The FREE online read for this week is “Drums of the Makai,” a young adult fantasy novella. I wrote this book back in August of 2000. Like all my books, it has no profanity or erotic scenes. While it is rated for ages between 13 and 18, it can be enjoyed by any age.
No membership or information is required to read this story free online at https://www.deartales.com/m-drums as many times as you wish. There are links to where it can be purchased if you want your own copy. After you read the book, could you leave me a comment here?
As far as I can remember back in my childhood, I wanted a baby. I prayed that my baby doll would turn into a real baby. When I got old enough to know that wouldn’t happen, I wished someone would leave a baby on our doorstep and I’d get to keep it. That was my first career choice – being a mother. Later, I realized I could manufacture my own baby – after I got out of school and got married.
I was 2 days short of 22 when Andy was born on the 22nd of July, 1971. Back then, they didn’t bring the baby to the room except at feeding time. Then they took him back to the nursery. I could hardly wait until I got home so I could hold him all I wanted to.
Eddie wrote in Andy’s baby book “He’s all I ever wanted, and now I’ve got him.” Andy was named after Eddie’s Father “Andy” and my father, “Charles.”
Andy weighed a hefty 8 pounds, 8 ounces at birth. He had blue eyes and blond hair. Andy wasn’t just a cute little tyke. He was calm and sweet natured – except when he had a temper tantrum. Fortunately, that was rare because he usually got everything he wanted.
Andy had a personality like mine. It was virtually impossible to push him into anything. One day, when he was about 9, he came home from playing with some boys and went to his room. I questioned him, but didn’t find out anything. Later, I learned that the boys were going to get into a building and he left them rather than join them getting into trouble. He wouldn’t tattle on them, but he wouldn’t participate either. He was only 8, but he had his own strong moral compass and he followed it to the point of self-sacrifice. If he needed correction, I could sit him down and reason with him, but spanking only made him more determined.
I suppose Andy had an artist’s temperament. Certainly, he was creative and quite the artist. At the age of 5, I let Andy use some children’s scissors and he cut out a dog. He didn’t draw the dog and then cut it out. He just started cutting. I still have that little paper dog.
Andy made friends easily and kept them. I have his first love letter from a little girl named Jean McGrail. They were only 5. Cute.
When Andy started school and I went to the first parent/teacher conference, she told me Andy couldn’t spell his name. I knew he could. As it turned out, she was trying to get him to spell Andrew.
By the ripe old age of 6, Andy was drawing with a remarkable eye for details. At the age of 8, I began to see signs of trouble. His grade average dropped and I was noticing familiar things. I had known since I was a young girl that something was “wrong” with me. Teachers said I was just “slow” meaning I didn’t learn as fast as the average child.
My mother had assisted me, but I didn’t feel qualified, so I found a tutor. Right away, the tutor noticed the problem and told me to have him tested. I took him to his pediatrician, who referred me to a specialist for testing.
The tests revealed that Andy’s intellect was well above average. The diagnosis: Andy was a “classic” dyslexic. In fact, we both were. It was hereditary. Apparently, my father had it too. It felt good to have a diagnosis that we could work around.
I told Andy that he could do anything anyone else could do. He’d just have to work harder at it and find his own way to do it. Andy had assistance in school but, like me, didn’t graduate with high grades.
At the beginning of his senior school year, he wanted to take a class that would be difficult for a dyslexic. I was concerned that it would bring his grade average down to the point that he would have trouble getting a job. He looked me in the eye and said “Mom, I can do it. I’ll have to work harder and do it my way, but I can do it.”
Made a mama proud – and he did do it. I think he got a C+, but he didn’t need extra tutoring.
By the time he was 16, Andy was doing odd jobs and by 18, he was working at a fast-food restaurant after school. He graduated and worked several jobs, becoming bored with each.
I finally told him that he would probably never be happy with a job until he found one where he could apply his creativity. He found that in Heat and Air, where he took courses and designed ductwork. He worked on air conditioners and heaters until he began to have health problems.
Then, he started working at Glad/Clorox, where he could get insurance and a steady dependable wage. He worked there until he was eventually disabled after an injury.
Andy always had a husky build, but he began to put on extra pounds when he couldn’t work. Andy wanted to continue working and even tried to go back. Asthma and COPD had other plans
Andy made friends easily, and kept them throughout his life. He had a good sense of humor and a generous nature. He was loyal and usually amiable. Standing at 6 feet 1 inch, he made an imposing figure. He made a good body guard. Even so, I don’t think it was his size that deterred people so much as the fact that they respected him.
Andy never married, but he did become Godfather to two children: Savannah Jane Fisher and Joshua Martin. He was like a father to Baleigh Almond and remained a lifelong friend with her mother, Shelly.
If he knew anyone needed help, he volunteered.
Andy died at Mercy hospital in Rogers, Arkansas on June 23 after a courageous battle with COPD and A-Fib. He had a stroke and pneumonia. His lungs and heart were unable to sustain his body.
As is often the case after someone passes, many people say things we have not previously known. Andy was a mentor, a loyal friend and someone they could depend on. He will always be my baby and I will miss his calls several times a week to check on us. He was always trying to take care of everyone but himself.
I will miss him, but I am comforted by the fact that he will no longer be in excruciating pain all the time – that and the fact that our last words to each other were “I Love You.” Andy always initiated those words. He was one of a kind.
Linda L. Rigsbee is the founder of ProActive Writer’s Group (PAWG) and leads Elkins Writer’s Group. She has lived in the Round Mountain area near Elkins with her husband of 54 years since 2006.
Rigsbee is an artisan. She writes, carves, sculpts, draws, paints, sews and even cooks art. If you haven’t read one of her books, you may have seen some of her “pretty pies.”
Rigsbee is one of eight authors who will be autographing and selling their books at the July 27th author signing. Discover more about this artisan at her website https://www.lindarigsbee.com
Author BIO
Linda L. Rigsbee is an award-winning, multi-genre writer with over 60 books published since 1981. She writes non-fiction and fiction in story lengths from flash fiction to novels. Her audience ranges “from cradle to rocking chair.” She writes romantic fiction, western & frontier, science fiction, young adult, juvenile and children’s books. Her works are family oriented: Many Genres. One Theme; Keep it clean. Many of Rigsbee’s books are on the shelf at the Elkins Public Library and her goal is to have all her books available there.
Rigsbee has been self-published since before Amazon existed. Back then, she home-published. She wrote the book, designed the cover, formatted the manuscript, printed and bound the books in her home office. Some of her books are still home published, but she now publishes through Amazon, Smashwords and D2D as well.
Rigsbee will be autographing and selling the following books at the author signing event on July 27, 2024 from 1-3 pm at the Elkins Public Library:
Standoff at Apache Butte (won first place in Western category at 2017 Missouri Writers’ Guild fall fiction contest.)
What Does Cockadoodle Do? (a humorous youth novelette suitable for the entire family)
Another Mountain (a non-fiction memoir about climbing back from quadriplegia)
A Dangerous Love (a clean romantic fiction full of mystery)
Caprine Culinary (a cook book about goat milk and meat)
This is my last author profile for this event. Please share and we hope to see you all at the author signing event Saturday!
Samuel Totten is a resident of Springdale – a retired professor of history from the University of Arkansas. He doesn’t have a website, but a Google search will reward you with impressive information about this scholarly author. He’s written nine books, co-authored three, edited 20 and co-edited another ten. A Wikipedia link is provided below, but that’s just a teaser. Come visit with him at the July 27th author signing in Elkins and purchase an autographed book from him.
Samuel Totten, a professor at the University of Arkansas from 1987 to 2012, is a longtime scholar of genocide studies. He’s conducted field work in Rwanda, the war-torn Nuba Mountains in Sudan, and most recently in Ukraine.
Upon retirement he returned to his first love, writing fiction. Thus far, he’s completed two novels: Laguna Beach: The Kaleidoscopic 1960s, and All Eyes on the Sky, about life and death in the Nuba Mountains of Sudan. He also has a book of short stories about crimes against humanity and genocide perpetrated in Africa coming out with African Studies Books based in Kampala, Uganda.
Samuel Totten will be at the author signing event on Saturday, July 27, 2024 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm with the following books:
T. J. Hudson is today’s featured author. She is the owner of NWA Art Refuge on Dickson Street in Fayetteville.
Terri is one of the authors attending the Author-Signing Event on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at the Elkins Public Library from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Join us in welcoming her. Talk to her and purchase an autographed book!
Author BIO
“TJ finds inspiration in the thoughtful, the authentic, and the fantastic. She employs textures, seeking active tense in her expressions. Original pieces include paintings of acrylics, watercolor, mixed media, and textiles…also, TJ just released Paradise Mountain, A Natural State of Seeing, a premium-quality hardcover tabletop book that celebrates natural wonder through photography, artwork and poetry.”
TJ will be autographing and selling her tabletop book, Paradise Mountain, A Natural State of Seeing at the July 27th author signing event 1-3 pm at the Elkins Public Library, 352 N. Center, Elkins, Arkansas.
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Henry Childress is today’s featured writer. He is from Washington County and doesn’t have a web site, but his bio is a great introduction. Teachers make great writers, don’t they? Mr. Childress will be autographing and selling his books at the July 27th author signing. Be sure to drop by and visit with him!
Author BIO
“Henry Childress is a retired teacher, with a penchant for storytelling. His vivid imagination is evident in each of the books he has penned. Growing up in Fayetteville Arkansas in the 60’s, was full of adventure and changing times. As a child, his father and the other men sitting at the barbershop next door told such wild tales. Listening to them telling their stories, sparked something in him to write and tell his own stories.
He has work that has also been published in other forms of media. To his book credit are three previous works: The Cane and First Crush, written for pre-teens and middle school aged readers. Both books deal with the pitfalls and triumphs of his small-town upbringing in the Midwest. Also, available is his first attempt writing a children’s picture book, The Adventures of Speckle McDurber. A series of Speckle Books will soon follow. The Book Cart Caper is directed toward YA’s with a taste for mystery. See if you can follow the clues to figure out, Who dun’ it. We hope you enjoy The Book Cart Caper and look for his other books on Amazon and Kindle Direct.“
Henry Childress is one of the authors who will be attending the author signing on Saturday, July 27 at the Elkins Public Library, 352 N. Center, Elkins, Arkansas from 1-3 pm. Hope to see you there!
Jacklyn (Jacci) Ryan is a public speaker and an author. As if that isn’t enough, she is also a successful real estate agent. Learn more about this versatile author on her website: https://caregiverscaretakers.com/
Author BIO
Jacklyn Ryan, CCIM, a highly successful realtor who specializes in commercial real estate, has faced that heart-wrenching time in life when her parents were no longer able to care for themselves. Reaching out for help and trusting home health agencies, Jacklyn soon discovered that appearances can be deceiving. In the trenches of caregiver nightmares, Jacklyn has learned the pitfalls and landmines of inappropriate and unscrupulous “ScareTakers.” With powerful personal stories, and extensive research on this undeniable problem, Jacci is armed with life-changing information that can revise the process for those looking for appropriate and trustworthy care for their loved ones. Jacklyn is a sought- after speaker, consultant, and workshop presenter.
Her book, CareGivers-ScareTakers, exposes the fraudsters and manipulators and teaches how you can protect your loved ones.
From AMAZON
I am like you. I was working in my career when a crisis happened. Dad fell and broke his hip. “One Fall Does it All”. His independent living ceased. I interviewed a Home Care Agency that I was referred to and believed they would provide good quality care for him. I entered into the wormhole of home caregiving. First for my dad, later for my mother, and then I learned of other adult children experiencing the same difficult circumstance. TRUSTING AGENCIES TO CARE FOR OUR LOVED ONES. This book reveals the gut-wrenching difficulties that caring for a loved one at home involves. Be Aware and Be Prepared! Raising the Bar on Caregivers will Raise the Bar on the Quality of Care.
Jacci will be autographing and selling her book CareGivers-ScareTakers at the multi-author signing on Saturday, July 27 from 1-3 pm at the Elkins Public Library, 352 N Center, Elkins, AR 72701.
Russell Gayer and his wife live near Goshen on acreage that his great grandfather homesteaded in the 1890’s. Russell writes humor. He is a member of Ozarks Writer’s League and a participant of the Friday Fictioneers Flash Fiction online group.
For more information about this entertaining author, visit his website at www.russellgayer.com
Author Bio:
Russell Gayer is extremely proud to have two fans, a 12” 3-speed oscillator made by Westinghouse in 1967, and “El Manuel,” which features a tongue-depressor handle and picture of Jesus. He is the author of The Perils of Heavy Thinking and One Idiot Short of a Village. Russell and his wife reside on the family homestead near Goshen, Arkansas. Visit the author’s website at
Mr. Gayer will be one of nine authors at an author signing event at the Elkins Public Library, 352 N. Center, Elkins, Arkansas from 1:00 to 3:00 pm on Saturday, July 27. Here is your opportunity to meet this author in person, buy a book and get it autographed while snacking on cookies and browsing the library.
Russell Gayer will be selling and autographing two books of humor at the author signing event:
The Perils of Heavy Thinking, and One Idiot Short of a Village.
Nancy Hartney is a local author who lives in Fayetteville “where four cats allow her to share their home. She offers workshops on writing, contributes to two critique groups, and attends area writing conferences. A retired librarian, she loves books and reading. Southerner by birth and upbringing, she still considers sweet tea her beverage of choice.
Discover more about this versatile writer at her website:
Nancy Hartney writes about the hot, passionate Deep South. Her roots dig into the piney woods that she rode through on horseback and across the sweat-soaked hardscrabble farms. Her slice of life tales chronicles a time past that is poignant, vivid and sometimes brutal. The reader stares into the eyes of people struggling with living, grasping for understanding, doing the best they know how.
She has published two Southern gothic short story collections, one historical novel set against the backdrop of Vietnam, and numerous magazine articles on horses, foxhunting, and motorcycle touring while her free-verse poetry can be found in a cross-section of literary journals. Her second novel, The Blue Bottle Tree, is forthcoming from Ozark Hollow Press 2025.
She has published two Southern gothic short story collections (Washed in the Water, Pen-L Publishing, 2013; If the creek don’t rise, Pen-L Publishing, 2016), one historical novel set against the backdrop of Vietnam (If You Walk Long Enough, The Wild Rose Press, 2021), and poetry in Dash Journal, Stonecrop Magazine, Pearl River, and other literary journals. Her second novel, The Blue Bottle Tree, is forthcoming from Ozark Hollow Press. She writes nonfiction pieces for magazines on foxhunting, motorcycle touring, and equine subjects. She lives and writes in Arkansas.
Nancy will have three of her books at the author Signing:
If you Walk Long Enough – A literary Vietnam novel
If the Creek Don’t Rise – A collection of short literary stories
Washed in the Water – A Collection of short literary stories.
Come visit with her and purchased an autographed copy of her book at the Author Signing Event. The event will be held July 27, 2024 from 1:00 to 3:00 pm at the Elkins Public Library, 352 North Center, Elkins, AR 72701.
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Today’s PAWG author is Jamie Smith. She will be attending the ProActive Writer’s Group author signing on July 27, 2024 at the Elkins Public Library, 352 N. Center, Elkins, Arkansas.
Jamie is a local author who has lived in Elkins for 13 years with her husband and 4 pets. She co-founded Elkins Community Network (ECN). She writes the newsletter and manages the social media.
She is on the Elkins Planning Commission and the owner of a business: Jamie’s Notebook. She is a member of the ProActive Writer’s Group.
Jamie will be one of the authors attending the Author-Signing Event on Saturday, July 27, 2024 at the Elkins Public Library from 1:00 to 3:00 pm. Join us in welcoming her. Talk to her and purchase an autographed book!
Author BIO
“Jamie Anne Smith is an award-winning journalist turned small business owner offering content writing and consulting. Smith realized that many of the traits and skills she uses as an entrepreneur are similar to what she utilized to deal with developing multiple chronic illnesses and a lifetime of managing a major birth defect. Jamie uses her voice and skills to encourage fellow entrepreneurs, writers, chronic illness patients, and more. She is a community advocate, a wife to John, a fur mom, and a grateful believer in Jesus Christ. Jamie lives in Northwest Arkansas.”
Jamie will be introducing her latest book: Destination Changes:
“Life can throw us curveballs when we least expect it. Chronic illness, job loss, identity crises – these challenges can leave us feeling powerless. But with the right mindset, we can turn obstacles into opportunities for growth. In Destination Changes, entrepreneur Jamie Anne Smith shares how cultivating an entrepreneurial spirit allowed her not only to survive some of life’s toughest challenges but to thrive through them. Through vulnerable storytelling and practical advice, Smith breaks down the core mindsets and strategies of successful entrepreneurs. You’ll learn how to reframe negative circumstances, push beyond your comfort zone, embrace failure as a teacher, and maintain an attitude of continuous learning. These entrepreneurial principles apply not just to business, but to all aspects of life.”
Discover more about this dynamic author at her author website:
Linda L. Rigsbee 