A marble is just a marble-unless it's a magic marble. And a troubled teen is just a troubled teen, unless that teen is Mark. After watching his mother die in a terrible car accident, Mark gives up on life. He loses interest in school, family, and friends, and unexpectedly, he heads off in search of meaning-and an escape from the pain he feels over the loss of his loving mom-with only her favorite marble to protect him. His trip takes him as far away as Florida to San Francisco, California; all the while, his frantic father, Willis, still mourning the death of his wife, is on the search for...

A marble is just a marble-unless it's a magic marble. And a troubled teen is just a troubled teen, unless that teen is Mark. After watching his mother die in a terrible car accident, Mark gives up on life. He loses interest in school, family, and friends, and unexpectedly, he heads off in search of meaning-and an escape from the pain he feels over the loss of his loving mom-with only her favorite marble to protect him. His trip takes him as far away as Florida to San Francisco, California; all the while, his frantic father, Willis, still mourning the death of his wife, is on the search for...

Richard sits, surrounded by his loving grandchildren, in the midst of yet another difficult Wisconsin winter. Fighting the cold, cuddling close to a blazing fire, they say, "Tell us a story, Grandpa Tell us a story " Grandpa Richard is happy to oblige, and so begins a nostalgic journey back to the 1920s, when Richard's family struggled to survive in rural parts of the far northern United States. A mix of fact and fiction, "Stoneboat Journey" is one man's look into his family history and how their history related to and affected the history of our country. Richard's family was comprised of...

Richard sits, surrounded by his loving grandchildren, in the midst of yet another difficult Wisconsin winter. Fighting the cold, cuddling close to a blazing fire, they say, "Tell us a story, Grandpa Tell us a story " Grandpa Richard is happy to oblige, and so begins a nostalgic journey back to the 1920s, when Richard's family struggled to survive in rural parts of the far northern United States. A mix of fact and fiction, "Stoneboat Journey" is one man's look into his family history and how their history related to and affected the history of our country. Richard's family was comprised of...

Grandparents want to leave some memories for their grandchildren, but may have a difficult time reading or writing. Memorabilia and Memories Shared offers assistance to them and to their grandchildren. Intended to be read together, it seeks to job important memories of times gone by. Guided questions will help grandparents and grandchildren to collaborate in creating a verbal or written account of those precious memories. In an example of this method, author Will Kalinke has written his fondest memories in Memorabilia and Memories Shared with the hope that others will do the...

On a day like any other, Will spotted a young man lying on the side of the road. He invited the young man into his car and promised him a night of safety and rest. The youth, Paul, accepted the offer. Will had no idea that that day-that decision-would change his life forever. He and Paul would soon become the targets of a sadistic rapist and wannabe murderer named Tim. Paul knows his hunter. When Paul was twelve years old, his grandparents took in a drifter-Tim, who stayed at their house for a cheap price while acting as handyman and babysitter to Paul. It wasn't long before the abuse began,...

On a day like any other, Will spotted a young man lying on the side of the road. He invited the young man into his car and promised him a night of safety and rest. The youth, Paul, accepted the offer. Will had no idea that that day-that decision-would change his life forever. He and Paul would soon become the targets of a sadistic rapist and wannabe murderer named Tim. Paul knows his hunter. When Paul was twelve years old, his grandparents took in a drifter-Tim, who stayed at their house for a cheap price while acting as handyman and babysitter to Paul. It wasn't long before the abuse began,...

James Marten is immature, irresponsible, and newly released from prison. Set in his devil-may-care ways, he is shocked to learn of the murder of his beloved Grandma Mary. He is even more shocked to learn he has inherited her full estate and multiple international business holdings. Immaturity soon falls by the wayside as James is forced into a position of extreme responsibility. He remembers Grandma Mary well, having always thought of her as a saint. The more James learns of his dear grandmother's past, however, the more he begins to doubt her sainthood-and the more he realizes his...

James Marten is immature, irresponsible, and newly released from prison. Set in his devil-may-care ways, he is shocked to learn of the murder of his beloved Grandma Mary. He is even more shocked to learn he has inherited her full estate and multiple international business holdings. Immaturity soon falls by the wayside as James is forced into a position of extreme responsibility. He remembers Grandma Mary well, having always thought of her as a saint. The more James learns of his dear grandmother's past, however, the more he begins to doubt her sainthood-and the more he realizes his...

"Dreams Not Forgotten" presents a loving portrait of a man named Bill who has overcome the obstacles that would stop many in their tracks. Author Will Kalinke shares the ups and downs that Bill has encountered in his forty-six years of life. Although his mother passed away when he was just five, he held onto the dreams for his future that she shared with him before she died. Those dreams helped sustain him through many challenging times of intense pain and anguish, when others may have dissolved into anger and frustration. Bill serves as a model of courage, fortitude, and hope for a better...