Eclectic

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Dram & Scran

        Scots use “a dram” to mean a small amount as in a wee dram of whiskey. Can you guess what “Scran” means in the accompanying image? Yep, you guessed it. Food.

Glengarry


       A Glengarry is a wool cap that has a lengthwise crease most often with ribbons at the back of the cap, as can be seen the accompanying illustration.

Bonnie

        Bonnie is used by the Scots to refer to a healthy, attractive person. For instance: “She’s a bonnie lass.”

Gillie


        As can be seen in the accompanying illustration, a gillie is a Scottish expression for a dance slipper or a low cut sports shoe.

Novels

This post overviews the 14 novels I’ve written to this point (all of them are available on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Joe-Ayres/e/B001HPOEKY?ref_=pe_1724030_132998060 ). They are also listed on my Goodreads page ( https://www.goodreads.com/search?q=joe+ayres&qid=fWSNDUq82 ). Ten of these novels are interrelated. I call them the Allen’s Fund series. In general the Allen’s Fund series addresses the exploitation of children.

The second interrelated set of novels I refer to as the generational series. These novels follow the life of one person in the classes of 1902, 1922, 1942, 1962, 1982, 2002, and 2022. The idea is to see what happens to a given person in relation to the big events of the day (spanish flu, world war, etc.) as well as commonplace everyday experiences. We all respond differently to different stimuli. It is fun and instructive to see what we think we would have done in the person’s place. At this point the first three generational series novels are complete (02, 22, 42) and are available on Amazon.

One of the 14 novels has nothing to do with either series. It is called “What Now? A Realistic Apocalypse Novel” and considers how people would realistically cope with the loss of all our modern conveniences.

As noted above, the Allen’s Fund series addresses the exploitation of children. The first book (“Allen’s Fund” https://www.amazon.com.au/Allens-Fund-Book-Joe-Ayres-ebook/dp/B00OL1FMDY ) concerns how Allen was murdered, why, and details about how and why Allen’s Fund came to be established.

The second book in the Allen’s Fund series (“Allen’s Fund: The Quest”  https://www.amazon.com/Allens-Fund-Quest-Book-2-ebook/dp/B0101A1JGC )  tracks down Allen’s murderers but bumps into the sexual exploitation of children along the way.

Book three in the series (Allen’s Fund: Growing Pains https://www.amazon.com.au/Allens-Fund-Growing-Pains-Book-ebook/dp/B07VPRXJBP) finds the people at Allen’s Fund being targeted by the people they are trying to bring to justice. Go here to read a preview

In Book Four in the series (Allen’s Fund: Sex Slavery https://www.amazon.ca/Allens-Fund-Sex-Slavery-Book-ebook/dp/B07VPXDG7T ) our heroes take on the awful business of using children as sex slaves.

Book five in the series (Allen’s Fund: A New Direction  https://www.amazon.in/Allens-Fund-New-Direction-Book-ebook/dp/B082ZB1XP8 ) follows a new twist in the exploitation of children in relation to the opioid crisis.

Book 6 (Allen’s Fund: The Big League https://www.amazon.it/Allens-Fund-League-Book-English-ebook/dp/B084VCJT13 )  has to do with Allen’s Fund broadening its scope to address the exploitation of children on national and international levels.

         Book 7: “Allen’s Fund: Armegaddon” (https://www.amazon.ca/Allens-Fund-Armageddon-Book-7-ebook/dp/B085MLBBZZ) considers what happens when Allen’s Fund takes on an organized, wealthy, determined International Terrorist Organization operating in the United States. The fight is down and dirty.

         The eighth book in the series “Allen’s Fund: Payback” (https://www.amazon.com/Allens-Fund-Payback-Joe-Ayres-ebook/dp/B08KRB1JZS/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&qid=1602022147&refinements=p_27%3AJoe+Ayres&s=books&sr=1-1 ) addresses how Allen’s Fund’s enemies take a swipe at Allen’s Fund and what Allen’s Fund does about it. Hang on, this book contains a shocking event.

         The ninth book alters course considerably. It details the life of one woman that eventually leads to a link with Allen’s Fund. In a sense, this book considers the exploitation of children from a child’s point of view and how that exploitation impacts the child’s adulthood. This book is available on Amazon ( https://www.amazon.com/Life-Story-Allens-Fund-Book/dp/B0BSYG7TVN/ref=sr_1_17?qid=1680011689&refinements=p_27%3AJoe+Ayres&s=books&sr=1-17 ).

The last book in the Allen’s Fund series (“Melanie and Allen’s Fund: Another Life Story”) has to do with how a child’s life course is abruptly altered and how family ties work to bring that life back on course. This book is available on Amazon (https://www.amazon.com/Melanie-Allens-Fund-Another-Story/dp/B0BW2N9LMW/ref=sr_1_16?qid=1680011404&refinements=p_27%3AJoe+Ayres&s=books&sr=1-16 ).

              The first of the generational novels follows the life of Lillian Wating, born in Penzance, Cornwall, England in 1884. Her life was driven by forces beyond her control (Spanish Flu, women’s suffrage, etc.) and by decisions she made about what role she would play in society. Those decisions were shaped by her personality, her parents’ influence, her sibling’s influence, and the various people she encountered during her life. In many respects, a consideration of her life helps us understand our own lives better (https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0BB83ND2F ).

The second generational novel follows Gene Will’s life. Gene lived his entire life in and around Star, Idaho. His early life was beset with teenage angst, as are many of our lives at that stage. He broke out of that but reentered it in many ways due to prohibition and the depression. Find out how Gene copes with his personal as well as society’s demons. This novel appears in print and online forms ( https://www.amazon.com/Class-1922-Genes-Story-Generational-ebook/dp/B0BDMTY4TX/ref=sr_1_17?qid=1663003042&refinements=p_27%3AJoe+Ayres&s=books&sr=1-17 ).

The third generational novel follows the course of Gina Keyo’s life. Gina was born in Spokane, Washington in the summer of 1924, making her a member of the class of 1942. Her life was affected by the depression, World War II, women’s rights, and the Vietnam War. She is faced with life and death decisions, men driven by desperation/desire, and a societal revolution. Is she strong enough to weather these storms or do they engulf her? Find out in “The Class of 1942: Gina’s Story” (available in online and print versions https://www.amazon.com/Class-1942-Ginas-Story-Generational-ebook/dp/B0BSXQDDC8/ref=sr_1_2?qid=1674909216&refinements=p_27%3AJoe+Ayres&s=books&sr=1-2 ).

Another book that is not in these series but worth a look is “What Now? A Realistic Apocalypse Novel” https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/47515448-what-now-a-realistic-apocalypse-novel). This work considers how people would realistically cope if all their electronic gear were rendered inoperable (no electricity, no phone, no cars, etc.).

Lowlander


       A “lowlander” refers to a person who lives in the relatively low elevations south of the Highlands in Scotland.


       A “lowlander” refers to a person who lives in the relatively low elevations south of the Highlands in Scotland.


       A “lowlander” refers to a person who lives in the relatively low elevations south of the Highlands in Scotland.