Anna
ANNA is an account of the life of Anna Marie Gamble, blending fact with fiction. The story is based on a frank and revealing memoir written by Anna at age 84 at the request of her children. The author met her when she was 96 years old while visiting his brother’s wife at a convalescent facility in Ypsilanti, Michigan. The author assumes the person of his brother in telling the story. It parallels most of the chapters of Anna’s memoir.
The author steps out of the story for a brief interlude following Chapter Nine. The cumulative effect of Anna’s travails leads him to a moment of contemplation to reflect on the cruelty and enormous problems she overcomes through faith. He is reminded of the story The Song of Bernadette by Franz Werfel and likens Anna to St. Bernadette.
The story takes place in various rural areas of Pennsylvania near Scranton. As told by Anna, her family moved forty times by the time she was fourteen years old. They lived in small clapboard shacks and apartments barely habitable by humans, finally settling into a large, rented farm, where they lived until Anna left home at age 18. Ten children were born into the family, five of them having died before she was six years old.
The book begins with a short preface, in Anna’s words, followed by an introduction by the author. In Chapter 1, Honor Thy Father and Thy Mother, Anna recalls a hellish existence at age four, in particular, the dysfunctional relationship between her mother and father. The mother, Della Duvall, was absent from the home for long periods with no knowledge by the family of her whereabouts. The father, Daniel, was an exceptional musician and passed his talents onto his children. He often drank in excess and had an explosive temper. He was cruel to his children at times, especially Anna, who was anemic and suffered from rickets.
The author takes up the story after meeting Anna at age 96. Their daily encounters are described with humor and humility. After Anna is unable to care for herself, the author moves her into the room with his wife where he can assist with her needs and ensure that she is properly cared for in her waning days. She maintains an unrelenting belief in a life hereafter. She dies with the author holding her hand and a faint prayer whispered just before the end.
The Adventures of Faraday Fox
The Adventures of Faraday Fox is the story of a red fox who makes his way across the U.S. from Dahlonega, Georgia to Port Orchard, Washington. The story was written with readers, ten to twelve years old in mind. It contains more than twenty prints of original paintings of birds and other animals by Shirley Adams.
Faraday was orphaned as a baby then domesticated by Shirley. When he appeared ready, Shirley released him into the Cherokee National Forest in Reliance, Tennessee. From there Faraday made his way across the U.S.A. by walking, hitching rides in the baggage compartment of a bus, the back of McDonalds trailer truck, and in a boxcar. He meets forest creatures and domesticated animals along his travel route to America’s cities, facing perils, making friends, and sharing stories and adventures. He finally reaches Monterey California where he finds Shirley on vacation with her daughter-in-law, Vissy. Faraday is then taken to Port Orchard Washington to live out his life with Vissy and her granddaughter, Charlie.
Backstory:
The story of Faraday came about when Shirley and the author were on vacation in Monterey, California. Shirley gave one of her original paintings of a red fox to Visssy, her daughter-in-law, who lives in Port Orchard, Washington. Vissy took the painting to her home in Port Orchard. She and her granddaughter named the painting Faraday, which engendered the idea for the story.
Killers Can't Hide
A Delbert Cantrell Murder Mystery
Glamour, Passion, and Horses. A Deadly Combination for Carmen.
The unsolved murder of the former beauty queen Carmen Cantrell rocked Cumbersome County, Mississippi, and the number one suspect was her estranged husband, Delbert Cantrell. In a desperate attempt to clear his name, Delbert enlists the help of renowned attorney Sydney Saperstein and Isadore Holt, a detective and proprietor of a security firm. As they investigate Carmen’s death, they uncover a web of corruption in the county seat of Maysville, and will have to go all the way to Mexico and the Southwest USA to solve this crime. Will their detective work be enough to solve the murder and expose the truth? Find out in this thrilling crime novel!
Corners of My Mind
American Short Stories
Corners of My Mind is a captivating collection of American short stories, the perfect companion for your next flight or bedtime routine. This eclectic mix delves into the lives of ordinary people thrust into extraordinary situations, weaving a rich tapestry of human experience.
Within these pages, master storyteller Travis Short draws from a vast array of sources—his life, those around him, and flights of imagination. Each story emerges from a unique spark, whether a dream, a conversation, or an evocative image. From soldiers and preachers to lonely women and talking dogs, the characters in Corners of My Mind are as diverse as the stories themselves.
In “Old Men Cry Too Easily,” Jacob Monroe’s seventy-sixth birthday is overshadowed by the haze of Alzheimer’s. “Trimming Trees for God” tells of a radio minister whose charisma leads to a listener’s personal upheaval. “Lap Dance” reveals the heartbreak of a widower swindled by a seductive pole dancer. “Extra! Extra! Read All About It” provides an unexpected lifeline to a man caught in infidelity. “In from the Cold” follows a young soldier abandoned on a frigid North Korean mountain. Meanwhile, “Julius the Talking Dog” features a canine with remarkable intellect who discusses the Tibetan concept of transference with his master.
Each story in Corners of My Mind is imbued with unexpected twists and poignant moments that linger long after the last page is turned. Dive into this collection for a journey through the surprising and often profound corners of the human experience.