Tears in the Dust Tapa blanda - 2011

I grew up listening to my grandfather, an Ozark Mountain story teller, spinning tales of the caves on his farm, describing them as hiding places once used by Jesse & Frank James' gang. It didn't matter if the stories were true or not. Those legends set fire to my imagination, creating images that emerged slowly over the years, finally igniting as my short stories and novels. Now, thirty-plus short stories and three novels later, ideas keep coming, with novel number four well underway. Do they share anything in common? Each has its own unique voice and tale to tell, some in the old style and some in the flavors of Chunky Monkey and Marshmallow-Cherry swirl. Yet, at their heart, my stories tell a tale of the human condition - the good, the bad and the ugly. My literary roots, planted in the American Midwest, thrived when transplanted - over thirty-nine years ago - to the rich, cultural soil of Ontario. Warmed by a Florida sun, I now divide my winters between Port St. Lucie and Port St. Joe. Those roots have grown to become the life I've always dreamed of having: writer, dreamer and storyteller. Who could ask for more?