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.

Pavlov’s Conditioning

After the exhausting and personally costly aftermath of solving the Darwin Killer case, beautiful and brilliant FBI Supervisory Special Agent Emmie Blanchet was looking forward to a little down time. However, her tranquility is abruptly erased when she is assigned the lead position on an emergency task force created to stop a group of domestic terrorists. With her lover, Joel, the local police captain, and her father at her side, Emmie and her team work feverishly to stop these killers before more innocent lives are lost. When their investigations lead them to the Pavlovian Research Institute, founded by an ex-colleague of Emmie’s father, the team discovers that the perpetrators may, in reality, be victims of mind control themselves. As the plot thickens and becomes more complicated, Emmie and Joel’s relationship and passion grow to new levels, and the pair realize that they want to spend the rest of their lives together. Will Emmie be able to find the source of these crimes and bring the killers to justice? Or will more lives be lost? Will she be able to survive an unimaginable personal loss and still effectively do her job? Will her training and experience help her survive? Or will it be, as Pavlov theorized, that her conditioned responses will guide her?

Perfectly Placed

This is a collection of poems and journal entries written over the span of seven years that tell most of the story of some of Michael’s most formative years. After trying to grieve the loss of his best friend, deal with the addictions his mother suffers, as well as navigating many young love romances, Michael, turns to his old journals and starts collecting the poetry he’s written.

For the sake of clarity, the Him parts are written to be about one great love but he is made of a combination of many. Despite promising himself to be the one to break his family’s generational legacy of trauma and addiction, while alone at a low point, he disappoints himself and proves himself wrong.

Michael must now build himself back up from the ground before the dirt can fill his grave with him in it. He must remind himself that everything happens for a reason and that there is no such thing as the wrong person, place, or time because all of those things made him who he is.

Pierced Girls

Sheena wants nothing more than to leave her troubled childhood behind. With no money and nowhere to go after high school, it seems her future will be more of the same, despite her dreams of becoming a music teacher. Desiring connection, Sheena imagines visits from her supposed father, deceased rock star, Joey Ramone. With tragic optimism, Sheena confronts poverty, violence, and the desperate world of drug addicts with the hope that she and her mother can forge a loving relationship and overcome their addictions.

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.

Playing Through the Break

In the early 1980s, young Chicago architect Phil Ashley and his live-in girlfriend, TV newscaster Alison Knight, find themselves locked in an unlikely love triangle with a neighboring temptress whose undraped window appearances trigger untimely, unfinished spiritual and emotional issues left over from the psychedelic sixties.

When Phil is offered an unusual architectural project set in the countercultural West Coast waterfront community of Samsara, the pair agree to temporarily part ways in hopes that a break will do them good.

Little did they suspect that their romantic recess would soon turn chaotic when Samsara’s pirate broadcast featuring aqua goddess Pearl explodes into international headlines. Could the untimely uproar help reunite the troubled couple… or bring a dramatic end to their relationship?

Please, Adopt Me, America

Please, Adopt Me, America is an enlightening conversation about oppression, disruption, and dispossession. Starting with the personal and corporate struggle for the space of freedom and survival, the author/poet weaves her akuko iho, or enlightening conversations through the fast-changing terrains entwined with the harrowing landscapes.

From personal life to corporate experiences, to the scalding landmarks of history, the author and poet breaks away from her ‘foster’ country, Nigeria, to merge with her people and ancestors who are a vital part of America. Proclaiming her right to reject the raging ‘japa’ syndrome as an all-comers affair, she reveals a veiled tapestry of dark histories and decapitating politics. She embodies the spirit of cultural renaissance and freedom, rolling on wheels of hope to a land of promise. Please, Adopt Me, America, is a touching, penetrating perspective on the deep struggles of finding one’s own space in life – Of leaving home to find it!

Poem

Meet Fantasia, a small-town girl born in Little Rock, Arkansas on June 15th, 1986. She has found solace in writing, which has helped her cope with a lifetime of trauma. In this collection of poems, she shares her innermost thoughts and feelings, touching on topics that will leave you wondering and inspired.

With her powerful words, Fantasia speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves, conveying the importance of speaking the truth and finding the courage to express oneself. She reminds us that it’s okay not to be okay and encourages us to take a moment to reflect on our day, step back, and take a deep breath. Ultimately, she encourages us to trust in God, who knows when to shine a light on our darkest days.

Whether you’re looking for comfort or inspiration, Fantasia’s poetry will help you find the words you need to express yourself and face life’s challenges with renewed strength and courage.

Poems of the Fire

The campfire that started on November 8, 2018, burned the town of Paradise, California. It was California’s deadliest forest fire, leaving thousands of people homeless with nothing more than the clothes on their backs. Not only did it destroy my home, but most of my town. I escaped with my life, and that is what inspired my poems. These poems helped me to express my feelings deeply on paper.

There were so many people trying to leave town at the same time, and it was bumper to bumper. The fire was moving so fast that several people were burned in their cars. People were abandoning their cars and running down the street on foot. This fire brought many people closer together than ever before. We all had to start over again with nothing.

The reason you are reading these poems is that I woke up much earlier than usual on the morning of the fire and wandered down the hall to the kitchen. The clock said 7:00 am, and I never get up that early. I felt so good I decided to stay up, make some coffee, and enjoy the early morning, which I never do. When the phone rang, the voice on the other end said to ‘Evacuate now!’ These poems will take you on a journey as I found new hope and a new beginning. I hope you enjoy what I have composed.

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.

Poetry Collection

Delve into a poetic tapestry that weaves the myriad facets of life’s journey. This collection resonates with human emotions, offering solace to souls seeking comfort and connection. Inspired by everyday moments and the indelible impact of loved ones – both present and departed – these verses are a testament to the beauty and complexity of existence. Embark on a literary voyage, and may you find as much joy in these pages as I found in penning them.

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.