Really Short Shorts is a compilation of forty short stories-most ranging from four to six pages. There is a wide range of topics included. Most of the stories deal with people--from little kids to seniors. Most of them involve some humor. Some are pure fantasy, others are more serious. Keep in mind that my ultimate goal in writing is to entertain myself. If you enjoy my stories, then that's a plus. Read and enjoy.

When Dr. Jack Jackson takes a turn for the worse in the hospital's critical care wing, the nurses notify the family. One of those gathered around is his son, Dr. Jason Jackson, who bemoans the fact that even now in the year 2053 modern medicine can't do everything. Regardless of the sophistication of the time, nature always prevails. As Jason stares out the window, his mind drifts back forty years to 2013. That's when it all started for him. The first eleven years of his life had been a period of extreme abuse and cruelty. For the most part, he'd been able to block it from his memory over the years. Watching his dad sink farther and farther into the beyond, it all comes back to him in vivid, unwanted, painful detail.

It's two weeks before their wedding and Andy and Jen have just moved into their new home. They are planting a commemorative tree in the side yard when the mail truck stops at their curbside mail box. The delivery man climbs out of his vehicle and waddles towards them. Their first thought is that there will probably need to be another upward revision for the caterer-which has already cost them dearly. Instead, he presents Andy with a registered letter with no return address. He opens the letter and discovers that Mandy, the girl he took to the senior prom in high school and ended up with in the back seat of his father's car with his pants down to his ankles, beer cans strewn all over the place, and a cop banging on his window with a flashlight, is sending his nine year old son, who he didn't know existed for a weekend visit. Jen loses it and threatens to shoot the plane out of the sky before settling down and accepting the situation. Ike, whose picture looks like a miniature clone of Andy, shows up on Saturday morning with scraggly, unkempt, purple hair, a skull and crossbones earring, and an attitude. The stewardess has two documents for him to sign-an airline agreement for safe delivery of the minor and another registered letter from the Miami court system. Mandy has terminated all parental rights and turned the child over to Andy.

As Life Moves On Called to the principal's office, Jeremy and Marty learn their school had been broken into and vandalized-including spray painted threats on their lives. Suspicion falls on Bruno Bashore, Marty's step-father, who recently escaped from a mental health facility. He admitted murdering Marty's mother in Book One-As Life Goes On. After four year old Bobby gets kidnapped, Jeremy calls in his ghost buddy Scott for help. Scott's spirit world mentor allows him to come back to help Jeremy solve other problems-girls, a suspicious work accident that left his dad in a coma, the disappearance of Marty, and Bruno's plan to murder the boys.

Every pastor knows that each community of faith consists of individuals who may be in crisis at any given moment, for a multitude of reasons. However, it s essential that church leaders also view their congregations as a single organism in need of looking after as a whole.This book explores the core competencies, skills, and knowledge available to and needed by pastors so that they can provide suitable care for the most common needs of their members. Crisis Counseling in the Congregation provides a basic tool kit including in-depth listening skill, helping questions, various frameworks, and when to refer. Pastors will also benefit from the suggested reading list."

As Life Goes On While mowing the lawn, Jeremy has an intuitive flash of a hit-and-run accident killing Scott, his lifelong neighbor and best friend. The reality of the accident leaves him devastated beyond belief. He finds no relief until he visits the cemetery for the first time a week after the funeral. When he arrives, he sees Scott's ghost along with Mooshy, the ghost of his long dead dog sitting on the mound of dirt waiting for him. After initially freaking out, Scott calms him down and reveals that because of the closeness the boys have had throughout their lives, his guardian has given them the opportunity to find out what exactly happened and why. The two boys set out on a series of adventures attempting to solve the mystery. Once they consider that the case is closed in their own minds, it is time for Scott to leave for good. However, he tells Jeremy that all he has to do is call for him, and he will be able to come if the situation warrants it. As life goes on for Jeremy, he bumbles his way through adolescence-parties, sex, and booze problems. Suddenly, his new friend and classmate, Marty Johnson, disappears for no apparent reason. Marty lives with a step father, Bruno Bashore, who is mean, horribly abusive, and unstable. Jeremy calls in Scott and together they unravel Marty's problem-saving his life and momentarily, at least, getting Bruno out of his life.