Friday, December 21, 2018

Larry Ehrhorn Four Months in Brighton Park

Four Months in Brighton Park: Growing-up in the Sixties Paperback


Four Months in Brighton Park
Larry Ehrhorn

released September 2017
Madijean Press, Madison, WI
coming of age fiction

Paperback, 252 pp $12.99
Buy on Amazon
Buy on Barnes and Noble
Kindle edition $2.99

About the Book
Set in a working class neighborhood on Chicago's southwest side in 1965, Four Months in Brighton Park focuses on Kelly Elliott, the kid with two first names. Kelly is a cross between Holden Caulfield and Walter Mitty, rarely facing reality until one day when he is forced to confront the consequences of his actions, when he impulsively makes an obscene gesture at Joe Swedarsky, the school jock and bully. That initial conflict starts a cascade of humorous and affecting dominoes that change his life. Being raised by his single, hard-working mother, Kelly stumbles through misadventures -- dealing with his mother's tyrannical pilot boyfriend, peer pressure, male curiosities, teachers, and friendships. Besides Ma, his guides through this journey include Little Joey, the legless owner of a local deli; best friend Jerry Hogan, Mary Harker, a troubled, mature woman; and Linda Martinsen, the quiet girl who found something likable in Kelly. The four month journey taken by Kelly provides insight, change, humor and empathy, elements of which all people are familiar.

My review
Told in vignettes during Kelly’s final high school semester, Four Months in Brighton Park shows how one boy made a difference to others in his sphere of influence.

Facing life after high school is often a frightening experience if one is unprepared. Kelly, an unfortunately acne-scarred young man with a big personality formed through the influence of his devoted single mom and various males who both taught and threatened him, proves his preparedness through his determination to experience life in full color before he leaves the relative safety of home.


Told in mostly generous internal monologue as noted in the summary, Kelly learns to stick up for himself even though it often pains him—literally. The era was vastly different from today, which may invoke giggles or shock. While I recommend the story for those who get a kick out of teenaged boy coming-of-age stories with all the puberty-driven humor and testosterone-driven shenanigans and language, readers who go between the lines will find a lesson in growth of character.

About the Author
Larry EhrhornLarry Ehrhorn was born in Chicago and raised in the city and its suburbs. After his own graduation (not nearly as traumatic as Kelly's), he attended Northern Illinois University, working summers and vacation holidays at various factories. After college graduation (a whole other story), Ehrhorn began a 33-year career as a high school English teacher (not Mr. Bates from the novel) in various schools ranging from a Chicago large suburban school to several small rural schools in Wisconsin. It was this during this somewhat lengthy career when he realized that times and places change, but students do not. Much of Four Months in Brighton Park reflects not only the author but the more than 3,000 students he taught.

Sunday, December 16, 2018

YA Fantasy from Madison author R Chris Reeder

The Changeling's Daughter


The Changeling’s Daughter
R. Chris Reeder
Young Adult Fantasy
Coming of Age/Quest
December 13, 2018

Black Rose Writing
Paperback $20.95
Buy on Amazon 

About the book
Fourteen-year-old Brynn McAwber discovers a terrible truth about herself and her family and must undergo a perilous quest to another world, to save a friend and redeem her soul.

Unusual things have been happening to Brynn McAwber. A strange little man keeps showing up at her door. She's being watched by a mysterious woman with a sword strapped to her back. And her body keeps...disappearing.

When Brynn discovers the terrible truth about herself and her family, she embarks on a perilous quest, which takes her far from Indiana, far from the world she knows, into the Land of Annwfyn, home of brownies and bwbachods, xanas and zephyrs, goblins and gods.

This is the story of a girl who finds out she's supposed to be the villain, but decides to be the hero anyway.

My review
A most unusual and amazing anti-hero questing fantasy not just for young people has arrived.

Up front caution: although I could watch this story unfolding in epic technicolor and would recommend it to teens with an advanced reading level, I caution parents who care that a fair amount of profanity when a couple of shock value uses would have been enough, some gore, and a generous vocabulary boost this story into a tween/early teen caution level. Some parents may want to check it out first.

For the rest of us, Reeder’s maiden fantasy is a delight. I admit I intended to read enough for a good review, but didn’t look up except for touchdowns during the Packers-Bears football game until I was finished. Using an anti-hero, in this case a typically-misunderstood creature of folklore hiding in plain sight, as a champion certainly isn’t new, but the author’s ability to recombine fantasy elements into a true hero’s journey makes for a fresh, entertaining read.

Brynn’s family secret stems not simply from their traditionally accepted roles but also how they are perceived by others. When Brynn’s best friend Makayla suddenly turns against her, Brynn’s loyalty and character are tested in ways that help her understand and grow into the kind of person she’s meant to become. Makayla’s defection is not the only weird thing happening to Brynn these days. When faced with disaster, Brynn’s options are to do the right thing by her friend no matter the odds, or be the expected generic typecast of her kind. Knowing Makayla would never willingly abandon her gives Brynn the strength to fight not just for physical rescue, but for the decision to live a meaningful, positive family lifestyle.

Told through the eyes of Brynn, the fourteen-year-old main character, The Changeling’s Daughter is a lovely adventure for readers who enjoy a good old-fashioned questing tale with surprising heroes unafraid to challenge even themselves.

About the author
R. Chris Reeder grew up in the Pacific Northwest, attended college in Walla Walla, Washington, and has lived and worked across the country and around the world. 

He has had careers as a Shakespearean actor, an international courier, and a singing activist, but is now perfectly content in his current vocation of stay-at-home father. 

He currently resides in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife, two children, and a cat named Monster Jack.

www.rchrisreeder.com
www.facebook.com/rchrisreederauthor

Monday, December 10, 2018

Tanya Schmid and her Collection of Zen Stories


Tanya’s Collection of Zen Stories
Tanya Schmid
Illustrated by Janina Uppgard from Finland
October 2018

$9.99 Kindle
$12.99 Print
Buy on US Amazon
Buy on Germany Amazon

About the Book
What is Zen?  The “do” or “Dao,” the way to so-called enlightenment? It is everyday wisdom is mirrored in these 28 philosophical, motivational, often humorous tales of Zen masters, along with Tanya Schmid’s personal anecdotes from thirty years of Zen practice.

These classic tales, told in a language for a modern world, display life’s natural simplicity and magic, their truth flashing like lightening in a midnight sky, their warmth like coming home to a hearth we know so well.  These stories display the paradoxes of Zen – the sage-like beginner’s mind; the target inside, not outside; the way of softness prevailing over hardness; taking Action with the attitude of no place to go and nothing to do; to treat one’s self with discipline and others with kindness – all in the search for inner peace. Tanya Schmid condenses decades of Zen and martial arts training into entertaining parables that make Asian wisdom comprehendible to Western Society.

The book is currently being translated into German and Spanish. All funds from book sales go to their environmental project, www.schmid-permaculture.com
Tanya Schmid 
About the author
Tanya Elizabeth Egeness was born in northern Wisconsin and grew up in Delafield. She is married to Hansjakob Schmid and they live in Gündlischwand, Switzerland, where they run a small permaculture farm in the Bernese Alps.

After years of studying traditional Asian medicine, martial arts, weaponry, healing, and meditation, Tanya and her husband started Schmids' Permaculture Farm in 2014 to create an exemplary, single family, subsistence farm according to permaculture ideals within 15 years (2014 to 2029). They want to preserve traditional animals, plants and ways of living that protect and support the environment as well as provide for their needs.

They produce all their own electricity with photovoltaic and heat and cook with wood. The Schmids live a simple life. The house is small, but it has a guest room upstairs in the attic where, from March through October, a Workawayer stays. Workawayers, or W.O.O.F.ers are Workers On Organic Farms who come to help with farm work in exchange for room and board.

Tanya and Hans have an herb garden, various extensive vegetable gardens, and many fruit and nut trees. In the summer and fall Hans mows the fields by hand with a scythe. In the winter, he chops and stockpiles wood for the stoves. Tanya makes lots of jams and jellies and stores the vegetable harvest in their root cellar. The Schmids have a cat named Pete, a border collie named Kay, three pot-bellied pigs (Zoe, Heidi and Urs), nine chickens and a rooster. For more details about Tanya's studies in the martial-arts, her previous Chinese medicine practice or Schmids' current permaculture farm, please see:
www.kyudo-interlaken.jimdo.com
www.schmid-permaculture.com 

Thursday, December 6, 2018

Ojibwe Coloring Books release


New Release from Wisconsin Historical Society Press

Coloring Book Series Shares American Indian Culture, Traditions


This winter, the Wisconsin Historical Society Press published its first children's coloring book series, Ojibwe Traditions. The four books in the series contain pictures to color, stories, vocabulary, and often also include activities like word scrambles and mazes, to help kids learn more about Wisconsin's American Indian -- and specifically Ojibwe -- culture and traditions. Each book focuses on a different aspect of Ojibwe life and traditions, including: The Powwow, Storytelling, The Sugarbush, and Wild Ricing.

The Northland College Indigenous Cultures Center team, in Ashland, Wis., developed the content and produced the drawings for the series in order to engage and teach the traditions of the Ojibwe people. The idea for the series was sparked by a comment from a college trustee who recognized the resurgence of interest in detailed coloring books for kids/adults, and the way they can be used for outreach education. As a recent graduate of Northland College and a member of the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe Community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula, writer and illustrator Cassie Brown produced these informative books for the cultures center project.
The series is compliant with Wisconsin Act 31, which directs public schools to teach students about the history and culture of Wisconsin's American Indian nations.

The books will be featured in March at Northland College as part of the Indigenous Cultures Awareness Month. Author events are being planned for 2019 in the Bayfield Penninsula, Madison, Wis., and more -- in partnership with Northland College and the Apostle Island Booksellers in Bayfield, Wis. Check www.wisconsinhistory.org/whspress for event updates in the new year.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Cassie Brown, writer and illustrator, is a proud member of the Keweenaw Bay Ojibwe Community in Michigan's Upper Peninsula. She is a graduate of Northland College with a B.S. double major in Outdoor Education and Native American Studies.

The Indigenous Cultures Center at Northland College was created in 2011 to create and foster community relations, particularly with the four neighboring Ojibwe communities in northern Wisconsin, but also across other Indigenous partnerships.

  
HOW TO ORDER
The Ojibwe Traditions books retail for $5.99 each and include:
The Powwow Coloring and Activity Book: (ISBN: 978-0-87020-893-5, 36 pages)
The Storytelling Coloring Book: (ISBN: 978-0-87020-894-2, 40 pages)
The Sugarbush Coloring Book: (ISBN: 978-0-87020-895-9, 32 pages)
The Wild Ricing Coloring and Activity Book: (ISBN: 978-0-87020-893-5, 25 pages)

Find them through your favorite bookseller or by visiting www.wisconsinhistory.org/shop
For retail and wholesale orders, contact: Chicago Distribution Center, Phone: (800) 621-2736 or Email: custserv@press.uchicago.edu.


Wisconsin Historical Society Press
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53706
wisconsinhistory.org
Collecting, Preserving and Sharing Stories Since 1846


Friday, November 23, 2018

Gift Wisconsin History this year


Give the Gift of Wisconsin this year.

LOGO: Wisconsin Historical Society

Membership is a great gift option too.

The store is open, full of great things from the annual ornament, a badger, to t-shirts, toys, mugs, and of course books!

The Making of Pioneer Wisconsin: Voices of Early SettlersA couple of the new books from Wisconsin Historical Press that I've reviewed this year include

And a new one from Michael Stevens, The Making of Pioneer Wisconsin, is also just out. The book features a dreamy image from the original mural of the centennial celebration of Wisconsin's statehood for a cover. Pioneer Wisconsin is the story of Wisconsin settlers in three sections told through letters, biographical material and a few photographs and other art. Stevens includes a prologue analyzing cultures in conflict as the European settlers encroached upon traditionally native tribal people's lands in the territory.

The main text is divided into three sections, Journeying West, Being in Wisconsin, and the aftereffects of immigration, or "I prefer America." Stevens chose letters from settlers representing the four main quadrants of Wisconsin; people who came by all means possible in the first half of the nineteenth century. Photographs, woodcuts and other artwork from the society's collection help to illustrate the text and letters which are retyped, not reproduced.

One early informative missive is from the first attorney to practice in Waukesha who removed his family from Vermont in 1838. His letters are almost as a diary of the journey to their new home, partly by steamship along the Great Lakes.

Many of the letters are lengthy, full of angst, triumph, despair and instructions. Descriptions often compare the climate in Wisconsin to the home country, whether it's the eastern US or overseas.

Brief biographies of the letter writers are included. For example, the Reverend Jeremiah Porter was a missionary evangelist, eventually landing in Green Bay in the mid-nineteenth century with a goal of promoting the temperance movement. His letter to a colleague which includes some of his reasons for his passionate attempt to ban alcohol sales is poignant. 
The Making of Pioneer Wisconsin: Voices of Early Settlers is a nice addition to other pioneer collections in local histories. Reading about life from the people in their own words is a moving experience. Recommended for those who like immigration and settlement stories. It is not a long book at 162 pages and nicely laid out. End notes which contains references and an index included.

Other books I've viewed and reviewed this year include:

Somos Latinos: Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists



Wisconsin State Parks Natural Geology


Monday, November 5, 2018

New guests at 6th Novel in progress Bookcamp 2019




NIP prepares for 6th annual camp May 2019 

Our sixth annual Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat residential programs will be held May 19-25, 2019, once again at the lovely Cedar Valley Center in southeast Wisconsin. It’s time to fulfill that commitment and take your work-in-progress to the next level.

Here’s what’s going on for the next Bookcamp workshop and the Writing Retreat:

Guest Speakers Ready for 2019 NIP

We will have another great cast of characters at our next Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat, May 19-25, 2019, two concurrent residential programs for writers.

Joining our core instructional staff, SJ Rozan, Lisa Lickel, and Phil Martin, we’ve got an exceptional list of guest speakers lined up.

Literary Agents Return

Returning are friends Jennie Goloboy, literary agent with the Donald Maass literary Agency, and Laura Zats, literary agent with Red Sofa Literary. They will be leading workshop presentations, joining our annual state of the publishing industry panel discussion, providing insight at our Thursday night Slush Pile Read, and hearing pitches Friday afternoon. 


Midnight Ink Editor 

Joining Jennie and Laura will be Terri Bischoff, acquiring editor at Midnight Ink Publishing, which specializes in mysteries and thrillers. Terri enjoyed her first stay with us last May so much she was eager to join us again in 2019. 


Indie Authors Present 

We’re also excited to announce that author and writing instructor Kristin Oakley with accomplished Indie authors Nicolette Pierce and Melissa Haag will be coming to the 2019 NIP to share their knowledge and expertise. They will conduct a panel discussion on self-publishing and provide a workshop on using the Internet to promote yourself as an author. 

Author Nicolette Pierce has published more than sixteen romantic suspense and mystery novels. As an award-winning self-published author, she loves a challenge and is set to rapid-release five new books. She attributes her success to the indie movement and always keeping up to date with the latest marketing trends. 

“If not in the midst of writing, you will find me setting up ads on multiple platforms including Amazon, Bookbub, and Facebook,” she said. Nicolette is a member of the Romance Writers of America. She lives in Wisconsin with her husband and son. 

Award-winning author Melissa Haag writes Paranormal and Fantasy Romance from her home in Wisconsin under two pen names (Melissa Haag and M.J. Haag). She self-publishing her first title in 2013 and, so far, has 30 titles, selling more than a million copies, earning six figures a year since 2015. Melissa has expanded into audio books and has a foreign rights agent. Her books will be translated into three languages by the end of 2019, one series is already in Portuguese. 

“I love to talk about self-publishing—maybe a little too much!” Melissa said. “I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way to learn a few handy dos and don’ts of self-publishing (I cringe when I think of my first book cover!) and am passionate about discussing my mistakes so no one else has to feel that pain.” 

A University of Wisconsin-Madison Division of Continuing Studies adjunct writing instructor, Kristin Oakley’s debut novel, Carpe Diem, Illinois, won the 2014 Chicago Writers Association Book of the Year Award for non-traditionally published fiction, was a finalist in the Independent Author Network 2015 Book of the Year, and a runner-up in the 2016 Shelf Unbound Best Indie Book Competition. Its sequel, God on Mayhem Street, was released in 2016. Currently working on a young adult dystopian trilogy, Kristin is a Chicago Writers Association board member, managing editor of The Write City Magazine and The Write City Review, and past president and a co-founder of In Print Professional Writers’ Organization. 


Registration info


Check out our website for application instructions and prices. Or contact Director Dave Rank, dave@novelbookcamp.com, 262-717-5154. Early registrants can take advantage of our installment payment plan.

Tuesday, October 30, 2018

Wisconsin Writers Awards New Student Contest now open

C for Wisco Writers


C for Wisco Writers
Wisconsin Writers Awards Open Nov 1 
New Student Contest
 
The 54th annual Wisconsin Writers Awards, sponsored by the Council for Wisconsin Writers, opens for submissions on Nov. 1. The Council invites Wisconsin writers to submit work published in 2018. Contest categories include book-length fiction, nonfiction and poetry, short fiction and nonfiction, children’s literature, and a set of five poems, two of which must have been published in the contest year.
 
First-place winners in those categories receive $500 and a one-week writer’s residency at Shake Rag Alley in Mineral Point, WI. Honorable mention recipients receive $50 and a one-week writer’s residency at the Painted Forest Study Center in Valton, WI. Entries must be postmarked no later than Jan. 31, 2019. Writers who enter must be current Wisconsin residents.
 
New for this year: The Young Writers Award, previously an essay contest, now accepts poetry, fiction, essay, memoir, journalism, humor and drama. This award recognizes Wisconsin high school students who excel at the craft of creative writing. The first-place winner receives $250 and the honorable mention recipient receives $50.
 
The entry fee for all contests except the Young Writers Award is $25. There is no fee for Young Writers Award entries. CWW membership is not required, but members are entitled to one free entry. Out-of-state judges will make the selections. First-place and honorable-mention awards will be presented at the Council’s Annual Awards Banquet in May 2019. CWW’s Major Achievement Award, which honors a Wisconsin writer for work that deserves special recognition for literary merit without regard to genre or category, is also scheduled to be presented. The recipient will be chosen by the CWW Board of Directors.
 
Specific guidelines, entry forms, and important additional information for each award category are available in the 2018 Entry Forms section of the  CWW website at wiswriters.org/contest-entry-forms.
 
Please address general questions about the contest to CWW Publicity/Blog Manager Jerrianne Hayslett at jfarhsi@aol.com. Questions about individual contest categories should be addressed to the category co-chair. Co-chairs are listed on the 2018 Entry Forms section of the CWW website at wiswriters.org/contest-entry-forms.



Friday, September 7, 2018

Wisconsin Book Festival Oct 11-14


Wisconsin Book Festival
click for the schedule October 11-14
Free

Special Preview with James Patterson on October 7

Madison, WI

Wisconsin Book Festival logo

Monday, August 13, 2018

CWGs First Chapter Contest now open

CWA's 3rd Annual First Chapter Contest


For dues-paying members of Chicago Writers Association. Guidelines here.

First prize is a full scholarship to attend the Novel-In-Progress Bookcamp & Writing Retreat May 19 to 25, 2019, at the Cedar Valley Center & Spa, 35 miles northwest of Milwaukee, near West Bend, Wisconsin (value: $1450). Second and third place winners will receive cash awards of $150 and $75, respectively. Each of the top three entries will also be published in CWA's e-zine, The Write City.

Fee: $15 must be made to CWA via PayPal with submission. Non-refundable.
Deadline: October 15, 2018. Winners will be announced in December 2018

Tuesday, July 31, 2018

Newer releases in Childrens Picture Books


Be Kind

Be Kind

Pat Zietlow Miller 
illustrated by Jen Hill
Roaring Brook Press
Print $17.99
ebook $9.99
Buy on Amazon

When Tanisha spills grape juice all over her new dress, her classmate wants to make her feel better, wondering: What does it mean to be kind?

From asking the new girl to play to standing up for someone being bullied, this moving story explores what kindness is, and how any act, big or small, can make a difference―or at least help a friend.

With a gentle text from the award-winning author of Sophie's Squash, Pat Zietlow Miller, and irresistible art from Jen Hill, Be Kind is an unforgettable story about how two simple words can change the world.




A Horse Named Jack
A Horse Named Jack
Linda Vander Heyden
illustrated by Petra Brown
Sleeping Bear Press

Print $16.99
Ebook $13.58
Buy on Amazon

Jack is a rather silly horse. And when bored, he takes it upon himself to unlatch his stall and go for an adventure through the farm before escaping into the neighbor's garden for a snack. This rhyming story counts up to ten as Jack makes his way across the farm and then back down as he races home with the neighbor hot on his heels.

Sunday, July 1, 2018

New nonfiction Wisconsin Women Effecting Change


Somos Latinas, Voices of Wisconsin Latina Activists

Andrea-Teresa Arenas and Eloisa Gomez

Wisconsin Historical Society Press
April, 2018
$24.95 Print
$15.99 Ebook
Buy on Amazon

About the Book:
This book shares the stories of 25 women with Wisconsin ties who are outspoken demonstrators, collaborative community-builders and determined individuals working for change behind the scenes. Each story in told in their own words, drawn from interviews conducted as part of the Somos Latinas Digital history Project housed at the Wisconsin Historical Society.

About the Authors:
Andrea-Teresa Arenas, PhD, recently retired from her positions at UW–Madison as a Chican@ and Latin@ Studies Faculty Affiliate and the director of the Office of Service Learning and Community-Based Research in the College of Letters & Science. She is currently the director of the Somos Latinas Digital History Project.

Eloisa Gómez is the director of the Milwaukee County UW–Extension Office. From 2008 to 2012, she was the vice president of the Latino Historical Society of Wisconsin, and she served on the Somos Latinas Advisory Committee from 2012 to 2015.


Friday, June 29, 2018

Everyday people Against Trafficking EAT FEST

Home
24/7 Confidential Help:1-888-373-7888
TTY: 711
Text: 233733

For those of you who keep this horrible world-wide affliction against humanity in your constant heart, learn more about what you can do to prevent and stop this tragedy in our neighborhoods.


August 25, 2018
COST: FREE

LOCATION:
Schultz Park, Elroy, WI
N.2425 WI-82
Elroy, WI 53929
  
EAT Fest is everyday people against trafficking. It's a fun, artistic, creative day filled with art, crafts, music, food and more food. A unique platform for survivors to showcase their art and hand-made items, music, dance, poetry. Vendors will be asked (not obligated) to create a unique item for auction using the inspiration word "liberated." Donated items will be auctioned and ALL funds will benefit community organizations combating trafficking in Wisconsin. This is a FREE, family friendly event open to the public.  Advocates and community organizations supporting anti-trafficking efforts are welcome. 

Learn More:


Wednesday, June 20, 2018

Underground Railroad event July 22 to 29



Don't miss this unique experience! Just clink the link below.

Underground Railroad
Interactive Theater in the woods!
Experience the Underground Railroad in 1852. Go back in time to encounter costumed characters in this historical event. With the help of your guide, Harriet Tubman, follow the north star, and find the secret codes and signs along the wooded trail. Groups of 10 - 12 will help a fugitive slave escape to Canada on the Underground Railroad.

Sunday, July 22 - Every 15 minutes from 2:30 - 4 pm
Friday, July 27 - Every 15 minutes from 6:30 - 8 pm
Saturday, July 28 - Every 15 minutes from 2:30 - 4 and 6:30 - 8 pm
Sunday, July 29 - Every 15 minutes from 2:30 - 4 pm

THE COURSE TAKES 1 HOUR TO COMPLETE.
GROUPS START ON THE TRAIL EVERY 15 MINUTES

Behind Wooded Hills Church, 777 Hwy 164, Colgate, WI, just west of Menomonee Falls

Tickets are $12/ Group discounts available

Morning Star Productions
(414) 228-5220 X119



Monday, May 28, 2018

Linking photos and words Milwaukee event July 19



The deadline for photo submission is past.
Submit writing by June 21
or write

This Photo Projection and Reading event takes place on
July 19
7:00 PM
Sugar Maple
441 E Lincoln Ave, Milwaukee WI

Fee admission
A great selection of Craft Beers is available for purchase

Friday, May 11, 2018

Trethewey Releases second Highland Romance

Betting the Scot by Jennifer Trethewey

Betting the Scot
Jennifer Trethewey
C. 2018
Entangled
Historical Romance

3.99 eBook
20.99 Print
Buy on Amazon 

About the Book
Declan Sinclair is a Highlander who believes his dreams never lie. When he spots Caya at a public house, he knows instantly she is the woman in his dreams—his future wife. Though her brother had promised never to gamble again, he engages Declan in a card game—and the prize is the lovely Caya.

Caya Pendarvis has no time for childish things like dreams or fairy-tales or love. She’s the sacrificial lamb on her way to the far north of Scotland to wed a wealthy merchant in exchange for settling her brother’s gambling debts.

Winning at cards is one of the many things Declan Sinclair does well. Unfortunately, the ability to court a woman—a talent he lacks—is the only skill he desperately needs to win Caya’s heart.

My Review
Trethewey’s Balforss house books are a delight to those who adore hunky historical bawdy but fun and fairly clean romance. I know, I needed to hide the cover from my hubs, too. There’s just no comparison. As mentioned in the description, it’s a family saga of stand-alones, tied by setting and characters.

Who doesn’t love a guy who buys a bathtub for a wife he has only dreamed about? I admit I fell for Declan in the first book, his sweetness and cluelessness, but braver than brave and true-hearted beyond belief.

At a time period where women, even those who’ve reached the great age of twenty-five and orphaned but under the “care” of a destructive sibling, Caya is at the bottom of the well of opportunity. She seems pretty resigned to her fate, the truth of which is only hinted at through her naiveté. The horror of it comes at a terrible price and sets up the next story beautifully, which makes me yearn to read it. In the meantime, first sight of an eager and yummy dark-haired Scot who keeps staring at Caya with a too-familiar ogle makes her look back. And again. And so begins a truly epic love affair, pirates and all.

Held at bay by wise Uncle John, Caya and Declan weather issues such as unbearable longing, accusations of witchcraft, and a quasi-amorous vicar contending for Caya’s hand. While it might have detracted from the romance, I would have been interested to see more of the effects of the gossiping nearby villagers after Caya performs a heroic task.

Nevertheless, the Sinclairs are a lovely family and a few hours in the Highlands with men of virtue and their dynamic lasses is truly a delight.

About the author:
Trethewey claims to have fallen in love with the Highlands and all things Scottish: the people, their language, cuisine, customs, idioms, humor, history, intense sense of pride, and, most of all, the land--the perfect setting for sweeping romantic tales of love, strife, and glory. As they say, Scotland is pure dead brilliant! She’s an actress, former co-artistic director of a professional theater company, and she and her husband operate an improv comedy club. They live in the Midwest. 

Friday, April 27, 2018

Wisconsin State Parks Natural History with Scott Spoolman


New from Wisconsin Historical Society Press
April, 2017

Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History
By Scott Spoolman
Paperback: $24.95
ISBN: 978-0-87020-849-2
252 pages, 88 color photos and 6 maps, 7 x 9 
Ebook $15.99

Buy on Amazon 
Buy on Barnes and Noble

ABOUT THE BOOK
From the volcanoes that poured deep layers of lava rock in the northwest, to the glacial masses that molded the land in the north and east,  Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History (ISBN: 978-0-87020-849-2, Paperback: $24.95) offers a deeper understanding of our state's dramatic natural history, and explores the complexity behind the impressive landscape we see today. This account of nature's evolution instills in readers the value of Wisconsin's parks that goes beyond just beautiful scenery and recreational opportunities; these areas provide a window into the distant past.

Author and science writer Scott Spoolman uses his accessible storytelling style to take readers through twenty-eight of Wisconsin's parks, forests, and natural areas where evidence of the state's striking geologic and natural history are on display. Spoolman sheds light on the current landscape, drawing connections to ancient geologic processes, the evolution of the flora and fauna, and the development of human settlement and activities. This book includes a selection of detailed trail guides for each park, which hikers can take with them on the trail to view evidence of Wisconsin's geologic and natural history for themselves.

MY REVIEW
Spoolman’s exploration of Wisconsin through the natural history of its state parks helps natives and visitors alike know Wisconsin in a more meaningful way. Spoolman’s journey and revelations almost feel as though he’s sharing our state from the inside out.

In his latest book, Wisconsin State Parks, he guides the reader through five areas of unique topography, examining what makes twenty-six of our nearly fifty state parks special, as well as two of our dozens of state forests.

Opening with a chapter on the “big picture” of knowable history, Spoolman takes the reader on a wholly readable and understandable geologic survey of what is now Wisconsin, from the earliest speculations of forming and reforming land masses to the ages from the Cenozoic to Precambrian periods. Using charts and figures, he breaks information into easily digestible and interesting bites which lay the groundwork to understand the current topography. The author then moves into early animal and human occupation which have also affected the land for thousands of years.

The five areas Spoolman identifies are The Rift Zone of the northwest corner of the state, The Driftless Area of the southwest corner, Carved by Water and Ice for the south-central area, The Glacial Showcase of southwestern Wisconsin and the Bones of the Land for the northeast quadrant. Wisconsin is a large state with many varied features. He selected five or six parks or forests for an intimate look in each area.

Each area chapter opens with several pages of general geologic history, including figures and excellent definitions of terms used to explain the described features. I turned to the Glacial Showcase first, as I had lived near the Northern Unit of the Kettle Moraine Forest for thirty years. The forest unit and guided trails at Parnell Tower and High Cliff were spot on. I now live in the “Driftless” area, and checked out Spoolman’s description of Wildcat Mountain, which I enjoyed.

Using photographs from different times of the year, late summer and mostly fall, the author showcases the best of natural Wisconsin. For parks such as Rock Island in Door County, he also includes a little light keeper history. Native American tribal people impacts through the ages are also noted. Spoolman takes the reader on a guided walk through forty of the trails in the described parks, adding personal observations and interesting facts along the way.

What you won’t find is specific information about the Wisconsin Park system, such as entrance fees, camping, directions or addresses, or various permits needed.

Spoolman’s bibliography is an excellent resource guide for those who want to know more, and an index is helpful. Easily readable, recommended for junior high and up. Families and hikers will appreciate learning more about our state. Small enough to take on a hike or camping, having Wisconsin State Parks: Extraordinary Stories of Geology and Natural History will add to your nature experience.

A BRIEF INTERVIEW WITH SCOTT SPOOLMAN

How did you decide to write a book like this, and what’s unique about this book compared to other Wisconsin Parks guides?
I wanted to share my fascination about the geology and natural history of Wisconsin with its variety of landscapes and land features, and found the State Parks to be perfect entry points for taking journeys back in time, so to speak. On the park trails, one can see the evidence that geologists, ecologists, archeologists, and historians have used to tell the stories of what happened in Wisconsin’s distant past. What makes the book unique is a narrative flow that includes just enough geology to give readers the background they need to fully appreciate each park story without bogging down in geologic concepts and terminology. I also include trail guides that I wrote after taking my own hikes, designed to help readers to see for themselves the evidence that scientists and historians have used to construct the stories of the park areas.

Who do you hope will spend the most time with this book and how you hope readers will use it?
It should appeal to a wide range of people, including those who have enough time to do some traveling and who like going to the parks. They will enjoy learning how some of the amazing features within the parks were formed and what went on in the parks since ancient times. Also, young parents might enjoy having this book when they take their children to the parks, because it will help them to answer some questions the kids might ask about how things got to be the way they are there. And finally, I think school age youngsters who are motivated to read and learn in combination with their trips to the parks would appreciate this book.

Which Wisconsin Park do you find the most unique and why?
That’s a tough question. They are all unique, each having its own interesting story, which makes it hard to pick favorites. Copper Falls State Park has a complicated but fascinating geological story and a haunting beauty that transports visitors back to an ancient time. It combines striking features—deep rocky gorges, impressive waterfalls, and the confluence of two wild rivers—that make it among my favorites. But I could say something similar about most of the other parks I wrote about.

Do you have one park in particular that every Wisconsinite should try to visit?
I’d rather list a small number, one from each region, that people could choose from: Interstate State Park in the northwest; Governor Dodge State Park in the southwest; Devil’s Lake in south-central; Rib Mountain in the north; Kettle Moraine State Forest in the southeast; and Peninsula State Park in the northeast. That’s a Top 6, but I could easily have made a Top 10 or 20, all of which I’d recommend everyone see.

What do you hope for the future for Wisconsin’s Park system?

 The parks should be preserved and maintained as public parks, funded mostly by public means, as opposed to user fees, so that they don’t become too expensive for most people.  They should be preserved in their natural conditions as much as possible for the benefit of future generations and for all wildlife that depend on them for their habitats and survival. And they should be fully funded so that trails and other public services in the parks do not deteriorate. 

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Author Scott Spooman is a science writer who has focused on the environmental sciences, especially those stories of natural science and the environment related to Wisconsin and surrounding states. After earning a master's degree from the University of Minnesota School of Journalism, he worked for several years as an editor in the publishing industry, specializing in textbooks and other educational materials. Since 1996, he has worked as a freelance writer and editor for a variety of outlets and has coauthored several editions of a series of environmental science textbooks.