Return to Eastlake – More Small Town Tales

Now that the holidays are over, it’s time to get serious about promoting the new book! So, for the next few weeks, I plan to spend some time providing some details about these new tales that hopefully will entice readers to want to hear “the rest of the story.” Let’s see if I can pique your interest!

To begin, allow me to briefly summarize the stories featuring one of my favorite characters, Cole Bradford. He, of course, is the character most closely intended to be autobiographical. A coach who becomes an assistant principal, and then eventually a principal, Bradford gets dropped into a variety of tales based on some real life adventures from my own professional career.

Now, remember these are fictional tales! Most of the events did happen, but often I’ve exaggerated the details, changed outcomes, combined and compressed timelines, and sometimes completely made stuff up! Anyway, in my latest book, Bradford appears as the main character in five brand new stories.

In Call of Duty, Bradford leaves the classroom and coaching behind as he assumes his first administrative position as the new assistant principal at Eastlake’s Intermediate School. His adjustment is complicated by the lack of availability and help from his boss and mentor. Working alongside another brand new administrator, he learns to handle his duties and responsibilities while encountering a major school scandal and the resulting fallout.

Testify finds Assistant Principal Bradford preparing to go to court for the first time in his career. Nervous and feeling unprepared, he seeks advice from fellow administrators. One of his students has been abused at home and the stepfather has accused Bradford to shift the blame from himself.

Where Have All the Heroes Gone finds Bradford doing his best to avoid school politics and ignore local gossip while interviewing candidates for his next assistant principal. Now in his second year as a campus principal, he is determined to hire the best people he can find to fill out his staff. The experience reminds him of several of his own past interviews as well.

In There is No Substitute, Bradford, now an experienced Principal with a solid staff, deals with the drama associated with finding good substitutes to cover for absent teachers. He soon finds himself in the middle of a personal conflict between two old friends which threatens to boil over into open warfare on his campus.

The Last Shot takes us back to Bradford’s days as a girls’ basketball coach. While playing out the final minutes of a close contest with a spot in the playoffs at stake, he recalls critical moments from seasons past that have brought him to this time and place.

If you’ve ever worked in the school system, you will likely identify with these all too common occurrences. And if you enjoyed Cole Bradford in At the Drive-In, you won’t want to miss his latest adventures in Eastlake!