This last week, I had a chance to visit elementary schools in Breathitt County as a part of their Reading is Fundamental program (RIF).  I had the opportunity to discuss the work an author does and how much fun it is to write.  I really enjoyed my time with these students.  Who knows...maybe there are some authors already in the mix!  What does being an author mean to you?

My latest book, Jitterbug Jones and the Magic Pawpaw Tree, is now available for purchase at Amazon and Barnes and Noble. Check it out!

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Wow!  Has it been over a year since I last posted on my blog?  Well, with the new school year, I think that it is time for a fresh start on my blog.  I love to write.  It just seems like I haven't had my writing priorities straight for well over a year now.  Let's see what I can accomplish now.  Tune back in soon!

Kentucky Author Brings Magic to Life with Jitterbug Jones and the Magic Pawpaw Tree

(Jackson, Kentucky, March 2012) The hills of Eastern Kentucky may seem like a magical place to the many people who live there or who visit them every year. Bringing that magic to life on the pages of his latest book, author Alonzo Fugate creates a world where the magic is real and the adventures are exciting! Perhaps you have always imagined that the woods are mysterious and full of magical creatures such as ghosts, trolls, or even witches. You will find all of these and more in the author's latest work, JITTERBUG JONES AND THE MAGIC PAWPAW TREE [ISBN 978-1-4583-7064-8, Lulu Publications, $20.00].

Drawing on his professional knowledge as a National Board Certified Teacher (the highest achievement in teaching today), Alonzo Fugate is well-known for his earlier works for children, NOSE PICKIN' and PUMPKIN GUTS, TATER EYES, AND OTHER TASTY TREATS. He also published a work for older teens and adults of scary stories set in Eastern Kentucky called DARK AND BLOODY. However, he wasn't done with writing for children just yet.

Teaching elementary students, Mr. Fugate saw a need for more quality literature in the school setting. “My students read lots of books about other places in the world. I wanted to write about their world."

Mr. Fugate brings Eastern Kentucky to life in his latest work. According to the book, there once lived a man who was so jumpy and jittery that everyone called him Jitterbug Jones. Now his real name was Fred, but almost everyone had forgotten that. They just knew him as Jitterbug. Jitterbug was always moving around. He hardly ever sat still. He loved to move. He would hop around when he tried to stand still. He would shake his legs when he tried to sit still. And when he tried to walk, he ran.

Come along on an adventure with Jitterbug Jones as he encounters a magic fish, an old witch, some ghosts, and even a hungry troll! Set in the hills of Eastern Kentucky, this book will have you whisking through the forest in search of a magic pawpaw...if you can escape the clutches of the evil witch! JITTERBUG JONES AND THE MAGIC PAWPAW TREE is the first in a series of books about the magic that fills the hills of Eastern Kentucky. Join in the journey. Join in the adventure. Can you find the magic pawpaw tree? Just be careful with those wishes!

JITTERBUG JONES AND THE MAGIC PAWPAW TREE will be officially released on March 24, 2012 at the Powell County Reading Celebration which will be held at the Powell County Middle School. However, it is already available at bookstores everywhere. More information about the book and the author can be found at the official website (http://www.alonzofugate.com) or at the official book website (http://www.lulu.com/spotlight/alonzofugate). It will be available from the publisher, Lulu Publications, or at online bookstores such as Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and Books-A-Million. It will also be available worldwide wherever books are sold. To reserve your copy of JITTERBUG JONES AND THE MAGIC PAWPAW TREE today, just check with your local bookseller.

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You can tell by the warmer weather and the plants starting to peek up out of the ground that spring is almost here. In fact, it should be here already by the time you read this article. The Wheel is turning once again, bringing a new season of growth and emerging life. It won't be too much longer until we see the Easter Bunny and all of the brightly colored eggs. In fact, I have seen a few decorated Easter trees already! One of them is in our yard. Lisa worked really hard today to get our house decorated for the upcoming Easter holiday. Time to start practicing those egg hunts.

This past week was spring break for the Breathitt County School System. Lisa, Jacob, and I spent it in Gatlinburg, TN. This is a nice little mini-vacation if you only have a few days to enjoy. We love going to Gatlinburg to shop, eat, ride on the rides, and of course, have our picture taken on the skylift. Lisa and I have been having our picture taken on the skylift for about 13 or 14 years now. This was our second year with Jacob. I guess that we will keep doing this family tradition as long as we can both haul ourselves into those skylift chairs....LOL!

While we were in Gatlinburg, we did the usual family vacation things. We ate at Applewood Farm and the Old Mill. Both of these restaurants are part of our Gatlinburg tradition. We HAVE to eat there every time. We found a great place last year called Huck Finn's and now it is also a part of our Gatlinburg tradition. It has the best catfish I have ever tasted. If you go to Gatlinburg, you have to eat at one (if not all) of these restaurants.

Of course, we couldn't escape the clutches of consumerism. We had to make a trip to the shops to do a bit of spending. We took Jacob to the Disney store. He has really gotten into Mickey Mouse lately. He loves the show The Mickey Mouse Clubhouse. He was so excited to be in the Disney Store. He kept running around looking at everything. He really liked the large figures of Mickey, Minnie, Goofy, and the rest of the Disney gang that were perched up above the registers. We ended up getting him a cool t-shirt with Mickey, Goofy, and Donald on it. We also got him a stuffed toy Goofy and a stuffed toy Pluto. He has packed them around constantly since then.

We also took Jacob to ride some rides at the little kiddie carnivals that they have placed around Pigeon Forge. He rode a train, ferris wheel, the swings ride, a swinging boat, and a twirling car ride. He loved them all. However, he was really excited to watch the go-carts. We weren't sure if he could ride on the go-carts or not. But we measured him and he was just the right size to ride with an adult. So, Lisa drove the go-cart and Jacob rode with her. He had a BLAST! He loved riding the go-carts! I can just imagine how

It isn't everyday that a new restaurant opens in our local area, and it is a rare event indeed when a new restaurant opens that isn't a corporate chain. However, one local eatery that has hung out it's shingle is that wonderful combination of both good food and local culture. It is a place where you can go and immediately feel right at home while you enjoy some of the best food in the area. The name of this restaurant is Jabo's State of Mine located in Hazard, Kentucky.

My wife and I were out on a date night last Friday night when we decided on a whim to try out this new restaurant. We eat out a lot! In fact, several people might say that we eat out too much. But we say...if we don't have to cook it or wash the dishes then it is perfect! So, on our way to Hazard, we were going over our usual favorites. Nothing seemed to peak our interest until I suddenly remembered that some of my Facebook friends had been going on about a new place called Jabo's State of Mine. My wife agreed that she would like to try it out and so off we went.

Entering the place, I was very impressed with the atmosphere. I love restaurants that have low lighting because it gives the place a cozy atmosphere. Jabo's did not disappoint in this. The lighting was low enough to be cozy and to bring attention to the wonderful fireplace in the back. The combination of the low light and the fire made me feel right at home. I also appreciated the sign posted at the front that stated "In God We Trust." You just don't see enough of that in today's world.

After being seated very quickly, we scanned that menu. I loved the fact that everything on the menu is named after something in Kentucky. For example, instead of a Kentucky hot brown, my wife ordered an Eastern Kentucky Hot Brown. There were other examples on the menu that I could tell you about, but believe me....you have to go and experience this place for yourself.

While we were enjoying a hearty appetizer of cheese fries, I took some time to look around at the decor. For those of you who are into supporting coal and coal miners, you will truly appreciate the pictures that are placed around the restaurant. There are several pictures of coal miners, mines, and other pictures related to the coal industry.

After enjoying the appetizer and a great meal, I decided that I just had to write about Jabo's State of Mine. I asked some questions to our wonderful waitress who called herself Amazing Grace....and she was truly amazing! If you go, I hope you get to experience her cheery disposition and wonderful service! Grace informed me that the owner was in the place, and she immediately introduced him to me.

The owner, Jabo Clemons, is a man who knows the restaurant business. He has been in the business for over 4 years. After being successful in other areas in the business, he knew that he wanted to bring a nice restaurant back to Perry County where he has lived his entire life. Originally, the place was going to be a Tony Romas. However, he decided that he wanted to do something a little bit different....and in my opinion, better....here in our local area.

Mr. Clemons stated, "If I had opened a Tony Romas, I would have to put stuff on the menu that doesn't sell. But with a local business, I can put things on the menu that people want." So instead of op

Everyone gets up each day with a clean slate ahead of them. We are faced with literally hundreds of choices that we can make from what to wear, what to eat, and how to interact with others. One thing that I find interesting is that we not only have an effect on ourselves with these decisions. We also have a major impact on other people around us. For example, let’s imagine that you are really grumpy because you didn’t win the Power Ball jackpot. Because of this, you are very rude to the waitress at Hardee’s while you are getting your morning biscuit and coffee. This brings down her mood and so she takes it out on other customers who innocently walk in wanting some breakfast. These people might feel bad enough to snap at their kids when they get back in the car.

Wow! Your one little action just created a big negative vibe for several people in the community. What a bummer. Just imagine what we could do if we took the time to always be aware of how we are acting. If we tried to be positive and have a great outlook on life even when we didn’t really feel like it, just imagine the possibilities. You may have heard the term, “Fake it until you make it.” That isn’t what I am talking about here. I am talking about taking the time to be genuinely caring to others around us. It doesn’t take as much effort as you might imagine. And believe me…people can tell when you fake it.

Now that I have gotten this little tidbit off my mind, I want you to focus on why you do the things that you do. What is it that drives you to be the person that you have become? For me, the answer is pretty easy.

When I was growing up here in Breathitt County, my family didn’t have a lot. I wouldn’t say that we were poor, but I never had everything handed to me either. Like a lot of other people, I knew what it was like to do without. One positive aspect in my life was school. I had some wonderful teachers when I was growing up who really showed that they cared for me and encouraged me to grow.

I literally went from a quiet child who was afraid to say boo to anyone to someone who can talk to just about anyone. Of course, I'm a much better writer than a speaker...but everyone has their strengths.

When I decided to become a teacher, I knew that I wanted to teach in Breathitt County. There are a lot of kids in this county that are growing up and facing the same things that I faced when I was their age. So, I guess that I could say that the main thing that is driving me to do the things that I do is the fact that I want to help others the way that I was helped. I want to be a positive influence in their lives. I really care about the future of this county.

Today, I was telling my students that there are a lot of outside powers that would love nothing better than to keep people in this region poor and uneducated. If people are poor and uneducated, they are easier to control. I told the kids that they owed it to themselves to work hard and to get as smart as they could. Smart people ask questions. Smart people are not easy to control. Smart people work to better their lives and the lives of the people around them.

If you watch how the media portrays people in our area, you often wonder what happened to all of the good things? We have people in Eastern Kentucky who make a great living, live in decent housing, and drive pretty nice automobiles. We have professionals…and yes, we have poverty. But then again…so does every region in the United States…and the world. Why does the news feel the constant need to berate and belittle people in the Appalachian region? It makes good ratings, and that equals more dollars for them.

So once again, I ask you….what drives you? What makes you do the things that you do each day? Take a moment to think about it. The answer may just surprise you. Until next week…class dismissed!

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Another year has gone and a new one is underway. Sorry that I haven’t written in a few weeks, but it has been a very hectic few weeks with the Christmas rush and the New Year’s celebrations. Throw in a trip to Houston, TX and….woosh….the time seems to fly by!

As the new year starts, I hope that everyone is sticking to their resolutions. It seems as though everyone is all ready to start fresh…to start their lives over again…with the ringing in of another year. A New Year's resolution is a commitment that a person makes to one or more personal goals, projects, or the reforming of a habit. A key element to a New Year's Resolution that sets it apart from other resolutions is that it is made in anticipation of the New Year and new beginnings. People committing themselves to a New Year's resolution generally plan to do so for the whole following year. This lifestyle change is generally interpreted as a good thing. In other words, we don’t say, “I’m going to resolve to gain 50 pounds!”

One of my resolutions this year is to lose weight and get healthy. I have always had issues with my weight…even as a child. I had some success with low-carb dieting a few years ago, but the weight is creeping back up. So before I get back to my old weight again, I have decided to take measures to lose weight this year.

I guess that a lot of people have made this resolution, but I plan on taking another step toward my goal. I am getting ready to have gastric banding surgery done. With this surgery, an inflatable band is placed around the upper part of the stomach to create a smaller stomach pouch. This restricts the amount of food that can be consumed at one time and increases the time taken for the stomach to empty. The patient achieves sustained weight loss by limiting food intake, reducing appetite, and slowing digestion.

This will be a fairly straightforward surgery. Gastric banding is the least invasive surgery of its kind. Gastric banding is performed using laparoscopic surgery and usually results in a shorter hospital stay, faster recovery, smaller scars, and less pain than open surgical procedures. Because no part of the stomach is stapled or removed, and the patient’s intestines are not re-routed, he or she can continue to absorb nutrients from food normally. Gastric bands are made entirely of biocompatible materials, so they are able to stay in the patient’s body without causing harm.

My wife had this surgery done 2 ½ years ago and she has had wonderful results. I have lived through this with her, and I know the pros and cons of the banding lifestyle. I know that this is not just a magic bullet that is going to solve all of my problems. However, it is a great tool that I will be able to use in order to obtain a healthier weight. I feel that I will be able to do this because I have the support that I need from my wife. We can support each other.

In the coming weeks, I will be sharing my experiences with you as I go through surgery, recovery, and my first steps into the gastric banding life. I hope that perhaps I will be able to help others who may be having trouble with their weight who may be considering gastric banding.

Until next week….class dismissed!

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Christmas time is almost here! You will be happy to know that Christmas is alive at the Fugate household...and so is Santa Claus! Jacob has been learning all about the holiday and how Santa Claus comes to visit all the good boys and girls on Christmas Eve. He is all excited to know that Santa will leave toys and candy for all the good children in their stockings and under the Christmas tree. Now...if he can just get the "good" part down...LOL! Bless his heart, he really is trying.

So far, we have decorated the Christmas tree and hung up the stockings. Of course, we had to decorate the tree in the child-friendly fashion this year. This means that the decorations only come down to a certain line....Jacob's reach. He is so excited about the tree that he just has to grab decoration off of it. He wants to help with the decorating. But his idea of decorating is taking ornaments off of the tree and flinging them down the basement stairs! Maybe he is just trying to spread the Christmas spirit around a little bit more. Who knows?!?

This past weekend, we traveled to Grayson, Kentucky. This is where my wife Lisa spent her childhood so we try to get back there every now and then just to see how things have changed. While we were there, we went shopping at K-Mart. Well wouldn't you know it....they had a huge sale on toys! We just had to make sure that "Santa" was able to get some good bargains on the Christmas bonanza that will soon hit. LOL! Of course, I had to distract him while the toys were loaded into the van. HA!

We also hit several other stores on our way to Ashland and Huntington. In Wal-Mart, we even got to see the old man with all the toys himself....Santa Claus! We quietly informed Santa that this was the first time Jacob had ever seen Santa in person and that he might be a little bit frightened. Old Santa was really calm and kind with Jacob and didn't let out with any loud "HO HO HO's." Instead, we gently placed Jacob in his lap. Santa asked Jacob what he wanted for Christmas. Jacob was really shy and quiet, but he didn't cry or try to get down. I was afraid that he would shout "NOT REAL" and try to jerk Santa's beard off! Instead, he bashfully told Santa that he wanted a guitar and some drums for Christmas. Add a couple more items to the list! LOL! Luckily, his Mamaw Janet has already gotten him a guitar...so that just left a drum set for us to get for him. Check!

After a long day of shopping and playing with the toys in the toy aisles, we hit Central Park in Ashland, Kentucky. They have a fantastic Christmas light display. The best thing about it is that you can drive all the way around it and see everything. You don't even have to get out of the car. Now, it isn't as big as the Southern Lights at the Horse Park...but it is a really nice display. Jacob's eyes got really big as he gawked out of the window so that he could see everything. He kept saying "Again...see it again!" So we made a couple trips around the park so that he could enjoy it.

It was a long day...but it was a good day. I think that "Santa" is all ready to go now. The toys are snuggled away in a secret location....ready to make their grand appearance on Christmas day. I still need to see which ones come in multiple parts. I will get to take on the role of Head Elf....putting all of this stuff together. I certainly don't want to be stumbling around all bleary-eyed on

As the time of Thanksgiving approaches, I have to sit and wonder about how much has changed in my life this past year. In fact, it was one year ago this week that my wife and I traveled to Russia for the very first time to see our son, Jacob Eduard Bryson Fugate. We went out to eat tonight. While we were driving to Hazard, we were talking about how that first trip to Russia went for us.

We said that it was just amazing that we could hop on a plane and just fly to Russia. We started out in Cincinnati and flew to JFK in New York. That place was a circus! There were tons of people of all shapes, sizes, colors, and nationalities rushing about everywhere. Soon, Lisa and I were in our little section of people who were all traveling to Russia. I don't know what I expected, but I remember being amazed that most of the people flying with us were Russian. LOL!

That first flight was something that I will always remember. Lisa and I found our way to our seats and got ready for the 10 hour flight to Moscow. Like most Americans, we calmly found our way to our seats and put our carry-on bag neatly in the overhead bin. Soon, the plane was swarmed with Russians who were cramming bags into overhead compartments like crazy. There were arms and legs everywhere. Lisa and I just looked at each other with wide-eyed amazement...but we didn't say anything. We were able to warn others on the next two flights to Russia though!

We flew into Moscow and met Olga....our translator and tour guide. She was an amazing woman and made us feel welcome in a land that I thought we would never be able to visit. She was literally with us every step of the way. She got a driver for us, made our hotel reservations, ordered food for us in the restaurants, and even stayed in the hotel with us right next door in case we needed anything. She went with us to all the meetings and made sure that we signed all the right papers. Without her, we would never have been able to get our son.

Jacob. He is such an amazing little boy. I love to see him growing and learning more each day. I remember sitting in the orphanage at this time last year when they first brought him in to meet us. He was a shy, little thing. He didn't want to look at us.....much less, play with any of the toys we brought. He didn't say anything. He just looked at the floor and at the orphanage director. But like Lisa said later on that night....it was love at first sight.

Slowly, we built up a friendship with him. We offered him lots of brightly colored toys and some great snacks.....Teddy Grahams and cookies! That warmed him up to us a bit faster! We knew right away that we were going to adopt this sweet little boy no matter what our doctor advised us to do. Luckily, our doctor had no reservations. We were working with an international adoption doctor through the University of Kentucky. She examined photos we sent to her and all of his medical background. She could see no reason why we shouldn't adopt Jacob.

Two more trips to Russia.....and he was ours! I still remember that unreal feeling when they placed him in Lisa's arms and said, "Dress him." It was amazing! Suddenly.....we were parents!

Now, a year later, we can look back at all of the photos and see just how much he has grown and changed. Our lives have changed so much....for the better. He is a typical, American boy now. He loves to go to daycare and is getting ready to enter preschool in a few more months. He loves his Mommy and Daddy. He loves his Mamaw Becky and Papaw Lonzo and Mamaw Janet. And he absolutely LOVES to eat at Wendy's and go to Wal-Mart for toys!

Dillon let out a screech and jerked his leg backwards. The arm continued its death grip on his leg. Raising his other leg, Dillon prepared to crush it.

"Hold on....hold on," a voice called out from under the car. Suddenly a young man who appeared to be in his early 20's came crawling out from under the car. He let go of Dillon's leg and smiled uneasily. Dillon could see with some alarm that the man had a tire iron in his other hand.

"I just had....just had to make sure, you know," the man said, glancing around nervously, "I had to make sure that you weren't one of....them."

Dillon shuddered and nodded. It was an unspoken word between them, but they both knew what he was talking about. Zombies. It seemed that things that were once dead....weren't so dead anymore. Dillon could still see the images of the two zombies he had left back at his house. Were they following him even now?

"Hey, I hope I didn't scare you too much," the man looked at the car and shook his head in disgust.

"Just a bit," Dillon lied, "Is this your car?"

"Yep," the man said, "It sure is."

"Ummmm....then why did you run off the road?" Dillon asked, "Why are you in the ditch?"

"Come over here and see for yourself," the man said leading Dillon to the ditch. Dillon suddenly didn't want to know...but he went anyway.

Underneath the front tires, Dillon could see the twitching remains of a zombie. It was pinned underneath the car...but it was still moving. The tires had crushed its ribcage.....and yet it continued to look at both of them, chomping its teeth and trying to get at them. A low moan escaped from its lips which were peeled back in a sneer of blood and pain.

Dillon turned and walked three steps before he threw up. Hot vomit splattered on his shoes. He felt a hand on his shoulder and jerked away. He didn't want to be comforted....not now.

"Hey....hey," the man said, "It's okay. It's going to be......okay."

Dillon closed his eyes. He could tell from the sound of the man's voice....the way that his voice trailed off at the end....that even he didn't believe it. Would things ever be alright again?

Dillon turned around, wiping his mouth, "What's going on? Why is this happening?"

"I don't know," the man said, walking back over to his car, "I was listening to the radio when the news cut in that there were reports of people....being attacked. I still don't think that they know what is going on....actually. They just kept saying it was people attacking other people....but this is....really messed up."

"The head," Dillon said, pointing to the front of the car.

"What?" the man asked.

"I think you have to destroy the head," Dillon said, "At least, that is how they always do it in the movies."

"Yeah....right," the man said blankly. He walked slowly to the front of the car. Dillon looked away. He didn't want to see.....but he still heard. The thwack of the tire iron sinking into soft flesh...through bone...and into the dark, warm tissues inside. He heard the man choke back some vomit of his own.

"You're right," he heard the man say, "It stopped moving."

Dillon turned around and saw the man looking down at the ground. He started to walk toward the man.....he just had to see for himself.

"Don't look at it," the man said, holding Dillon back, "Let's just get out of here. I think that if you steer the wheel that I can push this thing out of the ditch. Wanna' get out of this place?"

"Yes," Dillon said....and that was all. He felt numb. He didn't really know what he felt right now. He just wanted to get as far away from this place as he could.

As he slipped into the car and started turning the wheel to the left just like the man had

With a yell, Dillon pushed the old woman backwards. Fueled by his fear, he was able to send her reeling backwards into the wall where she crashed and sank to the floor. But her eyes, dead and dark, never left him. And her teeth......kept gnashing....trying to bite. Behind them, he could hear Mr. Miller's groans as the zombie slowly got back to his feet.

In a panic, Dillon raced past the old woman and down the stairs. So far, it seemed that both of the zombies were easy to push out of the way....and they were slow. But he didn't want to chance it. He had seen too many movies. It only took one careless mistake. Then, it was all over. So instead, he just wanted to get as much distance between himself and the two creatures as possible. He had to get help!

Downstairs, he could see that the zombies had totally wrecked the house. Knick-knacks were lying broken all over the place. Chairs were turned over. The kitchen door was completely destroyed. The only thing that went through his mind was that his mom was going to be completely ticked off! That image in his mind made him snort with a crazy little laugh. He thought about trying the phone again to call his parents, but inside he knew that it was no good. The lines were dead. As dead as Mr. Miller and the old woman upstairs.

Racing out the door, he made his way down the road just as fast as he could. His breath was hot and burning in his lungs as he ran over dirt and gravel. He knew that if he could just make it to the highway that he would be able to flag someone down.....get help....or a ride into town. Living up in a hollar in Breathitt County, a person didn't see too many people out and about most of the day. However, the highway was a different story. So, he only had to go about 2 miles and he would find help....hopefully.

The day was already starting to fade. The sunlight was sinking slowly behind the trees, casting strange shadows on the road in front of him. The hills around him seemed to be full of eyes....watching him. Hungry eyes that wanted to taste his flesh. Shuddering, he ran faster. He didn't want to look up in the hills because he might see something that he didn't want to see.

Racing around a sharp curve in the road, he suddenly came to a dead stop. There was a car in the road. Well, it wasn't quite in the road as across the road. It looked like someone had wrecked their car and had run it into the ditch. The motor wasn't running, and Dillon couldn't see anyone around.

His heart racing, he walked slowly up to the car. Taking a deep breath, he peered into the window. He didn't see anything or anyone. There wasn't anyone in the front or back seat. Dillon looked around. He didn't see anyone around. He wondered what had happened.

"Hello?" he yelled out, hoping that he wasn't attracting the wrong kind of attention...the zombie kind. But if someone was here, he didn't want to pass up help.

Nobody answered. All that he could hear was his own breath. It was so quiet. He had never known it to be this quiet. Not even in a hollar in Eastern Kentucky. It was as though someone had thrown a blanket over the world and muffled all the sounds.

Just then, something grabbed his ankle. With a screech, he looked down. There was an arm reaching out from under the car. It had grabbed hold of his ankle....and wouldn't let go!

Dillon awoke with a jolt. Panic set in once again as the image of Mr. Miller being eaten alive flooded back into his head like a deadly, poisonous tidal wave of terror. Hopping up he ran to the window. The old woman was still there. She was just rambling around in the yard. She didn't seem to know where she was going. She was just walking aimlessly. And now she had a companion.

Dillon's eyes grew wide as he saw that Mr. Miller was up on his feet once again. He was just standing there though, his back turned toward Dillon so that Dillon couldn't get a good look at the bite on his neck. He wasn't trying to get away. For a second, Dillon thought about opening the door and yelling at him to get back inside. But something stopped him. Something wasn't right. Mr. Miller took a couple of steps. He was walking with the same shuffle that the old woman was walking with at the moment. And then he turned toward the house.

Dillon hissed in a breath of air and quickly ducked down so as not to be seen. Mr. Miller's body was in the yard. But it wasn't Mr. Miller. In that brief second, Dillon had seen that most of Mr. Miller's throat was gone. In the large hole that remained, Dillon had seen cords and tendons hanging, raw meat that had already begun to attract flies. Mr. Miller was dead. The problem was....he was still walking around.

"Oh my god!" Dillon whispered to himself, "Oh my god! Oh my god! Oh my god!"

He kept as quiet as he could, hoping again hope that he hadn't been seen. What in the world was going on? Maybe he had been wrong. Maybe Mr. Miller was just stunned. Dillon slowly slid his head back up to the window. Just one more peek wouldn't hurt. Maybe Mr. Miller was hurt really bad and was just in shock.

As he slid up, he suddenly found himself face to face with Mr. Miller who was staring at him with a blank look. Was he trying to say something? His mouth was working. A large blob of blood oozed out and fell to the ground. And then, he smashed one of his hands into the glass, shattering it.

"OH MY GOD!" Dillon cried out, pushing himself backwards, "Stay away from me!"

Mr. Miller showed no emotion. He only kept smashing away at the window. And then, he started reaching in through the window, reaching toward Dillon who was lying on the floor, staring in horror at the apparition before him. Behind him, he could see that the old woman had gained interest and was slowly making her way toward them. But the worst thing was....now Dillon could hear them.

Both of them were making low moaning sounds. The old woman let out a little cry like she was in pain when she caught sight of Dillon and started reaching in through the window as well. Mr. Miller was trying to make a moaning sound but his was garbled with the gurgling sound of blood.

Whipping up to his feet, Dillon ran out of the kitchen and into the living room. In here, there was no broken glass....no walking dead....and no horrible moaning sounds. It was almost like a normal day. Except that Dillon couldn't just imagine it away anymore. Something was going on and he was right in the middle of it.

He grabbed up the phone. But it was still dead. He couldn't call anyone for help. What was he going to do?

Just then, a loud crash came from the kitchen as the glass in the door exploded under the fists of the two zombies outside. Screeching with fright, Dillon raced upstairs and ran to his room. Locking the door, he ran into his closet and slammed the door shut. Hot tears of fear were streaming down his face and his breath was coming in ragged gasps.

Closing his eyes, he tried to calm himself down. A few seconds later, he heard the remains of the kitchen door slam open downstairs. They were in the house.

"Oh dear god," he whispered, "Please don't let them come up here. Please just let them go away."

He kept hearing loud knocks and bangs downstairs. Once he heard something shatter onto the floor. Was it a dish? Was i

Dillon held his breath. He was sure that he had heard something raking its way across his roof just a few minutes before. For a second, his mind had gone to the dark side....thinking that it was the dead arm that had followed him home. But that couldn’t be...could it? He had kicked that twitching madness back into the river. He couldn’t hear anything now. Maybe it had been a branch...or a bird....or....

“Please God,” he whispered, “Anything but that....anything but that....anything but that....”

Just then he jumped as a loud knocking sound came from the front door. His heart went into his mouth as he suddenly had a weird visual image of the arm propped up at his door, knocking and waiting for him to answer. But he knew that it just couldn’t be. Still, he slowly and carefully made his way into the living room and peeked out the side window.

With a sigh of relief, he saw that it was his neighbor, Tom Miller. Mr. Miller lived just down the road from them in an old farm house that he had once shared with his wife before she had run off with another man last year. Dillon had heard his mom and dad whispering about it when they thought he wasn’t listening. Apparently, it was the talk of the town. Dillon had felt bad for Mr. Miller. He was a pretty nice guy...for an adult. He often went fishing with Dillon and his dad.

Unlocking the door, Dillon opened it up.

“Hey there!” Mr. Miller said, stepping into the house, “Didn’t your parents ever tell you not to open the door to just anyone.”

Dillon laughed, “Yeah, but I saw you through the window.”

Mr. Miller just chuckled and nodded his head. The truth was that Dillon was just so glad to have someone else around. He had been having such a weird day that it was nice to have an adult around. It made the world seem to make a little more sense....or at least not be as scary.

“Well, I just came over to check on you. Your mom called me. She and your dad are going to be a little bit later coming home from the hospital,” Tom said, “She wanted me to check on you and make sure that you are okay.”

“Yeah, I’m fine,” Dillon lied, trying not to jump at every little sound that the house made, “Thanks for coming over.”

“Well, I’m not going to stay....” Mr. Miller began.

“Can you though?” Dillon said, “Just until Mom and Dad get back? Mom said that I can microwave something for dinner. Want some spaghetti?”

Dillon hoped that he wasn’t sounding too needy. He just didn’t want to be alone in the house. What if it got dark and his mom and dad hadn’t made it back from the hospital yet? He didn’t want to be in the house alone after dark.

“Hey buddy,” Mr. Miller said, “It’s okay. I’ll stay here until your mom and dad get home. In fact, I’ll just use your phone and let them know. I’m sure they will feel better too! And that spaghetti sounds great....Boyardee?”

Dillon nodded and felt his blood pressure drop. Suddenly things didn’t seem like they were going to be so bad. He would just try to put the days events out of his head. The dead arm....the dead cat.....those things seemed like a dream now. He just wanted to forget them.

But they were there, his mind insisted. Still....there was something to be said about being home...and being safe.

He quickly made his way into the kitchen and popped open two cans of spaghetti. His mom wouldn’t let him actually use the stove while she was gone. But she didn’t mind him using the microwave. He carefully placed a sheet of paper towel over each bowl and set one of them into the microwave. They would be eating in a few minutes! And hopefully his mom and dad would be home sooner than they thought. He could hear Mr. Miller dialing the phone in the living room.

A few seconds later, he heard Mr. Miller jiggling the phone buttons.

“That’s strange,” Mr. Miller called out, “Your phone is dead. You are on the same line as me and mine

Dillon stared in horror as the dead cat continued to walk toward him. His brain keep screaming for him to run, but his feet were frozen to the road. Each of his legs felt like they weighed 100 pounds each. Why wasn't he running? Somehow he knew that if the cat got to him that it would bite him. And then what? He didn't want to think about it. He couldn't think about it.

The cat let out another yowl, its head twisting to the side with a grimace of pain. Blood flew from its nose and splattered on the pavement. Three more steps and it would be sinking its dead fangs into his leg. He began to shiver uncontrollably. And yet, his legs would still not move.

That cat was dead! he thought. How could it be moving? How could that arm from the river be moving? What in the world was going on?

Just then, a red pickup truck came blaring around the curve. It was speeding toward him but slowed to a halt just beside him. The window rolled down exposing a young man in his early 20's. A cloud of smoke poured out and the man peered out, bleary eyed and obviously drunk. Loud rock music was blasting from the speakers. Wasn't that AC/DC? Dillon could make out the sounds of Hell's Bells. His eyes never left the cat though. But it had stopped in its tracks.

"Wass wrong wif dat cat?" the man slurred, leaning out the window. The strong smell of beer and cigarettes floated out of his mouth like a toxic cloud. But Dillon didn't care. He had found his legs after all. He ran around to the back of the truck and hopped in. He had no idea who this guy was but he just wanted to get up off of the ground.

"Isss dat cat sick? Is it mad?" the man grunted. Dillon looked down, expecting the cat to be ready to pounce up on him. Instead, he saw something very strange.

The cat wasn't walking anymore. It was quivering all over like someone had stuck an electric wire to its head. In fact, its head was shaking more than the rest of its body.

"Raaaaawwwwwr!" the cat squalled, dropping to the road with violent convulsions.

"There's something wrong wif dat cat," the man said, "Is it yours?"

"No," Dillon said softly, his voice betraying him like his legs had earlier.

And then with a meaty, wet pop, the cat's head exploded. Brains and blood flew all over the pavement, painting it with red globs. It was a horrific landscape. And then it was over. The cat lay still. It appeared that it was dead again.

What does that even mean? Dillon thought. Dead is dead....isn't it?

The man, who had been staring at the whole thing in a daze of alcohol, seemed to sober up all of a sudden at the sight of the cat's exploding head.

"Hey man," he said, "That was some freaky stuff. What did you do to that cat?"

Dillon felt numb. He just wanted to get home. To get to someplace safe. He jumped out of the truck and ran down the road....away from the truck and the dead cat. The dead cat that had just been walking around and trying to bite him.

He heard the guy yelling at him to come back, but he didn't listen. He only had one thought. He had to get home. The guy stopped yelling. He heard the truck pull off with squealing tires. He didn't care. He just wanted to get home.

His lungs were burning in the rapid rise and fall of his chest. Screaming for air and for rest, they were the only part of him that felt like it was truly alive. The rest of him felt as dead and cold as the arm and the cat that he had just seen. But at least his legs were working now. He was almost home. It was just up ahead. In just a moment, he would be in his own house with his mom and his dad. At least, his dad should be home from work by now. It was getting late. And then everything would be okay. He wouldn't have to think about what had happened. He wouldn't have to talk about it. He could just pretend that it had never happened.

Sprinting the last few steps to his front door, he tr

Dillon stared in horror at the arm that he had just pulled from the river. At first, he had thought that it was a fish. Then, he had assumed that it was a turtle since there was none of the usual thrashing that a fish would do. But instead, an arm....a human arm....had broken the surface of the water.

The first thing that Dillon thought was, “Where is the rest of the body?”

Then he thought, “Oh my God! There must be a dead body down there in the river somewhere.”

He had seen movies and shows on television about people being murdered, their dead bodies being dumped in out of the way places. But he had never thought that anything like that could happen in Breathitt County. He tried to think if anyone had gone missing lately. He couldn’t recall. But his mind was in overdrive at the moment. He had to get out of here and get help.

And then, the unthinkable began to happen. The arm began to twitch and move! Dillon let out a yelp of horror and leaped back. What in the world? Was he seeing things?

But no, there was no mistaking it. The arm was starting to move....starting to crawl. It slowly was turning toward him. Its fingers were digging into the soft sand of the creek bank as it clutched its way toward his feet. Dillon could hear the fingernails scraping in the dirt....brushing against rocks.

Without thinking anything except a sense of revulsion, Dillon started to run away. Then, he thought better. Turning, he took two steps toward the crawling dead flesh and gave it a mighty kick. The hand tried to snatch at his foot, but he was too quick for it. He connected solidly with the arm and sent it flying into the air. With a loud splash, it landed back in the water.

His heart was beating so loudly that his head was throbbing. He grabbed up his stuff except for his fishing pole. He didn’t want to ever touch that fishing pole again. Making his way into the undergrowth, he was once again enveloped in a rich, green world full of pollen. He ran. He was full of mad energy that charged his legs with one simple command....run! Faster and faster, he ran up the hill toward the road. He just wanted to get away from the horror that lay behind him.

With a loud cry, he burst from the weeds and almost ran into the path of an oncoming coal truck. With a yelp, he sprang back as the truck rumbled past with a loud honking of its horn. Even the threat of near death didn’t register immediately with Dillon. He kept replaying the scene over and over in his head. The arm....the dead human arm....it had been moving....crawling. He kept seeing it. He kept hearing it. It was coming toward him.

Had he only been seeing things? He didn’t want to stick around to find out. He began to run. His backpack was slapping wildly into his back as he ran. He could hear the rest of his Mountain Dew sloshing around in the bottle, but he didn’t care. His breath came in sharp rasps, but he kept up the mad pace...fueled by fear.

He ran back that way he had come when suddenly he stopped in the road. Something was moving in the weeds beside the road! For a second, he thought that it might be the arm....coming after him again. But he knew that it couldn’t be. He had kicked the thing into the river. It moved to slowly to get this far up the road ahead of him. It couldn’t be the arm. But he found that his feet wouldn’t move any closer to the rustling weeds. Something was tickling the back of his mind. He didn’t want to see what was there....but he had no choice.

Just at that moment, something broke free of the weeds and wandered shakily out into the road. As Dillon’s eyes grew wide, the creature let out a pitiful screech that once might have been a meow. It was the cat. The dead cat! But how could that be? One of its eyes was rolled back in its head and blood continued to trickle out of its nostrils. It moved slowly and with irregular jerks since its back was obviously broken. Of course, since it was dead, it shouldn’t be moving at all.

Dillon found that

Walking along the edge of the highway in the hot July heat, Dillon could see something laying in the road just up ahead. At first, he thought it was a dead fox or raccoon. However, as he drew closer, he saw that it was a dead cat. He couldn't help but stare at the dead creature.

The cat lay in a curled up position like it was asleep. Except for a thin trickle of blood coming out of one of its nostrils, you might never know that it was dead. Of course, what kind of cat would take a nap on a highway?

Dillon reached down and picked up a stick that was laying beside the road. Poking the cat gently, he nudged it off of the road and into the weeds. There was no use leaving it where some car could splatter its guts all over the place. He didn't want to take the time to bury it. It wasn't HIS cat after all. But he felt sorry for the little creature. It was black with white paws. It sort of reminded him of a cat that he used to have when he was a little boy. Hadn't he called it Boots? He couldn't remember.

Finishing the dreadful job, he continued on his way. He knew that the buzzards would take care of the unfortunate dead creature soon. They were all too efficient here in good old Breathitt County. He had often seen them circling overhead, on the lookout for their next meal. He shuddered. He didn't want to think about it.

And now he didn't have to. He had come to the bend in the road and there was the path that led down to the creek. It was just a little path and most people would have missed it if they didn't know what they were looking for. Hoisting his fishing pole and supplies up on his shoulder, he made his way down the steep bank and into the shadow of the trees.

Going down to the creek bank was like entering another world. The air was thicker....heavier. Bugs flew toward his face, threatening to choke him before he could make it to the bottom. His nose started to run as the pollen in the air settled into his nasal passages and tickled his throat. This was the worst part of going fishing. But then, up ahead, he could see the flowing stream. Troublesome Creek was sparkling in the sun like a jewel.

Breaking free of the heavy, thick air from under the trees, Dillon took two deep breaths of fresh, sweet air that was cooled by the moving waters. It was delicious to breath after being in the underbrush, even if he had only been in there for a few minutes. He always felt like he was going to suffocate in there. Would the buzzards come looking for him? But then, whenever he broke into the bright sunshine beside his fishing hole, it was like a rebirth. Every part of him rejoiced.

Opening his backpack, he took out a bottle of Mountain Dew. It wasn't ice cold like it had been earlier, but it was still cool. He opened it and took a long drink. It burned his throat but he liked the way that it burned. After his long walk, nothing tasted better. Belching loudly, he got his fishing gear ready for a long afternoon of relaxing and doing nothing.

Half an hour later, he was almost dozing in the afternoon sun. His fishing line was a lazy drifter in the slowly moving waters. All around him the world was buzzing and chirping. It was a sweet summer lullaby that was edging him closer and closer to sleep. In fact, he would have probably fallen asleep right then and there if his line hadn't suddenly moved.

"Fish!" he yelped excitedly, grabbing his fishing pole with a sturdier grip. With one swift tug upward, he felt his hook catch hold. This was the part that was always exciting for him on these fishing trips. He loved reeling in the struggling fish and then catching it for dinner. He hoped it was a big one!

Slowly at first and then quicker and quicker, he reeled in the fish. It must be a big one indeed. It was so heavy! In fact, he realized, it was too heavy to be a fish. It was probably a turtle from the feel of it. It wasn't even thrashing.

And then, it broke the surface of the water and Dillon froze.

It wasn't a fish. It wasn't a turtle.

Dillon was stari

Hello everyone. Sorry that I haven't written in a few weeks. It is summer, and our schedule is thrown completely off. Of course, having a two-year old in the house means that we don't have much of a predictable schedule anyway! HA!

Summer is a great time for some light reading. I have been doing quite a bit of reading lately...on my iPhone! I never thought that I would be one to really love reading eBooks on my iPhone...but I love it. For one thing, it is easy to read on my screen, even if it is small. I was quite surprised at that. However, the best thing is that I am able to purchase a book and have it delivered to me in a matter of seconds! I don't have to order a book through the mail or have to go to the bookstore. I can get my book instantly...and it is always with me. Lisa and I are totally addicted to our iPhones....we take them everywhere with us.

Speaking of ebooks, my children's book, Pumpkin Guts, Tater Eyes, and Other Tasty Treats, is now in iTunes and is available as a download in the Apple iBookstore. I know that a lot of people have been asking me if my books are available for download, and I can now answer that they are. My book, Dark and Bloody, will be available in the Apple iBookstore soon. If you have an iPod touch or an iPhone, you can download my books through the iBook app. Check it out! I would appreciate it!

Technology is a wonderful thing. But I am still amazed at how much it has been incorporated into our daily lives. I can't make it through the day without checking my email, Twitter account, and Facebook. And just what did we do without Facebook? I keep up with so many friends and family members through it. I love being able to know what is going on in their lives and sharing my experiences with them. It keeps everyone together even when they can't be physically together. It is a great thing. And with my iPhone, I can take Facebook with me wherever I go.

In other news, this was my very first year as a dad. It was great celebrating Father's Day. My dad and I were treated to a great dinner at Buckhorn Lake Lodge. It was a great buffet. All that I can say is that the soup beans were delicious. I don't know what they do to make them taste so good....and I don't want to know. It is probably bad for me. LOL!

This summer has been great so far. Lisa and I have enjoyed being able to spend so much time with our little boy, Jacob. He is our little alarm clock. It doesn't matter what time we put him to bed.....he is awake at 7 AM. I swear he is better than any clock. That might be a good thing if the electricity goes out! LOL! He can wake us up!

We took Jacob to Virginia Beach a few weeks ago and he just loved it. He had never seen the ocean before, and the look on his face was priceless. It wasn't the "sleep in a beach recliner" sort of vacation that I am used to. It was more of the "play in the sand, splash in the ocean, repeat 100 times" sort of vacation. But it was great. I love having Jacob in our lives. He is our joy.

Whenever people see us with Jacob, they always go on about what a lucky little boy he is to have Lisa and me as parents. What we don't tell them is that WE are the lucky ones. We have been blessed to have this sweet little boy brought into our lives. After 19 years of marriage, we were more than ready to be parents! I've always been a late bloomer though! HA!

I have been working on my next book. I hope to have it

Starting this month, my book, Pumpkin Guts, Tater Eyes, and Other Tasty Treats, is available as an ebook download on iTunes and the iBookstore.  It can be purchased and downloaded to your computer, iPhone, or iPod touch.  Look for it in the iBookstore or iTunes today!  Thanks!

On Wednesday, February 15th, our little boy Jacob turned two years old. We celebrated his birthday on Saturday though so that everyone could come and help share in our little boy's special day. It was a day of firsts for all of us!

First of all, it was Jacob's first real birthday party. The previous year, he was in the hospital and was getting ready to go into the orphanage. The poor little guy didn't have any celebration. He was just being taken from what was familiar to him and put into a big house full of other kids. It must have been a very scary time for him. I know that he was very young at the time...just turning one year old. I only hope that he doesn't remember any of that traumatic time and only knows happy days from here on out.

Second of all, it was our first birthday party together as a family. Lisa and I had spent many years going to other birthday parties for kids...but we had never had the chance to have a birthday party for our own child. All of that changed on Saturday though.

Ever since Jacob has been in the United States, he has been fascinated with Sesame Street. He loves to read Sesame Street books, he loves to play with Sesame Street toys, and he loves to watch Sesame Street on television. His favorite video is Learning About Letters....starring Big Bird and all the other Sesame Street gang. We sometimes watch it about 5 times a day! I only hope that some of that knowledge is sinking in! Ha!

Needless to say, the theme for the day was Sesame Street. We had all the Sesame Street decorations....balloons, paper plates, napkins, party hats, and horns. We even had a Sesame Street cake! Jacob was in hog-heaven! He loved everything so much and was so excited. He seemed to know that this day was a special day...just for him.

All of the people in Jacob's life came to celebrate the day with him. He had his mommy and daddy, Gramaw and Papaw Fugate, Mamaw Wagoner, Great Uncle Junior, Great Aunt Minerva and cousin Katie, and his "Aunt" Corrinna, "Uncle" Rod, and "cousin" Hailey. As you know, Lisa and I are both only children. Therefore, Jacob has an honorary aunt, uncle, and cousin.

We had such a great day. The menu was wonderful thanks to my wife. We had baked ham, homemade potato salad, green beans, grilled chicken, hash brown casserole, and rolls. Of course, we had birthday cake and ice cream also.

We took Jacob to Pirates Cove in Sheperdsville….just outside of Lousiville.  He loved it!  The water park was inside a hotel and was very nice.  It wasn’t too big and had lots of “kiddie” stuff for him.  We will definitely go to this one again.  We can’t wait to get him to Beech Bend Park this summer!

When Lisa and I were in Russia, we got to experience a lot of the Russian culture. For example, we got to see a lot of Russian art and visit some great historical places. We were able to see one of the actual boats built by Peter the Great. That was really amazing.

However, when I am visiting another culture, I really enjoy trying the different foods. While in Russia, Olga (our translator) took us to several nice restaurants. Of course, I could have just ordered something "safe" such as just a salad. But I really wanted to get a taste of some traditional Russian cuisine.

I tried many different kinds of soup, including a great fish soup. I also tried medallions of beef with a cheese sauce that was just heavenly. Lisa didn't like it at all though! One thing that both of us did like was a wonderful beef and beet soup called borscht. It was so good that I had it quite a few times while we were in Russia. It is a traditional Russian dish, and I have been fortunate to get a great recipe for it directly from Olga. She loves to make borscht. She said that it was a great soup to make on a snowy day. Plus...she said that it tastes even better on the second day!

Borscht, which is sometimes also spelled borsch and borshch, is a lovely vegetable soup that is almost always made with beets. The use of beets in this soup lend the dish a vibrant red color. There are some versions of borscht made with without beets. There is an orange borscht, which is made with tomatoes, and a green borscht, which has a sorrel base. However, beet borscht is the most common form of this soup. That is the kind that Olga taught me to make.

We have been home from Russia for over a month now, and I decided to make some borscht the other day. Let me tell you....it was very difficult to find beets! I finally found some fresh beets at Foodcity in Hazard.

Since the soup has a beef base, I started by cooking a chuck roast in the crockpot overnight. I put it on low and let it simmer all night long. The next morning, the roast was so tender that it was falling apart! The broth was a beautiful, bubbling golden brown. It looked delicious already!

The other ingredients for the soup include a lot of root vegetables including beets, carrots, cabbage, turnips, and onions. You also flavor it with tomato puree, salt, pepper, and bay leaves. I let it simmer slowly all day long. The entire house smelled heavenly! I invited my mom and dad around to eat some borscht with Lisa, Jacob, and me. I have to say that we all really enjoyed this little taste of Russia....right here in Breathitt County.

If you would like to experience some borscht for yourself and your family, I am including the authentic recipe...right from Olga herself.

Russian Borscht

2 lbs. beef tenderloin or sirloin steak, cut up
5 to 6 c. water
1 tbsp. salt
1 1/2 c. shredded beets
3/4 c. shredded carrots
2 turnips, finely chopped
1 med. onion
2 tbsp. tomato puree
2 tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. sugar
2 tbsp. butter
1/2 sm. head cabb