Local Voices
About the Author
Don Iannone is a writer, poet, photographer, business school professor, and complementary medicine therapist. He is the author of twenty nonfiction, poetry, and photography books. His latest nonfiction work, Stories from an Hourglass, narrated his life's journey, enriched by the contributions of countless others. Don holds doctoral degrees in Divinity, and Metaphysics and Philosophy. His formative years unfolded in the towns of Martins Ferry and St. Clairsville, nestled in the heart of Eastern Ohio. Don and his wife Mary, and their cherished feline companion, Tilly, call Greater Cleveland home.
Allow me to introduce you to this second edition of Chasing Cosmic Butterflies. The journey began with the initial release of the book in 2016, and since then, the ideas behind this book have evolved. This collection of poems delves into the enchantment of reality and the reality of enchantment. It's a treasury of poems infused with contemplative humor. In this renewed edition, many of the poems have undergone a significant transformation, carefully reworked to resonate with the ever-shifting landscapes of today's world. Cosmic butterflies, a whimsical metaphor for our deepest dreams, fantasies, visions, and ultimate life goals, flutter through the very fabric of our existence. Much like the ethereal and delicate creatures they evoke, these aspirations are a source of boundless beauty and wonder in our lives. They represent the profound yearnings that drive us forward, the aspirations that stretch the limits of our imagination, and the relentless pursuit of that which makes us feel most alive. In the grand tapestry of human existence, we are all cosmic butterfly chasers. These dreams, whether they involve achieving personal success, experiencing profound love, making a lasting impact on the world, or simply finding happiness, are the threads that weave our life stories. They inspire us to spread our wings and venture into the unknown, to dance with the possibilities of the cosmos, and to embrace the extraordinary potential that resides within each of us. As we chase these cosmic butterflies, we not only discover the brilliance of our own existence but also contribute to the ever-evolving narrative of the universe itself. As a special treat, I have included a section at the end of the book containing my analysis of fifteen of the book's poems. As a preface, the poems in this book reflect my desire for rhyme and musicality in my life. The writing of this collection was guided by this desire. Don Iannone
Bryce Blooms has found himself in the children's hospital again, checked-in for yet another short, albeit routine, stint for an unknown and nagging ailment. But when an odd stranger begins wandering the hospital hallways, Bryce and his friends discover they are at the center of an interdimensional hunt and are more than just human; they are Chosen. As the Grim and the hunters of Endland battle at the hospital for the right to claim the Chosen children as their own, the boys are transported to the Realm of Endland, where they quickly discover there are far more than just two sides seeking their abilities. Squabbling wizards, arrogant kings, amusing exiles, and mythical monsters all are vying for control of the young Chosen as well. With the help of an enigmatic hermit, Bryce and his friends look to establish a New Order, one set on bringing balance to the Realm and combating the dark and mysterious forces of the Grim. Should they fail, not only will Endland be ensnared in the shadow of the Grim King, but so too will the rest of the interdimensional space beyond, including Earth and those they left behind.
Trevor McCowen lives a complicated life. Juggling multiple commanders and job requirements - a successful investment planner by day, training with law enforcement and working private investigations on nights and weekends. Nothing too dangerous, just some wild fun and a couple cool guy stories to tell.
While the federal agency FinCEN and Mr. Phillip Daniels are pushing and commanding him for results on local money laundering and Ponzi schemes, Trevor needs the help of Face, his commander at Atlas International Security Corp. Their impending mission will lead their well-trained security team on a dangerous pursuit to capture an old nemesis. Searching for those responsible for the attempt on his life, Trevor discovers international traffickers using drug profits to support local terrorism designed to destroy the very fabric and image of freedom and local government. The team will need all of their combative skills to survive this highspeed mission into unknown territory.
Doug is the founder and president of North Coast Peace Officer Training Foundation (NCPOTF.org), a not-for-profit law enforcement training company, providing training at no cost to the officer or their agency.
A story about the ties that bind us, Close-Up explores what makes, drives, complicates, and undermines our most important relationships.
In this artful, expansive novel, we follow five protagonists--Jacob, Martin, Caroline, Jeanie, and Jill--through love, marriage, parenthood, and the romance of friendship as they struggle to make sense of themselves and each other and of what makes for good art, good magic, and a good life. What follows is a story only Michelle Herman could write: one of missed connections and old grievances, of loneliness and longing, of rifts and reconciliations and redemption. Close-Up depicts the fraught entanglements of the relationships we're born into and those we choose--carefully or with abandon--with the precision and nuance that has characterized her work over the last thirty years.
As a middle aged, single, black woman, Karen Todd is content with living life simply. She goes to work, keeps in touch with her family, and loves her God. But one day, on her day off, she wakes up and finds that she is having trouble moving her left hand. Thinking she needs to sleep it off, she takes a nap. When she wakes back up, she fixes a bowl of oatmeal and the bowl slips right out of her hand.
Not knowing what else to do, she calls the nursing hotline and they advise her that she needs to go to the emergency room right away; she could be having a stroke. Karen immediately gets in her car and drives to the hospital. While there, she loses feeling on her left side and is admitted for further testing. Results determine that she suffered from an "old stroke." With the cause determined, she is released to a nursing home to be rehabilitated through occupational and physical therapy.
She is only there for three days before she loses consciousness and dies. Neither of her two daughters are notified until the next morning.
What happened to Karen Todd? Although the cause remains unknown, in this brief retelling of a small piece of Karen's life through the eyes of her oldest daughter, Cori, you will travel alongside her as Karen lives her final days.
A Note From Cori
If you've lost a loved one while they were in the care of a hospital or nursing home, this story may trigger painful memories or thoughts. If you find that you are unable to continue reading The Clouds Will Catch Me at any point, please put the book down. Believe me, there were many times while writing this that I had to put the book down. Therapy has helped but there are still days when I figuratively put down my book, and that's okay.