We Are All Equal in Ink

The day after his retirement, Chris suffered a haemorrhagic stroke that paralyzed the right side of his body. The language area of his brain was the most affected, depriving him of speech. To regain his most valued skill – to express himself with the written and spoken word – he had to begin again, re-learning words and their meanings, and to write using his left hand. His urge to use language as before was so strong that he was able to recover little by little what the stroke had cruelly taken away. It took two years until his abilities improved enough to be seated in his wheelchair to read and write. He never felt impeded by his disability. With a tape recorder, a notebook, and a typewriter, Chris picked up where he had left off – his inspiration awakened anew.

We The People

Joanne S. Duffin’s poetry is a captivating fusion of the personal and the universal, delving into the depths of the human experience. Her verses touch upon matters of the heart, offer insightful observations of the world, and fearlessly tackle the pressing issues of our time, both within the United States of America and on a global scale.

As you turn the pages, you’ll find yourself immersed in the wonders and interpretations of the natural world, the joys of family, the treasure of discovered love, the journey of self-discovery, philosophical musings, political commentary, patriotic reflections, and the pursuit of justice. Duffin’s poetry also explores the complexities of friendship, the pain of loss, and the inevitability of death.

This groundbreaking work of fiction will captivate your mind as you traverse space and time alongside the author, who fearlessly delves into the very essence of self-expression. Throughout her poetry, Duffin never loses sight of the profound impact and influence of the past, acknowledging the experiences that have shaped her as both a writer and a human being.

Embark on this transformative literary journey with Joanne S. Duffin, and allow her unique voice to guide you through a landscape of beauty, understanding, and introspection, as her thoughts and words weave a tapestry of the human condition.

Welcome to Welby Island

Welcome to Welby Island is a story that revolves around five troubled people from Los Angeles who come from different walks of life but will soon be traveling down the same path to enlightenment. That is, if they can survive twelve weeks on Welby Island at the hands of world renowned life coaches Micah and Blair Claine.

When they arrive via seaplane to the uninhabited island off the coast of Washington State, they are none too happy. After a fifteen-minute walk up the beach and through the woods, they emerge to the sight of a rundown cabin that in no way resembles the large sprawling beach house from the Claine Enlightenment Retreat brochure.

It doesn’t take long for the life coaching gurus to realize that these feisty five are not buying what they are selling.
Knowing that they are each carrying burdens that are clinging to them like seaweed, the five guests of Welby Island have to figure out how to get along and survive twelve weeks in a shack on a deserted island.

Welcome to Welby Island is a witty, sassy, humorous and emotional journey that will take you along on the road to enlightenment. 

Welcome to Welby Island: The Reunion

In the first book of the Welcome to Welby Island sequel, Leanne, Devon, Amber, Rosalie, and Leonard arrived on Welby Island as five strangers struggling with the tangled vines that had wrapped around them and landed them on the island. They knew they needed to find a way to break free from whatever it was holding them back from the one thing none of them could seem to find…happiness. What they didn’t know was that spending time on a deserted island, holed up in a shack, would not only find a way to detangle the vines through helping one another, but they would also leave the island not just as friends, but as family.

Welcome to Welby Island: The Reunion continues the journey with Leanne, Devon, Amber, Rosalie and Leonard. There will be bumps in the road, this time in a rented camper, an unexpected surprise, and a heart wrenching moment of loss.

The bond between these five is one of love and friendship, a bond so strong that nothing can break it, not even their past.

What's Love Got to Do With It?

A world of love, a world of death, a world of insanity. These four stories are distinctly different from each other in tone and substance, but is love the defining factor?

What would happen if we refuse to accept defeat, even in death? Would the spirit of love carry us forward? And if we could somehow find the courage to move forward, would love never die?

The four stories, together, encompass a wide range of life and death experiences, as different from one another as night from day. And yet, a similarity exists within the protagonists of each story: an overwhelming loss of hope. Perhaps they’ll each discover, as we all must at some point in our lives, that a new beginning is simply the resurrection of hope; and that love, indeed, has everything to do with it.

What's Wrong with This Picture?

Bobby is a young dog with athletic ability.

One day, he decides to learn how to play the same sports that people play. He tries them all, and learns quickly, but he also makes mistakes.

Can you spot the mistakes he needs to correct if he wants to improve?

This coloring book invites you to bring Bobby’s adventures to life! Each page has a fun sketch waiting for you to add your own colors while helping Bobby become a better athlete.

When Darkness Reigned

A long time has passed since the ‘High Kingdom’ brazenly executed its campaign of genocide and ruthlessly slaughtered the majority of their people in the hope of finding a child with a secret.

Fortunately for those resourceful enough to survive under the dark reign, an underground network of interconnected factions have been plotting an uprising for some time and they have a secret of their own.

When Life Hands You Lemons

Marauding lions threatening the safety of early settlers in Rhodesia travelling by ox wagon were the order of the day.

Emma Bartlett, a young, petulant lady of aristocratic birth, followed Harold Watson, second son of the Earl of Adiston, whom she loved, when he left England to settle in Rhodesia.

Emma had to face hardship and trauma, but she was destined to become a formidable woman of strong character setting an example to the generations who followed.

When the Stars Aligned

On a fate-laced evening at 7:30 pm, the three cornerstone figures in Malita’s life found her crossing their minds, yet none were present to shield her from Bruce’s malevolent grasp. Amidst grappling with the void left by her father’s absence, Malita’s world plunges into a deeper abyss when a supposed guardian from her family cruelly betrays her trust. This grave violation leaves her wrestling with shame, betrayal, and a tenuous relationship with her mother, all while battling against the engulfing tides of self-pity.

But Malita, with a spirit unyielding, musters the bravery to face the harsh truth of her fractured family and rejects the dark labels it threatens to affix on her. Embarking on a piecemeal journey, she strives to restore the shards of her destiny. In her quest for healing, the realms of forgiveness and purpose unfold before her, offering a glimpse of hope amidst despair. Malita chooses not merely to exist in the shadows of her past, but to seize the full essence of life’s offerings, demonstrating a resilient pursuit of healing and reclaiming her rightful place in the world. When the Stars Aligned isn’t just a narrative of survival, but a profound testament to the indomitable spirit of recovery and self-redemption.

White Reality

Mary and Blanche, two women grappling with mental instability and substance addiction, find themselves in a psychiatric institution. Their lives unfold in parallel narratives, converging in a unique psychological space where time and space are subject to their perception. Orchestrated by a young doctor named Jane, their shared psychodrama allows them to relive their past, with scenes and family members resurfacing. They become both audience and protagonist in a cathartic play of their lives, aiming for redemption.

This redemption is envisioned as a moment when reality, no longer obscured by the darkness of their souls, turns white, offering clarity and a path to serenity.

The narrative delves into the stark realities of life as perceived through the women’s psychological lenses. It questions the nature of their reality, the presence of light within it, and their ability to confront and survive it. The novel probes the possibility of achieving psychological peace and distinguishes between illusion, memory, and real time. It explores the escape from pain and madness.

Inspired by two iconic American plays, A Streetcar Named Desire and Long Day’s Journey into Night,White Reality focuses on the perennial issue of the lack of genuine communication, beginning within the family and perpetuating a cycle of problematic characters influencing both society and family. This cycle persists as long as true love fails to manifest in actions. This novel is a poignant exploration of these themes, encapsulating the struggle for understanding and connection in a complex world.

Why

Have you ever wondered why?

It is my pleasure to share this debut collection of poetry. Words are escapes. Each poem is powerful. Brave. My own creation. A work of delight. Rich. Playful. Sometimes fragile. Erotic love alive to the world. Dizzying. Tangled. Some written as a young girl. Some homeless. Some in love. Institutionalized. I write you with the love of life. With confidence. The sparkle and glitter of poetry. A rare wine. A fortune. An expose of lifeblood. And a passionate love affair.

I leave these poems in your hands. Here is my poetry in motion. This is why.

Windwhistle Bone

Richard Trainor's Windwhistle Bone is a novel of time and place as we follow the protagonist, Ram Le Doir, on a journey tracing his rise as a celebrated poet and reporter, which comes to a tragic conclusion as he is unlocking a series of dangerous stories that nearly costs him his life, and destroys his marriage and career. Ram's fall and eventual redemption concern the double murder of his wife, actress Vera Dubeck, and her lover. Trainor's prose was cited by the late Luther Nichols, Doubleday's former West Coast Bureau Chief, as "reminiscent of Faulkner (the Snopes-like nature of the Le Doirs), Thomas Wolfe, J. P. Dunleavy (the scapegrace of Ram), Dylan Thomas, and Bukowski. There's a great California feel to your novel which is one of the finest first novels I have ever read." Nichols gave testimony for Lawrence Ferlinghetti and City Lights Books during the obscenity trial held over Allen Ginsburg's poem, Howl, in 1960.