Ranklin Dennis

Of Family, Fame and Glory Ranklin Dennis

INTRODUCTION The peaceful, friendly and lower income rural community of Churchill Meadows on the mythical island of Oceana Panorama accommodates the staging of the beginning, development and continuation to a great extent of this inspiring interactive novel with several twists and turns which features mainly a precocious pre-teen girl (Jelissa Giles) whose brilliance encourages her mother (Jennifer Jonas) to further educate herself notwithstanding the latter's prevailing and former challenges. The story also highlights several venues where there are lively and amiable discussions, animated interchanges and friendly bantering involving Jennifer and her closely knit family members, (her two adult daughters, - Gigi and Lolo) and Jelissa who's twenty to eighteen years younger than them. Jelissa, - the youngest of six children by twelve years lives with only her mother, - a spinster, as her dad, probably disappointed at the misfortune of her siblings, moved out when she was only four. Determined not to allow Jelissa to fall by the wayside and seeing much promise in her, Jennifer made a superhuman effort to guide the young girl along 'the right lines.' As she grew it became evident that Jelissa was very intuitive, reasoning through imminent difficulties and sticky situations resulting in sensible and practical solutions including getting her very first holiday job at a bookshop just before entering high school. As an accomplished and all round straight 'A' student all the way to her achieving recognition as a medical doctor, Jelissa was sponsored by a wealthy and influential gentleman to attend the University of Eden Borough (Edinburg) where she met and married a direct descendant of her favorite author Robin Lewiston Stephens (Robert Louis Stevenson), an author whose books she first received as gifts when working at the bookshop back home. As she made strides so too did Jennifer whose latent prowess and intelligence were rekindled, encouraged and highlighted as Jelissa achieved more accolades and success. She moved from being just another householder earning a meagre income as a small farmer and part-time seamstress of uniforms for the local early childhood education school to attending evening classes at a nearby secondary institution in her attempt to gain passes in two subjects in addition to the two she held before dropping out of high school due to an unplanned pregnancy. And as Jelissa soared Jenifer's aspirations became more evident leading her to be more confident and expressive. She then began setting timelines in achieving her goals and remained steadfast to earn the necessary credentials to assist the head mistress of that infant school eventually becoming its principal. But she wasn't finished as she yearned for more and started online courses to gain first and second degrees as an educator finally earning and graduating with a doctorate in sociology in an unforgettable and enchanting ceremony attended by loved ones most notably Jelissa and husband Robin Lewiston Stephens V1 who had planned their vacation to the island to coincide with the occasion; - an occasion where a proud, beaming and fully accomplished Jennifer told the gathering of family members and friends that she would very soon be earning yet another 'degree, ' - as in 'Mrs.' as she showcased a beautiful engagement ring courtesy of someone they all knew, respected and loved. Yes, it was another jewel in her crown.