The Great American Mammal Jamboree tells the mythical story of how the animal mammals mysteriously acquire the cloak of invisibility (to Man) and gather at a mystical sanctuary, also invisible to Man.  Here they establish a new code of ethics for living.  They strengthen their camaraderie by participating in Mammal Olympics.  Over time they learn the true meaning of trust and faith, of sacrifice, and love and understanding.

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When they graduate, they return to Man's world with the goal of showing good men the errors of their bad stewardship of the animals. One of the mammal weapons is Benevolent Sabotage which forces Man to be confronted with his cruelty and abuse to animals.  Hopefully, we all learn something about honoring animals and respecting them for the importance of who they are... thinking and loving beings who feel joy and hurt just as must as we do.

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The Great American Mammal Jamboree is a teaching book, and it provides lots of mammal humor along the way and great animal character development.  It contains over twenty original illustrations of Jamboree mammals at work or play.  If you are an animal lover, chances are you will love this book.

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​Killing Time in a Small Southern Town is the story of a 1959 murder/kidnapping of two black youths by two white teenagers.  It takes place in the heated atmosphere of pre-integration massive resistance and examines the question of whether blacks could get justice in the last days of a segregationist society.
 

While Killing Time is historical fiction, it is largely based on the facts as they occurred in Charlottesville, Virginia, circa 1959.  It pits a young Commonwealth’s Attorney, Jack Forester, on the political rise, who wants to bring justice to these young, black victims.  At the same time, he is fearful that this same community might bring him down if they don’t like the justice he is fighting for. 
 

Killing Time examines the social layers of Charlottesville society and how they react to this White on Black crime.  Jack Forester must determine how he can prosecute these two white hooligans in such a way that the black victims get justice while he protects his political future.​

 

 

 

 

Norton’s Lament is the fictional story of a young man coming of age in the second half of the twentieth century. He is a man in conflict with the world and with himself, a man filled with love and hate, with anger and determination. Throughout, he battles recurrent episodes of debilitating depression. 
 

Norton’s Lament is about how one can cope with and manage disability over time and lead a full life.   For Norton there are many bumps and life lessons along the way, some poignant, some hilarious, some ironic, some both funny and sad. These include a riotous road trip to Florida, and true love discovered.  It also traces his Naval service during the Vietnam War, which includes the real life drama of a 30-day stint in the brig.

 

Over time Norton comes to terms with the full dimensions of his illness.  He begins to understand that in the total context of his life there is always hope, there is dignity, and there can be success on many different levels despite mental illness.
 

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Depression affects over 9 million Americans at one time and nearly a million of them are college age or younger.  Many of us have been impacted by this disease.  What is generally not known is that depression is chronic. It is a disability that almost never goes away.  In most cases however, it can be managed, and those who suffer from depression can have full and productive lives.  This too is the message of Norton’s Lament, but it is also to remind us that those who are not able to get adequate treatment often become part of the 30,000 suicides in America per year, of which 5,000 are teenagers.

 

 

 

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Growing Up with Jemima is the whimsical true story of a boy growing up with his dog in the 1950s in Charlottesville and Richmond, Virginia.   
From the innocence of the early days as the Lone Ranger with his trusty cocker spaniel sidekick making Charlottesville safe and happy, to the coming of age in Richmond with hard truths, these are the adventures of a boy who learns early on that life may be overrated, but a good dog will never let you down.