To be included on the Authors page, your book must have been published within the last year. Send the author’s name; their chapter letter(s), city, state/province/district; the title of the book; a brief, objective synopsis of the book and a photo of the cover of the book or of the author to: editor@peodsm.org Authors are published in the order in which they are received and new authors are added in conjunction with the release of new issues of The Record.
Cynthia Suzanne Sauer, CL-WI, Palm Desert, California, wrote “First Serve: Acing Life.”
A novel about perseverance, fair play and human decency.
When Lucie Sampson’s best friend disappears at the end of fourth grade, she finds herself defenseless against her bullies. Born with hip dysplasia, Lucie’s unusual gait has made her a target for teasing most of her young life. But the first time she sees a tennis match, a whole new freedom appears on the horizon.
Encouraged by her father, Lucie heads to college with the hope of playing competitive tennis. But before she can set foot on campus, a debilitating accident derails her dreams. As she learns to contend with injury and prejudice, Lucie finds strength in new friendships as she fights for a place back on the court.
When her father’s most closely guarded secret comes to light, Lucie is exposed to dangers she never anticipated. With more than tennis on the line, the spirit of sportsmanship rewards her with an unexpected finale and, quite certainly, a winning set.
Elizabeth Dolan, R, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, wrote “The True Adventures of Porkchop the Pig,” a children’s book about the true story of a pig who ran away from home to find a new home in a pasture with Black Angus Cattle.
Linda Burks, PhD, U, Stillwater, Oklahoma, wrote “Navigating Transitions: Embracing Change and Finding Purpose.”
When life changes, how will you navigate what comes next? Every ending holds the seed of a beginning. Navigating Transitions is a trusted companion for the seasons when life shifts – sometimes suddenly, sometimes quietly – and invites you to re-imagine who you are and why you’re alive. Drawing on four decades of clinical practice, Dr. Linda Burks offers both wisdom and practical tools to help you navigate change with courage and grace.
Inside, you’ll discover:
- Proven tools for calming anxiety, cultivating inner steadiness, and clarifying what truly matters to you now.
- Encouragement to embrace change with confidence, curiosity and compassion.
- Practical ways to let go of what no longer serves you and welcome what’s next.
Whether you’re grieving a loss, facing a new beginning, or feeling the quiet pull toward something different, this book offers a steady hand and a hopeful perspective to help you navigate the future and find purpose.
Linda Burks, PhD, is a licensed clinical psychologist whose area of expertise and specialized training is working with post-traumatic stress disorder. She brings over forty years of experience as a psychotherapist to her first book, Navigating Transitions. Blending psychological insight, spiritual wisdom and creativity, she guides others toward resilience, self-awareness and a deeper sense of meaning. Since her retirement, Linda still prioritizes enriching and expanding people’s understanding of how life’s struggles can awaken consciousness and illuminate a path for those who seek meaning and purpose in life. She does this through her speaking, teaching and writing in the hope that those she meets will discover their inner strength, life-affirming truths, and courage and compassion to live life to its fullest.
Jennifer Joy (a.k.a. J.M. Joy), PI, Placerville, California, wrote “The Elusive Dream: Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur, México – The First 40 Years.” This is the story of the development in the 1960s and into the new millennium of Punta Chivato, a remote point located two-thirds of the way down the eastern Baja peninsula, on the Sea of Cortez. Before a paved road existed along the Baja peninsula, and initially accessible only by sea, this arid point was an unlikely site for a luxury fishing resort. But Californian, Dixon Collins, had a dream; one that seemed impossible to many. Even the local Mexicans called the project Punta Loca (Crazy Point)! This non-fiction account is told through the voices of those who shared their experiences with the author; people who created, loved, and lived the history of this magical place. Their tales are extraordinary – filled with adventure, humor, intrigue, and tragedy. Notable figures, including Jacques Cousteau, Olivia Newton-John, Denzel Washington, and Larry Hagman, visited Punta Chivato. The book includes maps showing the towns and areas relevant to the story, as well as old photographs obtained by the author. Bajaphiles and those interested in learning more about his often-overlooked Mexican peninsula below California will enjoy reading “The Elusive Dream: Punta Chivato, Baja California Sur, México – The First 40 Years.”
Ann Brubaker Greenleaf Wirtz, BC, Hendersonville, North Carolina, wrote “Letters: Our American Story.”
A legacy of faith, family and freedom is told through the power of the written word as expressed in letters and messages written by family and friends.
The World War II letter written by the author’s father was the catalyst for the book, with the inclusion of a Susan B. Anthony letter written to the organization founded by the author’s great-grandmother another gem. Letters from the authors Catherine Marshall and Elisabeth Elliot also give inspiration. Wirtz’s heritage and connection to the letters tells our remarkable American story and commemorates the United States’ 250th anniversary.
Carol Detweiler, P, West Linn, Oregon, wrote “A Murder of Crows Fly with a Red Ribbon.” Her book, a historical novel, is a testament to the enduring strength of the human spirit, which finds light in the deepest shadows of adversity, and tells how inner strength and love of family allows one to endure heartbreaking hardships to begin life anew.
Set in the shadow of the Balkan Mountains, where ethnic tensions and brutal oppression in Kosovo escalate and explode into the 1999 NATO-led war, the story follows two families—one Catholic, one Muslim—whose lives are torn apart and forever changed. It tells with unflinching honesty the authentic experiences of ordinary people caught up in the tragic devastation of ethnic cleansing, war, survival, and displacement. For those who survive and flee as refugees, freedom comes at a dreadful price: loss of loved ones, home and country, confidence, and at times, even their belief in God.
Writing this book was serendipitous for me, as when Kosovar refugees entered the U.S., I worked to establish a program providing college scholarships for them. Consequently, after learning about their war experiences, culture, and country, I became inspired to write their story. Woven from my firsthand interviews, along with historical research, and several trips to Kosovo, the narrative is rooted in truth, though the characters themselves are fictional.
Janelle Robson, M, Ellsworth, Kansas, co-authored “Surviving the Silence: A Meet-You-at-the-Front Door Approach to Surviving Stillbirth and Miscarriage.”
The pages within “Surviving the Silence” do not shy away from the difficult conversations of infant loss. Janelle, with her co-authors offer a beacon of hope, reminding readers that they are not alone in their journey of loss. Part memoir, part survival guide and full of raw honesty, unwavering vulnerability and their steadfast Christian faithSurviving the Silence is leading others out of the silence and into a place of hope, comfort and healing.
Marcia Ren, CC, Coquille, Oregon, wrote “Spring: The Trail of Arden: Seasons of Eleanor. In “Spring: The Trail of Arden,” Eleanor faces her greatest challenge yet—finding her place in a bustling city far from the quiet coast she once called home. Recently relocated with her husband, Thomas, Eleanor feels unsettled in the city’s whirlwind, but everything changes when she discovers a letter from her late sister, Clara, hidden in a forgotten box. As Eleanor uncovers a trail of secrets from her family’s past, new friendships begin to blossom, giving her hope for the future. But will the answers she seeks heal her heart or forever change the course of her journey?
Mary Berelson, XE, Truckee, California, wrote “Bicentennial Summer: A Coming of Age Journey Across America.”In the summer of America’s Bicentennial, 13-year-old Mary climbs into the back seat of her father’s beat-up, baby-blue Peugeot, ready for the adventure of a lifetime. With her little twin sisters in tow, the family sets out across the country chasing promise and possibility—but the farther they travel, the more Mary begins to see her father, and the world around her, in a new light.
From roadside motels to sweeping national parks, Bicentennial Summer captures the spirit of a restless nation and the tender chaos of a family on the edge of change. Both nostalgic and deeply human, it’s a portrait of innocence lost, resilience found, and the enduring hope that love—however imperfect—can still bring us home.
Mary Jeanne Kuhar, AI, Bend, Oregon, wrote “In Vitro.”
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