From growing up in a Canadian Mountie household to writing Hollywood screenplays, debut short story writer Rick Butler has mined his real-life experiences for THE MOUNTIE IN THE HOUSE AND OTHER STORIES.

"These are lively, insightful and highly entertaining stories from a very fine writer with talent to burn," says Leo Furey, author of "The Long Run." "Prime reading for lovers of vivid, fast-paced fiction."

Among the 14 quirky, often-humorous tales, a seven-year-old boy watches his Mountie father pursue justice in their small town. A Venice Beach murder victim pursues her killer from the other side. An escaped convict and a young screenwriter light out for old Mexico in pursuit of a hit movie. A disgruntled wedding guest disrupts a million dollar ceremony. A visiting student falls in with a rollicking cast of eccentrics in Brighton, UK. A screenwriter teams with Michael Jackson to pitch a movie plot to the biggest studios...

"Rick Butler's short story collection is the ideal travel companion," says Chip Conley, author of "Emotional Equations" and "Peak."

About the Author: RICK BUTLER
Writer and hotel entrepreneur Rick Butler was raised in a Mountie household in small town Nova Scotia. He attended university in Ontario and England. He is the author of three books and numerous short stories. Two stories from THE MOUNTIE IN THE HOUSE were recently published by prestigious literary journals. In previous lives, Rick was a radio and TV announcer and producer, Hollywood screenwriter, and university professor. Rick owns the world-famous Hotel California in Santa Monica and San Francisco (www.hotelca.com). He maintains residences in California, Manhattan and Nova Scotia, where he lives with his wife and a trio of furry friends.

From growing up in a Canadian Mountie household to writing Hollywood screenplays, debut short story writer Rick Butler has mined his real-life experiences for THE MOUNTIE IN THE HOUSE AND OTHER STORIES.

"These are lively, insightful and highly entertaining stories from a very fine writer with talent to burn," says Leo Furey, author of "The Long Run." "Prime reading for lovers of vivid, fast-paced fiction."

Among the 14 quirky, often-humorous tales, a seven-year-old boy watches his Mountie father pursue justice in their small town. A Venice Beach murder victim pursues her killer from the other side. An escaped convict and a young screenwriter light out for old Mexico in pursuit of a hit movie. A disgruntled wedding guest disrupts a million dollar ceremony. A visiting student falls in with a rollicking cast of eccentrics in Brighton, UK. A screenwriter teams with Michael Jackson to pitch a movie plot to the biggest studios...

"Rick Butler's short story collection is the ideal travel companion," says Chip Conley, author of "Emotional Equations" and "Peak."

About the Author: RICK BUTLER
Writer and hotel entrepreneur Rick Butler was raised in a Mountie household in small town Nova Scotia. He attended university in Ontario and England. He is the author of three books and numerous short stories. Two stories from THE MOUNTIE IN THE HOUSE were recently published by prestigious literary journals. In previous lives, Rick was a radio and TV announcer and producer, Hollywood screenwriter, and university professor. Rick owns the world-famous Hotel California in Santa Monica and San Francisco (www.hotelca.com). He maintains residences in California, Manhattan and Nova Scotia, where he lives with his wife and a trio of furry friends.

"POINT-A Paratrooper's Memoirs of Vietnam" tells the combat related stories/memoirs of Rick Butler, a paratrooper in Vietnam in 1968. The book is fiction but is based on Rick's combat experience. It starts with his stateside Army training and continues with the 18-year-old's deployment to Vietnam. His combat experience is chronicled with numerous stories representing his transition from a green, inexperienced 18-year-old who is trying to stay alive, to a hardened combat veteran and point man. Rick was fortunate not to be wounded but feels guilty as he saw many of his buddies and best friends get wounded or killed.

The book then describes the aftermath of war for Rick as he struggles with post traumatic stress throughout his career and his life-emphasizing the importance of family and counseling to cope with the recurring nightmares, guilt and "point whispers" that haunt him.