Synopsis

A flustered waitress is given a magic wand she uses to teach a bully a lesson. A young girl is befriended by a kindly oak tree and together they dispose of her abusive father. An oceanographer’s life is changed when he meets and befriends a merman. An abusive folksinger messes with the wrong woman. A con man mistakenly thinks he can swindle the wrong old couple. A kindly grandmother wouldn’t hurt a fly. Or would she? A young boy finds unexpected solace in a painting. A high-powered business executive learns there is more to life than money when he is befriended by a man who lives in a treehouse.

The 24 stories in this collection delve into a part of life often hiding just beneath the surface of day-to-day existence. Some call it the Dark Side. For others, it’s the REALITY they have to live with until they decide to deal with it in the best way they know how – sometimes with humor, sometimes with dire consequences, but always with a satisfying conclusion.

At least for some.

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Excerpt

I don’t know why I ended up taking myself so seriously, but I did. Here I was forty-one years old and I’d sit around pontificating to my wife about the world and its problems, knowing that my solutions were the best ones. My friends at work and I would talk, and I would go on and on about whatever was in the news with me refuting all their arguments because I was the only one who had all the right answers to the many issues of the day. I’d go to my kid’s soccer or hockey games and analyze every move they made and talk earnestly with them afterward, making sure they were crystal clear as to what they had to do to improve in the next game. I had captive audiences all over the place, and I enjoyed letting everyone know how much I knew and that only I could solve all the problems I saw in the world, our country, our town, and my place of employment. In short, I was a big fat know-it-all and I’m surprised I had any friends at all and, especially, that my wife found some reason to stay married to me and my kids didn’t hate me. Everyone I knew certainly put up with a lot, that’s for sure. But I’m not like that so much anymore (I’m pretty sure) and I’ll tell you why. It had to do with a guy I met who lived in a tree house. I know it sounds implausible, but let me explain.

About the Author

Jim is an award-winning author who lives in a small town in Minnesota. He loves to write! His stories and poems have appeared in over five hundred online and print publications. He has also authored 27 books, including poetry, flash fiction, and short story collections, novellas, and novels, all of which are available through traditional outlets and on his website.

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