On the Road to Exile and Other Short Stories

This book contains seven of the most unusual short stories ever written.

In On the Road to Exile, a woman travels a thousand miles on her donkey, returning to the family she left a year earlier to find the only thing that has changed is her.

In The Accidental Transvestite, a man wants only to get in his ex-girlfriend’s pants but once he has them on, he soon realizes he would do anything to get them off.

In How Much Further to Insanity?, a woman boards a train that takes her to the edge of madness, confronted by the strangest circumstances that begin with the insults of an Amish passenger and ends with the deprivations of a simeopath.

In She Fell to Sleep, a man ruminates over the question of whether his girlfriend fell asleep or faked it.

In Six Kittens, Six Victims, a man and his two children stand outside a grocery store, trying to find homes for their kittens.

In This is Your Life, a man’s perfect life turns complicated when his girlfriend finds him sharing a joint with two fatties, who were at his house due to unexplainable reasons.

In Ode to a Shitonion, a man wakes from a coma and recalls the circumstances that led to him being charged with “...exhibiting a flagrant disregard for the sanctity of life while satisfying unnatural sexual impulses...” and the brief courtroom drama that follows.

One Heart

Vivian believed she had found love with Donovan, her partner with whom she renovated and shared a home, envisioning a future together. However, her dreams are shattered when Donovan abruptly ends their relationship. Refusing to drown in sorrow, Vivian sets out to find a new beginning and inadvertently stumbles upon a real estate office that would change her life forever.

There, she meets Andre, an irresistibly charming and strikingly handsome man who captures her attention like no one ever has. Andre is not just any real estate agent; he is one-half of the dynamic duo behind the popular home improvement show, House2Home. Just when Vivian thinks her luck couldn’t get any better, she encounters Sean, Andre’s equally captivating twin brother, adding an unexpected twist to her new venture.

To her astonishment, Vivian discovers she’s been selected to appear on their show. The twins are not only interested in transforming her living space but also, it seems, in winning her heart. As Vivian navigates this unexpected turn of events, she finds herself in a thrilling predicament: caught between two desires, each as alluring as the other.

Ooops!

Excited to own a brand-new pair of white sneakers, Turtle wondered if he should be careful with them. Will he able to run fast? Will he be able to jump high? Will his friends like them? Turtle just wants to test out and show his friends how special his new sneakers are!

Squirrel is busy climbing a tree, Rabbit is hopping around the carrot patch, Bee is buzzing through the garden, and Firefly is glowing his twinkling light.

Will Turtle get a chance to use his new sneakers? Will they be as good as he imagines them to be?

Opelika Opiate

“Opiate” – to induce sleep; to stupefy; to hijack the brain and change its normal function.

Opelika, Alabama – where cars, men, and race collide to unhinge the life of a young woman. Piecing it back together will require figuring out the role she played, and who she really is – or wants to be.  

Ordinary Kate

Kate, an ordinary woman, finds her world turned upside down when she becomes a widow and loses the comfortable life she’s always known. Suddenly, she’s faced with questions she never imagined: Did her husband have a second wife? Where did the money in his account come from? Is it hers? And who stole her identity?

As Kate searches for answers, she is befriended by a handsome US Customs Officer and an unorthodox neighbor. Her adventure takes unexpected twists and turns, leading her to a final choice that challenges her honor and integrity.

Orphan's Bond

Thirteen-year-old John Robert O’Neill, better known as Robbie, is a precocious young man with an old soul. Robbie, the younger of two brothers, delights in his special relationship with his grandfather, for whom he is named. Henry, seven years older than Robbie, is completely opposite in demeanor and manner from his younger brother.

The tension between Robbie and Henry is palpable when they first encounter each other in the hospital corridor, where they await news of their grandfather’s stroke.

Indeed, the untimely stroke and resulting loss of speech occur the night before Robbie was to come over after school to learn of a secret Grandpa had never shared with anyone in the family.

Grandpa’s struggle to communicate since the stroke leaves Robbie with few clues and harrowing choices. The puzzle pieces come together with unanticipated twists and turns. Robbie discovers a brother he never quite knew before. Grandpa learns to forgive himself and others. That which is genuinely to be treasured is revealed, not in its price, but its unbreakable bond.

Our Forgotten Cultures

In the 1980s, Sasi finds herself playing the role of involuntary trailblazer, as the first Nepali woman to immigrate to her small community in Eastern Canada.

There is no guidebook on how to navigate life, identity, and motherhood in this strange new place. Nor is she prepared for the triple whammy of racism, sexism, and ageism that confronts her as she seeks to gain a footing in the workplace and society.

Weaving together personal recollections with those of family members, Sasi takes the reader on a journey that is strikingly honest, emotional, and ultimately hopeful.

Out of a Dream

Jessica Benjamin, an accomplished family lawyer from Toronto, Canada, embarks on a dream cruise to the Mediterranean with her best friend, Pat. Fate intervenes when an accident brings the charming Spanish hero, Carlos De La Garcia, into her life. With Pat under the care of Carlos’ capable young employee, Jess continues her journey by land, despite a cast on her leg.

Captivated by his ‘little sleeping beauty,’ as he affectionately called her during her coma, Carlos enlists the help of Pat and his sister Kia to persuade Jess to extend her stay. As they explore the sights aboard his yacht, their connection deepens into a passionate and loving relationship, leaving them both uncertain about the future.

Complications arise as others on both sides pursue their own romantic interests, threatening to tear the couple apart. Amidst questionable circumstances and the looming prospect of Jess’s return to Canada, their newfound love is put to the ultimate test. Will their bond be strong enough to withstand the challenges that lie ahead, or will their romance be cut short by the very forces that brought them together?

Out Of My Skin

A collection of poetry for the artists, the hopeless romantics, the philosophers, the hurt and the healing, the dreamers, the wild and the timid. An alternative and edgy collection sure to keep you guessing and on the edge of your seat for what’s next to come. Each poem is unique and designed with all of the senses in mind to give you an escape to a new world all your own. Poetry that pushes the bounds of the cosmos, and with fierce intensity all while flirting with whimsy. Each verse its own adventure with its own story however you choose to interpret. Inspirational and endearing, honest and bold. Whether you need a little pick me up, or someone to relate to, a friend, a dream, or just a little magic, this book will be right for you. Take my hand and open the page; adventure awaits. With lots of love from my soul to yours.

Overcoming Life's Challenges

The author tells his story of being born under the Gemini star sign, living a life defined by an unremitting struggle between the conflicting twins of “Yes, I can” and “No, you can’t!” It describes a struggle of early childhood uncertainty, being hidden as a child, of unanswered questions and preferring to be in the background during his childhood through to his middle years. Generally surrendering to the opinions of others, while holding back on his own views, was the hallmark of his being.

Hesitating to take on challenges was a familiar pattern, as was the likelihood of yielding to mediocracy, the easy way out. Tilting the balance away from “No you can’t” to “Yes, I can … and I will” was the major factor in the author’s life towards holding leadership positions in every sphere of his adult public life, from committee secretary early in his professional career to becoming Cape Town’s first citizen. From the mayoralty to ministry, standing up for justice and the dignity of life and being able to make a difference was the path he chose; mediocracy simply was not good enough.

P is for Pickelhaube

Broken trust. Broken promises. Shame, confusion, and guilt. Unimaginable violence. Then the War came, and the cycle started anew. This is the story of Kurt, a Bavarian infantryman serving somewhere on the Western Front during the First World War. He is like many of his comrades and not a few of his enemies: he fights a war within a war, a singular combat against what he knows of love, hate, sex, addiction, and abuse. A combat against monsters both real and otherwise. Combat in the First World War was a dehumanizing experience.

Gone was glory and individual heroics. Gone too were the fluttering flags and colorful uniforms. Gone was color altogether.

In this alien world death came from afar, the enemy hidden from view. New and terrifying technologies elevated killing to previously unheard-of industrial levels and rendered battlefields into lifeless moonscapes.

Yet while surrounded by this maelstrom Kurt faces an enemy that is still very much human - himself. Which combat will prove more deadly? In war, when men are wounded, they are called casualties. But what are men called when they are wounded before their fight begins?

Pale Twisted Forest

In a fusion of contrasting worlds, Pale Twisted Forest uncovers the complex life of a Black albino gay man from Russia with roots in the deep American South during the Jim Crow era. As the only openly gay member of the Russian crime syndicate, the Bratva, his existence is as layered as it is perilous.

Born out of rape, he navigates a complex relationship with his mother and an enduring family secret: three generations of hidden homosexuality and bisexuality. Despite his rugged exterior and a maze of unconventional relationships, he embarks on a quest for authentic love, all while fending off insidious enemies determined to annihilate him and his family.

This spellbinding saga chronicles the Fisk family as they unite in a fierce battle for survival. Along the way, they find themselves entangled in transformative situations, each shaping their individual and collective destinies. Through webs of drama and threads of adventure, theirs is a journey like no other; indeed, a pale twisted forest of experiences and revelations.