Books published by publisher Random Acts Publishing

In December 2017, author John Barnes discovered a diary he’d written thirty years before and forgotten. This diary described an eventful 1987 trip by rail into mainland China. Barnes' stateside marriage was failing. His career was in jeopardy. He needed a successful meeting in Wuhan with a mysterious Mr. Lu to keep his job. Wuhan flights were canceled due to bad weather, so Barnes took the train. His journey began in Canton on China’s southern coast and ended 23 hours and 900 miles later at Wuhan in central China. In the telling, Wuhan Train becomes not only one man’s journey into a once poor and dispirited China’s past but a parallel journey into the author’s self.

AWARD-WINNING and BEST-SELLING AUTHOR. Early Reader, Chapter Book Series for 5-10-year old girls. Eclair Goes to Stella's is funny, sad, heart warming, and genuine all at once!" ~ Renee Gray-Wilburn, co-author of Grandparenting Through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandchildren for Christ (Pix-N-Pens, 2012). "Michelle's story is well-written and engaging. She does a wonderful job of developing the characters and deals with difficult issues in a kid-friendly way. Readers will be quickly drawn into this story and want to keep reading. There are so many dimensions to this story--it is filled with humor, action, and emotion--a great read!" --Award-winning children's book author, Crystal Bowman. When Eclair's mother leaves home, Eclair and her little sister must go live on a farm with Stella, their eccentric grandma. "More and more, grandparents today are assuming the role of part-time or even full-time caregivers for their grandkids. In Eclair Goes to Stella's, we see how one grandmother bravely and creatively steps into this role to help her family through a difficult situation. I'm certain that children everywhere will be able to relate to the range of emotions that little Éclair faces as she struggles to adjust to her new living arrangements then begins to welcome the love and care her grandmother offers." ~ Renee Gray-Wilburn, co-author of Grandparenting Through Obstacles: Overcoming Family Challenges to Reach Your Grandchildren for Christ (Pix-N-Pens, 2012). There is a growing trend in America-grandparents raising grandchildren. According to the AARP's Grandfacts, "Across the United States, almost 7.8 million children are living in homes where grandparents or other relatives are the householders, with more than 5.8 million children living in grandparents' homes and nearly 2 million children living in other relatives' homes. These families are often called grandfamilies."

Boffin Boy and Wu Pee must fight the scaly Snurgeon space invaders and stop them from stealing all of the Earth's water!The Boffin Boy books all feature Rick Shaw, an extremely clever 14 year-old who is only interested in science. When his father is killed he vows to use his scientific skills to fight evil - as Boffin Boy!The Boffin Boy series of 12 books is designed for young, independent readers, as well as struggling readers aged 8 to 14. The use of speech bubbles and a simplified Manga style ensure that the books have simple language and low word counts that are ideal for lower reading ages. The first six books in the series have a reading age of 6 - 7 and the second six have a higher reading age of 7 - 8.

The Boffin Boy books all feature Rick Shaw, an extremely clever 14 year-old who is only interested in science. When his father is killed he vows to use his scientific skills to fight evil - as Boffin Boy! The Boffin Boy series of 12 books is designed for young, independent readers, as well as struggling readers aged 8 to 14. The use of speech bubbles and a simplified Manga style ensure that the books have simple language and low word counts that are ideal for lower reading ages. The first six books in the series (published Spring 2007) have a reading age of 6 - 7 and these second six have a higher reading age of 7 - 8.

FIRST-PLACE WINNER in the KINDLE BOOK PROMOS GOLD Medal WINNER in the 2014 READERS' FAVORITE INTERNATIONAL AWARDS BRONZE Medal winner in Dan Poytner's Global eBook Awards "Scattered Links is a novel that pulls its characters from the gutters and, in the end, celebrates the tenacity of the human spirit." A reviewer comment. Thirteen-year-old Oksana lives on the streets of Russia with her pregnant mama and abusive aunt-both prostitutes. When Mama swells into labor, Oksana makes a decision to save herself from abandonment, a decision that torments her forever. But her plan fails when her aunt dumps her in an orphanage before she has the chance to say goodbye to her mama or tell her the secret that haunts her. Scattered Links is a story of family and the consequences that come from never learning how to love. It's a story of a girl's inability to bond with her adopted family and the frustrations that follow. How can a child understand the mechanics of forming a healthy relationship when she never had a mother who answered her cries, held her when she was frightened, fed her when she was hungry, or loved her unconditionally? Only when the child meets a rescued abused horse, and recognizes the pain in his eyes, does she begin to trust again.