Botones del Oro
Author: Anne Marie Olsen
Genre: Swashbuckler
Synopsis: A handsome, mysterious stranger whirls into town weaving a spell with tales of heroism, gold and adventure. Can the spellbound barmaid win both his heart and his treasure?
Button Betty
Author: D.L. Kent
Genre: LGBT Fiction
Synopsis: For Martin, fresh off a Nebraska farm, coming out in the 70s should have been easy. He lives with a gay uncle in New York City, attends film school at Columbia, and has two eccentric great-aunts who take his love life all too seriously. But after three years, the shy young man still hasn’t been on a single date – until the Aunties give him a very special gift…
Button Lip
Author: Patrick Witz
Genre: Horror Comedy
Synopsis: A wild party, lots of alcohol, an act of kindness, unforeseen revenge, prize money and the ghastly un-dead, conspire to unlock doors that probably should have remained closed.
Button Up a Life
Author: Kathleen Coleman
Genre: Memoir
Synopsis: Button, button, what's in a button? Sometimes it's threaded into a lifetime.
Dedication
By Co-Editor David Loofbourrow
Only one of the other writers in this anthology got the opportunity to meet my mother, Elizabeth Stifle Loofbourrow, before she passed in December 2014. But they all got to know her through her creative work. Several of our writers are artists in various mediums, and so were interested when I shared some of the hundreds of displays Elizabeth had made of her extensive button collection – which became the inspiration for our writing.
Infatuation
Author: Patrick Witz
Genre: Romantic Thriller
Synopsis: Cynthia meets Jerry in a bar and they instantly become infatuated. Could their chance rendezvous be love at first sight or simply a one-time fling?
Introduction
By Co-Editor Patrick Witz
Lifelong Companion
Author: Patrick Witz
Genre: Tragedy
Synopsis: Catastrophic events can strike at a moment’s notice. One young family was diligent in their disaster plans and emergency preparations. However, when caught in the path of a menacing tornado, there are times when even the best-planned defenses just don’t go far enough. (Warning: Some readers may find the premise of this story disturbing.)
Opportunity
Author: Patrick Witz
Genre: Science Fiction
Synopsis: NASA J.P.L. Engineers Kevin and Frank have faithfully managed the day-to-day operations of the Mars rover "Opportunity" by the book for years. A chance glimpse of something odd leads the two engineers to break protocol and secretly investigate the anomaly on their own. Going to management too soon would definitely jeopardize the mission, their careers and retirement.
Pearlies
Author: Jane Haworth
Genre: Coming of Age
Synopsis: A mysterious envelope arrives with an all-expenses-paid overseas trip enclosed. Teenaged Trisha reluctantly embarks on a surprising journey that leads her into tangled threads of family history still knotted with hostilities.
Stranger in Town
Author: Evelina Dunn
Genre: Romantic Fantasy
Synopsis: On a quiet weekend at the coast away from her lackluster life, she meets a suave stranger. A dangerous mix of mystery and excitement at the water’s edge - yet she feels unthreatened. She is mesmerized, even after being warned. She can’t help but be drawn into his world.
The Exchange
Author: Patrick Witz
Genre: Literary Fiction
Synopsis: As Alzheimer disease scrambles Grandma’s memories, the old woman hints at a shocking tale. Annie, in secret, investigates her grandmother’s past. What she uncovers thrusts Annie into a heart-wrenching dilemma. Should she reveal her discoveries to the family or let the secret perish with Grandma’s fading memory?
The Legend of Zacharias Bean
Author: Anne Marie Olsen
Genre: Tall Tale
Synopsis: An unusual friendship develops between an ancient gold miner and a feisty freckle-faced girl.
To Have and to Hold
Author: Patrick Witz
Genre: Mystery
Synopsis: When the economic bubble bursts, Harry suddenly finds himself in a world of financial chaos. Job opportunities dry up and his house investment turns into a disaster of overwhelming debt. He desperately needs a little luck to survive. Is there really such a thing as a lucky charm? And if there is, can Harry hold on to it long enough to turn his life around?
Vacation Destination
Author: Patrick Witz
Genre: Literary Fiction
Synopsis: What makes a vacation memorable? Typically, it boils down to one of two things: an immensely thrilling time or a catastrophic letdown. This young family’s vacation destination does not live up to their travel agent’s propaganda. Happily, it ends well for them, but not for others.
WEEP for Humanity
Author: David Loofbourrow
Genre: Dystopia
Synopsis: The quiet community life of an Israeli kibbutz offers Abram Meir, a young veterinarian, the support he needs to heal from the loss of his family to a Hamas bomb. But a world-wide disaster thrusts him into the center of a secret international plan to save the human race from complete annihilation. Abram has lost everyone he cared about. Can he find the strength to make the ultimate sacrifices that might give humanity a chance to start over?