Elize DeVries was hired by The Strathmann Academy of Music in the summer of her fifteenth year. Joseph Strathmann sends talent scouts throughout the United States to find extremely talented young musicians. They look for the youngsters whose neighbors say, "That kid plays better than any famous person I ever heard." Each summer twelve to sixteen young talents are invited to spend the summer at Herr Strathmann's estate "Riverwind" in upper New York County. Special instructors assist the youngsters hone their talent. Elize was hired to be a counselor for the students- involve them in tea each afternoon and a social time in the evening. She was also Girl Friday for Herr Strathmann. The summer of 1903 proved to be a special time for sixteen students and Elize as they lived at Riverwind and discovered more than their musical abilities.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Roger Preston believed he had the perfect marriage. The lovely home, trophy wife, great job, friends. It's difficult to say just how much Covid-19 had to do with his rude awakening to the truth. But, without it, none of this story may have happened. Roger learns that the lifelong contract, 'til death do us part, is breakable; that the perfect marriage is an illusion. Two divorces, a murder. one trial by jury, new friendships, and one happy reunion are Roger's new reality. Pandemic to blame? Quite likely.

Stuart would describe himself as a run-of-the-mill, average guy. He's employed, is single, and has an older married brother. The building he's called home for years is going to be razed and he's looking for a new place to live. Stuart finds a bungalow in the want ads that appears to be everything a guy could want – and at an unbelievable rent. As the days pass, he learns the rent isn't the only unbelievable part of the bungalow. Stuart decides the little house is haunted. In an effort to learn about the house, he researches the current owner. There may be more to the bungalow than being haunted. Perhaps it is time to move.

Many Seniors attend the lunch offered at the libraries for the socializing. A great proportion of them are in their eighties. Several may go to lunch at the library because their budgets are tight and the lunches are free. And then there are the few that go for what else they might gain. Tony Josef, at 83, isn't looking for love or a little action. But he is definitely interested in socializing with friends during lunch at the local library. When he met Rachel Boswick, he was smitten. But as time passed, Tony questioned her actions. Something wasn't right. He decided to cool the situation. She had loaned him a book and asked for its return. He said he would. Tony found her door ajar and Rachel dead – murdered. The following weeks prove Rachel was interested in more than lunch at the library.

October 1911, the Condit Dam was completed, and the Northwestern Lake began to fill the canyons of the White Salmon River. October 2011, the dam was breached, and as the water receded, trees, small farmhouses, and other relics were slowly revealed. Conan and Hillary Doyle purchased forty acres on the east bank of the White Salmon River when they married in 1907 and, with endless determination, created a farm that would sustain them for years to come. In the fall of 1910, they were notified the lake behind the newly built Condit Dam would flood their farm property. They ceded the farm to the State of Washington and vacated the property before Christmas 1910. In 2011, when the waters of the lake behind the breached Condit Dam receded, human remains of two people were found in the farmhouse Conan and Hillary Doyle had built. In an effort to determine who these skeletal remains were, third-generation Conan Doyle investigates, and his findings evolve into a story about his grandparents. By the end of the story, the secret the river had hidden for a hundred years is revealed.

Carrie Johnson met Glenn Bettel the morning she took her new car in for minor maintenance. He was a divorced man with two children and a very vindictive ex-wife. Carrie knew about the divorce and the children. She had no idea about the ex. Nothing she could have thought would come close to the nasty and downright mean things the ex did over the next year – starting before Carrie moved in with Glenn. Carrie learned that Glenn had married immediately after high school; not actually a shotgun wedding but it was 1964. Carrie lived with Glenn a year before she began having medical problems. Doctor said menopause even though she was only 35. Glenn dismissed that and believed he was headed toward another shotgun wedding. No mention of marriage was made and his anger was unwarranted. When a surprise verdict in Family Court was made a month later, Carrie moved from his home, from his life. It would be years before he learned the rest of the story.

"Sweet Jesus, Woman. Stop your blubbering. I'm not dead yet." The old man put his arm around his wife's shoulders. "Molly Margaret Malone, the doctor says I've got at least another six months of breathing on this plane.” Just a month later, Shawn died. After the funeral, family and friends came to the house. Shawn's nephew was the last to leave. Patrick hugged her at the door. Looking down he said, "Should I let your cat come in? He's been sitting on the porch ever since we got here." Cat? Molly doesn't have a cat. She looked down and saw a small, white cat looking up. His big green eyes were all she could comprehend. "Yes, let him in."

Clovis Hartford was your average, run-of-the-mill, middle aged woman. She had been married to the same man for more than three decades and had four grown children. One day on her lunch hour, she witnessed the murder of six people. She could identify the shooters. Her entire life was changed as it was determined, after she testified at the trial of one of the shooters, she should enter the Federal Witness Protection Program. For reasons unknown at the time, her husband Harry refused to enter the program with her. She would either not testify or go alone. Clovis had a strong sense of justice and testified. A year later she learns why Harry wouldn't accompany her in what could be the adventure of a lifetime. She was alone for the first time in more than thirty years. A new name, a new town, no friends...only a US Marshal to call on when she thought she would fail as Evelyn Beale. She found a job as an administrative assistant and nearly blundered with her name at the interview. She recovered the near goof and was hired. This book takes Eve, as she prefers to be called, through the first few years of her experiences as someone new. Things happen to her that, in other circumstances, would be taken as "stuff happens". But as a Witness Protection person these things lead to considerable worry that the people from whom she's being protected may have located her. She gradually makes friends and puts together a decent life.

While growing up, we seldom ever think about how our life is going to end. Sometimes maybe we think when, but seldom how. After the eruption of the caldera called Yellowstone National Park, I began to think how I would die. My name is Ann Marie Harris Blake. My father Eugene Harris had predicted the volcanic eruption at Yellowstone several years prior to the actual eruption. However, no one would listen to him. He was a crank; or publicity seeker, or just a nut. When he finally told the Park Rangers at Yellowstone that the Park was ready to blow, they assured him it would calm down within the month. It didn't. He called them fools and went home. And, a week later, it erupted. This two-part journal tells how the Harris family survived the Yellowstone eruption; who else survived; and how. If it hadn't been for Eugene Harris, this story would never have been written. Take note: Yellowstone is overdue to erupt. It's been 640,000 years and it has been smoldering ever since. Maybe this story isn't so far-fetched after all.

Markie and Me tells the stories of two eight-year old boys. Charles Wilcox and Mark Wilson are best friends who are very inquisitive, adventurous and intelligent. Often they plan carefully for a project without alerting their parents of their intents. Often they just fall into a happy circumstance. Seventeen tales of young boys included. Charlotte Lewis is a retired accountant who lives in a small town in Washington State. At an earlier time in life she did teach third grade and has always maintained a love of the spontaneous ways of the average eight-year old child.