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Love, Work, and the
Other Things
Love, Work, and the Other
Things is a collection of stories written over two decades. Some stories
won awards for fiction and previously appeared in small-press
publications. Some remain buried in slush piles on editors’ sideboards.
All span the spectrum of “coming of age” experiences that begin in youth
and continue through adulthood. Growing up in Seattle, Washington, and
moving to Southern California as a teenager, the stories range from
first love at summer camp in the Pacific Northwest to the endurance of
regular employment and the rare privilege of self-reflection in times of
sufficient financial stability. The stories are fiction, dramatized
memoir, and heightened documentary. They were written not just to
entertain, but also in a relentless, lifelong search to uncover the
fundamental truths of the human condition. In this, my effort is no
different from the efforts of other writers who chose to examine with
unbiased focus life's vicissitudes, disappointments, compromises,
triumphs, and transcendent joys. It is a continuing inquiry written one
page at a time. With time and a little good luck, more pages shall
follow.
Available now at
Amazon.
Read
Excerpt
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Hard Reset
MARTIN
GARDENS had been a mid-level corporate manager, a fiancé, a drunk, an
automobile mechanic, a fugitive arsonist and finally, a private
investigator. Each he pursued with earnest conviction but there was only
one in which he demonstrated natural talent. And it scared the hell out
of him. Add a stray, brindle-coat Boxer with a mangled ear that
resembled his own and a mottled British sportscar more family member
than transport, the equation equals one last chance for a fresh start;
one last chance for a hard reset. You choose a direction and it begins.
What happens next is not so much about planning as it is about luck.
Life unfolds; a path beckons. Routine and obligation and occasional joy
fill the empty places. With a little luck, even love. With a lot
of luck, happiness. The pieces fall together and you find a fit; you are
what you do. The tracks in the snow tell the story.
Available now at
Amazon.
Read
Excerpt |
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Dog Lessons:
How Raising a Guide Dog Taught Me to See
It takes
more than a single incident to change a person's life. It takes a single
incident, a New Year's Day parade, and one vociferous English Lab.
Writer John
Edward White wasn't intending to make a change, but circumstances forced
his hand. Marooned in a dead-end career, personal salvation was found in
the shape of industry downsizing and a televised parade for a
middle-aged man suddenly forced to confront the things that scared him
the most. With a single telephone call, White embarked on a journey that
began with a year of intense volunteering and concluded with the single
most significant change in his life. The path from pretentious,
self-centered yuppie to compassionate, self-aware citizen required a
Guide Dog puppy to teach him to see what was truly valuable. The
transition with each training session was equal part dog and man; the
result from the training was equal part success and failure. The lessons
learned and experiences shared became a compelling narrative of change
for both.
Available now at
Amazon.
Read
Excerpt
And now IPPY Silver Medal
recipient of the eLit Illuminating Digital Publishing Excellence Award.
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AND COMING SOON!
THE SECOND INSTALLMENT IN THE MARTIN GARDENS SERIES.
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A Piece of the Rock
The thing about a sucker punch
is that every sign is clear after the fact. Discarding of cigarette,
spreading feet in a loaded stance, the flair of nostrils as if some
imminent act requires additional oxygen; in retrospect there is no doubt
as to what comes next. Martin was in over his head this time. And it
wasn't the first time. Two beatings in as many weeks. Two collections of
contusions and abrasions scarring an already well-scarred, middle-aged
body. Not much to do but keep pushing forward, turning over rocks,
taking the battle to those who had started it in the first place. The
next time would be different; the next time he'd be armed. It was
personal, now. Someone hurts Stray and the stakes are raised. No longer
is this simply a surveillance case of a cheating spouse; now it's
personal. And that someone will pay.
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