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.”

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 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.

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.

Love Bites...Sometimes

Imagine a night out celebrating a friend’s birthday, hopping from bar to bar, when you bump into someone, and not just anyone. The moment you lock eyes, you’re convinced he’s the one. What happens next?

When you encounter him again, would you seize the opportunity, even after discovering he’s not what he seems? He has a secret, cleverly hidden in plain sight. Do you take the plunge into this uncertain romance, or cautiously test the waters?

Fairy-tale love stories are often fraught with obstacles before the ‘happily ever after.’ This is the beginning of my journey with Bryce, a mesmerizing dark brunette with piercing green eyes and a smile that can stop time. Love can bite, and sometimes you want to bite back. But every bite has its price. Are you willing to pay it?

Dive into a love story that’s as thrilling as it is mysterious. The question isn’t just whether love conquers all, but whether you’re willing to pay love’s toll.

Love Hurts

Thomas Pry High School is a place where only the children of the elite study and interact with each other. A place where all the guys and girls fawn over Luke Finnegan, a fencing champion in his third year. But to Jack Whyte, the popular fencer is just another student passing through the halls. All he wants is to make friends and keep out of trouble at his new school.

When their eyes finally meet, however, Luke can’t seem to want nothing more than to be around Jack. So much so, that what was supposed to be a tournament afterparty ends up putting Jack’s life in danger.

Follow the students of Thomas Pry as they begin to learn about each other, and their newfound friendship begins to draw some attention to those closest to them.

Love in a Casa de Carton

Living in a Casa de Carton means facing daily threats of starvation, violence, and predation from the cartels and others who exploit the vulnerable. Yet, within this harsh reality, there is also hope, courage, and triumph. This is the story of Marta Padilla, a strong mother raising two children alone in a home with a dirt floor and no running water. Despite the constant danger, she gets her kids to school and teaches them compassion by caring for a dying neighbor.

When a young girl is abducted by the cartels and a teenage boy endures brutal abuse in a Mexican prison, Marta’s resilience is tested. Unexpected twists and turns lead to moments of victory, as Marta’s determination – and the pivotal role of the dying neighbor – help her family rise above the brutality surrounding them. Though danger is ever-present, grit and love emerge as powerful forces that shape the outcome.

Love, Ruthie

Was the poet, William Wordsworth, right when he wrote “the child is the father of the man”? That is the question Jane Meyer asks Ruth Lucas in a letter. Best friends since high school, and now in their early thirties, Ruth and Jane keep in close touch through letters, phone calls, and when they can, visits.

When Ruth gets Jane’s letter with this question about Wordsworth’s line, she decides to review what stood out in her childhood and ask herself if those times informed and shaped the woman she became. This process takes her weeks and traverses early family memories, her college years, a job in Washington, her first lover, and other experiences on her way to becoming her own woman. Her answer to Jane’s question is Love, Ruthie.

Magda by the River

Angela Young’s novel, Magda by the River centers on the captivating journey of Magdalene, known affectionately as Magda. Feeling suffocated by the monotony of her small village life, weary of battling societal expectations, and yearning for acceptance, Magda longs for change. Her life takes an exciting turn when she joins a traveling troupe of performers, where she forges deep friendships that open her eyes to the possibilities and ‘more’ she has been seeking.

However, the most significant journey in Magda’s life is the introspective one. It’s a path that leads her to a profound understanding of her identity and self-acceptance, making Magda by the River not just a story of adventure, but also a tale of personal discovery and growth.

Malkin

Malkin tells the story of a small-town girl with big dreams, who believes her aspirations can only be realized in the big city, just a few hours away by train. Despite her humble beginnings, she seizes every opportunity, holding steadfast to her ambition of becoming a ‘Malkin’ in the bustling metropolis. She understands that achieving her dreams comes with a price: giving others what they want in order to attain what she desires.

With unwavering determination, she navigates the challenges and tribulations of her nuclear family and the struggles of her childhood friend. The narrative offers readers a vivid portrayal of how often her dream teetered on the edge of disaster.

Her journey is marked by indomitable courage and a positive mindset, fortified through meditation and gratitude. These elements guide her, acting as her talisman, and show her the path to success. She learns to see things in their true reality, overcoming self-deceptions born from her background, family, environment, and preconceived notions. Perhaps this is what it takes to dream and make that dream come true.