Short Story Press Presents Camano Island's Heartbeat

Book excerpt: In this story, you will experience a wide range of emotions while applying to the consistent theme of maintaining a positive outlook even in times of negativity and disarray. The story takes the reader and main character through a story that exemplifies: ● The relatable occurrence of sadness that all beings have experienced ● The importance of keeping a positive outlook in order to pull yourself out of the depths of sadness ● The implication to not cling or hold on to the past and look towards the future ● The ideology that serving and giving yourself brings happiness ● The power of a relationship and bond between animal and man ● The heavy weight of expectations that comes from friends and family that can keep people from following their dreams ● Beautifies family relationships and the need for understanding as a person who is an introvert and desires to be alone ● The ideology that action is important, and to take action immediately ● The Buddhist ideology of having the option to be running from darkness to brightness or from darkness to more darkness - you decide. ● The concept that all things rise, stay for some time, then pass away indicating there is no need to hate something viewed as negative or even love and attach oneself to something positive ● A story that shows there is happiness where you look for it, and sadness if you desire it. All the ideas portrayed in the story of Peter are to help the world today find the most out of the life they live. To realize they can give themselves if they feel that they don’t have enough and there is someone who needs it more than you know. It indicates to not wallow in sadness, even if it is all you have. It shows to take action and do good as this will be the best thing to heal you from your darkness. Stay bright! Michael Knighton has been writing fiction stories since he was a child. He was a vigorous reader from the age of 6 and it has continued well into his young adulthood today. He graduated high-school and went into factory work moving across the country to Arkansas, US where he worked until he was fired and he moved back across the country to his hometown, Boise, ID. He found work in a call center and bounced around different call centers for 5 years slowly falling into a deeper depression. All the while he was writing more stories and picked up a guitar and began playing music. He began to wonder what story his life was writing and what story he wanted his life to tell. He quit his job and moved to California working on a vegetable farm and from the money he made farming he visited India for two months. In India he met the love of his life and has since moved to Canada to be with her and continue his love for the Earth through developing his company, Regrowth Industries, which involves planting regenerative, ecological gardens on a micro scale to individuals and growing food forests in large plots of lands on a macro scale. He continues to write and believes writing is a healthy expression of oneself while also playing music to calm the mind that he says “sometimes becomes agitated with so many different things to do.” He hopes that people can see his love for the world through his writing and find true happiness in themselves through finding and following their true purpose. Short Story Press publishes short stories written by everyday writers.