Books
Stars in the Texas Sky (2012) (OUT OF PRINT)
2012 Amazon Breakthrough Novel Award Quarterfinalist.
13-year-old Henry Valentine is the school’s star pitcher and 4-H president, is intoxicated by first love of a young girl, and all seems right with his world of 1952 racially separated East Texas.
Then he is confronted by an unlikely antagonist who challenges him in his town, bests him in a pitching duel, and fights him in the vacant lot outside of town. A wary distance becomes an unexpected friendship when they discover a common love for Texas beauty.
He is devastated when a corrupt congressman sacrifices Henry’s friend to win re-election, and receives no sympathy or help from his disapproving family, church, and town.
He finds support in the feisty, independent-minded widow with a taste for liquor in her lemonade who helps him fight against the powerful using only the tools of an innocent and powerless boy.
In the end he learns the value of standing for what he believes in face of opposition, and discovers that there is nothing more powerful than a boy–or a man–who knows who he is.
Note: Contains scenes and language appropriate for the time and characters.
This book is a collection of essays, short stories, and flash fiction written over a four-year period in various styles and for various purposes. In the section “Stories from the Writers Bloc” you’ll find many flash fiction pieces written under the gun on a variety of topics. You might see some of the early inspiration for my first published novel here. In the section “Stories from SnoValley Writes!” you’ll find a selection of writings inspired by prompts and meetings with my local writers and novelists, as well as stories written to celebrate our various public festivals and readings. Several of these stories have been separately published in other books. The last section, “Other Stories and Essays,” is a grab-bag of stories and essays written for various contests or just for the fun of it.
Mountains of the Moon – stories about the Christian faith and journey (2014).
This is a collection of fortnightly articles I wrote for faith and the journey with Christ, published in the newsletter for Snoqualmie Valley Alliance Church. The title comes from the Native American description of the mountains behind us.
When the Stars First Fell (2016)
A prequel to “Stars in the Texas Sky,” this book gives more background into the lives of the main characters Henry, Benjamin, Tommy, and Miz Ellen. Peggy makes a brief appearance, too.
Short Stories
“There Are No Dreams in Space” (2020), Ripples in Space
SYNOPSIS: David Ifiemi dreams of his new life ahead on Epsilon Eridani VI, but he wakes to the reality of incomprehensible disaster.
“Clay Pots” (2018) scars.tv publishing
SYNOPSIS: When a woman visits her father’s rest home, she discovers him lost in empty memories. But a simple plant in a terracotta pot helps him face the truths of his past and find release from his pain.
“She Who Made the Land Her Home” (2017), in Take a Mind Trip: Book a Fantasy Scribes Valley Publishing.
SYNOPSIS: This is the story of Ntonni, the woman who created the land of Ghana, a home for many tribes and tongues and nations, but who was herself homeless and friendless. She is the one who brought together the red and the gold, the green and the black.
“To Sleep, Perchance to Dream” (2016), in Literally Stories.
SYNOPSIS: Roger Dawkins has competition for the best funeral parlor, and vows his rival’s success will be over his dead body.
“Only a Mother’s Love” (2018), in Short-Story.Me.
SYNOPSIS: A Seattle police detective must work under the authority of the conquering Vreesek to find the murderer of an alien.
Book Review Guidelines
I review books for fun. They might not be in my wheelhouse, but if I get a book & a request to review it, I might just do that. I believe that even if a book isn’t my preferred genre, I will still give it my honest read and review.
But I don’t review everything, and my main interests are in anti-racist works. So understand that I’m not just available for any book or author when I spend my time on working for justice. Reviewing off-topic books is fun, and when it stops being fun, I’ll stop reviewing them.
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