Books in Print
Fiction
Friends in Cyberspace
Genealogy
Religious Verse
Some More of My Web Sites
Novels that I have published so far by print-on-demand
THISTLEDOWN
iUniverse, Inc., January 2004
ISBN
0-595-30814-7
The story of a naïve young man who meets, then loses a magical woman who transforms his life, Thistledown follows Fred Bradley from his childhood as an intellectual outcast in suburban Detroit, through his tumultuous years as a student at Michigan State University in the early 70's, to his adulthood as a husband and father, an itinerant preacher, and a reputed mage and murderer in rural Kentucky. Throughout Fred's journey, Amber, the magical friend of his childhood, reappears at moments of crisis.
Read the first four chapters of Thistledown on its iUniverse Web site!
Read readers' reviews of Thistledown on its Amazon.com Web site!
THROUGH THE GATE OF HORN: THE FIRST THREAD OF THE DHITHA
TAPESTRY
iUniverse, Inc., March 2004
ISBN 0-595-31541-0
A night of unsettling dreams, a mysterious painting, and a chance meeting at a science-fiction convention propel an obscure computer programmer into the adventure of his lifetime. Seeking the meaning of his dreams, he learns that they arise from persons and a place of ancient power hidden in the Bluegrass of Kentucky. He must find whether he shares with them their power and their curse. In Through the Gate of Horn, his quest will take him far beyond the bounds of the world that he has known, into one where all that he believes will come into question.
Read the opening chapter of Through the Gate of Horn on its iUniverse Web site!
Read readers' reviews of Through the Gate of Horn on its Amazon.com Web site!
THE GHOST OF PELFREY'S BEND
iUniverse, Inc., January
2005
ISBN 0-595-33989-1
Why is the ghost of a Confederate cavalry officer taking revenge on a prosperous and respected Eastern Kentucky family? Leah Bradley must learn what the ghost's cryptic curse means before he claims another victim among her relatives. Although distracted by doubts over love, career, and her place in the world, she starts a quest for a lost relation who can break the curse. Before Leah's quest is done, she will learn truths of herself and her family that will change her world forever.
The Ghost of Pelfrey's Bend tells of characters from Thistledown, previously published at iUniverse.com, but can be read independently of it.
Read the opening chapter of The Ghost of Pelfrey's Bend on its iUniverse Web site!
Read readers' reviews of The Ghost of Pelfrey's Bend on its Amazon.com Web site!
ON THE WINGS OF DREAM: THE SECOND THREAD OF THE DHITHA
TAPESTRY
iUniverse, Inc., May 2005
ISBN 0-595-35911-6
On the Wings of Dreamcontinues the saga of mystery and wonder begun in Through the Gate of Horn. Seeking training in his newfound power of the Light of the Dance, Timothy Johnston travels through a Doorway from the earth to the distant world of Tena. There, his teachers, the once-human Dhitha, immerse him in intrigue over a dying emperor, ancient religious rivalries, an enemy race of blood-drinkers, and advanced weapons from the earth. Amid the intrigue Timothy begins to speak prophecies of destruction. Who, though, is speaking through him, and on which world will destruction fall?
Read the opening chapter of Through the Gate of Horn on its iUniverse Web site!
Read readers' reviews of Through the Gate of Horn on its Amazon.com Web site!
A miscellany of poems and short stories of fantasy and horror
The Calming of Cthulhu A comic meditation on one of the classics of horror. I'm doomed.
Dreams of a Conjunction An entirely new tale of horror in the style of H. P. Lovecraft.
The Gold's Dragon An alliterative micro-epic in honor of the Ring of the Nibelungs.
The Key to Otherwhen Three tales of Lovecraftian horror and humor.
Knives A psychodrama of murder and ghostly haunting, in verse.
The Shadows on the Screen An homage to H. P. Lovecraft set at Michigan State University.
The Transformation of the Troglodyte A tale of the Cthulhu Mythos set in the Bluegrass of Kentucky.
Wesle's Tale An alliterative mini-epic of how Vikings might have investigated an X File! :-)
Links to Web sites of some of my friends
Helen Davis
DRAGONS and SPACESHIPS and ELVES, OH MY! Helen's personal Web page
World Wide Fan Party An introduction to Fandom (If you don't know what it is, find out here.)
Silent Runners: A Sampler Helen's new sf novel of interstellar ecological warfare!
Jerry Parks
JERRY'S WORLD Jerry's personal Web page
GODSTUDY Web site for the Bible study that Jerry teaches at Southland Christian Church on Saturday nights
With Joseph in the University of Adversity Jerry's new book on principles that we can learn from Joseph in Egypt!
Be sure to look up Jerry's books on teaching middle school, also available on Amazon. Search for Jerry L. Parks on Amazon.com!
Links to Web pages relating to my ancestry
Genealogy Page My ancestry in the Byrd, Havens, Wells, and Johnston families of Morgan Co, KY
Morgan County Kentucky Genealogy A resource for serious researchers of Eastern Kentucky genealogy
Some poems that I have written on Christian themes
Joseph in Egypt A mini-epic of Joseph's enslavement by his brothers
A Mound in Mosul A tour guide shows you Jonah's tomb in Iraq!
Two Sestinas on Faith and Sacrifice I try my hand at one of the world's most difficult forms of verse.
Three Graves in Ephraim An alliterative funeral oration based on Joshua 24:29-33
Christian Writings by Alfred D. Byrd My Faith and Practice Site
Here are some "sermons," poems, an analysis of religious symbolism in Tolkien's writings, and information on my Christian books that may interest those of you who enjoyed the poems in Religious Verse.
Vintage Home Page My First Home Page
This is a link to my first home page. It has a rather unusual picture of me, as well as links to some writings that are not on this page, and some that are. All Return to Home Page links on these Web pages will bring you back to this page.
If you have questions, comments, suggestions, or complaints about this Web site, please e mail them to me.