My Books – Not What I Meant

Use the links below to jump to a description of each book. Click on the cover of any book to visit its page for more information and purchase a copy.

Rafe Keyn and the Temporal Lisle

A time travel fantasy.

I’m a Fixer, a keeper of the Temporal Lisle, the thread that literally holds time together.

Fixers, or more properly Deputies of the Agency for Prevention of Historically Anomalous Events (APHAE) were the Agency’s most guarded secret.

The one secret guarded more closely was the Temporal Lisle itself, but that couldn’t rightly be said to be their secret. It was simply the way the universe worked. Time was not the abstract concept outsiders thought. It was a physical construct, a real and literal thing which could be seen, observed, touched.

Like anything else in the physical universe, it needed maintenance. APHAE provided it. The Agency planned to ramp up from 309 Fixers to as many as 350.

It was a disastrous plan. Rafe Keyn wasn’t supposed to think it, wasn’t supposed to pass judgment on those high-and-mighty Deputies responsible, ultimately, for guardianship of time.

But he thought it disastrous, nonetheless, and with good reason.

Fixers would destroy the Temporal Lisle.

And all of space and time.

ISBN 978-1721183098

“I’ve been reading science fiction for close to 50 years. This book has a new twist—and an ending that surprised me.

I stayed up to finish reading it in one sitting.

What more could one ask of a book?”
—Amazon Reviewer

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A Still, Small Voice

Phil Brennan is back, looking for a stolen painting and a missing girl. Smack in the center of it is a rivalry between two men. One of them is nothing like Phil’s father.

Nothing at all.

ISBN 978-1541376113

“I love the narrative voice of Phil Brennan. I would totally want to be friends with this man. He’s hilarious without trying to be, he’s compassionate without overplaying it, and he’s insightful even as he fumbles along, piecing motives and clues together. I came back to this series (this is the second book) because of Phil Brennan, and I will read anything else he shows up in.”
— Mrs. G

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A Long, Hard Look

It was one of those days when breakfast wanted to be cheap whiskey straight from the bottle.

A short, fat banker. A willowy, buxom blonde. Phil Brennan’s latest client is the former. He prefers the latter — until he gets to know her better. She and her family back Brennan into a corner. His only way out is to choose between truth and love.

With this family, there’s a third choice, just for good measure.

Death.

ISBN 978-0984094097

“A fun, fast-paced mystery in the classic style with a modern twist. Fans of Raymond Chandler will find much to love in ‘A Long, Hard Look.'”
— Elizabeth Craig/Riley Adams, author of the Memphis Barbecue Mysteries

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That She is Made of Truth

The day his dream career ends, Jesse Donovan reconnects with an old flame. All he has to do to live happily ever after is abandon everything he’s ever believed in.

ISBN: 978-1517381684

“I felt almost as if I were reading three different mysteries at once. There was one bit I figured out almost immediately, but other pieces left me bewildered and searching for answers right up to the end. The story had great action, suspense, humor and a hint of romance. The narrator’s voice—that of an uptight accountant—was unlike most I’ve seen used for the “sleuth” role, so the story felt extra fresh because of it. I actually find myself highlighting lines here and there just because I love how he words something.”
— Mrs. G

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Through the Fog

An amnesiac is pursued through the wilds of west Ireland accompanied by a beautiful woman who may or may not be his friend. As flickers of memory return they only add to his confusion.

A light mystery that’s more about people than puzzles. Includes 50 black & white photographs by the author.

ISBN 978-1434867360

“This mystery had me hooked from the beginning. I really enjoyed the light sense of humor woven throughout. The locale descriptions put me right in the Irish countryside and drinking a pint or two along with the characters. This is a perfect “end of Summer” read.”
— Kari Hagensmith

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Into the Fog

After 3 years this sequel to Through the Fog is finally available.

How do you choose which innocent person gets hurt? In this sequel to Through the Fog, the two living O’Quinn brothers are back, luring Web Martin into another Irish adventure.

An ancient map showing the earliest voyage of an Irish hero can’t fall into the wrong hands — especially since it’s a forgery. Niall and Fearghal make it sound so simple. Web doesn’t believe a word of it, but with an Irish police officer for a girlfriend and a security specialist as his best friend, Web has no doubt they can sort out what the O’Quinns are really up to without getting in over their heads.

You’d think he’d know better by now.

ISBN 978-1434867360

“Joel has written another page turning mystery! The characters are all too human. The twists and turns as the plot develops keep you second guessing yourself. The fine edge of anticipation, the wit and finely honed sarcasm, along with the unexpected make this book an interesting read with more than a few laughs.”
— Susan Mayfield

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Ginger, the Ship Captain’s Cat

30 stories about Ginger, a very special cat who traveled the world on a sailing ship a long time ago. One black and white illustration highlights each of these warm and humorous stories.

Perfect for the littlest in the family — or anyone who loves cats, fun, adventure, and travel.

ISBN 978-1511445443

“Ginger, the Ship Captain’s Cat is a delightful, fun read. Right off, the author explains that these stories were told to a little girl in his life, and when I read the stories to my granddaughter it was as if I could feel the author’s joy in reading to a youngster he cherishes. For me, that’s what makes this book of short stories a treasure to cherish. Sharing these magical stories are like passing a heartwarming torch from one family to the next. What’s not to like? The stories are written from Ginger the cat’s point of view. Adorable!”
—Sue Coletta

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Undercurrents

Short Stories, Vignettes, and Poems with Wit Both Light and Dark from my blog, newsletter, and private collection, written over the past decade. Some are funny, some are darkly funny, some are just dark.

ASIN B077PZQ7JK

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Terpsichore Antipodes

Waste of your money. I don’t recommend it. Buy something you’ll understand. Perhaps even like. Not worth the price of admission to see someone wading naked into their stream of consciousness. Don’t say I didn’t warm the cockles of your heart me hearties. Breakfast of trampolines. Here’s how it begins: The sun shone. Morning. He awoke for the first time, knowing it. The dream was over but not the dreaming. Smells and sounds, but not in a dream. The sun shone in his dream. There was a time upon him once and for all, shiny and golden. Liquid amber arrogance but justifiable. Leaden sluggish, antimony laze. Across the horizon floating benevolent a circle of yellow through eyelids and sky lids. Rounding the horn a horn blowing roundly soundly the sound of pipes and drums of eardrums pummeled. Flailing failing frothing legs furiously pulling pushing coverlet duvet diving. Foot free feeling fairly flushed. A second later a second settling. Upright but not upright. Not devoid of deviousness the dream denied obfuscation ostentation illumination organization. Shake clear rub tousle toss and smear and clear and stretch. Enticing feather filled. Time was upon him at once. Stumble tangle kick. Stumble flick click golden glow to cold wet. Too much too soon too loud too much. One two. Two drawers of drawers a box of something and trowels in the dirt tying one on. Not news but like it not liking it. Goodbye Austrian stockings. Tying two on. Banister as in sliding preposterous mind yourself get a grip banish banisters and barristers perishing barristers. Riser tread tread riser calculated fall and run. Thirteen of each. Wall strolling feline feral and fierce yellow eyed. Kindred spirit indeed. Yellow shirt at least not yellow streak. Streaky yellow platter fat unfit with points and fat and something overhead plopping whopping points points yolks on you. Too soft. Bitter better bite. Abandoning hope all hope whoever enters at half ten to soak scrub arrange the melange making moribundity more abundant. Not housebound et ux no such luck. Pants package picked up and dog teeth tussled keyed up keyed out keen to be seen oh ho not at all. Snick slip click one two one two one two must be done must be done slip jingle sigh and riser tread riser tread concrete abutment. Scurry through curry hurry past furry fury umbrella. Umbrella. One never knows does one of course One knows not this one. Furry fury curry scurry slipping snicking only one brolly prolly a probable umbrella doubles as parasol. Snick slip click one two one two one two must be done must be done slip jingle sign and riser tread riser tread but the concrete then curry then fury then apace anon anonymous. Concrete. Instead of benevolent gold instead of puff and blue instead shining rectangle upon shining up and over up and over and concrete. Take out the trees to put in the trees and fence the trees to keep the trees safe but the bugs right the bugs and anyway there is more to life than trees though trees bring more to life. Mewing on concrete mewling behind shiny rectangle a smile a smile not at all fool not a smile more mewling. Glare behind glare once more the time was upon him time upon time time to climb upon. The smell oh that smell always the smell are the windows locked or do they not smell the smell. Rigidly riding not rapid. Vapid with vapors if the vapors would vanish or varnish instead in his head the smell the smell shriek thump ha and the smell do the windows not open. Eight hundred seventeen the crush the rush the push the smell behemoth kneels and concrete. Pummeling noise buffeting boys and whirls into the golden rectangle. Closer and slower yielding resistance purposelessness pursuing pathetic purposes. Yet once more unto the security carousel careful yourself carousel of joy to the whirligig whirl and giggle they will never let you in there is a thought. Suspicious and unsmiling resenting the gig wearing a big rig do ya dig ain’t no pig don’t give a fig that ain’t no wig zag

ISBN 978-1979993395

Science Fiction

Mysteries

For Little Ones

For Strange and Curious Ones