Books with author Rod Collins

From the Award-winning Author of Spider Silk, Stone Fly, and Not Before Midnight Bitter's Run is a spirited and adventurous tale. Told in three parts, it portrays the realities and uncertainties of life on the Oregon Trail, of the war-weary men seeking or returning to a homestead in Oregon, and of the courageous women who rode with them.Following Lee's surrender of the Army of Virginia to Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox, Captain John Bitter of Abiqua Creek, Oregon musters out of the 40th Missouri. A loner, Bitter plans a quick ride home over the Oregon Trail. The good Lord, however, has other plans for him.After a month on the Trail, two gun battles, a bruising fistfight to settle a blood feud, a new wife, and two adopted sons, Bitter tells Rockford, his big, mean, black horse, "This sure complicates the business of getting back to Oregon."Bitter now finds himself the leader of a mixed entourage going west: a black pioneer family earlier wagon trains shunned; an Irish rebel turned galvanized Yankee; a dispossessed Cherokee turned Cheyenne medicine man; the rescued sister of a Bannock chief; a white boy adopted by the Cheyenne; and a scout for the Union Army who is also one of the richest men in Oregon.If you like well-researched historical fiction that delivers entertainment as well as passion and suspense ... you'll love Bitter's Run.

When a platypus stops by the zoo one day, all the animals assume he wants to join their zoo, and he is swiftly taken through a rigorous interview process. But the platypus is far too bland for the chameleons, he's not nearly graceful enough for the flamingos, and his tricks will never impress the monkeys. After he leaves, the animals soon regret their behavior, but . . . what's this? The platypus has left something behind. Perhaps he didn't intend to join their zoo after all! This rhyming picture book, from the award-winning creator of There's a Bear on My Chair, combines comic misunderstanding with a heartfelt story about acceptance and belonging.

"The silliness should have little listeners asking for repeat readings." —Kirkus ReviewsAnteater is hungry, but he has completely forgotten what anteaters eat. Baffled, and with his tummy rumbling, he consults the other animals. Sloth is too busy, Toucan is clueless, and Crocodile has his own mouth full. Whatever will Anteater do? It isn't until the ants all run for their lives that Anteater remembers what he should be eating . . . and it’s not what you think! A delightfully silly tale that little ones will return to again and again.

Following Lee’s surrender of the Army of Virginia to Grant on April 9, 1865 at Appomattox, Captain John Bitter of Abiqua Creek, Oregon musters out of the 40th Missouri. A loner, Bitter plans a quick ride home over the Oregon Trail. The good Lord, however, has other plans for him. After a month on the Trail, two gun battles, a bruising fistfight to settle a blood feud, a new wife, and two adopted sons, Bitter tells Rockford, his big, mean, black horse, “This sure complicates the business of getting back to Oregon.”Bitter now finds himself the leader of a mixed entourage going west: a black pioneer family earlier wagon trains shunned; an Irish rebel turned galvanized Yankee; a dispossessed Cherokee turned Cheyenne medicine man; the rescued sister of a Bannock chief; a white boy adopted by the Cheyenne; and a scout for the Union Army who is also one of the richest men in Oregon.Bitter’s Run is a spirited and adventurous tale. Told in three parts, it portrays the realities and uncertainties of life on the Oregon Trail, of the war-weary men seeking or returning to a homestead in Oregon, and of the courageous women who rode with them.

Anteater is hungry, but he has completely forgotten what anteaters eat. Baffled, and with his tummy rumbling, he consults the other animals. Sloth is too busy, Toucan is clueless, and Crocodile has his own mouth full. Whatever will Anteater do? It isn't until the ants all run for their lives that Anteater remembers what he should be eating . . . and it’s not what you think! A delightfully silly tale that little ones will return to again and again.

This latest edition of the much-loved Bradford's offers even more. Available in a jacketed hardback with a clear text design and quality paper, this edition is durable and easy to use. Users will never again be short of answers to their crossword clues! A unique type of crossword dictionary having been compiled and crafted by a single author based on her over 58 years' experience of crossword solving. Every word in this dictionary has appeared as a solution to a real crossword clue. Previous readers have found this book an invaluable reference work for both cryptic and quick crosswords, and new users will be quickly converted!

Mom has just one thing to tell Harvey on Doodleday-no drawing allowed! But surely drawing one little fly can't hurt. Not until Harvey's fly comes to life and starts to wreck the kitchen, that is! What can Harvey draw that will catch it? A spider! But the spider proves to be even more trouble. Only one thing is capable of stopping Harvey's rampaging doodles... Mom!

“In some respects, Palmer & Cay was too good to be true—a great place to work with snowballing success. Good leadership, talented personnel, personal freedom, and generous compensation contributed to the overall success of The Ship. This is a story not of evil wrongdoing, but of runaway egos, greed, and the lack of entrepreneurial skill or knowledge to lead the company forward. Those egos were willing to bet everything on an unproven scheme and ride The Ship to the bottom, if allowed.”For years, Palmer & Cay, a small but highly successful commercial insurance–brokerage firm, was a name synonymous with unbeatable talent, honest work, and a soaring drive to exceed all expectations. Everyone—employees, customers, and peers alike—wanted to climb aboard “The Ship” and be a part of the ride to success. Things could not have been looking better, until in 2003, when a sudden and unexpected change in management took a turn for the worse, and piece by piece dismantled everything that the 135-year-old company stood for. “Scuttled: The Sinking of the Palmer Cay” tells the full story from the perspective of insider Ron Collins, former senior vice president of Palmer & Cay’s flagship department, and evaluates the roots of the poor decision-making that would eventually devastate other companies across the nation. From start to finish, Collins provides acute and heartfelt insight into what businesses need to succeed, and what will ultimately make them sink.