Walker-Stefani Family History: Part 3
The Family Business: Larry Walker Associates Inc. — The First 25 Years
By Larry Walker
Paperback, 102 pages, 8 1/2 x 11 inches, with color and black-and-white photos
Published in June 2022 for private distribution, among only family members and friends
Following publication of his two-volume Walker-Stefani family history, Larry Walker set about documenting another aspect of his memoirs: the establishment and operation of the family business, Larry Walker Associates (LWA), an environmental engineering and water quality management consulting firm based in Davis, Yolo County, California.
Walker-Stefani Family History, Part 3: The Family Business, Larry Walker Associates, Inc. — The First 25 Years is based on Larry's personal recollections, records and the activities in which he was directly involved as company president. By design, other aspects of the history of LWA are not included. The narrative, which Larry prepared for his existing members and descendants, describes the first 25 years of LWA operation, from 1979 through 2004.
Larry had worked for nine years as an employee of a consulting engineering firm and for seven years at the California State Water Resources Control Board before deciding to establish his own consulting engineering firm, LWA. The book is organized in sections describing the startup years (1979–1980), the formative years (1980–1989), the growth years (1990–2004), and the ownership transition to his children (2005). He attributes the success of the company to its key employees, to the LWA guiding values, and to the company's integrity in delivering valuable services to clients.
"It is easy to look back and reflect on LWA's success and the positive aspects of its history," Larry wrote in the narrative. "But for those of us who were involved, there were long hours, frustrations, disappointments, mistakes, and disagreements. The same is true with most businesses. While some of these are addressed in this history, on balance it focuses on the positive. Who wants to reflect on the negative?"
Published in June 2022 for private distribution, among only family members and friends
Following publication of his two-volume Walker-Stefani family history, Larry Walker set about documenting another aspect of his memoirs: the establishment and operation of the family business, Larry Walker Associates (LWA), an environmental engineering and water quality management consulting firm based in Davis, Yolo County, California.
Walker-Stefani Family History, Part 3: The Family Business, Larry Walker Associates, Inc. — The First 25 Years is based on Larry's personal recollections, records and the activities in which he was directly involved as company president. By design, other aspects of the history of LWA are not included. The narrative, which Larry prepared for his existing members and descendants, describes the first 25 years of LWA operation, from 1979 through 2004.
Larry had worked for nine years as an employee of a consulting engineering firm and for seven years at the California State Water Resources Control Board before deciding to establish his own consulting engineering firm, LWA. The book is organized in sections describing the startup years (1979–1980), the formative years (1980–1989), the growth years (1990–2004), and the ownership transition to his children (2005). He attributes the success of the company to its key employees, to the LWA guiding values, and to the company's integrity in delivering valuable services to clients.
"It is easy to look back and reflect on LWA's success and the positive aspects of its history," Larry wrote in the narrative. "But for those of us who were involved, there were long hours, frustrations, disappointments, mistakes, and disagreements. The same is true with most businesses. While some of these are addressed in this history, on balance it focuses on the positive. Who wants to reflect on the negative?"
Sum and Substance
Comprehending Yourself, Your Universe and Your World
By William L. Martin
Paperback, 308 pages, 6 x 9 inches, with black-and-white photos, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 979-8-9860657-0-0)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 979-8-9860657-1-7)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022907123
Published: May 2022
During his varied and consequential career, William Martin worked as a designer of computer and military command and control systems in the defense industry, administered a major commercial air traffic control program, gave senior-level briefings at the Pentagon and NATO headquarters, taught at MIT and USC, and was vice president of engineering for a Northern California test equipment firm.
Following his retirement, William immersed himself in philosophical thought and began composing his observations about human existence, drawing upon his broadly encompassing perspective. The result of that introspection is William Martin’s first book, Sum and Substance — Comprehending Yourself, Your Universe and Your World, which leads readers on a personal journey to a richer comprehension of their own life; our universe, as revealed by science; and civilization, from the first humans to modern times.
Richly illustrated and using language understandable by anyone who will try, the book offers the ambitious hope that if you spend eight hours reading it, you may learn more than in any other eight hours of your life. The book first identifies where each of us fits in the universe, the use of the scientific method as the best way to understand reality, and a concise timeline of events beginning with the Big Bang and leading to the appearance and evolution of modern humans. The author hypothesizes about the meaning of life and the possible futures of our planet Earth.
Sum and Substance — Comprehending Yourself, Your Universe and Your World is written in a non-judgmental tone, acknowledging that every person is unique and derives from 4 billion years of evolution of life on Earth. The goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you a foundation for comprehending everything you experience. The book shares how others have defined the meaning of their lives, and suggests that you can choose your own unique purpose.
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 979-8-9860657-1-7)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2022907123
Published: May 2022
During his varied and consequential career, William Martin worked as a designer of computer and military command and control systems in the defense industry, administered a major commercial air traffic control program, gave senior-level briefings at the Pentagon and NATO headquarters, taught at MIT and USC, and was vice president of engineering for a Northern California test equipment firm.
Following his retirement, William immersed himself in philosophical thought and began composing his observations about human existence, drawing upon his broadly encompassing perspective. The result of that introspection is William Martin’s first book, Sum and Substance — Comprehending Yourself, Your Universe and Your World, which leads readers on a personal journey to a richer comprehension of their own life; our universe, as revealed by science; and civilization, from the first humans to modern times.
Richly illustrated and using language understandable by anyone who will try, the book offers the ambitious hope that if you spend eight hours reading it, you may learn more than in any other eight hours of your life. The book first identifies where each of us fits in the universe, the use of the scientific method as the best way to understand reality, and a concise timeline of events beginning with the Big Bang and leading to the appearance and evolution of modern humans. The author hypothesizes about the meaning of life and the possible futures of our planet Earth.
Sum and Substance — Comprehending Yourself, Your Universe and Your World is written in a non-judgmental tone, acknowledging that every person is unique and derives from 4 billion years of evolution of life on Earth. The goal is not to tell you what to think, but to give you a foundation for comprehending everything you experience. The book shares how others have defined the meaning of their lives, and suggests that you can choose your own unique purpose.
Risk Assessment: A Mystery
By Susan and Randy Padgett
Paperback, 290 pages, 5.5 x 8.5 inches, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 979-8-9859339-0-1)
Ebook, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 979-8-9859339-1-8)
Published: April 2022
Over the course of their careers, lawyers and paralegals encounter people whose lives have become entwined in preposterous misadventures and intricate schemes that are often stranger than fiction. Drawing upon their decades in the legal profession, Susan and Randy Padgett conceived Risk Assessment: A Mystery, a fictional tale of intrigue about a mid-career attorney they named Jake Maxwell, who has a legal practice in Sacramento, California. Readers meet Jake just as his life has been turned upside down.
His wife has left him, and his employer, Farmstead Insurance, is being rocked by a major corporate takeover engineered by a shadowy private equity firm, Black Belt Capital Ltd. About the only diversions keeping Jake on the rails are the time he spends with his border collie, Elwood, and the opportunities he has to spend a few hours fishing during the course of his many out-of-town business trips. But prospects begin to brighten for Jake after he meets and falls for Meg Vann, one of his co-workers from the coastal California town of Eureka. When a resort property insured with Farmstead burns down and the body of a man is discovered in the charred ruins, Meg begins to suspect that the fire was not accidental. Jake is initially skeptical, but as he and Meg dig into clues stretching from Sacramento to Eureka, they discover that Black Belt appears to be setting up an insurance fraud of massive proportions, threatening Farmstead’s solvency. Fighting corporate resistance and government inertia, Meg and Jake have to rely on the wits of their co-workers and Meg’s Eureka contacts to put the puzzle together and prevent the disastrous loss.
Susan and Randy Padgett live in Davis, California, 20 miles west of Sacramento. They have shared a love of mysteries and the attractions of California for more than 40 years. Susan is a retired legal secretary, paralegal and university staff member. Randy is a retired attorney. They are fond of the rugged north coast region of California and its dense, dark redwood forests, where much of Risk Assessment: A Mystery unfolds.
Ebook, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 979-8-9859339-1-8)
Published: April 2022
Over the course of their careers, lawyers and paralegals encounter people whose lives have become entwined in preposterous misadventures and intricate schemes that are often stranger than fiction. Drawing upon their decades in the legal profession, Susan and Randy Padgett conceived Risk Assessment: A Mystery, a fictional tale of intrigue about a mid-career attorney they named Jake Maxwell, who has a legal practice in Sacramento, California. Readers meet Jake just as his life has been turned upside down.
His wife has left him, and his employer, Farmstead Insurance, is being rocked by a major corporate takeover engineered by a shadowy private equity firm, Black Belt Capital Ltd. About the only diversions keeping Jake on the rails are the time he spends with his border collie, Elwood, and the opportunities he has to spend a few hours fishing during the course of his many out-of-town business trips. But prospects begin to brighten for Jake after he meets and falls for Meg Vann, one of his co-workers from the coastal California town of Eureka. When a resort property insured with Farmstead burns down and the body of a man is discovered in the charred ruins, Meg begins to suspect that the fire was not accidental. Jake is initially skeptical, but as he and Meg dig into clues stretching from Sacramento to Eureka, they discover that Black Belt appears to be setting up an insurance fraud of massive proportions, threatening Farmstead’s solvency. Fighting corporate resistance and government inertia, Meg and Jake have to rely on the wits of their co-workers and Meg’s Eureka contacts to put the puzzle together and prevent the disastrous loss.
Susan and Randy Padgett live in Davis, California, 20 miles west of Sacramento. They have shared a love of mysteries and the attractions of California for more than 40 years. Susan is a retired legal secretary, paralegal and university staff member. Randy is a retired attorney. They are fond of the rugged north coast region of California and its dense, dark redwood forests, where much of Risk Assessment: A Mystery unfolds.
Ireland 2021 — The Emerald Isle
A rainbow of hope for 34 Americans visiting Ireland during the COVID-19 pandemic
By Marti Smiley Childs with Jacquelin J. Smiley
Paperback, 98 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, color throughout
Published in February 2022 for private distribution, among only family members and friends
We use our Book Prep publication services not only for clients, but also for ourselves. EditPros co-owner Marti Smiley Childs took advantage of our Book Prep resources to create and publish a journal of her vacation travels through Ireland last autumn. Marti wanted to give family members and friends the opportunity to view many of the hundreds of photos that she shot during the trip. And she wanted to present the photos in a durable form. She concluded that the best way to do that would be to produce a book, but to keep its circulation status “private” — that is, to make it available only to people whom she chooses. Several clients who used Book Prep services did likewise with their books.
Marti and her mother, Jacquelin, initially purchased tickets in 2019 from CIE Tours to visit Ireland in May 2020. Those plans were put on hold because of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair rescheduled and were forced to postpone their trip several more times during the ensuing 16 months, as Irish government officials restricted travel there. Finally in September 2021, after Ireland reopened for tourism, Marti and her mother were able to travel there. Along with 32 other Americans in their tour group, they circled the Emerald Isle in two buses. During their nine-day adventure they visited Dublin, Glendalough, Waterford, Cobh, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Knock, Donegal, Derry, the Giant's Causeway and Belfast, before returning to Dublin, where they were on their own to tour the Guinness Storehouse and tasting room.
Marti shot photos throughout the journey, and upon her return to our office began work on this book as a gift not only for her mother's 87th birthday, but also for other family members and friends. Although Marti has not made the book available for sale to the public, she is able to purchase as many copies as she wants at the wholesale price. For authors who do want to make their books available commercially in both print and digital editions, EditPros formats and converts the book files into e-book formats for sale through Amazon (Kindle), Apple (iBooks), Barnes & Noble (Nook), and Kobo, by means of submission to IngramSpark's e-book service.
Published in February 2022 for private distribution, among only family members and friends
We use our Book Prep publication services not only for clients, but also for ourselves. EditPros co-owner Marti Smiley Childs took advantage of our Book Prep resources to create and publish a journal of her vacation travels through Ireland last autumn. Marti wanted to give family members and friends the opportunity to view many of the hundreds of photos that she shot during the trip. And she wanted to present the photos in a durable form. She concluded that the best way to do that would be to produce a book, but to keep its circulation status “private” — that is, to make it available only to people whom she chooses. Several clients who used Book Prep services did likewise with their books.
Marti and her mother, Jacquelin, initially purchased tickets in 2019 from CIE Tours to visit Ireland in May 2020. Those plans were put on hold because of the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. The pair rescheduled and were forced to postpone their trip several more times during the ensuing 16 months, as Irish government officials restricted travel there. Finally in September 2021, after Ireland reopened for tourism, Marti and her mother were able to travel there. Along with 32 other Americans in their tour group, they circled the Emerald Isle in two buses. During their nine-day adventure they visited Dublin, Glendalough, Waterford, Cobh, Killarney, the Ring of Kerry, the Cliffs of Moher, Galway, Knock, Donegal, Derry, the Giant's Causeway and Belfast, before returning to Dublin, where they were on their own to tour the Guinness Storehouse and tasting room.
Marti shot photos throughout the journey, and upon her return to our office began work on this book as a gift not only for her mother's 87th birthday, but also for other family members and friends. Although Marti has not made the book available for sale to the public, she is able to purchase as many copies as she wants at the wholesale price. For authors who do want to make their books available commercially in both print and digital editions, EditPros formats and converts the book files into e-book formats for sale through Amazon (Kindle), Apple (iBooks), Barnes & Noble (Nook), and Kobo, by means of submission to IngramSpark's e-book service.
Black, Brown, and White: Stories Straight Outta Compton
By Lynne A. Isbell, Rebecca Pantaleon and Bonita Bradshaw
Publisher: Bobely Books
Paperback, 246 pages, 6 x 9 inches, color throughout, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN 979-8-9851540-0-9)
Ebook, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN 979-8-9851540-1-6)
Black, Brown, and White: Stories Straight Outta Compton chronicles the lives of three friends from different ethnic backgrounds, including their unique individual experiences while coming of age in Compton, California, during the 1960s and early ’70s. Against the backdrop of the nation’s civil rights and Black power movements, Compton quickly underwent a transition in its racial demographics. Although the girls grew up together, they experienced Compton’s transformation very differently. Their experiences left indelible marks on their later development into adulthood. As our country struggles with racial tension rivaling that of the 1960s, the timing of this book could not be better: it offers a real-life example of how finding common ground among people who are different can lead to a lifetime of mutual caring and support. This book holds appeal for those who appreciate books about urban history, racism, and social justice, books from underrepresented voices, or coming-of-age memoirs. It also will be useful to academic programs in English, California history, ethnic studies, and race and social justice discussions.
Coauthor Lynne Isbell is a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Davis, and author of the award-winning book The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent: Why We See So Well (Harvard University Press, 2009), as well as more than 100 scientific journal articles and book chapters. Rebecca Pantaleon is the author of two children’s books and is an assistant manager for the SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. Bonita Bradshaw is a visual artist and director of special projects at the Grace Hopper STEM Charter Academy in Inglewood, California. The three developed lifelong mutual friendships as they grew up together in Compton.
Paperback, 246 pages, 6 x 9 inches, color throughout, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN 979-8-9851540-0-9)
Ebook, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN 979-8-9851540-1-6)
Black, Brown, and White: Stories Straight Outta Compton chronicles the lives of three friends from different ethnic backgrounds, including their unique individual experiences while coming of age in Compton, California, during the 1960s and early ’70s. Against the backdrop of the nation’s civil rights and Black power movements, Compton quickly underwent a transition in its racial demographics. Although the girls grew up together, they experienced Compton’s transformation very differently. Their experiences left indelible marks on their later development into adulthood. As our country struggles with racial tension rivaling that of the 1960s, the timing of this book could not be better: it offers a real-life example of how finding common ground among people who are different can lead to a lifetime of mutual caring and support. This book holds appeal for those who appreciate books about urban history, racism, and social justice, books from underrepresented voices, or coming-of-age memoirs. It also will be useful to academic programs in English, California history, ethnic studies, and race and social justice discussions.
Coauthor Lynne Isbell is a professor of anthropology at the University of California, Davis, and author of the award-winning book The Fruit, the Tree, and the Serpent: Why We See So Well (Harvard University Press, 2009), as well as more than 100 scientific journal articles and book chapters. Rebecca Pantaleon is the author of two children’s books and is an assistant manager for the SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union. Bonita Bradshaw is a visual artist and director of special projects at the Grace Hopper STEM Charter Academy in Inglewood, California. The three developed lifelong mutual friendships as they grew up together in Compton.
The Sitka Adventure: Voyage To New Helvetia
By Andrew St. Mary, Sonya St. Mary and Shirley Ann Wilson Moore
Cover and illustrations by Sharon Machida Okada
Publisher: PonyBoat Publishers, Sacramento, CA
Suggested age range: 8–12
Paperback, 130 pages, 6 x 9 inches, color throughout, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN 979-8-9852106-0-6)
Ebook, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN 979-8-9852106-1-3)
The Sitka Adventure: Voyage to New Helvetia is based on historical fact but is first and foremost a children's fantasy and adventure story. This rousing tale of whimsy and what-ifs is told by a 10-year-old Miwok Indian boy named Elsu, his father Enyeto, and mother Litonya. It unfolds through the memories of Elsu's grandfather, Liwanu, who is the principal narrator.
Over the course of several days, Elsu and his family sit fascinated as Grandpa Liwanu recounts his experiences as a young man on a long-ago trip to Yerba Buena Island in the San Francisco Bay. To reveal the events he witnessed, Grandpa Liwanu draws on Miwok traditions of storytelling, respect for Elders, and their special relationship with animals (whom they regard as brothers and sisters). After hearing Grandpa Liwanu's amazing story, Elsu and his mother and father know that they will never be the same. The Sitka Adventure: Voyage to New Helvetia is meant to encourage young readers to imagine a world in which animals can talk and reason, act compassionately, and work together even when others might appear different from or hostile to them. The intrepid animals in this story are challenged by all of this. By the time they are ready to steam back home to Yerba Buena Island, they have learned many life-changing lessons — the most important one being that all creatures, no matter how big or small, can be afraid, yet no matter how big or small, they also can be kind and brave — even in difficult and dangerous situations.
“The sharing of stories gives us our history and reminds us of our purpose.”
— Mary Tarango, Miwok Tribal Elder,
Chairperson Emeritus, Wilton Band of Miwok, Wilton Rancheria
Suggested age range: 8–12
Paperback, 130 pages, 6 x 9 inches, color throughout, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN 979-8-9852106-0-6)
Ebook, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN 979-8-9852106-1-3)
The Sitka Adventure: Voyage to New Helvetia is based on historical fact but is first and foremost a children's fantasy and adventure story. This rousing tale of whimsy and what-ifs is told by a 10-year-old Miwok Indian boy named Elsu, his father Enyeto, and mother Litonya. It unfolds through the memories of Elsu's grandfather, Liwanu, who is the principal narrator.
Over the course of several days, Elsu and his family sit fascinated as Grandpa Liwanu recounts his experiences as a young man on a long-ago trip to Yerba Buena Island in the San Francisco Bay. To reveal the events he witnessed, Grandpa Liwanu draws on Miwok traditions of storytelling, respect for Elders, and their special relationship with animals (whom they regard as brothers and sisters). After hearing Grandpa Liwanu's amazing story, Elsu and his mother and father know that they will never be the same. The Sitka Adventure: Voyage to New Helvetia is meant to encourage young readers to imagine a world in which animals can talk and reason, act compassionately, and work together even when others might appear different from or hostile to them. The intrepid animals in this story are challenged by all of this. By the time they are ready to steam back home to Yerba Buena Island, they have learned many life-changing lessons — the most important one being that all creatures, no matter how big or small, can be afraid, yet no matter how big or small, they also can be kind and brave — even in difficult and dangerous situations.
“The sharing of stories gives us our history and reminds us of our purpose.”
— Mary Tarango, Miwok Tribal Elder,
Chairperson Emeritus, Wilton Band of Miwok, Wilton Rancheria
Chemical Insensitivity — How the Environment Cost Me My Life:
My Struggle with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity
By Sandy Major
Publisher: SJMCS, LLC
Paperback, 156 pages, 5.25 x 8 inches, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-0879-8814-6)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN 978-1-0879-8818-4)
Published: November 2021
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a modern environmental illness that is difficult to live with, often misdiagnosed, and frustratingly misunderstood by many people. Chemical Insensitivity — How the Environment Cost Me My Life: My Struggle with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity presents one woman’s detailed story of her initial inklings of illness, its relentless worsening, discovery of the cause of her odd symptoms, and the realization of the changes and impact it would have on her life. This compelling account lends perspective to the vagaries of the illness by comparing her experience with another woman’s long-term MCS, including the similarities and differences between them. Chemical Insensitivity — How the Environment Cost Me My Life includes some of the latest medical findings about MCS, a description of the quirks of the illness, and their medical explanations. Learn what can be expected during the course of the illness, numerous tips on how to live with it, and suggestions for others who wish to support persons afflicted with MCS.
Unfortunately, we are all susceptible to this illness in our modern chemical-laden world. Will your stress, circumstance and/or genetics, together with hundreds of detectable chemicals in your body, change your immune system forever? Do you know what is really causing your cough, your anxiety, your inability to focus, your inability to sleep well, or your brain fog? This book can help you learn what you can do to help ward off MCS.
Chemical Insensitivity was published posthumously, following Sandy's death from cancer; MCS had rendered her unable to withstand chemotherapy.
Paperback, 156 pages, 5.25 x 8 inches, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-0879-8814-6)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN 978-1-0879-8818-4)
Published: November 2021
Multiple Chemical Sensitivity (MCS) is a modern environmental illness that is difficult to live with, often misdiagnosed, and frustratingly misunderstood by many people. Chemical Insensitivity — How the Environment Cost Me My Life: My Struggle with Multiple Chemical Sensitivity presents one woman’s detailed story of her initial inklings of illness, its relentless worsening, discovery of the cause of her odd symptoms, and the realization of the changes and impact it would have on her life. This compelling account lends perspective to the vagaries of the illness by comparing her experience with another woman’s long-term MCS, including the similarities and differences between them. Chemical Insensitivity — How the Environment Cost Me My Life includes some of the latest medical findings about MCS, a description of the quirks of the illness, and their medical explanations. Learn what can be expected during the course of the illness, numerous tips on how to live with it, and suggestions for others who wish to support persons afflicted with MCS.
Unfortunately, we are all susceptible to this illness in our modern chemical-laden world. Will your stress, circumstance and/or genetics, together with hundreds of detectable chemicals in your body, change your immune system forever? Do you know what is really causing your cough, your anxiety, your inability to focus, your inability to sleep well, or your brain fog? This book can help you learn what you can do to help ward off MCS.
Chemical Insensitivity was published posthumously, following Sandy's death from cancer; MCS had rendered her unable to withstand chemotherapy.
Walker–Stefani Family History
By Larry Walker (a two-volume set)
Part I : The Twelve Ancestral Immigrants To California
Hardback, 98 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, color and black-and-white photos
Published in February 2021 for private distribution, among family members only
Part 2 — Larry and Louise Walker and Their Children, Parents and Grandparents
Hardback, 228 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, color and black-and-white photos
Published in June 2021 for private distribution, among family members only
When retired civil engineer Larry Walker, P.E., began organizing his family history, he realized the saga would be best presented in two volumes. He traced ancestral lines to the early 1600s in colonial New England. With the help of the EditPros Book Prep service, in February 2021 he published the first volume, The Walker-Stefani Family History: Part 1 — The Twelve Ancestral Immigrants to California, which focused on his 12 ancestors and family groups who immigrated to California between 1850 and 1921.
He then turned his attention to the second volume, The Walker-Stefani Family History: Part 2 — Larry and Louise Walker and Their Children, Parents and Grandparents. Published in June 2021, the concluding volume contains detailed information on the lives of Louise and Larry, based on their records and recollections. It also presents information on the early lives of their four children, and on the experiences of their parents and grandparents. The two companion volumes will become invaluable heirlooms for present and future generations of the Walker and Stefani families.
“My purpose in researching our family history and then writing this book was to satisfy my own curiosity, while at the same time providing a resource should future generations of our family develop a similar curiosity,” Larry said. He intentionally limited distribution of both volumes only to family members; the books are unavailable for sale by commercial retailers.
Hardback, 98 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, color and black-and-white photos
Published in February 2021 for private distribution, among family members only
Part 2 — Larry and Louise Walker and Their Children, Parents and Grandparents
Hardback, 228 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, color and black-and-white photos
Published in June 2021 for private distribution, among family members only
When retired civil engineer Larry Walker, P.E., began organizing his family history, he realized the saga would be best presented in two volumes. He traced ancestral lines to the early 1600s in colonial New England. With the help of the EditPros Book Prep service, in February 2021 he published the first volume, The Walker-Stefani Family History: Part 1 — The Twelve Ancestral Immigrants to California, which focused on his 12 ancestors and family groups who immigrated to California between 1850 and 1921.
He then turned his attention to the second volume, The Walker-Stefani Family History: Part 2 — Larry and Louise Walker and Their Children, Parents and Grandparents. Published in June 2021, the concluding volume contains detailed information on the lives of Louise and Larry, based on their records and recollections. It also presents information on the early lives of their four children, and on the experiences of their parents and grandparents. The two companion volumes will become invaluable heirlooms for present and future generations of the Walker and Stefani families.
“My purpose in researching our family history and then writing this book was to satisfy my own curiosity, while at the same time providing a resource should future generations of our family develop a similar curiosity,” Larry said. He intentionally limited distribution of both volumes only to family members; the books are unavailable for sale by commercial retailers.
When Good Science Won (But It Wasn’t Easy): California’s Rise to Earthquake Safety Leadership
By Robert A. Olson
Publisher: Whispering Oak Publishing
Hardback with dust jacket, 200 pages, 6 x 9 inches, with black-and-white photos (ISBN: 978-1-7371663-0-6)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7371663-1-3)
Published: May 2021
Throughout the first eight decades of statehood, earthquake-prone California lacked building and engineering codes to reduce earthquake-induced structural damage that endangered human life. The devastating 1933 Long Beach earthquake in which at least 115 people died and more than 100 schools were heavily damaged or destroyed brought about the first meaningful change. Fortunately the quake occurred in the late afternoon, when students were already home. The quake precipitated passage of two precedent-setting structural integrity laws: the Field Act, which empowered the Office of the State Architect with regulatory authority over construction of public schools, and the Riley Act, which set minimum locally enforceable standards for constructing buildings in general. Other deadly earthquakes since then have instigated additional legislation that established greatly improved safety standards — but development and passage of those bills wasn't easy.
Disaster prevention and hazard mitigation expert Robert A. Olson was instrumental in drafting key seismic safety bills and shepherding them through the legislative process, which he documents in his book When Good Science Won (But it Wasn't Easy): California's Rise to Earthquake Safety Leadership. Olson describes the lengthy, often labyrinthine course through which earthquake safety requirements are conceived and codified into law.
Olson was the first executive director of the California Seismic Safety Commission, from 1975 to 1981. His engaging narrative in the book transports readers into the rubble of earthquake-damaged buildings, roads and bridges, and deep into the corridors of the state Capitol, as he describes the negotiations that led to passage of the two pioneering laws stemming from the Long Beach earthquake. The book also explores the negotiations behind legislation instigated by three other catastrophic convulsions: the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, the 1989 Loma Prieta quake and the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
When Good Science Won (But it Wasn't Easy): California's Rise to Earthquake Safety Leadership is as much about geologic underpinnings and damaging effects of earthquakes as it is about legislative politics: the process that every proposed California law undergoes from idea to law (or rejection). The seismic safety bills that California's legislature passed into law are testaments to the earnestness and diligence of lawmakers, volunteer advocates and staffers whose intention was to protect the people of California and minimize damage to public and private property.
Hardback with dust jacket, 200 pages, 6 x 9 inches, with black-and-white photos (ISBN: 978-1-7371663-0-6)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7371663-1-3)
Published: May 2021
Throughout the first eight decades of statehood, earthquake-prone California lacked building and engineering codes to reduce earthquake-induced structural damage that endangered human life. The devastating 1933 Long Beach earthquake in which at least 115 people died and more than 100 schools were heavily damaged or destroyed brought about the first meaningful change. Fortunately the quake occurred in the late afternoon, when students were already home. The quake precipitated passage of two precedent-setting structural integrity laws: the Field Act, which empowered the Office of the State Architect with regulatory authority over construction of public schools, and the Riley Act, which set minimum locally enforceable standards for constructing buildings in general. Other deadly earthquakes since then have instigated additional legislation that established greatly improved safety standards — but development and passage of those bills wasn't easy.
Disaster prevention and hazard mitigation expert Robert A. Olson was instrumental in drafting key seismic safety bills and shepherding them through the legislative process, which he documents in his book When Good Science Won (But it Wasn't Easy): California's Rise to Earthquake Safety Leadership. Olson describes the lengthy, often labyrinthine course through which earthquake safety requirements are conceived and codified into law.
Olson was the first executive director of the California Seismic Safety Commission, from 1975 to 1981. His engaging narrative in the book transports readers into the rubble of earthquake-damaged buildings, roads and bridges, and deep into the corridors of the state Capitol, as he describes the negotiations that led to passage of the two pioneering laws stemming from the Long Beach earthquake. The book also explores the negotiations behind legislation instigated by three other catastrophic convulsions: the 1971 San Fernando earthquake, the 1989 Loma Prieta quake and the 1994 Northridge earthquake.
When Good Science Won (But it Wasn't Easy): California's Rise to Earthquake Safety Leadership is as much about geologic underpinnings and damaging effects of earthquakes as it is about legislative politics: the process that every proposed California law undergoes from idea to law (or rejection). The seismic safety bills that California's legislature passed into law are testaments to the earnestness and diligence of lawmakers, volunteer advocates and staffers whose intention was to protect the people of California and minimize damage to public and private property.
The Journey— A Memoir
By John C. Bruhn
Hardback, 108 pages, 8.5 x 11 inches, color and black-and-white photos
Published in April 2021 for private distribution, among family members and friends only
The scholarly distinctions of food scientist John C. Bruhn are well documented. During an academic career that spanned nearly four decades, Bruhn was a University of California Cooperative Extension specialist and director of the UC Davis Dairy Research and Information Center, through which he oversaw educational programs for the dairy foods industry and conducted research. Beginning in 1969, he published his findings in more than 140 reports and scholarly journal articles. But while his academic life has been well chronicled, little had been written about his personal life, and his childhood experiences that ushered him toward a career in dairy food science.
Inspired by the memoirs that his wife, Christine, produced with the assistance of EditPros' Book Prep service, John Bruhn set about writing his autobiography, which he titled The Journey: A Memoir. The resultant charming narrative recounts his early childhood years in a Cleveland suburb, in the rural Ohio community of Willoughby and in the Euclid neighborhood, when he discovered how to make colorful creations by melting crayons on the home's heating radiators and he operated his Lionel trains in an attic that overlooked Lake Erie. He recalled his family taking a "farm vacation" on a family farm in West Virginia, giving him his first exposure to agrarian practices. In 1954, when John was in junior high school, he and his family relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which at that time had not yet become a "spring break" destination. His school had been converted from a shuttered U.S. Naval air station that had been erected during World War II.
As John progressed to high school, he learned to play the trombone and joined the marching band, which issued wool uniforms to the band members, despite the steamy tropical climate. John's growing interest in nutrition and food production prompted him to enroll at Michigan State University, where he majored in food science, a discipline that he pursued in graduate school beginning in 1962 at UC Davis. That is where he would meet his future wife, fellow graduate student Christine Mattson. Both became faculty members at UC Davis and built their lives together in the Northern California college town, as John's autobiography, The Journey: A Memoir, recounts. The book is illustrated with selected color and grayscale photographs.
Published in April 2021 for private distribution, among family members and friends only
The scholarly distinctions of food scientist John C. Bruhn are well documented. During an academic career that spanned nearly four decades, Bruhn was a University of California Cooperative Extension specialist and director of the UC Davis Dairy Research and Information Center, through which he oversaw educational programs for the dairy foods industry and conducted research. Beginning in 1969, he published his findings in more than 140 reports and scholarly journal articles. But while his academic life has been well chronicled, little had been written about his personal life, and his childhood experiences that ushered him toward a career in dairy food science.
Inspired by the memoirs that his wife, Christine, produced with the assistance of EditPros' Book Prep service, John Bruhn set about writing his autobiography, which he titled The Journey: A Memoir. The resultant charming narrative recounts his early childhood years in a Cleveland suburb, in the rural Ohio community of Willoughby and in the Euclid neighborhood, when he discovered how to make colorful creations by melting crayons on the home's heating radiators and he operated his Lionel trains in an attic that overlooked Lake Erie. He recalled his family taking a "farm vacation" on a family farm in West Virginia, giving him his first exposure to agrarian practices. In 1954, when John was in junior high school, he and his family relocated to Fort Lauderdale, Florida, which at that time had not yet become a "spring break" destination. His school had been converted from a shuttered U.S. Naval air station that had been erected during World War II.
As John progressed to high school, he learned to play the trombone and joined the marching band, which issued wool uniforms to the band members, despite the steamy tropical climate. John's growing interest in nutrition and food production prompted him to enroll at Michigan State University, where he majored in food science, a discipline that he pursued in graduate school beginning in 1962 at UC Davis. That is where he would meet his future wife, fellow graduate student Christine Mattson. Both became faculty members at UC Davis and built their lives together in the Northern California college town, as John's autobiography, The Journey: A Memoir, recounts. The book is illustrated with selected color and grayscale photographs.
Musings from the Field: Volume 3 — Greece
By Louis Evan Grivetti
Paperback, 8.5 x 11 inches, 228 pages, color photos throughout (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-8-1)
Published in February 2021 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
Over the course of his life as an academic researcher, food scientist and geographer Louis Grivetti spent considerable time in Greece between the mid-1960s and the early 21st century, exploring the Greek mainland and islands. His travels to study archaeological and historical artifacts brought him in contact not only with fellow scholars, but also with villagers in isolated settlements where people still invoke ancient spells and offerings to ancient gods and goddesses in pursuit of cures for health ailments. He traversed the length and breadth of the country by boat, on foot, and by bicycle, from northeastern Thrace, to the southern Peloponnesus; across Macedonia from the Aegean Sea to the Ionian Sea. Along the way, he learned about cultural and dietary traditions, rites and festivals, and customs of the ancient past. In his book Musings from the Field: Volume 3 — Greece, Grivetti has consolidated and described much of what he learned on those exploratory journeys.
Lou Grivetti and his wife, Georgette, attended ancient Greek plays at the Epidaurus Theater; they walked beneath the Lion Gate at Mycenae and marveled at the size and grandeur of the Cyclopean walls that defined that ancient citadel and traditional home of Agamemnon; they visited the Island of Kos, the ancient home and healing center of medical pioneer Hippocrates; and they traced their fingers over the graffiti letters that Lord Byron carved on the wall of the temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
This book is the third and concluding volume of Louis Grivetti’s Musings From the Field series. In all, Grivetti has documented more than 50 years of fieldwork and family activities in that part of the world. Musings From The Field: Volume 3 — Greece is the eighth book that Grivetti has published through Book Prep.
Published in February 2021 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
Over the course of his life as an academic researcher, food scientist and geographer Louis Grivetti spent considerable time in Greece between the mid-1960s and the early 21st century, exploring the Greek mainland and islands. His travels to study archaeological and historical artifacts brought him in contact not only with fellow scholars, but also with villagers in isolated settlements where people still invoke ancient spells and offerings to ancient gods and goddesses in pursuit of cures for health ailments. He traversed the length and breadth of the country by boat, on foot, and by bicycle, from northeastern Thrace, to the southern Peloponnesus; across Macedonia from the Aegean Sea to the Ionian Sea. Along the way, he learned about cultural and dietary traditions, rites and festivals, and customs of the ancient past. In his book Musings from the Field: Volume 3 — Greece, Grivetti has consolidated and described much of what he learned on those exploratory journeys.
Lou Grivetti and his wife, Georgette, attended ancient Greek plays at the Epidaurus Theater; they walked beneath the Lion Gate at Mycenae and marveled at the size and grandeur of the Cyclopean walls that defined that ancient citadel and traditional home of Agamemnon; they visited the Island of Kos, the ancient home and healing center of medical pioneer Hippocrates; and they traced their fingers over the graffiti letters that Lord Byron carved on the wall of the temple of Poseidon at Cape Sounion.
This book is the third and concluding volume of Louis Grivetti’s Musings From the Field series. In all, Grivetti has documented more than 50 years of fieldwork and family activities in that part of the world. Musings From The Field: Volume 3 — Greece is the eighth book that Grivetti has published through Book Prep.
Kate M. Herring — Mrs. J. Henry Highsmith: Collected Writings
Edited by D. Kern Holoman
Publisher: au Vieux Logis
Paperback, 644 pages, 6.7 x 9.6 inches, 7 black-and-white photos, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-7356907-0-4)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7356907-2-8)
Published: November 2020
Kate Herring Highsmith (1880–1966), journalist and club woman, was an indefatigable Raleigh activist on behalf of the health and welfare of all North Carolinians. Writing principally for the state Health Bulletin and Sunday newspapers, she covered subjects from tuberculosis to marijuana, incarceration to maternity and infant care, libraries to art museums. This collection of some 250 of her essays and press releases is presented by her grandson, D. Kern Holoman.
The chronology that introduces each chapter, based largely on items in the “society” pages, is necessarily selective. Not every Tuesday meetings of the Twentieth-Century Book Club, for instance, nor all the regular meetings of the Woman’s Club of Raleigh, make sense to include. Mrs. Highsmith was said to have attended every single Duke University commencement after her own graduation from Trinity in 1906. She organized the Wake County Duke Alumnae Association, which often met at her home. Doubtless she was present at, often speaking to, many dozens more PTA and church meetings than cited here, and she likely tried to be present when Dr. Highsmith gave major orations, which was often. The text also makes note of social events and vacations, for their insights into her rich social life and into her devotion, in the midst of everything else, to her sisters and her children.
Paperback, 644 pages, 6.7 x 9.6 inches, 7 black-and-white photos, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-7356907-0-4)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7356907-2-8)
Published: November 2020
Kate Herring Highsmith (1880–1966), journalist and club woman, was an indefatigable Raleigh activist on behalf of the health and welfare of all North Carolinians. Writing principally for the state Health Bulletin and Sunday newspapers, she covered subjects from tuberculosis to marijuana, incarceration to maternity and infant care, libraries to art museums. This collection of some 250 of her essays and press releases is presented by her grandson, D. Kern Holoman.
The chronology that introduces each chapter, based largely on items in the “society” pages, is necessarily selective. Not every Tuesday meetings of the Twentieth-Century Book Club, for instance, nor all the regular meetings of the Woman’s Club of Raleigh, make sense to include. Mrs. Highsmith was said to have attended every single Duke University commencement after her own graduation from Trinity in 1906. She organized the Wake County Duke Alumnae Association, which often met at her home. Doubtless she was present at, often speaking to, many dozens more PTA and church meetings than cited here, and she likely tried to be present when Dr. Highsmith gave major orations, which was often. The text also makes note of social events and vacations, for their insights into her rich social life and into her devotion, in the midst of everything else, to her sisters and her children.
Honor and Trust: My Journey With America’s Refugees 1975–2020
By Nguyen Van Hanh
Paperback, 8.5 x 11 inches, 250 pages, color photos throughout, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-937317-51-5)
Published: October 2020
Honor and Trust: My Journey With America’s Refugees 1975–2020, is a comprehensive account of the exodus of Southeast Asian refugees in the aftermath of the Vietnam War since 1975 and their adaptation in America. The book chronices the distinguished military, government leadership and academic career of its author, Nguyen Van Hanh, a former Vietnamese refugee who had served as a senior staff member for Nguyen Van Thieu, president of the Republic of Vietnam in Saigon, then in the late 1970s became director of California’s Office of Refugee Affairs and subsequently director of the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement.
In Honor and Trust, Nguyen reveals intimate details about his professional and social interactions with officials in California and Washington, D.C., as he expanded programs affording immigrants improved access to technical training, health care and business start-up capital. He epitomized the courage and determination of more than a million Vietnamese who escaped communist rule with little more than the clothing that they wore. His leadership helped them surmount their struggles to become self-reliant, productive members of society in the United States. The first 167 pages of the book are written in English, and the last 83 pages present a summary written in Vietnamese.
The book’s introduction by Arthur Dewey, former assistant secretary of state, says, “When I was assistant secretary of state for Population, Refugees, and Migration under President George W. Bush, Hanh was at the Department of Health and Human Services in charge of all refugee resettlement in the United States at the national level. I knew the importance of his work while we were coworkers, but not the inspiring trajectory that had brought him to this pinnacle of the American refugee resettlement program.”
A naturalized U.S. citizen, Nguyen exhibited enduring personal commitments to the national humanitarian endeavor, led in-depth discussions on U.S. policies and programs, and maintained active working relationships with government agencies and private-sector organizations that have assisted millions of newcomers in becoming contributing members of American society.
Published: October 2020
Honor and Trust: My Journey With America’s Refugees 1975–2020, is a comprehensive account of the exodus of Southeast Asian refugees in the aftermath of the Vietnam War since 1975 and their adaptation in America. The book chronices the distinguished military, government leadership and academic career of its author, Nguyen Van Hanh, a former Vietnamese refugee who had served as a senior staff member for Nguyen Van Thieu, president of the Republic of Vietnam in Saigon, then in the late 1970s became director of California’s Office of Refugee Affairs and subsequently director of the U.S. Office of Refugee Resettlement.
In Honor and Trust, Nguyen reveals intimate details about his professional and social interactions with officials in California and Washington, D.C., as he expanded programs affording immigrants improved access to technical training, health care and business start-up capital. He epitomized the courage and determination of more than a million Vietnamese who escaped communist rule with little more than the clothing that they wore. His leadership helped them surmount their struggles to become self-reliant, productive members of society in the United States. The first 167 pages of the book are written in English, and the last 83 pages present a summary written in Vietnamese.
The book’s introduction by Arthur Dewey, former assistant secretary of state, says, “When I was assistant secretary of state for Population, Refugees, and Migration under President George W. Bush, Hanh was at the Department of Health and Human Services in charge of all refugee resettlement in the United States at the national level. I knew the importance of his work while we were coworkers, but not the inspiring trajectory that had brought him to this pinnacle of the American refugee resettlement program.”
A naturalized U.S. citizen, Nguyen exhibited enduring personal commitments to the national humanitarian endeavor, led in-depth discussions on U.S. policies and programs, and maintained active working relationships with government agencies and private-sector organizations that have assisted millions of newcomers in becoming contributing members of American society.
Distance Learning During the Covid-19 School Closures:
A guide for students, teachers and families during the 2020-21 school year
By David Daniels
— AND A SPANISH-LANGUAGE EDITION --
Aprendizaje a Distancia Durante el Cierre de la Escuela por el Covid-19:
Una guia de aprendizaje para estudiantes, maestros y familias durante el año escolar 2020-2021
By David Daniels, with Spanish translation by Leticia Amezcua
Paperback, 8.5 x 11 inches, 48-page workbook
English version, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-0879-0646-1)
Published: September 2020
Spanish version, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-0879-1054-3)
Published: September 2020
When secondary schools shifted their curricula to distance learning at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, California high school education specialist David Daniels became acutely aware of the shortcomings of video conference platforms for teaching students remotely.
He immediately began developing Distance Learning During the Covid-19 School Closures (and Aprendizaje a Distancia Durante el Cierre de la Escuela por el Covid-19), a workbook designed to help fill in knowledge gaps that became evident following school closures. This guidebook presents a framework for students, families and teachers to discuss vital topics, such as how and where to study in the home environment, and how to cope with continuous change, within an optimistic framework: looking forward to a brighter future. This workbook supports distance learning by identifying some of its shortcomings but encouraging academic success and participation.
This learning guide features 18 writing/discussion prompts addressing issues such as active participation, family support, emotional strain, and distance learning challenges. It contains more than 20 additional fill-in prompts for students to record the names of their teachers, daily class schedule, and weekend activities.
While many school districts strive to meet new challenges using paperless electronic formats, Distance Learning During the Covid-19 School Closures offers a welcome and tangible benefit for many students and their families. The print format offers greater opportunity and ease of access for parents who face unprecedented burdens, including a barrage of school-sourced emails. Attractive graphics and interesting topics make Distance Learning During the Covid-19 School Closures a unique tool for connecting with teens who are reluctant to fully engage in distance learning.
English version, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-0879-0646-1)
Published: September 2020
Spanish version, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-0879-1054-3)
Published: September 2020
When secondary schools shifted their curricula to distance learning at the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic in March 2020, California high school education specialist David Daniels became acutely aware of the shortcomings of video conference platforms for teaching students remotely.
He immediately began developing Distance Learning During the Covid-19 School Closures (and Aprendizaje a Distancia Durante el Cierre de la Escuela por el Covid-19), a workbook designed to help fill in knowledge gaps that became evident following school closures. This guidebook presents a framework for students, families and teachers to discuss vital topics, such as how and where to study in the home environment, and how to cope with continuous change, within an optimistic framework: looking forward to a brighter future. This workbook supports distance learning by identifying some of its shortcomings but encouraging academic success and participation.
This learning guide features 18 writing/discussion prompts addressing issues such as active participation, family support, emotional strain, and distance learning challenges. It contains more than 20 additional fill-in prompts for students to record the names of their teachers, daily class schedule, and weekend activities.
While many school districts strive to meet new challenges using paperless electronic formats, Distance Learning During the Covid-19 School Closures offers a welcome and tangible benefit for many students and their families. The print format offers greater opportunity and ease of access for parents who face unprecedented burdens, including a barrage of school-sourced emails. Attractive graphics and interesting topics make Distance Learning During the Covid-19 School Closures a unique tool for connecting with teens who are reluctant to fully engage in distance learning.
Musings From the Field: Volume 2 — Egypt
By Louis Evan Grivetti
Paperback, 8.5 x 11 inches, 236 pages, color photos throughout (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-7-4)
Published in September 2020 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
Musings from the Field: Volume 2 — Egypt encompasses selected passages from the letters and fieldwork journals of retired University of California professor Louis E. Grivetti, who lived and worked in Egypt during several intervals between 1964 and 2011. Grivetti, a food scientist and geographer, immersed himself in Egyptian culture when conducting fieldwork. He also spent time visiting and traveling with family members and friends throughout Egypt.
This is the second of three planned volumes from Grivetti’s Musings From the Field series. His fieldwork and research in Egypt focused on historical and contemporary cultural food habits. As a professor of nutrition and geography, he spent several sabbatical periods working in the eastern Mediterranean region, primarily in Egypt and Greece, but also in Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Turkey.
In all, Grivetti has documented more than 50 years of fieldwork and family activities in that part of the world. Musings From The Field: Volume 2 — Egypt, the seventh book that Grivetti has published through Book Prep, offers his personal insights about what he observed, experienced and learned during his explorations of Egypt.
Published in September 2020 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
Musings from the Field: Volume 2 — Egypt encompasses selected passages from the letters and fieldwork journals of retired University of California professor Louis E. Grivetti, who lived and worked in Egypt during several intervals between 1964 and 2011. Grivetti, a food scientist and geographer, immersed himself in Egyptian culture when conducting fieldwork. He also spent time visiting and traveling with family members and friends throughout Egypt.
This is the second of three planned volumes from Grivetti’s Musings From the Field series. His fieldwork and research in Egypt focused on historical and contemporary cultural food habits. As a professor of nutrition and geography, he spent several sabbatical periods working in the eastern Mediterranean region, primarily in Egypt and Greece, but also in Israel, Italy, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and Turkey.
In all, Grivetti has documented more than 50 years of fieldwork and family activities in that part of the world. Musings From The Field: Volume 2 — Egypt, the seventh book that Grivetti has published through Book Prep, offers his personal insights about what he observed, experienced and learned during his explorations of Egypt.
A Dog’s Tale — A Furry Farm Fantasy
By Susan Curry
Ideas and illustrations by Isla B
Across Ocean Books, Davis, CA
Paperback, 100 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-944176-06-1)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-087903-35-4)
Published: June 2020
Life on a farm can be challenging. A Dog’s Tale — A Furry Farm Fantasy is a story about a farm family’s adventures as told from the perspective of their Australian Shepherd dog, who has a secret ability, and uses it well. Facts mingle with fantasy in ways that readers will find both engaging and exciting. The story grew out of a request from 11-year-old Isla, one of Susan’s granddaughters, to write a book for her during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions. “For once, I had time, as did she,” Susan said.
Isla had in mind whom and what the plot should include. Her list of people included a family — a mom, dad and four children — and she envisioned details of their activities and character traits. She suggested building the story around an Australian shepherd dog named Sheila, who understands human language.
“Because we were separated for safety, Isla and I communicated via FaceTime. About once a week I sent her a few pages,” Susan explained. “She’s the middle child of three, a fifth-grader, and a true animal lover. Her interest in and vast knowledge of animals has grown over the years. She now fosters kittens for the SPCA prior to their adoption.”
Susan Curry, who lives with her husband in Davis, California, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, mostly retired, and the mother of three adult children. She is the author of Truth, Fiction and Lies, a murder mystery also published with the assistance of Book Prep.
“I’ve had so much fun writing this story,” Susan said. “From the beginning I had two goals: to produce a book that Isla will enjoy and treasure, and as a suggestion that other parents or grandparents might like to try during our weeks of confinement at home.”
Paperback, 100 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-944176-06-1)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-087903-35-4)
Published: June 2020
Life on a farm can be challenging. A Dog’s Tale — A Furry Farm Fantasy is a story about a farm family’s adventures as told from the perspective of their Australian Shepherd dog, who has a secret ability, and uses it well. Facts mingle with fantasy in ways that readers will find both engaging and exciting. The story grew out of a request from 11-year-old Isla, one of Susan’s granddaughters, to write a book for her during the COVID-19 shelter-in-place restrictions. “For once, I had time, as did she,” Susan said.
Isla had in mind whom and what the plot should include. Her list of people included a family — a mom, dad and four children — and she envisioned details of their activities and character traits. She suggested building the story around an Australian shepherd dog named Sheila, who understands human language.
“Because we were separated for safety, Isla and I communicated via FaceTime. About once a week I sent her a few pages,” Susan explained. “She’s the middle child of three, a fifth-grader, and a true animal lover. Her interest in and vast knowledge of animals has grown over the years. She now fosters kittens for the SPCA prior to their adoption.”
Susan Curry, who lives with her husband in Davis, California, is a licensed marriage and family therapist, mostly retired, and the mother of three adult children. She is the author of Truth, Fiction and Lies, a murder mystery also published with the assistance of Book Prep.
“I’ve had so much fun writing this story,” Susan said. “From the beginning I had two goals: to produce a book that Isla will enjoy and treasure, and as a suggestion that other parents or grandparents might like to try during our weeks of confinement at home.”
Learning To Be Deaf Without Losing Your Hearing
By Kim Harrell and S. Lea
Fourth Journey Press
Paperback, 182 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-7923-3534-1)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7923-3554-9)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020905554
Published: April 2020
Learning to be Deaf Without Losing Your Hearing, which is part biography and part commentary, introduces readers to the world of Deaf culture. Although written to help beginning American Sign Language students gain understanding, the book is equally engaging for readers interested in learning more about interacting with deaf people. Learning to be Deaf Without Losing Your Hearing is a collection of delightful and engaging stories that chronicle the journey of a Deaf Studies professor from the hearing world into the Deaf world.
Based on her experiences from life on the farm to her triumph of establishing a college-level Deaf Studies program, she challenges the system in ways that offer a fresh perspective to everyone in her wake. Embracing Deaf culture, as well as hearing culture, she bridges the gap, to the benefit of everyone involved.
The authors explain that being Deaf embodies a deep description of who a person really is. It is a culture, a lifestyle, a way of thinking beyond any physical characteristics or heritage. Their intentional capitalization of the word “Deaf” is a mark of respect for individuals who are part of the Deaf culture; it signifies recognition of the experiences, obstacles and frame of reference they have in common.
Kim Harrell, who was born Deaf and raised by hearing parents in Louisiana, attended Gallaudet University as an undergraduate student, and subsequently earned a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Western Oregon University on her way to becoming a professor. She now is dean of Deaf Studies at a community college in Northern California. When she is not in the classroom, conducting scholarly work or traveling, she serves as a certified first responder, traveling to fire and flood zones to gather and transport animals to safety. Her life is hectic but rewarding, and she takes pleasure in spending time at home with her dogs Brodie and Gabby.
Born and raised in California, S. Lea received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA. While working for an audiology clinic to help finance her education, she became intrigued with Deaf culture and the Deaf community. Her realization that few opportunities existed for hearing people to learn ASL made a lasting impression on her. After a long-standing career in hospital administration, Lea went on to fulfill her lifelong dream of learning American Sign Language. She wrote three books of her own before collaborating in this book with Harrell, her ASL professor. As an ASL student, Lea was convinced that the hearing world must develop a better understanding of the Deaf community. Her leisure pursuits include travels with her son and caring for their animals at home.
Paperback, 182 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-7923-3534-1)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7923-3554-9)
Library of Congress Control Number: 2020905554
Published: April 2020
Learning to be Deaf Without Losing Your Hearing, which is part biography and part commentary, introduces readers to the world of Deaf culture. Although written to help beginning American Sign Language students gain understanding, the book is equally engaging for readers interested in learning more about interacting with deaf people. Learning to be Deaf Without Losing Your Hearing is a collection of delightful and engaging stories that chronicle the journey of a Deaf Studies professor from the hearing world into the Deaf world.
Based on her experiences from life on the farm to her triumph of establishing a college-level Deaf Studies program, she challenges the system in ways that offer a fresh perspective to everyone in her wake. Embracing Deaf culture, as well as hearing culture, she bridges the gap, to the benefit of everyone involved.
The authors explain that being Deaf embodies a deep description of who a person really is. It is a culture, a lifestyle, a way of thinking beyond any physical characteristics or heritage. Their intentional capitalization of the word “Deaf” is a mark of respect for individuals who are part of the Deaf culture; it signifies recognition of the experiences, obstacles and frame of reference they have in common.
Kim Harrell, who was born Deaf and raised by hearing parents in Louisiana, attended Gallaudet University as an undergraduate student, and subsequently earned a master’s degree in interdisciplinary studies from Western Oregon University on her way to becoming a professor. She now is dean of Deaf Studies at a community college in Northern California. When she is not in the classroom, conducting scholarly work or traveling, she serves as a certified first responder, traveling to fire and flood zones to gather and transport animals to safety. Her life is hectic but rewarding, and she takes pleasure in spending time at home with her dogs Brodie and Gabby.
Born and raised in California, S. Lea received her bachelor’s degree from UCLA. While working for an audiology clinic to help finance her education, she became intrigued with Deaf culture and the Deaf community. Her realization that few opportunities existed for hearing people to learn ASL made a lasting impression on her. After a long-standing career in hospital administration, Lea went on to fulfill her lifelong dream of learning American Sign Language. She wrote three books of her own before collaborating in this book with Harrell, her ASL professor. As an ASL student, Lea was convinced that the hearing world must develop a better understanding of the Deaf community. Her leisure pursuits include travels with her son and caring for their animals at home.
Musings From the Field: Volume 1 — Viet Nam (1993)
By Louis Evan Grivetti
Paperback, 8.5 x 11 inches, 246 pages, color photos throughout (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-6-7)
Published in April 2020 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
When American food scientist and geographer Louis Grivetti arrived in Ha Noi on April 21, 1993, only 16 months had elapsed since the United States government removed the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam from the restricted travel list for American citizens. The United States had not yet established diplomatic relations with Viet Nam, and the U.S. economic-trade embargo against Viet Nam remained in effect. Grivetti and Garrett Smith, one of his graduate students at the University of California, Davis, had sought to conduct field research in Viet Nam to evaluate the damaging effects of the U.S.-Viet Nam War on agricultural production, the food supply, and ultimately the nutrition and health of the citizens of that southeast Asian nation. Grivetti spent more than a year navigating circuitous diplomatic channels through the United Nations and the Vietnamese Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, before the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Interior granted him permission to visit the then-secretive nation. His hosts were the Department of Geography and Geology at Ha Noi National University, and the Vietnam National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection.
Grivetti’s book Musings From The Field: Volume 1 — Viet Nam (1993), the sixth book that he has published through Book Prep, documents his observations and findings during that initial visit.
“My Vietnamese government hosts greeted me with kind hospitality,” Grivetti wrote. “I was touched emotionally each day in Viet Nam. My mind was flooded with images of the war years, memories triggered merely by seeing road signs – 50 kilometers to Da Nang; 60 kilometers to Sai Gon; or 100 kilometers to Hai Phong. I photographed street vendors selling T-shirts with curious logos, among them Good Morning Vietnam. When I heard hotel Muzac systems playing American music from the 1960s, I was transported back in time.”
Although hostilities had ceased in 1975 and the immediate horrors of war had ended, scars remained, as Musings From the Field describes.
“Some of the landscapes I visited remained lethal, whether from unexploded ordnance or from lingering toxic effects of herbicides and defoliant agents,” Grivetti wrote. “Numerous citizens I encountered on the streets of Viet Nam exhibited physical and mental effects of the war that ravaged their country. Most telling were the numerous cemeteries and monuments to the dead that silently cried out to me.”
Musings From The Field: Volume 1 — Viet Nam (1993) presents images and offers insights about what Viet Nam was like in 1993, and how the process of healing between the two nations — once bitter enemies — had begun.
Published in April 2020 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
When American food scientist and geographer Louis Grivetti arrived in Ha Noi on April 21, 1993, only 16 months had elapsed since the United States government removed the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam from the restricted travel list for American citizens. The United States had not yet established diplomatic relations with Viet Nam, and the U.S. economic-trade embargo against Viet Nam remained in effect. Grivetti and Garrett Smith, one of his graduate students at the University of California, Davis, had sought to conduct field research in Viet Nam to evaluate the damaging effects of the U.S.-Viet Nam War on agricultural production, the food supply, and ultimately the nutrition and health of the citizens of that southeast Asian nation. Grivetti spent more than a year navigating circuitous diplomatic channels through the United Nations and the Vietnamese Embassy in Ottawa, Canada, before the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Agriculture, and Ministry of Interior granted him permission to visit the then-secretive nation. His hosts were the Department of Geography and Geology at Ha Noi National University, and the Vietnam National Institute of Agricultural Planning and Projection.
Grivetti’s book Musings From The Field: Volume 1 — Viet Nam (1993), the sixth book that he has published through Book Prep, documents his observations and findings during that initial visit.
“My Vietnamese government hosts greeted me with kind hospitality,” Grivetti wrote. “I was touched emotionally each day in Viet Nam. My mind was flooded with images of the war years, memories triggered merely by seeing road signs – 50 kilometers to Da Nang; 60 kilometers to Sai Gon; or 100 kilometers to Hai Phong. I photographed street vendors selling T-shirts with curious logos, among them Good Morning Vietnam. When I heard hotel Muzac systems playing American music from the 1960s, I was transported back in time.”
Although hostilities had ceased in 1975 and the immediate horrors of war had ended, scars remained, as Musings From the Field describes.
“Some of the landscapes I visited remained lethal, whether from unexploded ordnance or from lingering toxic effects of herbicides and defoliant agents,” Grivetti wrote. “Numerous citizens I encountered on the streets of Viet Nam exhibited physical and mental effects of the war that ravaged their country. Most telling were the numerous cemeteries and monuments to the dead that silently cried out to me.”
Musings From The Field: Volume 1 — Viet Nam (1993) presents images and offers insights about what Viet Nam was like in 1993, and how the process of healing between the two nations — once bitter enemies — had begun.
What If You Were God? 21-Day Work And Prayer Book To Find Your Inner Substance
By Andrea Elizabeth
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-7346885-0-4)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7346885-1-1)
Nonfiction — spiritual guidance; substance abuse and addiction recovery
Published: February 2020
This 21-day work and prayer book is intended for people who seek to change their lives for the better by recognizing their spiritual weaknesses that influence their character, and by making changes that can help them improve their relationship with themselves. Author Andrea Elizabeth is a seer who derives spiritual guidance from visions, words and music. She is a self-described psychic, wife, mother and recovering alcoholic, as well as a visionary and seer.
“I find it impossible to imagine my life being one of these six descriptions without the others,” Andrea explained. “Each pivotal point assists the other, and each remedy or idea I have found is because I am one of these things.”
Andrea said that she wrote What If You Were God? with the intention of guiding other people.
“I want to help readers come to the realization that we are all God inside — not God as a man-made God, but rather the name given to our spiritual substance held deeply within our soul,” she said. “Having been to the bottom of my life, and worked my way upward and, more importantly, inward, I have at last found peace and a new way to live — free from all ideas of who I thought I was at any particular point in my life. Survival was my only mode for many years, until I surrendered and found that God, or my idea of God, was my threshold for my life.” As Andrea progressed in her recovery, she discovered who she is.
“I found that I am a literal vibrational song of God, or Christ, or Christ-consciousness,” she said. “I have found me. I resonate within my own vibration, within my own sound at my own level of understanding — first, who I am, and second, who God is.”
Andrea challenges the notion of God as an external being to whom people should pray.
“I previously thought that was true. However, I now believe the opposite — that we are all God inside,” she said. “The definition I find most easy to understand is that we are ‘the essence of unconditional love expressed as light.’ What If You Were God? 21-Day Work And Prayer Book To Find Your Inner Substance gives readers the tools to overcome their past and allow themselves to begin creating a new future of self-recognition, self-appreciation, and self-acceptance. Love.”
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes and Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-7346885-1-1)
Nonfiction — spiritual guidance; substance abuse and addiction recovery
Published: February 2020
This 21-day work and prayer book is intended for people who seek to change their lives for the better by recognizing their spiritual weaknesses that influence their character, and by making changes that can help them improve their relationship with themselves. Author Andrea Elizabeth is a seer who derives spiritual guidance from visions, words and music. She is a self-described psychic, wife, mother and recovering alcoholic, as well as a visionary and seer.
“I find it impossible to imagine my life being one of these six descriptions without the others,” Andrea explained. “Each pivotal point assists the other, and each remedy or idea I have found is because I am one of these things.”
Andrea said that she wrote What If You Were God? with the intention of guiding other people.
“I want to help readers come to the realization that we are all God inside — not God as a man-made God, but rather the name given to our spiritual substance held deeply within our soul,” she said. “Having been to the bottom of my life, and worked my way upward and, more importantly, inward, I have at last found peace and a new way to live — free from all ideas of who I thought I was at any particular point in my life. Survival was my only mode for many years, until I surrendered and found that God, or my idea of God, was my threshold for my life.” As Andrea progressed in her recovery, she discovered who she is.
“I found that I am a literal vibrational song of God, or Christ, or Christ-consciousness,” she said. “I have found me. I resonate within my own vibration, within my own sound at my own level of understanding — first, who I am, and second, who God is.”
Andrea challenges the notion of God as an external being to whom people should pray.
“I previously thought that was true. However, I now believe the opposite — that we are all God inside,” she said. “The definition I find most easy to understand is that we are ‘the essence of unconditional love expressed as light.’ What If You Were God? 21-Day Work And Prayer Book To Find Your Inner Substance gives readers the tools to overcome their past and allow themselves to begin creating a new future of self-recognition, self-appreciation, and self-acceptance. Love.”
Surviving Bina’s Secrets: A True Story of Abuse and Recovery in Africa and America
By Bina [Maria Durham]
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-937317-49-2)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-937317-50-8)
Nonfiction — autobiography
Published: February 2020
Surviving Bina’s Secrets: A True Story of Abuse and Recovery in Africa and America is a story of survival, of triumph over persecution and abuse. It’s a story that spans seven decades, a story of redemption, a 6,000-mile journey of desperation that began in the late 1940s on the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa. It is a saga that Maria Durham — known since childhood as “Bina” — had suppressed in her mind for years, but about which she has found peace and attained equilibrium in her life by recounting her experiences in writing, in this book.
She explains, “On these pages, I have written the story of my life — the bad and the good but, as you will read, mostly the bad. I used to be so embarrassed about it all, but I’m grown up now — I’m an old lady.” She acknowledged that she initially resisted the notion of mentally revisiting all that she endured at the hands of predators who took advantage of her trusting nature. Yet she found the process therapeutic.
“I’ve been learning how to talk about it to make myself feel better. Writing this book has helped me a lot. It has helped take away the anger and resentment I’ve had since childhood,” Bina explained. “I am very lucky that I have some good friends to talk to. Some of them are here in the United States, and some are still on the islands off the coast of West Africa. I kept this secret all of my life, until after I turned 50.”
While writing the book was cathartic for Bina, she had an altruistic goal in mind.
“I want to help children so they will not go through what I went through,” she said. “I would like all young people to know that you should not wait until you are old to talk about what happens in your life. Find somebody to talk to. Don’t keep it inside; don’t keep it a secret. Find some way to deal with it, or it will deal with you.”
Even though Bina’s story is disturbing, it’s also enlightening and liberating.
“I wrote Surviving Bina’s Secrets about my life to discover who I am. I want to let other women know what went on in my everyday life as a young child and into adulthood. No one should have to live with the things that I lived with. Women need to speak up for themselves,” she asserts. “I’m not embarrassed anymore.”
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-1-937317-50-8)
Nonfiction — autobiography
Published: February 2020
Surviving Bina’s Secrets: A True Story of Abuse and Recovery in Africa and America is a story of survival, of triumph over persecution and abuse. It’s a story that spans seven decades, a story of redemption, a 6,000-mile journey of desperation that began in the late 1940s on the Cape Verde Islands off the coast of West Africa. It is a saga that Maria Durham — known since childhood as “Bina” — had suppressed in her mind for years, but about which she has found peace and attained equilibrium in her life by recounting her experiences in writing, in this book.
She explains, “On these pages, I have written the story of my life — the bad and the good but, as you will read, mostly the bad. I used to be so embarrassed about it all, but I’m grown up now — I’m an old lady.” She acknowledged that she initially resisted the notion of mentally revisiting all that she endured at the hands of predators who took advantage of her trusting nature. Yet she found the process therapeutic.
“I’ve been learning how to talk about it to make myself feel better. Writing this book has helped me a lot. It has helped take away the anger and resentment I’ve had since childhood,” Bina explained. “I am very lucky that I have some good friends to talk to. Some of them are here in the United States, and some are still on the islands off the coast of West Africa. I kept this secret all of my life, until after I turned 50.”
While writing the book was cathartic for Bina, she had an altruistic goal in mind.
“I want to help children so they will not go through what I went through,” she said. “I would like all young people to know that you should not wait until you are old to talk about what happens in your life. Find somebody to talk to. Don’t keep it inside; don’t keep it a secret. Find some way to deal with it, or it will deal with you.”
Even though Bina’s story is disturbing, it’s also enlightening and liberating.
“I wrote Surviving Bina’s Secrets about my life to discover who I am. I want to let other women know what went on in my everyday life as a young child and into adulthood. No one should have to live with the things that I lived with. Women need to speak up for themselves,” she asserts. “I’m not embarrassed anymore.”
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – a 4-part series
By W.K. “Jake” Wehrell
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part 1: Instead of Skipping Stones
AfterWit Books
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0998763200)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0998763217)
Published: March 2017
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part One: Instead of Skipping Stones is the first in a series of books portraying the life of Roger Yahnke, who grew up in the 1950s and ’60s. The book is an unlikely prelude to Roger’s future duplicitous global adventures. It is a collection of innocent and endearing admissions; a fresh and confidentially narrated pre-teen to adult memoir. The reader will be caught up in a succession of delicate, weighty, and progressively more thought-provoking scenarios. Readers will find themselves smiling or wincing at Roger’s adolescent doubts, conclusions, and best-guess responses — up to and including his almost happenstance choice of a life’s work.
In sharing with you his youthful aspirations, efforts, understandings, and misgivings, Roger hopes to gain some credibility and maybe even a bit of affection, before later disappointing you with a surprising string of selfish, inconsiderate and often illegal activities.
During the Vietnam War, author Jake Wehrell was a pilot for Air America, a passenger and cargo airline that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operated to conduct covert operations in support of U.S. military air and ground forces. Wehrell flew numerous high-risk rescue missions and flights delivering weapons and supplies behind enemy lines during the course of the war. Wehrell drew upon those experiences in creating the fictional Roger Yahnke character.
Excerpt:
Kids generally listen real hard whenever their parents’ voices go hushed, or if we see them react with unusual concern. Well, I was one of those kids, and Dad frequently gave me occasion to respond accordingly. He had a way of registering a look of shocked disbelief whenever some information came his way that was outside his data base. As good a man as he was, it was not because he had spent his youth reading or perfecting cause-and-effect reasoning. He had his own facts; a long list of things that, irrespective of their lack of statistical or scientific basis, were certainties to him. While growing up, what his “Pop” had told him, or other finger-shaking adults had said, became his encyclopedia.
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0998763200)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0998763217)
Published: March 2017
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part One: Instead of Skipping Stones is the first in a series of books portraying the life of Roger Yahnke, who grew up in the 1950s and ’60s. The book is an unlikely prelude to Roger’s future duplicitous global adventures. It is a collection of innocent and endearing admissions; a fresh and confidentially narrated pre-teen to adult memoir. The reader will be caught up in a succession of delicate, weighty, and progressively more thought-provoking scenarios. Readers will find themselves smiling or wincing at Roger’s adolescent doubts, conclusions, and best-guess responses — up to and including his almost happenstance choice of a life’s work.
In sharing with you his youthful aspirations, efforts, understandings, and misgivings, Roger hopes to gain some credibility and maybe even a bit of affection, before later disappointing you with a surprising string of selfish, inconsiderate and often illegal activities.
During the Vietnam War, author Jake Wehrell was a pilot for Air America, a passenger and cargo airline that the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency operated to conduct covert operations in support of U.S. military air and ground forces. Wehrell flew numerous high-risk rescue missions and flights delivering weapons and supplies behind enemy lines during the course of the war. Wehrell drew upon those experiences in creating the fictional Roger Yahnke character.
Excerpt:
Kids generally listen real hard whenever their parents’ voices go hushed, or if we see them react with unusual concern. Well, I was one of those kids, and Dad frequently gave me occasion to respond accordingly. He had a way of registering a look of shocked disbelief whenever some information came his way that was outside his data base. As good a man as he was, it was not because he had spent his youth reading or perfecting cause-and-effect reasoning. He had his own facts; a long list of things that, irrespective of their lack of statistical or scientific basis, were certainties to him. While growing up, what his “Pop” had told him, or other finger-shaking adults had said, became his encyclopedia.
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part 2: The French Riviera, Leo, June and Big Trouble
By W.K. “Jake” Wehrell
AfterWit Books
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0998763224)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0998763231)
Published: August 2018
Roger Yahnke’s decades-long saga of unnerving global escapades (and aggrieved marital status) continues in I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part Two: The French Riviera, Leo, June and Big Trouble. The tale begins in the summer of ’64, at the height of the Cold War. You will gain a new respect (or frightening concern) for the military component of our foreign policy.
Yahnke, a captain in the U.S. Marines, is assigned as a nuclear weapons delivery pilot aboard a U.S. supercarrier. He is assigned his own aircraft, his own bomb, and his own target — an Eastern bloc city that he will vaporize should the Russians launch one ballistic missile westward (or if someone somewhere thinks they did). Stand by for compelling (some mirthful, some tragic, all engaging) shipboard events. But that’s nothing compared to what happens when he’s ashore.
From the bronzed and oiled hedonism of the Cote d’Azur beaches, to bargaining with the KGB in an abandoned house in Bulgaria; from a jail cell in Istanbul where he spends the night with an international film star, to a sunny veranda on the island of Rhodes where he lunches with an exiled king, The French Riviera, Leo, June, and Big Trouble recounts Roger’s baptism to another world and his desperate struggle with his own crippling dilemma.
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0998763224)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0998763231)
Published: August 2018
Roger Yahnke’s decades-long saga of unnerving global escapades (and aggrieved marital status) continues in I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part Two: The French Riviera, Leo, June and Big Trouble. The tale begins in the summer of ’64, at the height of the Cold War. You will gain a new respect (or frightening concern) for the military component of our foreign policy.
Yahnke, a captain in the U.S. Marines, is assigned as a nuclear weapons delivery pilot aboard a U.S. supercarrier. He is assigned his own aircraft, his own bomb, and his own target — an Eastern bloc city that he will vaporize should the Russians launch one ballistic missile westward (or if someone somewhere thinks they did). Stand by for compelling (some mirthful, some tragic, all engaging) shipboard events. But that’s nothing compared to what happens when he’s ashore.
From the bronzed and oiled hedonism of the Cote d’Azur beaches, to bargaining with the KGB in an abandoned house in Bulgaria; from a jail cell in Istanbul where he spends the night with an international film star, to a sunny veranda on the island of Rhodes where he lunches with an exiled king, The French Riviera, Leo, June, and Big Trouble recounts Roger’s baptism to another world and his desperate struggle with his own crippling dilemma.
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part 3: The CIA Secret Airline and Eureka! She Exists!
By W.K. “Jake” Wehrell
AfterWit Books
Paperback, 312 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-4-8)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-5-5)
Published: December 2019
In the third installment of this adventure series, Roger Yahnke becomes an agent in America's covert paramilitary foreign operations. The saga resumes in Southeast Asia, where Roger is witness to the defilement of humanity, seeing firsthand the results of flawed military policy, and — most importantly — the underestimated will of the Vietnamese “silent majority” (which is the real reason the war was from the onset unwinnable).
Back in the States, finally divorced but dedicated to being the best provider for his family, he finds himself pitifully out of touch with all that surrounds him. After a series of endeavors, including a disreputable “pyramid sales” scheme, he retreats to his comfort zone, cavorting with danger on risky 10-hour Atlantic crossings and all-night flights across the Sahara as the sole pilot in small, puddle jumper single-engine aircraft that were in no way designed for either.
Roger pauses for a cup of tea with Judy Garland, experiences a UFO engagement over the Caspian Sea, survives a crash and capture in the jungle, and he pursues vision-saving surgery at the Clinica Barraquer in Barcelona, the city in which he intrudes on a private dinner with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Sadly, these exploits do not mask the deficiency that has subjugated his being. Struggling in an ill-fitting world, he continues to seek that one magic but historically fated-to-failure union. Ashamed and embarrassed, he sincerely and apologetically strives to explain to readers his life-altering condition and his otherwise inexplicable behavior.
Paperback, 312 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-4-8)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-5-5)
Published: December 2019
In the third installment of this adventure series, Roger Yahnke becomes an agent in America's covert paramilitary foreign operations. The saga resumes in Southeast Asia, where Roger is witness to the defilement of humanity, seeing firsthand the results of flawed military policy, and — most importantly — the underestimated will of the Vietnamese “silent majority” (which is the real reason the war was from the onset unwinnable).
Back in the States, finally divorced but dedicated to being the best provider for his family, he finds himself pitifully out of touch with all that surrounds him. After a series of endeavors, including a disreputable “pyramid sales” scheme, he retreats to his comfort zone, cavorting with danger on risky 10-hour Atlantic crossings and all-night flights across the Sahara as the sole pilot in small, puddle jumper single-engine aircraft that were in no way designed for either.
Roger pauses for a cup of tea with Judy Garland, experiences a UFO engagement over the Caspian Sea, survives a crash and capture in the jungle, and he pursues vision-saving surgery at the Clinica Barraquer in Barcelona, the city in which he intrudes on a private dinner with John Lennon and Yoko Ono. Sadly, these exploits do not mask the deficiency that has subjugated his being. Struggling in an ill-fitting world, he continues to seek that one magic but historically fated-to-failure union. Ashamed and embarrassed, he sincerely and apologetically strives to explain to readers his life-altering condition and his otherwise inexplicable behavior.
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking – Part 4: At the End of the Rainbow
By W.K. “Jake” Wehrell
AfterWit Books
Paperback, 218 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-6-2)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-7-9)
Published: August 2020
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking. — Part Four: At the End of the Rainbow brings the saga of fact-based fictional character Roger Yahnke to a close. In Part IV, Roger finally finds that one woman, Mireille — who for reasons not to be understood, decisively unlocks his manhood. He is now a changed being, emboldened and empowered; however, he is now faced with a daunting challenge: he has to find a way to construct a life with Mireille. After seeing and feeling the majesty of snow-capped mountains and the pastoral French countryside, he is fearful Mireille would not be able to abide the States (especially hot, flat Florida).
In spite of this doubt, Roger must investigate any stateside opportunity, and is hugely lucky in attaining a position with a Fortune 500 company. There he is sabotaged, unfortunately, by a jealous superior and endures the disgrace of being “outplaced for management convenience” (fired). The circumstances surely would deny him any future chance of landing another respected position in the aviation field.
Because Roger is incapable of changing his spots, he predictably retreats to more familiar territory: engaging in a string of dangerous, disjointed and sometimes illicit jobs. Unthinking bravado might prove to be Roger’s ultimate undoing after all.
Paperback, 218 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-6-2)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9987632-7-9)
Published: August 2020
I Guess I Just Wasn’t Thinking. — Part Four: At the End of the Rainbow brings the saga of fact-based fictional character Roger Yahnke to a close. In Part IV, Roger finally finds that one woman, Mireille — who for reasons not to be understood, decisively unlocks his manhood. He is now a changed being, emboldened and empowered; however, he is now faced with a daunting challenge: he has to find a way to construct a life with Mireille. After seeing and feeling the majesty of snow-capped mountains and the pastoral French countryside, he is fearful Mireille would not be able to abide the States (especially hot, flat Florida).
In spite of this doubt, Roger must investigate any stateside opportunity, and is hugely lucky in attaining a position with a Fortune 500 company. There he is sabotaged, unfortunately, by a jealous superior and endures the disgrace of being “outplaced for management convenience” (fired). The circumstances surely would deny him any future chance of landing another respected position in the aviation field.
Because Roger is incapable of changing his spots, he predictably retreats to more familiar territory: engaging in a string of dangerous, disjointed and sometimes illicit jobs. Unthinking bravado might prove to be Roger’s ultimate undoing after all.
Dr. Ridiculopickulopot and the Shot
Written by Doc Zavod
Illustrated by Orsolya Orbán
Doc Zavod Books, Davis, CA
Paperback, 42 pages, color throughout, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-7331716-0-1)
Hardback, 42 pages, color throughout, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-7331716-1-8)
Published: October 2019
Doc Zavod (Matthew B. Zavod, M.D.), author of Dr. Ridiculopickulopot and the Shot, is a practicing otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor) and facial plastic surgeon who, as a child, dreaded getting shots. He believes the best medicine is preventive and has strong convictions about maintaining public health. That’s why he decided to write a series of entertaining but instructional children’s books, with his character Dr. Ridiculopickulopot guiding the way.
Dr. Ridiculopickulopot is a clumsy but lovable doctor who bumbles through his day, stumbling over shoes, lunchboxes, and other obstacles while treating his patients. The boy sits diminutively in the doctor’s office, trying to melt into the furniture to avoid the terrifying likelihood of today’s doctor visit: the shot. Nobody likes shots, or bumbling, but the struggles of both Dr. Ridiculopickulopot and the boy show us, in a humorous and endearing manner, how the boy overcomes his dread of shots, and how a bumbling doctor is reminded of what it is like to be a patient. At the same time, the boy learns that doctors and shots should not be feared, and that vaccination is important. The antics of Dr. Ridiculopickulopot are sing-songy so preschool and early grade school kids can repeat the words, or at least have a laugh trying.
Dr. Zavod’s passion is entertainment, with humor and music paramount. The Doc lives and sings with his family in Northern California.
Orsolya Orbán, whose nickname is Orshee, is a highly talented children's book illustrator who was born, raised and is living in Transylvania, Romania. Her illustrations always have a healthy dose of humor, like her depiction of Dr. Ridiculopickulopot. Her characters are funny and quirky, but can be sad, if necessary, to convey a mood or a message. Her favorite activity is laughing, however, because it lifts her spirit.
Paperback, 42 pages, color throughout, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-7331716-0-1)
Hardback, 42 pages, color throughout, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-7331716-1-8)
Published: October 2019
Doc Zavod (Matthew B. Zavod, M.D.), author of Dr. Ridiculopickulopot and the Shot, is a practicing otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat doctor) and facial plastic surgeon who, as a child, dreaded getting shots. He believes the best medicine is preventive and has strong convictions about maintaining public health. That’s why he decided to write a series of entertaining but instructional children’s books, with his character Dr. Ridiculopickulopot guiding the way.
Dr. Ridiculopickulopot is a clumsy but lovable doctor who bumbles through his day, stumbling over shoes, lunchboxes, and other obstacles while treating his patients. The boy sits diminutively in the doctor’s office, trying to melt into the furniture to avoid the terrifying likelihood of today’s doctor visit: the shot. Nobody likes shots, or bumbling, but the struggles of both Dr. Ridiculopickulopot and the boy show us, in a humorous and endearing manner, how the boy overcomes his dread of shots, and how a bumbling doctor is reminded of what it is like to be a patient. At the same time, the boy learns that doctors and shots should not be feared, and that vaccination is important. The antics of Dr. Ridiculopickulopot are sing-songy so preschool and early grade school kids can repeat the words, or at least have a laugh trying.
Dr. Zavod’s passion is entertainment, with humor and music paramount. The Doc lives and sings with his family in Northern California.
Orsolya Orbán, whose nickname is Orshee, is a highly talented children's book illustrator who was born, raised and is living in Transylvania, Romania. Her illustrations always have a healthy dose of humor, like her depiction of Dr. Ridiculopickulopot. Her characters are funny and quirky, but can be sad, if necessary, to convey a mood or a message. Her favorite activity is laughing, however, because it lifts her spirit.
Truth, Fiction and Lies: A Merran Scofield Mystery
By Susan Curry
Across Ocean Books, Davis, CA
Paperback, 296 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-944176-05-4)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-944176-04-7)
Published: November 2018
An old diary, tucked away in a historical museum since the Great Depression, provides clues about what may have occurred on a farm outside Wirrim, a small Australian country town. Nothing bad ever transpires there — if you set aside the depression-era murder-suicide, and the present-day disappearance of a Japanese exchange student. What really happened?
A class reunion sets the ball rolling. Was the shooting death of a young mother and her three children murder-suicide? Or was her husband responsible? Does knowledge of the history of the time carry some weight?
A teenage Japanese exchange student, Hiroshi Nakamura, chronically anxious and depressed, walks away from Wirrim and vanishes. Has he survived? If so, where is he? If not, is this a suicide? Or murder? Malcolm Richardson, an elderly farmer and son of a Japanese prisoner-of-war survivor, admits that he met the boy but swears that he had nothing to do with the disappearance. Truth, or lies? And where do his father’s letters to his mother from the Middle East in World War II fit in?
These are mysteries that claim the attention of historian Merran Scofield, who grew up in Wirrim but left long ago to pursue an academic career in San Francisco. When she returns for a short study trip and attends a class reunion, she has little idea that her life will never be the same, thanks to former classmates, the local police officer and, again, her knowledge of the times.
Truth, Fiction, and Lies appeals to mystery buffs; to people interested in Australia, particularly its history; and to armchair psychologists. It’s an engrossing, brisk read, with a surprisingly complex plot that will keep you absorbed well into the night.
Paperback, 296 pages, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-944176-05-4)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-944176-04-7)
Published: November 2018
An old diary, tucked away in a historical museum since the Great Depression, provides clues about what may have occurred on a farm outside Wirrim, a small Australian country town. Nothing bad ever transpires there — if you set aside the depression-era murder-suicide, and the present-day disappearance of a Japanese exchange student. What really happened?
A class reunion sets the ball rolling. Was the shooting death of a young mother and her three children murder-suicide? Or was her husband responsible? Does knowledge of the history of the time carry some weight?
A teenage Japanese exchange student, Hiroshi Nakamura, chronically anxious and depressed, walks away from Wirrim and vanishes. Has he survived? If so, where is he? If not, is this a suicide? Or murder? Malcolm Richardson, an elderly farmer and son of a Japanese prisoner-of-war survivor, admits that he met the boy but swears that he had nothing to do with the disappearance. Truth, or lies? And where do his father’s letters to his mother from the Middle East in World War II fit in?
These are mysteries that claim the attention of historian Merran Scofield, who grew up in Wirrim but left long ago to pursue an academic career in San Francisco. When she returns for a short study trip and attends a class reunion, she has little idea that her life will never be the same, thanks to former classmates, the local police officer and, again, her knowledge of the times.
Truth, Fiction, and Lies appeals to mystery buffs; to people interested in Australia, particularly its history; and to armchair psychologists. It’s an engrossing, brisk read, with a surprisingly complex plot that will keep you absorbed well into the night.
Nutritional Geography: Representative Lectures and Presentations (1977–2018)
By Louis Evan Grivetti, Professor Emeritus, Department of Nutrition, UC Davis
Volume 1 (1977–1992), 8.5 x 11 inches, 270 pages (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-3-6)
Volume 2 (1993–2000), 8.5 x 11 inches, 248 pages (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-4-3)
Volume 3 (2001–2018), 8.5 x 11 inches, 246 pages (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-5-0)
Published in April 2019 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
When Louis E. Grivetti received his Ph.D. in geography from the University of California, Davis in 1976, he embarked on a distinguished academic career as a professor and scholarly researcher. He became an authority in two areas of inquiry: the origin and continuity of nutritionally sound diets in different regions of the world, and the ways in which migration influenced cultural and ethnic dietary traditions.
This three-volume collection consolidates lecture notes and presentation materials he compiled throughout the decades of his teaching and research activities. Grivetti championed the concept that the science of nutrition and social science of geography can be blended to produce quality education. He also maintained that appreciation of history, geographical location and political controversy, and exposure to great ideas create an intellectual framework through which students gain understanding of the complexities of the 20th and 21st centuries.
This collection of lecture materials was culled from hundreds of presentations that were based on personal research and fieldwork activities, along with fieldwork and laboratory research activities of his graduate students. The representative lectures and presentations in the three-volume set reflect Grivetti’s changing research-related themes and teaching styles over four decades.
Volume 2 (1993–2000), 8.5 x 11 inches, 248 pages (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-4-3)
Volume 3 (2001–2018), 8.5 x 11 inches, 246 pages (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-5-0)
Published in April 2019 for private distribution, among academic libraries, family members and friends only
When Louis E. Grivetti received his Ph.D. in geography from the University of California, Davis in 1976, he embarked on a distinguished academic career as a professor and scholarly researcher. He became an authority in two areas of inquiry: the origin and continuity of nutritionally sound diets in different regions of the world, and the ways in which migration influenced cultural and ethnic dietary traditions.
This three-volume collection consolidates lecture notes and presentation materials he compiled throughout the decades of his teaching and research activities. Grivetti championed the concept that the science of nutrition and social science of geography can be blended to produce quality education. He also maintained that appreciation of history, geographical location and political controversy, and exposure to great ideas create an intellectual framework through which students gain understanding of the complexities of the 20th and 21st centuries.
This collection of lecture materials was culled from hundreds of presentations that were based on personal research and fieldwork activities, along with fieldwork and laboratory research activities of his graduate students. The representative lectures and presentations in the three-volume set reflect Grivetti’s changing research-related themes and teaching styles over four decades.
Memories of a Nutritional Geographer
By Louis Evan Grivetti
Paperback, 8.5 x 11 inches, 378 pages, color throughout (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-2-9)
Published in September 2018 for private distribution, among family members and friends only
Throughout the three decades during which Louis E. Grivetti was on the faculty of the departments of Geography and Nutrition at the University of California, Davis, he established expertise in several divergent areas of inquiry. With undergraduate and master’s degrees in paleontology from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in geography from UC Davis, Lou conducted research and taught about cultural influences on human food consumption patterns in the present as well as in the past. His contributions to academic literature offer insights about nutritional status in the United States in comparison to populations in various nations in Africa, Asia and Europe.
A few years after his retirement in 2007, Lou began thinking about documenting the events that led him on his life’s journey. “The mind is like a mirror. Recent images are like clear glass, bright reflections of reality. Past images, however, are chipped, selective and distorted, filtered by the thoughts and actions of others as the years progress,” he realized, as he began organizing his recollections. “Truth, too, changes and becomes embellished; myth emerges from fact as stories are told and retold.”
Lou is the author or co-author of several books that EditPros has published. As his manuscript began to take shape, he naturally turned to EditPros’ Book Prep service to help him publish his memoirs in book form. The book, intended for private distribution only among his family members and friends, became available in September 2018.
“Relating memories becomes an art as the sharp, keen edges of truth are dulled and modified by the passage of time,” Lou observed. “Despite these cautions I have presented my best recollections of the activities and events that shaped my life. My hope is that by putting these memories onto paper, I will help family members and friends better understand the complexities and evolution of my life.”
Published in September 2018 for private distribution, among family members and friends only
Throughout the three decades during which Louis E. Grivetti was on the faculty of the departments of Geography and Nutrition at the University of California, Davis, he established expertise in several divergent areas of inquiry. With undergraduate and master’s degrees in paleontology from UC Berkeley and a Ph.D. in geography from UC Davis, Lou conducted research and taught about cultural influences on human food consumption patterns in the present as well as in the past. His contributions to academic literature offer insights about nutritional status in the United States in comparison to populations in various nations in Africa, Asia and Europe.
A few years after his retirement in 2007, Lou began thinking about documenting the events that led him on his life’s journey. “The mind is like a mirror. Recent images are like clear glass, bright reflections of reality. Past images, however, are chipped, selective and distorted, filtered by the thoughts and actions of others as the years progress,” he realized, as he began organizing his recollections. “Truth, too, changes and becomes embellished; myth emerges from fact as stories are told and retold.”
Lou is the author or co-author of several books that EditPros has published. As his manuscript began to take shape, he naturally turned to EditPros’ Book Prep service to help him publish his memoirs in book form. The book, intended for private distribution only among his family members and friends, became available in September 2018.
“Relating memories becomes an art as the sharp, keen edges of truth are dulled and modified by the passage of time,” Lou observed. “Despite these cautions I have presented my best recollections of the activities and events that shaped my life. My hope is that by putting these memories onto paper, I will help family members and friends better understand the complexities and evolution of my life.”
Jacob Cunningham’s Extraordinary Journey to Us
Written by Helen Zaccari
Illustrated by Jaime Shilen
Hardback, 8 x 8 inches, 36 pages, color throughout
Published in January 2019 for private distribution, among family members only
This is the second volume in a series that author Helen Zaccari conceived specifically as gifts for members of her sister's family.
The inspiration for Jacob Cunningham’s Extraordinary Journey to Us was the confluence of Great-Grandma Mary’s request for her family members to always remember her and meeting Jacob’s cousin Colton Zakovich for the first time. Unlike most children when meeting a stranger, Colton broke into a huge smile and reached out his arms for Helen to pick him up. Not long after that first meeting with Colton, the idea for this series of books was born.
When Helen realized that an entire generation would never know her parents (the boys’ great-grandparents), she knew that she wanted to provide them with a small glimpse of the extraordinary people that contributed to making them who they are today. While she couldn’t manufacture a meeting of this generation and her parents, she could create a bridge between the two. This book serves as that bridge, as Helen explained in her dedication to Jacob: "I hope this book will provide you with both an appreciation for your roots and curiosity to learn more. Never forget how extraordinary you are. Don’t ever lose the spark for life that makes you such a phenomenal individual."
Published in January 2019 for private distribution, among family members only
This is the second volume in a series that author Helen Zaccari conceived specifically as gifts for members of her sister's family.
The inspiration for Jacob Cunningham’s Extraordinary Journey to Us was the confluence of Great-Grandma Mary’s request for her family members to always remember her and meeting Jacob’s cousin Colton Zakovich for the first time. Unlike most children when meeting a stranger, Colton broke into a huge smile and reached out his arms for Helen to pick him up. Not long after that first meeting with Colton, the idea for this series of books was born.
When Helen realized that an entire generation would never know her parents (the boys’ great-grandparents), she knew that she wanted to provide them with a small glimpse of the extraordinary people that contributed to making them who they are today. While she couldn’t manufacture a meeting of this generation and her parents, she could create a bridge between the two. This book serves as that bridge, as Helen explained in her dedication to Jacob: "I hope this book will provide you with both an appreciation for your roots and curiosity to learn more. Never forget how extraordinary you are. Don’t ever lose the spark for life that makes you such a phenomenal individual."
The One-and-Only, Stupendous Colton Zakovich and His Fantabulous Orchard of Family Trees
Written by Helen Zaccari
Illustrated by Jaime Shilen
Hardback, 8 x 8 inches, 24 pages, color throughout
Published in October 2018 for private distribution, among family members only
This is the first volume in a series that author Helen Zaccari conceived specifically as gifts for members of her sister's family.
Known to her young great-great nephews as "Great-Great-Aunt Lolly," Helen said that the inspiration for The One-and-Only, Stupendous Colton Zakovich and His Fantabulous Orchard of Family Trees was Great-Great-Grandma Mary's request for family members to remember her. She also wanted to preserve the memory of the first time she met great-great nephew Colton. Unlike most children when meeting a stranger, Colton broke into a huge smile and reached out his arms for Helen to pick him up. Not long after that first meeting, the idea for this book was born.
When Helen realized that an entire generation would never know her parents (their great-great-grandparents), she knew that she wanted to create a way to give them a glimpse of their ancestors — extraordinary people who had contributed to making them who they are today. While Helen knew that she couldn't manufacture a meeting of this young generation and her parents, she could use her literary talents to create an enduring bridge between the two.
Published in October 2018 for private distribution, among family members only
This is the first volume in a series that author Helen Zaccari conceived specifically as gifts for members of her sister's family.
Known to her young great-great nephews as "Great-Great-Aunt Lolly," Helen said that the inspiration for The One-and-Only, Stupendous Colton Zakovich and His Fantabulous Orchard of Family Trees was Great-Great-Grandma Mary's request for family members to remember her. She also wanted to preserve the memory of the first time she met great-great nephew Colton. Unlike most children when meeting a stranger, Colton broke into a huge smile and reached out his arms for Helen to pick him up. Not long after that first meeting, the idea for this book was born.
When Helen realized that an entire generation would never know her parents (their great-great-grandparents), she knew that she wanted to create a way to give them a glimpse of their ancestors — extraordinary people who had contributed to making them who they are today. While Helen knew that she couldn't manufacture a meeting of this young generation and her parents, she could use her literary talents to create an enduring bridge between the two.
The Quicksand of Agoraphobia: A memoir of panic disorder
By Diane Mengali
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-9996471-0-3)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9996471-1-0)
Published: November 2017
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 6 million people suffer from panic disorder each year, and 15 million have a lifetime prevalence of the disorder. Only one in four people who experience panic attacks receives appropriate treatment.
Diane Mengali grew up in Northern California in the 1950s, when family dysfunction was cloaked in denial. On the outside, her family appeared functional and successful, but the part hidden from view was her mother’s depression, alcoholism, and suicidal tendencies, and her father’s intolerant attitude and infidelity. As a child, Diane internalized her mother’s fear and insecurity and by age 10, she had become a chronic worrier.
Diane married Dave in 1966. She had her first panic attack in August of 1967. While disturbing, she saw it as an isolated event, not the life-altering siege it soon became. A world of confusion unfolded in 1975 when Diane met Ellen, a registered nurse. What began as a friendship, turned into an affair, forcing Diane to question her sexuality and to seek counseling. After much turmoil, Diane and Ellen moved in together. Her marriage to Dave ended in 1980.
In 1983, a psychiatrist diagnosed Diane with agoraphobia, a type of anxiety disorder in which one fears and avoids any situation that may cause panic and is usually accompanied by feelings of helplessness, shame, and being trapped. A few years later, she found a therapist who guided her through long-dormant painful emotions, introduced her to behavior modification and the life-saving practice of mindfulness.
Diane hopes that her story, detailed in The Quicksand of Agoraphobia: A memoir of panic disorder, will help people understand the torment and terror that people with panic disorder and agoraphobia face on a daily basis. Panic disorder need not be a life-altering, frightening struggle. With early diagnosis and treatment, panic disorder can be treated with therapy and medication.
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9996471-1-0)
Published: November 2017
According to the National Institute of Mental Health, 6 million people suffer from panic disorder each year, and 15 million have a lifetime prevalence of the disorder. Only one in four people who experience panic attacks receives appropriate treatment.
Diane Mengali grew up in Northern California in the 1950s, when family dysfunction was cloaked in denial. On the outside, her family appeared functional and successful, but the part hidden from view was her mother’s depression, alcoholism, and suicidal tendencies, and her father’s intolerant attitude and infidelity. As a child, Diane internalized her mother’s fear and insecurity and by age 10, she had become a chronic worrier.
Diane married Dave in 1966. She had her first panic attack in August of 1967. While disturbing, she saw it as an isolated event, not the life-altering siege it soon became. A world of confusion unfolded in 1975 when Diane met Ellen, a registered nurse. What began as a friendship, turned into an affair, forcing Diane to question her sexuality and to seek counseling. After much turmoil, Diane and Ellen moved in together. Her marriage to Dave ended in 1980.
In 1983, a psychiatrist diagnosed Diane with agoraphobia, a type of anxiety disorder in which one fears and avoids any situation that may cause panic and is usually accompanied by feelings of helplessness, shame, and being trapped. A few years later, she found a therapist who guided her through long-dormant painful emotions, introduced her to behavior modification and the life-saving practice of mindfulness.
Diane hopes that her story, detailed in The Quicksand of Agoraphobia: A memoir of panic disorder, will help people understand the torment and terror that people with panic disorder and agoraphobia face on a daily basis. Panic disorder need not be a life-altering, frightening struggle. With early diagnosis and treatment, panic disorder can be treated with therapy and medication.
The Magic Pen: Cindy’s Castle Adventure
Illustrated by René Hartman Domino
Written by Erin Childs
Hardback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-1-9373173-8-6)
Paperback, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-9373173-9-3)
Published: July 2017
A coloring book and box of magic pens were all it took to send Cindy on a fantasy adventure to a beautiful castle, far, far from home. Cindy loves exploring the castle until she starts to miss home.
Author Erin Childs has her bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis in graphic design from California State University, Chico. As a child, she loved when her mom read traditional fairy tales to her. While she had fun writing many stories as a child, this is her first published children's fairy tale.
Paperback, available from Amazon and Barnes & Noble (ISBN: 978-1-9373173-9-3)
Published: July 2017
A coloring book and box of magic pens were all it took to send Cindy on a fantasy adventure to a beautiful castle, far, far from home. Cindy loves exploring the castle until she starts to miss home.
Author Erin Childs has her bachelor's degree in communications with an emphasis in graphic design from California State University, Chico. As a child, she loved when her mom read traditional fairy tales to her. While she had fun writing many stories as a child, this is her first published children's fairy tale.
It Only Hurts When I Sit Down: A Bicycle Adventure on Historic Route 66
By Douglas L. Waterman
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-6927634-0-7)
Published: August 2016
Not long after his retirement from his 35-year teaching career, cycling enthusiast Douglas Waterman hatched the notion of bicycling the entire 2,300-mile length of a highway that no longer officially exists — old U.S. 66. "I was sitting with my dad in his living room in Santa Fe, New Mexico, my eyes wandering over his impressive collection of road maps," Doug recalled. "He and mom had traveled a lot in their lifetime but now in their old age, their deserted maps were gathering dust, fading in the morning sunlight on a bookshelf to my right. I felt like I’d uncovered ancient drawings, long forgotten in a museum basement drawer, each one showing the way to priceless treasure. Back home in California I pored over dad’s maps. I traced the red line that represented Route 66 and imagined following it on my 18-speed road bike. What a thrill it would be to pedal from Santa Monica to Chicago, from the Pacific Ocean to the shore of Lake Michigan, my dream unfolding like the maps dad had given me."
This book chronicles that journey, which Doug used as a means to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. His story weaves the fascinating history of the Mother Road with the obstacles and rewards he encountered — from violent weather and crowded two-lane highways and city streets to interesting and changing landscapes, and the wonderful friends, old and new, who cheered him on.
Published: August 2016
Not long after his retirement from his 35-year teaching career, cycling enthusiast Douglas Waterman hatched the notion of bicycling the entire 2,300-mile length of a highway that no longer officially exists — old U.S. 66. "I was sitting with my dad in his living room in Santa Fe, New Mexico, my eyes wandering over his impressive collection of road maps," Doug recalled. "He and mom had traveled a lot in their lifetime but now in their old age, their deserted maps were gathering dust, fading in the morning sunlight on a bookshelf to my right. I felt like I’d uncovered ancient drawings, long forgotten in a museum basement drawer, each one showing the way to priceless treasure. Back home in California I pored over dad’s maps. I traced the red line that represented Route 66 and imagined following it on my 18-speed road bike. What a thrill it would be to pedal from Santa Monica to Chicago, from the Pacific Ocean to the shore of Lake Michigan, my dream unfolding like the maps dad had given me."
This book chronicles that journey, which Doug used as a means to raise funds for Habitat for Humanity. His story weaves the fascinating history of the Mother Road with the obstacles and rewards he encountered — from violent weather and crowded two-lane highways and city streets to interesting and changing landscapes, and the wonderful friends, old and new, who cheered him on.
Oyibo, I Am Coming
By James L. Eagan
Published: November 2017 (for private distribution, among family members and friends only)
Oyibo, I Am Coming is a memoir that James Eagan wrote about his family’s experiences living in Ilorin, Nigeria, Africa, from 1979 to 1981. After receiving a job offer to help start the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Ilorin, Eagan and his family traveled to Nigeria and entered a very different lifestyle and culture.
Several years after moving back to Northern California, Eagan took a course in oral history writing from the University of California Extension and decided to interview his three children Lisa, Natalya and Sean, and his wife, Karen, about their recollections of living in Nigeria. According to Eagan, Oyibo is a slang Yoruba word to identify white people. The tone of the word lets you decide how the speaker is feeling about the person it is applied to. The word literally means skin peeled back.
He wrote, “When white people, ‘European’ from any country, enter a small village in Nigeria, the children come running out to see them, calling Oyibo, Oyibo, meant as a friendly greeting. When I walked into a grocery store or stood in a line there, a voice from the back was likely to call out: ‘Oyibo, I am coming.’ It meant, ‘I know you are there and I will come soon.’ I think maybe you would have to go to Yoruba-speaking Nigeria to hear these words to get the full picture. Or, you could ask any of the children mentioned in this story. Although they are adults now, they could still bring up just the right intonation, and you would likely be delighted.”
James Eagan wanted to publish this book for his family, but he died before it came to fruition. His wife, Karen, learned about EditPros LLC Book Prep service and asked if we could help her self-publish her husband’s book. She edited the text and supplied all of the family photos for the cover and inside the book, and choose to have the photos printed in color throughout. While the book is available for wholesale purchase by Karen and her family, she decided against enabling it for sale by Amazon, Barnes and Noble or other retailers.
Oyibo, I Am Coming is a memoir that James Eagan wrote about his family’s experiences living in Ilorin, Nigeria, Africa, from 1979 to 1981. After receiving a job offer to help start the Mechanical Engineering Department at the University of Ilorin, Eagan and his family traveled to Nigeria and entered a very different lifestyle and culture.
Several years after moving back to Northern California, Eagan took a course in oral history writing from the University of California Extension and decided to interview his three children Lisa, Natalya and Sean, and his wife, Karen, about their recollections of living in Nigeria. According to Eagan, Oyibo is a slang Yoruba word to identify white people. The tone of the word lets you decide how the speaker is feeling about the person it is applied to. The word literally means skin peeled back.
He wrote, “When white people, ‘European’ from any country, enter a small village in Nigeria, the children come running out to see them, calling Oyibo, Oyibo, meant as a friendly greeting. When I walked into a grocery store or stood in a line there, a voice from the back was likely to call out: ‘Oyibo, I am coming.’ It meant, ‘I know you are there and I will come soon.’ I think maybe you would have to go to Yoruba-speaking Nigeria to hear these words to get the full picture. Or, you could ask any of the children mentioned in this story. Although they are adults now, they could still bring up just the right intonation, and you would likely be delighted.”
James Eagan wanted to publish this book for his family, but he died before it came to fruition. His wife, Karen, learned about EditPros LLC Book Prep service and asked if we could help her self-publish her husband’s book. She edited the text and supplied all of the family photos for the cover and inside the book, and choose to have the photos printed in color throughout. While the book is available for wholesale purchase by Karen and her family, she decided against enabling it for sale by Amazon, Barnes and Noble or other retailers.
Bowles Hall Residential College
University of California, Berkeley
Chronology of Activities and Events
By Louis E. Grivetti
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-0-5)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-1-2)
Published: August 2016
The chronological history of Bowles Hall Residential College is presented through a compilation of documents, images, and texts. It is a story of family generosity and philanthropy that begins with vision of Mary A. McNear Bowles to honor her deceased husband, Philip E. Bowles, by a gift to the University of California, Berkeley, to construct the first residential college in North America.
Chronicled are the activities, events, and experiences that illustrate the character and changes of Bowles Hall Residential College through the decades since 1927. The content also details the efforts and challenges faced by the Bowles Hall Alumni Association (BHAA), Bowles Hall Foundation (BHF), regional friends, and supportive Berkeley campus administrators, to restore Bowles Hall to its former greatness.
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-9978109-1-2)
Published: August 2016
The chronological history of Bowles Hall Residential College is presented through a compilation of documents, images, and texts. It is a story of family generosity and philanthropy that begins with vision of Mary A. McNear Bowles to honor her deceased husband, Philip E. Bowles, by a gift to the University of California, Berkeley, to construct the first residential college in North America.
Chronicled are the activities, events, and experiences that illustrate the character and changes of Bowles Hall Residential College through the decades since 1927. The content also details the efforts and challenges faced by the Bowles Hall Alumni Association (BHAA), Bowles Hall Foundation (BHF), regional friends, and supportive Berkeley campus administrators, to restore Bowles Hall to its former greatness.
When Your Child Has Lyme Disease — A Parent's Survival Guide
By Sandra K. Berenbaum, LCSW, BCD and Dorothy Kupcha Leland
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-9962243-0-7)
E-book, available from Amazon (ISBN: 978-0-9962243-1-4)
Published: September 2015
Lyme disease can cause puzzling symptoms in children, including pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal upsets, learning disabilities, behavioral issues and psychiatric problems. It can be hard to diagnose, however, and Lyme-related controversies in the medical world complicate the situation even more. Parents seeking help for their suffering children often don't know where to turn.
When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent's Survival Guide is filled with information parents need to know about Lyme, as well as practical strategies based on the authors' personal and professional experiences. It offers advice on finding the right medical care, coping with treatment, developing effective boundaries with others who don't understand what your family is going through, advocating for your child's educational needs, and managing day-to-day family life.
Sandra K. Berenbaum, LCSW, BCD, who has counseled Lyme patients and their families for more than 20 years, has developed responsive psychotherapy, a unique approach to helping families overcome the challenges of Lyme disease.
Co-author and mother Dorothy Kupcha Leland is a national activist who writes the blog Touched by Lyme.
E-book, available from Amazon (ISBN: 978-0-9962243-1-4)
Published: September 2015
Lyme disease can cause puzzling symptoms in children, including pain, fatigue, gastrointestinal upsets, learning disabilities, behavioral issues and psychiatric problems. It can be hard to diagnose, however, and Lyme-related controversies in the medical world complicate the situation even more. Parents seeking help for their suffering children often don't know where to turn.
When Your Child Has Lyme Disease: A Parent's Survival Guide is filled with information parents need to know about Lyme, as well as practical strategies based on the authors' personal and professional experiences. It offers advice on finding the right medical care, coping with treatment, developing effective boundaries with others who don't understand what your family is going through, advocating for your child's educational needs, and managing day-to-day family life.
Sandra K. Berenbaum, LCSW, BCD, who has counseled Lyme patients and their families for more than 20 years, has developed responsive psychotherapy, a unique approach to helping families overcome the challenges of Lyme disease.
Co-author and mother Dorothy Kupcha Leland is a national activist who writes the blog Touched by Lyme.
Voices of a Dream — Stories from A Touch of Understanding
Leslie DeDora, editor
Jill C. Mason, editor
Bob Schultz, editor
Paperback, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other sellers (ISBN: 978-0-6926459-0-1)
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-6926459-1-8)
Published: March 2016
Do you remember when you were a child in school? Can you picture that one student who was always teased or bullied because he or she seemed “different?” It may have been the way she walked, or the way he struggled to read. He may have had emotional outbursts. She may have used a wheelchair. There was at least one student who was teased or bullied for being different. You may have seen it happen. You may have been the one teased or bullied. Or, you may have been the bully. Everyone has been touched by this destructive cycle.
A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) is a nonprofit organization that helps children who are the victims of teasing and bullying, along with those who witness the incidents and the children who do the teasing and bullying. Voices of a Dream introduces the ATOU team members who helped one woman turn her dream into a movement to promote genuine inclusion of all children in school and community settings — a movement touching thousands of lives each year, breaking down the walls of misunderstanding and abuse, and building bridges of friendship.
Read about an aerobatic pilot who uses two myoelectric hands; a young woman with autism who stretched beyond her comfort zone and is now in film school; and a survivor of a tragic drunk driving accident who was the impetus for this book. Learn about the many people who come together to share their stories to educate and inspire a new generation to welcome those who seem “different” for any reason.
“I was one of the first students to participate in ATOU’s workshops many years ago. I was a second grader at the time, and I remember being so intrigued by the workshop. It opened my eyes to things I had never thought about before. Now, many years later, I have come to appreciate ATOU even more. In fact, I have become a special education teacher....” —Stacie Ohara
E-book, available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and Kobo (ISBN: 978-0-6926459-1-8)
Published: March 2016
Do you remember when you were a child in school? Can you picture that one student who was always teased or bullied because he or she seemed “different?” It may have been the way she walked, or the way he struggled to read. He may have had emotional outbursts. She may have used a wheelchair. There was at least one student who was teased or bullied for being different. You may have seen it happen. You may have been the one teased or bullied. Or, you may have been the bully. Everyone has been touched by this destructive cycle.
A Touch of Understanding (ATOU) is a nonprofit organization that helps children who are the victims of teasing and bullying, along with those who witness the incidents and the children who do the teasing and bullying. Voices of a Dream introduces the ATOU team members who helped one woman turn her dream into a movement to promote genuine inclusion of all children in school and community settings — a movement touching thousands of lives each year, breaking down the walls of misunderstanding and abuse, and building bridges of friendship.
Read about an aerobatic pilot who uses two myoelectric hands; a young woman with autism who stretched beyond her comfort zone and is now in film school; and a survivor of a tragic drunk driving accident who was the impetus for this book. Learn about the many people who come together to share their stories to educate and inspire a new generation to welcome those who seem “different” for any reason.
“I was one of the first students to participate in ATOU’s workshops many years ago. I was a second grader at the time, and I remember being so intrigued by the workshop. It opened my eyes to things I had never thought about before. Now, many years later, I have come to appreciate ATOU even more. In fact, I have become a special education teacher....” —Stacie Ohara
Published authors and editors Marti Smiley Childs and Jeff March compose the Book Prep team.
Learn why writers are so pleased with Book Prep.
HOME | TESTIMONIALS | CONTACT US
Learn why writers are so pleased with Book Prep.
HOME | TESTIMONIALS | CONTACT US