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.  

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?

Pins and Roses

Autumn Seeley’s debut collection of poetry, Pins and Roses, is a deeply moving and heartfelt work that captures the raw and intense emotions of the human experience. With a deft touch, Seeley explores themes of triumph and understanding, evoking powerful feelings of connection and empathy in her readers. Whether you are a longtime fan of poetry or simply looking for a powerful and inspiring read, Pins and Roses is a must-read for anyone seeking to explore the complex emotions that define our lives. With its breathtakingly beautiful language and profound insights into the human heart, this collection is sure to resonate with readers from all walks of life.

Poems on Eternity, the Endless Universe, and Me

Watterson’s musings press the limits of expression. Planck’s ultimately small 10^-35 meters expands to the Sufi mystic’s Nothingness. Feelings expand from Issa’s compassion for the fleas on his deathbed to a glimpse of God’s anguish at [having to permit] the Holocaust, the price of Israel.

In one vignette, Watterson pictures the cosmos, endless universes, as dust particles at 30,000 feet disappear in the troposphere.

What is the effect? The effect, he says, is something like finding a long-lost reference. Or of having stumbled on the right person just now to tell about a rare instance of moral bravery in his youth.

The effect might be that just now innumerable originals of Beethoven are dipping their quills in ink and starting the seventh symphony. One need only imagine and listen.

Poetsy II

If I knew how to draw a picture of how I feel, I would pick up a pencil and paper and begin sketching.

If I were capable of sculpting a solid figure of my thoughts, I would grab a hammer, some stone or granite, and start chiseling away.

If I could choreograph a dance or even a fight explaining what I want to say, I would rise, do some warmup exercises, and start moving.

Since I am able do none of these things, but I can write in a way that happens to have a rhyme and rhythm to it, that’s exactly what I do.This is to place into the world the love, despair, and everything in between that would otherwise stay hidden inside, where it would do very little good. I believe everyone can find such an outlet, a medium or forum that allows us to feel freedom.

Retrieving Love: The Subtleness of a Napkin

Caring, friendly, kind and lovely – these are all attributes that describe Julie. Yet, so are the words desperate, grieving, lonely and purposeless.

Coming to a crossroad in her life faster than expected, Julie relies on her faith for the strength to make it through. Dealing with the passing of her husband, she finds her daily existence swallowed by grief and doesn’t feel ready to embrace life again. However, God seems to have a different plan. He is able to use unexpected people in unusual ways to intervene in Julie’s life, reminding her that she is not alone. Will Julie choose to let others in and learn how to cope with the loss of a loved one? Or will she stay trapped in her grief, watching her days pass by?

Roots & the Remittance Man

In Roots & the Remittance Man, a captivating historical fiction, we follow a diverse family tree as its branches converge in the Carrot River Valley of the Northwest Territories in 1902. From Sweden, Muskoka, and Iowa, these intrepid settlers make their way to homestead near Melfort, Saskatchewan.

A Scottish family, burdened by loss from an epidemic, travels by wagon train, finding salvation in a Cree chief. In Sweden, tragedy strikes, and a widowed wife and her daughters board a cattle ship for Halifax. They arrive in Winnipeg, accept a cook position at a Melfort hotel, and embark on a grueling journey through forest and muskeg.

A young Norwegian man walks 700 miles to the United States-Canadian border, immerses himself in Indigenous history, and follows a freight swing to his homestead. Settlers and Indigenous peoples unite against prairie fires, forging bonds that transcend their differences.

Through decades, the family experiences joys and sorrows, weathering the storms of two World Wars, prohibition, swamp fever, the Ku Klux Klan, and the Great Depression. As technology advances, women gain the right to vote and become legally recognized as persons.

At the outset of World War II, a remittance man from Scotland enters the picture, his life becoming significantly entwined with the descendants of these resilient pioneers. Roots & the Remittance Man is a sweeping tale of perseverance, unity, and the indomitable human spirit that shaped the Canadian frontier.

Running on Empty

As the Lucas Twins serial killers secretly terrorize the lives of nearly 100 victims, there are two victims that escaped. One escaped certain death in 1979 and another escaped 40 years later.

Fate brings the two together as they realize their lives have been mentally and psychology ruined by the same people.

They embark on a journey to find their tormentors only to have many other secrets revealed. The world of a supernatural being is discovered along with a bizarre ritual that keeps the twins hungry for more victims even as they reach their 70s. Revenge is best served cold. 40 years is definitely cold enough. Now is the time for justice to be served.

Shining Star

Quirky writer Elena Jimenez begins an unlikely secret friendship over email with ultra-famous actor Ben Jones after a serendipitous first meeting. Over several years, the two forge an enduring bond centered around the joys and challenges of parenting. During this time, Elena painfully endures a failed marriage, which takes her years to recover from.

From day one, Elena and Ben share a palpable attraction, readily apparent to those around them. Elena finds herself longing for those exhilarating moments when she gets to see or hear from him again. Ben seems to inhabit an entirely different world defined by fame, fortune, and a jet-setting lifestyle. By comparison, Elena’s life appears mundane – a single mom navigating her writing career.

When Elena finally gathers the courage to explore her feelings, she’s catapulted into Ben’s dazzling world of celebrity. Will she adapt to the glaring spotlight, or will the trauma of her past undermine her shot at happiness?

Singing Down the Rain

Poetry can be viewed as a reflection, a song, if you will, of society in the time it is written, but at the same time, it is timeless in the continuum of past, present, and future. In the dance of words, the reader will follow the Rorschach Ink Blots in the dance of words to find meaning in the visual imagery presented here.

Stand Alone Still

Embark on a transformative journey of self-discovery and healing in this compelling exploration of resilience and forgiveness.

Have you endured unimaginable hardships, surviving what feels like hell on earth, only to realize that the path to salvation lies not in entering heaven, but in healing your own wounded heart? In this poignant tale, you will discover that the true meaning of home extends far beyond physical walls – it resides within the depths of your own being.

As you navigate the challenging terrain of self-forgiveness and forgiveness of others, you will uncover a profound truth: the battle lies not in the external world, but within yourself. It is through this internal struggle that you find the strength to grow and transcend the limitations imposed upon you.

Story 1: The Delights of Sean Jr.

Sean Jr. had a tough life—as his mother told him, he had the ‘forbidden illness’: lusting for men. His uncle took him in, yet Sean lived a criminal lifestyle ingrained in the family business. Thug life meant trouble was Sean’s middle name; the drugs and jail did not help much either.

Now Sean had two loving parents. Yet his uncle was in conflict, wanting to protect Sean from the evils of their family’s work while disapproving of his player lifestyle. Meanwhile, the body count from their criminal exploits continued to rise.