Author With A Day Job

Mild mannered working stiff by day, author at night.

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  • The uncertainty of fire. It really can go up in smoke.

    I picked up this hidden gem of a novel in an independent bookstore.  It is written by Stephanie Daniels, a self-published author. Most people would never know about this beautifully-written story except for blogs like this one bringing it to their attention.  Sixteen-year-old Whimsey Greatheart, the daughter of a wealthy Chicago banker, thinks her biggest worry is what the society page in the local newspaper… Read more

  • Should the Bible Be in our classrooms?

    The governments of two conservative states are now requiring the Bible and the Ten Commandments to be taught in their public schools. Oklahoma is requiring every classroom in the state to have a Bible and all teachers must incorporate the Bible and the Ten Commandments in their curriculum. Louisiana is requiring the Ten Commandments be… Read more

  • Kids are More Diverse Than Ever

    The need for diversity in children’s books caught publishers flat-footed. Prior to about 2010 children’s books featured almost exclusively white characters. What the industry did not seem to be aware of was the nation was becoming more diverse.   It’s not hard to imagine why this happened if you look at the demographics of the United… Read more

  • School Shootings Are Caused By More Than Just Guns

    You have certainly heard of the school shooting in Georgia by now. This event has revived the argument of gun rights verses gun control.  I’m not going to discuss whether or not we need stricter gun laws. I will leave that to other blogs. I do want to express my belief that the causes of… Read more

  • Strong Women Are Not New

    Strong female characters are not a new thing. There were strong women in every age. In honor of Women’s History Month, I thought I’d take the time to show you a couple of my favorites from classic television. Dale Evans’ vest is embroidered with ‘girly’ fringes, but that’s where it stops. She packs a gun… Read more