Personal Memoir and Cookbook Celebrating The Art of The Pivot

Saken’s book takes the reader on a life journey, beginning with lemonade stands and restaurants in her backyard growing up. Through a series of circumstances, some chosen, some out of necessity, the obvious way to earn a living was through a talent for cooking and entertaining, although not classically trained.

The many stops include tried and true recipes handed down from her mother-in-law, the most popular themed menus and recipes from her catering days, those most requested breakfast offerings from Pine View House; her Bed and Breakfast located in the mountain of The Angeles National Forest and, lastly the Comfort Food recipes she prepared for her favorite CEO that warms the stomach as well as your heart.

Sharing interesting stories and insights, along with delicious and easy to follow recipes will tempt the palette as well as discover the many ways to tap into your own natural talent whatever it may be.

Born and raised in Los Angeles, CA, Norma Saken currently lives in Palm Desert, CA with her fur baby, Spanky; always enjoying visits from family and friends.

Link to pre-sales for Saken’s book (orders should be ready for shipping or pick up by the beginning of December): https://www.flintridgebooks.com/presales-local-authors/pre-sales-may-i-have-seconds-please-by-norma-y-saken

Aaron’s book focuses on bringing peace, positivity, and healing to the world by sharing his personal experiences. He walks readers through his metamorphic story and makes recommendations for relentless determination and a strategic mindset to get through life’s challenges, achieve one’s goals and reach a whole new level of success.

Entrepreneur Aaron Douglas leads Aaron Douglas Projects, which focuses on innovative solutions and personal growth. He is dedicated to revitalizing communities and promoting authenticity. Aaron, who has been called a “highly passionate and visionary leader”, encourages the next generation to embrace challenges and pursue their passions with resilience.

(Motivational/Self-Help)

Private investigator Eliza Fox must be smarter than the police and a step ahead of the killer in this new book, "a mystery backed by experience in the investigative industry -- that of author Cathleen Watkins."– Midwest Book Review

DEADLY QUIET: The Eliza Fox Files (Book 1) When exchange student Martina Noto is found dead in the music practice rooms of Wexford College, there are few suspects and no clear answers. The nearest relatives are Martina’s cousins: Private Investigator Eliza Fox and her mother, Francesca Noto-Fox. As detectives Byron Comstock and Jessica Fonseca get familiar with the case, Eliza is determined to help catch the killer and is soon caught up in the twists and turns of finding the murderer, a far cry from her usual work as a paralegal. Eliza must overcome her own inexperience and learn to trust her instincts as she fumbles through her first high-stakes case.

Like her protagonist Eliza Fox, CATHLEEN WATKINS is a licensed private investigator in California. She has been involved with both criminal and civil cases, including those related to the #metoo movement, civil rights claims, and student cases involving sexual assault. She has mentored new investigators and developed training programs on interviewing and finding evidence. Cathleen’s experiences as an investigator have helped her write fictional characters and settings that feel genuine. 

Before becoming a P.I., Cathleen studied journalism in college and worked as an editor.  She grew up and continuesto live in Southern California with her husband, Dennis, and their Cardigan Welsh Corgi, Henry. Her grown children all live nearby.

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ABCs OF WOMEN IN MEDICINE is an empowering and educational children’s book that celebrates the remarkable contributions of female healthcare professionals. From Anesthesiology to Wellness, each letter of the alphabet introduces a different medical subspecialty. Children will learn about the vital roles that women play in fields such as cardiology, dermatology, and more.

My daughter loves this book! She’s fascinated by the different medical fields and the strong women featured. ABCs of Women in Medicine is both empowering and educational. – Parent, Janelle

Melissa Bent, MD, a pediatrician, mother, and debut children’s author, brings her passion for healthcare and storytelling to life in this engaging book. As a woman in medicine, Melissa understand the importance of representation and aims to inspire young minds through her captivating narratives.

Follow Melissa on Instagram @melissabentmd

An English/Spanish action/adventure book for ages 8-12

In the enchanting realm of Galifkadori, royal siblings Alevi and Bo are thrust into a perilous adventure when a sudden kidnapping tears them apart. Surrounded by unfamiliar faces and places, they must summon every ounce of courage and cunning to choose the right allies as they seek to reunite and unravel a sinister plot threatening the kingdom.

En el reino encantador del Galifkadori, los hermanos reales Alevi y Bo se meten en una aventura peligrosa cuando un secuestro repentino los separa. Rodeados de desconocidos y lugares extraños, necesitarán cada pizca de coraje e ingenio para elegir a sus nuevos aliados mientras se esfuerzan a reunirse y poner fin a un complot siniestro que amenaza al reino.

Mark Miller is a freelance writer, editor, and translator. He is the co-author of The 1960s on Film with Dr. Jim Willis (2021) and the author of Scotty Go and Other Small Tales (2019). Mark's professional experience includes his role as Communications Specialist at Harvest International Ministry, a network of organizations in 70-plus nations, as well as a writer and editor for Harvest Rock Church, Ché Ahn Ministries, and related nonprofit organizations in Pasadena, California. He is a summa cum laude graduate in journalism and Spanish at Azusa Pacific University, and he lives in Los Angeles.

A fable - One day, deep in a peaceful forest, a white rabbit named Luna makes a disturbing discovery: she has no footprints-indeed she is slowly disappearing. In a panic, and without answers, she flees her home to save herself. Her pilgrimage takes her through a wilderness in which she encounters creatures dangerous and beautiful, the incarnation of her desires, and the void she is running from. Luna's tale explores the universal search for belonging and presence through the limitations that keep us fragmented, and our longing to be whole.

A five-star fable...I highly recommend this unique take on the timeless themes of longing, personal integration, and facing our fears in search of something greater. – Mattimus (on line review)

Julianne Bigler has been plumbing the depths of the human experience and the psyche in her schooling, personal life, and through this story. Her body of writing spans a personal blog, poetry, content writing, and magazine journalism. She lives in San Diego. This is her first book.

A Fantasy Anthology...

CACOPHONY OF CROWNS is a discordant collection of short stories chronicling the chaotic rise and fall of power throughout the past, present, and future. Witness as Wren the fisherman deals with mortality, a hedonistic king is confronted with his darkest fears, and Atansha heals a kingdom with the strength given to her by the earth.

This chaotic mythology introduces the reader to the world of the Dark Forest, and all the planets contained within. It is a world filled with magickal beings, powerful rulers, and otherworldly happenings. Here, humans use magick to alter their realities, with some even ascending to gods, but not without finding the true price of power—a price few mortals wish to pay…

Praise for the book:

"A magical journey through so many places, people, and times, one I enjoyed revisiting more than once!"

"Super fun and imaginative."

"The Dark Forest village rules and is exactly the ideal fantasy environment I wanted to run away to as a kid"

GARRETT S. BROUSSARD is a software developer for Animation and Visual Effects, photographer, woodworker, hiker, and whiskey lover. He enjoys creature features, fantasy, and  science fiction shows of all kinds and calibers, as well as horror and nature documentaries.

He is fascinated with dogs, occult history, and Carl Jung’s work on archetypes.

ALINA HOPE MARTIN is a 26 year old author/poet and lyricist. She graduated from college in 2023 earning her Associate of Arts degree in Mass Communication. She was presented with Gold honors at graduation for her exemplary GPA. She is passionate about writing and creating.

Alina suffers from Cerebral Palsy. Her disability has presented her with a number of challenges and a great deal of adversities, as well as numerous opportunities she wouldn't have otherwise had. Alina's loving family, her close friends, and her faith have made her who she is.

A Romance/Adventure....Chances were slim that a young woman from the Provinces would encounter legendary Dusters during a short ride across the Wildlands. But when her coach is waylaid by masked riders and her coach mate is abducted, her adventure in the Wildlands begins with two Dusters named Rock and Stone.

Southern California native Ann Bernath has been writing since the age of 6, inspired by the "Author! Author!" episode of "The Patty Duke Show." In 2023, two of her short stories were included in the TechLit anthology Inner Space and Space and Outer Thoughts: Speculative Fiction from Caltech and JPL Authors. She self-published Rock. Stone. Pebble that same year.  Ann writes genre fiction - westerns and sci-fi/fantasy in particular – and has both a prequel and a fantasy novel in progress.

A travel memoir...Parker Emerson soaks up everything important and interesting about the sights and sounds of a trip and squeezes them out for the reader.

Travels with Spot: Paris to Zürich (the first in a series of Travels with Spot books) doesn’t just tell you where to be, it tells you how it feels to be there.

Parker G. Emerson has traveled throughout Europe, the United States, and parts of Africa, Mexico, and South Korea, beginning with an unguided trip to Europe in 1973. He acquired the nickname “Spot” as the navigation center supervisor on the nuclear missile submarine USS Simon Bolivar (SSBN641) for eight years and 15 deployments deterring global thermonuclear war.

He completed his B.S. in business administration at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA, while still on active duty. After leaving the US Navy, he moved to California where he worked in the aerospace industry and earned his MBA from the University of Southern California. Emerson has held senior management positions and has started and sold several companies. He is a co-author of The Public Administrator’s Companion: A Practical Guide 2nd edition. Now retired, he and his wife, Sandra, enjoy traveling and writing about their adventures.

Embark on a captivating journey with Gigi, a determined young girl from the South Bronx, New York, who discovers the magic of soil and its vital role in our planet’s health. Gigi’s cherished garden refuses to grow until she meets Nema, a wise nematode worm and a guardian of the soil. Through Nema, Gigi learns about the global issue of polluted soil and its impact on food and air quality. Inspired by Nema, Gigi empowers others to take action, growing a vibrant community dedicated to environmental stewardship.

This bilingual tale highlights sustainable practices, regenerative agriculture, and the profound impact that individuals can make in protecting and championing the health of our planet.

Dr. Aidyl Gonzalez, a trailblazer in environmental microbiology, brings her vibrant Puerto Rican heritage and Bronx upbringing into her children's book, Gigi & Nema. Inspired by her own life, her story blends rich cultural insights with cutting-edge scientific knowledge to captivate and educate young minds.

Celebrated by The Explorers Club as a visionary scientist and science educator, Aidyl inspires children and adults alike to become stewards of the earth, highlighting the power of diversity in leading global environmental change.

This poetry collection is about a heroine’s journey. The road back to identity. Separation, initiation and return to self. The sinister price we pay for becoming estranged with our own inner world. It is a reflection on the urgency for reconciliation with self, for the entrapment does not have to be eternal.

Readers will find the full spectrum of emotions that the human body and mind are capable of experiencing …passion, rhapsody, euphoria, rage, courage, hope, fury and an awestruck revelation…THAT OUR VISIBILITY IS NOT NEGOTIABLE.

Using the Socratic method in her poetry to question the world around us and thereby curating a more intentional life, Mary walks readers through self-reflective questions: What happens when people create a world we did not want … when they penetrate our minds & hearts? What if we have achieved everything we set out to do but it has come at great sacrifice to our souls? What if we freed ourselves but didn’t realize how far we could truly take that freedom?

MARY TERTEROV is a true Cali girl who loves to write poetry, novellas and short stories under the golden sun. With a Juris Doctorate degree and experience in criminal and civil litigation, this mama of three is an attorney gone rogue.

Mary loves to compete in amateur Latin ballroom competitions, train for marathons and is the ultimate classical literature junkie. She also hosts an online blog featuring short articles focused on the human condition and the friction between our internal and external desires.

Find her at: www.YourGoToMama.com   Instagram: Mary_Terterov

Lotta Pedal once again taps into her scrappy confidence and quick wit to tackle another outdoor adventure; leading her to discover new things about the environment and gets creative on ways to help protect and love the planet just a little bit more. Sporting her very own signature style, a tray filled with freshly baked full-moon themed whoopie pies, and a newly renovated backyard treehouse, Lotta Pedal is ready to celebrate the first full moon of the summer. Join Lotta as she chases a mysterious night owl thief, avoids near cycling mishaps with her brothers and welcomes some unusual winter-like summer weather. Eventually Lotta catches her unwelcomed Buck Moon visitor and unexpectedly learns a thing or two about how to protect the natural environment around her. Lotta and her friends rally together and come up with a creative plan to help contribute to the care of the wildlife, plants, and trails at their local regional park. (ages 6-12)

Vanessa’s fondest childhood memories kick-started her thirst for adventure. A graduate of Queen’s University in Film Studies, her desire for storytelling led her to a successful career in advertising. Living in California, you’ll find her riding her favorite mountain bike trails, photographing wildlife or cruising down Highway 1. Her passion and respect for the outdoors is something she wishes to share with all her readers; to inspire them to get outside, explore their own worlds and the beauty of the natural environments around them.

Sporting her very own signature style, a box filled with freshly baked beach-themed cookies, and a newly designed surfboard, Lotta Pedal is ready for her first surf of the summer. Join Lotta for a West Coast adventure as she taps into her scrappy confidence and quick wit while she tangles with mysterious underwater thieves, a school bully, and some dangerous weather. Eventually, Lotta catches her wave and unexpectedly learns a thing or two about what is threatening the natural environment around her. Lotta and her friends rally together and come up with a creative plan to help protect the sea mammals and ocean waters around their local surf spot.

Vanessa’s fondest childhood memories kick-started her thirst for adventure. A graduate of Queen’s University in Film Studies, her desire for storytelling led her to a successful career in advertising.
Living in California, you’ll find her riding her favorite mountain
bike trails, photographing wildlife or cruising down Highway 1. Her
passion and respect for the outdoors is something she wishes to
share with all her readers; to inspire them to get outside, explore
their own worlds and the beauty of the natural environments
around them.

Written by an ex-prosecutor who gets the law and setting right, Zev Maslo is a terrific fictional detective. I can’t wait for the next book
in the series. – Carole Reed, retired DA

When a prosecutor is accused of murdering his boss, the case against him looks airtight. In desperation, his wealthy grandmother turns to Zeb Maslo, a brilliant private detective who would rather read and play the piano than work. Maslo’s investigation uncovers a nest of vipers, each of whom has ample motive to have committed the crime. Can he find the murderer before the viper strikes again?

Hyman Sisman is a former L.A. County prosecutor who's always liked murder mysteries. On retirement, he decided to try his hand at writing his own. The Rule of Two, which takes place in the District Attorney's Office, is his first novel.

The new President is about to be elected. A young Joy spends the day with her brother CJ learning about who and what a President is. Realizing that for the first time in history a female could win the election. After learning about what a President does and even where they live, Joy also begins to explore all the other things she can grow up to be. This is a story filled with encouragement, aspiration, and inspiration. (ages 3 - 8)

The All My First Series highlights children with unique characteristics, with hopes to promote embracing and celebrating our many differences. Flintridge Bookstore also offers the initial book in Owens’ series, My First Loose Tooth.

Stephanie Owens began writing children's picture books in order to inspire and excite little ones as they prepared to face life's changes. She chose to embrace her passions of poetry and children’s fiction stories in order to create a fun and memorable series highlighting the many milestones children will encounter. My First Loose Tooth is the first release from the All My Firsts Series. Stephanie is the founder and President of Hayward House Publishing, which she began in order to self-publish her series. With a degree in psychology, Stephanie spent the years following school working in a placement home counseling troubled youth. She lives in Los Angeles, California, but was born in the Bay Area and spent her formative years in Maine.

Big Bug Feelings, a picture book, is a wonderful bridge between caregivers and children, helping guide through even the toughest of feelings including tantrums, stress, impulse control, and more.

Big Bug Feelings engages kids and parents alike with friendly rhymes, accessible coping strategies, and a special look and find BUG!

A GREAT RESOURCE FOR ALL!

Jessica Stamm is a mom and dietitian. She is passionate about mindfulness and talking about feelings, starting at an early age. Her book explores tougher emotions and gives accessible coping strategies in a fun way.

A Timeless YOUNG ADULT Love Story

Victoria Evans is the kind of sixteen-year-old who never gets grounded, yet she hides secrets she can’t share with anybody. That is, until she meets handsome William Winter. Outwardly, she enjoys a posh lifestyle while silently enduring the abuse of the bullies at her private school. She finds solace in daydreaming about romance, deep green forests, black-and-white movies, and her family.

Victoria convinces her friends to go on a winter forest trip and is a little annoyed with the unexpected guest joining them, William Winter. But as the trip progresses, Victoria finds that William has more in common with her than she expected, including love for snowy, mysterious forests. Is he the answer to her romantic dreams and a way out of her secret life?

Winter Time, Book 1 in the YA romance series Winter Saga, features heartfelt storytelling, plot twists, humor, intriguing characters, and a relatable female protagonist. It is a “magically written” and “captivating” love story.

SEVAN MINASKANIAN is a YA romance novelist who deeply loves life and people. Be authentic, live with an open heart, and follow your dreams at any age is her motto and also a powerful message in her writing. Sevan believs that love is all around us and, if we open our eyes and hearts, it will reward us.

Click here to purchase the book on our website...

Psychologist Jemela Macer takes us on a deeply reflective familial, cultural, and spiritual journey to reclaim lost parts of her ancient Armenian soul and unite them with her modern American life. Born the grandchild of Armenian Genocide survivors long silent about the atrocities they endured, Macer asks: what is passed down unknowingly from one generation to the next? How does transgenerational trauma live within us? How do we forgive our perpetrators and find healing?

Macer discusses her upbringing in Southern California, her travels to India, Europe, Pakistan, China, South America, and finally, in what she calls “The Genocide Tour,” her time in ancient Western Armenia.

Searching for an inner sense of home and a relationship to her ancestral roots, she ultimately finds them back in Southern California, in the very place where she began.

Jemela Macer has been a clinical psychologist in private practice in the Pasadena, CA, area for more than thirty years. She taught English as a Second Language and cross-cultural communication at the University of Southern California and cross-cultural psychology at Antioch University. She has also consulted in the areas of diversity, cross-cultural communication, and parenting throughout the United States. She loves to read, write, make mosaics, and travel to far-off places. She lives in La Cañada Flintridge, with her husband Jim and their dog Ralph.

Admitting Abuse: You Might Not Get Over It, But You Will Get Through It

POLICH invites readers to follow her profound journey from an abusive marriage to becoming a widow. Her memoir serves as a beacon of hope for women who have endured similar hardships, assuring them that they are not alone in their struggles. The book is thoughtfully divided into what Crista terms “The Four D’s”: The Four Most Unexpected and Life-Altering Events a person can face – Death, Divorce, Diagnosis, and Disaster. In sharing her experiences, she hopes readers will find solace, inspiration, and practical strategies for facing their own hardships head-on.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: After living for years in an abusive marriage, Crista Andja Polich summoned up the strength to end that unhealthy relationship. She had just launched their youngest child off to college when she and her husband decided to get divorced. Only three and a half weeks later, her husband committed suicide. Because she had been a stay-at-home mom for most of her marriage, she found herself completely unprepared and overwhelmed in her new reality. However, Crista did not sit idle. She began reclaiming her life one step at a time. She started tackling the tough stuff, and now she helps others do the same.

Crista is a powerful informational speaker who engages audiences by sharing her stories with unbridled truth and humor. She founded her own consulting business helping people be more prepared in the event of an unexpected tragedy. In addition, Crista is committed to helping widows and widowers less fortunate than she, which inspired her to start a non-profit ministry called Widows Without through Bridges US (bridgesus.org).

Brigitte is a Brown Lemur living in a forest in Madagascar. One day her forest is cut down, and she is captured by humans. This is the amazing story of what happened next! This book is based on the author’s real encounter with Brigitte, and explores themes of conservation and the bond between animals and humans. Chloe Spencer brought the character to life with her wonderful illustrations.

SIBYLLE WESTBROOK was born and raised in Germany. She holds a BA in Language Arts and worked as a freelance translator and interpreter for many years with assignments all over Europe. Since moving to California to marry her husband she has raised her family, taught German to young children, worked in Avantgarde fashion and pursued philanthropic interests. Her love of animals led her to travel to Madascar in 2019. The unexpected encounter with lemur Brigitte touched her so profoundly that she felt compelled to share her story.

Sibylle currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, children and two cats.

In Crabtree, Michigan, winter can be murder.

Thirteen-year-old girl detective Kat Dylan and her little brother, Alec, are back!

Even after cracking the case of the century, Kat and Alec are still stuck in Crabtree, and suffering through a long, cold winter. When a middle school mean girl approaches her with a problem, Kat can’t imagine it’s worth her time—or that there’s a chance it will lead to the next big mystery. But then Gabby becomes the focus of the local police, especially Kat’s Grandpa Nick. Before Kat can get to the bottom of things, she finds Gabby dead.

Kat wonders if she should have paid closer attention to the mean girl’s troubles. With Alec in tow, she sets out to find Gabby’s murderer. Along the way, she learns that the case is tied to the
kidnapping of a rich kid from Chicago.

As Kat and Alec try to solve the murder, they find themselves at odds with kidnappers and killers, private eyes and cops, and more than a few kids and adults who would just like them to go away.

(Ages 8-13)

Chris Wieland is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. He lives in Southern California with his family, which includes two tough, smart kids who help him find the voices of his protagonists, K

Take a noir journey through 1967 Los Angeles in Killing Time in Beverly Hills, as a homicide detective investigates the murder of one of Beverly Hills’ leading citizens. To solve the case, he questions everyone from hippies on Sunset Strip to wealthy families of Beverly Hills and San Marino, cults in Box Canyon, political groups in Watts, the John Birchers in the Valley’s middle-class neighborhoods, and more. It’s a fast ride through a multi-layered era of creativity and mayhem.

BROOKE HARRIS WOLFF is a descendant of Hollywood storytellers. This is her third book.

The Best of All Possible Worlds is based on Voltaire’s satirical classic, Candide, and was developed into a modern-day fantasy by Brooke Harris Wolff and Rick Carter (two-time Academy Award winner for Production Design), and illustrated by Talia Spencer. It tells the story of Frank, a man who clings to magical thinking as a way of freeing himself from a world created by power-hungry bullies, even though his journey is filled with the suffering their tyranny has caused.

Hearing your doctor say you have fibromyalgia and might be living with inflammatory pain for the rest of your life can be devastating. A kaleidoscope of emotions sets in. Sadness. Anger. Resentment. And then the question, ‘Why me?’

Emami’s book provides hope to those battling fibromyalgia. It takes readers on the writer’s personal journey of healing and shares actions and holistic approaches patients can take to combat and treat fibromyalgia.

Shari Emami is a published author and writer. She is also a board certified holistic health practitioner ( H.H.P.). She is a former fibromyalgia patient and disability advocate. She is also a firm believer in holistic living and has dedicated most of her life to learning about natural healing methods. She has been pain-free since since 2016. In her spare time she loves visiting her family and volunteers as an animal rights activist with The Humane League. She currently resides in Southern California.

Edited by Techlit with a foreword by David Brin

Fact ignites fiction in this first-of-its kind anthology of speculative fiction by Caltech and NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) scientists, engineers, technologists, and students. Experts at the frontiers of their fields, along with renowned Caltech alumni such as David Brin, S. B. Divya, and Larry Niven, present stories about alien astrobiologists, AI parenthood, a quest to preserve our histories beyond the heat death of our universe, a heist to steal engineering secrets from an ancient monk-scientist, the recovery of a long-lost phase of the human life cycle, the demise of Earth’s first intelligent species—billions of years before the rise of humanity, and much more!

Authors with a fresh perspective on modern science come together in this collection of unique science fiction stories. – online review

TechLit, Caltech’s creative writing club, authored and edited the stories in this collection, typeset the manuscript, and published the book. Amazing Stories and Caltech magazines, respectively, featured articles on the book in their April and May issues, and several of the contributing authors celebrated the launch of Inner Space and Outer Thoughts with a panel discussion at Caltech’s Beckman Auditorium in May.

From the poet: The poems in this collection are like patches on an Amish quilt. They are all separate and distinct, yet all unified into one complete piece. They are written in rhyme in traditional iambic pentameter.

The qualities I value in writing as in my life are authenticity, clarity and direct experience. Inspiration comes from many of the songwriter lyrics I’ve listened to obsessively since high school from the time of the Beatles, especially Bob Dylan, Chuck Berry, and Lucinda Williams. The poems are written to tell stories, my point of view on various social issues, and some, hopefully, to entertain.

David Nile Chase was born in Iowa, spent his childhood in small towns in Illinois and Indiana, and college years in Chicago from 1967-1971, during the turmoil of the student movement against the war in Vietnam. He arrived in LA in the summer of ’71 with the intention of experiencing everything in that zeitgeist after campus life. Chase studied acting and worked many restaurant jobs before going back to school to study psychology at Immaculate Heart College, Hollywood, where he became very interested in cognitive development and researched a link between children’s cognitive development and fairy tales. He went on to teach in the Los Angeles Unified School District for twenty-five years ending in 2012, during which time he wrote many short stories. He has also maintained a tome of journal writing since his university days.