Original fiction: The Kingmaker Plays Her Hand

You think that you’ve got problems; try being younger sister to the most popular guy in school.

Children with autism don't just disappear

The 2010 TIME 100 poll includes Temple Grandin among its nominees for the world's most influential people. Diagnosed with autism when she was a young child, Grandin, 62, is a professor of animal science, an author and speaker.
Grandin has a unique perspective as a person on the autism continuum. She relates the qualities that give her insight into the fears and perspectives of animals in her book, "Animals in Translation."

Volunteering at Lakeport Library

For two hours today, I volunteered at the Lakeport Library. I pull items from the shelves for which people have submitted hold requests: books, audio books, DVDs and music recordings. I scan their barcodes into the computer to get their routing information, prepare a tag that indicates where in our three-county library system each item is to go and finally I pack them for delivery.

‘Defenseless’ from bullying at Calistoga schools

At JFActivist, moderator Frankie Mastrangelo shares information about bullying from the Stevens Johnson Syndrome Foundation. She invites readers to comment, asking: “Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you felt any kind of physical or mental abuse from someone and felt the need to defend yourself from it? Did you ever feel defenseless to something outside your control?”

Animal predators prowl neighborhoods

Cover image: Dark’s Tale by Deborah Grabien

Few sounds are more chilling to me than the shrill yips and howls of coyotes. Whenever I hear these eerie sounds, my immediate concern is to bring my cat Elizabeth inside.