My novel

About the only thing I'm a complete expert at is my novel. I'm calling it, "Bum's Rush." That may change, but I think it fits the story.

Bum's Rush takes place in Portland, Oregon. I've chosen to make each location fiction. The reason being, I've been away from Portland long enough that few of the establishments I knew about are still there, but I have a working knowledge of the city since I lived near or in it for more than thirty years. All I can say is, "Thank God for Google Earth."

There are two protagonist, Jack Troy and Skip Reynolds.

Jack grew in Lake Oswego, the son of a wealthy man, old money, that sort of thing. Six years before this story takes place, his parents die in a car crash leaving him to take care of their, late in life son, Jack's nine-year old brother, Ancel. Ancel is now fifteen.

Skip Reynolds, now sixteen-years old, has a severe stutter and attended a school for the deaf, in this story, it's the "Oregon School for the Hearing Impaired." Skip was orphaned two years before this story takes place when his mother died of heart failure. He bounced from one foster home to another. Pour kid was misunderstood because of his disability. When he was placed in an abusive foster home, he fled to the streets, not trusting in the "system" anymore. He hooks up with an old bag lady whose name is Lilith.

Circumstances bring Jack's and Skip’s lives together, yet they both have secrets. Secrets that will surprise each of them.

I’ve actually finished this and am working on the second draft. I hope to have it written by June, my new goal.