Books with author James Barke

Not only is Perry Woodson Hatfield James the "heir" to the legacies of the James brothers and the feuding Hatfield clan. He is coming of age in the despair-sodden world of moonshine whiskey in easter Kentucky's mining country in the early 1960s. The mine owners and the union are at war , the striking miners and the company scabs are at war, and Pett must somehow survive. At sixteen years old, Perry sets himself three tasks: avenge his father's murder; improve his and his family's lot; and escape to Cincinnati to find a "high-paying" job. But conditions in the hollows, his fellow miners, and his own anger and despair make for formidable obstacles. With the lure of seedy "watering holes" beckoning him, Perry must navigate the tempestuous journey from boyhood to manhood.

Our story begins with wave upon wave of an unusual but beautiful species of songbirds invading the hamlet of Paradise. Day after day, they arrive by the thousands…soon tens of thousands, as the blue sky darkens.The animals of Paradise no longer work spending their days and weeks looking up at this incredible phenomenon, enchanted by their song. They grow weak and lethargic as Paradise grinds to a halt. Something drastic must be done; things must return to normal!Mayor Owl calls for a town meeting where he tells his constituency of a witch he once met in a darkened cave. The witch was sick; Mayor Owl nurtured her back to health. Upon recovery, Ms. Witch was indebted, telling Owl that if ever he needs her assistance, she owes him a favor.Granting permission, Mayor Owl takes off on a three-day flight hoping to find the cave, worried that the Witch may no longer be there, or even worse, that she wouldn’t remember their encounter.The Birds of Paradise has thought-provoking characters who are faced with some tough decisions. The story forces its readers to reconsider previous stereotypes between good and evil!