What happens when a teenager, denied a job because of discrimination, meets Dr. Martin L. King?

BriefingWire.com, 4/06/2010 - Award winning teacher and author Arthur Sheppard answers this question and more in Talking Penny (51 pp., tpb, $15.95) a collection of fascinating short stories and poetry, including the autobiographical short story, “Meeting Dr. Martin L. King.” Sheppard won the Press Enterprise Newspaper, Newspapers in Education, Teacher of the year award in 2000.

Lily (Lilyliketheflower.com), author of, “Girl Child: The Transition-In Poetic Form” says, “…It is apparent from Forward to final page that he is a master poet and story teller.”

Talking Penny covers a range of emotions and time frames from a present day story involving a young man whose mother is dying of cancer called, “Do Overs,” to a World War I soldier reliving a war time life and death experience called, “The Lesson.” In a stirring poem and Spoken Word piece, “Bees and Enns,” Sheppard decries the use of the “B” word in referring to women.

Arthur Sheppard works as a highly qualified credentialed teacher at an Alternative high school in San Jacinto, California. He also gives motivational presentations/school assemblies highlighting his experiences, at local schools. He currently participates and has been selected as a featured poet in Spoken Word events in Oceanside California. He is a life-long educator who has dedicated his life to educating young people in America. His passion for writing and, “Spoken Word” make his book, “Talking Penny,” particularly relevant and compelling. Sheppard operates a website www.TalkingPennyBook.com.