The Muleskinner and the King
Historical Fiction, Mystery
In the sweltering summer of 1936, a traveling circus dazzles Atlanta with lights, spectacle, and the promise of escape. But as a string of brutal murders grips the city, suspicion falls on an innocent man. Horse wrangler Buddy Griffith is drawn into a mystery that threatens both the circus’s future and a life unjustly condemned.
The Menagerie: A Zoo Story
Popular Fiction
Dotson Park Zoo has long prided itself on innovation and spectacle. But behind the exhibits lies a history of scandal, power struggles, and even murder. At this zoo, the only thing more dangerous than the animals is the politics.
One of the most original pieces that I have read. [It] changed how I view zoos and has given me a new found respect for the work that goes on to keep them afloat.
— Online Book Club • Read full review →
The Dogcatcher and The Fox
Historical Fiction
In 1920 Chicago, dogs are vanishing from the streets—and Raven Griffith of the Animal Welfare Association refuses to look away. What begins as a simple investigation draws her into a world of corruption, violence, and unlikely alliances. To uncover the truth, Raven must confront corrupt officials, street gangs, and forces far more dangerous than she imagined.
The Dogcatcher and The Fox recalls the great social novels of the era, like Henry Blake Fuller’s “The Cliffdwellers” and the sweeping historical fiction of E. L. Doctorow’s “Ragtime.”
— Ian Morris
Lessons from the Zoo:
Ten Animals That Changed My Life
Animals have much to teach us—if we take the time to listen. Over more than forty years in America’s leading zoos, J. D. Porter rose from animal keeper to director during a transformative era in zookeeping. Yet his greatest lessons did not come from institutions, but from the animals themselves.
From elephants and rhinos to chimps, snakes, and a dog named Joy, Lessons from the Zoo reflects on trust, humility, courage, and the quiet wisdom found in the animal world.
Roaming, Rambling, and Reminiscing
Musings from a South Georgia Mule Wagon
After retiring from a forty-year career in parks and zoos, J. D. Porter found himself at the reins of a Southern mule wagon—and soon after, behind the byline of a local newspaper column. What followed is a collection of essays rich with humor, memory, and reflection.
From quail hunts to quiet walks, from history and art to dogs and tombstones, these stories invite readers to sit a spell and consider the beauty, absurdity, and wisdom woven into everyday life.
The View from a Wagon:
Five Lessons for Living Life in the Slow Lane
After three seasons driving a mule wagon through the South Georgia woods, J. D. Porter discovered that life moves differently at the pace of mules.
Between quail hunts, fast dogs, and long stretches of quiet reflection, he distilled five simple lessons about slowing down, being present, and choosing kindness in a hurried world. The View from a Wagon is a gentle invitation to step off the digital treadmill and rediscover the wisdom found in stillness.