After publishing the 6th Llano Kid tale in the series, a new installment is in the works: Book 7 Below is a sneak preview of the story that is currently underway. The year is 1879 when the Llano Kid and Joe Remy meet up in a small mining town near El Paso. Trail worn, the […]
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Judging Character
Whether it’s cops & robbers, teens & parents, cowboys & Indians, or any other personality on stage, screen or in a novel, we actively make character judgements about them. We do the same in our own community! Sometimes our judgements are vague or subtle impressions. But most of our mental reactions of another person are […]
Read MoreLlano Kid’s Coming Back!
Look for the newest edition (Book 5) of the Llano Kid series, to be released in January 2022. The year is 1878 when he steps off the sloop in Seattle. Young Llano, an Irish/Cherokee drifter, signs on with Henry Yesler’s lumber operation where he proves himself worthy to the Yeslers and to his foreman, a […]
Read MoreRead and Sleep Better!
In these dark days of winter why not take a book to bed? After all, studies show reading helps you sleep better, while the video screen emits blue light that suppresses your sleep cycle. Oddly, watching a movie reduces your brain’s level of activity … but does nothing to help you sleep. On the other […]
Read MoreThey Were Here First
Schools across the nation are recognizing the importance of honoring the Indigenous Peoples of America over the arrival of the European explorer. After all, the holiday that falls in mid October seeks to remember the early beginnings of human civility in the New World. And, despite a host of conflicting view points, the native people […]
Read MoreBiased Media Pretends to Offer What We Want!
One showed up in my mailbox today. A copy of a nationally distributed newspaper filled with headlines and articles we’re all too familiar with. So, with smoky skies over my city and no desire to go outside, I sat down to give it a read. Right away my radar was up and functioning, vetting each […]
Read MoreHorse Drawn to Horseless Coaches
By the end of the 19th century it was becoming clear the automobile would soon wean people off the horse as a means for transportation. Numerous start up ventures harnessing steam powered contraptions rolling on bicycle wheels soon evolved into a host of self-propelled carriages. It was a turn-of -the-century revolution, at first in the […]
Read MoreAntagonists & the Psychopath
Often the best thrillers cast the best antagonists in hopes of perpetuating maximum conflict viewers and readers are seeking. It’s the “thrill” factor that makes us sit on the edge of our seats and wince. Screen writers and authors commonly deploy the venerable psychopath as chief antagonist to ratchet up tension and defy all that […]
Read MoreWhat is Independence to You?
Over the years I’ve asked my students how they define Independence. Many answers abound; “We got out from under a buffoon for a king sitting over in Britain; The Red Coats can’t order us around any longer; I don’t know, but the fireworks are always exciting; We got our own Constitution.” The list goes on. […]
Read MorePolls & Voting
The polls in the U.S. indicate an overwhelming percentage of citizens support smart policy related to curbing climate change. A majority of Americans support real change in systemic racism and policing. The lion’s share of people in the U.S. support equal civil & legal rights for LGTQ citizens. A significant number greater than half support […]
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