Books



	Tranquility celebrates my conquest of depression, and realization of a dream I had abandoned in my mid thirties. I had given up on writing a book until successful counseling guided me towards much improved self esteem and inspiration. As such, I urge anyone who may be battling depression to seek help. There is no need to endure feelings of hopelessness in life when you can enjoy each and every day. Tranquility is a mix of short stories and poems based on my experiences and others I have known. The poem of the same name as the title is the first work I composed. I scratched it out on paper one day years ago and then lost it. Once I began to create this book and my wife found the original "Tranquility," I immediately knew the title for this book. Tranquility was published through Morris Publishing of Nebraska in December of 2000.

From the tale of three bikers who fail to heed a town curse known as Fall Back to the hapless adventures of a boy doomed to a life dictated by a newspaper cartoon strip, Cobwebs provides more laughs than shivers. Readers will find out what a modern day vampire fears the most, tour a vacant amusement park in midwinter, and be warned of the curse of Da Volfcat. These eight short stories are recommended for ages eight and above. Cobwebs was published through Morris Publishing of Nebraska in May of 2001. The cover of Cobwebs was created on my request by high school freshman Abbey Lion in 2000. Now a senior at Laurel Highlands High School, she
has a keen interest in art. Helping to provide a young person's first venture into the commercial world was as big a thrill for me as writing the book itself. I am proud to be able to pull my book title up on the Barnes and Noble or Amazon websites and see "Abbey Lion, illustrator" right after my name. My wife and I wish Abbey the best of luck as she represents Laurel Highlands High School in the 2003-2004 Coal Queen Pageant in late August at The State Music Hall in Uniontown, Pennsylvania.

	In the year 2211, the technology and selfishness of humanity have finally exploded to create the final World War, a conflict that sends Earth back to technology of Biblical times aside from a scattering of modern implements. The planet has been knocked from its natural rotation around the sun, and has begun drifting towards a solar apocalypse. The sun's proximity turns the planet into a baking desert and causes skin cancer to rapidly spread through a malady known as the Crisp. Forced to live their final days beneath the dried oceans, colonies of human beings hope to save fifty healthy children- planning to launch them from the planet before it is consumed in fire. The Crisp spans virtually every human emotion, both pure and evil. Brave scientists are led by Professor Arnold Mason and his wife,
Joanna; Monty Jordan, Ian Hanskon, Ivan Larnikov, and Pierre LaPorte. Rebel outcasts led by Mason's former friend Amory Barrett intend to stop the colonies' plans to save the human race. Charismatic Sui-Ling is an eight-year-old girl reluctantly appointed to lead the children. She is joined by others of different nationalities, including Kiwi, StephAnne, Anton, Yvette and others. The premise is simple- if humanity came to a crashing halt, but was given one more chance to start anew with the children, would the human race learn its lessons? The cover of The Crisp was expertly created by Manny Simantiras of etsDesigns (301-869-0767) in Maryland. He is presently creating an even more exciting cover for the sequel Children of The Crisp. Sui-Ling is a charismatic child who has been selected by Professor Arnold Mason to lead the future society of children. The only child of Mei-Ling and Chen, Sui-Ling's family originally traveled from China to Nova Scotia to begin a new life, years before the discovery of The Crisp. After the malady began to overcome humanity, Sui-Ling's parents reluctantly entrusted their daughter's fate to Professor Mason as he established a colony beneath the now evaporating Atlantic Ocean. A born leader, yet still a child, Sui-Ling's life lacks typical childhood experiences of past generations. Somehow, she finds a way to overcome nearly every obstacle in her path. Discovered beside her dead teenage mother in a subterranean cave, two-year-old Kendra is a child of God like Sui-Ling, she just doesn't know it yet. Kendra's new life in the quadrants is far better than her origin as the sole survivor of a decayed colony. While other youngsters are despondent over the childhoods they have lost, Kendra is happy in an improved existence. Her feisty curiosity will get her into trouble in the forthcoming sequel. Be careful around this little girl. She'll steal your heart away. While The Crisp is a dark story, Children of The Crisp offers hope for the future. The Crisp depicts a world of despair, created by the prevailing selfishness of the majority of the human race. It reflects the failures of adults to provide a better world for its offspring.

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