Immediately, readers are swept up in an adventure taking place in Northern Scotland during these harrowing times. The English have invaded and land is bereft with broken homes and broken families. In particular the story follows the war-ravaged life of fifteen-year-old, Angus Mackenzie. As the first pages of the book unfold Angus is tasked with leaving the safety of his family’s castle to deliver a message from his father to a neighboring king.
The trip is not an easy one nor is it without profound dangers. Twists and turns occur not only on the trail, but in the journey itself. Eventually Angus makes it to neighboring castle and comes upon Angela, the daughter of the king he was to deliver his father’s message to. Angela is alone in the castle. The return of her father’s rider-less horse one day, was an ominous sign.
What ensues is the pairs quest to find her father. As the story unfolds these two teens who have been through so much, fall in love in the midst of dark times and terrible hardships. Their travels in search of her father lead them to a battlefield and a cave where they take up temporary residence and nurse wounded soldiers back to health. Thus begins Angus’ personal journey as he grapples with challenges and trials that will test him and shape him.
Mike Hartner delivers in a young-adult book that is rich in historical details and large on adventure.The author does an exceptional job of making readers care about his main character, Angus. They become emotionally attached to Angus as a young adult and invested in the story as he progresses through middle aged adulthood. Utilizing war torn Scotland as the backdrop Mike Hartner has delivered a gem of a historical fiction novel certain to please many a young adult reader.
I, Angus is another addition to author Mike Hartner’s The Eternity Series. Each of the books tells its own story so they can be read as stand-alone volumes. The author presents a main character readers will become emotionally invested in. Set in war torn Scotland and rich in medieval lore with castles and kings and knights, this story will surely please many young adult readers.
The mysterious, mystical Victoria Woodhull, a free-thinking woman well ahead of her time, is the narrator in this fictional treatment of her intriguing, at times incredible adventures.
Woodhull was the first woman to run for president of the United States, at a time when, with the full support of the law, most American men did not even regard their mothers, wives and daughters as citizens.
Born to a rag-tag band of “healers” whose medicines included dope and alcohol, and whose methods included blackmail and theft, Victoria was married off at the age of fifteen to a so-called doctor who beat her almost as badly as had her parents, and regularly consorted with prostitutes.
She and her sister Tennessee, or Tennie, went from their father’s business in spiritualist scamming (though both women would later claim genuine psychic powers), to promoting supernatural healing in the brothels of New York City, to getting into the parlors and pockets of such Wall Street magnates as Cornelius Vanderbilt.
Vanderbilt at one point had Victoria telling him what stocks to buy and sell, profiting mightily from her seemingly prescient advice, and Tennie acting as his mistress. Woodhull’s second husband, Col. James Blood, treated her far better than her first, and together they forged her rise to radical suffragette prominence.
She touted the rights of women to vote and also to step outside the bounds of marriage as freely as men. In 1872 she mounted her famous run for the presidency, named former slave Frederick Douglass as her veep, fell afoul of the powerful preaching Beecher clan, and saw one of her most disturbing personal prophecies come true.
Award-winning author Nicole velina has created Madame Presidentess following her earlier examination of another controversial female leader, Queen Guinevere. Victoria Woodhull’s life is a goldmine of material for any author; Evelina’s fascination with the psychic-turned-politician does not waver as she weaves together the stranger-than-fiction history of her heroine with threads of imaginative speculation.
The extent of her research is obvious throughout, but never burdens the plot. She details this process in her Author’s Notes, and offers a short bibliography. Evelina has done an admirable juggling act, presenting Woodhull as highly intelligent and strong-minded but also capable of self-examination and self-blame.
Madame Presidentess successfully brings a lesser-known early radical feminist vividly to life, revealing her meteoric move from rags to riches, from subservience and humiliation to personal power and admirable achievement. A highly entertaining and informative read.
Confused by conflicting messages from family and church, a young girl takes big issues of life, love, and trust into her own hands.
It is 1963, and American Catholics are stirred. First, by the death of the pope, and later, the assassination of the first Catholic president. Preteen Annie Shea, one of eleven children in a devout Catholic family, is the narrator. Because her father, a soon-to-retire Naval officer, once had a chance encounter with a priest who is now a cardinal, Annie sees her parents shamelessly promoting themselves in the community and church as friends of the possible next pope.
As we begin to live among the Sheas, we see a passive, harried mother who suffers in secret from the early loss of a baby and a well-meaning father who is tyrannical in pursuit of prestige, trying to control his unruly brood with strict moral injunctions backed up by a belt. But his rules can’t stop Annie from wondering: why is it a sin to lie, except about the family’s supposed connection to the papacy? Why can’t she talk to someone about a family member creeping into her bedroom and feeling her up?
Worst of all, in a religious culture where babies are so wanted and life so precious, why is her older sister consigned to a convent to “repent” and, Annie learns, have a baby that will be taken away for adoption before anyone in the family even looks at it? Annie’s sudden bold rebellion may tear the family apart—or bring it together in ways never envisioned.
Canadian author Caitlin Hicks is a playwright and actress who has crafted this coming-of-age novel like a series of episodes in a fast-developing family television drama. Annie is a likable, gutsy girl stuck in the contrast between what she knows in her heart to be right and what she is being told by various patriarchs—dad, priest, and pope.
Authentic, amusing, wise beyond her years, Hicks’ heroine marches forth like a modern Maid of Orleans to remind others of their true moral duty. Hicks composes with confidence and competence, deftly manipulating the modalities of the fateful events of 1963 to reveal the Sheas as a sort of “every family,” with strong bonds of caring and some notable fault lines.
A Theory of Expanded Love is a teen’s-eye view of what happens when doctrine threatens to outweigh compassion, and how balance can be restored with a few bold moves.
Hairstyles can speak volumes about your personality, or at least, that’s the idea Stacy Harshman explores in Crowning Glory: An Experiment in Self-Discovery through Disguise. A heartfelt portrayal of Harshman overcoming anxiety, her memoir is for anyone looking to read an uplifting story that’s also a sheer delight.
Harshman spends weeks in New York City running an outrageous experiment: she records people’s reactions to the different colored wigs she wears. Her hairstyles range from a fiery redhead to a raven-haired goth. Her obsession with hair goes back to her adolescence: “…my hair has been my archenemy since seventh grade. There was never enough of it, and what I had was wimpy.”
In addition to the unusual experiment, readers are drawn to the author’s motivation to continue and complete her venture. Readers connect to not only the book’s premise, but to Harshman herself; readers advocate for her to succeed.
However, beneath the hilarity of the experiment, readers see the author’s vulnerability:
“I didn’t have a job to give me some sense of being a productive human being… I wanted to get one, but just the idea freaked me out…Before the depression, I had rehearsed and performed music…not being able to play out with my band killed me…just being around people was tough to impossible…I spent the rest of the day fighting panic attacks.”
Readers also cheer for Harshman’s bravery to face and conquer her anxiety through finding her true self. Her courage elevates the writing of this memoir, definitively distinguishing it from a self-absorbed story. The narrative reduces the stigma of mental illness that plagues so many people. The story offers hope and encouragement to those who have a mental illness, while bringing awareness and understanding to those who do not.
The memoir demonstrates that appearance does play a role in social interactions to varying degrees. People’s feelings about their looks can become a determining factor in how others perceive them; a better understanding of self goes a long way in relationships.
Some may find that the impact of the story is too diluted due to Harshman’s retelling of the experiment as she explores different looks. However, the book still resonates with emotion throughout, while still providing readers with a candid and fun experience.
Readers get to embrace the past and present life of Harshman, sharing in her laughs, fears, and tears as she plays out her social experiment. An adventurous journey from start to finish, Crowning Glory provides fresh perspectives and insights about anxiety and self-image that might just inspire readers to conduct their own experiments with image in today’s society.
When three gorillas disappear, Dr. Grace McKenna stands to lose not only her livelihood and her professional reputation, but also three close friends, in this lively new novel by animal advocate and author Pamela Beason.
Grace, assisted by a crew of young advocates from the Animal Rights Union, reluctantly fulfills a request from her project funders to hold a public exhibit of Neema, a mother gorilla, her baby Kanoni, and Neema’s giant, grumpy mate, Gumu. A dedicated cop, Matt Finn, supplies the project’s security protection (and Grace’s romantic interest).
After the public event, the apes vanish, a huge pool of blood on the floor of the gorilla compound is “the only clue” to what might have happened. Did they escape into the wild? Were they “liberated” by ARU operatives, or captured by exotic animal traders?
Grace can’t believe Neema would desert her, because the two have a close kinship based on their mutual use of sign language. Matt is sure someone connected with the project freed the gorillas on principle, or stole them for cash. He focuses on Tony Zyrnek, father of Jon, Grace’s most trusted assistant. Tony just got out of prison, is charming to a fault, and has a slew of highly questionable, greedy associates.
The project goes on lockdown, with Grace justifiably fearful of the consequences if word of the disappearance gets out. Matt and Grace are torn apart by the calamity, making it harder for both to function.
Matt’s investigations become increasingly complicated by crimes outside the compound, but his thorough police work gradually uncovers important evidence about the fate of the missing apes. Major revelations also result from Grace’s desperate delving into the bizarre international underworld where rare animals are bred and sold for profit.
Beason’s book, the second in her “Neema” series, will excite, enchant, and educate. Readers unaware of the innate intelligence of apes may be surprised to learn that Neema’s rather sophisticated communication abilities are based on verified fact. Beason skillfully shows us the human world through gorilla eyes.
Both dedicated animal rights proponents and people new to the dynamics of ape/human interaction will empathize with Gumu, Neema, and Kanoni’s struggles; while fans of the “locked room mystery” genre will fix their attention on the plight of the humans and their efforts to find more clues before it’s too late.
The Only Clue is a well-crafted mystery to inform as well as intrigue and captivate, opening an engaging realm of fictional exploration and speculation—the special bond that can happen between gorillas and people. Highly recommended.
Heartwarming and inspirational, Mike Hartner’s novel I, Mary is a beautifully-written middle grade children’s novel that captures a young girl’s dreams of becoming a sailor. A fantastic read for children and their families who enjoy fiction set to the background of sailing and historical times. If your middle grade reader loves The Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder, then she will love reading I, Mary by Mike Hartner, the third book in the Eternity Crofter Family Saga series.
The tale takes a reader into a turbulent time in England’s history, when Oliver Cromwell usurps power from the monarchy and plunged England into a civil war. Readers are introduced to the protagonist Mary as a toddler aboard one of her father’s ships. She shows an innate love and connection with the sea. At age eleven, she pleads with her father to allow her to become a sailor. A caring man, he yields. He urges one of his captains to take her on, even though she is still a young girl. Her superior intelligence, reliability, and hard work earns the respect of sailors and their captains who, along with the readers, watch Mary learn and excel in seamanship.
Mary is a unique, strong, and kind girl existing during a time in history when females were considered by many to be chattel without rights. Readers admire her from the start as they watch her navigate through calm waters and stormy seas. She is a praiseworthy character for her courage and the way she helped or touched so many other characters .
When the first person narrator changes, a line of three stars above the passage marks the switch. Intimate content is limited to hand holding and kissing, but the growing love story carries emotional impact throughout. The dialogue, though, is still written using some of the authentic dialect of Highland Scotland, such as lass, laddie, and bairn. Hartner’s novel is also an easy, smooth read for children and to read aloud to children.
Children can also get a history lesson as well, or be inspired to learn more Highland Scotland and clan life. In the author’s note to his readers, Mike Hartner says, “My goal is to provide an enjoyable reading experience and not a historical map.” But admits he’d be pleased if a youngster got motivated to check the book’s historical accuracy regarding the British Crown Hierarchy, the ‘Rump’ parliament, the Great Plague, and the Great Fire in London, all of which are mentioned in the story.
This reviewer rarely cries during the emotional hits in a story, but Hartner’s ending stirred powerful feelings and brought forth tears. Readers will resonate with Mary from start to finish over the poignancy of her life. An inspiring read that pulls at your heartstrings, I Mary is a brilliant novel that sets the dreams of a young girl to the historical backdrop of a time that was most difficult for women.
With all of the texting, tweeting, and tapping we do on our smartphones, it’s easy to get distracted from life’s true meaning. Thankfully, to help us find our way, Dr. Phil Johnson has published, The Compassionate Conspiracy: A Field Guide to Changing the World – an inspirational guide to a purposeful existence.
A lovely mix of his personal stories, along with well-known song lyrics, quotes, and research on world poverty and hunger, the book helps us answer the age-old question: “Why am I here?” Dr. Johnson also includes writing exercises and quizzes for reflection.
The impetus for the book came from childhood. With a “calm wisdom” and realist world view, Dr. Johnson’s mother, who coordinated a food pantry for families in need, would spin a globe and pose, “Philip, where shall we go today?” As he took “voyages” around the world to places like Bolivia, Brazil, and Greenland, Philip soon realized he was most fascinated by Africa. Eventually in 2005, he traveled with his wife to Kenya where he contracted malaria and typhoid fever. Fortunately, he was quickly cured, but witnessing thousands of Africans suffering from famine and illness, he asked: “What can I do to make a difference?”
The Compassionate Conspiracy is his answer to helping us all discover our passions and develop a personal plan to help those less fortunate. Dr. Johnson crafted this practical guide to connect the world. Did you know that the Latin origin of “conspiracy” is conspirare, which means “to breathe together.” He wanted to write a book so people could help others by “learning to breathe together for the common good, to breathe life into a suffocating world.”
In the Conclusion, he states: “My singular purpose in writing The Compassionate Conspiracy is to spark a movement to achieve that compelling vision. At the beginning of the twenty-first century, I believe we have the wealth, the wisdom, and the will to breathe hope into the global family.”
With more than 40 years working with corporations like Ford and IBM and with nonprofits like the United Way and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Dr. Johnson is no stranger to helping people around the world. On top of that, he is an ordained minister and practicing pastor at the New Day Community Church in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Dr. Johnson participated in major international events, including the United Nations World Peace Conference in Israel in 1999.
You will see the book is organized into four parts: 1) Our World is in Critical Condition, 2) The Compassionate Conspiracy, 3) the Compassionate Conspirators, 4) and A Guide to Becoming a Compassionate Conspirator.
The foreword, aptly written by Dr. Nido Qubein, a motivational speaker, author, and chairman of the Great Harvest Bread Co., starts us off:
“Remember, life is about choices. Decide here and now that you want to make the world a better place, and build a plan that will take you there!”
Qubein is also President of High Point University in North Carolina. It would be difficult to put the book down at this point.
As the author of six previous books, Dr. Johnson is familiar with writing and publishing, so be sure to get The Compassionate Conspiracy on your bookshelf too.
Dr. Johnson’s other titles include: Time-Out! Restoring Your Passion for Life, Love and Work (Stoddart, 1992); Celebrating the Seasons with Children (Pilgrim Press, 1984); More Celebrating the Seasons with Children (Pilgrim Press, 1985); And More Celebrating the Seasons with Children (Pilgrim Press, 1986); Goodbye Mom, Goodbye (Welch Publishing, 1987); and The Great Canadian Alphabet Book (Hounslow Press, 1981).
True friendship, like the one these four women share, is one of the greatest gifts one can experience in life. Sure, the honesty can hurt, and situations can get messy, but the unconditional love, so obvious in the telling, make for a binding sisterhood that transcends DNA and cannot be broken apart.
The author uses a first person point of view for each of the women, alternating chapter titles with the name of the friend doing the sharing. While using this format can be a risk, the author executes it exceptionally. Readers will feel they are right there with each one, hearing what they have to say, and feeling the emotions they are experiencing.
Before the story begins, the author lists three definitions to prepare readers with references to oy, the word for woe from the Yiddish; bubble bath basket list, so much more feminine than bucket list; and wedgie generation, the part of middle age caught between the past and the future, now closer to the end than the beginning.
In chapter one, readers meet Lizzie: “On my sixty-third birthday, my husband packed his bags, golf clubs, leather recliner and fifty-inch man-cave TV into our pontoon boat. And used it as a moving van.”
As Sassy, Grace, and Ruby arrive at her house to celebrate her birthday, Lizzie gives readers her view of the three others in their cozy group that has been going strong for six years. Their conversations go in many directions, with readers there to begin picking up clues as to their pasts as well as their futures.
Chapter two presents Sassie: “Before the ink dried on our college diplomas, Louie and I packed his old Chevy with our belongings. …I made the decision to return to Texas decades later with Louie in an urn.”
Sassie shares her move from New York back to Woodhaven, Texas with us, and she then lets us in about her closeness to Lizzie. To both honor her late husband, as well as to fulfill her own dream, Sassie has opened a modeling and dance studio called Loop de Lou.
In chapter three, Grace shares:
“Ever since my lumpectomy and radiation treatments eight years ago for breast cancer, I’ve smiled at my oncologist. Because clean mammograms rock…until this year. …And the weekend did not improve….Joy started acting weird….She moseyed in with the rear end of her expanded dachshund back wobbling to and fro … Ohmygosh. Did Joy get into some of Rusty’s stash? … I dreamed of shooting Enron’s Ken Lay for stealing Rusty’s career, his self-confidence, and our retirement savings.”
A job offer from Sassie causes conflict for Grace as she worries if her cancer has returned. Reduced to tears on the phone, Grace is unable to explain to Sassie, who promptly comes over to her house, to talk to her in person.
Chapter 4 introduces readers to Ruby:
“When I listened to the receptionist at Weinstein, Porter, and Spencer beg me to cover for her while she ran to Walgreens for an Oh-my-God-I-might-be-pregnant test, I almost refused. I had closing arguments to outline for a senior partner, with a deadline zooming around the corner faster than the last lap of the Indy 500.”
Ruby relented, which is why she was at the reception desk when Sassie entered the law firm with her outdated will, and the connection began.
By the end of chapter four, readers will feel completely initiated into the group, ready to learn more of the secrets, sorrows, and joys this novel delivers until its satisfying conclusion. The four women are in different situations. Secrets are revealed, hopes and dreams are shared, close calls are divulged, and fears braved.
This foursome: one is divorced, another widowed, one is in an abusive marriage, and the fourth single have been long-time friends through thick and thin. Their personalities differ greatly, too, but the mix of all of them together is electrifying as they all find shelter under a common umbrella of their friendship that helps them be there for each other though bad and good times – “the oys & the joys.”
The story of the four friends is vibrantly told with authenticity and poignancy that will resonate with many. Feldt’s sense of humor makes the adventure of The Oys & Joys entertaining, while her heartfelt anecdotes are captivating and will remain memorable long after the last page has been read. If you liked The Divine Secrets of the YaYa Sisterhood by Rebecca Wells, you will enjoy reading The Oys & Joys, by Marcia Feldt.
Chock full of brightly colored illustrations and positive messages, Lila and the Dandelion is a captivating story for young children about making friends and how we don’t have to be perfect to be a good friend or to be happy.
Lila is a cheerful young girl who “listens with her heart and speaks with hands” – Lila is deaf. However, even though she can’t hear, one day while she was “listening” to the flowers sing, she senses that she hears a little flower crying. She walks up to a Dandelion flower and signs with her hands to the crying flower, “Why are you crying, little flower?”
The flower cries because the gardener called the Dandelion a “weed.” This made the Dandelion feel useless and lonely. But, Lila shares with her new friend that just because someone says you don’t belong or calls you bad names doesn’t mean it’s true.
Lila’s character is an optimistic role model for children. Her deafness doesn’t hold her back from experiencing life in her own way, and it doesn’t stop her from having a smile her face. She inspires the Dandelion to feel appreciated despite the hurtful words of the gardener. This children’s book teaches its young readers the powerful message of loving yourself no matter what anyone says, and how it is empowering to take that strength and use it to help others in a gentle manner.
The story also encompasses how we can help make the world a better place by being kind and thoughtful of others. Lila shows young readers that everyone can be beautiful when they are compassionate and accepting of everyone. Lila and the Dandelion is an excellent book for parents to read to their children, and it comes with questions at the end of the book to start a conversation about the concepts self-worth and seeing worthiness in others.
Filled with warm, sweet characters and an optimistic outlook, Sheryl Hershey’s children’s book Lila and the Dandelion helps children explore the important message of self-acceptance along with acceptance of others–even if they are different.
What Opens but Never Closes? The Opening Day of Boating Season
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”]Opening Day of Boating Season
Here are five of our favorite reads from authors who followed their dreams to sail away.
One couple (with two teenagers in tow – yikes!) started by building their boat in the backyard of their suburban home; two who started only with the love for each other, the support of friends and family, and a dilapidated hull and a three cylinder iron works engine; one whose true story will make you reconsider taking to the tall seas; one whose story will inspire you to look beyond society’s conventional solutions and rationalizations and to plot your own course; and one who shares how an everyday couple made their dream come true of sailing the Pacific Ocean on a 31-foot boat and a tight budget.
[/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”0px” paddingright=”0px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]Boating season begins in the Pacific Northwest on the first Saturday in May, a tradition which goes back to the 1920’s. To celebrate, we thought we would offer you this superb reading list of true story boating adventures by local northwest authors.
After all, if you are going to be spending time boating this summer, or enjoy dreaming about boating from your lawn chair, stocking your library is just as important as stocking your galley!
More Faster Backwards: Rebuilding David B by Christine Smith
“Christine Smith and her husband Jeffrey race against time, money, and natural elements to save the David B—the vessel that they bet all of their resources on in hopes of making their dream of owning and operating a small expedition cruise boat in the Pacific Northwest come true.
“More Faster Backwards, Rebuilding David B” seamlessly mixes nautical terms with natural elements and boat builder’s craft. Those who enjoy cooking and baking will also discover it a delightful read. Seafaring people will sail through the narrative like soul mates, but landlubbers might appreciate a glossary of boating terms. The map provides great references and the photo albums heighten the pleasure.
More Faster Backwards, Rebuilding David B by Christine Smith won the Grand Prize of the Journey Awards for Narrative Non-fiction, a division of Chanticleer Book Reviews Blue Ribbon Writing Competitions.”Read full review…
Christine Smith started working on tour and whale watching boats in 2001. It combined her love for nature and her interest in helping others to enjoy it. She is also an avid birder, and has worked as a volunteer interpreter for the Eagle Watchers on the Skagit River from 1997 to 2008, she helps visitors observe the local eagle population. She is also a founding member of the Northwest Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, which became part of Whatcom Humane Society in 2014. She served for two years as a board member and Secretary for the North Cascades Audubon Society in Bellingham, Washington. When not watching birds or cooking on the David B, Christine enjoys running, ice skating and downhill skiing. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]
Cape Horn: One Man’s Dream, One Woman’s Nightmare by Réanne Hemingway-Douglass
“In Cape Horn: One Man’s Dream, One Woman’s Nightmare,” Réanne Hemingway-Douglass vividly recreates a sailing voyage in which she and her husband Don set out to round Cape Horn. As the reader discovers, they never quite got there. Meanwhile, Hemingway-Douglass shares the heady magic of starlit nights and breathtaking dawns, grueling and toilsome days, emotions ranging from joy to absolute terror, and a determination not to give up hope when all seems lost.” Read full review…
Réanne Hemingway-Douglass is a sailor, writer, cyclist and language teacher. Here articles have appeared in numerous outdoor magazines. Her best-selling book, Cape Horn: One Man’s Dream, One Woman’s Nightmare, has been published in French and Italian and is being translated into Spanish. In the 1980s, Réanne led the first women’s bicycling team to cross Tierra del Fuego at the tip of South America.[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”#f8fafb” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”4px” bordercolor=”#4687bf” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]
Home on the Waves by Patrick Hill
“Family, love, and adventure are all tied together in Patrick Hill’s alluring travel memoir “Home on the Waves.” It’s a story set in the 1970’s that provides remarkable insight into the lives of a family exploring the open ocean and discovering new cultures and people.
Hill’s memoir is an excellent read for everyone interested in reading about out-of-the-ordinary lifestyles and family adventures, even if they have never set foot on a boat.
“Home on the Waves” brings life to exotic cultures, sailing, and family life in 1970’s America. It’s a true story that will inspire readers to seek their own adventures and find ways of making dreams come true.”Read the full review…
Patrick Hill, with wife Heather and family, have been sailing out of Vancouver, B.C. for years. They’ve owned nine sailboats from a 17′ to a 42′ boat, Sky OneHundred which they built. They have cruised extensively, written articles for magazines, made presentations to yacht clubs, libraries, the Vancouver Aquarium, and a major Alaskan cruise line[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”0px” bordercolor=”” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]
Prepare to Come About by Christine Wallace
“Christine struggles with her loss of identity as a successful professional, a role model, a caring mother, and a supportive spouse while she battles with the economic recession, personal depression, and, worst of all, her own loss of trust in herself and her capabilities.
Her fractured family makes an unorthodox choice that pivots them all into unfamiliar waters. Their lifeline comes in the form of a tall ship named Zodiac and its enigmatic captain. Life or death challenges and unforeseen moments of wonder and awe await Christine and her family. As they venture forth together in this new venture, the family members reconnect and rebuild their lives.” Read full review…
Christine Wallace is the author of two books including The Pocket Doula and Prepare to Come About. Her work has appeared in the literary journal Clover (vol. 3, 2012, vol. 6, 2014). Christine was founder and CEO of “Gracewinds Perinatal”, a nationally award winning business. Christine currently resides in the Pacific Northwest onboard an ex-forestry boat with her husband, youngest daughter and a seaworthy tabby named Lucky Jack. [/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container][fusion_builder_container backgroundcolor=”#f8fafb” backgroundimage=”” backgroundrepeat=”no-repeat” backgroundposition=”left top” backgroundattachment=”scroll” video_webm=”” video_mp4=”” video_ogv=”” video_preview_image=”” overlay_color=”” overlay_opacity=”0.5″ video_mute=”yes” video_loop=”yes” fade=”no” bordersize=”4px” bordercolor=”#4687bf” borderstyle=”solid” paddingtop=”20px” paddingbottom=”20px” paddingleft=”20px” paddingright=”20px” menu_anchor=”” equal_height_columns=”no” hundred_percent=”no” class=”” id=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][fusion_text]
Tightwads on the Loose by Wendy Hinman
“Tightwads on the Loose – A Seven Year Pacific Odyssey” opens with a map of the Pacific Ocean that showed the voyage of the sailing vessel Velella starting and ending in Seattle. Soon the reader is immersed in the plans of Wendy and her husband, Garth, to set sail on their open-ended adventure. And we wonder how long an introvert, whose motto is “always be prepared,” can live in tight quarters with an extrovert whose motto is “just wing it.”
This book will definitely appeal to those who are curious about sea voyaging. Armchair travelers will find a diversity of cultural experiences, historical details, and adventures for their entertainment and education. Come on board and sail away with the intrepid Wendy Hinman and her humorous and ingenious insights about life at sea.” Read full review…
Wendy Hinman, author, editor, and speaker, has shared her sailing adventures through emails and her blog. She is a regular contributor to the Magazines 48 North and Latitude 38. Wendy’s also been featured in Sail, Cruising World, Sailing, CYC Leadline, Hebe Jebees (Hong Kong) and Kazi Magazine (Japan).[/fusion_text][/fusion_builder_column][/fusion_builder_row][/fusion_builder_container]
Enjoy getting to know these intrepid souls by visiting their websites for more information and the latest updates on their adventures.
