Silicon Minds

The book Silicon Minds: Tales from the Frontiers of Artificial Intelligence contains three short stories following the activities of a group called the D.A.W.N. (Digital Aged World Nexus)—consisting of hackers, activists, and rebels. The stories revolve around their efforts to challenge the dominance of the tech company GDC and expose its dark secrets, exploring themes such as identity, power, and the ethics of hacking in a digital age. The tales involve characters like a journalist, a hacker, a security agent, and a scientist, whose lives intersect and intertwine as they question the role of technology in society and contemplate the future of humanity.

Silver Bells and Mistletoe

It’s Christmas time, and Ivy Winters is royally upset. She’d longed to go to the Winter Lights dance ever since she was a freshman in high school, but when she finally gets to go, she is humiliated by her long-time crush, Michael Morgan. She is devastated and runs out of the gym, vowing to forget him and what he did to her, and swears off love forever.

Several years later, she works for a company called Silverbells and Mistletoe. When Michael is sent by an investor to evaluate her store, Ivy and her friends think he’s there to help save it; little do they know that the investor, his father, has sent him to tear it down and replace it with a mall.

How are these two going to get along after so many years of harbored feelings? Can these two ever overcome what has been between them? And can Ivy forgive him and even find love with him?

Since We All Have Yesterdays

In 1965, young Kim, alongside her mother and sister, bravely leaves behind an abusive father to seek a brighter future in South Carolina. At just fourteen, destiny introduces her to Ronnie, and what blooms is a bond like no other. As the story unfolds, their relationship faces profound challenges, including heart-wrenching tragedies.

A pivotal moment steers Kim towards a transformative chapter, marked by the birth of her son and a fresh start in a commune in 1971, with Ronnie’s steadfast presence. As the narrative reaches its crescendo, it delves into the profound spiritual connection between Kim and Ronnie, presenting a depth of love and destiny that readers might never have fathomed, elegantly bringing their tale to a poignant conclusion.

Sitting on a Park Bench

Robi and Vic, two old friends, are sitting on a park bench on a misty fall evening, munching nuts and reminiscing. The smell of jasmine in the chilly fall air suddenly reminds Robi of their university days, many moons ago. A floodgate of memories of this time of their lives, when ‘life held promise and powers felt indefatigable,’ opens up. Who was the mysterious creature they had seen in the Gymkhana late night after the concert of ‘87? Who ratted them out after they crashed into the social event illegally held on university premises one evening? What started the infamous mess wars that drove such a rift through campus? The past becomes the present and the two compatriots go through their own remembrance of things past, while the sinister syndicate and the feared disciplinary committee loom over every encounter.

Smitten: Beneath the Layers of the Holy Land

Beneath the layers of politics, religion, and history lies a social life often overlooked. Amidst the ongoing Israeli-Palestinian conflict, people continue living their lives beneath the tumultuous surface.

Saba Salim finds herself living with the man she loves. However, the man she chose to be her husband and protector becomes her tormentor. The house she thought would be her sanctuary becomes her personal prison, where she endures physical abuse and constant verbal attacks.

Saba struggles to prove her abuse, facing interrogation by various men. Ultimately, she stands alone, presenting her case to the deciding elders of East Jerusalem.

The walls of Jerusalem feel suffocating, but they expand little by little as Saba gains her freedom. A feminist without realizing it, Saba discovers her strength and identity, breaking free from the chains of her oppressor and becoming her own person.

Softness and Steel - A Poet's Way

Karlene Logan’s debut collection of romantic poetry reflects the deep feelings and emotions of hearts in love at every age.

Strong, beautiful, and heartfelt, her poems will leave a hopeful mark on your mind and heart long after the last page is turned.

Soldier's Poems

In this powerful and moving collection, Vietnam War veteran Every Man bares his soul through poetry that vividly captures the fear, anguish, camaraderie and haunting memories of war. With stark imagery and raw emotions, these verses transport the reader to the jungles of Vietnam, inside the mind of a young soldier thrust into unimaginable horrors. His words give an unflinching look at the brutal realities of combat and its lifelong aftershocks, including the challenges of returning home to a society that doesn’t understand.

Covering his tours of duty and the decades that followed, these poems grapple with themes of survival, grief, alienation, and the struggle to heal from the physical and psychological trauma of war. While the Vietnam War is the focal point, many of the poems draw parallels to other conflicts and deliver a thought-provoking commentary on war in general. This timely and timeless collection is a must-read for veterans, their loved ones, and anyone seeking to better understand the true costs of combat and the resilience of the human spirit. A Soldier’s Poems ensures that the sacrifices of Vietnam veterans and the realities they faced will never be forgotten.

Somewhere Beyond the Sea

A gripping adventure and poignant love story about two idealistic people who dedicate their lives to sea mammals to forget about themselves.

Join Liz, an emotionally wounded American animal rights journalist, as she ventures to Japan on a mission to expose the capturing of dolphins for human entertainment. She clashes with the rigid culture and with Kaito, a repressed Japanese dolphin trainer fixated on communicating with dolphins to help humankind.

Despite their vast differences, their mutual love of dolphins opens a crack to their inner barriers. They join forces to protect the animals from fisherman and corrupt politicians who will do anything to silence them.

When another devastating tsunami threatens the country, the public calls for a reliable early warning system. Will Liz and Kaito trim their ideals, commit to each other and save thousands of lives?

Somnambulist Chronicles

months of wondering what the hell happened, and if it was a dream or not. finally arriving upon an affirming decision, only to second-guess myself again. all those things they say about emotional young women: rape accuser, attention whore. why am i the one at fault? you did this to me? all i did was type it out. but you are the one who wrote me this. and you know what? let the blood boil. it was never ego going to my head. it was blood rushing to my head. just like it happened then. and all the nerves permanently stained by emotional memory; the ones that are supposed to be sacred to a woman. the ones that were mine, but you made yours. a tragic haunting: they speak to me in the night. and after years of waiting, wondering what can i do? they whispered to me, closely in my ear: write the book.

Soulful Echoes: The Tale of Two Xiangyangs

When historian Manro Lu travels to China to uncover a mysterious family heirloom, she discovers much more than ancient secrets. There, she crosses paths with handsome professor Jafung Yu, sparking an unexpected yet undeniable attraction.

Linked by a broken 800-year-old jade pendant, Manro and Jafung find themselves inexplicably drawn together as they piece together clues about the artifact’s past owners - two forbidden lovers separated by war. Emotions intensify amid quiet moments on scenic bridges and candlelit ancient temples.

Yet with so much history and baggage in Manro’s delicate mission, what future can two young romantics share when the past pulls them apart?

From the picturesque rivers of Xiangyang Shire to the bustling streets of Xiangyang City, experience the blooming passion between a Korean expatriate and a local Chinese scholar. Two hearts brought together by a name and torn asunder by time find that love can bridge more than culture, generations, wars, and broken pendants.

Southern Steel

In the heart of a Southern state, Mary Beatrice was an anomaly: an abolitionist bound more by duty than desire to her family’s plantation. Her spirit of defiance was evident, but it was her love for a Yankee officer that truly set her free. This love was not her first act of rebellion, but it was the most transformative.

Bucking tradition and expectation, Mary Beatrice faced numerous challenges. Yet, with each setback, she rose, displaying resilience, grace, and, at times, fiery determination. She crafted an extraordinary life on her own terms, refusing to be confined by societal norms or gender.

Spa Day - Be Careful What You Ask For

Caroline Chandler and her best friend, Abby, spend a Sunday afternoon at their favorite Day Spa. They leave the spa relaxed, refreshed, and rejuvenated, but Carli soon discovers an unexpected result from that spa visit. A microchip capable of two-way communication has been implanted behind her right ear. When it is activated, it instructs Carli to perform private courier tasks. The tasks are simple pickup and delivery of anonymous items on behalf of anonymous clients.

Over the next several months, Carli searches for the source of the unintended technology that is now taking over her life. Her search quickly takes her into the world of high-value art and antiquities. The more information she uncovers, the more confused she becomes as to the source of “the system”. Are the tasks legal? Are the tasks safe? The rewards are great, but at what personal cost? How far will she go without compromising her own integrity? Who will she trust in her search for answers?

Caroline has worked in the Harvard hospitals of Boston for most of her career. She has had an interesting life of work-related travel and has met an array of scientists and researchers. But none of her experiences could have prepared her for what she is being asked to do.

Spa Day is set in the present day, amid the historical sites of Boston and the Massachusetts shore, just coming out of a pandemic. The main characters are based on actual people, their experiences, and their expertise. The people that Carli meets along this journey change her life forever. Her story begs the question: What would you do?