your mouth shut. We can run away from all the things we fear. We can hide our troubles with beauty, but a lie will always catch you. The truth is the only thing that will set you free. I didn’t believe that until I wrote it. In this life, we will all face many questions, and sometimes we won’t find the answers. How do you know the difference between what’s real and what’s fake? How do you breathe when you are underwater? What’s the hardest part about goodbye?  Every story, every hope, and every word have a purpose. Pen against the pad was like me against the world. Told from not only my eyes, but my heart, and now the words are written for all to see. You can not only read my truth but also find answers to your own questions.”

– Destiny Gilchrist

A Blind Kinda Love

Imagine if we were both blind and we fell in love based on a conversation. I would not know what you look like and I would have no choice but to fall in love with the things you say, your journey and your story. We all have a story to tell, And I want ours to be the most inspiring.

I imagine two people who both want the same thing, and never having met each other, they aspire to share their dreams and life’s plans together. I believe there are still amazing and incredible people out there who have been hurt so many times that they may have locked love in a vault using heavy chains. They may still believe that the only key to unlock the vault will be given to that special someone. So grant me this opportunity for us to speak before you make all observations based on my physical appearance.

Hear my story and judge me by my conversations first and let's give love a different name based on the things we hear and not what we see.

A Book Without a Title

This story, rooted in the stark realities of life, narrates the journey of a woman who faces more than mere setbacks. Her struggles take her to a place of profound darkness, akin to an encounter with the enigmatic Lucifer. In this world, where death masquerades as laughter, her tribulations forge a resilience and strength within her that nobody anticipated.

Believed to be lost, with little hope left by those around her, she finds a formidable strength within her own existence. She channels her pain into a powerful resolve to fight back, symbolically forging a sword from her suffering. Her tale is one of perseverance and existence against the odds. The captivating element of this story lies in its basis in reality. This is just the initial part of her story, marked by a constant tussle between hope in the daylight and the haunt of dark forces at night.

A Boy and His Comet: Dancing Through the Rain

In A Boy and His Comet: Dancing Through the Rain, we meet a young man facing seemingly insurmountable obstacles. Dismissed and discouraged by his high school counselor, he’s told that college is a far-fetched dream. His senior year becomes a survival challenge, living alone in the woods without basic amenities, grappling with the shame of his situation and the painful legacy of parental abuse he’s forced to keep hidden.

At 17, free from the constraints of his tumultuous home life, he is confronted with temptations — drugs, alcohol, and sex — testing his resolve to maintain his personal values. This book is a poignant tale of an American boy who, against all odds, breaks free from a cycle of dysfunction to chart his own course to extraordinary success, ultimately becoming a self-made millionaire.

A Boy and His Comet is an emotional journey that will take you through the full spectrum of feelings. You’ll share in his laughter and tears, marvel at his resilience, and cheer as he navigates the trials of his youth, self-finances his college education, finds love with a kindred spirit, and together, they build their own version of the American Dream. This story is more than a read; it’s an experience of hope, perseverance, and the unyielding power of the human spirit.

A Boy Scout Goes to Spain... and Other Stories

In the midst of the harrowing Great Depression in 1934, a significant moment unfolded, bridging two cities named Toledo—Toledo, Ohio and Toledo, Spain. A delegation from the American city embarked on a transformative journey to establish a bond of cultural exchange and ideas. Among them, my grandfather, chosen as the student representative, embarked on an adventure that would forever shape his perspective. Capturing every step of this remarkable voyage, he meticulously chronicled his experiences in an extensive journal, unknowingly documenting the events that would foreshadow the Spanish Civil War.

Within these pages lies not only my grandfather’s account but also the intimate records of the first two months of his World War II draft. The weighty burden of conflict descended upon him, and his journal bears witness to the trials and tribulations of that pivotal time. Additionally, my own father’s personal encounter during a fateful night of the Tet Offensive during the Vietnam War finds a place within these sacred journals.

This extraordinary collection weaves together the narratives of my grandfather, father, and myself—a tapestry of familial reflections, diaries, and astute observations spanning over 35 years of international events. These firsthand accounts offer a unique lens into the shifting tides of history, transporting readers through the vibrant tapestry of 1930s Spain, the tumultuous era of World War II, and the haunting echoes of the Vietnam War.

A Brainy Book about Neurons and Beyond

The brain is one of most exciting and complex organs in the universe. In this interactive book, you’ll learn what the brain is made of, what it does, and how it works!

This book includes cool trivia, real and lively illustrations, and fun-filled do-it-yourself activities.

A Branch Named I'Lean

Embark on a visual and intellectual exploration unlike any other with this inspiring book, an ode to the creativity and consciousness of the younger generation. Through an intricate blend of evolving imagery and a kaleidoscope of color, readers are drawn into a world where youthful vision and compassion dance in harmony.

The book’s pages unfold a journey that celebrates the thoughtfulness, empathy, and environmental stewardship of young minds. Each illustration and narrative piece showcase their profound connection to our invaluable planet, their desires to protect it, and their dreams of a sustainable future.

A Closer Look at Antinutrients in Food

The evidence is clear, a whole foods diet nourishes, protects, and satisfies the human body. It provides intact nutrients, fiber, antioxidants, and phytochemicals essential for optimal health. But there’s more to this optimal eating lifestyle than meets the eye. A Closer Look at Antinutrients in Food lets the reader discover how whole grains, nuts, seeds, legumes, and vegetables are also capable of wreaking havoc in the human body. Discover what antinutrients are, and how they function to potentially cause damage, nutritional imbalances, and deficiencies among other adverse health effects in the body of animals and humans. Whether you are a parent, student, healthcare provider, or into personal health, everyone should learn how to best deal with whole nutritious foods through easily applied kitchen rituals and home processing methods that minimizes antinutrients present in food to safely consume them in the diet daily.

Reap the benefits of optimizing nutrient absorption and palatability through these traditional food preparation practices and learn how to select optimal whole food products to bring out the best in whole foods nature has to offer to us.

A Day in a Life of a Dog Named Emma

Emma, a proud and joyful chocolate Labrador, fiercely protects her house throughout the day. She acts as a vigilant guard dog, using her booming barks to scare off any animal or person that seems a threat. If that doesn’t work, she’ll chase the intruder from her domain at any cost! Emma keeps the house safe, but who will dare challenge her next?

Her loving parents reward Emma’s loyalty every day before leaving for work, trusting her to guard the home while they’re gone.

Inspired by a real-life companion, this heartwarming tale follows Emma as she patrols her actual home and grounds. Witness her playful antics and captivating curiosity amidst the familiar backgrounds of her real life. Experience the fun spirit and everyday unpredictability of a devoted dog who gives her all, rain or shine, to defend the home she loves.

Guaranteed to make readers smile, this uplifting story brims with joyful mischief. Yet it also touches on the serious dedication of a canine guardian. Curl up with Emma to delight in a day in the life of a hardworking but fun-loving protector of the pack!

A Day of Infamy Revisited

Tragic events can often be the catalyst and inspiration for the creation of meaningful works of art. In this case, it was the September 11th catastrophe of 2001 which provided the stimulus that would ultimately lead me down a totally unforeseen path, revealing an attitude never previously observed. Other than a proclivity for drawing geometric shapes, no artistic tendencies had even been evident.

The one constant theme in my work is the recurring use of nines and elevens to generate images. Other symbols and characters are also employed; sometimes intentional, sometimes not.

People who have explored my world have seen different things. Take the journey and see what you can uncover. Remember, in the future, be open to the possibility that sometimes unexpected abilities can appear anytime in one’s life. Be ready to embrace the opportunity these possibilities present and take them down your own personal road of discovery.