Twenty-six letters created the GREATEST stories ever written; now imagine the IMPACT you can make!
The English language alone contains over one million words. While some are outdated and archaic, it’s worth recognizing that all of them come from the same twenty-six letters we use every day without a second thought as we communicate together.
Throughout history, twenty-six letters have shaped the most iconic literary masterpieces of our lives. They have motivated authors, poets, prophets, and playwrights to challenge their creative boundaries and produce lasting works that have withstood the test of time.
My journey to becoming an author began on July 26, 2021, sparked by a text I’d written months earlier: “If twenty-six letters are capable of creating the greatest stories ever written, I’m pretty sure I’ll be okay.”
I’d be honored to have you join me on this journey as we explore the complexities of the game of “LIFE” we’re all playing. Though our paths are unique, they share more similarities than we often realize. And no matter where this game of “LIFE” leads you, remember: just like each of those twenty-six letters, you too are profoundly significant.
Shane Michael Whitehead has dedicated more than two decades of his professional career to the field of adult corrections. Throughout his years of service, he has remained committed to fostering a positive mindset and leading by example within an environment that can often be challenging, negative, and intimidating. His work has provided him with firsthand insight into the struggles faced by individuals caught in the revolving cycle of the criminal justice system, many of whom battle mental illness, addiction, trauma, or circumstances beyond their control.
For more information, please visitShaneMichaelWhitehead.com
Quite often, throughout the course of our lives, we will undoubtedly experience firsthand many unusual and unexpected circumstances that could potentially have an overwhelming impact on both our physical and emotional health and well-being. Although these circumstances are many times completely out of our control, they can play a vital role in the thoughts and feelings that frequently consume our minds. These thoughts and feelings have the awe-inspiring potential to not only directly impact our actions, but the outcomes that come along with each of those actions as a result.
Fred Berl was in Los Alamos to attend a book signing for his novel, The Warsaw Gambit, at Samizdat Bookstore and Teahouse, 174 Central Park Square, Los Alamos, New Mexico
Following a thorough review of your work against our Standard of Excellence, our panel has selected you Fred Berl as a Distinguished Author of the International Impact Book Awards for your book, The Warsaw Gambit.
This distinction is conferred upon a limited number of authors, leaders, and voices whose work demonstrates genuine, measurable impact on the readers and communities they serve. Your work reflected precisely the caliber this honor was created to recognize.
To be recognized as a Distinguished Author is to be positioned among a global community of authors whose words carry weight and whose ideas leave a lasting mark. This recognition is not given lightly. It is earned on the strength of what you created and it now belongs to you. It is a mark of distinction you carry into every room, every stage, and every conversation that follows.
Attached to this message is your official emblem and Certificate of Recognition, presented in acknowledgment of this achievement.
Local Book Club meets with author Timothy Trainer to discuss his book The China Factor.
Summary of The China Factor:
In the spring of 2005, the FBI foils a government employee’s attempt to provide confidential information to the Chinese. As the FBI struggles to understand why the information is valuable, its investigation entangles Capitol Hill staffer Kellie Liang and jeopardizes her nomination to a State Department position. Under scrutiny, Kellie thrusts herself into the FBI investigation. Seeking a voice of reason, Kellie reaches out to Aaron Foster only to learn that he is vacationing in Vietnam with his uncle, a war veteran. Surprisingly, Aaron believes he has found a Chinese corporate connection to the information theft, and from two sides of the world, Kellie and Aaron work to thwart China’s efforts and save Kellie’s nomination.
Timothy Trainer, an attorney, worked in multiple federal government agencies and in the private sector. His non-traditional legal career included significant time focused on international trade issues. His work required extensive travel around the world, including dozens of trips to the Asia-Pacific region. His experiences led him to co-author a legal treatise for fifteen years, penning the novels, The China Connection and Pendulum Over the Pacific, and authoring a non-fiction book The Fortunate Son: Top, Through the Eyes of Others, about men who served in Vietnam with his father.
The convention celebrating the 150th Anniversary of the American Library Association was held at McCormick Place in Chicago. It was my privilege to be invited as Media among the 14,000 attendees. And I mean that very seriously.
Imagine being surrounded by people who care about reading and their community. Who spend countless hours shelving and reshelving books for all of us so we can find that book which might just change our lives. Imagine how technology has changed the library. How the card catalog is now online and searchable. How volumes of information have been entered into a computer so we can have access to the knowledge of the world. Imagine helping all age groups to find their passion and provide programs where they can explore themselves and the universe.
As I sit in my local library, I marvel at all the books and computers that are available to everyone. My library card provides me access. It does not ask me about what I do for a living, how rich I am…or poor. It does not ask me for my nationality or religious beliefs. By simply being a resident in my community, I am welcomed to explore. Where else do you find that? And I know, I forgot to mention it: IT IS FREE!
There is no guardian at the door like Costco who makes you scan your card just to be able to enter. Instead at your library, you are encouraged to come inside. Explore. Let your mind wonder. Whether you are a parent with young children, a school student, or a senior, there is a place for you. And there are people who are ready to assist you any way they possibly can.
And get this, I can take home a book for no charge. Just with my library card. Here I am creditworthy, unless I demonstrate otherwise. But that is true for not just books, but videos, eBooks, magazines, Roku sticks, and so much more material. Just ask.
As my mind returns to the convention, I marvel at the hundreds of authors with their books which are available for the librarians to take a copy with them. The smiles on both the author and librarian are infectious as they exchange words while the author signs the book.
It is incredible to witness the international publishers and authors who have traveled to Chicago for an opportunity to showcase their creative talents and words. And to be received with such dignity and respect. My wish is that the outside world could reflect the same openness and willingness to listen and share with so many different races, nationalities, and opinions—to understand each other and share the wisdoms each have experienced and created so others can appreciate their insights.
So, the next time you drive by your library, be proud that so many people are dedicated to opening the vaults of information and making them accessible to everyone in the community. All without a charge. Free to those in the community who are welcomed when they walk through the doors of their local library and encouraged to explore.
Thank you to all the librarians who make this possible for all of us. Thank You!
Who am I? What is my real name? These are just two of the multiple, penetrating questions with profound implications shrouded in silence.
Is contentment possible? Does one truly forgive? Is hope the key? How important are wise choices within the darkness of poverty and dysfunction? Two professional degrees, forty-year career in education, can one truly rise above?
SIX FEET ABOVE SECRETS is a poignant sharing of how James Morris transcends the complicated and mundane intricacies of life. He’s honest and unapologetically frank. But the heavier question may be:
Did he choose appropriate paths for navigating life’s bumps, scrapes, triumphs, and successes?
James V. Morris is a retired forty-year career educator and school administrator. He completed a Bachelor’s in elementary education, taught in both public and private schools for thirteen years before earning a Master’s in Administrative Leadership. His first role as principal, then school president landed him in a private Christian school fourteen years. He returned to his roots in a large urban public elementary school with a 96% poverty rate. He officially retired at age fifty-seven and then returned to the same school district for various part-time duties. James has been happily married to his wife Pamela forty-three years, and they raised one daughter. James is a man of deeply held faith. Late in the sixth decade of life he still marvels how his life has unfolded, often stating, “How can this be?”
James Morris employs a stream-of-consciousness approach, non-linear storytelling, and a blend of humor, vulnerability, and critical self-analysis. His writing creates a compelling and relatable account of one person’s journey toward acceptance and meaning. With radical transparency and self-examination, he is unusually candid about family dysfunction, poverty, addiction, and personal shortcomings, breaking with the tendency, as most men do, to hide or sanitize details.
His search for identity and truth is a central thread in the quest to uncover the truth about his origins, including the discovery of a secret brother and the use of DNA testing to resolve questions of paternity. He details the emotional impact of family secrets, the process of confronting them, and the ongoing effects of unresolved questions about identity. He writes letters to his deceased fathers (both the man who raised him and his biological father) that are heart-rending, serving as acts of reckoning and closure.
James explores themes of dysfunction, resilience, identity, and transformation with a raw honesty, depth of self-reflection, weaving together personal, familial, and professional experiences. What stands out most is his fearless confrontation with difficult truths, his celebration of ordinary yet profound moments, and the message that transformation is possible through honesty, perseverance, and the support of others.
His dedication to his wife as the “super glue” of his life sets the tone for the importance of steadfast relationships. Throughout, the influence of supportive figures—teachers, mentors, friends, and family—emerges as crucial to his growth. Spiritual development is a recurring theme, with James reflecting on faith, doubt, and the evolution of his beliefs. He traces a journey from rigid religious structures to a more personal, open, and questioning spirituality.
The recounting of professional milestones, such as innovative educational projects and leadership challenges, illustrates his commitment to making a difference despite personal and systemic obstacles. His transformation through adversity from a childhood marked by instability and dysfunction to a successful career in education and leadership is a testament to resilience and the power of choice. It highlights how adversity, rather than breaking him, became a source of motivation and empathy, especially in his professional life as a teacher and administrator.
Joy Oden wasn’t always a writer. English wasn’t her major; instead, the lucrative field of sociology beckoned, so naturally, she ended up in advertising. A few international moves, a couple of children and life became hectic; the thought of writing scratched at her consciousness once or twice, the solitude to attempt it probably more appealing that the art itself. Mostly, with those little kids racketing around, she considered myself a ‘wiper’ – spills, faces and bottoms.
But when it came time to earn a paycheck, she bought some time by going back to school where she earned a Masters in English. Why? Because of her passion for the written word? Because of her mania to record the original nuggets that clamored for release from the inside of her brain? No. It was because colleges need English professors.
She’s been teaching at Houston City College ever since. As a teacher, she learned to be a writer. Now words and she are friends. (Although it may be a bit one-sided.)
Her short fiction has appeared in Free Fall Literary Journal, Ariel Chart International Literary Journal, Literally Stories, and others. She’s a Canadian sweltering in Houston with her husband and dog, Bella.
James V Morris is a retired forty-year career educator and school administrator. He first pursued fashion merchandising and design, a short stint as a floral designer, then returned to his original career desire completing a Bachelor’s in elementary education at Lipscomb University. He taught in both public and private schools for thirteen years before earning a Master’s in Administrative Leadership at Trevecca Nazarene University.
His first role as principal then president landed him in a private Christian school fourteen years. Within a legalistic environment he attempted to enact change regarding a host of strict conservative bylaws. He respectfully battled with the board of directors, but little change occurred. He gave up the fight and returned to his roots in a large urban public elementary school with a 96% poverty rate. He was suddenly inundated again but this time with a different set of challenging circumstances. This time battling the devastating impacts of poverty upon families and children’s learning.
He officially retired at age fifty-seven due to some unforeseen bureaucratic circumstances beyond his control. James then returned to the same school district for part-time work, first as a substitute, interim teacher, academic interventionist, and a 120-day assistant principal for six years at a large elementary school in south Nashville with a low poverty rate. He treasured his last stint as an administrator, but called it quits at the even number of forty years.
James is happily married to his wife Pamela forty-three years, and they raised one daughter. James and his wife reside in a rural portion of Davidson County north of Nashville, Tennessee. They have lived at the same location for thirty-eight years and like to refer to the location as “our wooded sanctuary.”James is a man of deeply held faith, relishes his retirement, loves writing, traveling, flower gardening, and always looking for new restaurants to enjoy with his wife or friends. Late in the sixth decade of life he still marvels how his life has unfolded, often stating, “How can this be!”
Jan has worked for the past 30 years in both Film and Television with appearances most recently on Grimm and Leverage, and with over 1800 television commercials and hundreds of industrial videos, Jan brings the expertise needed to work both nationally and internationally.
Jan has a passion for helping people understand the world of their loved ones especially through life’s sometimes difficult transitions. She founded Planet Sweet Pea & Co. in 2009 which offers medical and relationship help. Learn more at www.planetsweetpea.com.
Jan loves the outdoors and as much sunshine as possible! Her daughters, Amie Cazel and Erin Brehm are also working actors and live on the east coast far enough away from their mother! They remain Jan’s greatest achievement in life.
