“I was an honored advance reader of Stephen’s book and was deeply impressed not only with the truly incredible adventures he has been on, the storybook romance with Barb that took place on a tall ship in exotic locations around the globe, and the fairy tale life they created with Jasper – living on a tiny island in the Pacific Northwest, rowing Jasper to school and re-building a one-of-a-kind Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter, Carlotta – but also with his talent as a writer and his willingness to take us deeply through his and Barb’s devastating journey as they cared for Jasper after he was diagnosed with cancer.
Stephen in his profile photo on the back cover looks tattooed and tough, but if you look a little closer at that tattoo – a space-ship leaking books and legos – you see a whimsical light-hearted testament to playing and reading, despite all. Now, here, flying out of Jasper’s spaceship is Stephen’s book about their life.
As we travel onwards through the book, we see, yes this man is tough, but he is also gentle. Yes, this man is strong, but he is also fragile. Stephen brings us to the razor-edge of life where profound love meets deep grief without apology. We feel something else too. With Stephen, acting as a conduit, we feel the fantastic joie de vivre that Jasper had for life, and we are reminded that despite unbearable suffering, this precious life is worth milking for all it has to offer. Thank you Stephen. Thank you Jasper. Onwards we all go.”
– Lesley McCandless, Author