Scott Gibson's music will guide you in search of the truth underneath life's overbearing canopy. He makes lyrical promises that you are never alone, and the chords he sets free, from guitar and harp alike, are a strength; a conviction; indeed, an all-out pledge to crash through walls with you. In Scott's stories you will meet some unique and interesting characters; characters who are, in truth, you.
Twenty-seven-year-old Alexandra "ZeeZee" Hayward and her older brother, Mitchell, live in their childhood home, drifting aimlessly through existence. Mitchell works in a furniture warehouse, while ZeeZee is an assistant manager at the Gingerbread Cottage day care-a job with few challenges or demands. Theirs is a curiously isolated existence. The world, however, is about to intrude on the siblings' aimless routine. A casual flirtation with the father of one of her day care charges plunges ZeeZee into a series of clandestine meetings-which become more problematic as she befriends her lover's soon-to-be ex-wife. Even as ZeeZee juggles her emotionally conflicted new relationships, she and Mitchell are blindsided by the return of their long-absent father. Mitchell's response is angry and unforgiving, while ZeeZee's initial hostility changes to curiosity about the parent she never knew. When Mitchell eventually tries to bribe their father into disappearing, ZeeZee wonders where her brother found the money. Is he connected to the series of armed robberies plaguing the town? And if so, what can a loving sister do about it? Told from ZeeZee's often bemused perspective, Standing Outside of Life recounts the pleasure, perils, and glorious messiness of learning to live.
In Belle Epoque Paris, British journalist Percy Welles hires the beautiful and eccentric Georges Seigneur to help him run a news wire service. Georges draws Welles into an examination of the notorious Dreyfus Affair, the case of a French officer unmasked as a traitor and a spy. But Welles has a secret, one he cannot reveal to Georges: he has been sent to Paris by the British government to run an agent of his own. Torn between his love for Georges and his duty to his country, Welles attempts to strike a balance between them.Meanwhile, French Lieutenant Andre Durand joins a legendary colonial officer on a secret mission into the heart of equatorial Africa. The small band of adventurers intend to march three thousand miles across the dark continent to reach their objective, from whence they mean to expel the British from Africa.When Welles learns of Durand's mission, he must choose between his duty to his country, his love for Georges and his own conscience.The Mortality in Lies recreates the intrigue of late 19th century Europe, the age of the Great Powers and the struggle for colonial empire. It is a scrupulously researched work based on the events of the two great political crises of late 19th-century France.
The world is full of individuals whose paths cross ours every single day. We're so busy with our own lives and plans that we don't give them more than a fleeting thought, if even that. Yet, who knows what experiences these folks are coming from...or headed toward? Here's a chance to find out. This collection of short plays and monologues gives you a glimpse into what sort of events--happy or sad--these people might be dealing with: the young man seated in a coffee shop nervously awaiting his blind date; the girl waving at passing cars from the back seat of her own; the overly friendly man on the bus who likes to celebrate events with his fellow commuters; the little girl whose game with her stuffed animals is a bit more sinister than it first appears. All of these folks, and many more, await you within these pages. Some may resemble people you know; some should probably be avoided at all cost. Consider yourself warned.
This warm, perceptive novel follows the story of three adult siblings, their survival of a past full of tragedy, and their struggle to bloom in a future filled with love. No family is perfect. But for the adopted children of the McDell family, dysfunction and adversity seem to follow them wherever they go. Memories of childhood abuse and neglect finally surface in Deep Water, Colorado, as eldest sibling James returns for the funeral of his adoptive uncle. James hasn't been back to Deep Water since graduating high school ten years ago. That was also the last time he saw his brother, Rory, and his sister, Kendall. But a heartfelt reunion is the last thing on his mind. He wishes to return only long enough to pay his final respects to Uncle Martin. Kendall, a natural caregiver in spite of her damaged spirit, is also anxious about the reunion. But for Rory, spending time with Kendall means dealing with feelings he's not sure he can handle. James, once the family's anchor, fears that returning home will also mean being called upon to resume the the task he dreads the most: rescuing his siblings at the cost of his own identity.
