American Z (ePub)

I have spent my life putting pen to paper, capturing moods, thoughts, emotions and experiences. In an attempt to explain, interpret, understand, and respond, to what I had observed, I began to take those experiences, and build a story, or stories, around each.

What came out of those life experiences, was a collection of works, some of which I liked, and found acceptable, and some, not so much. From that body of work, I have tried to eliminate the "junk", focusing solely on those pieces that offer up to the reader a tale, that begins, or, helps one to continue on, a journey.

Yet, still, I realize that some of these offerings may not be suitable to everyone's taste, and that is completely understandable. What I can assure you is that, everything here is a work of the heart, and my offering to the world.

Having grown up as the youngest in a large family, in the middle of the country, I have had the unique vantage point of watching the world in the shadow of those who went before me (indeed, immediately so!). And while I have never felt necessarily disadvantaged in any way, due to my position, it does give one a view of the world that is different from a solo child, or an older sibling. What I have put together here for your reading pleasure, is a reflection on what I have seen and known, on all steps of this journey. This is a recounting of what I learned growing up. It is a portrait of the people I've known, and Loved, and maybe, did not love so much so. It is an opening into my world.

Life can be an interesting and difficult experience, especially for some. But always, there is hope and beauty as well, if you are patient and look in the right places (or faces). I cannot say that life has been without struggles, yet, always, when I most felt like giving up; when I could see no light...light came to my darkness and brought me back to life. I hope that this is what this book says to you, and the message that you can take away with you.