Books published by MindStir Media

Follow the police career of the Author, who spent a career working within the black inner-city ghetto's of Richmond, California not unlike Ferguson, Missouri and Baltimore, Maryland. Find out what it's really like to work in such environments. A place that became one of the most crime ridden cities within the United States following the end of WWII. Left with a black and white populace who had come by the tens of thousands to work in the Kaiser Richmond Shipyards, one of the largest in the West Coast during the war effort. Many of the black's were left with nothing, no work, little housing and very little hope or opportunity. They were left with drugs, death and violence. Follow Sergeant Smith's career from the beginning to end. A career that saw many of his fellow officers and friends killed, wounded and injured policing the tough streets of Richmond and the Bay Area. Having served in many police details within the police department, he experienced what it was to be a white American who grew up near the Amish Country, in the farmland of Pennsylvania during the start of the civil rights movement. Martin Luther Kings, "I have a dream" speech in nearby Washington D.C., who then found himself in the battlegrounds of the inner-city. A city where the black community he served complained of police brutality, unjustified police shootings, and unfair profiling because of the color of their skin. A police department where Federal Lawsuits led to consent degrees that did not benefit the good of the department but led to internal strife among the sworn personnel. The results of Affirmative Action policies in hiring, promotions, and the effects felt within the agency which had been served by more than 90% of white sworn officers from its start in 1905. How the agency and the city suffered but started to find its way back by 2015.

If you enjoyed Pope Francis describe "Capitalism as Dung of the Devil" you will love reading Tom Morgan's Shotgun Preacher... A celebrated Lefty from the region of Debs and Dreiser barely escapes Indiana prison for subversives in the sixties to finish graduate school in the seventies - employment denied by all state and corporate entities except the Roman Catholic Church. A zealot's compromise with Rome in good historic company with Christ's early followers, he thought until the culture wars began. Expectations that black community militancy would lead the proletariat deferred locum tenens to liberal hysteria and gender politics demeaning fatherhood in so-called sexual liberation. He went country. Back to the land. A family farm to raise his children away from the fragmented dying culture. Spousal affection toward him as dashing revolutionary turned cold seeing him as rigid traditionalist. Compounded polarization in church. Previous social justice issues turn dysphoric in the divorce epidemic. Auto collision; wife children and protagonist, thrown through windshield. Divorce papers and job termination notice served him in traction in hospital. Advised the only way a father in 1980's Indiana could win custody of his children was to be a Methodist Minister. He became one accordingly. The convergent chaos of characters and culture formations toward his ministry would be radically understated as "a disturbance in Church."

Turning onto the gravel driveway, excitement wells up inside of me as I prepare to see my mom and two younger brothers, Tracy and Jason, whom I haven't seen in almost three months, and to be a family again after two years living with my father and older brother, Dana, since the divorce. But my father will not be staying with us in the "Red House" now that mom is remarried to her husband, Rocky. Just thinking of his name, "Rocky", makes me nervous and causes a shiver to travel down my spine. He is a large, powerful man with little patience for the weak and even less tolerance for those who don't respect him ... I climb out of the car with the "Red House" directly in front me, and the bark of the largest dog I have ever seen ringing in my left ear; the two-hundred-pound-Saint Bernard yanking on the chain attached to the collar around his neck, trying to break free to greet me with his large white fangs. The front door of the "Red House" is wide open, but completely void of any light, not even the bright rays of the sun are able to penetrate the darkness. Little did I know the evil hiding and waiting for me in the shadows on the other side of that door.

AMERICAN BOOMER captures the humorous side of coming of age during the late 1950's. Enjoy many laughs as a young man tries to stay one step ahead of his parents, teachers, and the law, only to end up two or three steps behind. When the mysteries of religion, sex, and the world around him are rationalized within an immature mind and a wild imagination. American Boomer is a fun read meant to take you back to when the world moved at a much slower pace, cause you to smile often, and on occasion, make you laugh out loud.

Every business has three areas of focus: a product or service, work processes and people. Most businesses do the first two right. Many struggle with the third. They focus on building their business, and ignore building their people. And as Zig Ziglar said, "You don't build a business-you build people-and then people build the business." As you read this book, you will realize that "The People Secret" is not a secret at all. We all know the right way to lead-and that there is no such thing as employee relations - only human relations. Jack Hoban and Jim Liggett retired from UPS with a combined 54 years of management experience. They understand that the best management people possessed strong people skills as well as strong operations skills. But it was their people skills that separated them from the rest.

An Evil Rises. The Last War Draws Near. Investigative journalist Bob Fullerby, leaders of the Back-to-Basics Club, and President Demnar Tarish of Domataland have one thing in common. They are searching for Leeha Ritsagin. She has what they want: the mysterious Guiding Light document. The Guiding Light isn't the only disruption to Leeha's quiet life. A virulent illness strikes, and an unexpected friendship blossoms in the midst of tragedy. The world beyond the walls of Leeha's little apartment also roils in turmoil. Senator Bradley Seldortin postpones retirement and joins Bob Fullerby in a desperate attempt to save Cadona, the world's mightiest nation, from falling into the hands of unscrupulous leaders. Bob, Bradley, and their allies fear the battle may already be lost. A bloody attack sets the Warm Sea ablaze, and an anxious world prepares for war. The key to victory is the Guiding Light.

What nameless thing sustains us? Religion? What does it mean to be religious? And what sort of woman would faithfully minister to the needs of a dying husband, a man who has neglected her and betrayed her? A woman with no ties to any religious tradition.And how many among us would remain loyal to a nation embroiled in a war that many believe should never have been allowed to happen--a conflict in which the mightiest nation on earth waged war on one of the very poorest?And what is faith? Is it only rote learning of prayers and hymns, moral laws and historical facts? Or is it something that only a few among us are given--a seeking of something, of someone that resides in the heart of all things?Take the journey through The Palisades and wonder.

Truth is a work of fiction. Its story line is related to an actual event. The novel's theme is the enduring power of cultural bonds and eventually, truth. It is a narrative of courage and family. It is at once a journey back to a place we have been, a moment of historical fiction without glory, and a love story.

"Wherever Love Is" is the first of what will soon be a series of children's books that help children explore what it means to love and be loved by God.

"If I Could Change Baseball" was written in 2000 while I was managing or coaching all three boys Pony League baseball teams. Our family was at the baseball park seven days a week. In order to spice up the game and keep everyone interested I decided to become Commissioner of baseball and change a few rules. OK, I never became Commissioner, but I did write about how the game should be played. See if you think these changes make baseball more fun.

This story is about two aliens from outer space - Captain Itt and Co-pilot Ott - who live on the planet Torres. Their orders are to fly to the planet Earth and land their spaceship in the jungle. Captain Itt will take pictures of all the beautiful animals for the Queen's Art Gallery.

Step into the day in a life of a small child and meet his special friend, his angel! AN ANGEL IN MY POCKET is about a child who has a guardian angel. His angel is with him no matter what. Whether he's playing sports, at school, or going to bed his angel is there to help him through his mistakes and risky situations. These lovable characters show us how our imagination and belief can get us through the big and small events that occur on a day to day basis.

Whimsical illustrations, phonetically fine-tuned poems, 500 vocabulary words, and a jazzy musical theme song are the magical ingredients that make this a dynamic book for emerging young readers! The Rockin'-Rollin' Alphabet Theme Song is the frosting on the cake highlighting VOWELS, CONSONANTS, and MAGIC "E" ... Great for educational and home school settings, the playful antics of the teddy bear adventures generate over 500 phonetically appropriate vocabulary words for beginning readers, yet stimulate practice and proficiency for more advanced readers. VOWELS and CONSONANTS are highlighted for easy visual recognition. Classroom tested poetry becomes an engaging medium for enriching reading skills it's a Teddy Bear extravaganza!

A young boy and his family are temporarily separated from his father due to governmental laws, but are reunited after several years.

Intensive facts & recent findings in the "620" point by point reference, with a 730 descriptive index.

This book is a collection of quotes that I have penned over the past number of years. I have also prefaced each one with a short back story of the people, places, circumstances or observations that inspired the thought that led to the quote.Hopefully readers will draw much value from these words and that these simple writings will serve as a source of comfort, wisdom and inspiration to those who take time to peruse these pages.

The Robot & The Ballerina is an adventurous and playful story about a little girl named Belle. Belle is a bright, fun, and bold girl. She loves to dress as a ballerina who pirouettes and chassés her way through her everyday life and adventures. One morning when she wakes up early and wanders around the house to see what fun she can stumble upon. She finds a box and her imagination runs wild.

For Wiggly Worm a simple trip to town becomes a grand adventure. With a keen imagination and a need to stretch... stretch... stretch... Wiggly leads his best pal, Billy Goat, on a journey to the stars and back again. The duo inspire their friends back on Earth and readers alike with wonderous tales of our galaxy. What a curious worm can see from atop a goat's high horn will have children wanting to learn more.

Las cualidades que Reni Rizzo brindó, como optimismo, amor, respeto, e interés genuino, desde el fondo de su corazón, en los doce años que trabajó con la Asociación de Alzheimer son reflejadas en esta conmovedora e inspiradora historia. Trabajó para ayudar a familias afectadas y a individuos a quien habían diagnosticado recientemente. Sus esfuerzos incansables y altruistas afectaron la vida de miles de personas, y siempre actuó con compresión y paciencia. Era una luz para las personas que tenían una vida de obscuridad; una inspiración para todos, e infinitamente dedicada a su causa. Ahora ha sido inspirada a comunicar información e importantes aspectos de la enfermedad de manera que sea fácil de entender para la gente joven. Que Dios te bendiga, Reni, por este regalo. Brenda M. Johnson, M.Ed. Directora Ejecutiva Asociacion del Alzheimer Grande Miami, 1998-2002

Edison the Firefly has a good friend, Debra the Dragonfly. They love sharing many things together especially competing in flight. When Debra the Dragonfly becomes ill and cannot fly, Edison stays by his friend's side. Please join Edison on his 5th installment of the Edison the Firefly series as he learns about Cancer and the power of friendship.

Your child will love this story about boats. This is the story of Henry the Little Sailboat, who encounters a harbor full of boats of all sizes and is not very surprised about what he finds upon entering the harbor. Every child will relate to and learn from what Henry encounters throughout his journey. This timeless tale reminds everyone to have fun in life and just be who you are. Get ready to have fun and sail through this book with a smile on your face! Suitable for all ages.

Mimi is given one wish when she wears her silver slippers. What should that wish be? To be a doctor? The President of the United States? A famous rock star? Or something else?

Edison's new friend, Sierra the Special Spider, can no longer write her children letters. Edison wants to help her; which means a new invention is on the way! Please join Edison on his 4th installment of the Edison the Firefly series.

A successful high school football coach in northern New Hampshire is reluctantly pressed into service as the cheerleader coach due to budget restrictions at the school. In the beginning, he hates the job, but as time passes, he develops a rapport with the cheerleaders and comes to love what he is doing.

This book is a tool for teaching early literacy skills. I believe that it is never too early to introduce reading skills to children. I would recommend this book to be used in homeschools, daycares, faith-based organizations, and homes. This book would make a great gift for baby showers, birthdays, or as a gift for no particular occasion. My prayer is that older children and adults will take the time to read this book to children. This is one way to teach spiritual and natural basic skills that will last a life time. Learning activities include: - learning the alphabet - learning words that begin with each letter of the alphabet - learning to trace the alphabet using your fi nger/pencil - learning pictures that refl ect the Bible - learning Biblical scriptures that apply to letters in the alphabet