The Last Green Flash

The short stories in this collection cover a wide range of subjects and themes, many with surprising endings. Some are humorous, some sad and some use historical events to weave a story.

A life of crime can be very alluring, especially to one who falls between law-abiding respectability and the underworld. For David Abden, a baronet's nephew who loves fast cars and women, illegitimate opportunities present more than mere temptation, and when the glamour of risk begins to consume his life, Abden is presented with few easy ways out. '. . . never strikes a false note' "Daily Mail"

This book comes as your ticket to a virtual vacation, inviting you to dive into the heart of the tropical island of Kaua`i, Hawai`i, U.S.A. Please come, especially if you are a “capital ‘T’ Traveler” who digs deeper than surface pleasures of a new place, connects with people of the land, and celebrates differences as well as similarities. You may explore from front to back, vice-versa, or spot-read whatever pages fall open to your touch. All will be right. By accepting the author’s invitation, you’re assured of eventual enjoyment of thought-provoking segments categorized as “Outdoor Discoveries,” “Island Celebrations,” “Eyes to Sky, & Sea,” “Umbilical Ties” and more, including a drink from “The Water of Life.” Kaua`i island could be considered your adventure to “Anyplace, World.” Aside from particularities of discoverers and settlement, the foundational needs and desires of all peoples of the world hold true: A homeland–a place of freedom and peace; a place to work and sustain a healthy life, to play and recreate; a safe place to raise and educate children; a place to protect, preserve, love and pass forward to coming generations. The time span covered draws from the onset of swift modern development and increased tourism that threatens a cherished lifestyle to the threshold of COVID-19. The Afterword deals with the isolation the life-threatening pandemic imposes, and the economic and emotional challenges that stem from an isolation severely underlined when an island home already lies as a far speck within the wide Pacific Ocean. The guiding mantra throughout–”Believe in the Unexpected!”–from the author’s “Green Flash” experience shared with her “Dear Readers,” holds truer than true as we move with hope and courage into our globally-connected future.

A Flash of Green tells the gripping story of small-town corruption and two people brave enough to fight back, featuring many of the themes John D. MacDonald explored better than anyone in his legendary career as a leading crime novelist. Introduction by Dean Koontz The opportunists have taken over Palm City. Silent and deadly, like the snakes that infest the nearby swamps, they lay hidden from view, waiting for the right moment to strike. Political subterfuge has already eased the residents toward selling out. All that’s left now is to silence a few stubborn holdouts. James Wing is only trying to help a friend’s widow. At least that’s what he tells himself after warning Kat Hubble that the beautiful bay she and her neighbors have struggled to save is going to be sold to developers. He knows that he shouldn’t have told her anything. He’s a reporter, trained to reveal nothing. But he’s falling in love with her. Now cutthroats have set their sights on Kat—and they’ll do anything, use anyone, to stop her from interfering in their plans. Praise for John D. MacDonald “John D. MacDonald was the great entertainer of our age, and a mesmerizing storyteller.”—Stephen King “The first modern writer to nail Florida dead-center, to capture all its languid sleaze, racy sense of promise, and breath-grabbing beauty.”—Carl Hiaasen “To diggers a thousand years from now, the works of John D. MacDonald would be a treasure on the order of the tomb of Tutankhamen.”—Kurt Vonnegut

It’s the crossover event fans have been waiting for, as The Flash joins forces with Green Arrow! When the Green Arrow needs help tracking down a sinister bomber in Star City, speedster Barry Allen is out the door in a flash. But as The Flash saves the day with his friends on Team Arrow, a huge dimensional rift appears over his hometown of Central City—and thousands of refugees with superspeed come pouring out. Can the combined skills of Team Arrow and The Flash’s friends at S.T.A.R. Labs manage the chaos long enough to stop the rift from tearing their universe apart? This exciting first installment in the new crossover trilogy promises to be one of the most action-packed reads of the season. Supergirl, Superman, and the heroes from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow will be joining in on the fun in books two and three of this can’t-miss trilogy.

Ben and Billy Mac have saltwater running through their veins. Not only do they love the fishing life in their coastal town of York, Maine, but they are the best of friends. Born just days apart in 1949, they are truly like true brothers, as close as blood can be. But life holds different promises for these two young men. Ben, whose father died at sea before he was born, quit school at age thirteen to help support his mother. Billy is a star hockey player on the high school team and accepts an offer to play at Boston College. During this time of international turmoil, Ben receives his draft letter and is sent to Vietnam as an army ranger. While Ben is fighting the war in Vietnam, Billy fights his own war on the ice, and moral and physical challenges lead him down a dark path. To See a Green Flash follows these two best friends as their life’s paths diverge. Telling the tales of fishing and the toll of war, author Corky Decker captures the heart and soul of a small, New England fishing community and the unbreakable bonds of friendship.

Green Flash, a troublesome miniature dragon who wants to help troubled kids (a combination Santa Claus and Godzilla), gets involved with “Ding” Diaz. He puts the troubled ten year-old Hispanic boy from the ghetto into one mess after another (usually unwittingly). But handling adversity helps Ding overcome a multitude of problems and emotional handicaps. He learns about himself, others, the world around him. Ding thought he had problems - inside and outside the classroom, with a local gang, and with his father and little brother. He made bad choices due to a dark secret in his heart. A helper dragon, Green Flash, by mistake takes him to Dragon Central, a dangerous planet in a parallel universe. Even if Ding learns his truth, he might be stuck there forever...

Dann is a successful business owner, now early retired. He returns to the place of his childhood in search of the elusive peace he had once known but never experienced again. After a shocking discovery, he meets Heather under most questionable circumstances. He discovers she is similarly challenged. Dann embarks on a life-changing journey to help Heather find the peace that so alludes him. While relentlessly pursued by Charleston police, he uses his significant assets and his special forces background as he attempts, as a vigilante, to right the wrongs committed against this young woman. Set in Charleston among all the color and lore of the nation's most beloved colonial city, the story evolves into far more than a loose cannon using terror tactics to assist a lady nearly defeated. In the process, he too finds his peace. The book is an exciting read offering along their journey questions about many of life's perceived desires and goals.