Contained in this book are 10 stories. These stories reflect true-ish circumstances in the life of the author who has a knack for courting trouble even while sitting over breakfast at 2:00 in the morning in a diner. There's an encounter with fire, a mob, police, amorous senior citizens, the perils of moving, walking in New York City, driving a Sebring, parking a Sebring, pushing a Sebring over the cliff, okay that last one was just a fantasy. You'll also go to dinner and be intimately involved in pleasant conversation, witness a discussion on copyrights, and be party to the best set of directions ever given and ignored. The stories are a mix of real events and inner dialogue and creative interpretation with more than a dollop of the surreal and the tangents traveled can tie you into knots as you wonder how much is fact and how much is fiction. The answer in all cases but one is, nine parts fact to one part fiction. And the exception? It's all fact, more's the pity.
About the Author: Born in 1961 into an enlisted Navy family of an eventual five boys, Jonathan grew up on or around military bases, doing all the normal things boys in the 1960's and 1970's did. A writer from an early age, Jonathan has published a guidebook on relationships for men, three volumes of poetry, a book of short stories, has written for numerous websites, is a writing mentor in on-line workshops, and fills his time with work and hobbies. Jonathan's experience in reading and writing poetry is founded on a love of language and story-telling. In the Suck Free Poetry series (Volume 4, Utopia, With Calories, is due in July 2011), he attempts to demonstrate that style and form need not be absent from modern poetry and that good writing should be the only grade against which poetry is judged. His short stories are a humorous take on the circumstances of life and involve family, marriage, dinner, and random confrontation that have ceased to be a surprise but remain a mystery. Along with Volume 4 of the Suck Free Poetry series due in July 2011, Jonathan is planning "The Art of Contemplation" for release in early 2012. This will be a collection of thoughts, essays, and speculation with a decided lean toward humour. Some people respond to tragedy with drink, drugs, or other destructive behaviour. Jonathan goes the humour route. Because if you cannot laugh at yourself, you'll spend all your time angry that others are. Jonathan currently lives in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area with his youngest son, Gareth, his rescue mutt, Lady, and three cats that also were left behind when his second marriage ended and spends his time writing, teaching and training in martial arts, making armour for and participating in SCA heavy combat, making props for and performing with the We Are Street Circus troupe, playing video and other games, and waiting for Sandra Bullock to come to her senses and call him. It's not a great plan, but it hasn't failed entirely; yet.