First Stories

Young Tom Carter, sixteen, average high school kid, goes out with friends to play some pickup ice hockey. But an accident sends him sprawling headfirst into a tree stump and some discarded, unlabeled cans. When he wakes up after a week in the hospital he finds that he has acquired some new talents. We follow Carter through high school as he learns what he can do with these new skills, and what he can't. His experimentation shows that he is able to make girls very, very happy.

John Jacob "Jake" Nicholls and Gillian "Gill" Louisa Moorhouse have both been damaged in the past. Each has worked together and admired each other for years, although they seem miles apart in their careers. Now a broken marriage and broken family have brought them into alignment. Together they climb a steep hill, but will they fall and will they be hurt? A gentle romance set against a backdrop of high hills, high finance and a low character, a story full of humour, drama and love.

A Climbing the Ladder Story
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.

When the Germans occupied France during World War II, the Resistance fought back against the invaders. That didn't stop Marie and Christof from falling in love, despite the consequences.

A Story in the Wendy's Worlds Universe
Junior is turned 14, Connie is turned 16. They have watches. Everybody duck.

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 Serendipity Chronicles Story
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)

A story in the Institute universe
Sean is freshly certified Docent who has just moved to Washington DC and accepted Julie to be his first client. She was supposed to be a challenge, someone to test his mettle if you will. He'd been given a plan, the reservations had been made... and then it all started falling apart.