The Grindstone

by Don Maker

Tommy Lerner is seven years old and struggling to cope with the craziness of school, Little League Baseball, uncomprehending peers, and incomprehensible adults. Growing up in a small Arizona town during the 1950s can be tough, but Tommy’s challenges are compounded by his innate intelligence and uncontrollable temper. Although small and thin, he is always ready to fight.

Fortunately, his family is loving and supportive. Also an orphan from the age of nine, Frank Lerner had to drop out of school to literally fight for survival. Complicating Frank’s efforts to give advice is the fact that he must hide a deep, dark secret from everyone related to Tommy’s real parents. Maria Lerner is a very devoted and devout woman, but only graduated from high school. Maria’s widowed mother, Abuela, offers Tommy as much advice as he will allow, drawing on her background as a teacher in Mexico.

As Tommy struggles with school, racism, bullies and himself, he gradually learns to think before reacting. Ultimately, the young man must come to grips alone with the knowledge of how totally Frank Lerner affected his life, for better or for worse. Success against the odds requires courage, determination and faith. And love – lots of love.

281 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2015

About the author

I spent 20-odd years (well, some of them were certainly odd) as a marketing and communications executive. After an early retirement, I obtained teaching credentials to teach English and Public Speaking at the secondary level, as well as a Small Business Management class at an adult education center. During all of those year, I tried my hand at writing on and -- mostly -- off.

I'm now a retired teacher and a freelance writer. I'm an active member of the California Writers Club, Mt. Diablo Branch of (meaning I actually make some money from my writings), where I serve as Chair of the Luncheon & Workshop Committee. Most of what I do for pay is non-fiction.

Early in my writing career I wrote poetry and short stories. Now I write screenplays and novels; most of these are historical or comedy. The latter is difficult when you have no sense of humor, so I have to fake it. I just pretend I'm Robin Williams, only taller and without all the money. The historical is easy: all history is fiction anyhow, so I just do what the "real" historians do, only try to make it more interesting. I also do editing for others and on my own work. As a former English teacher, I'm a bit like the lawyer who defends himself in court, but it's a lot cheaper that way ....