“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” John Lennon Ensconced in her car seat, Olivia stared out the window. “Tell me a story?” she asked, eyes pleading in the rear-view mirror. How could I say no? I thought. Clearing my throat, I struggled to remember a story. “Once upon a time. . .” I began, not realizing that with that tired phrase, I was starting a very a unique journey. “I’m no story teller,” I told…..
Emptying the dustpan, Harold gave the one-room schoolhouse one last inspection. “Yes, everything is in order,” he thought. Tomorrow was the first day of school, and he had spent the weekend cleaning and preparing the building. It was also his first day as a teacher. Through the gathering darkness, he headed home, three hollars away. Harold passed the time singing his favorite hymns. Later his mother would recall how she always knew he was coming when she heard him singing……
Sweating profusely, I dropped the posthole digger and mopped my brow. Reaching for my cup I took a drink. “Bleh, this is warm,” I muttered, drinking it anyway. I surveyed my progress. Ten holes down, and two to go. Boy, I’m tired, I thought, shaking my head. “I’m going to rebuild the deck,” I had told my wife. “It won’t take much. I just need to replace some posts, then level it up.” That was six hours ago. It was…..
Olivia’s Story: Protector of the Realm is- “An entertaining mashup of history and fantasy, with a likably audacious heroine plotting against the Nazis” – Kirkus Reviews For weeks I had flip-flopped – should I do it – or shouldn’t I? New to publishing, I searched the matter online and weighed the question carefully. What I discovered offered little help. Kirkus is indeed a major name in independent reviews. Many blogs emphatically state that a book’s success requires a Kirkus review……
The night air was crisp and clear. In the gathering dark, Don surveyed the milk cans that stood like sentries by the door. Satisfied that they were ready for the morning pickup, he turned out the barn light and headed for the house. Rolling Prairie was a typical farming community. Agriculture was king – grain, dairy, cattle, sheep, pigs, poultry, mint, sod, vegetables, and orchards. Nearly anything grown in Indiana was raised in LaPorte County. As the Vocational Agriculture teacher,…..
I visited my daughter’s school yesterday, although School doesn’t start for more than a week the lot was half-full. What’s going on? I wondered. Parking the car, I popped into the office to ask for directions. After a bit of helpful advice, I walked down the hall. The air was humid and thick – probably saved money by not running the AC during the summer break, I mused. The smell triggered memories long forgotten. Dad was a teacher, and many…..