Athena in the Rathole

Athena is born at the wrong time, to the wrong parents, . Her parents are Greek immigrants trying to find their way in America. Athena bounces between two countries, two cultures, eating Greek eyeball stew and lamb’s brain on the one hand, and ice cream cones with sprinkles on the other. 

Humorously told, Athena must survive her vicious mother, a shaming nun, bullying classmates, and an abusive babysitter. Her mother blames Athena for the family’s troubles and Athena comforts herself by sneaking Greek delicacies. In Greek culture you’re supposed to be pretty and skinny, basically perfect. She is neither of these things. Things go from bad to worse and Athena is sent away to a school for disturbed kids. 

Athena’s only hope is to break free from her mother’s explosive volatility and smothering vice grip. She finds support along the way from an unlikely lot of total strangers, including a Portuguese family, an art teacher, a psychic granny, gang members, and a hooker. Without them Athena doesn’t stand a chance. But will she take the final leap and flee up north before her mother destroys her?


Meet Demi K

Demi K lives in Alaska and owns a restaurant in a small tourist town.

Protecting TROY: Breaking the Chain of Child Abuse

Protecting TROY: Breaking the Chain of Child Abuse - ASIN B089VBQ5R6

This is a book about two caring grandparents who find themselves in the midst of a custody battle concerning their two-year-old grandson who they believe has been neglected by the child’s mother. Throughout the book, they often play the role of detectives, who are driven to chase clues and find evidence to support their hunches to prove their case to a crooked judge. This book will appeal to anyone interested in a suspenseful family story with many twists and turns. It will also attract readers who want to learn more about the pitfalls of our legal system. For those who are facing a similar situation to the one the Vogels found themselves in, this book may provide motivation and a pathway to keep fighting for justice.

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Where Children Run

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Twins David and Dennis Pischke’s lives change forever when their father dies, and a man damaged by the war arrives at their farm near the isolated town of Moosehorn, Manitoba. Boleslaw Domko quickly works his way into their lives and their mother’s bed.

“Where Children Run” opens with one of their earliest memories—the day Domko throws their infant stepsister against the wall. In this first-hand account, the Twins recall years of neglect, starvation, and enslavement; horrific beatings and candlelit nights spent in the nearby St. Thomas Lutheran Church. Neighbors intervene, but their efforts provide only temporary relief as the children’s mother—also living in fear—refuses to press charges.

The brothers vow that if they survive, they will someday expose their tormentor and members of their mother’s religious organization who turned a blind-eye to their suffering. This is their story—told with stark honesty and in heart-wrenching detail.

“Where Children Run” is a timeless, unforgettable book about survival; and a powerful testament to the strength and adaptability of the human spirit.

B.R.A.G Medallion Winner
Readers’ Favorite Gold Book Award