Laughing Out of Context

Mia, mother of her six-year-old son, Cody, strives to balance care and volunteering at Cody’s school the only way she knows how: by recuperating nightly in what she calls her escape room. Meditation and a little bit of solitude at night can fix some hectic mothering days, but sometimes a glass of wine is just what is needed for those extra challenging kids-tell-all no-filter moments.

With the family Dalmatian, Caesar, right by Cody’s side in mischief, Mia works overtime to dodge embarrassing public incidents, hoping her imaginary hats will finally work in making her invisible at just the right time. By getting weekly advice from her mom’s group, Mia realizes she’s not alone in this crazy, funny, and loving motherhood journey.

The struggle is real, and finding a better motherhood routine is right at the top of her list of things to do, before she tips over to the other side of the sanity line.

Law Dogs

In the aftermath of Missouri’s brutal Civil War, shattered bonds and loyalties hung heavy in the hearts of its people. Karl, hailing from a staunchly pro-Union German family orphaned by the conflict, faced harrowing decisions. His dearest friend, a Wilson, hailed from a pro-slavery family fiercely loyal to the Confederacy. It was a friendship tested by the fires of war, and Karl’s journey was only beginning.

Armed with a six-gun and driven by circumstance, Karl first rode with Quantrill’s Raiders before joining the ranks of the Texas Rangers. But life had more twists in store. As a bounty hunter, he relentlessly pursued the ruthless Ivory Thompson gang, tracking their bloody trail to a lawless mining town, Silverton, just north of Durango, Colorado. There, a shadowy outlaw named Red was gathering a crew of the most hardened criminals for a grand heist.

To collect the bounties and secure his retirement, Karl knew he had to be faster, smarter, and more ruthless than Ivory Thompson and his two henchmen. A new identity was his ticket to the big rewards, but fate intervened when he stumbled upon the lifeless body of Thorn T. Hagerman, a former Pinkerton Agent who had been chasing the same outlaws. Thorn’s name was now his to wield.

As the newly christened Thorn T. Hagerman, our protagonist found camaraderie with a group of young lawmen and a charming waitress in a local hotel. But just when the rewards seemed within grasp, chaos erupted in Durango, threatening to unravel everything Thorn had fought for.

Learning How to Let It Go in the Shadow of the Belvedere

Sometimes it becomes difficult for us to recognize the beauty of the forest in its full splendour and diverse grandeur, even though it has always been right in front of us. Our view becomes obscured by the thick, opaque tangle of branches. To overcome this universal challenge for us all, we need to be able to adopt a new perspective. This can come from meeting new people and considering their point of view, or even by putting oneself in an entirely different time and place. In doing so, even the most stubborn and set-in-their ways can be jostled out of their slumber and comforting complacency.

The elements necessary for this process of self-transformation are already in our souls for those who allow them to surface, while for others who are more resistant, a more literal journey can be exactly what is required to shake us loose from our preconceived notions.

Let the Music Play On

Are you someone who revels in the resonance of melodies, whose heart beats to the rhythm of tunes? Embark on a young man’s odyssey through love, tragedy, and the enlivening world of music, underscoring the eternal bond between human emotions and musical notes. This narrative underscores the quintessence of music—it’s not just an art, but a heartbeat that continues to echo through the chambers of our lives, forever.

Discover the profound connection a musician shares with his instrument, akin to a confidant, a companion in joy, and solace in sorrow. As a teenager, our protagonist finds his heartstrings attuned to the chords of a violin accompanist, who not only complements his music but also completes his world. However, fate orchestrates a melancholy melody as he loses her, plunging him into a realm of despondence, detaching him from the music that once defined his existence.

Now adrift in a ‘free-floating’ reality, devoid of the musical notes that colored his world, he confronts the silence that ensues. The narrative strikes a chord, illustrating his journey back to the world, back to the essence of music that once cradled his soul. His path is arduous, but will the crescendo of life play a tune of hope, or will it fade into an adagio of despair? The finale holds an unexpected cadence, leaving you earnestly rooting for the young maestro to rekindle his love for music and share the eloquence of his violin with the world once more.

Stephen’s favourite saying was “When music is played, we all dance together; when music is played, we all listen as one.”

Lies, Love, Blood

Lies, Love, Blood is living proof of duplicity craving wrath. Heed this cautionary tale as we track rascal and scholar Daiga, his loyal, faithful bride-in-waiting Mungwi, and his duped and deserted wife Monica in their three-ring circus of intrigue, passion and despair along Cameroon and Germany’s cultural crossroads.

It drives home with a vengeance this timeless truth of war and wedlock:

“We must love one another or die.”

W.H. Auden

Life

Life is a meditative collection of your innermost thoughts, feelings, and desires.

The poems included throughout are striking and inviting.

Readers will feel welcome to journey alongside you as you discover and find your true happiness.

Life as a Joke

Embark on a transformative journey as you delve into the pages of Life as a Joke, a compelling narrative tracing the path of a young girl’s evolution into a formidable, independent, and unapologetic woman. This book is a courageous exploration of her struggles, a raw and unfiltered expression of her powerful emotions, and a testament to the liberating force of truth.

This book is a therapy session which lasted years. This book has all sets of emotions, laughter, tears, shock, depression, and happiness, it is life as we know it.

Life as a Joke reminds us that, despite life’s challenges, there’s always room for a smile. Your struggles are uniquely yours, and within them lies your worth and strength. This book is an invitation to embrace your own journey, finding inspiration and hope in every page.

Life is a Story

In Life is a Story, D.A. Bennett takes readers on a captivating journey through a collection of short stories that explore the universal themes of adolescence, adulthood, and the complexities of human relationships.

Set in southern Louisiana during the mediators, the initial stories follow hard-working rural families as they navigate life’s challenges and opportunities. From there, the book ventures into the scandalous and confusing world of 21^st century bourgeoisie, where misunderstandings, heartbreak, and even crime lurk around every corner.

Bennett’s writing is not only entertaining but also thought-provoking, resonating with readers of all ages and backgrounds. With a keen eye for detail and a unique voice, the author expertly weaves together tales that are both poignant and insightful, leaving a lasting impact on the reader’s heart and mind.

As a new and adventurous author, Bennett delivers a formidable read that will captivate and inspire readers from beginning to end. Life is a Story is a must-read for anyone seeking a fresh and unique perspective on the joys and challenges of the human experience.

Life Is More Than Lollipops and Sour Grapes

This is a story about love, strength, and the importance of family. Emily, the wife, travels solo on a pilgrimage to Israel, fulfilling one of her lifetime dreams. Due to health reasons, her husband, Peter, could not join her. Along her journey, Emily shares her trip with her husband. A few days before her Israel tour comes to an end, Emily’s husband dies, leaving his widow in a foreign country alone and shaken.

Through her travels, Emily learns she is never alone. God steps in providing comfort, support, protection, and companionship in Peter’s absence. Although the uncharted waters of widowhood are unpredictable, the reader is given insight from a fellow widow on overcoming grief and finding renewed purpose, confirming God has a plan for your life.

When an unexpected event such as death descends, the horizon grows intensely dark. But through time and chance, the dust settles, the horizon clears, the air purifies, and we learn we have what it takes to survive and succeed.

The book is an easy read and should provide needed comfort, especially to members of a very large and ever-growing group; fellow widow and widowers and many others facing life alone.

Life's Soiled Red Earth

A harrowing and heart-breaking story of a five-year-old girl abandoned by her family in the midst of Apartheid South Africa. Marlene Neuman is removed from her hometown, below the slopes of Table Mountain, Cape Town, to a missionary, hundreds of miles away, at the northern border of South Africa. In the harsh unknown surroundings, she must fend off abuse from those she recognized as her own and bend to the rules of a Catholic orphanage. Her journey to adulthood is filled with twists and turns, as fate carves the pathway further away from stability and peace.

She experiences the devastation caused by the government’s segregation rules in every aspect of her life and in the bonds she forms with those around her. Like many other South Africans of that time, she eventually finds herself drawn into the struggle against the unjust laws of her country. She finds and loses loved ones, until she must take refuge, when the brutal South African security forces hunt her. As they begin to close in on her and the man she realises she loves, is it too late?

Lily's Journey

Lily, a beautiful five-year-old, leaned over the fire to poke at the wood. A spark flew up and landed on the collar of her high-necked velvet dress. She brushed at the spark, but it had caught the lace and was burning her neck. Another spark landed in her hair.

“Momma,” she screamed, as she frantically brushed at the flames that seemed to be crawling up her body.

An accident that changes Lily’s life.

But there are other changes affecting the family that are coming.

Lily’s uncle George has suggested to her mother Elizabeth that the family make a new start in Canada. Lily quickly finds work in their new home and starts her journey into future adventures.

The first three parts of this story are a mix of fact and fiction, based on Lily’s own story. The final part is fact, based on Lily’s own recollections, as a policeman’s wife living with constant fear for her husband’s life.

Little Time

In the vast expanse of rural America, a young teen named Yvonne discovers a kindred spirit, a boy who ignites a sense of connection and new emotions within her. As she treads the unfamiliar path of love for the very first time, Yvonne’s journey unfolds, guided by her naive curiosity and limited understanding of what love truly entails.

With each passing day, Yvonne transitions from the innocence of youth to the complexities of adulthood, riding an emotional roller coaster of exhilarating highs and devastating lows. However, as her chosen path becomes more intricate and disheartening, she begins to realize that her heart’s deepest desires remain unfulfilled. Time slips away, and with each passing moment, Yvonne desperately seeks solace and happiness, striving to mend her sorrows before it is too late.