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VB Publishing Local Authors
Village Books PUBLISHING
For many years, Village Books Publishing has been proud to work with a wonderful array of local writers whose talents have brought excitement and life to our bookshelves. Together, we’ve been able to share the stories of our community, and as we press forward with 2020, we hope to continue doing so!
Currently, our publishing division proudly boasts an array of genres written by Pacific Northwest authors, ranging from memoir to local history to children’s picture books. This year, we wanted to introduce you to a few of our newest additions. All of their books will be gracing our shelves soon, and whether they are debut authors or seasoned professionals, they’re all worth taking a moment to appreciate! Titles recently printed Friday, October 9, 5pm Virtual Author Event by Village Books with Mike Rostron How We Garden The Kabul Conscript by Vonnie Voris available now, paperback, author by Mike Rostron available now, paperback, Village Books Written by a physical therapist, this book can help you re-think your current approach In the summer of 1973, David Stuckrath, a to gardening. It is filled with pictures that Peace Corps Volunteer, becomes embroiled in guide you on how to safely lift, rake, weed, a dangerous adventure in the ancient bazaars and other tasks. It will also teach you the of Kabul. He befriends an AWOL soldier, value of planning, garden design, and falsely accused of treason, who is pursued by attitude adjustment. It contains a simple his vicious captain. The enigmatic expatriate, program for improving your most important gardening tool (your Conrad Slocum, comes to their aid. While body) though fitness, strengthening, and stretching. Vonnie Voris is these events are unfolding, the friends must a graduate from University of Washington and has been helping deal with the plight of Reshtina–a young Afghan teacher trying gardeners as a physical therapist for over 30 years. to escape the horror of a forced marriage to an abusive fiancé. Mike Rostron lived for over 20 years in Alaska, before sailing to Whatcom County on a boat of his own construction. The Kabul Conscript is a prequel to Cape Decision, published in 2019, and is also available at Village Books. Virtual Group Reading Sunday, The Blue Bottles Writing Studio Anthology: September 20, 5pm
A Variety of Stories from Four Independent Authors
by Elizabeth Jane Pryce, George Francis Edward, Sandra J. S. Stanton, Sita C. Amba-Rao available now, paperback, Village Books This debut anthology gives us 68 vastly different stories divided into five sections: Creative Memoirs, Stories from a Photograph, Short Stories, Scribblings, and The Newspaper Challenge. Some pieces are purely fictional and some autobiographical. Although each started with the same writing prompt, no two are alike! Each story is short, making it a fun read that leaves you feeling like you have discovered four new friends. Elizabeth Jane Pryce is a retired landscape artist who moved from London to Bellingham in 1991. She has an awardwinning garden, has been published before, and is working on the memoir of her childhood in the Caribbean. George Francis Edward holds a Juris Doctorate from USD School of Law. While working at the local credit union as the chief fraud investigator, he developed a program called WECUSAFE and published a book titled How to Steal from Mom. Sandra J.S. Stanton traveled extensively in the USA and abroad before moving to Bellingham with her husband. She is a freelance writer and editor for Chanticleer Reviews and Media LLC and is a member of Bellingham at Home. Sita C. Amba-Rao has a doctorate in Management and Industrial Relations, and has worked in various states in America as well as in India. After her husband passed, she moved to Solstice Senior Living and is now working on his biography. Continued on the next page
Sunday, September 27, 4pm Virtual Event with Dick Cathell
The Gift of Becoming: Fulfilling Nine Basic Needs for Enhanced Living
by Dick Cathell available now, paperback, Resources for Enhanced Living LLC In his new book, Dick Cathell shares a moving collection of stories, poems, and vignettes resulting from decades of heartbreaking encounters that all came as “part of the job.” The job? Serving 37 years as a hospital chaplain. Through that experience, he discovered nine basic needs essential for coping with others’ grief, as well as his own. Join us as he shares the steps in fulfilling those needs for enhanced living. Dick Cathell, Ph.D., M.Div., BCC, is President of Resources for Advanced Living LLC. He has served 37 years as a hospital chaplain in Okinawa and the U.S. Mr. Cathell has also been endorsed and ordained by the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ).
52 Women of Whatcom
by The League of Women Voters of Bellingham/Whatcom County Check out the latest Village Books publishing project on page 31.
KOANS: Starving to Find Fulfillment
by Janet Gilmore, edited by Brian Gilmore available now, paperback, True Grit Productions/Reel Perspectives KOANS is the story of Janet Gilmore's lifelong struggle with anorexia/bulimia as told through her essay and mood poetry. Her son, Bellingham filmmaker and school counselor Brian Gilmore, arranged and edited KOANS from Janet's powerful poetry, letters, and journaling of her ongoing battle and increasing sense of pain and isolation. Janet's granddaughter, Sehome 2020 grad and artist Emma Gilmore, provides a riveting series of illustrations that interpret her grandmother's struggle with her self-described "demon" that eventually took her life. Janet Gilmore was a lifelong resident of Grand Rapids, MI, who advocated for a holistic treatment approach for eating disorder recovery. Her battle with anorexia began as a teenager in 1946 and she experienced institutionalized, medical and psychological treatment throughout the 1960s until her passing in 2002.
Locally Made New Reads by VB Publishing Clients
Sunrise: Daoist Practices for Women
by Caryn Boyd Diel available now, paperback, Dragon Fire Productions Sunrise: Daoist Practices for Women is a compilation of 20 years of study, practice, and teaching by author Caryn Diel. This book allows the reader to learn ancient methods for healing and self-care. There are three sections: Healing and Curing, Longevity Practices (Yang Shen), and Immortality Practices, which includes stories about women immortals in China. Sunrise guides us on an exploration into new ways of creating inner peace and health during a time when we need it more than ever. Caryn is the founder of White Cloud Institute and enjoys teaching classes in the Healing Arts. A graduate of the Barbara Brennan School of Healing and a Senior Universal Healing Tao instructor, she teaches Chi Nei Tsang; Taoist Abdominal Massage and other classes for Women and hands-on healers.
Whimsy Park: Poems for the Whole Family
by John Green illustrated by Christen Mattix avialable now, paperback, J & J Green Bean Press While sure to put a smile on your face, Whimsy Park contains deep and thoughtful concepts for the whole family. Prepare to have a Munchkin jump into your sock. To share jellied donuts with a pinecone, and meet a funny fox and skunk. Dance with a ball of clay, and sit silently, as good friends sometimes do, with an old dog. Featuring 40 watercolor illustrated poems, adults and children can equally enjoy their walks through Whimsy Park for years to come. As an early childhood development and education advocate, John believes in respectful and thoughtful parenting foremost, but also understands the huge benefits of playfulness and humor. Although a widely published poet, this is John’s first book of children’s poetry.
