Books with author Emery C. Walters

Beyond the ups and downs recognizable to many, my life story portrays an overarching problem that interacted with life meaning and life events in a distinctly different manner. I am transsexual, nowadays termed ‘transgender’. At an early age I knew I was male. However, I very quickly learned that such was a serious societal no-no in the 1950s, as it still is in many locales and in too many religio-political circles of power. This book portrays the impact of my male self on my life as it developed. I submerged the male identity and strove to be the best woman I could: mother of four in two debilitating marriages that left me near penniless and without the education I needed to flourish. Although deeply shidden, my male self did surface now and then. He finally took over my life when my youngest child left home and it was finally my time. During the hard times, I learned many life lessons, was still able to see beauty, and took refuge in writing and photography. All these things are, in my view and my hope, worth sharing through this project, including the message of the last 20 years that life truly can get better. In my third marriage and my wife’s third, we are in new roles: I as the man I knew I should be, and she as the woman she was meant to be. In this marriage, I have been free to write and to share my honest message of hope and growth. Although my story is personal, it is representative of my whole generation and the times we lived in.I had hoped to live as my true self one fine day, and the day finally arrived.

Is a school fight ever a good thing? Can detention be a lot of fun? Is cleaning the cafeteria punishment or an adventure? When the new student Sid defended took his breath away, made him feel brave, and changed his life, he knew he was going to pay for fighting at school when he got home, and he does. He remembers telling his little sister to dial 911, and now Daddy is hauled off to jail, and he wonders if his world is falling apart.But Royal has walked into Sid’s life and his heart, so maybe the end is really just a new beginning.

All Trey’s father wants him to do is be nice to the homophobic class bully, his business partner's son. But that’s like trying to mix oil and gasoline: explosive. So Trey decides to run away, which is hard to do on a rainy, muddy, haunted night on the small island of Maui.Another kid in school, Chris, stood up for Trey against the bully and was badly beaten for his efforts. Which makes Trey wonder if Chris is gay, too, or just a brave ally. Trey doesn’t know, but there’s clearly something brewing between them.When Trey’s dad expects him to go to the bully’s birthday party, Trey sneaks off to go surfing instead. Hitchhiking to the beach, he meets up with an interesting old geezer, who just might be able to help him figure out what he’s going through.Will the forces on this fiery island break apart Trey and Chris? Or is there hope for something more than friendship between them buried under the Maui ash?

Beyond the ups and downs recognizable to many, my life story portrays an overarching problem that interacted with life meaning and life events in a distinctly different manner. I am transsexual, nowadays termed ‘transgender’. At an early age I knew I was male. However, I very quickly learned that such was a serious societal no-no in the 1950s, as it still is in many locales and in too many religio-political circles of power. This book portrays the impact of my male self on my life as it developed. I submerged the male identity and strove to be the best woman I could: mother of four in two debilitating marriages that left me near penniless and without the education I needed to flourish. Although deeply hidden, my male self did surface now and then. He finally took over my life when my youngest child left home and it was finally my time. During the hard times, I learned many life lessons, was still able to see beauty, and took refuge in writing and photography. All these things are, in my view and my hope, worth sharing through this project, including the message of the last 20 years that life truly can get better. In my third marriage and my wife’s third, we are in new roles: I as the man I knew I should be, and she as the woman she was meant to be. In this marriage, I have been free to write and to share my honest message of hope and growth. Although my story is personal, it is representative of my whole generation and the times we lived in. I had hoped to live as my true self, Some Fine Day, and the day finally arrived.

Gay teen Jack is hiding out in a bully’s car in the hopes of retrieving his backpack when he’s joined by another stowaway. Brittany, who wants to be called Brandon, is a transgendered classmate also on the run. When the bully crashes his car, it’s the start of a journey that will bring Jack and Brandon together in the hopes of finding a new future.Along the way, they meet Buster, a dog that saves their lives; Alvin, who is heading to Denver to sell his car and offers them a ride; and Ducky, a loud-mouthed but loveable woman who is apparently more than just Alvin’s friend.When a tornado hits, Jack and Brandon have a chance to prove their mettle and show what they are made of. But is there happiness at the end of their journey?

Shane’s parents drop him off at the train station with money and instructions to take the train to his Aunt Sophie’s place for the holidays. The minute they drive off, he walks out again, leans against a pole, and throws out his thumb.Having just turned eighteen, he is, as he regularly reminds himself, now a fully legal adult and quite capable of having his own adventure.In the few days and nights it takes him to hitchhike all the way, he gets to know some very interesting people. Hippies, conmen, an ex-teacher ... and also the dog Jimmy. He learns there are more to people than meets the eye, and the world is rather bigger than his cosseted upbringing led him to believe.By the time he arrives at Aunt Sophie’s place, he has lost his virginity, acquired a dog and a cousin, and has the pleasing probability of a sweet summer romance to look forward to.

There is more to this dysfunctional family than meets the eye. Boy meets boy; girl meets girl in transition, and Dad has been up to no good.Why did Mom abandon them all those years ago? Where did the cat go, and why does Dad have handcuffs hidden in his room? Fear is a constant companion in the lives of these youngsters, and it’s bound to reach a breaking point.Maybe a party would help. Sure -- it’s Father’s Day. Let’s invite another dysfunctional family of big egos to celebrate with Dad and plan a family cleansing accident. Can love and happiness grow out of such a scenario, even when the kids are the object of intended murder? Sit around a table groaning with the weight of good food and watch this mystery play out.

At seventeen, Cal and his mother move from the city to a remote island. His mother becomes withdrawn and Cal worries that she has found out that he is gay. His father, who is stationed overseas, has warned him that if she finds out about his sexuality, it will kill her.With no one to talk to and nowhere to go, Cal starts collecting driftwood to build himself a safe place, and while doing so, makes an unlikely friend. But when something terrible happens, will this friendship give him the strength he needs?

Seventeen year old Blaine is the odd one out at school, the loser, different. He finds solace in music and befriends the musical director of his church, Frederick. Their friendship blooms and feelings start to develop between them. He remains cautious about sharing his sexuality with his parents, though.One night after a fight at home, Blaine storms away only to run into bullies who beat him up so badly, he lands in hospital. In his semi-conscious state, Blaine remembers being a pilot in WWII. He also remembers being a pirate in the 17th Century. Frederick features in these past life memories, too!When Blaine's father confirms some of these incidents really occurred, Blaine realizes that maybe the bond between his soul and Frederick's is older than he thought. Can these insights give the couple the strength they need to face coming out to their families?

Miranda isn’t sure if she is transgendered or a lesbian. When Cal, a gay boy her age comes to stay next door for the summer, they become close. Even though they are opposites, they are both outsiders, and their friendship blossoms over the summer. Could there be romance despite their differences?Then twins Ada and Van move into the neighborhood, and Miranda finds herself torn between them. She can’t decide who she’s more attracted to -- Ada, who may be lesbian, or Van, who is transgendered. Will she find love with one of them instead?

This book contains two action packed stories for and about young people surviving volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, and tsunamis with minimal adult interaction. Do ghosts qualify as adults? The Internet has given friends another place to play. These two stories grew from a playful online interaction of the author, his wife, and several friends who were of a certain mature, but not yet overripe, age. The kids they were portraying ranged from preteens to older teens, decades younger than in real life. The stories grew from the honeymoon explorations of the author and his then-63-year-old wife in an abandoned, shuttered hotel on the island of Hawai'i. And that - as they say - was long ago.

Lost Haven tells the story of Sharon Taylor, from student athlete to successful coach and athletics administrator. Taylor brought glory to Lock Haven University in the form of multiple national championships, prestige from her national and international leadership roles in advocating for gender equity in sports, and recognition for her work in the trenches to help bring about Title IX legislation, which guaranteed women’s rights in all facets of education.But forty years after its passage, Title IX compliance is still ignored, even at the highest levels of university administrations. Walters follows the trail of Title IX violations from Lock Haven to Fresno State, to Florida Gulf Coast University and back to Lock Haven again. When the narrative ends, the reader will have encountered sexism, misogyny, homophobia, retaliation, persecution, rape, drugs, perjury, multi-million dollar court settlements, student assaults by coaches, and high-level cover-ups. Take the journey; discover the price women have paid to claim their fair share of Title IX entitlements.