In a diner where fate serves the specials, two souls find the menu of life has more to offer than meets the eye. William, carrying the shadow of loss closely to his heart, finds respite in the quiet hum of a Hudson diner, until Marina's smile becomes the light that guides him through his greyscale world. A waitress with the heart of a dreamer, she serves hope with every cup of coffee she pours. Their chance meeting stirs a quiet awakening, something neither expected but both desperately needed. As a December chill blankets Ohio, they choose to chase the horizon, embarking on a two-week odyssey that promises to unfurl the map of their hearts. With every mile marker passed, they weave the tapestry of a shared history; childhood joys and sorrows, whispering secrets that only starlit skies can keep. From the blues and bourbon fueled pulse of Memphis to the whispered lullabies of the desert wind, William and Marina discover that the road less traveled is lined with the beauty of shared moments. With every sunset, every laugh, and every confession, the distance between them shortens, until hand in hand, they face the vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean. Yet as the tides beckon a new chapter, one haunting question remains: Will the end of the road lead to a new beginning, or just another bittersweet memory caught in the rearview mirror? When you've driven through heartache, sometimes the only thing left is to find your way to the other road. Feel the wind in your hair and the promise of a new horizon as this journey unfolds. Born and raised in the piney woods of East Texas, I was the youngest of three children. Both of my parents worked hard to provide for our family, and the age gap between myself and my brother was enough to result in many hours of entertaining myself. We lived in the country, and I spent many days exploring the woods with my bicycle and Daisy BB gun in hand. My imagination was allowed to grow as I would pretend to be everything from Sir Lancelot trying to save Lady Guinevere to Davy Crockett protecting the Alamo. All these moments, although unaware to me, were detailed stories that I would create within my mind. I was introduced to music at an early age, as both my mother and father could sing as well as any famous musician I have ever heard. My dad taught himself how to play the guitar, and by chance passed along that same spirit to me. As I made my way through my teenage years, I realized that I could sing. It wasn't something that I even worked at, it was just a gift that had been genetically passed along from both my parents to myself and my sister and brother. I quickly noticed the joy that musicians and singers could bring to others, and I liked that outcome. I began writing songs but being that my skills with musical instruments were elementary at best, I focused on the lyrics, the storytelling, the ability of those lyrics to take people to a place where they could be happy, sad, proud and comforted. In 2000, I became a husband and father of three daughters, and continued to write and perform songs at our church. I never truly tried to commercialize or monetize those songs, I just enjoyed sharing them with people and watching as they touched their hearts and their minds. My son came along in 2007, and I began a nightly ritual for the first five or so years of his life that acted as a defibrillator to my creativeness. I would make up stories on the fly every evening while putting him to bed. From that point on, I couldn't keep the stories and ideas from filling my head, one after another. In 2018, a story came to me, almost as vivid as any movie on the big screen. It haunted me, until one day in 2019, I decided to start writing it down. Piece by piece I filled in the story, having the full outline in my head, and by 2024, The Other Road was completed. I can honestly say that at any time, I may have up to ten stories in my head battling for attention. Hopefully, I will be able to share all those stories with you soon.Like I mentioned before, I was born and raised in East Texas. Graduated college from Stephen F. Austin State University in Nacogdoches, Texas. I currently live near Nashville, Tennessee, and I am married to the woman of my dreams, and we have three beautiful daughters, one amazing son, and twelve grandchildren. I continue to work within Corporate America, and I find time to write when I can on the side. I hope my storytelling brings you joy, cheer and gives you an escape from the troubles in the world around you.