What These Eyes Have Seen

In this collection of fourteen short stories, you will meet people you know in your own family or from down the street where you live. They all find themselves involved in things they did not expect or want or even dream about. In one story, savor the moment as a son watches his traveling-salesman father create a unique exchange for sandwiches and cokes. In another story, a volunteer soccer coach/dad receives a compliment that makes him reflect on his life. In other stories, you will watch a son find a way to shape his own life, a major league catcher who may finally get caught, two stories about soldiers who discover that the end result of a firefight is not always as it appears on the silver screen, and another story about a soldier who passes along his family’s perfect use for eggs. Then there is the killer with a soft spot. You didn’t know he was out there, did you? As you read these stories, you may smile, you may get angry, you may shed a tear, but one thing is for certain, you will remember these characters.

The Bookkeeper

The Bookkeeper presents a gripping trilogy of short stories, each emerging from the shadows to serve as a stark warning for the intrepid reader.

In ‘The Exchange,’ we delve into the life of a hitman longing to leave his lethal career behind. Yet, as he teeters on the brink of retirement, his path crosses with an aspiring investigative journalist—a young college student who inadvertently entangles him back into the perilous world he seeks to escape.

‘Tserof’ unfolds the eerie tale of a brother and sister embarking on what should have been a typical camping trip with their parents. However, their weekend getaway takes a sinister turn, as the familiar turns frighteningly strange and increasingly creepy.

Concluding the collection is ‘Thanksgiving,’ a story that takes a futuristic twist on one of the world’s most traditional holidays. This 21st-century science fiction narrative offers a unique reinterpretation that’s sure to captivate.

Manifesting Memories

What does a memory look like? Often it will appear personal and sacred because we have created it ourselves with every sensual focus we brought to our experience. Then, we sprinkle our thoughts and perspectives on it. A memory will reconnect us to the past for a  reimagining, a review, and a reframing. It will end up looking very much like who we are.

I hope the stories on these pages will entice you to return home to your own memories. Will you be stirred by how your memories have shaped you? Do they help reveal to you how unique you are? How have you chosen to be in life because of your memories? Reflecting on our memories may reveal how we truly belong to ourselves and to one another.

Enjoy the journey,

 Darlene

Building 8

In the heart of a dystopian metropolis, Building 8 stands as a silent witness to the lives and struggles of its inhabitants. Anthony C. Mazzella’s gripping narrative plunges readers into a world where reality bends and the ordinary collides with the surreal. As the central business district is besieged by chaotic flying machines and destruction reigns, the top floor of Building 8 remains a curious sanctuary of calm. Within its walls, two men go about their business, seemingly oblivious to the mayhem below, embodying the eerie contrast between normalcy and chaos that defines the story.

Mazzella’s vivid imagination and keen insights into human nature drive this thought-provoking tale, weaving together elements of science fiction and psychological thriller. As the characters navigate a landscape of fear, uncertainty, and hidden truths, Building 8 challenges readers to question their perceptions of reality and the thin veneer that separates order from disorder. This novel is a powerful exploration of resilience, human connection, and the mysterious forces that shape our lives, making it a must-read for fans of speculative fiction and those who enjoy a deep dive into the complexities of the human psyche.