Education is one of my passions! I work as a teacher, I try to encourage reading through my books, and I also have another hobby that is super fun and educational at the same time! I love puzzles and brain teasers!

If you like puzzles too, this year I started a youtube channel dedicated completely to puzzle solutions. It's a great place to find solutions to some puzzles that might have you stumped, but it is also great for finding new fun puzzles you might like to try.

Click here to check out the channel! It's called Jim Solves Everything! Enjoy!

I don't post a lot about the projects I'm working on while I'm working on them, but recently something happened that was really great and got me even more excited about this book and I wanted to share it with you.

Most writers have beta readers who read early drafts of books and give feedback on them. Often writers get in a group to read each other's books for this purpose. One of my first beta readers for my books is my wife. She has always given the most honest and best feedback!

She read an early draft of Wren and the Ravens and felt like it was a fun story, but was missing something. We brainstormed a bit and she had an idea that I loved. Without giving any spoilers, I just want to say that her idea blossomed into something so great that adds a level of intensity, excitement and danger that wasn't there before. It really helped make the book have more depth and I love it even more!

I think everyone should grab a copy of this book! I feel quite certain that you will love it too!

Click here for pre-orders: ​Click

Very happy to announce the coming of a new book, available now for pre-order. Wren and the Ravens!

It is said in Ryr that even when you seek peace, trouble often finds you.
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For teenage Liden and his four friends, that is exactly what happens. No sooner do they run away from the mining town of Ryr to find freedom and adventure than they are thrust into events that mix them up with a notorious assassin known only as Wren.

Though the teenagers and assassin share neither goals nor values, they find themselves forced into cooperation in order to survive as they are caught up in the war raging along the Satine River that separates the northern and southern kingdoms.

How will Liden and his friends escape the war zone without making an enemy of Wren?

Buy Wren and the Ravens today to find out!

If you enjoyed the Random thoughts, Nearly Inspirational Quotes, Teacher Lies, or the Random Thoughts book, or blog, check out this new Youtube channel that will be sharing some random thoughts, and other similar comedy sketch type videos! This channel is dedicated to giving free, clean comedy each week that you can enjoy!
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Book Signing Event in Springville, PA!

I'll be in the tent at the Loch's Maple & Fiber Open house event on March 17th from 10:00 am to 5:00 pm! With a stack of all my books!

I'm super excited to be part of the 20th Annual Open house. I have attended in the past, but last year I was unable to be there, so this is extra special as it is the 20th year running!

Come for all kinds of tasty Maple treats, a tour of the maple house and fiber mill, great artist will be there to share their talents! There is a spinning wheel demonstration, some live animals, and me! It is great for the entire family!

I'd love to see you there! For more details click here! You can also check out the video below. It was a video I made a couple of years ago for my students to show how much math is involved in making maple syrup. Enjoy!

This is an unorthodox post for my author page, but if I've gained any kind of voice through my writing and it can help make a difference for good, I want to use any influence I can for the country I love.

Deaths by gun violence is at an unacceptable rate in our country and although it is a complex, multi-faceted problem, the answer is right in front of us, and we’re too busy fighting to see it. The solution to mass killings is that everyone is right. Simple as that.

Let me explain:
 
As a teacher of students with special needs, I often find myself in meetings with parents and other professionals to make a plan for a student. In the meetings the speech therapist has one idea, the transition coordinator has another, the general education teacher has one idea and the case worker has another. We go around the table discussing what might work for the student, then we implement all the ideas. For each student the success of each part of the plan will be different and that's okay. Some parts of the plan might be a flop for one student and that's okay too. We do everything we can because we care about the success of the program for that student. How dumb would it be for us to sit there and argue telling everyone who had a different idea than we had that they were stupid, delusional, disconnected, or wrong?

Nothing would get done and the student would suffer.
 
Same is true here.

We need to stop fighting with each other and instead agree with each other. We need to realize that this is a problem and move forward in every possible way to stop it. That requires work, change and being uncomfortable.

To my liberal/progressive friends: You are right.
We do need to catch up with the rest of the developed countries of the world. We need to follow the examples of European countries, Australia and Canada in making laws that protect our families. Do you want to know who else agrees with you? You're going to hate this, but Fox News personalities Bill O'Reilly and Gretchen Carlson have said similar things back in 2016 after the Orlando shooting.

"My solution to the gun problem is this: Congress debates which guns are allowed. You can't have a bazooka, you can't have hand grenades, no, you can't. It's perfectly legitimate for congress to say, "What kind of rifles should people be able to buy?"" Bill O'Reilly June 14 2016 Late Show with Stephen Colbert.

"Do we need AF-15s to hunt and kill deer? Do we need them to protect our families? I'm in favor of people being able to carry... But I'm also with the majority today, taking a stand. Can't we hold true to the sanctity of the Second Amendment while still having common sense?" Gretchen Carlson June 2016.

To my conservative friends: You are right!
There is a huge problem in our country with mental health. We need to look into that and give resources to help find solutions. There is more violence in television, video games, music and literature than ever before. People are desensitized to violence and that is a huge problem.

The home is the central building block of society and we need to strengthen homes and families. Parents need to do their part to educate and protect their children. Respect for authority is deteriorating and needs to be brought back.

Many of my conservative friends often tell me of making our country safer by extreme vetting and common sense regulations when it comes to immigration. I completely agree with you, now let's apply that to gun control.

Why can't we all agree and move forward on all fronts?
Next time someone posts something you don't agree with, instead of insulting them or engaging in a pointless fight, try to remember something. You're seeing their post because you are their friend, or you chose to follow them. I have been shocked at how mean friends and family have been to each other because they have different ideas on how to solve this problem. We need to unite and move forward in every possible way.

When a person says "Guns don't kill people. People kill people!" you can respond: I agree that people kill people. That is a huge part of the problem. What can we do today to stop people from killing other people?"

When another friend says "We need gun control laws!" You can respond: I agree that some guns should be kept away from civilians, that is part of the problem. How can we do that while still upholding our rights?

The only time you can be wrong!
The one thing that frustrates me most about the debates that follow a mass shooting is how people always point fingers at others to solve the problem.

I know I'm generalizing but here goes:

Old white people watching Fox news: "There is no respect these days! People raising children are the problem. We didn't have these problems when I was growing up with guns in our trucks at school. People raising families now need to step up and fix this problem.

Young people watching CNN: "The problem is all the old white people in congress. They need to fix the laws."

Do you see how this is not going anywhere? If we point the finger at someone else and say it is their responsibility to fix the problem, nobody acts. Nobody listens. Nothing changes!

Call to Action
Conservatives: Our country needs you! You have a voice and a power that no amount of liberal picket lines can match. If you contact your congress person and say, like Gretchen Carlson, "Can't we hold true to the sanctity of the Second Amendment while still having common sense?" You can change the world! They will listen to you because you voted them in. It's not going to be easy, but controlling guns is one part of the solution of gun violence.

Parents and families: Our country needs you! You have a power of youth and energy. While being progressive, there are some things that are being lost. Never forget or diminish the importance of family. Restrict violence in the things your children view. What they see, forms who they are. You can change the world! They will listen to you because you are their parent. It's not always easy, but reducing violence in media in our homes is one part of the solution of gun violence.

I know those examples are very narrow, and I hope you don't get distracted by their limited scope. Can you see the point I am trying to make? This is a group effort, and every voice matters.

Conclusion

When we move outside of our comfort zone we can all be powerful in making change! Whatever solution you feel will work in solving the problem with gun violence, is part of the solution. We need to move forward on that. But we also need to move forward on ideas you don't necessarily agree with so we are covered on all fronts. Just like a team of teachers trying to help a single student excel. We're a team. It's our country. Let's work together!

God Bless America!

 Hi everyone. I wanted to give you an update as soon as possible on the Buy a Book Save a Life program that I ran during the month of January.

For anyone joining with us now, welcome, and here's a brief summary. Every book I sold in January I donated 100% of what I made off the book to Family Humanitarian Experience water projects to get clean water to remote villages in Africa.

Throughout the month, I posted two videos, shared some thoughts and had a great response. It didn't raise the money I was hoping for, but we did pretty well. I sold about 180 books and e-books (mostly e-books).

I'm making a donation to FHe for $200 for their water project. Thank you again for everyone who helped make this possible! That is going to help 200 people have clean drinking water for their entire lives.

Thanks for all the good that you are doing in your communities!

Update: The donation was made click here to see how the fundraising is going for the project.

While we're waiting on a final count from the Buy a Book Save a Life from last month, here's something fun for Valentine's Day!

"Make a new tradition! Do you want to know why traditions are great? Because they don’t change from year to year. They’re like built in cabinets in your bedroom so your wife can’t move the furniture around again. Not because they’ll save you spinning around in circles trying to figure out where you are at night, but because they keep things the same. That’s one reason you know traditions were invented by men. So start a new tradition this Valentine’s Day and make sure it’s one you can do without needing to buy anything."

Click the picture, or here to see the full video with more helpful hints that are sure to make you laugh.