ADVERTS AND NEWS NUGGETS…
AD: Wild with Life A Collection of Mother Earth Poetry
Wild with Life
A collection of Mother Earth poetry
by Charles Portolano
Editor of The Avocet, a Journal of Nature Poetry
Knowing I am wild with life
but once
on this gift we have been given,
this precious gift that we have
been given guardianship of…
“These poems are written by a seasoned poet who has reached the pinnacle of his art with a recognizable and moving voice. The sections of the book invited me instantly in to share their secrets: WHERE TREES RUN WILD, WILD WAYS OF WATER. THE WILD AMONG US, OUR WILDEST TERRAINS, LOVING THE WILD, and SAVING WHAT’S WILD. The underlying driving force is of course the notion of wildness and all that we have lost by destroying it.
Charles edits the highly-successful nature journal, THE AVOCET, a must for nature loving poets and writers.”- Christine Swanberg, Poet Laureate of Rockford, Il.
“In Wild with Life, Charles Portolano has deepened his engagement with the natural world he began so movingly in his earlier works. It is a noble, ambitious, and moving work.”- Joel Savishinsky – Charles A. Dana Professor Emeritus in the Social Sciences, Ithaca College
Just $15.00, which includes postage, for 90 pages of pure love for our Mother Earth.
Please make out your check to The Avocet and send to:
The Avocet
P. O. Box 19186
Fountain Hills, AZ 85269
To contact us: cportolano@hotmail.com
AD: Songs for the Pilgrimage
By Lynda McKinney Lambert
Website
NEW!
I am proud to share my newest book publication!
From the Prologue and Epilogue of Songs for the Pilgrimage:
The word pilgrimage refers to a religious journey. Individuals commit to traveling to reach a predetermined destination, such as a shrine or holy place. The excursion is a trek from one location to another. Pilgrimage has been an abiding theme in my writing for several decades.
My first book, Concerti: Psalms for the Pilgrimage (Kota Press, 2002, now out of print), was inspired by my annual journeys to Salzburg, Austria, where I taught a month-long drawing and writing course. I worked during 2020 and 2021 to revise and expand that previous collection of stories, poems, historical notes, and journal entries for this new book. Songs for the Pilgrimage features writings, drawings, and photographs I created over four decades.
I conclude with an artist’s prayer:
My studio is yours, Lord. Be my welcome guest today. Your goodness and unfailing kindness have been with me all my life. I have tried to make your glory visible in the works of art I have created. Someday I will close the door of my studio for the final time, but I will not be alone. Together, we will go to your home, where we will continue to collaborate on glorious projects throughout eternity. Amen.
May I Serve You?
Here are the stacks of paintings
for you to look at tonight.
I carefully brought them out
of storage closets
arranged them here
in the kitchen—
where my children used to play
games around a square oak table.
Once, food to nourish the body
was prepared here, by my hands.
Tonight, there is an
abundance of food
for your soul.
Come into my kitchen and
taste the world,
prepared by my hands.
© 1997 © 2021 by Lynda McKinney Lambert
Visit her website.
AD: New Release: The Chocolate Dog
By Meredith Leigh Burton
Website
Patricia loves going to the ice cream shop with her mother. Every Saturday, a chocolate dog is waiting at the shop, and Patricia wants to pet him. However, she is afraid. What if the owner does not like her? Why is a dog allowed inside an ice cream shop, anyway.
When Patricia’s mother is in the hospital, Patricia worries that she will not be able to go for ice cream. Aunt Agatha, though, might have a plan to solve everything.
The Chocolate Dog is a book about unexpected surprises and the meaning of friendship. Those who enjoy stories of family love and new friends will find something to cheer about in this fun picture book from author Meredith Leigh Burton.
About Meredith Leigh Burton:
Meredith Leigh Burton is a teacher, motivational speaker and author. Some of her titles include Blind Beauty and Other Tales of Redemption and Rebekah’s Refuge. She loves writing stories about brave heroines who go on dangerous journeys. The Chocolate Dog is her first picture book for children. Meredith lives in Lynchburg, Tennessee with her family and a menagerie of cats.
AD: Outside the Circle: A Collection of Songs and Poems
By Kevin Hubschman
C 2021 / 107 pages in print.
In e-book and print from Amazon, Smashwords, and other online sellers.
For cover image, free text sample, direct buying links, and author contact information, please visit the author’s website.
About the Book
Outside the Circle is a collection of songs and poems I’ve written and composed through the decades. It’s mostly dark, but for those willing to look beyond my personal demons, there can hopefully be found both flashes of resilience and rays of hope.
The book is dedicated first and foremost to my wife, Trish, who is a fantastic author in her own “write.” Secondly, it is dedicated to everyone who feels bullied, feels different, feels alone, feels friendless, feels hopeless, and feels “outside the circle.” The words “don’t judge a book by its cover” spring to mind as apropos.
“Outside the Circle”
Outside the circle I can’t see the sun
Outside the circle I don’t know anyone
Outside the circle time is on the run
Outside the circle is not much fun
Inside the circle is a white–noise crowd
Inside the circle is fashionably loud
Inside the circle there are people with guns
Inside the circle is a lot of fun
About Kevin Hubschman:
Kevin Hubschman lives in Eastern Pennsylvania with his wife, Trish, and their dog, Henry.
He is retired and currently working on a novel loosely based on his life. He would love to connect with people who could help transform some of the pieces found in this publication into polished songs.
Website and contact information.
AD: In My Feelings: A Book of Poetry
By Butterfly Thomas
C 2020 / 117 pages in print.
In e-book and print from Amazon, Smashwords, and other online sellers.
Visit the author’s website for full details (cover, buying links, author bio, and more).
About the book:
Love and passion. Conflict and regret. Pride and defiance. Rage at equality denied. Deep compassion for friends and boundless love for one’s children. These are just a few of the subjects touched upon by these 49 brief, powerful poems.
Some will fill you with shared sorrow. Many of them express anger at racial injustice and the exploitation of the disabled. Still others delight the reader with their images of strength and beauty or their clever arrangement of words.
Never pretentious or deliberately opaque, all of them are sure to make you think.
About Butterfly Thomas:
Butterfly Thomas was born in Germany but was raised in Virginia, where she still lives.
She is the author of the novel Head Held High (2018), an urban thriller.
AD: Uneasy Tides
By Trish Hubschman
C 2021 / Number four in the Tracy Gayle mystery series
$3.99 in e-book / $8.50 in paperback / 149 pages in print
Cover image, synopsis, author bio, direct buying links, and information about Trish’s previous three books can be found here.
Synopsis:
Blair wants Danny to get her an interview with his first wife’s present husband, Robert Taylor. He’s the CEO of a major computer software company. Danny reluctantly says he’ll see what he can do. He and Tracy go to the Taylor residence for a Christmas party. Danny hasn’t seen his first wife, Deb, in over 30 years. She sucks up to him.
At the party, Deb is drunk and disappears with her husband’s business partner. Her son from her second marriage, Darren, isn’t present. Her daughter Lily is flirting with a young man. Becca, Deb’s daughter with her third husband, a musician, is sincerely excited about Danny’s presence.
Danny and Tracy feel out of sorts and by midnight are ready to leave, but they have to find Deb to say good night. It’s then that mayhem breaks out. Becca summons them down to the pool area. Her mother is passed out on the cement, bruises on her face and arms. Two men are pulling Robert Taylor’s body out of the pool.
Deb is the most likely suspect, but she insists she didn’t do it. Danny’s older brother, Derek, a prominent attorney, takes her case. If Deb didn’t kill her husband, who did? There were so many possible suspects at the party.
About Trish Hubschman:
Trish Hubschman lives in Pennsylvania with her husband, Kevin, author of the poetry and song collection Outside the Circle, and their dog, Henry. She holds a B.A. degree in English with a writing emphasis. For a longer bio and details about her previous Tracy Gayle books, please visit the website linked to above.
AD: Finally, a Calendar You Can See!
Finally, a Weekly Planner You Can See!
Did you know that there is a weekly planner style calendar designed specifically for those dealing with declining eyesight? Well, there is! If that sounds interesting, read on.
Since 2015, thousands of the EZ2See® weekly planners have been sold nationwide. People buy it for themselves or give it as a thoughtful gift. Users are often those experiencing such things as:
• Vision decline
• Memory challenges
• Unsteady hands
• Cognitive impairment
• A need to manage schedules for children or parents, or
• The need to record daily events
Customers say they love it because all the features they need are included. That happened because a legally blind senior created it for himself and then was urged to share his unique design with others.
Those features, most not found in any other such product, include:
• Printed on heavy weight 8.5” x 11″ paper
• Uses only high contrast, black ink
• Numbers and letters are more than ten times larger than newsprint
• Each uncluttered, daily cell is nearly the size of two, 3 x 5 cards
• Page edges have a thick black border to prevent “writing off the paper”
• Runs from December 2021 into January 2023
• Spiral bound so it folds in half and lays flat
• Bold lined pages at the end for your own notes, and
• It’s only as thick as a wooden pencil
Limited quantities of 2022 remain. For complete information or to order, visit: EZ2SeeProducts.com or place phone orders at: 800-234-8291. You will also find it at these retail locations and on Amazon.com and on Amazon.Ca.
Visit Edward on his Facebook page.
AD: Join Freedom to Be Me
Freedom to Be Me is a group where wonderfully happy and loving people talk about Books, Books, and More.
What’s the More?
- All things books.
- Blogs
- Reviews
- Writing
- Reading
- Newsletters and Online Magazines
- All things Tech
- Spiritual (No preaching or pushing All Faiths Welcome)
- And general BS.
In other words, if you keep it polite and decently clean, all are welcome. Freedom to Be Me Is a discussion group, and though it’s not terribly active, participation is wanted.
If you’d like to join us, you may Subscribe at: FreedomToBeMe+subscribe@groups.io
AD: Heidi Lambert McClure Sassafras Hill Studio
Are you looking for that special birthday or holiday gift? Need a specific kind of greeting card? Love the feel of homemade soap?
If you love handmade jewelry, candles, greeting cards, and more, this ad is for you.
Handmade jewelry by Heidi McClure Available for purchase on Etsy.
AD: John Crawford School of Music
Offering private music instruction both in-person and via video chat. Video chat is through Facebook Messenger, FaceTime (Inside the United States), and Zoom worldwide.
I offer instruction in the guitar, bass guitar, mandolin, violin, viola, dulcimer, ukulele, banjo, drums, and piano. Due to COVID-19 concerns, voice instruction is not currently being offered.
Prices: $15/30 min.
$30/hour
Contact: please send all inquiries to Blindsensei@gmail.com
Website
AD: A Quest Called Motherhood – War Wounds and Diva Tantrums
T C Creare
Illustrated by Mara Reitsma
“We all know that children can go from, Oh, that is so sweet, too, are you freaking kidding me? In five seconds flat…” I don’t know about you guys, but as a parent of three, there are moments that make me proud of the little army that I have created and others that make me want to pull out my hair, shaking my head as I try not to cry. Parenting is tough, and despite what some think, you can’t control everything. S#!? Happens, and chances are you’re not going to be prepared for it. Well, guess what? You’re NOT alone, and the stories inside will prove it. This book is for all those coffee-nuking, dinner-making, cupcake-baking, laundry-folding, yard-guarding, lunch-packing, fight-halting, show-finding, toy-fixing parents out there who really need a cape; and perhaps a glass of wine, or two!
AD: BOOKS BY PRAANAV R LAL
AUTHOR AND BLIND PHOTOGRAPHER PRANAV LAL (PRAANAV R. LAL)
NONFICTION (SELF-HELP)
Outsmart Blog Hijackers
Keep away those pesky hackers!
Dear author, blogger, and website owner, did you know that 4 out of 5 sites today are set up such that they are ripe for theft?
Think about it, your carefully crafted copy is replaced by ads selling everything from sunglasses to Viagra.
Your users could be infected by malware when they visit your site and your hard-earned trust dissolved within hours.
The Care and Feeding of Digital Certificates build customer trust before they reach your homepage.
How to build trust with your customer even before your homepage loads!
How do you ensure your customer stays on your website and not run screaming from the homepage?
How do you establish instant legitimacy?
What happens if you lose the trust of your buyers?
FICTION…
The Telekinesis Trilogy
Two street children with special powers find a home and solve crimes
Telekinesis – book 1
Can two street children work together and find a home while saving a village?
Led Weight- book 2
Bright toys with a dose of Led
The Cult- book 3
George and Jane go up against a cult
Bakasura an audio comic
Has the demon of legend, Bakasura come to life? George and Jane must find out and rescue the villagers from him.
In case of Emergency
A stranger in her apartment leads Preeti to love, though not with him
Julia
A robot of the future goes up against a common Indian soldier.
Venture Capital
A failed entrepreneur moves towards redemption
Scrambled eggs
Ordinary Joe wins back his super cook wife by “trying once” and some fancy food presentation.
About Pranav Lal in his own words:
My name is Pranav Lal, better known in my writing world as Praanav R Lal
I write non-fiction and short stories which are hard to classify but tend towards fantasy and science fiction.
I do not give my characters any breathers and enjoy keeping the action sharp and continuous.
I use a visual prosthesis, thanks to which I am a photographer.
I enjoy technology, particularly cybersecurity which is what pays the bills.
I love interacting, so feel free to comment or say hello.
AD: NEW RELEASE
ETTA’S FISHING GROUND
by Eva Pasco
Website
Just as a whirlwind courtship derailed Momma’s beat-poet dream of hightailing it to North Beach in the Fifties, a badass drifter veers Etta away from seeking haven in the artists’ hub of Greenwich Village during the Seventies.
Etta makes the best of circumstances staying put in the rural enclave of Foster, Rhode Island, sketching the likes of its historic landmarks and scenic overlooks on her fishing ground.
However, deviant twists of fate with deaths resulting, arise from wild speculations and unwarranted suspicions when things aren’t what they seem:
*Chance encounters predispose a besotted admirer to figure things all wrong.
*False impressions taunt Etta’s husband, Keith, with uncertainty until his dying day.
*Acting on a hunch, Etta’s best friend shows up at her door to peddle Keith’s infidelity, unbeknownst to either, in sync with his drowning while fishing.
Blaze a trail to the point of no return where love and friendship shift ground to withstand the vagaries of life.
About Eva Pasco:
Multi-award winning author, Eva Pasco, a lifelong native Rhode Islander, integrates local settings in her lit with grit. Weaving historic events, geographic landmarks, and regional culture into the fabric of her storytelling, she blurs the lines of demarcation between fact and fiction.
Tapping into significant issues impacting the lives of women, Eva’s novels emphasize character-driven plots propelled by flawed and feisty females over forty.
All of the author’s published works are available in eBook and paperback at Amazon.
AD: NEW RELEASE
One Goes to the Sea
By Joan Myles
Website
What is it about poetry that so readily connects readers with their Spiritual selves? And is it possible to focus these expanded faculties of perception beyond the page–intentionally, inward?
One Goes to the Sea is a collection of the poet’s waking and sleeping flights of fancy, her dream journal sketched poetically and visually illustrated by her daughter.
You can order your copy on Amazon and Smashwords today!
Independently published with assistance from Two Pentacles Publishing Services, LLC.
About Joan Myles:
Joan Myles has always been a child of Wonder as well as a spiritual seeker. When she lost her sight at the age of 12, these qualities and writing poetry saved her from despair.
Joan earned a B.A. in Education, a Master’s in Jewish Studies. She married, raised four lively children, worked as a Rehabilitation Teacher, and taught Hebrew and Judaics for over 15 years.
Her first book of poetry, One With Willows, vividly expresses Joan’s child-like joy. She considers her poems to be a kind of footpath for readers, an opening into that place of delight, an invitation to awaken childlike wonder for themselves.
Joan’s words also reveal the invisible link between one human being and another, between humans and Nature, between the physical realm and the Spiritual. The idea of the Oneness of Creation flows through her work, the understanding of living in the world as a journey of discovery, of stepping into and between the various layers and levels of existence. Joan’s second collection, One Glittering Wing, represents this kind of journey, specifically through her year-long passage from the deep pain of her mother’s death toward reconciliation with Life.
Joan currently lives in Oregon with her best friend, who also happens to be her husband.
AD: NEW RELEASE
Poems and Prayers
By Tasha Halpert
Website
Poems and Prayers by Tasha Halpert is a poignant tribute to her late son Robin Greenough Lorenz and his brief, yet meaningful, life. Written over the years since his passing, the book is evocative of his spirit and of the love they shared. Readers may feel echoes of their own experiences with the loss of life of a loved one, and may feel comforted by the shared feelings. Tasha Halpert’s poetry has been published in The Unicorn and other publications.
Poems and Prayers is available to purchase on Amazon today.
About Tasha Halpert:
Practical mystic, poet and writer Tasha Halpert lives in a small central Massachusetts town where she writes a weekly column for the local newspaper and a weekly inspirational Internet column. She is staff poet and storyteller for The Unicorn. Mother, grandmother and great grandmother, she and her husband Stephen, a writer and collage artist do what they can to make the world a happier, healthier place.
AD: Two Pentacles Publishing Services
Two Pentacles Publishing Services
At Two Pentacles, our goal is to create an experience that promotes inclusivity and creativity at a competitive rate.
We work with clients at all levels of experience and ability.
We also specialize in adaptive communication, descriptive visual services, and flexible content sharing. We happily accommodate screen readers, large text requirements, and Braille printing.
Contact us to let us know how we can best provide you with a customized experience!
By phone: 971-599-7495
By email: info@twopentacles.com
Visit our website for more information!
Listen to our interview with Patty L. Fletcher of Talk to Tell-It-To-The-World Marketing here.
AD: Victoria Zigler
A blind Welsh vegan, Victoria Zigler writes poetry and stories for children and the young at heart, many of them containing animal characters based on her own pets, as well as a series of books based on her own adjustments after sight loss, which are specifically designed to give people a glimpse into what life is like for a visually impaired person. She makes her books available in a wide variety of formats, including eBook, paperback, and audio, from several different online retailers worldwide. Grab your copies of her books from your favorite retailer today, and remember to check out her website.
NEWS NUGGETS: Introducing Message Crafters – Online Toast Masters
What is Message Crafters? And how can it help you?
Think of Message Crafters as a communications gym where you can develop your personal strengths, stop your weaknesses kicking your butt, and build upon your unique personality so you develop a speaking style that is authentically you.
Message Crafters is an online Toastmasters club which is dedicated to helping people boost their confidence while comfortably socializing with others who understand the challenges of living in our complicated world.
We can stop you from being boring. That’s not to say you are boring. We know you aren’t. But we also know that people sometimes choose to communicate in a boring way because it’s ‘professional’ or because ‘it’s how others do it’ or even simply because they don’t know any better.
That’s where Message Crafters comes in: We can help you navigate the challenges of life.
WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU?
You can learn:
Presenting/Speaking
WE KNOW IT’S SCARY
Presenting / Public speaking is listed as people’s number one fear: More scary than death. Which is why it’s crucial to establish a warm and positive training environment for members to practice presenting. And that’s what you get: road-tested training, time to practice and positive feedback in a warm, relaxed environment that makes people actually want to get up in front of an audience.
Responding to life’s ‘Say what?’ Moments
Life isn’t predictable. Master the art of speaking off the cuff and learn to handle any questions, complaints or audience responses. No preparation? No problem.
Each meeting has an impromptu-speaking practice session where you’ll perfect the art of responding to the unexpected, so you can face the world with the belief that you can handle whatever comes your way.
All our meetings are online.
- Online training and accessible materials are available
- You’ll make lots of friends!
- You can attend from the convenience of your home!
Cost…
Under $100/year
Drop by as our guest and check out the fun!
Join our meeting Virtually via Zoom.
When?
Fridays @ 5:30 – 6:45pm (New York Time)
Where?
Meeting ID: 270 409 149
Passcode: 292848
For more about Message Crafters and to learn how to become a member please visit: Author website
NEWS NUGGETS: A String of Stories from the Heart to the Future
By Ann Chiappetta
Hi Audible book subscribers and story lovers — Check out this new release, A String of Stories From the Heart to the Future © by Ann Chiappetta.
Author website
Also available In e-book and print (182 pages) from Amazon and other online sellers.
About A String of Stories:
A demon deer and a ghost cat. Sibling rivalry and sexual awakening. Self-image and self-confidence. The chance for an off-worlder to breathe free at last on a new planet. Those are just some of the diverse themes of these notable stories. Once you step inside the author’s world, you cannot emerge unmoved.
News Nuggets: RELEASED IN 2022
The Spirit of One Audiobook
By Marlene Mesot
Performed by Timothy G. Little
This is a gathering of four short stories which were separately published in print only in different collections of various Christian authors published by Christian Book Marketing.
One Door…Knocking – Sheltering in a dark, creepy run-down house, seeking light…
One Man’s Destiny – Spiritual warfare…
One Man’s Quest: Seeking the Unpardonable Sin – A quest for answers with a mysterious Book…
One Weekend…in the Woods – A struggle to survive…
The Author’s Edge
By Marlene Mesot
Forward by Lynda McKinney Lambert
Performed by Timothy G. Little
This collection of 80 poems is meant to bring encouragement and inspiration to anyone who has ever thought, or dreamed, of writing, whether personally or professionally. Writing takes many forms, whether it’s a letter, diary, blog, article, story, play, poem or novel. I will confess my writing leans in favor of fiction.
These poems are also meant for readers because we cannot have one without the other. The goal of any author is to have universal appeal. Thank you for considering the work of this author.
“Poetry is music in words.”
Marlene Mesot
Forward by award-winning artist/author Lynda McKinney Lambert.
Jacket Review
Readers will connect with her newest collection of forty poems from the opening Quatrain of her first poem. Craftsmanship in the arts is a recurring theme. It feels like she is conscientiously continuing to weave her way along the path she established from the inception of this book.
~ Lynda McKinney Lambert
Author of Songs for the Pilgrimage, Star Signs, First Snow, Walking by inner Vision.
OTHER BOOKS
4 Elements of Mystery Series
- The Purging Fire (2018)
- The Snowball Effect (2021)
The Cat Stalker’s Sonnets – Romantic Suspense Novel (2020)
Edgy Poetry (2021)
News Nuggets: New from Abbie Johnson Taylor
Why Grandma Doesn’t Know Me
By Abbie Johnson Taylor
Copyright 2021
Independently published with the help of DLD Books
Synopsis:
Sixteen-year-old Natalie’s grandmother, suffering from dementia and confined to a wheelchair, lives in a nursing home and rarely recognizes Natalie. But one Halloween night, she tells her a shocking secret that only she and Natalie’s mother know. Natalie is the product of a one-night stand between her mother, who is a college English teacher, and another professor.
After some research, Natalie learns that people with dementia often have vivid memories of past events. Still not wanting to believe what her grandmother has told her, she finds her biological father online. The resemblance between them is undeniable. Not knowing what else to do, she shows his photo and website to her parents.
Natalie realizes she has some growing up to do. Scared and confused, she reaches out to her biological father, and they start corresponding.
Her younger sister, Sarah, senses their parents’ marital difficulties. At Thanksgiving, when she has an opportunity to see Santa Claus, she asks him to bring them together again. Can the jolly old elf grant her request?
Excerpt from Chapter 1:
“I hated walking with my mom and sister down that long, bright hallway in the nursing home where my grandma lived. The white tile floor and the ceiling covered with fluorescent lights reminded me of school. The only difference was that there were handrails on either side that old people could hold onto while they walked, so they wouldn’t fall.
The blare of television sets from just about every room we passed, laughter and chatter from the nurses’ station, and announcements over the PA system made me wonder why Dad called this place a rest home. The sharp aroma of disinfectant reminded me of the monthly trips I’d made to the dentist years before to have my braces adjusted. I nearly gagged as I remembered the goop they put in my mouth so they could take impressions of my teeth before the braces were put on.”
Get your copy here. Please feel free to email me at: abbietaylor945@gmail.com
News Nuggets: Dancing with the Seasons: A Year in Simple Verse
by Jo Elizabeth Pinto
New! From author Jo Elizabeth Pinto, with publishing assistance by Two Pentacles Publishing Services, LLC.
The fifty-two short poems in “Dancing with the Seasons: A Year in Simple Verse” are easy to understand, yet rich with emotional and sensory details. Celebrate the vivid, ever-changing beauty of nature in rhythm and rhyme.
About Jo Elizabeth Pinto:
Jo Elizabeth Pinto was among the first blind students to integrate the public schools in the 1970’s. In 1992, she received a degree in Human Services from the University of Northern Colorado. While teaching students how to use adaptive technology, she earned a second degree in 2004 from the Metropolitan State College of Denver in Nonprofit Management. These days, she freelances as an editor and a braille proofreader.
As an author, Pinto entertains her readers while giving them food for thought. In her fiction, nonfiction, and poetry, she draws on personal experience to illustrate that hope is always an action away.
Pinto lives in Colorado with her husband, her teenage daughter, her guide dog Spreckles, and an aging family cat named Sam-I-Am.