First Stories

Young people say it all the time: "That's not fair!" Who said life was going to be fair?

A Climbing the Ladder Story (1)
Part of the A Well-Lived Life universe
'Climbing the Ladder' is the story of Jonathan Kane, a young man from rural Ohio, who begins a new life in Chicago in the mailroom of Spurgeon Capital. This is a story in the 'A Well-Lived Life' universe, and provides history and backstory for Spurgeon Capital, the Spurgeon family, the Glass family, the Lundgren family, Anala Subramani, Tom Quinn, and others from the 'A Well-Lived Life' series. The story stands on its own, and does not require reading any other stories in the universe.

The cure for loneliness may be right in front of you. If you're lucky the cure is more adventurous than you can ever imagine.

I bought the bikinis on a whim. Actually, it was the towels that caught my eye and made me stop, but the bikinis were there, too, at the sidewalk vendor's stall. And I was in a hurry, so I didn't examine things very much. I trusted the girl working there to offer me information I should have sought out. Anyway, I bought matching bikinis for my wife and daughter. Turned out they were very small bikinis. My wife's reaction wasn't what I expected. My daughter's reaction blew my mind.

A Lucky Tickets Story (1)
A teenage boy stumbles upon a roll of "lucky tickets." Thus begins this "coming of age" story about this lucky boy. (Foreword + 20 chapters + afterword; 146,342 words total) / (Reviews)

A Blues Story
After Megan's husband died, she invented something to support herself and her daughter with. The invention works perfectly. A Japanese industrialist is interested in manufacturing it. He's even coming to America to negotiate the deal. But he thinks she's a man, and her interpreter knows him to be the kind of traditional man who won't do business with a woman. So suddenly, she needs a man to front for her. Sort of a Rent-a-man kind of thing. But who can she trust to do something like that? / (Reviews)

A story in the Anthem Universe
Alex had it all, a great life, cool friends, and a loving family. What more can a fourteen your old need? But life isn't always what we want, which Alex finds out when tragedy strikes. With the help of friends and family Alex begins to accept what life has dealt, but never forgetting a life taken too early.

A Serendipity Chronicles Story (3)
Serendipity is once more the setting for adventure and love, as Philippa Henderson is treated to a sailing holiday by her father. An abducted Russian orphan is rescued and we meet several old friends. / (Reviews)

An Oscar Story
Robert Pearson, retired, recently widowed, decides to 'escape to the country'. There, he finds new purpose in his life... and love