We are all lost,Tossed in a sea of shit and rot,Taught to be ourselves,But really, all they think we should’ve thoughtTo be as they made us be.I’m just as bad at this allAs I used to be.I’m worn down to naught and caughtUp in a whirlwind of decay and haven’t gotTwo cents of sense to know what to believe,But in all this time, you should be used to me.A kidnapped teen, held who knows where3.5 million Euros are demanded in ransom, but is that all the kidnappers want?Inspector Stone is tasked with finding the girl and bringing her home safely. Hard enough under normal circumstances, but between investigating an unrelated armed robbery, family problems and the machinations of an ambitious underling, it's almost impossible. When it turns out that the Russian Mafia might be involved in the kidnapping, things begin to spiral out of Stone's control.Unknown to either Stone or Alice's parents, the kidnappers have more in mind than collecting a ransom. Stone needs to find Alice before the ransom can be paid and the kidnappers can make good on their threats. Or it won't just be Alice that becomes a victim to their deadly plans...

This moving short story is part of a YA series telling the tales of so-called “military brats.”What readers are saying about OUT OF THE BLUE…“This is amazing!”AditiDankar“I’m dead. Literally dead. I love your writing so much. Please continue.”ebails32This moving short story is part of a YA series telling the tales of so-called “military brats.”What readers are saying about OUT OF THE BLUE…“This is amazing!”AditiDankar“I’m dead. Literally dead. I love your writing so much. Please continue.”ebails32“Fabulous story - so much left to be said and discovered in that small longing voice. Families are always a puzzle. You've given delicate fragile threads of beauty here.”tamojaOverview of Spy Boy…The year is 1984, and Meredith’s family moves to an Air Force base.It’s enough that she has to adjust to the weirdness of duck-and-cover and air raid sirens. But now there’s something else: Meredith thinks she’s discovered a spy.More praise…“This story is beautifully written! I absolutely love it!”alexthymix“Very distinct and well thought out characters.”austinlugo“What a lovely story. You've captured all the interesting dynamics between the characters and I loved the way you've told the story. Short and sweet!”Jing_JingAn award-winning storyteller…WINNER of the Miami Fiction PrizeWINNER of the Associated Writing Programs Intro Journals Project AwardFINALIST for the Faulkner/Wisdom AwardA Wattpad FEATURED AUTHOR Recipient of a MAJOR GRANT from the Tacoma Arts CommissionYou might also like…Lisa Brunette’s powerful poetry collection, Broom of Anger.“I want to binge on every word.”Lisa HickeyCEO, The Good Men Project

With his genius for research and his mastery of many cultures, James A. Michener cuts to the heart of the issues that threaten to fragment and undermine America today: racial conflict, the widening gulf between rich and poor, the decline of education, the inadequacies of our health care system. Then he offers a detailed program that will help America sustain what he terms its "outstanding success." Thought-provoking, opinionated, infused with the wisdom and passion of a lifetime, This Noble Land is at once a wake-up call for our troubled times and a blueprint for our future greatness.