A Life Through Books

Gratitude is important to Nana Claus. Even the smallest act of kindness spreads joy, like sending thank-you notes. Nana Claus helps some special friends learn to write thank-you notes to thank others for what they do for them. Nana and her friends learn about ways to say thank you using short notes.

 Interview

What is the hardest part of writing your books?

The hardest part of writing my Nana Claus series books is narrowing down all the possibilities for appreciation and gratitude. There are so many things and people to be thankful for!

 

What are your most played songs?

Nana Claus loves Christmas carols, especially religious songs. She always sings when she hears the Hallelujah Chorus.

 

 

Do you have critique partners or beta readers?

Yes, I have beta readers and some good critique partners. I am encouraged by my beta readers comments and have taken several suggestions from my team.

 

 

What book are you reading now?

Some great children’s books I recently read are: Jasper the Brave by Lisa Mueller, Camping with Dad by Dawn Renee Young, Winston’s First Rodeo by Linda Apple, and Carrie Ingalls: The Forgotten Sister by Clarissa Willis

 

How did you start your writing career?

Being a teacher and a Global Master Trainer for LEGO Education helped me see children around the world. I was blessed to write curriculum, columns in educational journals, scripts for videos, and more during my working career.

 

After I left full time work, I was able to write for my own pleasure and put to paper things that have rolled around in my head for years. My first book published when I was 64. I don’t write every day, but when I write, it comes out in a torrent.

 

Tell us about your next release.

Nana Claus and the Thank-You Notes is a children’s book about Nana Claus teaching four children how and why to write notes of appreciation. Nana also writes thank-you notes. This is the second book in the Nana Claus series, and again focuses on kindness and appreciating the people in your life.

The next book is Nana Claus’ Christmas Recipe book which is to be released in July. Nana teaches measurement of wet and dry ingredients, has some cute Christmas recipes, answers questions from children, and ends with gifts children can make in the kitchen in a quart jar.

The first book was Nana Claus and the Secret Santas is about starting a kindness wave in the community. By being a Secret Santa, each person who receives a note of appreciation and a common household object representing a trait gives another person joy by passing along the kindness. Items include a toothpick for picking out the good in others or a stick of gum for perseverance.

Celebrating Family Series contains books on healthy relationships between adults and children in families: grandparents and grandchildren, aunts, uncles, nieces, and nephews and to be released, cousins.

Another series is the application of math to student’s lives: Bright Ideas Math. The first book was released in June 

Kelly Reddin is an award-winning writer and author of the Celebrating Family Series, which highlights healthy relationships between children and the Nana Claus Series, focusing on kindness and friendship. Her short stories and essays have won numerous awards from writing organizations including the Joplin Writers Guild and the Ozark Writers League.

What would you do with the last 24 hours of your life?

For nineteen-year-old Tina, the answer is simple: live.

After receiving devastating news, Tina refuses to spend her final hours confined to a hospital bed. With time slipping away and an impossible dream still burning inside her, she convinces Jake, a fellow patient, to run. Together, they escape the hospital, steal a car, and set out for New York City—determined to squeeze an entire lifetime into one unforgettable day.

As their frantic parents race to find them, Tina and Jake chase freedom through the heart of the city. From the peaceful lawns of Central Park to the dazzling lights of Times Square, every stop becomes a stolen moment, every laugh an act of defiance, and every heartbeat a reminder that time is the one thing no one can bargain for.

But as the sun begins to set, their breathtaking adventure turns into a race toward one final, symbolic destination—one that will test their courage, their bond, and the meaning of a life fully lived.

Emotional, urgent, and deeply human, Summer of the Blue Jay is a poignant contemporary novella about friendship, love, resilience, and the power of choosing joy when the clock is running out.

Perfect for readers who enjoy heartfelt coming-of-age fiction, emotional literary stories, and thought-provoking books that ask life’s biggest questions, this unforgettable debut reminds us that tomorrow is never promised—and that one day can hold the meaning of a lifetime.

 

About the Author

Mike DeMaio is an author and seasoned technology professional whose career has spanned more than twenty-five years in corporate Information Technology, including leadership roles supporting global teams across the pharmaceutical, biotech, and specialty food industries.

After decades of solving complex technical challenges, Mike turned to writing as a way to explore the human stories behind pressure, change, resilience, and time. What began as humorous reflections on life in IT soon evolved into a deeper creative calling, leading him from industry commentary and tech-focused articles into fiction.

His debut novella, Summer of the Blue Jay, asks one of life’s most powerful questions: what would you do if you only had twenty-four hours left? Inspired by Mike’s own reflections on career disruption, identity, and the urgency of living intentionally, the story blends emotional depth with a fast-paced journey about friendship, courage, and the priceless value of the present moment.

Mike continues to develop a diverse range of writing projects, including humorous technology-inspired work, fiction, and thriller concepts. Through his storytelling, he hopes to remind readers that time is never guaranteed—and that the moments we choose to truly live are the ones that matter most.

 

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What happens when life strips away everything you thought defined you?

Start your journey toward self-love, empowerment, and unapologetic living today.

Oliver Turner is a writer, creative entrepreneur, motivational voice, and the Amazon Bestselling author of Welcome to the Wonderful World of Not Giving A Fck*, a bold and empowering book focused on self-love, spirituality, resilience, and personal growth. Known for his raw honesty, sharp humor, and unapologetic perspective on life, Oliver inspires readers to break free from fear, self-doubt, and the pressure of living according to other people’s expectations.

“Motherland is a poignant story about love, friendship, identity—and the music, poetry, and places that shape us.”

—Lesley Weidenbener, Managing Editor, Indianapolis Business Journal

Eden Valley is a quiet town in northwestern Pennsylvania still healing from a dark chapter in its history. Two years ago, the community was shaken by a kidnapping and a series of murders. Tom Stallings, the celebrated town hero, solved the crimes and identified the evil demon responsible. In an effort to revitalize the town, Tom's son, Josh, has purchased the town's orchard, naming it The Stallings Orchard at Crick Road Bridge.

Date Published: July 8th, 2026

Publisher: Acorn Publishing

In A Round of Golf with Jesus, Miller invites readers to walk nine holes beside him and Christ, exploring how simple shifts, on the course and in the heart, can lead to transformation. With gentle humor, Miller shares personal stories, devotional insights, and practical teachings to remind us we can find fulfillment when we let go of perfection.

If we trust God’s guidance and focus on being present, golf and life become far more rewarding.

 

About the Author

George Miller is a PGA teaching professional and lifelong athlete with over thirty years of coaching and instructional experience. A Denver native, he played four years of collegiate golf at the University of Colorado Boulder before coaching both the boys' and girls' golf teams at Regis Jesuit High School. The girls’ teams earned three state championships under his guidance, and he received multiple Coach of the Year honors from The Denver Post. Known for his encouraging teaching style and deep love of the game, George has helped countless players connect with the joy and simplicity of golf. In his debut book, A Round of Golf with Jesus, he offers heartfelt reflections on sport, faith, and the quiet ways in which God meets us on the course and in life. Of all his golf partners, his favorite is his son, with whom he shares many of his most meaningful rounds.

 

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The Drag Queen of Faerie: The course of true love just won’t run smooth for hunk-next-door Will Taylor, who’s in search of that special someone. All that focused energy attracts the attention of Queen Mab’s less-well-known cousin Mabbey, the Drag Queen of the Faeries.

Valentine’s Vow: Friends and casual bed buddies Thom and Ryan don’t buy into the whole “true love” spiel. They have a good time together. Why would they want more? Luckily for this clueless pair, St. Valentine shows them how to appreciate a good thing when they’ve got it.

Independence Day: The boys are back -- and they’re at it again. Ryan and Thom have returned for some hot Fourth of July action, but their newfound romance may just hit the skids when it comes to coming out as a couple.

Straight Man and Coffee Guy: Straight Man is anything but. He just doesn’t have a sense of humor. And in a city with so many superheroes there’s no one left to rescue, his power is attracting the freaks -- like Coffee Guy from the diner across the road, who has the power of the never-ending cup. Misfits in a mad, mad, mad world, they’re pretty much perfect for each other.

Excerpt from Straight Man and Coffee Guy

Copyright ©2026 Will Okati

"So what would you say if I told you I was here to make every dream you've ever had come true?"

SM didn't even glance up from the magazine he was flipping through. Not that he'd been paying attention to the glossy pages. The skin magazine was designed for seriously lecherous and perverted types. Lots of pink, pouty things that kind of made his flesh want to shrivel up and his brain run away to hide. Still, better low-class reading material than none at all. Nothing else to do on the graveyard shift, was there?

"I'd ask if you were either AWOL from the City Genie conglomerate, wonder what you were selling, and pray you were the guy with the coffee I ordered --" he checked his watch -- "an hour ago."

"One out of three ain't bad." A cardboard tray smacked down on the hotel check-in counter. SM gladly abandoned his perusal of the so-called literature to reach up and grab a paper cup.

On his way, he spared a glance for the delivery boy. Not bad. Not bad at all. The kind of boy-next-door good looks that got his motor revving... or would if it weren't right around 3 a.m. Nothing short of an earthquake could get him excited enough to do much of anything this time of day.

He raised the lid and took a sip -- then choked. "This is cold!"

The delivery guy shrugged. "Well, you did it order a while back. Is it my fault it took this long to get away from the late-night crowd to bring the stuff over? And why did you order four cups, anyway? Have you got someone stashed under there?" He leaned over the counter, as if to check.

SM hastily knocked his magazine off into a trashcan. "No!"

"Come on, a hunk like you? There's someone under there." The coffee guy tilted up and over, resting his belly on the ledge, peeking. "Is that what I think -- no, just your shoe. Interesting. You dress like a wage slave drone, but those are some snappy sneakers."

"Sometimes I have to run to put out fires," SM replied dryly. Which was true enough. On more than one occasion, he had, especially when Combustion Man got too worked up. Oh, he didn't usually set more than the beds ablaze, but someone had to be quick on the draw with an extinguisher.

The truth was he wore the sneakers because they were comfortable, and it was one way of giving management the finger. Not that he'd admit it, of course, to a diner jockey.

He paused. "A hunk like me?"

"Well, yeah." Once he'd gotten up there, the coffee guy sat on the ledge, swinging his own sneakered feet back and forth. "You're a definite hottie. At least an eight on a scale of one to ten. Why do you think I waited to bring your coffee over myself?"

"To be annoying?"

"There is that," Coffee Guy agreed cheerfully. SM didn't see any harm in calling him that. It was neatly printed on his diner nametag, pinned crookedly on his tight-fitting T-shirt. "It's one of my better attributes."

"I'd hate to see the worse ones." SM took another sip of the brew. He blinked. "It's hotter."

"Thanks." Coffee Guy flexed his muscles. "I kind of thought so, myself."

"No, you dolt. I meant the coffee. It's not as cold anymore." SM took a careful sip and almost burned his tongue. He looked up accusingly. "Okay, give. How'd you do that?"

Coffee Guy shrugged. "It's a city full of real comic book heroes, right? Just about everyone and their brother has some kind of freaky power. I have dominion over the almighty bean, blessed be the name of Java. Behold." He pointed at SM's cup, which refilled the slight distance back up to the lid. "Talk about your never-ending pot."

"You're kidding me." SM drank again. "How'd you get a sweet talent like that?"

"As if it's special." Coffee Guy snorted. He started to flick through the check-in register. "All it gets me is the graveyard shift at a hotel diner. Or is this a motel? I can never keep it straight."

"Hotel. They have hallways and doors that open from the inside. Motels open onto the street."

"You learn something new every day."

"Keeps the brain active." SM peered at the cardboard tray with his other three, now steaming, cups of coffee. "Do you have the ability to summon cream and sugar as well?"

"Somehow I knew you'd be the kind of guy who had a sweet tooth." CG grinned at SM and reached into his pockets. "Wasn't room on the tray, but I came through in the clinch."

"Oh, God. You're an angel." SM groaned in pleasure as he cracked open two still-cool plastic cup-ettes of condensed milk and poured them in his cup. The sugar came next: three packets. "Swizzle stick?"

"They're not called swizzle sticks, moron."

SM cut CG a sharp look. "Oh, yeah? What's the right name, then?"

"Hell if I know." CG swung his legs a few more times while SM fixed his coffee to his pleasure. He even whistled a few bars of a tune, pretty badly off-key. In the middle of a bar, just as SM was recognizing the melody, he broke off to say, casually, "I kind of figured you to be the kind of guy who likes cream."

About the Author

Willa Okati (AKA Will) is made of many things: imagination, coffee, stray cat hairs, daydreams, more coffee, kitchen experimentation, a passion for winter weather, a little more coffee, a whole lot of flowering plants and a lifelong love of storytelling. Will's definitely one of the quiet ones you have to watch out for, though he -- not she anymore -- is a lot less quiet these days.

 

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Publisher on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and TikTok: @changelingpress

 

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