Kirjahaku

Jack Clayton was living a quiet life in southern Ohio until a shotgun blast sent his life into a tailspin. He ends up on a West Virgina mountain, living in "cabin" owned by newly acquired friends. His new life is good except he is sure the woman next door is crazy. She claims he stole her cat. He didn't. Then things get a lot worse before they get better. He has to get the guys who kidnapped his son. In spite of how he views himself he is now a killer of men. Just as big of a surprise to him is the woman next door.

Arni, The Cat moved in across the street, at least that is what the humans thought. He immediately started exploring and expanding his territory. Some humans knew bits and pieces of his several worlds, but it would be eighteen years before his secret worlds became exposed, leaving many humans amazed. In the beginning I was not a fan of cats. I wasn't an enemy, just not a fan. However, this little fellow had the ability to insert himself into people's lives and hearts. He came across the street to visit, and I found his purring to be both soothing and addictive. With no intentions of doing so, I found myself loving him more and more, and we became great friends. It turns out I was not the only one. Arni had a great ability to form deep friendships with many people. Arni lived life the way he wanted. He manipulated humans to supply his every want. To call him a scam artist is too negative. He was such a beautiful, smart cat with a loving demeanor that people felt privileged to supply him with his desires. If he couldn't get it at one house, well, there were other houses. This book recounts many of his exploits and his impact on my life. I hope the book entertains you and honors my friend, Arni.

Jack & Lydia in the Shadow of Sabotage is a sequel to A Shadow of Death in the Woods. The Cabin gang is back in action in an explosive story. The survival of Jack's company is threatened. There is a disagreement over the source of the problem and the remedy. One person is shot and another dies before Jack gets a handle on the situation. Burned by previous relationships, Jack and Lydia want no romantic involvement, but things spin out of control, and their lives take an unexpected turn. The Cat doesn't like people and living in The Cabin seems to have given him an attitude. His reputation spreads. A new character, the sheriff, appears. He has his thoughts about the gang at The Cabin.

Frankie Randall in the Shadow of Childhood is a sequel to Jack and Lydia in the Shadow of Sabotage and A Shadow of Death in the Woods. Beautiful Frankie has an ugly secret, which is painfully revealed in this novel. Concurrently, Jack meets two would-be rapists, starting a string of violence that proves very difficult to stop. The Cat's attitude appears to have worsened, leading to an interaction with the police. The Shadow series is about bad things happening to good people and how violence can spiral out of control. For earthly redemption, we need to look to fellow human beings for friendship and love. That is the only way we can make it through the night.

Frankie Randall in the Shadow of Childhood is a sequel to Jack and Lydia in the Shadow of Sabotage and A Shadow of Death in the Woods. Beautiful Frankie has an ugly secret, which is painfully revealed in this novel. Concurrently, Jack meets two would-be rapists, starting a string of violence that proves very difficult to stop. The Cat's attitude appears to have worsened, leading to an interaction with the police. The Shadow series is about bad things happening to good people and how violence can spiral out of control. For earthly redemption, we need to look to fellow human beings for friendship and love. That is the only way we can make it through the night.

An amusing personal look back at seventy years of life starting in the 1940s and 1950s in upstate New York mountains. Nostalgia buffs will love the stories from before electricity up to modern times. Today, we take electricity for granted, forgetting that there was a time with no electricity. Do-it-yourselfers or anyone who has attempted house repairs will treasure the tongue in cheek chapters on house painting tips. The author swears all of these humorous stories are true. Go ahead and laugh. He did.

The West Virginia group of friends is spurred into action again. Jack and Lydia return from their honeymoon only to find tragedy at home. A member of their friendship circle has been abducted. Jack uses his biker connections to search for the perps. Things don't go as planned and he is faced with an unusual business deal. Gunfire erupts leaving bodies strewn about. Follow Jack on this action-packed adventure where only love and friendship can save them.

These amusing true stories are from the author's Navy experiences 1958 to 1962, including service aboard the USS Cascade 1959 to 1962. They are shared in the hope that you might find them as funny as he did. Some may remind you of movie scenes but these are real and just as entertaining.