I sat in my interview intending to make decorative iron work after I left school and my future boss said; 'we also do one or two horses are you interested!' That was the beginning of my working life of fifty two years as a farrier instead of blacksmithing. I have amassed many amusing stories from the stables. I met some wonderful clients with one or two exceptions. A long the way I had the pleasure of meeting some amazing characters both animal and human. my life wasn't without its trials and tribulations but my love of my work carried me through.

After retiring to Cyprus and looking forward to a life of leisure, a neighbour told me the donkey sanctuary was losing their farrier and was I interested! This was the beginning of my second career as a farrier in Cyprus that led me to some way out places, and to meeting some really interesting people. Also I was asked if I could shoe a horse which snowballed into horseshoeing the length and breadth of Cyprus and over the border into the Turkish area too. My work all came from recommendations. I did try to control my work to two or three days a week as i wanted to follow other leisure activities. Some weeks though, that plan went out of the window. One leisure activity I did get involved with was a writers group. For years I had always wanted to write a book about my life as a farrier, but it was always going to be tomorrow when I would start it. I had told God knows how many folk over the years that one day I would write a book but it certainly wasn't going to be today as I had no idea how to go about it. That changed when I met the chairman of Paphos writers group and told him about my plans to write about my farrier life, one day he said; ''Well it is no good talking about it. I hope to see you at our groups meeting at 10 o'clock tomorrow. That morning was the ''tomorrow'' that had finally come to start writing my first book; All clenched up and nearly finished.'' Now I write regularly and my second book ''All clenched up and finally finished'' is published.

It is February 1983, and Berlin is a divided city with a miles-long barricade separating east from west. But the city isn't the only thing that is divided. Ada lives among the rebels, punkers, and immigrants of Kreuzberg in West Berlin. Stefan lives in East Berlin, in a faceless apartment bunker of Friedrichshain. Bound by love and separated by circumstance, their only chance for a life together lies in a high-risk escape. But will Stefan find the courage to leap? Or will forces beyond his control stand in his way? National Book Award finalist Beth Kephart presents a story of daring and sacrifice, and love that will not wait.

Important American periodical dating back to 1850.