Book Title: Lets Be Friends Short Story

Chapter Two: Stacy Little

Stacy Little's life was abruptly shattered six weeks ago when her parents were killed in a traffic accident. The tragedy offered no grace period, immediately plunging her into a hushed new normal. With no siblings, Stacy’s sole guardian is her previously distant maternal grandmother, Granny Rose, who lives 300 miles away in Memphis, Tennessee.

Stacy moves into Granny Rose's expansive, single-level estate, which she quickly realizes is less "comfortable" and more akin to a high-end, heavily insured spa. The interior is a world of soft light, silk, and mahogany, contrasting sharply with Stacy’s modest upbringing. Granny Rose, an anomaly with a drill sergeant’s posture and a celebrity’s social calendar, is fiercely kind but oblivious to normal teenage life, dictating emails and referring to her portfolio as "The Children."

Stacy’s new room is a suite, a muted grey and lavender sanctuary complete with a canopy bed and designer clothes. Despite the opulence, Stacy feels like a foreign exchange student, spending her time in quiet grief and yearning for the simple sounds of her old home. Granny Rose attempts to distract her with a tiny new dog named 'Sterling' and private chef lessons.

Now, Stacy faces the daunting prospect of starting Memphis High. Granny Rose has already secured her place and tailored her application to include "literature" to avoid "anything too sweaty." Stacy is terrified of walking into school as the girl who lost her parents, suddenly living in a mansion, and desperately hoping her emotional baggage won't make the music of Memphis High too loud.

Book Title: Lets Be Friends Short Story

Author: Warren M. Walker

Publisher: V & W Publishing

https://publishing.irishknights.co.za/lets-be-friends-short-story/

Available on Amazon.com:

Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Be-Friends-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FVTQ92VN

Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Be-Friends-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FW414C7M

Book Title: Lets Be Friends Short Story

Chapter One: Fred Johnson

The narrator, 16-year-old Fred, recounts the chaotic six weeks culminating in his family's forced move from suburban Kansas to Memphis, Tennessee. The upheaval is driven by his father, Arthur, a hyper-organized accountant who accepted a dream job heading the financial reporting division for a national distributor of industrial-strength sponges. Fred's mother, Deborah, the "chief operating officer of the Johnson household," channeled her competitive domestic zeal into a 37 page, color coded moving binder and organizational threats.

Fred's life has shifted from procrastinating on his Xbox to navigating an ungodly mountain of cardboard. The road trip was an eight-hour ordeal of Dad reciting gas mileage and Mom pointing out obscure historical markers. Upon arrival, their new, two-story house—an "object lesson in architectural superiority", only promised Fred twice the number of stairs to climb.

Despite the move being a "huge step up" for his parents, Fred is consumed by dread. While his gaming setup provides Maslow's hierarchy of needs, the forced relocation is a major anxiety. His biggest fear is starting over as the "New Guy" at the massive and socially unforgiving Memphis High. As his parents excitedly finalize their new life, Fred faces the next morning, feeling like his social currency is at zero, and preparing to step out of his silent, unpacked room to face a potentially "off-key, high-pitched disaster."

Book Title: Lets Be Friends Short Story

Author: Warren M. Walker

Publisher: V & W Publishing

https://publishing.irishknights.co.za/lets-be-friends-short-story/

Available on Amazon.com:

Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Be-Friends-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FVTQ92VN

Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/Lets-Be-Friends-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FW414C7M

Book Title: The Widowmaker 1200 Short Story

Summary:

This story chronicles the tumultuous journey of Bruce Fettles, a meticulously organized 16-year-old determined to trade his identity as the suburban kid who smells faintly of Pecan Fudge Ripple for the title of certified cool biker. After enduring six grueling months working at the dreaded Concrete Scoop, Bruce saves 6000 and buys his dream motorcycle: the powerful, cherry red Widowmaker 1200. The bike is not just transportation; it's a key to a new life, a learner's permit to coolness itself.

Armed with his permit and his magnificent machine, Bruce manages to attract the attention of Cassidy, the most effortlessly stylish girl in the neighborhood. Their budding relationship, however, is constantly strained by Bruce's overwhelming commitment to safety, driven by his hyper-vigilant parents who monitor his every move with GPS trackers and data-driven safety seminars. Cassidy pushes for the reckless excitement she associates with motorcycle life, while Bruce struggles to balance his love for the bike with his fear of Dad's Fluid Dynamics of Wet Braking lecture.

The tension explodes when the arrogant rival, Chad, challenges Bruce to an illegal street race. Desperate to prove his worth to Cassidy, Bruce accepts, despite knowing the risks. The race is a heart-stopping blur, but when Chad attempts a dangerous maneuver, Bruce, prioritizing safety, brakes to avoid a collision and loses the race by mere inches. Cassidy immediately abandons him for Chad, declaring she only dates winners, leaving Bruce heartbroken and facing the quiet, terrifying disappointment of his parents.

Plunged into a deep, melodramatic sadness, Bruce begins a series of 15 Rides of Penance, trying to reconnect with the pure joy of the Widowmaker. On his 16th ride, a fateful detour leads him to the Irish Knights MC, a welcoming motorcycle club that offers him community and genuine mentorship. He meets Wren, a quick-witted apprentice mechanic with electric-blue hair, who values his skill and integrity over cheap stunts. Bruce finally finds true belonging and a new, hopeful connection, realizing that the Widowmaker 1200 was meant for the open road, not for impressing superficial girls.

Chapter 1 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4pE6tXB0DZv0xTYNhlTcNc?si=0xB5AI_dRfqASNo8FC8QSg

Chapter 2 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/5DkVQdtQJdPHLcXemW5HPg?si=AxI6uDPRSZe6fT-S_Pmn2w

Chapter 3 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/7DdPTeMh4aWnMEM0NbAT4h?si=KkASDw6sTL6FMdyTdJkJwg

Chapter 4 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/41ZrGr7Rt7ueCIJXbcoEtU?si=1eZ4bRBjS4exQ9NeCRkXTg

Chapter 5 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6VAcIZvebVMVtdYf8T66dU?si=eIurQey1QVOVm41zg3ybzw

Chapter 6 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/62Ciob8Q8eosNePqMsgm1y?si=cOAAglyYT5KNygrQWipptw

Chapter 7 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6BnMfAmMTaWDEAEphtmGbh?si=Qx99kkzqQr-Tg4icGKcPiA

Chapter 8 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/4AE8KhuJX3ANIHBnqKSYeG?si=2LxuQPioS-6LZTeszFL4mA

Chapter 9 - https://open.spotify.com/episode/14HuIGZBfa2n9eCgczADYq?si=Proy_gmXQAemjLBEm_kNyg

Books › Teen & Young Adult › Literature & Fiction › Social & Family Issues › Family

Book Title: The Widowmaker 1200 Short Story

Author: Warren M. Walker

Publisher: V & W Publishing

https://publishing.irishknights.co.za/the-widowmaker-1200-short-story/

Available on Amazon.com:

Kindle:

https://www.amazon.com/The-Widowmaker-1200-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FV3Speaker

Paperback:

https://www.amazon.com/The-Widowmaker-1200-Short-Story-By-Warren-Walker/dp/B0FVT2YK47