"Dr. Slaughter fumbled with the dozen or more keys he had attached to his gilded key ring, forever choosing the wrong one in a futile first try at opening the jeweled box...his eyes glistened as he gazed down into the secret contained within." These opening lines of "Heart of a Great Man" make a chilling introduction to the short stories and poetry collected in Tender Verses. Readers will find an easy segue from stories to romantic and stirring poems replete with erotic descriptions and sardonic insights. Ultimately, the collected works in Tender Verses lead readers through the complex inner workings of human emotions and psyches and introduce a poignant array of seemingly everyday individuals who each possess extraordinary life stories, rich and worth sharing.