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WHY YOU ARE HERE and other stories.The fifteen stories in this volume all take place in the lovely town of Mercy on the north coast of California: tales of self-discovery, love, survival, friendship, creativity, and the quest for meaningful ways to spend this precious life. Each story may be read as a stand-alone creation, or the stories may be read as interconnected tales giving the reader an experience akin to reading a novel.Poets, chess masters, bartenders, artists, musicians, purveyors of cannabis, sheriffs, writers, moviemakers, shopkeepers, dogs, gardeners, children, auto mechanics, psychotherapists, and actors populate these stories about facing the ceaseless challenges of being human: the need for love, the sorrow of loss, confusion, doubt, hope, the longing to be seen and heard, and our great desire to belong. Todd Walton is the author of the acclaimed novels and short story collections Inside Moves, Forgotten Impulses, Ruby & Spear, Buddha In A Teacup, Under the Table Books, and Little Movies. His many music CDs include Lounge Act In Heaven, Dream of You, Mystery Inventions, and Ceremonies. His delightful short videos may be watched on YouTube and his blog of stories and memoirs is on his website.

That itch is getting worse. Your dreary office job is simply not doing it for you. You're sick of reading all those exciting tales of other people taming gorillas in Rwanda or scaling Andean peaks. How you wish you were brave enough to quit and follow in their footsteps. Isn't there somewhere a little less scary?And then one day you see the advert in the paper: "Teach English in Japan! Experience a new culture! Earn money!"Now that's more like it, you say. Yes, Japan! Perfect! An enticing blend of the exotic and the modern. And safe too!Next thing, you're on the plane, excited at the prospect of your own adventure about to start.What could possibly go wrong?Quite a lot, it turns out.'GAIJIN: Nine Cautionary Tales of Life in Japan's English Teaching Community' is the story of a bunch of ordinary folk who, for a variety of reasons, decide to strike out and make a new life for themselves in the Far East. We watch as their lives unfold. There are highs and lows. There are shocks and surprises aplenty. There's a contender for the world's worst karaoke performance. There are challenges and tough choices. Spoiler alert: It rarely ends well.Anyone who's spent time in Japan will find plenty to relate to.And anyone considering a change of country might do well to read this first.Some people are probably better off staying home.

Ann Banks, the first woman elected president of the United States, and a member of the independent party, harbors a dark secret. She finds herself being blackmailed by a member of Russian organized crime, who have discovered this secret, putting both the safety of her lover, and her presidency, in jeopardy, just days before she is sworn in as president.Connecticut State Police detective, Sandi DeCarlo, is tasked with investigating a death at the governor's mansion, just days before the inauguration. Joining forces with the members of the U.S. intelligence community, DeCarlo finds herself caught in a deadly game of political intrigue, not knowing who is friend or enemy, as she races against time to keep the new president's secret - a secret, and herself, from becoming collateral damage.The story unravels at a fast pace and is set against a backdrop that includes spirited dialogue surrounding both sides of the many political and social issues making headlines today.

Barker Cane Land is Healing a Child's Grief caused by the Parents' Divorce through the spiritual wisdom and practical advice gathered from the Barker Canes. These brightly painted carnival prizes from a 1946 Midway burst forth to magical life to help the Young Lad deal with his anxiety, stress and sadness.This Journey Out of Grief occurs due to the miraculous Barker Canes' practical tips, sprinkled with Laughter and Love. Like it is said in Barker Cane Land, "Step up, aim well...the prize will be in your grasp!"Barker Cane Land is a lovely book, imaginatively and vibrantly illustrated, which uniquely focuses on the young person's perspective in a divorce, instead of the parents'. The children need champions. The Barker Canes figuratively, and literally rise to the occasion, having returned to their carnival surroundings, and having taken the Young Lad with them, to enjoy all the uplifting sights, sounds and feelings of the fair.The spiritual wisdom of the mystical Barker Canes is focused on the child's view of the grief that splatters all over when parents' separate the family. Barker Cane Land is definitely a gift for a young person who wants humor, magic and love to conquer the grief of separation due to the needs of the parents to find their own individual paths. The Barker Canes with practical, down to earth, techniques uplift the child out of worry and loss. They talk directly to this young person's soul. By traveling back in time, he is given perspective, to help him cope with the challenges of life.The purpose of the book is to present a complicated and difficult subject in a transcendent way. The Barker Canes each have their own take on helping the Young Lad, Tryon, look at his situation, and that of his family, and find his way forward to being healed.The Barker Canes are each unique. Allegiance, the Dog Cane, speaks of devotion and loyalty to family. Glory, the Horse Cane, is the warrior who conveys confidence and power. Zesty, the Pig Cane, explains inner courage and family support. Roma, the Dice Cane, delivers the Crystal Ball of the future and positive change. Finally, the Grand Presence, the Elephant Cane, imparts the wisdom of Love and Light.The Grand Presence gently explains how the darkness of Grief can be pushed out of a Heart, and how a person can take back the Light through the flow and grace of Love.Barker Cane Land is a present that each parent needs to give to the children when entering the world of divorce and separation. The themes also will help guide the parent, and can provide everyone involved with straight forward insight in an engaging, uncomplicated and gentle way.Come join the Barker Canes. Step up and win the Prize for yourself and your family.

When I began my career as an Athletic Director in 2000, I started the practice of writing an email to my coaches every Monday calling it "Thought of The Week." The goal was to simply encourage coaches, offer hope and possibly provide a few ideas to help them build their programs. Unconditional Coaching is a partial collection of those emails, providing you with one lesson for each week of the year (52). I certainly do not know it all, and many of these lessons come from mistakes that I made personally as a coach, so learn from them if you can. Some things you may agree with, some you may not, even still, take a little time once a week to think creatively, and challenge yourself in becoming better. Coaching is a great profession, and to say coaches shape America is not an understatement. Coaches have the unique opportunity to influence an athlete's life in the most dramatic ways that can last a lifetime. The most meaningful coaches are the ones that coach unconditionally, by not letting wins and losses get in the way of putting kids first. I made multiple mistakes as a coach, and to this day I still have regret in the way I handled some situations and players. I pulled stunts that coaches are getting fired for today, but you live and learn. All I do know for certain is that my intent was sincere at the time, and that is the best I can do in explaining it. I hope you enjoy the lessons, they all come from my experiences as a coach, Athletic Director, parent, spouse, son, athlete, and a humble member of the human race. Remember, never correlate a coach's win/loss record or title to the level of influence they can have on their players. Some of the most significant coaches in kids' lives never became a head coach or won a State Championship. Regardless of where you are coaching today, you have the opportunity to influence lives. Although winning is much more enjoyable than losing, focus on building champions first, and your career will be full of success. Without question, the most sustaining victories in this business will never appear in a W/L/ record, but they certainly do count. It is possible that you can become the most positive and significant influence in a kid's life, what other profession can boast that? Win or lose, influence is going to happen. Don't take that lightly.

GOVERNMENTAL OFFICIALS UNITE with a team of elite scientists to create a manifestation of their vision of perfection, which comes in the form of a life-changing gas called Noxin. Once breathed, subjects will no longer have need for food, water, or reproduction. Additionally, the hosts will become stronger, faster, and more intelligent. These beings would come to be known as Phoenix for their ability to periodically resurrect themselves by self-combusting within an aura of flame. Noxin, Phoenix, the greatest creations known to humanity. Until one day, they become an omen of extinction for all.

Awesome by AccidentAwesome by Accident is about a precocious 17 year old boy, Gene R. Rodgers, whose future is all mapped out for him. He has grown to appreciate the values of self-reliance, stoicism, determination, and tenaciousness as taught to him by his parents. Rodgers's plans for the future reflect all of those values as he declares his decision to homestead in Alaska. His decision is emblematic of earlier plans to row solo across Lake Erie. Undeterred by lack of experience, he proceeds with confidence to make his dreams and plans a reality.Paralyzed in a hiking accident, he must rethink his future. Rodgers' spirit is tested to its core as he struggles to make sense of his new life. He languishes in uncertainty while the gravity of his situation slowly becomes clear to him. Unable to accept his probable future he attempts suicide only to have his plans thwarted by a quick thinking no nonsense doctor. Rodgers decides to work relentlessly to successfully become rehabilitated.Now thrown into a world not of his making, Rodgers must find a way to once again embrace his family's value of self-reliance. To become self-reliant, he must leave the security of home, the support system that protects him. Can he survive on his own? Is that even possible? He struggles to identify an acceptable career path. He relies on a post-secondary education to give him an edge in employment somewhere in the science field. While away at school, he decides not to let school get in the way of his education. Dorm life suits him well and he makes friends that change his life. One of Rodgers' friends, Bruce, enlightens him to the possibilities the world has to offer. He meets Jane who is instrumental to his emotional healing and well-being. Rodgers contemplates a life with Jane permanently a part of it. Making a life long emotional commitment will mean sacrificing a more solitary life he still seeks. Bruce, Rodgers and other school friends travel throughout North America enjoying many adventures along the way. These experiences mold Rodgers into an undefeatable force as he embraces his mantra, fortune favors the brave.Rodgers becomes confident he can live independently, becoming self-reliant, as his family would expect. Though given a poor hand, he has played it well. Armed with a strong foundation of academics and endowed with social capital to support a life worth living, Rodgers builds an impressive resume. He earns a B.S. Ed to teach science in secondary education. He also earns an MBA and a Switzer Fellowship. His experiences become more varied and demanding as he worked in three states, traveled in 44 countries on six continents. He has enjoyed adventure sports including snow skiing, ski diving, paragliding, sailing on tall-ships, scuba diving, and trekking to name a few. He becomes an entrepreneur and subsequently a self-made millionaire. The more he learned and experienced, the more humble he became. Wherever he traveled, it was the people, not the place, that fulfilled him. Rodgers learned how to bounce back, to recover, to accomplish more than most people, able bodied or not. In Awesome by Accident, Rodgers repeatedly affirms that fortune does indeed favor the brave.

The Tuatha de Danaan, or fairies as most know them had existed with humans since the beginning of time. They shared their magic freely with humans and animals. As men began to war and pillage, the fairies could stay no longer, as their homes were torn apart. They departed through the portal in Newgrange, Ireland to another dimension where they could live in a different reality than the humans.So enters young Faelan O'Broin, a young Irish lad who prophecy had written would come and open the portal that the fairies had gone through so long ago. He would bring them back to add their magic to the Earth once again.His family has long been known for their Raven Magic. His mother taught him all she knew about plants and trees for medicine and healing. He learns that he can talk to trees and animals. He is given by Merlin, a magic grid and crystal with which he can open and travel through portals. As he sets off on his journey from the Southwest of Ireland towards the Northeastern magical region surrounding Newgrange, he meets magical beings to help him ignite his own magic.Leary, the leprechaun, who carries the bag of gold for the journey, starts the journey with Faelan. They pick up an old witch named Gana, who turns out to be a fairy named Morgana. She teaches Faelan about plant magic and leads him deeper into believing in himself.Later, he meets Aengus the Irish God of Love, who faced an evil in the portal that stole his magic. Faelan restores some of Aengus' magic as they travel together.Along the way, he finds some animals that have come to protect him and teach him their magic. Sefu, the cat, is really Heka the Egyptian God of Magic. He took on the form of a cat to join Faelan's journey. Athol the raven, latches onto his shoulder as a strong protector.He encounters animals and plants that teach him their magic. From astral traveling with the mug wort to remembering his life as a Mintakan with dolphins, his experiences are breath-taking. As he traverses many sacred sites on his journey, he meets many gods, goddesses, and magical beings. Some supply him with elements that he needs to power the portal. Others give him healing magic. One teaches him about death and rebirth into a new body.He is joined by Scotia, Goddess Brigid, Lugh, Circe, Hecate, Cernunnos, and Morrighan as they lead him deeper and deeper into magic. Magical Beings journey to see this lad who is so full of magic that even the trees are speaking of him. Undines, Unicorns, Pegasus, Elves, and Dragons join him, teaching the old ways.Will he be able to open the Fairy Portal and brings the Fairies back to us?

"A former Environmental Protection Agency attorney delivers an impassioned plea to fight pollution and climate change. Timely and engaging; a heroic environmental story well told." - Kirkus Book Review, April 22, 2020 (50th Anniversary of Earth Day)"Written both as a historic record and 'how to' guide aimed at inspiring change makers, this unvarnished and timely depiction from 1980 to today has something to offer readers of any age or ilk. Emory pulls back the curtain to expose the inner workings of the federal government and the EPA. He dives into the data-historic indicators, scientific and economic data, and policy choices-as well as humorously illustrating his forays abroad and his courtroom adventures. He tells the story of rampant pollution and how the US has fallen so far behind in its response to climate change and transition to clean energy. Emory has faith in forthcoming environmentalists, and his solutions-oriented presentation of the facts makes complex, cross-sector challenges feel within our grasp." - Fiona Gordon, published in Maine Environment newsletter of the Natural Resources Council of Maine (Augusta, Maine, spring & summer 2020)"This hybrid that is a must-read memoir and climate change book is NOT another dry treatise or one-sided, unbalanced diatribe. Richard Emory has written a very thoroughly knowledgeable and realistic account of the truth about EPA and how to fight pollution. He weaves in wonderful personal climate change stories and anecdotes about successes and failures of environmental policies enacted in the U.S. and other countries and how national attitudes have affected climate change & EPA's mission. Young people will be inspired to learn how to protect our environment." - David Katz, retired Assistant United States Attorney* * * * *With the election of President Biden and a new Congress, America is rejoining the Western world that sees the need for the U.S. to revive its EPA, formulate a "Green New Deal," and restore U.S. global leadership within the Paris Climate Accord.Fighting Pollution and Climate Change is a must-read memoir by Richard W. Emory, Jr., our nation's former top legal advisor to all EPA federal special agents. Emory witnessed how the U.S Department of Justice failed to effectively prosecute crimes of pollution. He became a whistleblower when interviewed by Congress that was investigating reports of mishandled pollution cases. In the second half of his career, working within EPA's foreign assistance mission, to the waiting world he helped spread effective measures for pollution control and for the implementation of global environmental treaties.Fighting Pollution and Climate Change is a "page-turner" - you will laugh, you will cry, but you won't be bored. You will learn the truth about U.S. and international successes and failures in the fight against air, water, pesticides and toxic-waste pollution. You'll be encouraged by his insider perspective as he tells how to protect the climate using today's technologies and EPA's proven policies.Who will benefit from this important environmental book?¿ Aspiring environmental activists - both young and old - who want to learn how to fight pollution and take action on climate change¿ Lovers of memoirs and nature, who will be touched by one individual's adventures in the exciting work of pollution control that can and must be expanded to climate protection¿ Global leaders and movements prepared to face the next chapter of unifying our world under a much stronger agenda to heal the Earth and protect our planet

New Orleans native Mademoiselle Francesca Dumas is a kept woman. At age eighteen in the second year of the American Civil War, she is the concubine of a rich New Orleans banker, Joachim Buisson. Born a quadroon, Francesca leads a sheltered life of elegant jewels, gowns, lace, and lavish balls-until a bullet shatters her dream world.An assassin murders "her man" as Francesca stood beside him among a throng gathered atop a Mississippi River levee on April 25, 1862. Bowed by Joachim's body, rain-soaked and blood-spattered, she vows revenge. Francesca's passionate desire for retribution drives her into a new life as a sleuth. Becoming a detective to solve a murder mystery is far from the role of women in 1862 New Orleans-especially a woman who perceives herself to be African American but appears to be white.As Francesca's investigation begins, the assassin kills two more people and kidnaps Francesca's best friend, Emily. Driven to recover Emily and avenge Joachim, Francesca's arduous mental and physical journey takes a circuitous route-far from a concubine's life of extravagant balls, lace, and leisure. Amid the flowering of spring and early summer in New Orleans, she finds herself mired deep in the perilous abyss between Union, French, and Confederate spies.Aboard mule-drawn streetcars, Francesca's gumshoe work takes her through Vieux Carré, Tremé, and many famous city streets in search of the assassin's motive, means, and opportunity to commit mayhem. In her undercover role, she frequents Café du Monde, Antoine's Restaurant, and the famous ballroom at the present-day Bourbon Orleans Hotel. Francesca gets help from three historic people of New Orleans; humanitarian Mother Henriette Delille, actress Sarah Butler, and Union spy John Mahan.Can rookie detective Francesca's passion, determination, and wit overcome a kidnapper and three-time murderer?Author's CommentIn America, race matters. The artificial constructs of race, caste, and class have mattered for centuries and still matter today. Sex between white men and African, Native American, and mixed-race women produced off-springs known as mulattos, quadroons, and octoroons. Mulattos are likely to have as few as one or two white grandparents and an African or Native American parent. Quadroons have three white grandparents, while octoroons have seven white great-grandparents.Mademoiselle Francesca Dumas was a quadroon. According to young and vivacious Francesca, "There are many rules in New Orleans about sex-written and unwritten. The rules apply to everyone-except white men."While miscegenation existed all over the South, arranged unions between white men and women of color existed in antebellum New Orleans society by contract in a recognized extralegal system called plaçage. Race, caste, and class are significant matters in Francesca's life.The rigid caste system into which Francesca Dumas was born in 1843 was an American institution more than a century before the "founding fathers" wrote United States Constitution. European Americans used skin color in the establishment of their caste system. For centuries, dominant cultures decided the segregation of people into subordinate groups-whether by skin-color or some other basis such as religion or linage or whatever. A few examples are societies in China, Rwanda, South Africa, India, and Pakistan.The caste system that had such a profound impact on Francesca's American life is alive and well in twenty-first-century America.

Darcy was heartbroken when it didn't work out with Jared and herself. She knew she couldn't share the house they lived in together anymore. It was time to move on and out to the city next door. It's much bigger and where her best friends Rose and Ben live. She'd be further from her brother, but she knew they could travel to see each other. Darcy tries to get a job at a few books stores and a library. The library hires her as a custodian. She works there with three newly made friends: Arianna, Jessica and Greg. Jessica and Greg end up becoming more than just friends as their relationship blooms Darcy finds herself making a friend as well. His name is Michael.Michael is an advertising agent climbing his way up the ladder hoping to get promoted as a partner. He is in need of a dog for his television commercial for a bistro which is located in a tidy alley. He goes to the dog park and that's where he meets Darcy and her bloodhound, Sarge. Michael likes the look of Sarge and decides he'll make a great dog for the commercial. He gets Darcy's phone number and permission to use Sarge.During Michael and Darcy's acquaintance he asks Darcy out on a date. Where she gladly accepts. They end up having many adventures together. Right when they start to get a little too close Darcy explains to Michael she doesn't want to have sex until after marriage. Michael is frustrated and not sure how to respond, so he ends up ghosting her.Carla Truman found Michael attractive since college. She'd been busting out the moves on him for a couple of months. Michael finally calls Carla after things with Darcy went awry. He and his sister, Katielynn, make plans to meet for lunch with Carla. After all, Carla wanted to catch up on old times with his sister that she also went to college with.Darcy and Rose end up at the same restaurant as Michael, Katielynn, and Carla are at. She notices that Michael and Carla are seated together and touching hands. After ghosting her so long she figures Michael has moved on.Will their relationship end, because Michael doesn't want to get married so soon or wait to be with Darcy? Will he move on with Carla? Or will he comes to his senses and end up back with Darcy?

Grounded Golf is the easy-to-understand and use guide that offers a basic but powerful grounding technique which energy healers and spiritual gurus have used for centuries. Inside, Tara Fox shares the technique with the female golfer to help with performance under pressure on the golf course, helping to lower scores, exercise your connections, and increase your overall enjoyment of the game.