My latest labor of love is my coming-of-age novel about a boy searching for his dad who was lost to the Vietnam War. Should be on Amazon about November/December of this year. The amazing artist here is Anne Boydston, my long-time writers’ group buddy!
Check these for videos about my process of creating this project:
This book is about my journey into the discovery of who we really are, a journey that began at twelve-years old with a transcendent experience on the banks of a fishing hole. A great blue heron stood watching me from a few feet away. Unable to find words to describe the moment, I asked myself for the first time, “Who am I.”
The road takes us through my forty plus years of as an educator. Each story is a brief blink into a moment in my life that illuminates a piece of the answer. Most originated as speeches for Toastmasters International Speech Contest and most have won at various levels. But the real prize for my fisherman’s heart, is in catching readers’ and listeners’ hearts. Below is one such speech. Scroll down and you will find several more.
Here’s an endorsement of the book:
“I’m keeping Pat’s book close by my bedside so that any time I forget what’s important, I can simply reach for it, open it, start reading, and be reminded. Every page elicits a deep breath, a gentle smile, and an awareness of how simple life can be from the perspective of Love.”
Ron Hulnick, President, University of Santa Monica, and co-author with Mary Hulnick of Loyalty To Your Soul: The Heart of Spiritual Psychology
ALAN
While in teacher’s college, I worked a summer job for special needs children. At twenty years old, I thought I knew how to handle everything, until I met Alan.
I recently came across a speech I gave at the regional national finals in Las Vegas on You Tube. Click here to view the speech. Invisible is one of my stories from Blink in the Eye of the Great Blue Heron.
Do you believe everyone should have a second chance. Here’s a talk I gave that won at several levels of the Toastmaster’s International Inspirational Speech Contest. This later evolved into one of the chapters in my book, A Blink in the Eye of the Great Blue Heron. Enjoy
This speech called TIDDLYWINKS was later turned into a chapter in BLINK called BEFORE I WAKE.
Given here in my local club, this speech went on to win additional contests in the International Speech Contest of Toastmasters. It’s close to my heart as it taught me a big lesson.
Here’s a story about one of the many students I was touched by in my job as principal of Aurora Continuation High School, a school for at risk teens located just six blocks from the Mexican border.
Click on the above to listen to Pat’s speech.
FROM A SPEECH GIVEN APRIL 1, 2011
To read the text of this speech,
Click below:
It’s just a blink. The time between my daughter’s birth and her wedding. A blink. The message of this story told at a toastmasters event is a simple one. In the time between, ENJOY THE DANCE!
You sit in the doctor’s office waiting for the nurse to call your name. It’s been ten minutes. Your cellphone was checked five minutes ago for new Facebook entrees of cats intimidating dogs. You twiddle your thumbs. Hmmmm.
What if there on the magazine rack that has pictures of sick people smiling on the cover, you find a book. The title reads: INSPECTOR PEPPER: FROM CRIME TO CUFFS IN TEN MINUTES.
You open it and find a tongue-in-cheek murder mystery series. A reluctant but brilliant inspector is motivated by the Police Captains thirteen-year-old daughter. Solves a case with a bizarre twist in a ten minute read. And you can’t wait for your next doctor’s appointment.
Well, all of those stories are on this website! You only need to click on the banner on the homepage and select your story. Here’s the low-down. You know that device you use to text funny messages to your cousin in Wisconsin? You can read the next Inspector Pepper on THAT devise by typing in patricpeake/wordpress.com in Google, click on it. and you’re here! Reading your next story and expanding your mind beyond a twenty word text message. OMG!
Simply click on the banner above: INSPECTOR PEPPER.
