Rags-To-Riches Stories

Country Roads (3)
Everything is going Charlie's way. He's survived his first year at public high school, has made lifelong friends, and has a brand new record deal that will, hopefully, launch his music career for real. As always seems the case, misfortune strikes whenever things are going too well. Charlie’s life is turned upside down and his future plans are put in to jeopardy when a problem from his past returns. Can Charlie keep his life together or will it all come falling down around him?

In 1843 16-year-old Lewis Clark kills one of the two sons of Mr. Tyler, the richest man in Fayette County. He also takes the blame for killing his other son. Given Tyler's reputation as a vengeful and violent man, Lewis flees for his life. This is the story of his escape and his adventures. Another of my fantasy histories.

A simple training exercise with brand new fighter aircraft goes very wrong when some thieves are where they shouldn't be and get mistaken for the target drones. The resulting explosion has many consequences for everyone involved, and Will March ends up living in some turbulent times in another era. Read how Will survives those first few years which are the dangerous beginnings of his new life. 65,000 words of action adventure.

This tale begins in southwest Virginia in "the colonies" a few years before the American Revolution. For my readers in Britain, sorry 'bout that. It follows James through being a long hunter, starting a new estate in North Carolina, and his involvement fighting against the British.

Country Roads (2)
Music, Baseball and Bullies. Charlie's life is busier than ever as he continues to put down roots in his community, making friends and enemies, and explore who he wants to be. Charlie decides to follow the two things he always loved when he was a kid, music and baseball. Joining the school team and forming his first band both pull him in different directions, adding to the pressures he already faced with school, bullies, making friends, and trying to become his own man.

Kim is badly injured in an incident at school, an accident that should never have happened. He's a teenage boy with a reputation of being an unstoppable force that always gets things done. Recovering from injuries that should have been fatal he lives 'in interesting times' as he sets out to prove the doctors wrong. He's determined he'll walk again; if his powerful enemies let him live that long. Set in Australia.

A Survivor Story (1)
A 10 year old boy survives a car crash where his family is killed. He goes to live on his maternal grandfather's ranch on the Texas / Mexican border with some of his retired Army buddies. But life there has some serious issues due to drug smugglers being angry about having their shipments destroyed by those at the ranch. Pat grows up fast while learning to be quick and accurate with a gun. - 51,400 words of adventure. / (Reviews)

A fire destroys a farm in Virginia, so the family is moving west. Except the youngest is too ill to travel when it's time to leave. The boy and his grandmother stay behind to follow later. It takes so long for him to recover the two don't go west, and find local employment. A decade later rising political problems cause the young man and his grandmother to make a decision about their future. They'll go west, but it isn't that simple, or an easy journey. Written in US English - 72,700 words.

A story in the Lucky Jim Universe
The adventures of 16-year-old Jim Reynolds start in 1856 Virginia. When his family and several others head west to settle near Council Bluffs, his adventures continue, becoming more numerous and earning him the moniker Lucky Jim. Follow Jim as he grows into a leadership role that he feels unqualified to hold, until finally forced to test both his leadership ability and his luck. A "fantasy history."

A Rivers Region Story
A young man has a major change of lifestyle forced on him. He becomes a writer, and then something else again. First we read two of his stories about himself, then we follow him as he makes another change to his life and changes the lives of many others in the Rivers Region. In the process he unexpectedly meets his own destiny as well. Set in Australia.