Deader Than a Dodo

October 12th symbolizes many things.  It is National Farmers Day, National Gumbo Day, National Pulled Pork Day, and even International Moment of Frustration Scream Day. October 12th, 2021 also symbolizes for me a day of seeing a life goal achieved.  After 7 years of researching, writing, revising, learning the process of seeking a publisher (a reason to Frustration Scream at times), revising, and finally choosing to self-publish my book, my story Deader Than a Dodo is finally published!  Rather than being a story copied and placed in binders or sent to friends as a PDF for their thoughts, my book is finally a real boy...I mean, a real book. Now I'm  off to learn how to set up sales numbers, market the book, and self-promote which will be a new learning curve.  You can order it through multiple sites like Barnes & Noble or Amazon right now as a paperback.  Since it's self-published, I don't seem to have as much say on the paperback price to start, but I do have more say

      The main character of my story is Lonesome George, who like the real animal, has been the last of his kind for 40 years and "the rarest animal on earth” as deemed by the Guinness Book of World Records. That fact has left George bitter and angry toward the people who killed his family. The only time he is remotely happy is when his keeper Fausto visits him after hours. George wakes up one night in the Garden of Eden to find himself being asked by already extinct animals to sacrifice his own existence, in order to save mankind.          George and three triads of extinct animals only have 40 days to complete a mission to reset things between animals and the people. The animals return to the places where they previously lived before going extinct and must find a way to cross oceans, avoid being captured, and avoid their nemesis Lusadé, the serpent. Since George went extinct voluntarily, he has the ability to communicate with the nine other returned animals. He has to

Chapter 1: Famous Since 1971 “Why do I hate you?  I hate your yappy little dog.  I hate the fact that you are staring at me with that high and almighty grin again.  I hate the fact that you have no control over your child.  I mean seriously lady, are you even paying attention to what your kid just did or do I have to come over there and say something?”  “ Excuse me!  Who are you to tell me how to raise my sweet darling?  It is good for him to have the freedom to express himself and…” she replied. “Express himself?  Your kid just threw a rock at me and laughed.  You think allowing your little monster to hurl rocks at me is funny and freedom of expression!?  Why don’t you come over here and let me express myself !  I’ll just add your lack of parenting skills to the reasons I despise you!”  I retorted.   “But you don’t even know me. How can you say you hate me?  Who do you think you are?”  “I know your type.  I don’t have to know you to know you.  You people are all the same in the e

                                        Chapter 2: My Wake Up Call  “George, you need to wake up,” an unfamiliar male voice said. “We don’t think he’s going to wake up.  Do you really think this is a good idea?  We just don’t think he’s going to go for it anyway.  Have you read his file?  He’s really not the most agreeable animal we have ever met you know,” declared a fast-talking female voice. “George, we would like to talk with you a moment,” said the first voice in a calm tone. I felt uneasy that these voices were talking directly to me.  I’m used to Fausto being the only one who talked to me like I was an individual and not an animal on display.  I feigned being asleep as I tried to figure out what I should do, not that I had a lot of options.  I only heard two voices, so I figured I might be safe.  I weighed close to two hundred pounds, so I knew I was not easy to move, especially if I wiggled around some.  I knew this because a few years ago some people from Greenpeace tried to f

                                                       Chapter 3: The Garden Never in all of my days on Pinta Island or at the CDRS have I ever had such sweet tender grass.  The flavor was like all of the ripest fruits and leaves I’ve ever eaten blended together at the same time and the water tasted even sweeter.  “I feel so refreshed and energetic.  That’s a pretty big deal coming from a tortoise you know,” I said cracking a smile. “It is nice to see you smile George.  Hopefully, now that you are relaxed and ‘energetic’,” Eldey said air quoting with his stumpy wings, “things might make a little more sense.” “You mean you can see me smile here?” I asked, astonished realizing the corners of my beak were actually curving upward. “Yes, George.  As you have noticed, things in the Garden are a little different.”  He stated pausing slightly.  He shook his head and slapped it with his stumpy wing.  “I need to remember my manners.  I never even asked you if you like the name George.   You see,